cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assessment of regional non-linear tissue deformation and air volume change of human lungs via image registration.

We evaluate the non-linear characteristics of the human lung via image registration-derived local variables based on volumetric multi-detector-row computed tomographic (MDCT) lung image data of six normal human subjects acquired at three inflation levels: 20% of vital capacity (VC), 60% VC and 80% VC. Local variables include Jacobian (ratio of volume change) and maximum shear strain for assessment of lung deformation, and air volume change for assessment of air distribution. First, the variables linearly interpolated between 20% and 80% VC images to reflect deformation from 20% to 60% VC are compared with those of direct registration of 20% and 60% VC images. The result shows that the linearly-interpolated variables agree only qualitatively with those of registration (P<0.05). Then, a quadratic (or linear) interpolation is introduced to link local variables to global air volumes of three images (or 20% and 80% VC images). A sinusoidal breathing waveform is assumed for assessing the time rate of change of these variables. The results show significant differences between two-image and three-image results (P<0.05). The three-image results for the whole lung indicate that the peak of the maximum shear rate occurs at about 37% of the maximum volume difference between 20% and 80% VC, while the peaks for the Jacobian and flow rate occur at 50%. This is in agreement with accepted physiology whereby lung tissues deform more at lower lung volumes due to lower elasticity and greater compliance. Furthermore, the three-image results show that the upper and middle lobes, even in the recumbent, supine posture, reach full expansion earlier than the lower lobes.
A general class of quantum fields without cut-offs in two space-time dimensions

We consider a selfinteracting boson field in two space-time dimensions, with interaction densities of the form:V(ϕ(x)): where ϕ(x) is a scalar boson field, andV(α) is a real positive function of exponential type. We define the space cut-off interaction by $$V_r = \int\limits_{\left| x \right| \leqq r} {:V(\varphi (x))} :dx$$ and prove thatH r =H 0+V r , whereH 0 is the free energy, is essentially self adjoint. This permits us to take away the space cut-off and we obtain a quantum field free of cut-offs.
Adhesively-Tensed Cell Membranes: Lysis Kinetics and Atomic Force Microscopy Probing

Membrane tension underlies a range of cell physiological processes. Strong adhesion of the simple red cell is used as a simple model of a spread cell with a finite membrane tension—a state which proves useful for studies of both membrane rupture kinetics and atomic force microscopy (AFM) probing of native structure. In agreement with theories of strong adhesion, the cell takes the form of a spherical cap on a substrate densely coated with poly-L-lysine. The spreading-induced tension, σ, in the membrane is ∼1 mN/m, which leads to rupture over many minutes; and σ is estimated from comparable rupture times in separate micropipette aspiration experiments. Under the sharpened tip of an AFM probe, nano-Newton impingement forces (10–30 nN) are needed to penetrate the tensed erythrocyte membrane, and these forces increase exponentially with tip velocity (∼nm/ms). We use the results to clarify how tapping-mode AFM imaging works at high enough tip velocities to avoid rupturing the membrane while progressively compressing it to a ∼20-nm steric core of lipid and protein. We also demonstrate novel, reproducible AFM imaging of tension-supported membranes in physiological buffer, and we describe a stable, distended network consistent with the spectrin cytoskeleton. Additionally, slow retraction of the AFM tip from the tensed membrane yields tether-extended, multipeak sawtooth patterns of average force ∼200 pN. In sum we show how adhesive tensioning of the red cell can be used to gain novel insights into native membrane dynamics and structure.
Bidirectional synaptic transmission in Necturus taste buds

Pairs of taste cells were impaled with intracellular recording microelectrodes in intact taste buds in slices of Necturus lingual epithelium. Applying short pulses of 140 mM KCl or 200 mM CaCl2 solutions to the apical pore elicited receptor potentials in taste receptor cells. Chemostimulation of receptor cells elicited postsynaptic responses in basal cells in the taste bud. Postsynaptic responses in basal cells had a threshold for activation and did not saturate with increasing doses of chemical stimulus applied to the receptor cells. We directly depolarized individual receptor cells and tested whether this would evoke postsynaptic responses in basal cells. Depolarizing receptor cells to approximately 0 mV evoked small depolarizing responses in basal cells in 16% of the experiments. The properties of these responses were consistent with their being mediated by a chemical synapse. A comparison of the responses in basal cells evoked by depolarizing single receptor cells, with responses evoked by stimulating the entire receptor cell population with KCl suggests that there is extensive synaptic convergence from receptor cells onto each basal cell. We also tested whether electrical excitation of basal cells would elicit (retrograde) synaptic responses in receptor cells. Single depolarizing pulses (up to 1 sec duration) applied to basal cells through the intracellular recording microelectrode never evoked synaptic responses in receptor cells. However, when repetitive electrical stimuli were applied to basal cells (four to six 1 sec depolarizations to approximately 0 mV every 12 sec) we observed prolonged effects on receptor cells in 11 of 23 experiments. These effects included an increase in the amplitude of receptor potentials elicited by KCI (mean +/- SD = +19 +/- 5%), an increase in membrane input resistance of receptor cells (+27 +/- 11%), and a hyperpolarization of receptor cells (3–10 mV). In control experiments, repetitive stimulation of one receptor cell never elicited such effects in another receptor cell. We investigated the possibility that serotonin (5-HT), released from basal cells, mediated the above modulatory effects on receptor cells. Bath-applied 5-HT (100 microM) mimicked the effects produced by repetitive basal cell stimulation (KCI responses increased by 23 +/- 12%; input resistance increased by 24 +/- 11%; hyperpolarization of 5–15 mV; N = 14). We conclude that basal cells release 5-HT onto adjacent taste receptor cells and that this enhances the electrotonic propagation of receptor potentials from the apical (chemosensitive) tip to the basal (synaptic) processes of receptor cells. The net effect is that activation of basal cells effectively increases the chemosensitivity of taste receptor cells.
Determination of GABA, glutamate and carbamathione in brain microdialysis samples by capillary electrophoresis with fluorescence detection.

Disulfiram has been used as a deterrent in the treatment of alcohol abuse for almost 60 years. Our laboratory has shown that a disulfiram metabolite, S-(N,N-diethylcarbamoyl) glutathione (carbamathione), is formed from disulfiram and appears in the brain after the administration of disulfiram. Carbamathione does not inhibit aldehyde dehydrogenase but has been shown to be a partial non-competitive inhibitor of the N-methyl-D-aspartic acid glutamate (Glu) receptor. In light of disulfiram's apparent clinical effectiveness in cocaine dependence, and carbamathione's effect on the N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor, the effect of carbamathione on brain Glu and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) needs to be further examined. A CE-LIF method based on derivatization with napthalene-2,3-dicarboxyaldehyde to simultaneously detect both neurotransmitter amino acids and carbamathione in brain microdialysis samples is described. The separation of Glu, GABA and carbamathione was carried out using a 50 mmol/L boric acid buffer (pH 9.6) on a 75 cm×50 μm id fused-silica capillary (60 cm effective) at +27.5 kV voltage with a run time of 11 min. The detection limits for Glu, GABA and carbamathione were 6, 10 and 15 nmol/L, respectively. This method was used to monitor carbamathione and the amino acid neurotransmitters in brain microdialysis samples from the nucleus accumbens after the administration of an intravenous dose of the drug (200 mg/kg) and revealed a carbamathione-induced change in GABA and Glu levels. This method demonstrates a simple, rapid and accurate measurement of two amino acid neurotransmitters and carbamathione for in vivo monitoring in the brain using microdialysis sampling.
Viral Haufen are Urinary Biomarkers of Polyomavirus Nephropathy: New Diagnostic Strategies Utilizing Negative Staining Electron Microscopy

Haufen, i.e. discrete three-dimensional cast-like polyomavirus aggregates in the urine, mark polyoma BK-virus nephropathy (BKN) with positive and negative predictive values of greater than 95%. They are novel diagnostic biomarkers of BKN, an important infectious complication post kidney transplantation. Here, we describe technical details of Haufen detection by negative staining electron microscopy. We studied more than 400 urine samples from over 180 patients and developed easy-to-follow protocols for optimal specimen preservation and preparation, including sample clarification and concentration. We detail diagnostic clues to detect Haufen and illustrate pitfalls, including “Haufen-look-alikes,” which can hamper the interpretation. Urinary Haufen detection by negative staining electron microscopy is a new application of an old, well-established diagnostic technique. The protocols described here are useful for pathologists and electron microscopists to search for Haufen in voided urine samples, to predict...
Increased sulfation of glycoconjugates by cultured nasal epithelial cells from patients with cystic fibrosis.

Abstract Cystic fibrosis (CF) respiratory epithelia exhibit abnormal anion transport that may be linked to abnormal lung defense. In these studies, we investigated whether primary cultures of CF respiratory epithelial cells regulate abnormally the sulfate content of high molecular weight glycoconjugates (HMG) participating in airways' mucosal defense. HMG, including glycosaminoglycans and mucin-type glycoproteins released spontaneously into medium and HMG released from cell surfaces by trypsin, were metabolically labeled with 35SO4- and [6-3H]-glucosamine (GlcN) or 35SO4- and [3H]serine. All three classes of HMG from CF cells exhibited 35S/3H labeling ratios 1.5-4-fold greater than HMG from normal or disease control cells. Differences for labeling ratios of HMG from CF cells were shown to be the consequence of increased 35SO4- incorporation rather than decreased peptide synthesis and release or HMG glycosylation. The buoyant density of CF mucin-type HMG also was increased, consistent with increased sulfation. These observations suggest that oversulfation of a spectrum of HMG is a genetically determined characteristic of CF epithelial cells and may play an important pathophysiological role by altering the properties of mucous secretions and/or the interactions between selected bacteria and HMG at the airways' surface.
Approximation Algorithms for Multicommodity-Type Problems with Guarantees Independent of the Graph Size

Linial, London and Rabinovich and Aumann and Rabani proved that the min-cut max-flow ratio for general maximum concurrent flow problems (when there are $k$ commodities) is $O(\log k)$. Here we attempt to derive a more general theory of Steiner cut and flow problems, and we prove bounds that are poly-logarithmic in $k$ for a much broader class of multicommodity flow and cut problems. Our structural results are motivated by the meta question: Suppose we are given a $poly(\log n)$ approximation algorithm for a flow or cut problem - when can we give a $poly(\log k)$ approximation algorithm for a generalization of this problem to a Steiner cut or flow problem? Thus we require that these approximation guarantees be independent of the size of the graph, and only depend on the number of commodities (or the number of terminal nodes in a Steiner cut problem). For many natural applications (when $k = n^{o(1)}$) this yields much stronger guarantees. We construct vertex-sparsifiers that approximately preserve the value of all terminal min-cuts. We prove such sparsifiers exist through zero-sum games and metric geometry, and we construct such sparsifiers through oblivious routing guarantees. These results let us reduce a broad class of multicommodity-type problems to a uniform case (on $k$ nodes) at the cost of a loss of a $poly(\log k)$ in the approximation guarantee. We then give $poly(\log k)$ approximation algorithms for a number of problems for which such results were previously unknown, such as requirement cut, l-multicut, oblivious $0$-extension, and natural Steiner generalizations of oblivious routing, min-cut linear arrangement and minimum linear arrangement.
Three-dimensional electromagnetic diffraction of a Gaussian beam by a perfectly conducting half-plane

Formulas are derived for the diffraction of a three-dimensional electromagnetic Gaussian beam by a perfectly conducting half-plane. The beam can be incident from any direction, and the main component of the electric field can point in any direction on the plane of the beam waist. The center of the beam waist is on the edge of the half-plane. The incident beam is constructed as a superposition of plane waves, and the total diffracted field is obtained from a superposition of the diffracted fields that are due to each plane wave. Physical constraints that limit the size and direction of the beam relative to the half-plane are described and incorporated into the theory. The scattered field in the far zone is obtained by asymptotic evaluation of the general formulas. Graphical results for the near-field as well as far-field patterns are presented and discussed.
Neural Substrates of Dynamic Object Occlusion

In everyday environments, objects frequently go out of sight as they move and our view of them becomes obstructed by nearer objects, yet we perceive these objects as continuous and enduring entities. Here, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging with an attentive tracking paradigm to clarify the nature of perceptual and cognitive mechanisms subserving this ability to fill in the gaps in perception of dynamic object occlusion. Imaging data revealed distinct regions of cortex showing increased activity during periods of occlusion relative to full visibility. These regions may support active maintenance of a representation of the target's spatiotemporal properties ensuring that the object is perceived as a persisting entity when occluded. Our findings may shed light on the neural substrates involved in object tracking that give rise to the phenomenon of object permanence.
Practical modeling and prediction of radio coverage of indoor sensor networks

The robust operation of many sensor network applications depends on deploying relays to ensure wireless coverage. Radio mapping aims to predict network coverage based on a small number of link measurements. This problem is particularly challenging in complex indoor environments where walls significantly affect radio signal propagation. Nevertheless, we show that it is feasible to accurately predict coverage through a two-step process: a propagation model is used to predict signal strength at a recipient node, which is then mapped to a coverage prediction. Through an in-depth empirical study, we show that complex models do not necessarily produce accurate estimates of signal strength: there is an important tradeoff between model accuracy and the number of parameters that must be estimated from limited training data. We find that the best performance is achieved by a family of models which classify walls based on their attenuation into a small number of classes and develop an algorithm to perform this classification automatically. Based on these insights, we build a novel Radio Mapping Tool (RMT) for predicting radio converge in indoor environments. Experimental results demonstrate RMT's effectiveness in two buildings: RMT reduces the number of locations where coverage is erroneously predicted to exist by as much as 39% and 54% compared to the classic log-normal radio propagation model.
Attributions, Emotions, and Health Care Reform: President Obama & Political Cognition about the Affordable Care Act

Existing research has demonstrated that associating health care reform with President Obama was tantamount to racial priming, causing people to connect racial attitudes to attitudes toward health policies. Research on racial priming in other policy domains has demonstrated that racial cues also work by triggering emotional reactions that mediate the effect of these cues on attitudes and behaviors. With this in mind, we examine whether associating the 2010 health care reform law with President Obama triggers an aversive emotional response that then affects attitudes and behaviors associated with the law. To examine this, we are conducting an original experiment where respondents are primed either to associate the law with President Obama, the U.S. Congress, or no particular political figure or institution, and then asked their opinions about the law, including their emotional reactions and willingness to take action regarding the law. The results of this experiment stand to broaden our understanding of the mechanisms through which racial cues work to affect public attitudes toward health care reform.
Hybrid iterative wavefront shaping for high-speed focusing through scattering media

A major limiting factor of optical imaging in biological applications is the diffusion of light by tissue, preventing focusing at depths greater than ~1 mm in the body. To overcome this issue, phase-based wavefront shaping alters the phase of sections of the incident wavefront to counteract aberrations in phase caused by scattering. This enables focusing through scattering media beyond the optical diffusion limit and increases signal compared to amplitude-based compensation. However, in previous studies, speed of optimization has typically been limited by the use of a liquid crystal spatial light modulator (SLM) for measurement and display. SLMs usually have refresh rates of less than 100 Hz and require much longer than the speckle correlation time of tissue in vivo, usually on the order of milliseconds, to determine the optimal wavefront. Here, we present a phase-based iterative wavefront shaping method based on an onaxis digital micromirror device (DMD) in conjunction with an electro-optic modulator (EOM) for measurement and a fast SLM for display. By combining phase modulation from an EOM with the modal selection of the DMD, we take advantage of DMDs higher refresh rate, approximately 23 kHz, for iterative phase measurement. The slower SLM requires one update for display following the rapid determination of the optimal wavefront via the DMD, allowing for high-speed wavefront shaping. Using this system, we are able to focus through scattering media using 64 modes in under 8 milliseconds, on the order of the speckle correlation time for tissue in vivo.
A chronically-denervated versus a freshly-harvested autograft for nerve repair in rats.

Objectives: Autologous nerve grafting remains the gold standard for repair of peripheral nerve injuries. Its use, however, is limited by donor nerve availability and donor site morbidity. This is especially problematic after failure of an initial autograft that requires a repeat nerve graft, resulting in a second surgical site with associated morbidity. Based on the molecular differences in nerve degeneration in the proximal and distal segments after transection, we hypothesized that a chronically-denervated proximal stump may be viable for autologous nerve repair. Methods: 20 Sprague-Dawley rats underwent right sciatic nerve excision and sural nerve transection. After 8 weeks, nerve repair was performed by harvesting the proximal segment of the sural nerve (n=10) or a fresh sural nerve (n=10) from the contralateral hind limb. Electrophysiological changes were analyzed to compare the fresh and denervated grafts. Results: Electrophysiological testing demonstrated higher compound motor action potential in the denervated group compared to the fresh autograft group, however this difference was not statistically significant (p=0.117). Conclusion: The proximal segment of a chronically-denervated sural nerve can be as effective as a fresh sural nerve for autologous repair of peripheral nerve injuries in a rodent model.
Helicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Pupa Production in Fruiting Com in Northeast Mexico and South Texas

Populations of corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), pupae produced in ≍200,000 ha of corn growing in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of northeast Tamaulipas Mexico and south Texas were estimated. Pupae were excavated from two soil samples (1m2) in 90–120 cornfields each year between 1985 and 1988 following larval development on ear-stage corn. Mean plant populations in the fields ranged from 5.6 per meter of row in 1987 to 6.8 per meter of row in 1986, while ear infestation by H. zea larvae ranged from 76.9% in 1987 to 93.6% in 1986. The total number of corn earworm prepupae, pupae, and exuviae excavated ranged from an average 1.1 insects per square meter in 1987 to 3.8 insects per square meter in 1985. Correlation analysis indicated that only 58% of the variation in the number of corn earworm excavated from the 1-m2 soil samples was correlated with the variation in the number of infested plants per meter of row. Estimates of the number of live pupae produced from 200,000 ha of ear-stage corn in the Lower Rio Grande Valley ranged from 1.48 × 109 in 1987 to 7.16 × 109 in 1985. The potential for adult H. zea populations emerging from ear-stage corn to affect other crops subsequently is discussed.
On the Margins: Lodgers and Boarders in Boston, 1860–1900

Few concerns were as important to urban reformers at the end of the nineteenth century as the fate of community and family in the city. Boston's reformers shared that generic concern but focused more than most groups on the increasing popularity of the lodging house. Lodging attracted attention because it seemed to promote a kind of antisocial behavior inimical to family and community ties, alienating native and newcomer alike from the bulwarks of moral order. Robert A. Woods, head of Boston's first settlement house, saw lodging as a key element in "the advance of irresistible forces . . . pushing all the earlier types of American life entirely outside the confines of old Boston." To counter such threats to urban community, Woods and other reformers urged the revitalization of such traditional instruments of moral stewardship and socialization as the neighborhood, the parish, and the boardinghouse. Their explicit distinction between the family life of the boardinghouse and the lonely self-absorption of lodgers replaced the vaguer image of life outside the primary family common at midcentury. By 1900 a nostalgia for boarding provided many reformers with a dramatic contrast to the moral dangers, even "moral shipwreck," fostered in the lodging house. It is a contrast that merits historical attention. 1 Boarding ideally functioned as a surrogate for the family, shielding transient individuals from the uprooting forces of migration. It was the family's agent in
Building Resilience in Nonprofit Food Hubs

Food hubs serve as intermediaries between market actors in the aggregation and distribution of local food. Scholars have identified four common food hub models: retail-driven, nonprofit-driven, producer-driven, and consumer-driven. The nonprofit sector has played a prominent role in emerging alternative food networks such as food hubs. This research uses qualitative methods to analyze the development of nonprofit food hubs in Vermont, as well as potential challenges faced and opportunities gained by this model. The results suggest that nonprofit food hubs in Vermont can foster the awareness and education necessary to create and expand a thriving community food system, allowing multiple actors to participate at multiple levels. In this way, nonprofit food hubs provide a vehicle for cooperation between farmers and consumers. The most successful food hubs are those that develop within existing organizations; through the multifunctionality of the organization, the food hub can help educate consumers and producers and foster relationships that can lead to an increase in a local food system's capacity. Analysis reveals that although nonprofit food hubs offer the potential to positively impact local food systems, there are key areas of perceived vulnerability that threaten the overall resilience of this model. Recommended interventions for building resilience in nonprofit food hubs include technical assistance, market analysis, and business planning to foster financially stable nonprofit food hubs with sustainable program models and business structures.
County-level Education Expenditure Adequacy of China:An Empirical Analysis with Evidence-based Approach

Based on the panel data of about 2150 county-level governments ranging from 2000 to 2005,this paper adopts the evidence-based approach to measure the influence of education demands,education aims and standards,prices of educational resources,CPI and local government revenues on the minimum governmental expenditure standard on basic education.A county-level minimum governmental expenditure standard measurement model is set up,and the educational expenditure adequacy level is measured.The authors reveal the characteristics of statistical distribution,time and space of Chinese county-level educational expenditure adequacy,and propose the policy suggestions correspondingly.
Centralized Computer Control System Design of Multi-stage Pumping Stations in Zhoushan Mainland Water Diversion Project

A brief introduction is given to the Zhoushan mainland water diversion project,and the current problems in the operation of the project are also analyzed in this paper.In consideration of the operation characteristics of the project,the centralized control system for the multi-stage pumping stations of the Zhoushan mainland water diversion project is designed,including the system's network architecture,the main device configuration and software design.The scheme also provides a technical basis for the realization of the centralized control and dispatching,the safe operation of the project,and the lowering of labor intensity of the field staffs.
Identification of Occupational Hazards Factors and Analysis of Critical Control Points in an Electronic Chemicals Project

[Objective]By identifying and evaluating the possible occupational hazards factors and damage degree in an electronic chemicals project,to find out the critical control points,study the protective measures,and provide the technical basis for approval of administrative department.[Methods]The evaluation was conducted by methods of analogy and quantitative classification.[Results]The occupational hazards factors in this construction project were noise,high temperature,chemical poisons and power frequency electromagnetic field.The chemical poisons were main occupational hazards factor,which included ammonia,hydrogen fluoride,hydrochloric acid,sulfide acid,nitric acid,acetic acid,n-butyl acetate and phosphoric acid.[Conclusion]The occupational hazards factors in this construction project were complicated,chemical poisons were main hazards factor,and the prevention measure should be strengthened in the critical control points.The comprehensive evaluation showed that the occupational hazard factors in the production process of this project can be controlled and prevented.
Modifying the Wound Healing Response with Exogenous Growth Factors

Growth factors exert a powerful influence over wound healing. They control the growth, differentiation, and metabolism of cells. Growth factors control the wound environment. It is likely that the actions of growth factors will be defined further and that control of the wound environment will make it possible to achieve complete and durable healing in patients.
The neonicotinoid pesticide, imidacloprid, affects Bombus impatiens (bumblebee) sonication behavior when consumed at doses below the LD50

We investigated changes in sonication (or buzz-pollination) behavior of Bombus impatiens bumblebees, after consumption of the neonicotinoid pesticide, imidacloprid. We measured sonication frequency, sonication length, and flight (wing beat) frequency of marked bees collecting pollen from Solanum lycopsersicum (tomato), and then randomly assigned bees to consume 0, 0.0515, 0.515, or 5.15 ng of imidacloprid. We recorded the number of bees in each treatment group that resumed sonication behavior after consuming imidacloprid, and re-measured sonication and flight behavior for these bees. We did not find evidence that consuming 0.0515 ng imidacloprid affected the sonication length, sonication frequency, or flight frequency for bees that sonicated after consuming imidacloprid; we were unable to test changes in these variables for bees that consumed 0.515 or 5.15 ng because we did not observe enough of these bees sonicating after treatment. We performed Cox proportional hazard regression to determine whether consuming imidacloprid affected the probability of engaging in further sonication behavior on S. lycopersicum and found that bumblebees who consumed 0.515 or 5.15 ng of imidacloprid were significantly less likely to sonicate after treatment than bees who consumed no imidacloprid. At the end of the experiment, we classified bees as dead or alive; our data suggest a trend of increasing mortality with higher doses of imidacloprid. Our results show that even modest doses of imidacloprid can significantly affect the likelihood of bumblebees engaging in sonication, a behavior critical for the pollination of a variety of crops and other plants.
Molecular Evidence for Metabolically Active Bacteria in the Atmosphere.

Bacterial metabolisms are responsible for critical chemical transformations in nearly all environments, including oceans, freshwater, and soil. Despite the ubiquity of bacteria in the atmosphere, little is known about the metabolic functioning of atmospheric bacterial communities. To gain a better understanding of the metabolism of bacterial communities in the atmosphere, we used a combined empirical and model-based approach to investigate the structure and composition of potentially active bacterial communities in air sampled at a high elevation research station. We found that the composition of the putatively active bacterial community (assayed via rRNA) differed significantly from the total bacterial community (assayed via rDNA). Rare taxa in the total (rDNA) community were disproportionately active relative to abundant taxa, and members of the order Rhodospirillales had the highest potential for activity. We developed theory to explore the effects of random sampling from the rRNA and rDNA communities on observed differences between the communities. We found that random sampling, particularly in cases where active taxa are rare in the rDNA community, will give rise to observed differences in community composition including the occurrence of “phantom taxa”, taxa which are detected in the rRNA community but not the rDNA community. We show that the use of comparative rRNA/rDNA techniques can reveal the structure and composition of the metabolically active portion of bacterial communities. Our observations suggest that metabolically active bacteria exist in the atmosphere, and that these communities may be involved in the cycling of organic compounds in the atmosphere.
Post-transplantation lymphoproliferative disorder of the NK-cell type: A case report and review of the literature

Post-transplantation lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLDs) are primarily B-cell disorders that are thought to be Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) driven and that can occur months to years after solid organ or bone marrow transplantation. A small percentage of cases have also been shown to be T-cell phenotype, but a PTLD of NK-cell type has not been previously described. We report here the case of a renal transplant recipient in whom a clinically aggressive, histologically monomorphic PTLD developed that was documented to be of an NK-cell phenotype according to paraffin section and flow cytometric immunophenotyping. Molecular-genetic analysis showed the PTLD to contain germline immunoglobulin heavy, kappa light chain, and T-cell receptor beta and gamma genes. Studies for EBV failed to demonstrate the presence of viral infection in tumor cells. Clinical follow-up showed a rapidly fatal course. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of an EBV-negative PTLD of true NK-cell type.
An Encounter with Walter Kohn in Orsay

I met Walter Kohn for the first time in Orsay, France. It was 1974, I think. He was visiting a Solid State CNRS laboratory and I was on sabbatical at CECAM, an organization directed by Carl Moser. I recall a conversation I had with Walter in an office at CECAM. I had been working recently on two things: new configuration methods and formal bounds on electrostatics interactions that occurred in electronic structure problems. We talked about both. I touted the importance of configuration interaction and Walter listened patiently. Obviously, my message didn’t get through because his work on density functional theory has gone a long way toward putting CI out of business for many ground state problems. I am not sure I was very convincing on the error bound message either. The idea was to find approximate ways to evaluate the interaction of two densities, 〈ρa(1) | 1/r12 | ρb(2)〉, by expansion methods that required less work than using the exact densities. The positive definite integral 〈ρ(1) − ρ′(1) | 1/r12 | ρ(2) − ρ′(2)〉 ≥ 0 provided the basis for determining such expansions and provided upper and lower bounds on the error of the approximation. When I told Walter about the bound and that the same argument could be used in many other neat ways, practically the first thing he said was, “the bound can’t be very good.” I tried to argue that the smallness of the error was determined by the closeness of ρ and ρ′ and it was the existence of the bound that really mattered. Perhaps I have the last laugh on this one
A Managerial Dance to a Broken Systemic Tune: The Effects of Institutional Environment on the Performance of Aid Funded Projects in Developing Nations

Recent calls by foreign aid experts for aid donors to channel more of their aid funds through national governments stems from the fact that researchers lack the necessary data to ascertain whether nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) manage aid funds better than national governments do. Aid-funded projects are the result of a World Health Organization (WHO), World Bank, United Nations Development Program (UNDP), or some other organization’s assessment of a gap or problem in a developing country such as Ghana. Donors and the NGO community find out about the issue, a donor agency decides to fund the project, and the donor signs an agreement with the government of the developing country to implement the project. Some of the projects funded through NGOs and private consulting firms have been successfully completed, but many have failed. Some researchers blame this failure on factors that the implementation partners usually cannot control. This research investigates the factors that affect the implementation of aid-funded projects as seen through the eyes and experiences of NGO leaders who have led aid-funded projects in Ghana. Using qualitative research and grounded theory approach to analyze the data, we found that the macro and systemic issues referenced in various aid-effectiveness and aid-accountability literature are prevalent in most aspects of the aid-delivery process. Interestingly the main reasons behind aid-project failure tend to be managerial in nature. We conclude that implementation fails because of lack of alignment with the receiving government’s agenda, lack of collaboration with stakeholders, improper planning practices and lack of accountability.
"Intelligent" Software-Defined Radio ( [Book/Software Reviews]

The book reviewed is, Cognitive Radio: Interoperability through Waveform Reconfiguration (Lechowicz, L. and Kokar, M.M.; 2015) contains ten chapters and three appendices. Cognitive radio, which combines a software-defined radio (SDR) with an intelligent agent, promises to deliver a new level of functionality. The two authors started this study while in graduate school and continued through their doctoral research. Chapter 1 opens the text by describing the interoperability of communicating systems, with a focus on the physical layer of the protocol stack of dynamic interoperability, in which the rules that define the replies to particular types of messages are introduced during the system’s operation. Also addresses some of the following topics: fundamentals of sampling and digital signal processing; software defined radio; cognitive radio; interoperability and reconfiguration; AND ontology-based cognitive radio reconfiguration. The final chapter includes a summary of the main intent of the book: reconfiguration of waveforms on the fly, which also applies to emergency response cases. This book adeptly gathers all the research and development work done in the past few years and paves the way for future research. For radio engineers who wish to pursue cognitive radio design or research, this book can serve as a guiding resource.
Diabetic Retinopathy: Assessment of Severity and Progression*

This study describes a classification of overall retinopathy severity based on the presence and severity of lesions graded in the Airlie House classification of diabetic retinopathy, and demonstrates its use in assessing progression of retinopathy over a 6-year period in a group of insulin-taking patients. One hundred and ninety-one insulin-taking patients with diabetes of at least 5 years' duration were identified from their doctors' records in 1970-1971. Patients were seen again in 1972-1973 and 1976-1977. Stereoscopic color fundus photographs of 7 fields in each eye were taken at each visit. All photos were graded using a modification of the Airlie House classification, which specified 6 levels of retinopathy for a given eye; when both eyes are considered an 11-step grading scheme results. Of all patients seen at the 2-year visit whose retinopathy was at risk of progressing, 41.2% showed progression of one level or more on the scale, 19.2% progression of two or more levels. At the 6-year examination comparable rates were 75.0% and 58.4%. Of patients whose retinopathy was level 4 in each eye (nonproliferative retinopathy of "moderate" severity) at the baseline visit, 13/21 (72%) had progressed to proliferative retinopathy in at least one eye at the 6-year examination. The classification scheme proposed appears useful for characterizing overall retinopathy severity of patients on the basis of gradings of fundus photographs. The data presented may be of help in planning trials of treatment aimed at slowing the development or progression of retinopathy.
Disasters and Elections: Estimating the Net Effect of Damage and Relief in Historical Perspective

Do natural disasters help or hurt politicians’ electoral fortunes? Research on this question has produced conflicting results. Achen and Bartels (2002, 2016) find that voters punish incumbent politicians indiscriminately after such disasters. Other studies find that voters incorporate the quality of relief efforts by elected officials. We argue that results in this literature may be driven, in part, by a focus on contemporary cases of disaster and relief. In contrast, we study a case of catastrophic flooding in the American South in 1927, in which disaster aid was broadly and fairly distributed and Herbert Hoover (the 1928 Republican presidential candidate) was personally responsible for overseeing the relief efforts. Despite the distribution of unprecedented levels of disaster aid, we find that voters punished Hoover at the polls: in affected counties, Hoover’s vote share decreased by more than 10 percentage points. Our results are robust to the use of synthetic control methods and suggest that—even if voters distinguish between low- and high-quality responses—the aggregate effect of this disaster remains broadly negative. Our findings provide some support for Achen and Bartels’ idea of blind retrospection, but also generate questions about the precise mechanisms by which damage and relief affect vote choice.
Improving the extent of correlation between interharmonic and voltage fluctuation measurements

Because the use of 60-W incandescent lamps is declining in parts of the world, voltage fluctuations' effects on other devices may need to be explicitly considered in international standards. The existence of international standards for measuring interharmonics and the mathematical relationship with periodic amplitude modulation has suggested interharmonics as a potential basis for broadly characterizing voltage fluctuations. But any novel approach for measuring voltage fluctuation needs to provide results consistent with present practices in addition to offering additional advantages. Therefore, the first step is demonstrating a general correlation between interharmonic measurements and currently accepted flicker severity measurements. The feasibility of demonstrating the correlation between these measurements has been explored in an earlier work. Using a magnitude-only custom interharmonic group it was concluded that measurements were strongly correlated in most cases. A closer examination of the flickermeter is made in this paper, and an improved custom interharmonic group is developed in view of a flickermeter's response to the combined effect of interharmonic pairs through phasor addition. This approach revealed strong correlation for every dataset examined. It is concluded from these results that interharmonic and lamp flicker measurements are strongly correlated in general.
Authors' reply to Hamilton.

Hamilton highlights important points.12 If the concern is that the patient has an underlying condition such as asthma, the self controlled case series (SCCS) design incorporates a within person comparison. So, if the patient had asthma for five years, this is held constant and is controlled for in the analysis. However, if the patient developed asthma after having been given the corticosteroids, having concurrent asthma was not an “indication” for prescribing the drug. The SCCS design is very powerful in controlling for underlying comorbidities (and interactions among comorbidities) in a patient. In addition, the pattern of adverse events persisted across the various indications for treatment, showing consistency regardless of …
Age and dressing type as independent predictors of post-operative infection in patients with acute compartment syndrome of the lower leg

The purpose of this study was to determine independent factors, including timing of fasciotomy, that confer an increased risk of post-operative surgical site infection (SSI) in patients presenting with acute compartment syndrome (ACS) of the lower extremity. A retrospective analysis was performed on a consecutive cohort of 53 adult patients requiring fasciotomy for lower-extremity fractures complicated by ACS presenting to a single Level I trauma center over a seven-year study period. The primary outcome measure was the incidence of SSI (as defined by the CDC) occurring within 12 months of fasciotomy. Explanatory variables including site of ACS, time of injury, time of fasciotomy, operative findings, and requirement for additional soft tissue coverage procedures were recorded for all patients. Multivariate regression was used to determine independent predictors of post-operative SSI. post-operative SSI was detected in 16 (30.2%) patients. Compared to infection-free patients, patients with post-operative SSI had a significantly higher median age (52.0 vs. 37.0 years, p = 0.010), frequency of intra-operative myonecrosis at time of fasciotomy (31.2% vs. 5.4%, p = 0.021), and requirement for negative-pressure wound therapy [NPWT] (93.7% vs. 45.9%, p = 0.002). Multivariate logistic regression analysis confirmed that requirement for NPWT (odds ratio [OR], 17.10; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.78–164.0; p = 0.014) and increasing age (OR, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.01–1.14; p = 0.037) were independent predictors of post-operative SSI. Timing of fasciotomy following injury was not independently related to the risk of SSI. ACS occurs on a spectrum of disease severity that evolves variably over time. Increasing age of the patient and requirement for NPWT following fasciotomy are independent predictors of post-operative SSI following emergent fasciotomy for ACS. Further studies are required to inform optimal treatment strategies in such patients. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic, Level III.
Understanding Our Energy Footprint: Undergraduate Chemistry Laboratory Investigation of Environmental Impacts of Solid Fossil Fuel Wastes

Engaging undergraduates in the environmental consequences of fossil fuel usage primes them to consider their own anthropogenic impact, and the benefits and trade-offs of converting to renewable fuel strategies. This laboratory activity explores the potential contaminants (both inorganic and organic) present in the raw fuel and solid waste remaining after thermal conversion. Using portable X-ray fluorescence, students analyze the heavy metals present in these solid samples following Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) method 6200. Sample extracts were analyzed via gas chromatography–mass spectrometry to measure polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, byproducts of incomplete combustion, in the samples using a semiquantitative internal standard approach. Across a series of raw, semicarbonaceous char and ash samples from oil shale and coal, students found levels of arsenic and naphthalene exceeding EPA regional screening levels for industrial soils. This exercise teaches students about X-ray safety, EPA measurem...
You, Too, Will Speak English Soon: The Pros and Cons of English as a Business Lingua Franca

This paper discusses the increasing use of English as a Business Lingua Franca (BELF). In particular, this paper examines case studies from several companies located in diverse countries (Japan, Germany, and Finland), where English has been implemented as an internal lingua franca. The case studies show that most employees at these companies adjusted to BELF in a very pragmatic manner, while others considered the employment of BELF to be an intrusive course of action. This paper also investigates how BELF is viewed by native speakers of English and argues that attitudes towards foreign language learning by native speakers of English may constitute an impediment to efficient communication between speakers of different native languages and backgrounds. Finally, this papers shows that the acceptance of BELF, at least to a certain degree, is dependent on attitudes towards the global spread of English.