cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Simultaneous determination of multiple elements in drinking water by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry

Objective To establish the full spectrum of direct reading inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer( ICP- OES) for simultaneous determination of iron,manganese,copper,zinc,boron,molybdenum,sodium,cadmium,aluminum,nickel in drinking water. Methods The full spectrum of direct reading inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy technique was used for direct analysis of water samples from various Chengdu municipal water supplies. Results By studying the above 10 kinds of metal elements in terms of the choice of analysis spectrum lines,background correction deduction,the sample matrix and analyte interference and other factors,the matrix elements had no significant interference on the selected wavelength and between the elements,and the precision,linear range,regression coefficients and other indicators all can meet the requirements of the relevant standards. The relative standard deviations were below 6. 9%,the sample standard recoveries were 94. 1% ~ 110. 5%,and the detection limit was 0. 0003 mg / L ~ 0. 0185 mg / L. Conclusion This method can be applied to simultaneous determination of the above elements in various water samples,it is rapid and sensitive, accurate and reliable,easy to operate,and with wide linear range.
The Role of Computerised Tomography in Renal Transplant Patients

AbstractWe evaluated 58 patients with computerized tomography after renal transplantation. The diagnostic value of computerized tomography scanning was primarily in differentiating between patients with acute rejection and those with obstructive uropathy, urinary fistula or significant perinephric fluid collections. Computerized tomography guidance also may be helpful in performing anterograde pyelography or percutaneous allograft biopsy. The computerized tomography scan provides an effective, non-invasive, complementary method of evaluating post-transplant dysfunction.
Aortoiliac reconstruction: thromboendarterectomy and bypass grafting

Aortoiliac reconstruction began with thromboendarterectomy of the aortoiliac and femoral segments. Open endarterectomy was developed first by Dos Santos, followed by the semiclosed technique and, finally, eversion endarterectomy, still used by some. Concerns about the technical challenge of thromboendarterectomy and the better long-term patency of aortofemoral bypass have caused many surgeons to abandon this procedure. In recent years, attention has turned to extending the bypass more proximally to adequately address disease in the perirenal and visceral aorta, most commonly through an extended retroperitoneal approach. At the same time there has been a resurgence of interest in iliofemoral bypass for patients with unilateral iliac occlusion. Stenotic iliac lesions are now often treated by percutaneous balloon angioplasty, sometimes accompanied by distal cross-femoral reconstruction. An axillobifemoral bypass is occasionally used. Thus, there are now many alternatives in aortoiliac reconstruction, and the approach is currently tailored to each clinical situation1,2.
Intubationshilfe durch starre Endoskope

A method has been developed making it possible to look around intubation obstacles with the aid of rigid angular-lens systems. A glottis that is not or is only partly visible in direct laryngoscopy can be visualized endoscopically. The normal intubation technique is retained. A rigid endoscope is additionally introduced into the oropharynx, the glottis located endoscopically, and the endoscope secured to the laryngoscope in the position. The free hand can then be used to advance the tube through the glottis into the trachea under endoscopic control. This endoscopic method is intended to augment the physician's instrumental repertoire.
Developmental improvements in the resolution and capacity of visual working memory share a common source

The nature of visual working memory (VWM) representations is currently a source of debate between characterizations as slot-like versus a flexibly-divided pool of resources. Recently, a dynamic neural field model has been proposed as an alternative account that focuses more on the processes by which VWM representations are formed, maintained, and used in service of behavior. This dynamic model has explained developmental increases in VWM capacity and resolution through strengthening excitatory and inhibitory connections. Simulations of developmental improvements in VWM resolution suggest that one important change is the accuracy of comparisons between items held in memory and new inputs. Thus, the ability to detect changes is a critical component of developmental improvements in VWM performance across tasks, leading to the prediction that capacity and resolution should correlate during childhood. Comparing 5- to 8-year-old children's performance across color discrimination and change detection tasks revealed the predicted correlation between estimates of VWM capacity and resolution, supporting the hypothesis that increasing connectivity underlies improvements in VWM during childhood. These results demonstrate the importance of formalizing the processes that support the use of VWM, rather than focusing solely on the nature of representations. We conclude by considering our results in the broader context of VWM development.
Comorbid Analysis of Genes Associated with Autism Spectrum Disorders Reveals Differential Evolutionary Constraints

The burden of comorbidity in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is substantial. The symptoms of autism overlap with many other human conditions, reflecting common molecular pathologies suggesting that cross-disorder analysis will help prioritize autism gene candidates. Genes in the intersection between autism and related conditions may represent nonspecific indicators of dysregulation while genes unique to autism may play a more causal role. Thorough literature review allowed us to extract 125 ICD-9 codes comorbid to ASD that we mapped to 30 specific human disorders. In the present work, we performed an automated extraction of genes associated with ASD and its comorbid disorders, and found 1031 genes involved in ASD, among which 262 are involved in ASD only, with the remaining 779 involved in ASD and at least one comorbid disorder. A pathway analysis revealed 13 pathways not involved in any other comorbid disorders and therefore unique to ASD, all associated with basal cellular functions. These pathways differ from the pathways associated with both ASD and its comorbid conditions, with the latter being more specific to neural function. To determine whether the sequence of these genes have been subjected to differential evolutionary constraints, we studied long term constraints by looking into Genomic Evolutionary Rate Profiling, and showed that genes involved in several comorbid disorders seem to have undergone more purifying selection than the genes involved in ASD only. This result was corroborated by a higher dN/dS ratio for genes unique to ASD as compare to those that are shared between ASD and its comorbid disorders. Short-term evolutionary constraints showed the same trend as the pN/pS ratio indicates that genes unique to ASD were under significantly less evolutionary constraint than the genes associated with all other disorders.
Mass Spectrometry: Nucleic Acids and Nucleotides Studied Using MS

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) routinely are used for the gas-phase structural analysis of oligonucleotides and intact nucleic acids. Sequencing methodologies using mass spectrometry are broadly divided into two categories: gas-phase and solution-phase sequencing approaches. Gas-phase sequencing typically utilizes ESI-MS in combination with ion activation to generate fragment ions from a mass-selected oligonucleotide molecular ion. Sequence information is derived by interpretation of the MS/MS spectrum. Solution-phase sequencing typically utilizes MALDI-MS for the analysis of a mixture of smaller oligonucleotides generated by the enzymatic or chemical digestion of the oligonucleotide of interest. The resulting mass ladder of peaks differ by a single nucleotide residue, and by measuring the mass difference between the ions present in the mass spectrum, the oligonucleotide sequence can be determined. Recently, a renewed interest in modifications to nucleic acids (e.g., DNA lesions or RNA post-transcriptional modifications) have led to new and improved MS approaches for identifying and locating these modifications.
The Effect of Anesthesia on Blood Pressure Measured Noninvasively by Using the Tail-Cuff Method in Marmosets (Callithrix jacchus).

In this study, we evaluated the validity of measuring blood pressure (BP) noninvasively in marmosets by using the tail-cuff method. The number of measurements needed for a valid reading was calculated by plotting the average SD of 5 consecutive readings in 10 naive marmosets; the SD for both systolic and diastolic BP readings plateaued after 4 readings. To evaluate how anesthesia (alphaxalone, 15 mg/kg IM) affected BP in marmosets, we measured 4 animals every minute for 60 min after injection. The average length of anesthesia was 47.3 ± 13.2 min. The variability in the systolic and diastolic BP was the smallest at 10 to 30 min after injection (systolic SD, 6.29 mm Hg; diastolic SD, 5.27 mm Hg) and almost doubled at 30 to 60 min after injection (systolic SD, 13.5 mm Hg; diastolic SD, 12.3 mm Hg). The within- and between-session repeatability and reproducibility were calculated by measuring 12 marmosets twice at the same time of day (±1 h) 1 wk apart. The coefficients of repeatability and reproducibility were 1.98% and 14.5% for systolic BP and 3.37% and 16.2% for diastolic BP, respectively. Our results indicate that using the volumetric tail-cuff method to measure BP noninvasively in anesthetized marmosets is safe and feasible. The measures are least variable within 10 to 30 min after the injection of anesthetic, and variability increases slightly between sessions.
Code-density calibration of Nyquist-rate analog-to-digital converters

An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) calibration algorithm based on measuring and correcting the code-density histogram of the converter under calibration is presented. The algorithm constructs a histogram of the ADC response to a linear ramp and stores the calculated correction coefficients in a lookup table. By leveraging circuit density improvements in deep submicron CMOS technology, the algorithm is able to provide substantive improvements to ADC static linearity performance at low silicon cost. The algorithm is applied to a 12-stage prototype Pipelined ADC implemented in 65 nm CMOS technology and is able to improve measured integral nonlinearity from -5.31/1.02 least significant bit (LSB) to -0.24/0.31 LSB at a 10-bit level, an improvement of over three effective bits.
Perceptions of mistreatment among trainees vary at different stages of clinical training.

Mistreatment of trainees remains a frequently reported phenomenon in medical education. One barrier to creating an educational culture of respect and professionalism may be a lack of alignment in the perceptions of mistreatment among different learners. Through the use of clinical vignettes, our aim was to assess the perceptions of trainees toward themes of potential mistreatment at different stages of training. Based on observations from external experts embedded in the clinical learning environment, six thematic areas of potential mistreatment were identified: verbal abuse, specialty-choice discrimination, non-educational tasks, withholding/denying learning opportunities, neglect and gender/racial insensitivity. Corresponding clinical vignettes were created and distributed to 1) medical students, 2) incoming interns, 3) residents/fellows. Perceptions of the appropriateness of the interactions depicted in the vignettes were measured on a 5-point Likert scale. Scores were categorized into neutral or appropriate (≤3) or inappropriate (i.e. mistreatment) (>3) and compared using chi-squared tests. Four hundred twenty seven trainees participated (182 students, 120 interns, 125 residents/fellows). Proportions of students perceiving mistreatment differed significantly from those of interns and residents/fellows in domains of verbal abuse, specialty discrimination and gender/racial insensitivity (p < 0.05). In scenarios comparing interns to residents/fellows, no significant differences were noted in perceptions of mistreatment in the domains of non-educational tasks, withholding learning and neglect. Perceptions of mistreatment differ at different developmental stages of medical training. After exposure to the clinical learning environment, perceptions of incoming interns did not differ from those of residents/fellows, implicating clinical rotations as a key period in indoctrinating students into the prevailing culture. More longitudinal studies are needed to confirm or better examine this phenomenon.
Structural Analysis by Enhanced Raman Scattering

Gold nanostructures focus light to a molecular length scale at their surface, creating the possibility to visualize molecular structure. The high optical intensity leads to surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) from nearby molecules. SERS spectra contain information on molecular position and orientation relative to the surface but are difficult to interpret quantitatively. Here we describe a ratiometric analysis method that combines SERS and unenhanced Raman spectra with theoretical calculations of the optical field and molecular polarizability. When applied to the surfactant layer on gold nanorods, the alkane chain is found to be tilted 25° to the surface normal, which matches previous reports of the layer thickness. The analysis was also applied to fluid phase phospholipid bilayers that contain tryptophan on the surface of gold nanorods. The lipid double bond was found to be oriented normal to the bilayer and 13 A from the nitrogen atom. Tryptophan was found to sit near the glycerol headgroup region ...
Efficiency calibration of semiconductor detectors in the X-ray region

Abstract A method is outlined for the accurate determination of detection efficiencies of thin planar semiconductor detectors. The method involves experimental measurement of the detection efficiency, combining values obtained from standard sources with values obtained from two experimental techniques developed to provide a larger number of reliable experimental values. A theoretical model, independent of the measured efficiency is then used to interpolate between experimental values. The reliability of the model is verified by an absolute comparison of the calculated efficiency with the experimental efficiency. The theoretical values for a typical intrinsic germanium detector are shown to agree within 3% with all experimental values between 6 keV and 60 keV.
Genetically engineered crops as necessary invention.

Genetically engineered (GE) crops and derived foods are here to stay, whether they are liked or not. My opinion of them is relatively agnostic. I am neither a strong convert to these “miracle” crops, their potential to “save the world,” and defend them regardless of critique, nor am I a critical rejecter of their incursions into my food choices. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Atrazine exposure decreases the activity of DNMTs, global DNA methylation levels, and dnmt expression.

Atrazine, a herbicide used on agricultural crops is widely applied in the Midwestern United States as well as other areas of the globe. Atrazine frequently contaminates potable water supplies and is a suspected endocrine disrupting chemical. Previous studies have reported morphological, hormonal, and molecular alterations due to developmental and adulthood atrazine exposure; however, studies examining epigenetic alterations are limited. In this study, the effects of atrazine exposure on DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) activity and kinetics were evaluated. Global DNA methylation levels and dnmt expression in zebrafish larvae exposed to 0, 3, or 30 parts per billion (ppb) atrazine throughout embryogenesis was then assessed. Results indicate that atrazine significantly decreased the activity of maintenance DNMTs and that the inhibition mechanism can be described using non-competitive Michaelis-Menten kinetics. Furthermore, results show that an embryonic atrazine exposure decreases global methylation levels and the expression of dnmt4 and dnmt5. These findings indicate that atrazine exposure can decrease the expression and activity of DNMTs, leading to decreased DNA methylation levels.
Sex Differences in rt-PA Utilization at Hospitals Treating Stroke: The National Inpatient Sample.

Background and Purpose: Sex and race disparities in recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) use have been reported. We sought to explore sex and race differences in the utilization of rt-PA at primary stroke centers (PSCs) compared to non-PSCs across the US. Methods: Data from the National (Nationwide) Inpatient Sample (NIS) 2004-2010 was utilized to assess sex differences in treatment for ischemic stroke in PSCs compared to non-PSCs. Results: There were 304,152 hospitalizations with a primary diagnosis of ischemic stroke between 2004 and 2010 in the analysis: 75,160 (24.7%) patients were evaluated at a PSC. A little over half of the patients evaluated at PSCs were female (53.8%). A lower proportion of women than men received rt-PA at both PSCs (6.8% vs. 7.5%, p<0.001) and non-PSCs (2.3% vs. 2.8%, p<0.001). After adjustment for potential confounders the odds of being treated with rt-PA remained lower for women regardless of presentation to a PSC (OR 0.87, 95% CI (0.81-0.94) or non-PSC (OR 0.88, 95% CI 0.82-0.94). After stratifying by sex and race, the lowest absolute treatment rates were observed in black women (4.4% at PSC, 1.9% at non-PSC). The odds of treatment, relative to white men, was however lowest for white women (PSC OR=0.85, 95% CI 0.78-0.93; non-PSC OR=0.80, 95% CI 0.75-0.85). In the multivariable model, sex did not modify the effect of PSC certification on rt-PA utilization (p-value for interaction =0.58). Conclusion: Women are less likely to receive rt-PA than men at both PSCs and non-PSCs. Absolute treatment rates are lowest in black women, although the relative difference in men and women was greatest for white women.
Identification of the Biosynthetic Pathway for the Antibiotic Bicyclomycin

Diketopiperazines (DKPs) make up a large group of natural products with diverse structures and biological activities. Bicyclomycin is a broad-spectrum DKP antibiotic with unique structure and function: it contains a highly oxidized bicyclic [4.2.2] ring and is the only known selective inhibitor of the bacterial transcription termination factor, Rho. Here, we identify the biosynthetic gene cluster for bicyclomycin containing six iron-dependent oxidases. We demonstrate that the DKP core is made by a tRNA-dependent cyclodipeptide synthase, and hydroxylations on two unactivated sp3 carbons are performed by two mononuclear iron, α-ketoglutarate-dependent hydroxylases. Using bioinformatics, we also identify a homologous gene cluster prevalent in a human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We detect bicyclomycin by overexpressing this gene cluster and establish P. aeruginosa as a new producer of bicyclomycin. Our work uncovers the biosynthetic pathway for bicyclomycin and sheds light on the intriguing oxidation che...
Chemical Looping Gasification for Producing High Purity, H2-Rich Syngas in a Cocurrent Moving Bed Reducer with Coal and Methane Cofeeds

A novel design of a coal gasifier using the chemical looping concept is introduced in the present study for high purity, H2-rich syngas generation using coal and methane as cofeeds. In this work, an iron–titanium composite metal oxide (ITCMO), capable of cracking the heavy hydrocarbons produced in coal pyrolysis as well as regulating the product syngas purity, is used as the oxygen carrier. The cocurrent moving bed avoids back-mixing of solid and gas reactants, allowing both phases to interact, reaching thermodynamic equilibrium conditions at the reactor gas outlet. This paper focuses on demonstrating the cocurrent moving bed reducer with the ITCMO oxygen carrier. A sensitivity analysis is performed to determine the optimal operating conditions for converting Powder River Basin coal using ASPEN Plus modeling. The tar-cracking capability is ascertained by the gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis. The bench scale moving bed reducer substantiated its capability of achieving near-full conversion of t...
Enhancement in Open-Circuit Voltage in Organic Solar Cells by Using Ladder-Type Nonfullerene Acceptors

The open-circuit voltage (Voc) loss has always been a major factor in lowering power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) in bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaic cells (OPVs). A method to improve the Voc is indispensable to achieve high PCEs. In this paper, we investigated a series of perylene diimide-based ladder-type molecules as electron acceptors in nonfullerene OPVs. The D–A ladder-type structures described here lock our π-systems into a planar structure and eliminate bond twisting associated with linear conjugated systems. This enlarges the interface energy gap (ΔEDA), extends electronic delocalization, and hence improves the Voc. More importantly, these devices showed an increase in Voc without compromising either the Jsc or the FF. C5r exhibited a strong intermolecular interaction and a PCE value of 6.1%. Moreover, grazing-incident wide-angle X-ray scattering analysis and atomic force microscopy images suggested that our fused-ring acceptors showed a suitable domain size and uniform blend films, whi...
Studies on the energy metabolism of opossum Didelphis Virginiana erythrocytes-IV. Red cells have low adenosine deaminase activity and high levels of deoxyadenosine nucleotides

Alkaline extracts of adult opossum red cells were used to determine triphosphates of adenosine, deoxyadenosine and guanosine by anion exchange HPLC. Mean (nm/g Hg) ATP content of erythrocytes was 3713 and that of dATP 1913 (n = 12). Sonicates of red cells deaminated adenosine (ADO) at a rate of 1.55 nm/mg Hg/h and deoxyadenosine (dADO) at 1.82 nm/mg Hg/h. dATP synthesis from provided dADO was one order of magnitude greater in opossum than in human erythrocytes at both low and high dADO and Pi concentrations.
CHAPTER 45 – Calcitonin

Calcitonin was named for its ability to regulate the “tone” of serum calcium, and has been used in the treatment of disorders characterized by increased bone resorption. Calcitonin has been shown to inhibit bone resorption directly, unlike parathyroid hormone (PTH), which requires the presence of osteoblasts for its effect on the osteoclast. The effects of calcitonin on isolated osteoclasts include the gradual slowing of cell motility, decreased pseudopodial protrusion and retraction, decreased margin ruffling, decreased cell migration, and reduction of the cell surface to 60% of the original cell area. Although the major effect of calcitonin is to inhibit bone resorption, calcitonin may also enhance osteoblastic bone formation in vitro and in vivo. Calcitonin also increases renal 1-α-hydroxylase activity. Calcitonin has rapid antihypercalcemic action, is secreted in response to elevations in serum calcium concentration, and has a half-life of minutes. Nasal calcitonin has been shown to be as safe and effective as parenteral calcitonin in preventing and treating postmenopausal bone loss with few of the problems associated with parenteral calcitonin.
Some Novel Aspects of the Cauchy Problem

We discuss two subtle Cauchy problems: 1. What happens to the Cauchy-Kowalewsky theorem when the initial data is not analytic? We show that there is a solution to the asymptotic Cauchy problem, meaning that Pf is not zero, but approaches 0 rapidly as we approach the Cauchy surface. The rapidity depends on the regularity of the initial data. 2. We introduce a new type of Cauchy problem. In particular, we show how it applies to the parametric Radon transform and gives a new insight into the sufficiency of the John equations.
Values, Personal Identity, and the Moral Self

This chapter outlines a theoretical backdrop for incorporating research on human values into the study of the self. The chapter takes a sociological, interactional perspective suggesting that socially shaped patterns can be empirically determined underlying the supposedly idiosyncratic notion of “personal identity.” Human beings anchor their sense of self across situations within feelings of right and wrong and the importance they place on various abstract, desirable goals. Values allow the study of this aspect of personal identity and allow bridges to be built with the long-standing sociological literature on the relationship of social structure and individuals’ values. I illustrate how this focus on the moral dimension of values operates at two well-established levels of the self – cognition and emotion – and sets the stage for the broad development of a theory of the moral actor over time.
Concerted evolution and RAPping in mitochondrial VNTRs and the molecular geography of cricket populations

In recent years, many animal species have been shown to exhibit a variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) in the control region of their mitochondrial DNA. To characterize the nucleotide polymorphism of a VNTR system, this region was sequenced in individuals from two species of crickets (genus Gryllus) collected at a mainland locality and an island locality within each species. The data reveal a clear pattern of concerted evolution: homogeneity among repeats within individuals and populations, but heterogeneity among the tandem arrays from divergent populations, and between species. The patterns of nucleotide polymorphisms within the arrays show several instances of partial homogenization where derived nucleotides have not swept through all the repeats in the array. These serve as examples of concerted evolution “caught in the act”. Additional repeat associated polymorphisms (RAPs) shed light on the molecular basis of the insertion and deletion of repeat units and, with the concerted evolution of VNTRs, provide phylogeographic resolution of island and mainland populations within and between species. The polymorphisms within VNTRs also provide a simple system in which to examine the balance of mutation and drift and offer a unique view of the histories of genomic and organismal phenomena in the patterns and processes of molecular evolution.
Building Application Pipelines

Chapter 5 described three broad categories of work that must be completed before an accelerator can have any systematic effects on the NFF. The first two categories relate to building pipelines of entrepreneurs and then selecting the most promising ones into program cohorts. The third category relates to the specific interventions that ensure that participating entrepreneurs are able to identify and close their knowledge and network gaps so that they can effectively address their capital gaps. This chapter leverages information gleaned from the EDP program surveys to explore pipeline building. It begins by addressing and then setting aside the simple strategies of pumping up application numbers or looking for low-hanging fruit. Then, several specific observations indicate how differences in the number of applicant sources that are tapped, and in the extent of a program’s focus, help to explain which accelerators are more effective when it comes to driving new funding into early-stage ventures. At the end of the chapter, we pay special attention to programs that prefer to work with marginalized entrepreneurs, like women and minorities.
Second RIT binary black hole simulations catalog and its application to gravitational waves parameter estimation

The RIT numerical relativity group is releasing the second public catalog of black-hole-binary waveforms http://ccrg.rit.edu/~RITCatalog. This release consists of 320 accurate simulations that include 46 precessing and 274 nonprecessing binary systems with mass ratios $q={m}_{1}/{m}_{2}$ in the range $1/7\ensuremath{\le}q\ensuremath{\le}1$ and individual spins up to $s/{m}^{2}=0.95$. The new catalog contains search and ordering tools for the waveforms based on initial parameters of the binary, trajectory information, peak radiation, and final remnant black hole properties. The final black hole remnant properties provided here can be used to model the merger of black-hole binaries from its initial configurations. The waveforms are extrapolated to future null infinity and can be used to independently interpret gravitational wave signals from laser interferometric detectors. As an application of this waveform catalog we reanalyze the signal of GW150914 implementing parameter estimation techniques that make use of only numerical waveforms without any reference to information from phenomenological waveforms models.
Does Concealing a Sexual Minority Identity Prevent Exposure to Prejudice

Concealing a stigmatized identity is considered self-protective in that it presumably decreases exposure to bias during intergroup interactions relative to disclosing the identity. We conducted two...
“Notre irrépressible désir du seuil”: Theory at the Threshold, Now

As Derrida points out in his famous polemic against Agamben in The Beast and the Sovereign I, the latter’s conceptual frivolity and historical reductionism point to the essential claim to sovereign...
Application of the Diffused Double Layer Theory to Nanobubbles.

Nanobubbles have electrically charged interfaces; hence, the diffused double layer theory can be applied to explain the behavior of nanobubbles in different electrolytic solutions. In this research...
Sarah Palin for Vice President: A Case Study of a Simple T-Shirt’s Historical and Social Context as Important Considerations for Creating Descriptive Metadata in Finding Aids

With the influences of technology and material culture changing the teaching environment in universities, it is also doing so as Special Collections department continue to collect faculty material....
Seasonality of Taylor’s law of fluctuation scaling in all-India daily rainfall

Here we show that the variance over time of all-India daily rainfall (AIR) can be related to the mean over time of AIR by a seasonally varying power law. Outside of the peak monsoon months of July and August, AIR variance increases in proportion to a positive power of mean daily rainfall. During July and August, monthly averages of AIR show little association with the corresponding variances. This power-law relationship of temporal variance to temporal mean is known in biological sciences as Taylor’s law (TL) and in physical sciences as fluctuation scaling. We explain the seasonal variation in TL qualitatively by independent and identically distributed random sampling. Accounting for day-to-day correlation in AIR is sufficient to match quantitatively the observed power-law behavior. Our findings provide a quantitative month-specific assessment of the variability of AIR that could prove useful for the design of crop insurance and social safety nets for the large fraction of the population of the Indian subcontinent that depends on rainfed agriculture.
A Low-Power Optical Receiver for Contact-free Programming and 3D Localization of Autonomous Microsystems

Optical receivers for autonomous microsystems provide benefits such as enabling contact-free optical programming and low-power 3D optical localization. A small, low power optical receiver is presented for transferring program data to a micro-controller's SRAM and detecting optical pulses from a lighthouse localization system. An integrated photodiode is combined with an inverter-based amplifier design to generate a digital waveform from optical input. A pulse width modulation scheme is used to allow clock and data recovery (CDR) to operate without any on-chip clock source. The receiver is able to achieve a data rate of 320 kbps for active and standby powers of 1.52 µW and 640 nW, respectively, while occupying 16,900 µm2. This optical receiver can also operate as a lighthouse localization receiver, enabling a completely integrated, low power method of localization for a monolithic integrated system. The successful programming of a lighthouse localization routine onto a monolithic integrated system is demonstrated. Using a commercially available HTC Vive V1 lighthouse base station, this optical receiver was able to provide relative azimuth and elevation data with RMS error of 0.386 degrees and 0.312 degrees, respectively, while consuming only 1 mW of power.
Internal thoracic lymphadenopathy and pulmonary tuberculosis.

Abstract Objective Internal thoracic lymphadenopathy (ITL) has been associated with malignancies and non-tuberculous empyema. However, the association between ITL and active pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and the correlation between ITL and other imaging characteristics of active PTB has not been examined. Materials and methods A retrospective cohort study comprising 137 adults with active PTB who had a concomitant chest CT over a seven-year period was conducted. Two thoracic radiologists evaluated for ITL as well as nine other imaging characteristics of active tuberculosis, including total lung involvement (as measured by a total severity score), number of nodules, presence of tree-in-bud nodularity, highest extent of tree-in-bud nodularity in a lobe, miliary pattern, cavitary lesions, pleural effusion, lymphadenopathy (excluding internal thoracic lymph nodes), and empyema. The Wilcoxon rank-sum test and chi-squared tests were used to assess the correlation between ITL and additional imaging findings. Results Internal thoracic lymphadenopathy was present in 50 of 137 cases (36.5%); most commonly bilateral (19.0%) or isolated on the right side (13.7%), and less commonly isolated on the left side (3.7%). Pleural effusion, lymphadenopathy (apart from internal thoracic compartment), and empyema all showed statistically significant correlations with ITL (p-values of Conclusions While the presence of ITL – particularly when accompanied by other imaging findings such as pleural effusion – may prompt a radiologist to first consider malignancy, active PTB should be an additional consideration in the appropriate clinical context.
Perceptual Characterization of Voice Quality in Nonadvanced Stages of Parkinson's Disease.

Summary Introduction Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that impacts motor and nonmotor systems, and consequently influences voice. In later stages of the disease, people with PD develop salient hypokinetic dysarthria. However, it is unclear how extensive the voice impairment is in the nonadvanced stages of PD. Therefore, the aim of the current research was to investigate the auditory-perceptual characteristics of voice in people with Parkinson's disease (PWPD) in nonadvanced stages. Methods 29 PWPD and 32 healthy older controls were recruited. For each participant, a recording of the sentence “We were away a year ago” was acquired. These recordings were evaluated by 2 licensed and experienced speech-language pathologists, who provided perceptual ratings of overall dysphonia severity, breathiness, roughness, and perceived age. Results MANCOVA analysis showed that, when controlling for age and intensity, there was a significant effect of group (P = 0.001) on perceptual voice quality. PWPD were perceived to be significantly older, more breathy and more severely dysphonic than the older healthy controls. No differences were found for the perceived roughness. Conclusions The results suggest that perceptual features of hypokinetic dysarthria in voice, specifically breathiness, are present in nonadvanced stages of PWPD and may contribute to listener perceptions of speaker age. Moreover, the perceptual voice profiles in PWPD showed great variability, possibly reflecting the heterogeneity of disease impact on individuals. The results of this study may inform how research targets rehabilitation and maintenance of voice and laryngeal function in PWPD at nonadvanced stages.
Impact of vacancies on electronic properties of black phosphorus probed by STM

Black phosphorus (BP) is receiving significant attention because of its direct 0.4–1.5 eV layer-dependent bandgap and high mobility. Because BP devices rely on exfoliation from bulk crystals, there is a need to understand the native impurities and defects in the source material. In particular, samples are typically p-doped, but the source of the doping is not well understood. Here, we use scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy to compare the atomic defects of BP samples from two commercial sources. Even though the sources produced crystals with an order of magnitude difference in impurity atoms, we observed a similar defect density and level of p-doping. We attribute these defects to phosphorus vacancies and provide evidence that they are the source of p-doping. We also compare these native defects to those induced by air exposure and show that they are distinct and likely more important for the control of electronic structure. These results indicate that impurities in BP play a minor role compared to vacancies, which are prevalent in commercially available materials, and call for better control of vacancy defects.
Osteoinductive 3D Printed Scaffold Healed 5 cm Segmental Bone Defects in the Ovine Metatarsus

Autologous bone grafts are considered the gold standard grafting material for the treatment of nonunion, but in very large bone defects, traditional autograft alone is insufficient to induce repair. Recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein 2 (rhBMP-2) can stimulate bone regeneration and enhance the healing efficacy of bone grafts. The delivery of rhBMP-2 may even enable engineered synthetic scaffolds to be used in place of autologous bone grafts for the treatment of critical size defects, eliminating risks associated with autologous tissue harvest. We here demonstrate that an osteoinductive scaffold, fabricated by combining a 3D printed rigid polymer/ceramic composite scaffold with an rhBMP-2-eluting collagen sponge can treat extremely large-scale segmental defects in a pilot feasibility study using a new sheep metatarsus fracture model stabilized with an intramedullary nail. Bone regeneration after 24 weeks was evaluated by micro-computed tomography, mechanical testing, and histological characterization. Load-bearing cortical bridging was achieved in all animals, with increased bone volume observed in sheep that received osteoinductive scaffolds compared to sheep that received an rhBMP-2-eluting collagen sponge alone.
Microstructure-sensitive estimation of fatigue life using cyclic thermodynamic entropy as an index for metals

Abstract A technique for fatigue life prediction of metals is presented based on a microstructure-sensitive estimation of plastic strain energy per cycle. The approach enables rapid prediction of temperature evolution, estimation of cyclic plastic energy, and fracture fatigue entropy. Theoretical and experimental results are presented for low-carbon steel 1018 and aluminum 7075-T6 specimens. It is shown that the approach realistically predicts the fatigue life of metallic specimens.
Incorporating technology to foster effective communication and documentation in child care programs

Advances in technology present multiple modes by which parents and teachers can now communicate. This article examines a new approach that a child care program adopted to document and share daily activities of individual children, including their development, while making this information accessible to the child’s parents, using a Childcare Management Software (CMS) mobile application (app). Using a mixed methods approach, data was collected from both teachers and parents through a Qualtrics (Qualtrics, Provo, UT) survey to examine how parents perceive the role of technology in communicating with early childhood teachers. Survey results revealed that the incorporation of the CMS app has become an effective communication tool to help track children’s developmental needs at the early childhood center and to communicate children’s daily activities with parents. However, the findings also indicate a need for CMS app training for teachers and parents to make efficient use of the mobile application.
Faculty peer review of teaching taskforce: A quantitative descriptive research study for the peer review process

Abstract Background Peer review of teaching is important for both the faculty and student experience. Enhanced awareness of student learning experiences and a deeper reflection on teaching makes this process attractive to faculty leaders, staff and students. Evidence suggests that teachers who are reviewed gain confidence, anticipate improvement in teaching and are inclined to discuss their teaching with colleagues in the future. Objective To describe the development of a peer review of teaching process by the Faculty Peer Review of Teaching Taskforce at a school of nursing. Methods A five-step Design for Six Sigma methodology was used and includes: Define, Measure, Analyze, Design, Verify (DMADV). In keeping with this methodology we: (1) established a Faculty Peer Review of Teaching Taskforce; (2) conducted a literature review on best practices; (3) reviewed peer institution practices; and (4) surveyed faculty to obtain their perspectives on the qualities of good teaching and the peer review of teaching process. Twenty-seven of the 68 full-time faculty members returned Qualtrics surveys (return rate = 39.7%). Results Review of the literature yielded four major themes, including post-observation discussion and systematic assignment of peer review pairs. Variation in practices across institutions was identified, from formal structured processes, to peer review conducted only in special circumstances. Survey findings revealed that faculty members overwhelmingly endorse the qualities of good teaching, agree that the peer review process should be required, and that peer reviewers should have several years of teaching experience. Conclusions Our faculty were supportive of a peer review teaching process. As teaching demands continue to increase given the evolving complexities of nursing care, teaching platforms (i.e. online, hybrid), and diverse student body, we hope the process we develop may serve as a model for other higher education schools to enhance and maintain excellence in teaching for both the faculty and student experience.
Applying deep learning to quantify empty lacunae in histologic sections of osteonecrosis of the femoral head.

Osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) is a disease in which inadequate blood supply to the subchondral bone causes the death of cells in the bone marrow. Decalcified histology and assessment of the percentage of empty lacunae are used to quantify the severity of ONFH. However, the current clinical practice of manually counting cells is a tedious and inefficient process. We utilized the power of artificial intelligence by training an established deep convolutional neural network framework, Faster-RCNN, to automatically classify and quantify osteocytes (healthy and pyknotic) and empty lacunae in 135 histology images. The adjusted correlation coefficient between the trained cell classifier and the ground truth was R = 0.98. The methods detailed in this study significantly reduced the manual effort of cell counting in ONFH histological samples and can be translated to other fields of image quantification.
Psychiatric observations and interpretations of bite mark evidence in multiple murders.

There are many reports in the literature of the study of murder and murderers from multiple viewpoints [1–13]. Few of these reports have been based on extensive periods of evaluation. This current paper is a partial report of the study of a man who can be termed a nonspecific mass murderer. His case is one in a series of the study of male mass murderers currently undergoing extensive investigation from multiple viewpoints. All of these cases have in common several elements and they compose a very selective subpopulation of those who murder. All persons selected for study have committed a minimum of 10 and as many as 30 murders over a period of more than five years. Most of the victims were not well known to the murderer. The victims were most often females, ranging in age from ten weeks to approximately 35 years of age. The mode of murder was violent, sexual, and sadistic, often including multiple behaviors such as strangulation, stabbing, and mutilation as well as other destructive actions. The personalities of these men are the focus of study with a major focus on the psychiatric evaluation of developmental processes. The evaluations included psychologic, genetic, and physiologic measures as well as any other areas of exploration deemed to be necessary.
A Visit to Belzec

The General is not Ustening. He hunches over Mistress Beabontha's desk, organizing a plan of attack. His spirit is heartened by this evening's victory; it is time, he thinks, to mount the spring offensive. His aide disappears through the front door. The wind is not so fierce, but it is snowing once more. More was inevitable; it is with us, Uke the war. Major sacrifices are de manded. We must fight for Ufe and country?learn from Mistress Beabontha who hides from the Magician's love. His love is powerful; it is against hu man nature to greet it with open arms.
The Nucleus Accumbens Shell as a Model of Integrative Subcortical Forebrain Systems Regulating Food Intake

Publisher Summary Feeding in mammals is a complex behavior, which involves the coordinated integration of multimodal signals from numerous brain regions and the periphery. This chapter reviews the nucleus accumbens shell (AcbSh) feeding circuit as an example of how integrative processes in the subcortical forebrain contribute to the regulation of food intake. It is only recently that a sufficient body of data has been accumulated to allow us to begin understand the specific roles played by discrete cell populations, to assess the importance of their relative contributions to the control of normal and pathological feeding, and to investigate how these functional populations work together to control food intake. AcbSh circuits containing GABA, glutamate, and a number of neuropeptides play a specific and fundamental role in controlling food intake. The AcbSh receives a variety of information from afferent fiber systems originating in a number of cortical and subcortical brain regions. Processed multimodal sensory data are integrated with information regarding energy balance, taste, reward, and previously formed associations, and results in an output signal that potently regulate neural activity in feeding-related circuits involving the lateral, arcuate, and paraventricular hypothalamic nuclei. Apparently, the AcbSh mediates activity in the lateral hypothalamus, both through direct projections and by altering the firing rate of neurons in the interposed medial ventral pallidum. The magnitude and behavioral specificity of AcbSh-mediated feeding suggest that pathology of the circuit might be implicated in the etiology of some eating disorders. Furthermore, amino acid and neuropeptide receptors in the AcbSh may be promising targets for pharmacological therapies designed to treat such disorders.