cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Computed Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Inner Ear

The majority of temporal bone radiographic studies are obtained either for middle ear and mastoid disease or in the evaluation of retrocochlear pathology. With recent technologic advances, diagnostic imaging of the inner ear has developed an increasing role in the evaluation and management of diseases that affect the cochlea, semicircular canals, and the vestibular and cochlear aqueducts. High-resolution computed tomography (CT) provides excellent detail of the osseous labyrinth, whereas magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) generates images derived from the membranous labyrinth and its associated neural elements. Optimal techniques for obtaining high quality CT and MRI images of the normal and diseased inner ear are presented. CT has proved useful in the evaluation of inner ear malformations, cochlear otosclerosis, labyrinthine fistulization from cholesteatoma, translabyrinthine fractures, otic capsule osteodystrophies, in the assessment of cochlear patency before cochlear implantation, and in the localization of prosthetic devices such as stapes wires and cochlear implants. While MRI produces discernible images of the soft tissue and fluid components of the inner ear, it has yet to demonstrate any unique advantages in the evaluation of inner ear disease. However, MRI produces excellent and highly useful images of the audiovestibular and facial nerves, cerebellopontine angle, and brain.
Combined Flucytosine — Amphotericin B Treatment of Cryptococcosis

In a prospective study from May 1971 to November 1973, 20 consecutive patients with a diagnosis of disseminated cryptococcosis were treated for six weeks with a combination of amphotericin B (20 mg/d) intravenously and flucytosine (5-FC) (150 mg/kg/d) orally. Fifteen patients had culturally documented Cryptococcus neoformans meningitis, and three died of infection early in therapy. Of the remaining 12 patients, eight were alive and well eight to 34 months following therapy, and four died of other causes. None of the surviving patients has relapsed.
Screening and brief intervention for low risk drug use in primary care: a pilot randomized trial

Material and methods We randomly assigned participants identified by screening with Alcohol Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) drug specific scores of 2 or 3 (consistent with low risk drug use) to: no BI, a brief negotiated interview (BNI), or an adaptation of motivational interviewing (MOTIV). BNI was a 10-15 minute structured interview conducted by health educators. MOTIV was ?45 minutes with an optional booster conducted by trained master’s-level counselors. Primary outcome was number of days use of self-identified main drug in the past 30 as determined by validated calendar method at 6 months. Analyses were performed using negative binomial regression adjusted for baseline use and main drug.
Electron Transport Chain Remodeling by GSK3 during Oogenesis Connects Nutrient State to Reproduction

Reproduction is heavily influenced by nutrition and metabolic state. Many common reproductive disorders in humans are associated with diabetes and metabolic syndrome. We characterized the metabolic mechanisms that support oogenesis and found that mitochondria in mature Drosophila oocytes enter a low-activity state of respiratory quiescence by remodeling the electron transport chain (ETC). This shift in mitochondrial function leads to extensive glycogen accumulation late in oogenesis and is required for the developmental competence of the oocyte. Decreased insulin signaling initiates ETC remodeling and mitochondrial respiratory quiescence through glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3). Intriguingly, we observed similar ETC remodeling and glycogen uptake in maturing Xenopus oocytes, suggesting that these processes are evolutionarily conserved aspects of oocyte development. Our studies reveal an important link between metabolism and oocyte maturation.
A Simplified Introduction to Legal Argument

This document was something on which I worked with Lee Teitelbaum over the space of several years. It was not intended for publication but was useful to a number of our students, particularly in first-year courses toward the end of the first semester. It then became part of a Festschrift memorializing Lee's career and academic service.
Role of Adjuvants in Malaria Vaccines

It is becoming widely recognized that the development of successful malaria vaccines will depend on both the production of protective antigens by chemical synthesis or recombinant technology as well as the availability of safe and effective adjuvants. The need for a strong adjuvant is evident from the results of vaccination experiments carried out in various laboratories over the last one decade. Direct immunization of monkeys with Plasmodium falciparum antigen in conjunction with various adjuvants has shown varying degrees of protection against a lethal P. falciparum challenge. However, the best protection has been achieved only when monkeys were immunized in conjunction with Freund’s complete adjuvant (FCA). Results of clinical trials with sporozoite and merozoite vaccines with alum as an adjuvant have shown limited immunogenicity and protective success. Since FCA is unacceptable for clinical use and results of clinical trials with alum have shown limited success, several laboratories have sought to establish a safe and effective adjuvant. Based on knowledge generated on the immunology of malaria, it is becoming evident that a malaria vaccine adjuvant must be capable of inducing both humoral and cell mediated immune responses. Availability of synthetic and recombinant polypeptides as malaria antigen along with a variety of novel adjuvants have accelerated research towards the establishment of safe and effective adjuvants for malaria vaccines Immunogenicity studies have identified a few synthetic immunomodulators which may be of potential clinical usage as adjuvants for malaria vaccines.
Intratumor photosensitizer injection for photodynamic therapy: Pre-clinical experience with methylene blue, Pc 4, and Photofrin

Intravenous administration of some photosensitizers, including the FDA-approved Photofrin, results in significant systemic photosensitivity and a 2-3-day drug-light interval. Direct intratumor injection of photosensitizer could potentially eliminate these negative aspects of photodynamic therapy (PDT), while requiring a lower photosensitizer dose to achieve comparable drug concentration in the target tissue. We performed PDT using intratumor injection of 3 photosensitizers, methylene blue (MB), Pc 4, and Photofrin, in mouse tumor models. After a 0-15 minute drug-light interval, illumination was delivered by appropriate diode lasers. For animals receiving MB or Pc 4, surface illumination was delivered using a microlens-terminated fiber. For animals receiving Photofrin, interstitial illumination was delivered by a 1 cm diffuser. In animals receiving MB or Pc 4, tumor dimensions were measured daily post-PDT, with a cure being defined as no palpable tumor 90 days post-treatment. For Photofrin, animals were sacrificed 24 hours post-PDT and tumors were excised, with samples HE stained to assess PDT-induced necrosis. 55% of tumors were cured with MB-PDT, and significant tumor growth delay (p=0.002) was observed for Pc 4. For Photofrin PDT, the mean necrosis radius was 3.4±0.8 mm, compared to 2.9±1.3 mm for systemic administration, which was not a significant difference (p=0.58). Intratumoral injection of the photosensitizers methylene blue, Pc 4, and Photofrin is feasible, and results in appreciable tumor response. Further investigation is necessary to optimize treatment protocols and assess the systemic photosensitivity induced by intratumor injection.
Relative Sea Level Chronology Determined from Raised Marine Sediments and Coastal Isolation Basins, Northeastern Ellesmere Island, Arctic Canada

A new relative sea level curve for the Robeson Channel area contrasts with previously published curves for the area by inferring that rapid emergence may have commenced at ca. 7400 BP, as much as 1200 yr earlier than previously predicted. Subsequently, uplift may have occurred at much lower rates from ca. 6000 BP to present. A comparison of shell dates used for the relative sea level curve and dates on disseminated total organic carbon (TOC) fraction from lacustrine and marine sediments from sediment cores from emerged coastal lakes shows wide discrepancies. Furthermore, several inifinite TOC dates (> 27,750 to > 40,600 BP) from glaciomarine sediments may imply that the region was ice-free during the last glacial maximum, but the validity of the TOC dates from the sediment cores is questionable due to variable contamination with redeposited detrital organic matter.
In-Situ Strain Measurements of EB-PVD Thermal Barrier Coatings using Synchrotron X-Ray Diffraction under Thermo-Mechanical Loading

Demands for designing prime reliant, energy-efficient, and high performance thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) in gas turbines have led to a growing interest toward comprehensive microstructural characterization. Over the last decade, Synchrotron X-ray Diffraction (XRD) has established itself as a high-resolution strain measurement method for the thermally grown oxide (TGO) layer of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs). In this work, we present in-situ X-ray strain measurements of the TGO layer on cycled TBC specimens under thermo-mechanical loading using high energy X-rays (~80.7- 86 keV) at Sector 1-ID of the Advanced Photon Source at the Argonne National Laboratory. The evolution of TGO stresses was examined over one complete thermal cycle on TBC samples at various stages of the life fraction under mechanical loads. Quantitative results obtained through Pseudo-Voigt peak fitting of the (024) and (300) planes of α-Al2O3, show the evolution of strain in-situ over a thermal cycle. It was shown that increasing mechanical load resulted in reduced compression during a cycle to the point where tensile strain was observed in the TGO. This determination of critical conditions for strain evolution in early cycle specimens will serve to improve overall accuracy in life prediction of these coatings and contribute to developing methods of improving fatigue behavior.
An incremental crack growth model for multi-scale fatigue analysis

A new fatigue crack growth formulation at the small time scale is proposed in this paper. This method is different from the traditional cycle-based fatigue formulation and is based on the incremental crack growth at any time instant during a cycle. It can be used for fatigue analysis at various time and length scales and is very convenient for the fatigue analysis under random variable amplitude loading without cycle-counting. The proposed model only requires basic material mechanical properties to develop the shape and magnitude of the traditionally used curve. Stress ratio and near-threshold crack growth behavior are included in the proposed methodology. In the proposed methodology, the reversed plastic zone concept and the crack closure concept is adopted to determine the lower integration limit in a single load cycle, respectively. Both approaches have been investigated and their advantages and disadvantages are discussed in detail. The proposed methodology is validated with extensive experimental observations for various metallic materials. Very good agreements with experimental data are observed. Error analysis and statistical testing are employed to compare the accuracy of the crack closure model and the reversed plastic zone model.
Regulation of Growth and Pigmentation of Monascus Purpureus by Carbon and Nitrogen Concentrations

Growth and pigment production of Monascus purpureus were affected by the ratio of glucose to ammonium nitrate concentration in a synthetic medium. Mycelial growth increased with an increase of gluc...
Assessing The Factors Enabling Systematic Change

The goal of this research article is to examine the relationships between the research variables change-management actions, change readiness, and systematic change. Change management is defined by three factors: leadership, project management, and learning. Change readiness is defined by two factors: knowledge and resources. Systematic change is defined by one factor of carefully sequenced actions that align customers, products/services, processes/tools, structure, and skill mix. This framework is operationalized and applied using a survey of participants in a high-tech organization's transformation. The results show that as change-management actions increases or decreases, there is an increase or decrease in change readiness, which supports systematic change. Managers can use the findings to assess the effectiveness of their change actions, change readiness in their organizations, and outcomes of their systematic change efforts. Managers can also use the findings to define their specific change-managemen...
Tarantula and Hermit Crab Emergency Care

Tarantulas and hermit crabs are commonly kept pets and are underappreciated in veterinary medicine. Safe handling, biology and husbandry, diagnostic techniques, anesthesia, fluid therapy, disorders, and euthanasia are covered in this article. Current research is applied to these topics to keep practitioners abreast with the best medicine for these creatures.
Diabase Temper as a Marker for Laguna Ceramics

The Western Keresan area consists of the present-day Pueblos of Laguna and Acoma. In the 1950s, Florence Hawley Ellis proposed that a high proportion of Laguna ceramics could be distinguished from the ceramics produced by Acoma and other population centers by the frequent use of diabase temper. We conducted a petrographic analysis of 51 ceramic sherds designed to test the veracity of this association. Historic period sherds from culinary and decorated vessels collected at the Pueblo of Laguna do in fact contain a predominance of diabase temper. A consideration of local geology indicates these vessels were almost certainly produced in the Laguna area. This report thus firmly establishes the utility of diabase temper as a diagnostic indicator of ceramic provenance for this important period of Pueblo history.
Anterior Urethral Diverticulum Associated with Posterior Urethral Valves

Abstract The association of anterior urethral diverticulum with posterior urethral valves has not been reported previously. We report a case of anterior urethral diverticulum at the penoscrotal junction and type I posterior urethral valves. Immediate drainage and later fulguration of the posterior valves and marsupialization of the anterior diverticulum yielded a good result. The association of the anterior urethral diverticulum and posterior urethral valves fits the theory of a wide spectrum of mesenchymal defects including megalourethra.
Preservation of Epigenetic Memory During DNA Replication.

Faithful duplication of a cell’s epigenetic state during DNA replication is essential for the maintenance of a cell’s lineage. One of the key mechanisms is the recruitment of several critical chromatin modifying enzymes to the replication fork by proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Another mechanism is mediated by the dual function of some histone modifying enzymes as both “reader” and “writer” of the same modification. This capacity allows for parental histones to act as a seed to copy the modification onto nearby newly synthesized histones. In contrast to the vast quantity of research into the maintenance of epigenetic memory, little is known about how the recruitment of these maintenance enzymes changes during stem cell differentiation. This question is especially pertinent due to the recent emphasis on cell reprogramming for regenerative medicine.
Effect of Hurricanes on Commercial Tomato Crop Production in Southern Florida

Several experiments were conducted in commercial tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plantings during the 2004–05 and 2005–06 seasons in Immokalee, FL, to understand types of plant damage and potential yield reductions caused by hurricanes. Expt. 1 involved ‘Florida 91’ tomato seedlings damaged during 2004 by hurricane Frances, 15 days after transplanting (DAT). Individual plants were rated and categorized as best, good, or fair, 34 DAT according to plant size and vigor/severity of injury. Ten plants from each category were removed with roots intact, and dry weights were recorded. During 2005, 23 DAT or 8 days after hurricane Wilma, Expt. 2 was conducted to compare rescued and replanted ‘Soraya’ tomato seedlings. Rescued seedlings were left in place after the hurricane and others were removed and replaced with new transplants of the same variety. Expt. 3 (‘Florida 47’) and 4 (‘BHN 586’) involved the contrast of two yield seasons without a hurricane (2004–05) and with hurricane Wilma (2005–06) to estimate the effect of the hurricane damage on tomato 65 and 45 DAT. Fruit was counted, graded by size, and weighed for each experiment from 10 plants/plot. Injury caused by hurricane winds was most evident in Expt. 1 mostly in stem damage below the soil surface showed callous tissue at the site of injury due to plants being whipped around in the planting hole. Plants rated ‘‘best’’ showed greater plant and root dry weight, stem diameter below the injury point, and higher yield of extra large and total marketable fruit at first harvest than plants rated good or fair. Total marketable yields from rescued plants in Expt. 2 were double than that from replanted plants, and fruit matured 20 days earlier for rescued plants indicating that plants injured by Wilma recovered quickly. Hurricane-damaged crops during 2005–06 in Expts. 3 and 4 yielded 60% lower than that of undamaged crops during 2004–05. In the extra large size category, the yields were reduced between 34% and 12% from the previous season. However, hurricane-damaged loss of yield in the extra large category was offset by increased yield in the medium category. It appears that hurricane-damaged plants, when young, were capable of full recovery and normal yields, whereas hurricanedamaged plants, when older at the time injury occurred, were not able to fully recover and eventually produced only half the normal yield.
WE‐AB‐BRA‐12: Post‐Implant Dosimetry in Prostate Brachytherapy by X‐Ray and MRI Fusion

Purpose: For post-implant dosimetric assessment after prostate brachytherapy, CT-MR fusion approach has been advocated due to the superior accuracy on both seeds localization and soft tissue delineation. However, CT deposits additional radiation to the patient, and seed identification in CT requires manual review and correction. In this study, we propose an accurate, low-dose, and cost-effective post-implant dosimetry approach based on X-ray and MRI. Methods: Implanted seeds are reconstructed using only three X-ray fluoroscopy images by solving a combinatorial optimization problem. The reconstructed seeds are then registered to MR images using an intensity-based points-to-volume registration. MR images are first pre-processed by geometric and Gaussian filtering, yielding smooth candidate seed-only images. To accommodate potential soft tissue deformation, our registration is performed in two steps, an initial affine followed by local deformable registrations. An evolutionary optimizer in conjunction with a points-to-volume similarity metric is used for the affine registration. Local prostate deformation and seed migration are then adjusted by the deformable registration step with external and internal force constraints. Results: We tested our algorithm on twenty patient data sets. For quantitative evaluation, we obtained ground truth seed positions by fusing the post-implant CT-MR images. Seeds were semi-automatically extracted from CT and manually corrected and then registered to the MR images. Target registration error (TRE) was computed by measuring the Euclidean distances from the ground truth to the closest registered X-ray seeds. The overall TREs (mean±standard deviation in mm) are 1.6±1.1 (affine) and 1.3±0.8 (affine+deformable). The overall computation takes less than 1 minute. Conclusion: It has been reported that the CT-based seed localization error is ∼1.6mm and the seed localization uncertainty of 2mm results in less than 5% deviation of prostate D90. The average error of 1.3mm with our system outperforms the CT-based approach and is considered well within the clinically acceptable limit. Supported in part by NIH/NCI grant 5R01CA151395. The X-ray-based implant reconstruction method (US patent No. 8,233,686) was licensed to Acoustic MedSystems Inc.
WE-DE-201-06: Impact of Temporal Image Coregistration Methods On 3D Internal Dose Calculations in Targeted Radionuclide Therapy

Purpose: The calculation of 3D internal dose calculations in targeted radionuclide therapy requires the acquisition and temporal coregistration of a serial PET/CT or SPECT/CT images. This work investigates the dosimetric impact of different temporal coregistration methods commonly used for 3D internal dosimetry. Methods: PET/CT images of four mice were acquired at 1, 24, 48, 72, 96, 144 hrs post-injection of 124I-CLR1404. The therapeutic 131I-CLR1404 absorbed dose rate (ADR) was calculated at each time point using a Geant4-based MC dosimetry platform using three temporal image coregistration Methods: (1) no coregistration (NC), whole body sequential CT-CT affine coregistration (WBAC), and individual sequential ROI-ROI affine coregistration (IRAC). For NC, only the ROI mean ADR was integrated to obtain ROI mean doses. For WBAC, the CT at each time point was coregistered to a single reference CT. The CT transformations were applied to the corresponding ADR images and the dose was calculated on a voxel-basis within the whole CT volume. For IRAC, each individual ROI was isolated and sequentially coregistered to a single reference ROI. The ROI transformations were applied to the corresponding ADR images and the dose was calculated on a voxel-basis within the ROI volumes. Results: The percent differences in the ROI mean doses were as large as 109%, 88%, and 32%, comparing the WBAC vs. IRAC, NC vs. IRAC, and NC vs. WBAC methods, respectively. The CoV in the mean dose between the all three methods ranged from 2–36%. The pronounced curvature of the spinal cord was not adequately coregistered using WBAC which resulted in large difference between the WBAC and IRAC. Conclusion: The method used for temporal image coregistration can result in large differences in 3D internal dosimetry calculations. Care must be taken to choose the most appropriate method depending on the imaging conditions, clinical site, and specific application. This work is partially funded by NIH Grant R21 CA198392-01.
The Direction of American Power

It is worth remembering when considering some of the agonies in the United States about the role of military power and our role in the world, that extensive American involvement with military power is largely a 20th century phenomenon and even when it was only episodic until the post-World War II era. Nations do not quickly put their pasts and traditions behind them, even though in the United States we seem to take to military power with a certain amount of relish from time to time. Indeed, it has often been argued that when we become committed to the use of our military power we sometimes lose political vision and political purpose.
Creating caring institutions for community informatics

ABSTRACTThis paper explores the potential affordances of applying a feminist ethics of care approach to community informatics practices in public internet access facilities. As feminist technology scholars have long observed, technology and technoculture are strongly encoded as masculine, privileging traits such as scientific knowledge, rationality, objectivity, and distance. These characteristics are expressed in traditional infomediary practices in a variety of ways, including notions of expertise, ways of conceptualizing technology, emphasis on skills attainment, and deficit-based models of user behavior. In contrast, ethics of care emphasizes the importance of relational and situated knowledge, pluralistic voices and experiences, and relationships bound by mutual interdependence. Traditionally, caring has been feminized and thus necessarily excluded from technoculture and relegated to invisible and unpaid labor. Caring and associated affective labor practices remain an under-examined subject in infome...
Nano-featured highly interconnective macroporous elastic scaffolds for cardiovascular tissue engineering

The lack of suitable scaffolding materials and viable scaffold design is challenging the success of tissue engineering. In the present study, we developed a new scaffolding strategy using a secondary porogen, poly(ethylene glycol) dimethyl ether along with sieved salts based on traditional salt-leaching method. This new scaffolding technology could allow us to fabricate nano- featured highly interconnective macroporous biodegradable elastic scaffolds based on a newly developed crosslinked poly(l,8-octanediol citrate) (POC) for cardiovascular tissue engineering.
Evaluation and Epidemiology of Proteinuria

Proteinuria is a strong and independent predictor of increased risk of kidney disease progression and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Urinary excretion of protein >150 mg a day is considered to be a marker of kidney damage and to significantly increase the risk of progression to end stage renal disease. Epidemiological studies, however, suggest that excretion of as little as 10 mg/day of protein in the urine is associated with increased risk of kidney failure. There are several methods for measuring protein or albumin excretion in the urine including the spot urine protein-to-creatinine ratio (UPCR), the urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR), the urine dipstick and the 24 h urine collection. Of these, the 24 h urine collection is considered to be the gold standard. Proteinuria may be transient or persistent. While transient proteinuria is almost always benign, persistent proteinuria may be due to several different causes including primary glomerular diseases and systemic disorders that damage the kidneys.
Variant designs and characteristics of improved microstructured solid-state neutron detectors

Perforated semiconductor neutron detectors are compact, high-efficiency, diode detectors that operate at low power. Microstructured neutron detector fabrication methods have been improved over previous manufacturing methods. The neutron detectors are easily fabricated from high purity n-type Si, in which patterned trenches are etched into the Si substrate, wherein shallow p-type junctions are diffused. The trenches are then backfilled with 6LiF powder, making the devices sensitive to reaction products from the 6Li(n,t)3He reaction. Pulse height spectra show improved signal-to-noise ratio, higher neutron counting efficiency, and excellent gamma-ray discrimination over previous microstructured neutron detector designs. Thermal neutron detection measurements from a 0.0253 eV diffracted neutron beam, yielded 20.4% intrinsic detection efficiency for devices with 245 micron deep trenches and 21% intrinsic detection efficiency for two back-to-back devices each having 113 micron deep trenches.
Effects of reservoir stratification and watershed hydrology on manganese and iron in a dam‐regulated river

The presence of metals, including manganese (Mn) and iron (Fe), adversely impacts water quality. In seasonally stratified reservoirs, Mn and Fe can accumulate in the water column due to reducing conditions in sediments and be released to downstream rivers through dam discharge. In addition to reservoir stratification influences, the release of metals downstream is influenced by hydrologic conditions in the river. We examined the seasonal and spatial variability of Mn and Fe concentrations in a eutrophic, hydropower reservoir and the downstream river over a two‐year period. Overall, we found that reservoir stratification was a strong predictor of tailrace Mn and Fe concentrations but that tailrace Fe concentrations were also influenced by dam discharge. Downgradient of the tailrace, river discharge and suspended sediment were the dominant predictors of both Mn and Fe concentrations. Using our data, we develop a conceptual model of seasonal and hydrologic drivers of metal concentrations. The model can be modified for other systems aiding drinking water utilities and other water users in forecasting under what seasonal and hydrologic conditions that Mn and Fe concentrations in river systems are likely to be elevated.
Rigless well abandonment remediation in the shallow water U.S. Gulf of Mexico

Abstract From 2004–2015, over 11,000 wells were plugged and abandoned in the federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico, but no studies have ever been conducted on the reliability of operations and the frequency of remediation activity. The purpose of this paper is to estimate the probability that a dry tree well abandoned using rigless methods, the most common approach in the shallow water Gulf of Mexico, requires remediation after initial operations are completed. A random sample of 502 platform wells abandoned in 2010 in water depth less than 400 ft were tracked for five years to identify bubbling/leaking events. Nine wells were identified that required remediation after operations were performed leading to a remediation probability estimate of 1.8% and a 95% confidence interval ranging between 0.6 and 3.0%. The limitations of the analysis and directions for future work are described.
Influence of environment, crop age and cultivar on the development and severity of Fusarium yellows in field-grown sugar beet

AbstractFusarium yellows, caused by multiple Fusarium spp., is an important disease of sugar beet in many production regions and leads to considerable reductions in root yield, sucrose percentage, and juice purity. Due to the increasing incidence of Fusarium yellows and the potential impacts of climate change on plant disease development, a better understanding of how the environment contributes to disease severity would provide additional strategies for managing losses due to Fusarium yellows. However, little is known about what environmental factors are most influential for the development and severity of disease in the field, nor how sugar beet responds to these abiotic stresses. Therefore, the occurrence of Fusarium yellows in a susceptible, moderately susceptible, and a resistant cultivar of field grown sugar beet were monitored and correlated with the environmental conditions during the growing season over a four-year period. While Fusarium yellows gradually increased during the field season with cr...
Non-model-based damage identification of plates using principal, mean and Gaussian curvature mode shapes

Abstract Mode shapes have been extensively used to identify structural damage. This paper presents a new non-model-based method that uses principal, mean and Gaussian curvature mode shapes (CMSs) to identify damage in plates; the method is applicable to mode shapes associated with low and high elastic modes on dense and coarse measurement grids and robust against measurement noise. A multi-scale discrete differential-geometry scheme is proposed to calculate principal, mean and Gaussian CMSs associated with a mode shape of a plate, which can alleviate adverse effects of measurement noise on calculating the CMSs. Principal, mean and Gaussian CMSs of a damaged plate and those of an undamaged one are used to yield four curvature damage indices (CDIs), including Maximum-CDIs, Minimum-CDIs, Mean-CDIs and Gaussian-CDIs. Damage can be identified near regions with consistently higher values of the CDIs. It is shown that a mode shape of an undamaged plate can be well approximated using a polynomial of a properly determined order that fits a mode shape of a damaged one, provided that the undamaged plate has a smooth geometry and is made of material that has no stiffness and mass discontinuities. Fitting and convergence indices are introduced to quantify the level of approximation of a mode shape from a polynomial fit to that of a damaged plate and to determine the proper order of the polynomial fit, respectively. A weight function is applied to the proposed CDIs to alleviate adverse effects of measurement noise on the CDIs and manifest existence of damage in the CDIs. A mode shape of an aluminum plate with damage in the form of a machined thickness reduction area was measured to experimentally investigate effectiveness of the proposed CDIs in damage identification; the damage on the plate was successfully identified. The experimental damage identification results were numerically verified by applying the proposed method to the mode shape associated with the same mode as that of the measured one from a finite element model of the damaged plate.
Market Practices and the Bazaar: Technology Consumption in ICT Markets in the Global South

Local informal markets or bazaars play a central role in embedding the adoption, consumption, and reproduction of digital technologies within the economic and cultural fabric of the Global South. This paper presents ethnographic accounts of informal ICT markets in two sites, one in India and the other in Bangladesh, and assesses how technology consumption unfolds within local practices. Building on social practice theory, this paper depicts the role of materiality, relationships, and situated knowledge in the functioning of a bazaar. We discuss how this knowledge expands our understanding of the evaluation of technology and technical expertise, and the persistence of these informal spaces despite the uptake of corporatized technology marketplaces. We argue that the bazaar represents a special kind of local voice that enriches the HCI scholarship in postcolonial computing.
LONG TERM EFFECTS OF RICELAND AGRICHEMICALS ON POSTPARASITES AND ADULTS OF ROMANOMERMIS CULICIVORAX (NEMATODA: MERMITHIDAE)

Field applications of selected riceland agrichemicals caused ≤ 22.8% mortality to Romanmermis culiciuorax up to 48 days posttreatment. Methyl parathion + benomyl + thiabendazole was responsible for the highest mortality. Most agrichemicals did not seriously inhibit parasitism of Culex quinquefasciatus larvae by F1 progeny of R. culicivorax, previously treated as postparasites and as adults.
Model Development and Execution Process with Repositories, Validation, and Verification

Model Development and Execution Process with Repositories, Validation, and Verification In this chapter, we discuss another modeling and simulation environment that supports both development and storage of families of DEVS models for Systems of Systems. Component-based System Modeler (CoSMo) is grounded in a unified logical, persistence, and visual model development concept. We show how you can develop; store, retrieve, and instantiate DEVS SoS models such as those for service oriented and cloud systems (Chaps. 14 and 15). We develop a unified concept supporting logical, visual, and persistence modeling and simulation framework (CoSMoS) which lends itself for data (XML Schema) modeling and XML Schema code as well as cellular automata modeling. We show how the concept of SW/HW co-design for systems of systems fits seamlessly into the CoSMoS framework. While being based on the same underlying concepts of DEVS model construction, MS4 Me™ and CoSMoS offer somewhat different perspectives on support for SoS model construction.
Targets and Tactics: Testing for a Duality within Al Qaeda’s Network

One prevailing view treats Al Qaeda as a monolithic entity with a global network of affiliates. Yet, certain affiliates appear more committed to local political and territorial goals – parochial, n...
Genetics of epilepsy

Discovery of nearly 200 genes implicated in epilepsy and insights into the molecular and cellular pathways involved are transforming our knowledge of the causes, classifications, diagnosis, and in some cases, treatments for individuals with chronic seizure disorders. Numerous disorders once considered "idiopathic" are now recognized as genetic conditions. Despite these remarkable advances, the cause of epilepsy for most individuals is unknown. We present a clinical approach to patients with epilepsy, presenting an algorithm for clinical and genetic testing, and review genes implicated in epilepsy and their associated syndromes.
A Perspective into Ultra High Field MRI RF Coils

The advancement of MRI as a radiological instrument has been associated with a constant drive toward higher magnetic field strengths, resulting in higher operational frequencies. More powerful magnets bring the promise of enhanced signal to noise ratio resulting in exquisite resolution, and reduced scan times. At the same time, however, operating MRI at higher frequencies adds significant physical and engineering complexities to the MRI experiment, most notably in designing safe, versatile, and high-performance radiofrequency (RF) coils. This chapter provides RF coil studies that span frequencies ranging form 1.5 to approx. 12 T. The results and conclusions are based on experimental findings using 8 and 1.5T whole-body MRI systems, computational electromagnetics using the finite-difference time-domain method, and analytical derivations using electromagnetic theory. The outcome of these studies is then utilized to provide new avenues and techniques to improve the performance of RF head coils for human MRI at very high fields.
Stress analysis of crack problems with a three-dimensional, time-dependent computer program

A three-dimensional, time-dependent computer program is used for the stress-strain analysis of elastic-plastic materials subjected to tensile loads. Several geometries are considered. The capabilities and advantages of this explicit finite difference computer program are demonstrated, and recommendations for future applications are made.
Experiences of Women with Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate: A Qualitative Study

Depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA), an injectable birth control method, was approved for contraceptive use in 1992. While DMPA is a relatively safe and convenient form of contraception, available research suggests that discontinuation rates are high. While quantitative surveys of DMPA users have provided useful information about their demographic characteristics and frequency of side effects, the patient's subjective experience with DMPA has not been examined. The current study employed qualitative research methods and included in-depth interviews with women currently receiving DMPA. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed for thematic consistency using an ethnographic framework. Results indicated that while DMPA users appreciated the convenience of an injectable contraceptive every three months, many were distressed by side effects with weight gain and menstrual irregularity being a particular concern. It is likely that these symptoms play a significant role in the reported high rates of DMPA discontinuation. Improved patient education about these issues may improve DMPA continuation rates.
Generation of human iPSCs from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells using non-integrative sendai virus in chemically defined conditions

Human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) have received enormous attention because of their ability to differentiate into multiple cell types that demonstrate the patient's original phenotype. The use of hiPSCs is particularly valuable to the study of cardiac biology, as human cardiomyocytes are difficult to isolate and culture and have a limited proliferative potential. By deriving iPSCs from patients with heart disease and subsequently differentiating these hiPSCs to cardiomyocytes, it is feasible to study cardiac biology in vitro and model cardiac diseases. While there are many different methods for deriving hiPSCs, clinical use of these hiPSCs will require derivation by methods that do not involve modification of the original genome (non-integrative) or incorporate xeno-derived products (such as bovine serum albumin) which may contain xeno-agents. Ideally, this derivation would be carried out under chemically defined conditions to prevent lot-to-lot variability and enhance reproducibility. Additionally, derivation from cell types such as fibroblasts requires extended culture (4-6 weeks), greatly increasing the time required to progress from biopsy to hiPSC. Herein, we outline a method of culturing peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and reprogramming PBMCs into hiPSCs using a non-integrative Sendai virus.
Impacts of Matched Batch Sizes on Time Reduction in Construction Projects

Batching production is to process products in lots rather than by the piece and most activities in repetitive construction projects are performed by batching production. Batch size is a key factor which affects duration of construction project and it is recommended to use small batch size for early completion of construction projects. However, it is possible that batch sizes are different each other between activities, and no research about impacts of batch size matching has been conducted. This paper is to examine the impacts of batch size matching on construction duration. A computer simulation model which includes two activities was developed. Two hypotheses were tested under the Monte-Carlo simulation method: 1) small batch sizes which are not matched each other can reduce time depending on productivities and 2) synchronized batch sizes leads to earlier completion of project than unsynchronized batch sizes irrespective of productivities. The results identify an advantage of matching batch sizes with regard to project duration and show that batch size matching needs consideration of compatibility between productivities also.
Editorial Golden Jubilee Anniversary Issue of IEEE Transactions on Human-Machine Systems

The nine papers in this special section celebrate the publication's 50th Golden Jubilee Anniversary. Discusses the history of the publication from its initial launching in 1968. Presents a brief title history over the past 50 years and reports on its mission and scope.
Stochastic Appointment Scheduling in a Team Primary Care Practice with Two Flexible Nurses and Two Dedicated Providers

Waiting is common in appointment-based outpatient care: patients experience delays before seeing a nurse and then in the examination room before seeing the doctor. Given that service times are unce...
"The Trapped Ventricle": Importance of Left Ventricular Unloading in Resuscitated Patients on VA-ECMO.

Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) placement is often indicated in severe cardiogenic shock and those undergoing prolonged resuscitation for cardiac arrest. However, the initiation of VA-ECMO may be associated with severe left ventricular (LV) afterload with all of its
Congenital eventration of the diaphragm. Diagnosis by ultrasound.

Ultrasound was utilized in 3 infants to diagnose preoperatively eventration of the diaphragm. In all children the organ simulating a chest mass was the liver.
Analysis of spectral data using spatial context

Spectral LiDAR analysis can be enabled by the use of spatial context, spatial structure, and prior information in the form of map data. LiDAR intensity imagery are analyzed here using an object-based approach which segments the data according to vector information obtained from OpenStreetMap and other vector map information. Polygons and features from the map vectors are used to establish regions of interest for analysis. This automates the training process for use of traditional statistical classifiers and machine learning algorithms. Map-derived objects can demonstrate multiple spectral components which must be resolved to define the primary object, and its semantic label.
A Tale of Two Rounds: Managing Conflict During the Worst of Times in Family-Centered Rounds

> It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity. > > Charles Dickens1 Family-centered rounds (FCRs) provide a framework for structuring rounds to optimize care of the pediatric patient and provide family-centered care.2 However, the communication skills required to realize the benefits of FCRs are complex, and in practice, they can be easily derailed from their intended course. For instance, during a recent faculty-development session that included direct observations of bedside teaching, 2 rounding experiences stood in sharp contrast. In 1 situation, the intern expertly led the communication with the family, incorporated all team members into the rounds, and integrated teaching points on her physical examination findings for the medical students, all of which were made easier by a cooperative patient. As the 10-minute encounter concluded, the team and family were in consensus with the management plan and were in consensus that all concerns were addressed. The second experience was vastly different. The parents were already upset before rounds because a consulting service had visited earlier with recommendations that differed from those of the primary team, leading the family to question the primary team’s clinical judgment and communication skills. This seed of mistrust seemed to grow as the …
Incidence and risk factors for readmission to a paediatric intensive care unit

Background Unscheduled readmission to a paediatric intensive care unit can lead to unfavourable patient outcomes. Therefore, determining the incidence and risk factors is important. Previous studies on such readmissions have only focused on the first 48 hours after discharge and described the relative risk factors as unmodifiable. Aim To identify the incidence and risk factors of unscheduled readmission to a paediatric intensive care unit within 7 days of discharge. Design This was a retrospective observational study. Methods Our study population comprised consecutive patients admitted to the paediatric intensive care unit of our tertiary hospital in Japan in 2012 to 2016. We determined the incidence of unscheduled readmission to the unit within 7 days of discharge and identified potential risk factors using multivariable logistic regression analysis. Results Among the 2432 admissions (1472 patients), 60 admissions (2.5%, 44 patients) were followed by ≥1 unscheduled readmission. The median time to readmission was 3.5 days. The most common causes for readmission were respiratory issues and cardiovascular symptoms. The significant risk factors for readmission within 7 days of discharge were unscheduled initial admission (odds ratio [OR]: 3.02; 95% confidence interval [CI:] 1.45-6.31), admission from a general ward (OR: 5.13; 95% CI: 1.75-15.0), and withdrawal syndrome during the initial stay (OR: 3.95; 95% CI: 1.53-10.2). Conclusions The incidence of unscheduled readmission within 7 days was not high (2.5%), and one of the three identified risk factors for readmissions (withdrawal syndrome) is potentially modifiable. Relevance to clinical practice Appropriate treatment of withdrawal syndrome may reduce readmissions and improve patient outcomes. Although unscheduled initial admission and admission from general ward are not modifiable risk factors, careful discharge judgement and follow up after discharge from paediatric intensive care units for high-risk patients may be beneficial.
Georgia: from Crisis to Stabilization… and Then ?

Georgia’s economic course since independence has been tumultuous. During an initial period, the government used the aforementioned directed-credits mechanism in an effort to sustain the pre-independence status quo in production and employment, but brought about hyperinflation and massive financial fragmentation. Once stabilization policies were introduced that reflected the post-independence economic realities of the country, these financial imbalances were gradually righted. With the introduction of a new currency in September 1995, the financial sector developed rapidly and in positive directions. The collapse of Russian financial markets in 1998 had a de-stabilizing effect, however, that the policy-makers faced in a return to crisis