cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Overview of biodosimetry for management of unplanned exposures to ionizing radiation

Abstract Biodosimetry has the potential to provide the information needed from individuals to respond to unplanned exposures to ionizing radiation in a way that enables the medical response system to function effectively. Four types of circumstances are considered: (1) triage for large scale events, (2) medical management of ARS following a large scale event, (3) medical management of small scale events, and (4) assessment of long-term risks. There are two different but potentially complementary types of biodosimetry: those based on an individual’s biological responses or on physical phenomena. Because of the different nature of these types of biodosimetry, they have different strengths and limitations that, if considered carefully, lead to their appropriate use in specified circumstances. The biologically based parameters have the possible clinical advantage of reflecting the biological consequences of the radiation. However, their limitations include that the responses potentially may be confounded by: (1) inherent differences in the response to damage in individuals; (2) prior or concurrent pathophysiologically-based processes; and (3) changes over time in an individual’s response to radiation after the exposure. The physically-based parameters are less likely to be perturbed by these factors but have the potential limitations that they measure only the dose at the body location measured, and cannot reflect the biological implications of responding to the dose. Based on the respective strengths and weaknesses of biologically based and physically-based biodosimetry, we suggest that, for exposures to large numbers of people, the physically-based parameters may be especially useful for initial triage, while the biologically based parameters may be especially useful for guiding acute and long-term treatment. For exposures involving small numbers of people, biodosimetry is likely to have a secondary role. For determination of long-term effects of radiation, biodosimetry is likely to remain the principal method for assessing dose–response relationships.
Ex vivo detection of myelin basic protein-reactive T cells in multiple sclerosis and controls using specific TCR oligonucleotide probes.

T cell reactivity to candidate myelin autoantigens, such as myelin basic protein (MBP), may play an important role in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). Although MBP-reactive T cellshave been found to undergo in vivo activation in patients with MS, their true precursor frequency in MS is unknown as current frequency analysis is commonly based on the T cell functional responses to MBP. In this study, we developed a TCR sequence-based ex vivo detection system using colony hybridization with oligonucleotide probes specific for CDR3 of selected T cell clones for the analysis of true T cell precursor frequency in PBMC. The results revealed that the precursor frequency of five independent T cell clones recognizing the immunodominant MBP83–99 region was found to be in the range of 1.6×10–4 in total T cells in three HLA-DR2 patients with MS compared to that of 0.25×10–4 in HLA-DR2 healthy individuals. The observed frequency of MBP83–99–reactive T cells in MS patients was considerably higher than those measured in parallel by cell culture-based analysis (2.3×10–6) or by enzyme-linked immunospot assay (3.9×10–5) in the same peripheral blood mononuclear cell specimens. Furthermore, the study showed that MBP83–99–reactive T cells detected ex vivo belonged to CD45RA+, CD25+ and CD95– T cell subsets as evidenced by preferential expression of specific TCR transcripts in these cell fractions.
A strategic approach to recharging lithium-sulphur batteries for long cycle life

The success of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries has brought indisputable convenience to human society for the past two decades. However, unlike commercialized intercalation cathodes, high-energy-density sulphur cathodes are still in the stage of research because of the unsatisfactory capacity retention and long-term cyclability. The capacity degradation over extended cycles originates from the soluble polysulphides gradually diffusing out of the cathode region. Here we report an applicable way to recharge lithium-sulphur cells by a simple charge operation control that offers tremendous improvement with various lithium-sulphur battery systems. Adjusting the charging condition leads to long cycle life (over 500 cycles) with excellent capacity retention (>99%) by inhibiting electrochemical reactions along with severe polysulphide dissolution. This charging strategy and understanding of the reactions in different discharge steps will advance progress in the development of lithium-sulphur batteries.
Growth of neural engineering and neuro-mechanics in India: physically challenged looking towards a bright future

Neural engineering is an emerging field, information and research relating to it is comparatively limited. However, awareness regarding its potential scope is spreading globally nowadays. The reason for growing interest of the scientific community worldwide is due to high incidence of neurological and neuromuscular diseases affecting different age groups in recent years. As per WHO Mental Health Report, 2012, mental and neurological disorders are highly prevalent worldwide accounting for almost 11% and are priority health problems globally. A UN survey (2010) showed around 400 million people with disabilities and 414 million people aged > 60 years exist in Asia (World Health and Disability Statistics: Facts Country and State Population with Disabilities, 2011). With global and national health statistics predicting steady increase of health issues in elderly and disabled population, the need of the hour is for focusing on research-oriented technology in interdisciplinary fields like neuromechanics and trained healthcare personnel are required to serve this growing need.
Nonparametric Bayes estimation of a distribution function with truncated data

Abstract A truncation bias affects the observation of a pair of variables (X,Y), so that data are available only if Y ⩽ X . In such a situation, the nonparametric maximum likelihood estimator (NPMLE) of the distribution function of Y may have unpleasant features (Woodroofe, Ann. Statist. 13 (1985) 163–177). As a possible alternative, a nonparametric Bayes estimator is obtained using a Dirichlet prior (Ferguson, Ann. Statist. 1 (1973) 209–230). Its frequentist asymptotic behavior is investigated and found to be the same as the asymptotic behavior of the NPMLE. The results are illustrated by an example, with astronomical data, where the NPMLE is clearly unacceptable.
Adrenocortical response to surgical operations in patients treated with corticosteroids or corticotropin prior to surgery.

ABSTRACT The free plasma 17-OHCS response to preoperative intravenous ACTH and to surgical operation was measured in 6 patients who had been receiving prolonged corticosteroid therapy; in 4, the plasma 17-OHCS conjugate levels were also determined. The plasma 17-OHCS response to preoperative ACTH was diminished in all 6 patients, but in 2 of them the free plasma 17-OHCS levels noted postoperatively were within the normal range expected following surgery. In contrast to the foregoing group were 2 patients who had received long-acting ACTH preparations for ulcerative colitis. Their plasma 17-OHCS response to both ACTH and to total colectomy was normal. It is suggested that patients who have been treated only with ACTH prior to surgery may be expected to have a normal pituitary-adrenal response to operation.
THE DUAL‐PROCESS DRIFT DIFFUSION MODEL: EVIDENCE FROM RESPONSE TIMES

We introduce a model of response time and choice that borrows from two distinct psychological traditions. As in dual-process models, rapid (automatic) decisions are qualitatively different from considered decisions. As in the drift diffusion model, delayed (considered) decisions occur when confidence hits a threshold level. We conduct a simple experiment in which our hybrid model matches key properties of the data. As our model predicts, decision times are bimodal, automatic decisions are of far lower quality than considered decisions, and automatic decisions are more prevalent when prior information improves, thereby raising their quality. (JEL D83, D87, C91)
The Shifting Tones of Pope Leo the Great's Christological Vocabulary

Over the past several decades Leonine studies have focused attention on Pope Leo the Great's Christology, noting the influence his Tomus ad Flavianum had at the Council of Chalcedon. In fact, because of this strong influence twentieth-century scholars have studied the Tome nearly exclusively in order to identify the heart of Leo's Christology. There can be no question, of course, that the Tome should be consulted in order to understand Leo's Christology, but it marks only one phase in the ongoing development of the ways he chose to express his christological insights. In part the Tome itself precipitated this development insofar as it opened up his Christology to scrutiny in the East. The tone of Leo's insights and the language he used to express them shifted and acquired greater precision over time in his letters and sermons in direct response to the dynamics of the christological controversy in the East, of which Leo's Tome made him a part. This development is most evident in three areas: his avoidance of the “Mother of God” title for the Virgin Mary after initially using it early in his pontificate; his use of the terms homo and humanus, which Leo learned to distinguish later in his pontificate; and his adoption of the Antiochene homo assumptus formula late in his pontificate to emphasize the fullness of Christ's human nature. These phenomena reflect the pope's careful attempt to distance himself from the rising tide of the Monophysite movement in the East, as he began to channel his traditional, Western Christology more through formulae used by Antiochene theologians. These phenomena can only be observed through careful, chronological analysis of the broader corpus of Pope Leo's works.
Dynamic susceptibility contrast perfusion MR imaging of multiple sclerosis lesions: characterizing hemodynamic impairment and inflammatory activity.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Perfusion measurement in multiple sclerosis (MS) may cast light on the disease pathogenesis and lesion development since vascular pathology is frequently demonstrated in the disease. This study was performed to investigate the perfusion characteristics in MS lesions using dynamic susceptibility contrast MR imaging (DSC-MRI) to better understand the hemodynamic changes in MS. METHODS: Seventeen patients with relapsing-remitting MS were studied with DSC-MRI. Perfusion measurements included cerebral blood flow (CBF), cerebral blood volume (CBV), and mean transit time (MTT), were obtained in enhancing, non-enhancing lesions covered by DSC-MRI and contralateral normal appearing white matter (NAWM) in patients as well as normal white matter in seventeen control subjects. RESULTS: DSC-MRI data demonstrated reduced perfusion with significantly prolonged MTT ( P P = 0.007) and CBV ( P P ≤ 0.0001) when compared with contralateral NAWM. In contrast, the remainder 36.2% non-enhancing lesions (Class 2) show increased CBV ( P = 0.02) in a similar fashion to enhancing lesions and can be observed on quantitative color-coded maps even without blood-brain barrier breakdown. CONCLUSION: DSC-MRI measurements demonstrate potential for investigating hemodynamic abnormalities that are associated with inflammatory activity, lesion reactivity and vascular compromise in MS lesions. Non-enhancing lesions showed both low and high perfusion suggesting microvascular abnormalities with hemodynamic impairment and inflammatory reactivity that cannot be seen on conventional MRI.
PREDATOR EFFECTS ON AN ASSEMBLAGE OF CONSUMERS THROUGH INDUCED CHANGES IN CONSUMER FORAGING BEHAVIOR

This investigation examines how a predator-induced reduction in activity of a prey species (a “nonlethal” predator effect) affects the growth rate of the prey and, indirectly, the growth rate of competitors of the prey. We further determine how the magnitudes of these effects depend on density of the prey species. We develop a foraging model that predicts a predator will reduce the growth of a focal prey species at low prey density but have little effect at high prey density. The model also predicts that presence of the predator will indirectly facilitate growth of a competitor of the focal species, and that this effect will be negligible at low, and maximal at high, focal species density. Thus it is precisely where the effect of the predator on the growth of the focal species is minimum that the indirect effect on the competitor is maximum. We tested these predictions using a system of three species/size classes of anuran larvae and a larval odonate predator (Anax longipes) in cattle watering tanks. By c...
Case study: developing a rule-based language for mobile robots

The 1997 Visual Programming Challenge inspired the development of Altaira, a rule-based language for small mobile robots. This paper describes the original design of the language, the modifications made to render the language implementable in the time available, and further changes which became necessary as a result of experience with the language. The design of a more general second-generation language is also introduced.
94 GHz slot-ring antennas for monopulse applications

A four-element array of slot-ring antennas for monopulse applications has been designed, fabricated and tested at 94 GHz. The slot-ring antennas are fed using coplanar waveguide (CPW) transmission lines and are therefore compatible with a uniplanar circuit implementation. Placing the antennas on a dielectric lens eliminates substrate mode problems and results in high gain patterns. Measurements at 94 GHz for the elements of die 2/spl times/2 array exhibit symmetric, off-axis beam patterns with low sidelobes and 3-dB crossover points. The application areas for the slot-ring monopulse array are in millimeter-wave sensors such as active seekers and automobile collision avoidance radars.
Ammonium transport in the intestine chronically exposed to urine: is it reduced over time?

Abstract Objectives. To determine whether chronic exposure of urine to intestinal segments alters ammonium transport and thereby would be expected to reduce the metabolic acidosis of intestinal diversion. Methods. Ileal patch cystoplasty specimens and control-matched ileum segments were harvested from mongrel dogs after 6 months. Acridine orange fluorescence quenching was used to determine the Km, Vmax, and Hill coefficient of ileal patch cystoplasty membrane vesicles and of control-matched ileum membrane vesicles. Enzyme activities for glucose uptake and sodium transport were also determined. Results. A shift of the Km and Vmax for ammonium occurred with chronic exposure of the intestine to urine. However, some specific enzyme activities remained unchanged, particularly those of intracellular and basolateral membrane locations. Conclusions. Chronic exposure of the intestine to urine alters transport at the brush border by reducing the number of ports available for ammonium transport. It is less detrimental to intracellular and basolateral membrane enzyme activities.
Total synthesis of pederin and analogues.

The search for the causitive agent for Paederis dermatitis, an inflammatory condition that results from contact with beetles of the Paederis family, resulted in the isolation of pederin (1).[1] Pederin subsequently inspired a substantial wave of investigation that led to the determination of its correct structure,[2] the observation of its potent cytotoxicity,[3] the postulation of protein synthesis inhibition as its likely mode of biological activity,[4] the identification of the 60S subunit of the ribosome as its potential biological target,[5] and the establishment of bacterial symbionts as its true biogenetic source.[6] Pederin’s interesting biological activity and challenging structural features have spawned significant synthetic efforts, resulting in several total, formal, and analog syntheses.[7] A noteworthy advance in pederin accessibility was recently disclosed by Rawal,[7f] who reported that pederin could be prepared through a 12 step (longest linear sequence) route. In accord with our interest in the pederin family of molecules,[8] we report our total synthesis of 1. In addition to the brief linear sequence, this approach highlights the utility of a late stage multicomponent construction of the N-acylaminal structure that allows for the efficient construction of analogs with structural variation in each of three distinct subunits.
Does the Disclosure of Corporate Governance Structures Affect the Market Valuation of Earnings Surprises and Firms’ Earnings Management?

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) mandated a variety of corporate governance mechanisms to improve the transparency of financial reporting quality. We investigate whether SOX’s recently mandated disclosure of corporate governance structures affects the market’s perception of earnings informativeness and firms’ earnings management. We find that the market valuation of earnings surprises is significantly higher for firms disclosing stronger corporate governance functions. We also find that the effectiveness of corporate governance in monitoring earnings management is improved after the mandated disclosure. Specifically, the empirical evidence shows that the informativeness of accounting earnings increases after the SOX’s mandated disclosure which strengthens the link between financial reporting and corporate governance functions.
Minnelide, a novel drug for pancreatic and liver cancer

Abstract Background Pancreatic cancer is the 10th leading cause of all new cancer cases for men and the fourth leading cause of death across genders, having very poor prognosis and survival rates. The current standard of care Gemcitabine fails to add any survival benefit for this disease (www.cancer.gov). Though the incidence of pancreatic cancer is found to be higher in developed countries, the aggressive biology of the cancer, its high rate of recurrence and chemo-resistance make it a formidable disease in all parts of the globe. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) or liver cancer, on the other hand affects almost 750,000 people world wide with 84% of the cases coming from underdeveloped or developing countries Results Our studies show that Minnelide, a water soluble pro-drug of triptolide (active compound from a chinese herb) is very effective against a number of malignant diseases. Conclusion The current study discusses the efficacy of this compound in pancreatic and liver cancer.
Pulse Lavage is Inadequate at Removal of Biofilm from the Surface of Total Knee Arthroplasty Materials

In acute periprosthetic infection, irrigation and debridement with component retention has a high failure rate in some studies. We hypothesize that pulse lavage irrigation is ineffective at removing biofilm from total knee arthroplasty (TKA) components. Staphylococcus aureus biofilm mass and location was directly visualized on arthroplasty materials with a photon collection camera and laser scanning confocal microscopy. There was a substantial reduction in biofilm signal intensity, but the reduction was less than a ten-fold decrease. This suggests that irrigation needs to be further improved for the removal of biofilm mass below the necessary bioburden level to prevent recurrence of acute infection in total knee arthroplasty.
Hydrophilanthropy, WASH, and Experiential Learning in Developing Countries

I describe two different and unrelated programs, one undergraduate and one graduate, that: 1) introduced students to water research and WaSH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) issues in developing countries; 2) injected developing countries’ WaSH issues into a university graduate water resources program; and 3) introduced the concept of hydrophilanthropy – defined as the altruistic concern for the water, sanitation, and related needs of humankind, as manifested by donations of labor, money, or resources – to both sets of students.
Robert E. MacLaury , Color and cognition in Mesoamerica: Constructing categories as vantages . Austin: University of Texas Press, 1997. Pp. xxviii, 616. Hb $85.00.

Simply put, MacLaury's new book on color terminology systems in a hundred Mexican and Central American languages is a groundbreaking study on how the human mind apprehends the physical universe; it is by far the most important work on color nomenclature theory to appear in the past thirty years. M's insights, which are the culmination of some two decades of fieldwork and analysis, will be of tremendous value to linguists, anthropologists, psychologists, and cognitive scientists of many different backgrounds and interests.
A novel facial expression recognition method using fast BEMD based edge detection

Traditionally, human facial expressions are recognized using standard images. These methods of recognition require subjective expertise and high computational costs. This article presents a novel facial expression recognition method using edge maps generated from standard images that can significantly improve computational efficiency. The edge maps are generated from a novel Bi-dimensional Empirical Mode Decomposition (BEMD) based edge detection method. In this paper, the BEMD edge detection algorithm is discussed, the facial expression decision metrics are developed, and detection results of facial expression databases are presented. The success rates of recognition suggest that the proposed method be a potentially efficient method for human facial expression detection and other similar recognition applications.
Pharmacokinetic Comparison of Sublingual Lorazepam with Intravenous, Intramuscular, and Oral Lorazepam

Ten healthy volunteers received single 2-mg doses of lorazepam on five occasions in random sequence. Modes of administration were: A, intravenous injection; B, deltoid intramuscular injection; C, oral tablets in the fasting state; D, sublingual dosage of oral tablets in the fasting state; and E, sublingual dosage of specially formulated tablets in the fasting state. Kinetic variables were determined from multiple plasma lorazepam concentrations measured during 48 hr postdose. After intravenous lorazepam, mean (+/- SE) values were: elimination half-life (t 1/2 beta), 12.9 (+/- 0.8) hr; volume of distribution, 1.3 (+/- 0.07) liters/kg; total clearance, 1.21 (+/- 0.1) ml/min/kg. Absorption of intramuscular lorazepam was rapid. Peak plasma levels were reached at 1.15 hr after dosage, with absorption half-life averaging 14.2 (+/- 4.7) min. Absorption or oral and sublingual lorazepam tended to be less rapid than intramuscular injection, although differences were not significant. Times of peak concentration were 2.37, 2.35, and 2.25 hr postdose for trials C,D, and E, respectively; values of absorption half-life were 32.5, 28.5, and 28.7 min. Absolute systemic availability for trials B, C, D, and E averaged 95.9, 99.8, 94.1, and 98.2%, respectively; none of these differed significantly from 100%. Values of t1/2 beta were highly replicable within individuals regardless of the administration route. Thus, sublingual lorazepam is completely absorbed and is a suitable administration route in clinical practice.
Fabric convergence implications on systems architecture

Converged fabrics that support data, storage, and cluster networking in a unified fashion are desirable for their cost and manageability advantages. Recent trends towards higher-bandwidths in commodity networks, physical-layer similarities across different communication protocols, and the adoption of blade servers along with the corresponding availability of dasiabackplanespsila to implement new networking methods, motivate revisiting this idea. We discuss various aspects of fabric convergence, and present some evaluation results from our experiments in the context of a specific I/O consolidation case study. Based on the insights from these experiments, we discuss opportunities for future research - in new instrumentation and evaluation methods, new cross-layer and application-agnostic designs for fabric convergence solutions, and new system architectures that leverage ensemble-level resource sharing. Our goal, through the discussions in this position paper, is to initiate a more general examination of these issues in the broader academic community.
Issues for preparers when there are changes in accounting standards

The conference organisers asked Professor Landsman to provide reflections from an academic researcher's perspective on observations by practitioners made during the conference discussion. Professor...
Column chromatography of neutral sugars: Operating characteristics and performance of a newly available anion-exchange resin

Abstract Chromatographic separation of the neutral sugars, sucrose, raffinose, cellobiose, maltose, lactose, ribose, rhamnose, mannose, fructose, arabinose, galactose, and glucose, as a synthetic mixture, was performed in 7.5 hr on a newly available strong base anion-exchange resin, Beckman Type 1-S. Instrumentation and methodology similar to that of Green (10) were employed. Performance of the resin under various conditions of sample preparation, eluant ionic strength, and pH are reported. Methods are described for reduction of resin contamination and regeneration of the resin following contamination from such sources as borate buffer reagents and glass columns.
Microbial production of methane and carbon dioxide from lignite, bituminous coal, and coal waste materials

Abstract The aim of this study was to examine microbial methane and CO 2 production from bituminous coal waste, lignite, and bituminous coal materials. Bituminous coal and coal waste material were obtained from a Utah mine and lignite was obtained from a commercially available North Dakota sample. Microbial populations were cultured from hydrocarbon-rich environments and locations where natural methanogenesis was occurring. Various pulverized coal and coal waste materials were combined with selected microbial inocula and different types and levels of nutrient amendments. After a 30-day reaction period at about 23 °C, headspace methane and CO 2 were analyzed using gas chromatography. With increasing nutrient concentrations (0, 10, and 50%), coal waste generated an extrapolated equivalent of 36, 53, and 16,000 scf of CH 4 /ton/year and 1870, 4400, and 8000 scf of CO 2 /ton/year. Methane produced from native and nutrient-amended bituminous coal waste materials was the same order of magnitude as that produced from bituminous coal but lower than that produced from lignite. CO 2 generation from coal waste materials, with no nutrient addition was over twice as high as that produced from analogous bituminous coal. The results of this study suggest that coal waste products can be converted to useful fuel at volumes that may be commercially viable.
Genetic Evidence that the uvsE Gene Product of Deinococcus radiodurans R1 Is a UV Damage Endonuclease

An in vitro transposition system, developed to facilitate gene disruption in Deinococcus radiodurans R1, has been used to inactivate the gene designated dr1819 in uvrA-1+ and uvrA-1 backgrounds. dr1819 encodes a protein with homology to a UV DNA damage endonuclease expressed by Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Interruption of dr1819 greatly sensitizes the uvrA-1 strain but not the uvrA-1+ strain to UV light, indicating that the dr1819 gene product is a component in a DNA repair pathway that can compensate for the loss of nucleotide excision repair in this species. Clones of dr1819 will restore UV resistance to UVS78, a uvrA-1 uvsE strain, indicating that dr1819 and uvsE are the same locus.
Cultural Variations in Country of Origin Effects

Abstract The authors examine the extent to which cultural orientation influences country of origin effects on product evaluations in two countries (Japan and the United States). Subjects were given attribute information about a mountain bike made in either Japan or the United States. The target product was described as either superior or inferior to competition. Respondents in Japan evaluated the product that originated in the home country (versus foreign country) more favorably regardless of product superiority. In contrast, respondents in the United States evaluated the product that originated in the home country more favorably only when the product was superior to competition. The authors explain these findings on the basis of the cultural psychological principles of individualism and collectivism. Specifically, the authors show that the vertical dimension of individualism and collectivism explains country of origin effects. The authors also discuss implications for global marketing strategies featurin...
Magnetic resonance imaging in a guinea pig model of inner ear decompression sickness and barotrauma.

Objectives/Hypothesis Scuba diving may cause severe hearing loss and vertigo due to inner ear barotrauma and decompression sickness. These may be difficult to differentiate clinically. Decompression sickness requires costly and potentially dangerous hyperbaric therapy, whereas such treatment may worsen barotrauma. The objective of this study was to assess the potential utility of magnetic resonance imaging to identify and distinguish blood from air in the inner ear, manifestations of barotrauma and decompression sickness, using a guinea pig model. Study Design Prospective animal trial. Methods Magnetic resonance of the head was performed at 3 Tesla, pre- and postinjection of 2, 4, or 10 μL of air or blood through the round window into the perilymph. With this model, 2 μL has been shown to cause hearing loss. Images were reviewed by a neuroradiologist blinded to the treatment. Results All 14 normal ears, five of seven blood- and five of seven air-injected ears, were correctly interpreted. Two blood- and one air-injected ear were interpreted as indeterminate. One air-injected ear was incorrectly interpreted as blood. Conclusions Magnetic resonance reliably distinguishes small volumes of air and blood in the guinea pig inner ear. Magnetic resonance should be evaluated for its utility in the diagnosis of inner ear barotrauma and decompression sickness in scuba divers. Level of Evidence NA Laryngoscope, 126:2106–2109, 2016
Washout Filter-Based Power Sharing

Microgrid control practice has been dominated by droop control for over a decade. The main reason is that droop control can ensure voltage and frequency stability, and proper sharing of the load among distributed generation units without communication links. However, droop control causes undesirable voltage and frequency deviations. Using a dynamic feedback incorporating washout filters, this letter proposes a novel approach to perform power sharing without any communication links, and without compromising voltage and frequency regulation. Simulation results in PSCAD/EMTDC environment validate the performance of the proposed approach.
Diagnostic Value of Right Pulmonary Artery Distensibility Index in Dogs with Pulmonary Hypertension: Comparison with Doppler Echocardiographic Estimates of Pulmonary Arterial Pressure

Background Noninvasive diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension (PH) primarily relies upon Doppler echocardiography of tricuspid regurgitation (TR). However, TR might be absent or difficult to measure. Hypothesis/Objectives To determine the diagnostic value of right pulmonary artery distensibility (RPAD) index for prediction of Doppler-derived estimates of pulmonary artery (PA) pressure compared to other indices of PH in dogs. Animals Sixty-nine client-owned dogs with TR. Methods Prospective observational study. Dogs were allocated to groups according to TR pressure gradient (TRPG): TRPG 75 mmHg (n = 17). Right pulmonary artery distensibility index, acceleration time to peak PA flow (AT), AT: ejection time of PA flow (AT:ET) and main PA size: aorta size (MPA:Ao) were calculated in each dog. Results Right pulmonary artery distensibility index demonstrated the strongest correlation (r = −0.90; P 50 mmHg compared to AT ( 1.04; Sn 0.94, Sp 0.74). All intra- and interobserver measurement variabilities exhibited coefficients of variation ≤13%. Conclusions and Clinical Importance Right pulmonary artery distensibility index is an accurate predictor of TRPG and should be particularly useful if TR is absent or difficult to measure.
Inferring Social Strength from Spatiotemporal Data

The advent of geolocation technologies has generated unprecedented rich datasets of people’s location information at a very high fidelity. These location datasets can be used to study human behavior; for example, social studies have shown that people who are seen together frequently at the same place and same time are most probably socially related. In this article, we are interested in inferring these social connections by analyzing people’s location information; this is useful in a variety of application domains, from sales and marketing to intelligence analysis. In particular, we propose an entropy-based model (EBM) that not only infers social connections but also estimates the strength of social connections by analyzing people’s co-occurrences in space and time. We examine two independent methods: diversity and weighted frequency, through which co-occurrences contribute to the strength of a social connection. In addition, we take the characteristics of each location into consideration in order to compensate for cases where only limited location information is available. We also study the role of location semantics in improving our computation of social strength. We develop a parallel implementation of our algorithm using MapReduce to create a scalable and efficient solution for online applications. We conducted extensive sets of experiments with real-world datasets including both people’s location data and their social connections, where we used the latter as the ground truth to verify the results of applying our approach to the former. We show that our approach is valid across different networks and outperforms the competitors.
Acute management and outcomes of iatrogenic dissections during cerebral angiography

Background and purpose Iatrogenic dissection is a known complication of cerebral angiography, but the clinical outcomes and optimal treatment of these patients is not well established. We sought to review our experience with cerebral angiography to determine the incidence of iatrogenic dissections along with clinical outcomes associated with a generally conservative treatment strategy. Materials and methods We retrospectively reviewed clinical records for all patients that underwent cerebral angiography between March 2002 and May 2015. Demographic information, angiography reports, follow-up CT and MRI reports, and follow-up clinical notes were reviewed. Results 17 418 cerebral angiograms were performed during the review period, including 13 485 diagnostic angiograms and 3933 endovascular interventional procedures. 68 iatrogenic dissections were identified, for a per procedure incidence of 0.39%. The vertebral artery was the most commonly dissected vessel (49/68, 72%). 67 of 68 cases (98.5%) were managed conservatively with either no treatment or medical therapy alone. There were two adverse events potentially attributable to the dissections, only one of which was symptomatic. Conclusions Iatrogenic dissections occur infrequently during cerebral angiography. When dissections do occur, most cases can be safely managed without further intervention in the acute setting.
Electric Information System Safety Evaluation Based on AHP

The safety of electric information system is related with the planning,design,construction and operation of that.Effective safety measure shall be adopted to improve integral safety level and form perfect information safety management system by adopting scientific effective method,understanding overall safety condition.The electric information system safety evaluation method based on AHP is put forward,which has certain practical value for enhancing the safety of power information system.
A Passive Target Positioning Algorithm based on Adaptive Parameter Identification

In this paper,a dynamic model in the spherical coordinate is presented for bearing-only target positioning.However,such model has unknown covariance of process noise,which is related to the range between the target and the passive sensor.Based on the principle of the orthogonality among filter residuals,a on-line parameter identification method is proposed,which results in Parameter-Identification Based Filter(PIBF).And simulation results show that the new filter is very effective and even has strong robustness to unknown target maneuvers.
Against All Odds: Preventing Pressure Ulcers in High-Risk Cardiac Surgery Patients.

The Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center (VCUMC) is a quaternary urban academic medical center located in Richmond, Virginia. Our 865-bed facility is the only level I verified adult and pediatric trauma center in Richmond, hosting a state-of-the-art critical care tower, where our 14-bed cardiac surgery intensive care unit (CSICU) resides. We provide intensive care nursing for adult and geriatric patients who require surgical treatment of cardiac, thoracic, and vascular conditions. Our mechanical circulatory assist program serves as a referral center for patients in the region who require advanced cardiac and respiratory life support interventions. Patients with such complex problems are often transported to us by the VCUMC mobile intensive care unit (ICU) team. Patients in the CSICU are at high risk for development of hospitalacquired pressure ulcers as a result of their extensive cardiopulmonary bypass times, hemodynamic instability, and vasopressor requirements. Additionally, many cardiac surgery patients are difficult to turn because they have delayed sternal closures and large amounts of blood being rerouted outside of the body for cardiac and pulmonary support. Although our unit has routinely managed these high-risk patients aggressively, medical device–related pressure ulcers were increasing in frequency. The CSICU nursing staff implemented preventative measures to decrease rates of all hospital-acquired pressure ulcers, with a goal of 0 preventable pressure ulcers.
Diagnosis and treatment of inhalation injury

Abstract Pain, anxiety and itching are inter-related symptoms of burn injury and effective control of each requires attention to all three. Poor control of pain and itching enhances anxiety, impairs compliance with therapies, increases physiological stress, slows healing, and increases the risk of chronic pain syndromes and psychiatric morbidity such as post-traumatic stress disorder. Anxiolytic medications enhance analgesics. Theoretical advances in understanding the physiology of pain have allowed improved pain control through application of multimodal strategies that take advantage of synergistic non-opiate therapies and medications. Standardized tools are available to quantitate pain and judge the effectiveness of therapy. Burn pain is classified as background, break through, procedural, and post-operative pain. Each type has unique features in terms of quality, intensity, and duration that require different treatment strategies. Intense itching complicates healing wounds as a significant source of suffering and a risk of graft loss. Effective pain control requires vigilance and flexibility to individualize care.
Single-step transepithelial photorefractive keratectomy in myopia and astigmatism: 18-month follow-up

Purpose To evaluate the long-term quantitative and qualitative optical outcomes of 1-step transepithelial photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) to correct myopia and astigmatism. Setting Bina Eye Hospital, Tehran, Iran. Design Prospective interventional case series. Methods Eyes with myopia with or without astigmatism were evaluated. One-step transepithelial PRK was performed with an aberration-free aspheric optimized profile and the Amaris 500 laser. Eighteen-month follow-up results for refraction, visual acuities, vector analysis, higher-order aberrations, contrast sensitivity, postoperative pain, and haze grade were assessed. Results The study enrolled 146 eyes (74 patients). At the end of follow-up, 93.84% of eyes had an uncorrected distance visual acuity of 20/20 or better and 97.94% of eyes were within ±0.5 diopter of the targeted spherical refraction. On vector analysis, the mean correction index value was close to 1 and the mean index of success and magnitude of error values were close to 0. The achieved correction vector was on an axis counterclockwise to the axis of the intended correction. Photopic and mesopic contrast sensitivities and ocular and corneal spherical, cylindrical, and corneal coma aberrations significantly improved (all P P P Conclusions Eighteen-month results indicate the efficacy and safety of transepithelial PRK to correct myopia and astigmatism. It improved refraction and quality of vision. Financial Disclosure None of the authors has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.
ULTRASOUND USE IMPROVES THE ACCURACY OF SURFACE ELECTROMYOGRAPHY ELECTRODE PLACEMENT OVER RECTUS FEMORIS IN CHILDREN WITH CEREBRAL PALSY

The aim of this study was to validate the SENIAM recommendations for surface electromyography placement(sEMG) over rectus femoris(RF) muscle in healthy children and in children with cerebral palsy(CP) during gait analysis and compare placement using these guidelines to using ultrasonography. Methods & Results: The study included 10 healthy children volunteers and 10 CP children volunteers, aged 8–12. All the CP children had spastic diplegia, were GMFCS levels I–II and had not previously undergone surgery. RF electrodes were placed following SENIAM recommendations. RF was then identified by ultrasound. The distance between the lateral edge of RF and the position of the sEMG electrode as per SENIAM guidelines and the width of RF was measured, to the nearest millimetre. We considered ‘ideal electrode’ position to be at halfway between the edges of RF (i.e. 50%). The mean percentage difference in distance from the ‘ideal electrode’ position as measured by ultrasound to electrode placement following SEMIAN guidelines was 2.7% in the healthy children group compared with 19.5% in the CP group. By performing unpaired t tests we showed that there was no significant difference between the mean electrode position using SEMIAN guidelines and ‘ideal electrode’ position in the healthy children (p=0.0531), however the mean electrode position using SEMIAN guidelines in the CP patients was significantly different from the ‘ideal electrode’ position (p=0.0001). Conclusion: SENIAM recommendations for sEMG electrode placement over RF muscle were validated in 10 healthy children. We showed that ultrasonography improved the accuracy of sEMG electrode placement in children with CP, who can exhibit anatomical variation due to their condition. Accurate electrode placement will ensure that a more accurate signal is recorded which may have a direct clinical bearing on the decision to proceed with surgical intervention. Level of evidence: II
Impact of Hurricane Exposure on Reproductive Health Outcomes, Florida, 2004.

Objective Prenatal hurricane exposure may be an increasingly important contributor to poor reproductive health outcomes. In the current literature, mixed associations have been suggested between hurricane exposure and reproductive health outcomes. This may be due, in part, to residual confounding. We assessed the association between hurricane exposure and reproductive health outcomes by using a difference-in-difference analysis technique to control for confounding in a cohort of Florida pregnancies. Methods We implemented a difference-in-difference analysis to evaluate hurricane weather and reproductive health outcomes including low birth weight, fetal death, and birth rate. The study population for analysis included all Florida pregnancies conceived before or during the 2003 and 2004 hurricane season. Reproductive health data were extracted from vital statistics records from the Florida Department of Health. In 2004, 4 hurricanes (Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne) made landfall in rapid succession; whereas in 2003, no hurricanes made landfall in Florida. Results Overall models using the difference-in-difference analysis showed no association between exposure to hurricane weather and reproductive health. Conclusions The inconsistency of the literature on hurricane exposure and reproductive health may be in part due to biases inherent in pre-post or regression-based county-level comparisons. We found no associations between hurricane exposure and reproductive health. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:407-411).
An exploratory study of mobile messaging preferences by age: Middle-aged and older adults compared to younger adults.

IntroductionMobile technologies, such as short message service or text messaging, can be an important way to reach individuals with medical and behavioral health problems who are homebound or geogr...
Power-dense multilevel inverter module using interleaved GaN-based phases for electric aircraft propulsion

Realizing the electrification of aircraft necessitates the development of inverters and rectifiers with ultra-high efficiency and specific power simultaneously. Unconventional topologies such as the flying capacitor multilevel (FCML) inverter hold great promise for achieving transformational reductions in inverter power loss and weight due to drastically smaller filters and compact hybrid energy transfer mechanism. After describing methods to overcome obstacles in ultra-efficient and lightweight converter design, this work presents an example of interleaved FCML inverter operation. The successful, balanced interleaved operation was demonstrated in the laboratory with a dual-interleaved, 9-level converter prototype at 1 kV input bus voltage and 9.7 kW output power. At 98.6% peak efficiency, this converter achieves a gravimetric power density of 17.3 kW/kg and a volumetric power density of 35.3 kW/L including the contributions of the heat sink. Interestingly, observations from loss modeling and hardware efficiency measurements revealed the large impact of second-order loss mechanisms, such as dynamic on-state resistance and junction temperature. Insights gained from this new understanding can be incorporated into future modeling for more thorough optimization of the converter design.
Immunohistochemical Analysis of Activin Receptor-Like Kinase 1 (ACVRL1/ALK1) Expression in the Rat and Human Hippocampus: Decline in CA3 During Progression of Alzheimer's Disease

The pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD) includes signaling defects mediated by the transforming growth factor β-bone morphogenetic protein-growth and differentiation factor (TGFβ-BMP-GDF) family of proteins. In animal models of AD, administration of BMP9/GDF2 improves memory and reduces amyloidosis. The best characterized type I receptor of BMP9 is ALK1. We characterized ALK1 expression in the hippocampus using immunohistochemistry. In the rat, ALK1 immunoreactivity was found in CA pyramidal neurons, most frequently and robustly in the CA2 and CA3 fields. In addition, there were sporadic ALK1-immunoreactive cells in the stratum oriens, mainly in CA1. The ALK1 expression pattern in human hippocampus was similar to that of rat. Pyramidal neurons within the CA2, CA3, and CA4 were strongly ALK1-immunoreactive in hippocampi of cognitively intact subjects with no neurofibrillary tangles. ALK1 signal was found in the axons of alveus and fimbria, and in the neuropil across CA fields. Relatively strongest ALK1 neuropil signal was observed in CA1 where pyramidal neurons were occasionally ALK1-immunoractive. As in the rat, horizontally oriented neurons in the stratum oriens of CA1 were both ALK1- and GAD67-immunoreactive. Analysis of ALK1 immunoreactivity across stages of AD pathology revealed that disease progression was characterized by overall reduction of the ALK1 signal in CA3 in advanced, but not early, stages of AD. These data suggest that the CA3 pyramidal neurons may remain responsive to the ALK1 ligands, e.g., BMP9, during initial stages of AD and that ALK1 may constitute a therapeutic target in early and moderate AD.