cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sensitivity Integral Relations and Design Tradeoffs in Linear Multivariable Feedback Systems

The purpose of this paper is to develop integral relations regarding the singular values of the sensitivity function in linear multivariable feedback systems. The main utility of these integral relations is that they can be used to quantify the fundamental limitations which arise due to system characteristics such as open loop unstable poles and nonminimum phase zeros, and those due to such fundamental design requirements as stability and bandwidth constraints. We present extensions to both the classical Bode sensitivity integral relation and its extension, and the classical Poisson integral formula. These extended integral relations exhibit important insights toward the tradeoffs that must be performed between the sensitivity reduction and increase due to the aforementioned system characteristics and design constraints. Most importantly, these integral relations display new phenomena concerning the design limitations in multivariable systems which have no analog in single-input single-output systems. The unique phenomena in multivariable systems are that the tradeoffs and limitations on the sensitivity design are related to the directionality properties of the sensitivity function, and to those of open loop unstable poles and nonminimum phase zeros, in addition to factors present in single-input single-output systems.
Cues from chewing insects — the intersection of DAMPs, HAMPs, MAMPs and effectors

Chewing herbivores cause massive damage when crushing plant tissues with their mandibles, thus releasing a vast array of cues that may be perceived by the plant to mobilize defenses. Besides releasing damage cues in wounded tissues, herbivores deposit abundant cues from their saliva, regurgitant and feces that trigger herbivore specific responses in plants. Herbivores can manipulate the perception mechanisms and defense signals to suppress plant defenses by secreting effectors and/or by exploiting their associated oral microbes. Recent studies indicate that both the composition of herbivore cues and the plant's ability to recognize them are highly dependent upon the specific plant-herbivore system. There is a growing amount of work on identifying herbivore elicitors and effectors, but the most significant bottleneck in the discipline is the identification and characterization of plant receptors that perceive these herbivore-specific cues.
Liquid scintillation counting of environmental radionuclides: a review of the impact of background reduction

Liquid scintillation counting (LSC) supports a range of environmental science measurements. At Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, we are constructing an LSC system with an expected background reduction of 10–100 relative to values reported in the literature. In this paper, a number of current measurement applications of LSC have been considered with an emphasis on determining which aspects of such measurements would gain the greatest benefit: improved minimum detectable activity (MDA), reduction in sample size, and reduction in total analysis time.
The Bare Necessities: Increasing Lexical Coverage for Multi-Word Domain Terms with Less Lexical Data

We argue that many multi-word domain terms are not (and should not be regarded as) strictly atomic, especially from a parser’s point of view. We introduce the notion of Lexical Kernel Units (LKUs), and discuss some of their essential properties. LKUs are building blocks for lexicalizations of domain concepts, and as such, can be used for compositional derivation of an open-ended set of domain terms. Benefits from such an approach include reduction in size of the domain lexicon, improved coverage for domain terms, and improved accuracy for parsing.
Gelatin Sponge Model of Effector Recruitment: Tumoricidal Activity of Adherent and Non‐Adherent Lymphokine‐Activated Killer Cells After Culture in interleukin‐2

This study examined the specific tumoricidal activity of lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells derived from tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes that prevent the growth of secondary tumors in animals harboring progressing primary tumors. A pre-implanted gelatin sponge was employed to capture infiltrating host effectors during the expression of concomftant tumor immunity. Additionally, this study compared the cytolytic activity of these spongederived cells with those of counterpart splenic lymphocytes. The cells from both sources were cultured for 4 days in lL-2 to generate LAK cells which were further expanded in lL-2-containing medium for up to 11 days. The cytotoxic activities of these cells were measured in a Chromium-51 release assay. The data revealed that the culture of spienic, or sponge-derived lymphocytes results in the emergence of non-adherent and adherent cell populations with LAK activity. The 4-day sponge-derived LAK cells (adherent and non-adherent) exhibited significant cytoiysls of EMT6 cells while the spleen-derived counterparts showed minimal cytotoxlcfty toward these targets. Some NK activity in LAK cells derived from both sources was evident by their lysis of YAC-1 cells. LAK cells from both sources were incapable of lysing histo-compatlble EL-4 (H.2b) tumor cells. The lysis of the EMT6 cells by the sponge-derived LAK cells was maintained over an I 1-day period of culture in IL-2. Conversely, the spleen-derived LAK cells were unable to significantly lyse EMT6 cells during this period of in vitro culture. These results show the superior specific tumoricidal activity of LAK cells derived from lymphocytes mediating tumor rejection in vivo (sponge-derived) over that of counterpart splenic lymphocytes.
Polymer-Mediated Reactions.A Nazarov-Like Cyclization

The polymer PEDOT + mediates a Nazarov-likecyclization of dienones, in an heterogeneous system and in hydrocarbon solvents.The polymer-mediated reactions show clear differences in productformation when compared to the same reaction with tosic acid, orwhen compared to reports in the literature. Comparable or improvedyields are observed, as well as the ability to give a -Nazarovproduct in cases where treatment with acid fails to give cyclization,or leads to an undesirable rearrangement. In addition, the abilityto recycle the polymer makes this a potentially useful protocolfor an important organic chemical reaction.
An Hybrid WDM/TDM Reflectometric Array

We present experimental results describing: (i) inter-elemental cross-talk and (ii) improved noise performance by RF modulation of the laser frequency, in an high performance WDM/TDM reflectometric array. The array, operating on a single fiber, is comprised of four high sensitivity Fabry-Perot interferometric sensors each formed by a pair of in-fiber Bragg gratings acting as reflection elements. Cross-talk between sensors operating at dissimilar wavelengths is measured to be below −60 dB (sensor noise limit) when wavelength filtering is used and is ≈ −35 dB when wavelength filtering is avoided at the array output. Crosstalk between sensors operating at same wavelength is measured to be 15 dB was measured by RF modulation of the laser frequency.
Gynecomastia and Leydig cell tumors in the adult.

Two men with gynecomastia were evaluated at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation. Both were subsequently found to have a Leydig cell tumor of the left testis. One patient had previously undergone a testicular biopsy examination because of presumed infertility; the other had undergone the same type of examination due to a suspicious enlargement of the testicle. The results of these examinations had failed to reveal any evidence of a tumor. Endocrinologic manifestations of Leydig cell tumors are common and frequently present prior to the discovery of a testicular mass. These tumors are rare and usually benign. An orchiectomy is then curative and results in resolution of hormonal abnormalities in most cases. When malignant, Leydig cell tumors usually become evident by the presence of metastasis.
An Upper Bound on the nth Prime

(π2 ) = sin(π2 + β) = cosβ. Thus we get for all α, β ∈ R: sin(α + β) = sinα · cosβ + sin β · cosα. We leave it to the reader to derive the identity for cos(α + β). Since this article was accepted, it has been observed that essentially the same approach appears in the book [4] (in Chapter 15). There the author defines π in terms of arclength instead of area, and starts with the inverse cosine instead of arcsin, but otherwise covers the same ground.
TYPE A-B SCORES AND INSOMNIA AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS: A REPLICATION AND EXTENSION OF EARLIER STUDIES '

In an attempt to rationalize conflicting sets of data from earlier studies, groups of Type A- and Type B-classified university students were asked to respond to a sleep habits questionnaire that included the items of the Coren Insomnia Scale. As was the case in two earlier studies, we found significant but weak evidence from the Coren scale only that Type A-scoring students experience more sleep problems than Type B scorers. We also found, as in a recent study, a sharp increase in sleep problems among all the students sampled from the frequencies reported by similar groups in 1982.
Blood Banking in The People's Republic of China

In the past several years, the People's Republic of China has been opening her doors to advancing technology. Recently, I had the opportunity to observe and, in a small way, help in the advancement of immunohematology there. In this article, my impressions and insights into blood banking in mainland China will be given in addition to a brief review of medical education and health coverage.
Investigation and Analysis on Cardiovascular System Function of Noise Exposed Workers in A Furniture Factory

[Objective]To understand the relationship between noise and cardiovascular disease prevalence through determination of cardiovascular function indicators of workers in a furniture factory.[Methods]The cross-sectional method was adopted to investigate 197 noise exposed workers with 1 year service length in furniture factory,anther 200 workers without noise exposure as control group.The relationship between environmental noise and blood pressures of workers,prevalence of ECG abnormalities was explored through determination of environmental noise exposure level and physical examination of workers.[Results]Prevalence rate of hypertension and ECG abnormality of exposure group were significantly higher than those of the control group(both P0.05),prevalence of hypertension presented dose-response relation with the cumulative noise exposure.[Conclusion]Noise exposure can cause harm to the cardiovascular function.
The Aurora and Borealis Stream Processing Engines

Over the last several years, a great deal of progress has been made in the area of stream-processing engines (SPEs). Three basic tenets distinguish SPEs from current data processing engines. First, they must support primitives for streaming applications. Unlike Online Transaction Processing (OLTP), which processes messages in isolation, streaming applications entail time series operations on streams of messages. Second, streaming applications entail a real-time component. If one is content to see an answer later, then one can store incoming messages in a data warehouse and run a historical query on the warehouse to find information of interest. This tactic does not work if the answer must be constructed in real time. The need for real-time answers also dictates a fundamentally different storage architecture. DBMSs universally store and index data records before making them available for query activity. Such outbound processing, where data are stored before being processed, cannot deliver real-time latency, as required by SPEs. To meet more stringent latency requirements, SPEs must adopt an alternate model, which we refer to as “inbound processing”, where query processing is performed directly on incoming messages before (or instead of) storing them. Lastly, an SPE must have capabilities to gracefully deal with spikes in message load. Incoming traffic is usually bursty, and it is desirable to selectively degrade the performance of the applications running on an SPE. The Aurora stream-processing engine, motivated by these three tenets, is currently operational, has been used to build various application systems, and has been transferred to the commercial domain. Borealis is a distributed stream-processing system that inherits core stream-processing functionality from Aurora and enriches it with distribution functionality, in order to provide advanced capabilities that are commonly required by newly emerging stream-processing applications.
Tennyson: Ulyssean Influences and Telemachan Modulations

Carlyle’s ‘failure’ and Tennyson’s ‘success’ represent their ‘Victorianism’. Both were concerned with making literature relevant, both wrote about subjects that dealt with the ‘signs of the times’, or the spirit of the age. Carlyle failed, assuming at the end that Ulyssean stance that marked his own recognition of his inability to communicate, to deliver his message. Tennyson succeeded, assuming that Telemachan stance that conveyed his confident belief in his own powers, his ability to communicate his concerns and ‘solutions’ to his readers. Their relationship with one another and the eventual emergence of Tennyson as the voice of the age form an interesting chapter in literary culture.
Mathematical induction: deductive logic perspective

Many studies mentioned the deductive nature of Mathematical Induction (MI) proofs but almost all fell short in explaining its potential role in the formation of the misconceptions reported in the literature. This paper is the first of its kind looking at the misconceptions from the perspective of the absence of the deductive logic from one's conceptual scheme of Mathematical Induction proofs. In light of this framework, we give a detailed description of the Tower of Hanoi game as a model that can be used to emphasize the Deductive Reasoning in MI proofs.
MD Simulations and CD Spectroscopies of (Benz)Acridine: rDNA G-Quadruplex Complexes

In both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, guanine-rich stretches of DNA sequences are found in gene regulatory regions and telomeric DNAs to form G-quadruplexes, and they are involved in many fundamental biological processes and have been implicated in a number of diseases including cancer. While most previous G-quadruplex studies have focused on telomeric G-quadruplexes for validating targets for anticancer therapy, the nucleolar G-quadruplexes may be an even more promising target for chemotherapeutic intervention. The nucleolus plays a central role in tumor pathology because it controls the high level of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) synthesis necessary to sustain ribosome biogenesis during rapid cancer cell growth. Ribosome biogenesis occurs in the nucleolus and is tightly regulated by many cell signaling pathways that converge on the RNA polymerase I complex (Pol I). Using small molecules (drugs) to disrupt ribosome biogenesis represents an attractive strategy for selectively killing cancer cells. Aromatic acridines that sit on top of a G-quadruplex tetrad via π-π stacking interactions have been extensively explored as scaffolds for developing G-quadruplex-specific binders. In this present study, we performed MD simulations of 13 modeled putative rDNA G-quadruplexes that have been characterized via CD spectra to form G-quadruplexes. In addition, we simulated their interactions with designed acridines and benzacridines and analyzed them using a set of novel order parameters to quantify their binding selectivities. We are currently validating our computational predictions via CD spectra. In one G-quadruplex we studied, NUC 23, CD spectra shows that it adopts a parallel topology structure that is further stabilized upon interactions with benzacridine. In excellent agreement, we also observe the same phenomenon in our MD simulations.
Orphan NKs! The mystery of the self-renewing NK cells.

Like children alive when their parents have not been born, there is a population of natural killer (NK) cells which appear to be self-renewing, according to 2 articles in this issue of Blood. Corat et al and Schlums et al take us closer to this mystery by answering the question: is ongoing production from hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) required to maintain NK-cell homeostasis in humans?,
Analyzing user comments on YouTube coding tutorial videos

Video coding tutorials enable expert and novice programmers to visually observe real developers write, debug, and execute code. Previous research in this domain has focused on helping programmers find relevant content in coding tutorial videos as well as understanding the motivation and needs of content creators. In this paper, we focus on the link connecting programmers creating coding videos with their audience. More specifically, we analyze user comments on YouTube coding tutorial videos. Our main objective is to help content creators to effectively understand the needs and concerns of their viewers, thus respond faster to these concerns and deliver higher-quality content. A dataset of 6000 comments sampled from 12 YouTube coding videos is used to conduct our analysis. Important user questions and concerns are then automatically classified and summarized. The results show that Support Vector Machines can detect useful viewers' comments on coding videos with an average accuracy of 77%. The results also show that SumBasic, an extractive frequency-based summarization technique with redundancy control, can sufficiently capture the main concerns present in viewers' comments.
Shareholder rights and non-price loan contract terms

This paper analyzes the impact of shareholder rights on non-price loan contract terms. Using a large sample of syndicated loans borrowed by U.S. firms between 1991 and 2006, I find that stronger shareholder rights significantly enhance the stringency of loan contract design. The likelihood of having collateral significantly increases with the strength of shareholder rights. Loan maturity of firms with the strongest shareholder rights is 13.1% shorter. The loan size of the same borrowing firms is 8.4% smaller. These results are robust to different proxies of shareholder rights and are robust to the instrumental variable approach controlling for simultaneous determination of loan contract terms, such as collateral and maturity. This study complements the existing literature on the impact of shareholder rights on loan pricing and has important implications for understanding the impact of companies’ governance structure on loan contract design.
Mature Cystic Ovarian Teratoma

Ovarian teratomas are common germ cell neoplasms comprised of mature or immature tissues of germ cell origin. The most common histologic type is the mature cystic teratoma, also known as a dermoid cyst. They have several suggestive MR features and FDG PET is useful in detecting metastases or peritoneal dissemination. PET/MR imaging helps distinguish benign from malignant pelvic lesions.
Influence of the Madden–Julian Oscillation and Caribbean Low-Level Jet on East Pacific Easterly Wave Dynamics

AbstractThe east Pacific warm pool exhibits basic-state variability associated with the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) and Caribbean low-level jet (CLLJ), which affects the development of easterly waves (EWs). This study compares and contrasts composite changes in the background environment, eddy kinetic energy (EKE) budgets, and EW tracks during MJO and CLLJ events. While previous studies have shown that the MJO influences jet activity in the east Pacific, the influence of the MJO and CLLJ on the east Pacific and EWs is not synonymous. The CLLJ is a stronger modulator of the ITCZ than the MJO, while the MJO has a more expansive influence on the northeastern portion of the basin. Anomalous low-level westerly MJO and CLLJ periods are associated with favorable conditions for EW development paralleling the Central American coast, contrary to previous findings about the relationship of the CLLJ to EWs. Easterly MJO and CLLJ periods support enhanced ITCZ EW development, although the CLLJ is a greater modulato...
Fully automated in-line optical test system: Advanced materials & photonics

The development of a high throughput, accurate, and cost efficient inline optical test system is a key challenge to mass manufacturing of silicon photonics. For our Silicon Photonic technologies, we developed a fully automated wafer level optical test system for both, active and passive optical testing. The measured insertion loss of fiber grating couplers is repeatable within 1.1dB (3σ). A unique forward and reverse alternative test method is designed to extract photodetector responsivity.
Response: Depletion and degradation are not the same

This article responses to the Case against Environmental Taxes for Sustainable Forestry. The author points out that in the previous article the implications of continuity of ownership and associate responsibilities are obscured by not clearly distinguishing timber-related depletion costs from nontimber environmental costs. Because the environmental effects of tropical logging are externalities, some type of public policy is neccessary to ensure that private actions coincide with socially optimal behavior. Environmental taxes may not be the only policy action available though.
Insight into lithium-ion mobility in Li2La(TaTi)O7

Combination of neutron diffraction, impedance spectroscopy and DFT analysis of lithium diffusion pathways provides an understanding of lithium-ion mobility in layered oxides through a case study of Li2La(TaTi)O7. This new material is a Li-conducting oxide, which contains stacks of (Ta/Ti)O6 octahedra separated by a layer of lithium ions, forming a Ruddlesden–Popper type structure. Experiments show that two strategies, i.e., shortening the Li hopping distance and inducing defects in the Li-layer, can successfully improve the ionic conductivity. The DFT analyses reveal the orientation of lithium diffusion pathways and the energy barriers in these pathways, which are directly correlated with the atomic arrangement of this material. These results have broad implications with regard to the design of a new class of Li-conducting oxides based on Ruddlesden–Popper oxides.
Performance comparison in Pediatric Fundamental Critical Care Support among staff from the USA versus those from resource-limited countries:

ObjectiveThis study aimed to evaluate the performance of participants in the USA compared with international participants taking the Pediatric Fundamental Critical Care Support (PFCCS) course, and ...
Deep Reinforcement Learning for Autonomous Search and Rescue

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are becoming more prevalent, more capable, and less expensive every day. Advances in battery life and electronic sensors have spurred the development of diverse UAV applications outside their original military domain. For example, Search and Rescue (SAR) operations stand to benefit greatly from modern UAVs since even the simplest commercial models are equipped with high-resolution cameras and the ability to stream video to a computer or portable device. As a result, autonomous unmanned systems (terrestrial, marine, and aerial) have begun to be employed for such typical SAR tasks as terrain mapping, task observation, and early supply delivery. However, these systems were developed before recent advances in artificial intelligence such as Google Deepmind’s breakthrough with the Deep Q-Network (DQN) technology. Therefore, most of them rely heavily on Greedy or Potential-based heuristics, without the ability to learn. In this research, we investigate a possible approximation (called Partially Observable Markov Decision Processes) for enhancing the performance of autonomous UAVs in SAR by incorporating newly-developed Reinforcement Learning methods. The project utilizes open-source tools such as Microsoft’s state-of-the-art UAV simulator AirSim, and Keras, a machine learning framework that can make use of Google’s popular tensor library called TensorFlow. The main approach investigated in this research is the Deep Q-Network.
Implementation of patient education software in an anticoagulation clinic to decrease visit times for new patient appointments

Abstract Objective Patient education on high-risk medications such as warfarin is important, and they require quick follow-up after initiation to maximize efficacy and safety. In our Anticoagulation Clinic, two 60-minute new patient appointments are available each day, contributing to prolonged lead-time. We instituted standardized warfarin video education to shorten in-clinic-room visit time, to potentially increase new patient appointments. Methods Patients viewed the video in the waiting area with a goal to decrease visit times by 15 min (25%), before pharmacists completed their visit. Data collected included time spent in the clinic room, education comprehension, and patient feedback. Results Ninety patient visits were evaluated in one pre-intervention and two post-intervention phases. Patients who received video education spent less time in the clinic room versus those who had not (52.4 vs 39.4 min, p = 0.001), and two-thirds of all post-intervention visits achieved 25% reduction in visit time. There were no significant differences in education comprehension and patient satisfaction. Conclusion Video education significantly decreased in-clinic-room visit time, and most patients achieved a goal of 25% reduction in time spent, without a change in comprehension or patient satisfaction. Practice implications Implementation of video education can reduce clinic times in many patients without significantly impacting patient satisfaction.
Understanding Entrepreneurial Mindset: A Study of Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy, Locus of Control and Intent to Start a Business

With growing interest in entrepreneurship in higher education, faculty are facing increased calls to instill an “entrepreneurial mindset” in students. The authors base this study on a rich literature history on self-efficacy and expectancy theory. Starting with work by Chen, Greene, and Crick (1998) and Rotter (1966), the study measures entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) with 22 items, locus of control (LOC) with 23 items and intention to start a business (ITSB) with five items among a sample of engineering and business students (n=191). We also collected paired data from students before and after taking a course in innovation and new ventures. Along with basic analyses using correlation and paired sample t-tests, we performed a confirmatory factor analysis and a Multi-Group SEM to test the effects of LOC on the link between ESE and ITSB. We support Chen et al.’s (1998) work in showing that ESE and ITSB are in fact related, and we demonstrate a moderating role for LOC in the relationship between ESE and ITSB. The authors discuss conclusions and further areas for study.
One-Pot Desilylation/Dimerization of Ethynyl- and Butadiynyltrimethylsilanes. Synthesis of Tetrayne-Linked Dehydrobenzoannulenes.

Abstract Addition of K2CO3 to standard Eglinton coupling conditions effects a one-pot desilylation/dimerization reaction of alkynyltrimethylsilanes. Use of this procedure on substituted phenylbutadiynylsilanes ultimately leads to the formation of dehydrobenzoannulenes possessing an unprecedented number of acetylene linkers. © 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.
Data Privacy and Academic Libraries: Non-PII, PII, and Librarians’ Reflections (Part 2)

AbstractUsing personally identifiable information (PII) (patron data) to make informed decisions in academic libraries through learning analytics programs has increasingly become more commonplace. ...
The state of diversity based on race, ethnicity, and sex in otolaryngology in 2016.

OBJECTIVE To compare the representation of women and racial minorities among otolaryngology residents and faculty to other surgical specialties. METHODS Information from 2016 regarding female and minority representation among medical school graduates, otolaryngology applicants, otolaryngology residents, otolaryngology faculty and residents, and faculty in other surgical specialties was obtained from the publicly available registries from the American Medical Association and the American Association of Medical Colleges. The data obtained was used to explore the differences between the various stages of training in otolaryngology and to compare the female and minority diversity of otolaryngology residents with residents in other surgical specialties. RESULTS Women and African Americans were underrepresented at the resident level compared with their level of representation as medical school graduates. Women were underrepresented in otolaryngology resident applicants (P < .001), but equally represented between otolaryngology residency applicants and residents (P = .582). African Americans were equally represented between medical school graduates and otolaryngology resident applicants (P = .871), but underrepresented in otolaryngology residents (P < .001). Asian Americans and Hispanics were underrepresented among otolaryngology faculty compared with their representation in otolaryngology residency programs (P < .001, P < .001, respectively). Otolaryngology has the lowest percentage of African-American residents and faculty compared to other surgical specialties. The representation of women in otolaryngology residencies is higher than most surgical specialties but worse than general surgery, integrated plastics, and medical school graduates. CONCLUSION Otolaryngology lags behind other surgical specialties in representation of minorities and women. Continued efforts should be made to increase diversity in the field of otolaryngology, especially in regard to underrepresented minorities. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 3 Laryngoscope, 2019.
Predictors of success on the MCAT for post-baccalaureate pre-medicine students

Students who aspire to enter medical school have to take the MCAT (Medical College Admission Test). In 2015, the MCAT was redesigned, covering a new set of foundational concepts. Also in 2015, a 12...
The Association of Preoperative Hematocrit With Adverse Events Following Exploratory Laparotomy in Septic Patients: A Retrospective Analysis.

Background:Sepsis continues to be the leading cause of death in intensive care units and surgical patients comprise almost one third of all sepsis patients. Anemia is a modifiable risk factor for w...
Variation Among Infectious Diseases Pharmacists for the Treatment of Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia

Introduction Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SAB) remains complex, in that optimal treatment for patients, including complicated or persistent infection, remains unclear. Two recent surveys have demonstrated practice variations in SAB among infectious diseases (ID) physicians. Objectives The purpose of this survey was to examine practice variations in SAB among ID pharmacists. Methods A thirty-five-question survey was electronically distributed to the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) Infectious Diseases Practice and Research Network (IDPRN) in Fall 2019 to determine differences in SAB management. Data were analyzed utilizing Pearson's Chi-Square or Fisher's Exact Test. Results A total of 106 ID pharmacists responded. Only 28% of pharmacists practiced at hospitals with mandatory ID consultation for SAB. A majority (75%) had rapid diagnostic technology (RDT) for identifying SABSI, but 32% of those facilities with RDT did not notify pharmacy with results. Anti-staphylococcal penicillins were preferred for MSSA blood stream infections (BSI) in patients with central nervous system infection and endocarditis, whereas cefazolin was favored for other MSSA BSI. For persistent MRSA BSI, 34% selected daptomycin alone while 38% elected to combine daptomycin and ceftaroline. Pharmacists at hospitals less than 500 beds were more likely to use daptomycin, while those at larger hospitals were more likely to use daptomycin and ceftaroline for persistent MRSA BSI (P Conclusions A survey of ID pharmacists showed variation in the management of SABs, as well as the definition and treatment of persistent SAB. Mandatory ID consultation and RDT use to improve SAB management have not been optimized.
Lean Yet Unhealthy: Asian American Adults Had Higher Risks for Metabolic Syndrome than Non-Hispanic White Adults with the Same Body Mass Index: Evidence from NHANES 2011-2016.

(1) Background: Despite having consistently lower rates of obesity than other ethnic groups, Asian Americans (AAs) are more likely to be identified as metabolically obese, suggesting an ethnic-specific association between BMI and cardiometabolic outcomes. The goal of this study was to provide an estimate of metabolic syndrome (MetS) prevalence among AAs using national survey data and to compare this rate to that of non-Hispanic Whites (NHWs) over the BMI continuum. (2) Methods: Using the NHANES 2011–2016 data, we computed age-adjusted, gender-specific prevalence of MetS and its individual components for three BMI categories. Furthermore, we conducted multivariate binary logistic regression to examine the risk of MetS in AAs compared to NHWs, controlling for sociodemographic and lifestyle factors. The analysis sample consisted of 2121 AAs and 6318 NHWs. (3) Results: Among AAs, the prevalence of MetS and its components increased with higher BMI levels, with overall prevalence being 5.23% for BMI 23, AAs had a higher predicted risk of MetS than their NHW counterparts of the same BMI level, in both men and women. (4) Conclusions: Our findings support the use of lower BMI ranges for defining overweight and obesity in Asian populations, which would allow for earlier and more appropriate screening for MetS and may better facilitate prevention efforts.
Frequency of provision of CPAP in the inpatient setting: an observational study : "CPAP provision in the inpatient setting".

Background Little is known about the rates of provision of CPAP in inpatient settings. A single prior “data mining” study using diagnostic and procedural codes concluded that 6% of people with sleep apnea receive CPAP when in the hospital. The purpose of this study is to reexamine the frequency with which people who have an established diagnosis of sleep apnea receive therapy for it when they are admitted to the hospital for other reasons.
A New Mechanism for the Regulation of Stomatal Aperture Size in Intact Leaves (Accumulation of Mesophyll-Derived Sucrose in the Guard-Cell Wall of Vicia faba)

At various times after pulse-labeling broad bean (Vicia faba L.) leaflets with 14CO2, whole-leaf pieces and rinsed epidermal peels were harvested and subsequently processed for histochemical analysis. Cells dissected from whole leaf retained apoplastic contents, whereas those from rinsed peels contained only symplastic contents. Sucrose (Suc)-specific radioactivity peaked (111 GBq mol-1) in palisade cells at 20 min. In contrast, the 14C content and Sucspecific radioactivity were very low in guard cells for 20 min, implying little CO2 incorporation; both then peaked at 40 min. The guard-cell apoplast had a high maximum Suc-specific radioactivity (204 GBq mol-1) and a high Suc influx rate (0.05 pmol stoma-1 min-1). These and other comparisons implied the presence of (a) multiple Suc pools in mesophyll cells, (b) a localized mesophyll-apoplast region that exchanges with phloem and stomata, and (c) mesophyll-derived Suc in guard-cell walls sufficient to diminish stomatal opening by approximately 3 [mu]m. Factors expected to enhance Suc accumulation in guard-cell walls are (a) high transpiration rate, which closes stomata, and (b) high apoplastic Suc concentration, which is elevated when mesophyll Suc efflux exceeds translocation. Therefore, multiple physiological factors are integrated in the attenuation of stomatal aperture size by this previously unrecognized mechanism.
An Analog Integrated Circuit for Continuous-Time Gain andOffset Calibration of Sensor Arrays

Parameter variations cause unavoidable nonuniformities in Infra-Red Focal Plane Arrays and other integrated sensors. Since these nonuniformities change slowly with time, calibrating sensors one-time only is not suitable–much more frequent calibration is required. We have developed an algorithm that continually calibrates an array of sensors that contain gain and offset variations. This algorithm has been mapped to analog hardware and designed and fabricated with a 2um CMOS technology. Measured results from the chip show that the system achieves invariance to gain and offset variations of the input signal.
α1‐Acid Glycoprotein Concentrations and Cerebrospinal Fluid Drug Distribution after Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Study Objective. To test the hypothesis that changes in α 1 -acid glycoprotein (AAG) concentration alter central nervous system (CNS) drug distribution after subarachnoid hemorrhage. Design. Two-phase, prospective study. Setting. University-associated medical center. Patients. Twenty-one patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage. Intervention. In phase I, serum AAG concentrations of patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage were measured serially and compared with those in 21 controls undergoing elective neurosurgical procedures. In phase II, nimodipine was the pharmacologic probe to determine the relationship between drug distribution into the CNS and changes in AAG concentration. Measurements and Main Results. Serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were collected from patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage treated with nimodipine and used to measure total and unbound drug concentrations. Concentrations of AAG were 39% higher in patients than in controls preoperatively. They decreased significantly by 24 hours after surgery in patients and increased in controls. In both groups the concentrations were higher than reported normal values. During the period of reduced AAG concentration, calculated unbound nimodipine concentrations were 3-fold higher (p<0.05) than at later periods, with a trend toward higher total concentrations. Overall, mean CSF nimodipine concentration was 6.4% of mean serum total concentration. The CSF concentrations decreased as AAG concentrations increased, independent of serum concentrations (r = -0.52, p<0.02). Conclusion. Concentrations of AAG change after subarachnoid hemorrhage and are transiently influenced by surgery. Unbound drug concentration increases when AAG concentrations decrease, whereas CSF concentrations decrease when AAG concentrations increase. These preliminary findings suggest that changes in AAG concentrations can alter unbound serum nimodipine concentrations and may affect CSF drug distribution.
Quantifying focal disruptions in axonal microtubules

Focal disruptions in axonal microtubules are a common consequence of Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs), and the ability to quantify these disruptions is essential to evaluating in vitro injury models and therapies. Here, we develop and implement an algorithm to demonstrate the ability to quantify focal disruptions in the microtubules of cultured neurons. The algorithm is implemented using a combination of ImageJ for pre-processing and Matlab for axon analysis and tubulin breakdown identification.
Manual corneal thickness measurements of healthy equine eyes using a portable spectral-domain optical coherence tomography device.

Summary Reasons for performing study Corneal thickness measurements of the equine globe using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) have not been reported. Objectives To determine corneal thickness measurements and the intra- and interoperator reliability of a portable SD-OCT device in equine eyes. Study design Prospective observational study. Methods Horses free of ocular disease were used for this study. Gentle manual restraint, in combination with detomidine hydrochloride and a head stand, were employed to ensure proper animal positioning. Corneal pachymetry measurements were obtained from both eyes of each animal 3 times by 2 operators in succession. A 6 mm corneal pachymetry protocol was performed using a portable SD-OCT device. All measurements were obtained manually by one operator (C.G.P.) using the integrated calliper function. Measurements included epithelial thickness, stromal thickness, Descemet's membrane thickness and total corneal thickness. All recorded measurements were analysed to determine both intra- and interoperator reliability. Results Thirty horses with a mean age of 10.6 ± 6.4 years were examined. Mean epithelial, stromal, Descemet's membrane and total corneal thickness values obtained were, respectively, 174.7 ± 13.6, 599.2 ± 45.4, 38.4 ± 15.3 and 812.0 ± 44.1 μm for operator A and 175.9 ± 12.9, 599.2 ± 44.9, 38.4 ± 15.0 and 812.9 ± 42.9 μm for operator B. A positive correlation was found between Descemet's membrane thickness and age, whereby Descemet's membrane thickness increased by 2 μm/year (P<0.0001). The coefficients of variation for both operators were <4% for all measurements. Intraclass correlations ranged from 0.92 to 0.98. Conclusions Manual corneal thickness measurement using a portable SD-OCT device provides epithelial, stromal, Descemet's membrane and total corneal thickness measurements with clinically acceptable intra- and interoperator reliability in healthy equine eyes.
Two-ply channels for faster wicking in paper-based microfluidic devices

This article describes the development of porous two-ply channels for paper-based microfluidic devices that wick fluids significantly faster than conventional, porous, single-ply channels. The two-ply channels were made by stacking two single-ply channels on top of each other and were fabricated entirely out of paper, wax and toner using two commercially available printers, a convection oven and a thermal laminator. The wicking in paper-based channels was studied and modeled using a modified Lucas–Washburn equation to account for the effect of evaporation, and a paper-based titration device incorporating two-ply channels was demonstrated.
Recent developments in concrete nondestructive evaluation

Concrete is a multi-phase composite material which is difficult to inspect using conventional ultrasonic techniques, including those that work well on relatively homogeneous materials such as metals. This paper summarizes recent research that makes use of signal processing techniques to overcome ultrasonic inspection difficulties in concrete. Basic findings from several new laboratory-based NDE techniques for concrete are reported. First, the application of split spectrum processing (SSP) is described. The SSP techniques obtains a frequency-diverse ensemble of narrowband signals through a filterbank and recombines them nonlinearly to improve the target visibility. Examples that demonstrate the capability of SSP to reduce coherent noise (clutter) in ultrasonic signals collected from concrete samples are presented. Next, a self-compensating procedure for practical one-sided surface wave transmission measurements on concrete structures is described. The utility of the technique is demonstrated by sensitivity to surface-opening crack depth in concrete slabs. Finally, an approach by which the setting process (stiffness change) in concrete is nondestructively monitored is described. The reflection factor of shear wave pulses at a steel-concrete interface is measured, from which the stiffness change (setting) of the concrete is inferred.
Enhanced HAWK high power illuminator for field data collections

This paper presents an overview of a previously developed Homing All-the-Way Killer (HAWK) high-power illuminator (HPI) radar enhancement kit. This enhancement kit enables the HAWK HPI radar to be used as a sensitive remote sensing device in a wide variety of applications. This HPI enhancement kit was first tested in March 1998 during a Hera missile launch at White Sands Missile Range (WSMR); examples of the data collected during that test are discussed.
Structure of homoserine O-acetyltransferase from Staphylococcus aureus: the first Gram-positive ortholog structure.

Homoserine O-acetyltransferase (HTA) catalyzes the formation of l-O-acetyl-homoserine from l-homoserine through the transfer of an acetyl group from acetyl-CoA. This is the first committed step required for the biosynthesis of methionine in many fungi, Gram-positive bacteria and some Gram-negative bacteria. The structure of HTA from Staphylococcus aureus (SaHTA) has been determined to a resolution of 2.45 A. The structure belongs to the α/β-hydrolase superfamily, consisting of two distinct domains: a core α/β-domain containing the catalytic site and a lid domain assembled into a helical bundle. The active site consists of a classical catalytic triad located at the end of a deep tunnel. Structure analysis revealed some important differences for SaHTA compared with the few known structures of HTA.
Chemically activated methylcyclobutane from the 337.1 nm photolysis of ketene in the presence of cyclobutane. Dependence of S/D on extent of photolysis

Abstract The 3371 A photolysis of ketene/cyclobutane/oxygen mixtures gave stabilization/decomposition ratios for chemically activated methylcyclobutane that varied with the extent of photolysis. Experiments designed to circumvent this complication gave a 10 ± 2 kcal/mole collisional deactivation step size for cyclobutane.
Kinetics and Equilibria of Dioxygen Binding to a Vacant Site in Cobalt(II) Complexes With Pentadentate Ligands

Here we show that dioxygen binding to vacant metal ion sites proceeds at rapid rates, with very low enthalpic barriers but negative activation entropies; the rates are relatively insensitive to the electronic structure of the other ligands bound to the metal. While these properties are shared by vacant sites exposed to noncoordinating solvents and by those having sites protected from solvent, the latter react substantially more rapidly. The oxygenation of cobalt(II) complexes with pentadentate Schiff base ligands dissolved in the noncoordinating solvent acetone has been studied. For nonbridged complexes, reversible formation of 1:1 adducts with O2 was observed only at low temperatures (from −75 to −40 °C for acetylacetone derivatives and from −75 to −20 °C for salicylaldehyde derivatives), whereas the oxygenation of the corresponding lacunar species is reversible at room temperature. The dioxygen affinity of the salicylaldehyde derivative (CoSalMeDPT) (0.024 Torr-1 at −39 °C) is significantly smaller than...
Biomarker-driven care in asthma: Are we there?

Clinical asthma management is limited by the lack of straightforward and clinically applicable techniques to assess control and appropriately adjust therapy. The availability of biomarkers associated with airway caliber, responsiveness, or inflammation has prompted interest in the application of these measures as surrogate asthma end points in clinical trials. Use of a biomarker as a surrogate outcome in practice is most appropriate in settings in which the effects of therapy on clinical disease, as experienced by patients, are fully captured by that biomarker. Recent studies suggest that although asthma therapies can alter various biomarkers, the relationship between these biomarker changes and important clinical outcomes is inconsistent. Because symptom-driven titration of therapy is feasible and effective, additional data demonstrating clinically important benefits of biomarker-driven care in asthma are needed to justify the logistic and economic burdens associated with clinical dissemination of these techniques.
Weak shock diffraction

Abstract The diffraction of a weak shock by a rigid wedge is analyzed theoretically via the theory of weakly nonlinear geometrical acoustics, which is the same as Whitham's nonlinearization technique. First linear weakly nonlinear geometrical acoustics is explained. Then the linear acoustics results for weak shock diffraction by a wedge are presented. Next these results are modified according to the principles of weakly nonlinear geometrical acoustics. The results show that the compressive diffracted wavefronts of linear acoustics are actually shocks, and their positions and strengths are found. The infinite gradients of the linear acoustics rarefaction waves are found to be finite but discontinuous gradients. Finally the results are specialized to a shock hitting a right-angled wedge, a shock coming off a right-angled wedge, and a shock hitting a thin semi-infinite screen.