cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Weak scattering theory applied to equatorial ionospheric scintillation for a wide range of parametric values

Abstract The model of ionospheric fluctuations used by Booker and Ferguson (1978) to describe spread-F is applied to ionospheric scintillation in the band from 100 MHz to 10 GHz in equatorial regions. Calculations are based on long Isotropie field-aligned irregularities possessing an inverse power-law spectrum extending from an outer scale [wavelength/(2π)]linked to the properties of the neutral atmosphere down to an inner scale of the order of the ionic gyroradius. Spectral indices from 0 to 6 are considered, with special attention to the range from 1 to 4. The r.m.s. fluctuation of ionization density is assumed to be proportional to the ambient ionization density throughout the plasmasphere, but the effect is shown of removing the fluctuations at heights above 500, 750 and 1000 km. Using a height-distribution of phase-changing screens, calculations are made, for evening and presunrise conditions, of the mean square fluctuations both of phase and of fractional amplitude for situations in which an Earth terminal and a stationary satellite are both in the magnetic equatorial plane. Heights of equivalent single phase-changing screens are deduced for both phase and amplitude fluctuations; they are different from each other and from the height of maximum ionization density. It is concluded that the weak scattering theory can satisfactorily explain weak scintillation, but that amplitude scintillation at strengths of practical importance for radio communications requires the inclusion of refractive scattering in addition to diffractive scattering.
Theory for cylindrical, open ended, complex cavities supporting all TE0n modes: gyrotron application

A theory is developed to accurately determine the resonant frequencies and quality factors in good conducting, open-ended cylindrical structures, with step changes and weakly irregular changes in wall radius, supporting all TE0n modes. Analytical expressions are obtained which avoid the need to solve the complicated boundary value problem. Inadequacies in experimental quality factors are discussed and new definitions are developed which consider mode coupling effects. The theory is applied to complex cavity gyrotron structures. Very good agreement is shown with existing experiments. Linear and quadratic phase shifts result from slight tapers. Small changes in the open-ended cavity geometry significantly changes the quality factor of the desired mode. The theory is applicable in overmoded structures with a dense frequency spectrum as a consequence of the high accuracy in determining the resonant frequency.
Analysis of the energy storage operation of electrical vehicles with a photovoltaic roof using a Markov chain model

Energy storage operation in electrical vehicles, with a photovoltaic roof, is analyzed. When an electrical vehicle uses a photovoltaic roof in order to provide supplemental power, it is critical to understand how much power is generated through insolation and how generated photovoltaic power affects the energy storage operation of the electrical vehicles. Hence, this paper proposes to use a Markov chain model in order to simulate the charge and discharge processes that occur in energy storage, which enables to estimate the charge level of energy storage system at the end of any day. From a planning perspective, the aforementioned estimations may take an important role; for instance, the simulated results may help to answer questions such as how much power would be required from grid operators as a number of operating electrical vehicles increase in a certain region. In order to conduct the simulations, this paper uses insolation data collected in Austin, TX, USA and survey results on how far people drive every day in the urban cluster areas in the USA. The data sets are used to determine their distributions so that a large number of random values can be generated with respect to the found distribution using Monte Carlo simulations. Then, the generated random values are used to determine the one-step transition probability matrices that represent charge and discharge processes. In addition, the energy storage system of an electrical vehicle model developed by Daimler is used to demonstrate the presented Markov chain model and estimate the expected charge level of energy storage system at the end of any day.
Altered predation susceptibility of mosquitofish infected with Eustrongylides ignotus.

Eustrongylides ignotus is a parasitic nematode whose definitive hosts are often piscivorous wading birds (Ciconiiformes). Several species of small fishes are intermediate hosts, while larger predatory fish may be paratenic (transport) hosts. We examined predation susceptibility of infected mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) to three species of predatory fishes, including juvenile largemouth bass (Micropterus salminoides), warmouth (Lepomis gulosus), and bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus). A 250 L aquarium with removable plexiglass divider and remote observation windows was constructed. Aquatic macrophytes were placed in the tank to provide refuge for the fishes. Predatory fish were allowed to acclimate to one half of the tank, while one infected and one uninfected mosquitofish were placed in the other. The divider was removed and an observer recorded the number of capture attempts and time required for capture. Predators were observed for behavioral alterations for 4 days after ingestion of infected mosquitofi...
The purification of chlorins from marine particles and sediments for nitrogen and carbon isotopic analysis

Methods are presented for the separation of chlorins from marine particles and sediments for nitrogen and carbon isotopic analysis. Carbon and nitrogen purities of 91 and 96%, respectively, were obtained for particulate chlorins, with recoveries of 88%. Sedimentary chlorins were obtained with carbon and nitrogen purities of 88 and 89%, respectively, and recoveries of 18%. The reproducibility of carbon and nitrogen isotopic analyses on particulate and sedimentary chlorins was 0.2%. The low recovery of chlorins from sediments is primarily a result of their complex distribution, requiring that only the one or two most abundant chlorins from a sample are purified. The procedure for particulate samples includes ultrasonic extraction with solvents, two phase separations, and reversed- and normalphase high-performance liquid chromatographic separations (HPLC). The procedure for sedimentary chlorins includes ultrasonic extraction by solvent, solid-phase extraction on silica gel, reversed-phase HPLC, size-exclusion chromatography, and normal-phase HPLC. The purification procedures require ca. 4 h for particulate samples, and ca. 8 h for sediment samples when two samples are processed simultaneously. The application of these methods to surficial Black Sea sediments demonstrated that diAerent chlorins have distinct nitrogen and carbon isotopic ratios. The d 15 N diAerences are interpreted in terms of changes in the seasonal flux of material out of the euphotic zone, while the d 13 C differences are thought to derive from the presence or absence of the chlorin phytyl side-chain. # 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Mast cells, basophils, and eosinophils: distinct but overlapping pathways for recruitment

Mast cells, basophils and eosinophils are bone marrow-derived cells that contribute to a variety of allergic and other immune responses. For example, they are relatively abundant at mucosal sites where allergic inflammation is occurring, and their activation and release of preformed and newly-generated mediators at these sites is considered central to the pathophysiology of allergic diseases. Given their involvement in allergic and other diseases, it is important to understand how these cells are selectively recruited into tissues. These cells share many phenotypic features, including those involved in adhesion and migration, yet their localization within a given tissue can be quite distinct. In addition, there are examples of selective recruitment of one cell type without the others. From studies with human cells, it is now clear that mast cells, basophils and eosinophils share a number of recruitment pathways with one another and with other cells, but that each possesses unique adhesion and migration responses that can contribute to their preferential accumulation. This review will focus on cell surface structures implicated in adhesion and migration responses of human mast cells, basophils and eosinophils. Both shared and selective expression of these molecules will be highlighted, as well as differences in their relative levels of expression. Cell type-specific stimuli that alter adhesion and migration responses will also be considered.
Sumoylation of EKLF promotes transcriptional repression and is involved in inhibition of megakaryopoiesis.

Erythroid Kruppel-like factor (EKLF [KLF1]) is a transcriptional regulator that plays a critical role within a specific subset of hematopoietic cells, particularly in the erythroid lineage and its immediate precursor, the megakaryocyte-erythroid progenitor (MEP). We find that EKLF is posttranslationally modified by sumoylation at a single site near its amino terminus and that PIAS1 plays a critical role in this process. Mutation of this site has little effect on EKLF's ability to function as a transcriptional activator; however, it has a dramatic effect on its repressive abilities. The mechanism of repression likely involves a novel small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO)-dependent EKLF interaction with the Mi-2beta component of the NuRD repression complex. Mutated EKLF is attenuated in its ability to repress megakaryocyte differentiation, implicating EKLF sumoylation status in differentiative decisions emanating from the MEP. These studies demonstrate a novel mechanism by which transcription factor sumoylation can alter protein-protein interactions and bipotential lineage decisions.
Can mechanism inform species’ distribution models?

Two major approaches address the need to predict species distributions in response to environmental changes. Correlative models estimate parameters phenomenologically by relating current distributions to environmental conditions. By contrast, mechanistic models incorporate explicit relationships between environmental conditions and organismal performance, estimated independently of current distributions. Mechanistic approaches include models that translate environmental conditions into biologically relevant metrics (e.g. potential duration of activity), models that capture environmental sensitivities of survivorship and fecundity, and models that use energetics to link environmental conditions and demography. We compared how two correlative and three mechanistic models predicted the ranges of two species: a skipper butterfly (Atalopedes campestris) and a fence lizard (Sceloporus undulatus). Correlative and mechanistic models performed similarly in predicting current distributions, but mechanistic models predicted larger range shifts in response to climate change. Although mechanistic models theoretically should provide more accurate distribution predictions, there is much potential for improving their flexibility and performance.
Control of a virtual vehicle influences postural activity and motion sickness.

Abstract Everyday experience suggests that drivers are less susceptible to motion sickness than passengers. In the context of inertial motion (i.e., physical displacement), this effect has been confirmed in laboratory research using whole body motion devices. We asked whether a similar effect would occur in the context of simulated vehicles in a visual virtual environment. We used a yoked control design in which one member of each pair of participants played a driving video game (i.e., drove a virtual automobile). A recording of that performance was viewed (in a separate session) by the other member of the pair. Thus, the two members of each pair were exposed to identical visual motion stimuli but the risk of behavioral contagion was minimized. Participants who drove the virtual vehicle (drivers) were less likely to report motion sickness than participants who viewed game recordings (passengers). Data on head and torso movement revealed that drivers tended to move more than passengers, and that the movements of drivers were more predictable than the movements of passengers. Prior to the onset of subjective symptoms of motion sickness movement differed between participants who (later) reported motion sickness and those who did not, consistent with a prediction of the postural instability theory of motion sickness. The results confirm that control is an important factor in the etiology of motion sickness, and extend this finding to the control of non-inertial virtual vehicles.
A PHYSICALLY BASED MODEL OF MACROALGAL SPORE DISPERSAL IN THE WAVE AND CURRENT‐DOMINATED NEARSHORE

Propagule dispersal in seaweeds is a process influenced by a variety of biological and physical factors, the complexity of which has hindered efforts to understand colonization, persistence, post-disturbance recovery, and dynamics of algal populations in general. In view of this limitation, we employ here modifications to an existing turbulent-transport model to explore the mechanics of nearshore macroalgal spore dispersal and its relationship to coastal hydrodynamic conditions. Our modeling efforts focus on four example species of seaweed whose reproductive propagules span a wide range in sinking speed and height of release above the sea floor: the giant kelp Macrocystis pyrifera, the erect fucoid Sargassum muticum, the small filamentous brown alga Ectocarpus siliculosus, and the flaccid red alga Sarcodiotheca gaudichaudii. Results indicate that both propagule sinking speed and release height can affect dispersal distance substantially, but that the influence of these biological parameters is modulated strongly by the intensity of turbulence as dictated by waves and currents. In rapid flows with larger waves, it is primarily fluid dynamic processes, in particular current velocities, that determine dispersal distance. Additional simulations suggest that patterns of spore dispersal are highly skewed, with most propagules encountering the sea floor within a few meters to hundreds of meters of their parents, but with a sizeable fraction of spores also dispersing as far as kilometers. Such model predictions imply a much greater potential for longer range dispersal than has typically been assumed, a finding with important implications for understanding the demographics of algal populations and for predicting levels of connectivity among them.
Honeybees: combining replication and evasion for mitigating base-station jamming in sensor networks

By violating MAC-layer protocols, the jamming attack aims at blocking successful communication among wireless nodes. Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are highly vulnerable to jamming because of reliance on shared wireless medium, constrained per-sensor resources, and high risk of sensor compromise. Moreover, base stations of WSNs are single points of failure and, thus, attractive jamming targets. To tackle base-station jamming, replication of base stations as well as jamming evasion, by relocation to unjammed locations, have been proposed. In this paper, we propose Honeybees, an energy-aware defense framework against base-station jamming attack in WSNs. Honeybees efficiently combines replication and evasion to allow WSNs to continue delivering data for a long time during a jamming attack. We present three defense strategies: reactive, proactive, and hybrid, in the context of multi-hop WSN deployment. Through simulation, we show the interaction of these strategies with different attack tactics as well as the effect of system and attack parameters. We found that our honeybees framework struck an energy-efficient balance between replication and evasion that outperformed both separate mechanisms. Specifically, hybrid honeybees outperformed replication and evasion at low and intermediate number of attackers and gracefully degraded to high attack intensity.
Triggering of the 1999 MW 7.1 Hector Mine earthquake by aftershocks of the 1992 MW 7.3 Landers earthquake

[1] There is strong observational evidence that the 1999 MW 7.1 Hector Mine earthquake in the Mojave Desert, California, was triggered by the nearby 1992 MW 7.3 Landers earthquake. Many authors have proposed that the Landers earthquake directly stressed the Hector Mine fault. Our model of the Landers aftershock sequence, however, suggests there is an 85% chance that the Hector Mine hypocenter was actually triggered by a chain of smaller earthquakes that was initiated by the Landers main shock. We perform our model simulations using the Monte Carlo method based on the Gutenberg-Richter relationship, Omori's law, Bath's law, and assumptions that all earthquakes, including aftershocks, are capable of producing aftershocks and that aftershocks produce their own aftershocks at the same rate that other earthquakes do. In general, our simulations show that if it has been more than several days since an M ≥ 7 main shock, most new aftershocks will be the result of secondary triggering. These secondary aftershocks are not physically constrained to occur where the original main shock increased stress. This may explain the significant fraction of aftershocks that have been found to occur in main shock stress shadows in static Coulomb stress triggering studies.
Introduction and Summary: 1996 NACB Standard of Laboratory Practice

The National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry’s (NACB) 1996 Standard of Laboratory Practice, Guidelines for the Evaluation and Management of the Newborn Infant , had as in previous meetings the goal of public review of a series of draft recommendations for physicians, laboratorians, and manufacturers regarding a focused clinical area. The draft recommendations had been through a major review by clinicians and laboratorians before the meeting. These recommendations and background information are presented in the subsequent pages of this issue of Clinical Chemistry . A few themes were repeated in the recommendations of almost all of the meeting’s participants, in particular the use of age-specific reference intervals and the use of technology that requires the minimum volume of sample for both the analysis and the sample cup’s “dead-volume.” Moreover, neonatal intensive-care units should carefully record the amount of blood drawn daily to facilitate its timely replacement and to minimize the incidence of iatrogenic anemia in newborns. The initial discussions at the 1996 meeting concerned laboratory tests of prenatal and neonatal respiratory function. Edward Ashwood (University of Utah and ARUP Laboratories, Salt Lake City, UT) led the discussion on the use of laboratory tests to assess fetal lung maturity. This topic is still quite controversial, with the major question being whether the traditional “gold standard” for this assessment, the lecithin/sphingomyelin (L/S) ratio, can be replaced by other tests that are more rapidly performed, more precise, and much more readily available. Examples of the latter procedures include the fluorescence polarization assay (FPA), the “shake test,” and the lamellar body count. There was wide agreement that FPA could replace the older test, and certainly should for those laboratories with very low test volumes. Making the L/S assay available only through a reference laboratory for specific cases would tend to shift testing to the more …
The relationship between polymorphisms in the endothelial cell nitric oxide synthase gene and the platelet GPIIIa gene with myocardial infarction and venous thromboembolism in African Americans.

Study objectives: To determine whether the polymorphic dinucleotide repeats found in intron 4 of the endothelial cell nitric oxide synthase (ecNOS) gene and the platelet GPIIIa PLA 1 /A 2 polymorphism are associated with myocardial infarction (MI) and venous thromboembolism (VTE) in African Americans. Because these two genes may interact physiologically, the third objective was to determine if there was a relationship between the polymorphisms with respect to MI and VTE. Design: A hospital-based case-control study. After informed consent was obtained, blood used for DNA extraction was drawn from the subjects. Setting: The study was conducted in the Anticoagulant Clinic and the Cardiology Clinic at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta Georgia. Patients: Subjects were recruited from African-American patients with a reported history of MI (n 5 110) or VTE (n 5 91). Control subjects (n 5 185) without a history of cardiovascular or venous disease were recruited from an outpatient clinic. Measurements and results: The 393 ecNOS allele was more common among MI cases (36%; p 5 0.01) and VTE cases (35%; p 5 0.04) than among control subjects (26%). There was no association between the GPIIIa genotypes and either MI or VTE. However, among the MI subjects, there was a strong association between the ecNOS 393/393 genotype and the Pl A2 allele. It was also found that the frequency of the 393 allele was higher in African-American persons (0.26) compared with what has been reported for Australian Caucasians (0.14) and Japanese (0.10). Conclusions: The 393 allele but not the Pl A2 allele was significantly associated with both MI and VTE in African Americans. Homozygosity for the 393 allele was significantly associated to the diagnosis of MI prior to the age of 45. The combination of the 393 allele and a Pl A2 allele was also highly associated with MI. The frequency of the 393 allele was significantly higher in African Americans than what has been reported for other populations. This study furthers not only extends the association of the 393 allele to VTE but has demonstrated an interaction with the Pl A2 allele with respect to MI. (CHEST 1999; 116:880 ‐ 886)
Benefits of processor clustering in designing large parallel systems: when and how?

Advances in multiprocessor interconnect technology are leading to high performance network. However, software overheads associated with message passing are limiting the processors to get maximum performance from these networks, leading to under-utilization of network resources. Though processor clusters are being used in some systems in an ad hoc manner to alleviate this problem, there is no formal analysis in the literature to show when and how processor clusters benefit in designing high performance and scalable systems. In this paper we analyze and solve this problem by considering processor-clustering, messaging overheads, and network performance in an integrated manner. Our analysis establishes the following three design guidelines. Compared to a base system, under high messaging overheads, processor clustering can be used to build a) an equal-sized system with a smaller network or b) a larger system with an equal-sized network. Under low messaging overheads, a combination of processor clustering and wider channels can be used to build a range of larger-sized systems. All these guidelines lead to designing cost-effective and scalable parallel systems while delivering high performance.
Production of bioactive peptides in an in vitro system.

An in vitro system for the preparation of bioactive peptides is described. This system couples three different posttranslational modification enzymes, prohormone convertases (PCs), carboxypeptidase E, and peptidyl α-amidating enzyme, to transform recombinant precursors into bioactive peptides. Three different precursors, mouse proopiomelanocortin (mPOMC), rat proenkephalin (rPE), and human proghrelin, were used as model systems. The conversion of mPOMC and rPE to smaller peptide products was measured by radioimmunoassay. After optimization of the system, excellent efficiency was obtained: about 85% of starting mPOMC was converted to des-acetyl α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH). For proenkephalin, 75 and 96% yields were obtained for the opioid peptides Met-RGL and Met-enk, respectively. Cell-based assays demonstrated that in-vitro-generated des-acetyl α-MSH successfully activated the melanocortin 4 receptor. Proghrelin digestion was used to screen the specificity of PC cleavage and to confirm the cleavage site by mass spectroscopy. Mature ghrelin was produced by human furin, mouse prohormone convertase 1, and human prohormone convertase 7 but not by mouse prohormone convertase 2. These results demonstrate that our in vitro system (1) can produce peptides in quantities sufficient to carry out functional analyses, (2) can be used to determine the specificity of proprotein convertases on recombinant precursors, and (3) has the potential to identify novel peptide functions on both known and orphan G-protein-coupled receptors.
Inverting X: an architecture for a shared distributed window system

Shared window systems have become a popular vehicle for supporting distributed, synchronous collaboration. At present they are difficult to build and they support limited paradigms of multi-user interaction with shared applications. We believe this difficulty is largely due to the inverted nature of the client/server architecture of most distributed window systems. The architecture is inverted in the sense that the user is nearer the server than the client; this hampers attempts to share windows. By comparing the traditional client/server architecture of distributed file systems with the inverted architecture of distributed window systems we argue that it is possible to develop window systems where the user is nearer window system clients than servers, and that this architecture greatly facilitates the sharing of windows among users. >
Modeling the evolution of C4 photosynthesis.

The prediction and verification of adaptive trajectories on macroevolutionary timescales have rarely been achieved for complex biological systems. Employing a model linking biological information at multiple scales, Heckmann et al. simulate likely sequences of evolutionary changes from C3 to C4 photosynthesis biochemistry.
Use of the laryngeal mask airway during awake craniotomy for tumor resection

There is an increasing trend toward performing craniotomy for primary brain tumor excision with local anesthesia. We report the use of the laryngeal mask airway as a part of an anesthetic technique designed for patients requiring awake cortical mapping during brain tumor excision.
Influence of cross sectional geometry on surface plasmon polariton propagation in gold nanowires.

We investigated the effects of cross sectional geometry on surface plasmon polariton propagation in gold nanowires (NWs) using bleach-imaged plasmon propagation and electromagnetic simulations. Chemically synthesized NWs have pentagonally twinned crystal structures, but recent advances in synthesis have made it possible to amplify this pentagonal shape to yield NWs with a five-pointed-star cross section and sharp end tips. We found experimentally that NWs with a five-pointed-star cross section, referred to as SNWs, had a shorter propagation length for surface plasmon polaritons at 785 nm, but a higher effective incoupling efficiency compared to smooth NWs with a pentagonal cross section, labeled as PNWs. Electromagnetic simulations revealed that the electric fields were localized at the sharp ridges of the SNWs, leading to higher absorptive losses and hence shorter propagation lengths compared to PNWs. On the other hand, scattering losses were found to be relatively uncorrelated with cross sectional geome...
Digital Lock-In Detection for Discriminating Multiple Modulation Frequencies With High Accuracy and Computational Efficiency

We introduce a novel digital lock-in detection technique for simultaneously measuring the amplitude and phase of multiple amplitude-modulated signals. Using particular modulation and sampling constraints and averaging filters, we achieve optimal noise reduction and discrimination between sources of different modulation frequencies. Furthermore, it is shown that the digital lock-in technique can be performed as a simple matrix multiplication, which considerably reduces the computation time. The digital lock-in algorithm is described and analyzed under certain sampling and modulation conditions, and results are shown for both numerical and experimental data.
Embracing, Passing, Revealing, and the Ideal Worker Image: How People Navigate Expected and Experienced Professional Identities

This paper examines how people navigate organizational pressures to embrace a professional identity that-like the ideal worker image-centers on devotion to work. My field study of a consulting firm demonstrated that although some people easily embrace this expected identity, for others, it conflicts with their experienced professional identity. I found that people cope with this conflict by straying from the expected identity while passing as having embraced it or revealing their deviance. Analyzing 115 interviews, performance evaluations, and turnover data, I trace how and why people manage their deviance differently across audiences within the organization, show the interdependence of these efforts, and illuminate consequences for how they are perceived and evaluated. In the firm I studied, although both men and women strayed, men were more likely than women to pass. Together, these findings highlight the importance of deviance and its management to people's professional identities, offer new insights regarding the ideal worker image's relationship to gender inequality, and enrich theory on passing and revealing.
Effect of Wedge-Shaped Deflectors on Flow Fields of Dual-Stream Jets

The effect of wedge-shaped fan flow deflectors on the mean and turbulent flow-fields of dual-stream jets is investigated. Several wedge-shaped deflector concepts were used to create asymmetry in the plume of a dual-stream jet issuing from a scaled down version of the NASA Glenn ‘5BB’ bypass-ratio 8 turbofan nozzle. The deflector configurations comprised internal and external wedges with and without a pylon. Some external wedges incorporated local extensions of the fan nacelle. All the deflectors reduced radial velocity gradients, magnitudes of peak Reynolds stresses, and peak turbulent kinetic energy beneath the jet centerplane, with an increase above the jet centerplane. A correlation was obtained between the maximum radial velocity gradient and the peak turbulent kinetic energy in the dominant noise source region.
Theoretical Perspectives Concerning Positive Aspects of Caring for Elderly Persons With Dementia: Stress/Adaptation and Existentialism

Research concerning caregivers of persons with dementia has predominantly been guided by a stress/adaptation paradigm. This paradigm, however, does not fully address the issue of how caregivers manage to do so well under difficult circumstances. Existentialism offers an alternate theoretical view for exploring this issue. This article compares and contrasts these two paradigms-their key elements, strengths, and limitations, and areas of convergence and divergence. It identifies implications for future theory development, research, and clinical practice.
Relationship between preoperative aberrations and postoperative refractive error in enhancement of previous laser in situ keratomileusis with the LADARVision system.

Purpose To identify factors leading to inaccuracy of spherical correction in wavefront-guided enhancement treatments. Setting Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, Irvine, California, USA. Methods This retrospective outcomes analysis comprised 23 eyes (20 patients) having wavefront-guided flap-lift (19 eyes) or photorefractive keratectomy (4 eyes) enhancements after conventional non-wavefront-guided laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) for correction of residual myopia with a minimum follow-up of 1 month. Main outcomes measures were changes in lower-order aberrations and higher-order aberrations (HOAs) related to predictability of the refractive outcome. Results The enhancement procedures reduced HOAs. Because of a hyperopic shift, however, uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) improved 2 or more Snellen lines in 3 of 9 eyes (33.3%) treated without a surgeon offset compared with 9 of 14 (64.3%) when a surgeon offset was incorporated into the treatment plan. The quantitative amount of preoperative HOAs correlated with the amount of hyperopic shift, particularly strongly for spherical aberration ( r 2 = 0.446, P = .0005). The amount of hyperopic shift was related in a linear manner to the amount of HOAs (for spherical aberrations, Y = 1.31 X − 0.30, where Y is the postoperative manifest refraction spherical equivalent and X is the wavefront error in microns root mean square). Conclusions Wavefront-guided enhancements can reduce levels of HOAs. Although UCVA improved in many patients, some with high levels of preenhancement spherical aberration had worse UCVA. Adjusting the nomogram for the amount of preenhancement HOAs may improve the accuracy of the lower-order correction in wavefront-guided enhancements.
The Role of Patients and Providers in the Timing of Follow‐up Visits

OBJECTIVE: Although the decision about how frequently to see outpatients has a direct impact on a provider’s workload and may impact health care costs, revisit intervals have rarely been a topic of investigation. To begin to understand what factors are correlated with this decision, we examined baseline data from a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Cooperative Study designed to evaluate telephone care.
Nonsyphilitic spirochetosis in second-trimester fetuses.

Four female fetuses (17–23 weeks) spontaneously aborted by young women (15–19 years old) showed spirochetal microorganisms predominantly in the intestinal lumen and mucosa and to a much lesser extent in other organs. Fetal tissues showed a brisk lymphocytic-plasmacytic response in intestinal mucosa, lungs, and meninges in some cases. In all instances the placenta had chorioamnionitis and severe chronic villitis, with villous vasculitis in some. One fetus had a concomitant cytomegalovirus infection. The observed lesions were reminiscent of Treponema pallidum infections; however, the spirochetes were morphologically different by light and ultrastructural microscopy from T. pallidum and did not react with a silver-enhanced, gold-labeled anti-T. pallidum antibody. In addition, serologic tests for syphilis of the women before or after the abortions were nonreactive. On the basis of clinical pathologic considerations as well as the absence of immunostaining, it is possible also to rule out infections caused by ...
Abstract 15386: Reduction in Striated Preferentially Expressed Gene leads to Decompensated Heart Failure after Transverse Aortic Constriction in Mice

Introduction: Striated preferentially expressed gene (Speg) is a member of the myosin light chain kinase family of proteins. Disruption of the Speg gene locus in mice leads to a dilated cardiomyopathy and pervasive death shortly after birth on a C57BL/6 background, and occasional survival on a C57/BL/6 x 129 SvJ background. Hypothesis: Beyond the neonatal period, Speg also plays an important role in adult heart function. Methods: 1) To characterize adult mice, we bred Speg heterozygous (+/-) mice (C57BL/6 x 129SvJ), and performed echocardiograms (echos) on surviving Speg homozygous (-/-) mice at 10 weeks of age. 2) 8 week old wild-type (Speg+/+) and Speg+/- mice (C57BL/6) underwent transverse aortic constriction (TAC), and echos were performed at 2 and 4 weeks post-TAC. Results: 1) Adult Speg-/- mice (C57BL/6 x 129SvJ) showed a significant increase in ratio of heart to body weight when compared with Speg+/+ and Speg+/- hearts (7.57±0.34 mg/gm versus 4.42±0.25 and 4.12±0.08 mg/gm, respectively). Both ejection fraction (EF) and fractional shortening (FS) were significantly decreased in Speg-/- hearts (46.7±10.9% and 24.3±6.2%, respectively), compared with Speg+/+ (84.4±7.2% and 52.3±2.6%) and Speg+/- (77.2±1.6% and 44.9±1.7%) hearts. 2) There was no significant difference between heart weight and function of Speg+/+ and Speg+/- mice (C57BL/6) at baseline, and both groups showed a significant increase in heart weight at 2 and 4 weeks after TAC. LV internal diameter (LVID) decreased in both groups at 2 weeks after TAC. However, by 4 weeks post-TAC, LVID increased significantly in Speg+/- mice compared with sham mice, and Speg+/+ mice receiving TAC of the same duration. Cardiac function was initially preserved in both groups after 2 weeks of TAC, however at 4 weeks the EF and FS more dramatically decreased in the Speg+/- (39.8±3.5% and 19.6±2.0%, respectively) compared with Speg+/+ (56.3±4.3% and 30.5±3.4%) mice. Conclusions: 1) Speg-/- mice (C57BL/6 x 129SvJ) that survive to adulthood develop severe cardiac dysfunction. 2) After 4 weeks of pressure overload, the Speg+/- hearts decompensated, with a greater increase in LV chamber size and a more marked decrease in function, compared with Speg+/+ hearts. Thus, Speg expression is important for adult heart function.
Cracking the Role of Cocaine in Stroke

See related article, p 918. Cocaine is widely assumed to be a risk factor for stroke, yet good scientific evidence for a causal association between the use of cocaine and ischemic stroke is not as clear as commonly held. Cocaine use is widespread. In 2013, an estimated 24.6 million Americans, ≈9% of the population aged ≥12 years, had used an illicit drug in the past month.1 Although the majority was using marijuana, past month cocaine intake was still reported by 1.5% of the US population.1 A similarly high use of cocaine was also found in a population-based case–control study by Cheng et al2 reporting, in this issue of Stroke , on the association of cocaine exposure and risk of ischemic stroke, from “The Stroke Prevention in Young Adults Study.” In their study population, derived from the greater Baltimore/Washington DC area, a quarter of subjects with recent ischemic stroke (cases), between the 15 and 49 years of age, were found to have previously used cocaine. An equally high prevalence of having ever used cocaine was recorded in an age-, sex-, race- and geographically matched control group of stroke-free subjects. Subjects with stroke, however, were more likely to have used cocaine more than once per week in the past year and the odds of having used cocaine in the 24 hours before stroke onset was ≈6× higher in cases, when compared with a reference date for controls. This led the authors to conclude that the risk of ischemic stroke is highest in the first …
Effects of Hydrogen Coverage on Silicon Surface Reactivity

Hydrogen passivation of silicon surfaces plays an important role in silicon surface cleaning and preparation. To measure the effect of hydrogen passivation on silicon surface reactivity, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) transmission spectroscopy was used to monitor the oxidation of silicon surfaces versus hydrogen coverage. Experiments were performed insitu in an ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) chamber using high surface area poroussilicon samples. Si-H stretching and bending vibrations and Si-O-Si stretching vibrations were employed to monitor the silicon surface species. Oxidation studies with O2 conducted versus various initial hydrogen coverages revealed that oxidation rates and apparent oxygen saturation levels on porous silicon decreased as a function of initial surface hydrogen coverage. Exceptional surface stability was observed when the porous silicon surface was passivated by both monohydride and dihydride surface species. In addition, new blue-shifted Si-H stretching and bending features were observed following the oxidation of partially hydrogen-passivated porous silicon which indicated the presence of Ox SiH species. Thermal annealing studies revealed that the thermal stability of these OxSiH species increased with increasing oxidation of the silicon surface. These results have important implications for silicon growth and surface cleaning because they indicate that hydrogen removal is more difficult when the silicon surface is contaminated with oxygen. These FTIR results have also been compared with earlier results of oxidation versus hydrogen coverage on Si(111) 7x7.
A Case of Coats Disease and Concurrent Anisometropic Amblyopia.

Abstract Purpose The aim of this report was to demonstrate a case of Coats disease in a patient with concurrent anisometropic amblyopia. Observations A 10-year-old boy was diagnosed with Coats disease during routine ophthalmic examination. Visual acuity was 20/20 OD and 20/50 OS with cycloplegic refraction of +1.25 (OD) and +3.25 (OS). Examination under anesthesia showed macular exudates in the left eye that encroached near the fovea superotemporally. Despite the poor visual acuity and macular exudates, the foveal architecture of both eyes appeared normal on spectral domain optical coherence tomography. Because of the differing refractive error between the two eyes in the presence of foveal-sparing exudates, anisometropic amblyopia was suspected. After initial laser therapy, the patient was started on a daily patching regimen of the right eye. The patient's vision steadily improved to 20/25 OS with a final cycloplegic refraction of +1.00 (OD), +3.00 (OS) at 2 years. This report demonstrates the importance of assessing for other common and treatable causes of vision loss in the setting of Coats disease. Conclusions and importance This case demonstrates the importance of detecting and correcting for concurrent amblyopia in pediatric retina conditions that may, on fundus examination alone, appear to have a retinal cause for reduced visual acuity.
Clinical Utility of Positron Emission Tomography Magnetic Resonance Imaging (PET-MRI) in Gastrointestinal Cancers

Anatomic imaging utilizing both CT (computed tomography) and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) limits the assessment of cancer metastases in lymph nodes and distant organs while functional imaging like PET (positron emission tomography) scan has its limitation in spatial resolution capacity. Hybrid imaging utilizing PET-CT and PET-MRI are novel imaging modalities that are changing the current landscape in cancer diagnosis, staging, and treatment response. MRI has shown to have higher sensitivity in soft tissue, head and neck pathology, and pelvic disease, as well as, detecting small metastases in the liver and bone compared to CT. Combining MRI with PET allows for detection of metastases that may have been missed with current imaging modalities. In this review, we will examine the clinical utility of FDG PET-MRI in the diagnosis and staging of gastrointestinal cancers with focus on esophageal, stomach, colorectal, and pancreatic cancers. We will also explore its role in treatment response and future directions associated with it.
Arthroscopic Treatment of Osteochondral Lesions of the Talus With Allograft Cartilage Matrix.

Background:This prospective study evaluated the intermediate-term outcomes of operatively treating primary osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLT) of 1.5 cm2 or smaller with arthroscopic excision, microfracture, and allograft cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM).Methods:Between 2012 and 2015, 30 consecutive patients received allograft cartilage ECM at their microfractured OLT of 1.5 cm2 or smaller after failing nonoperative treatment. Preoperative and postoperative function and pain were graded using the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) and a visual analog scale (VAS), respectively. Postoperative imaging was assessed for osteochondral healing and degenerative changes. This included computed tomography (CT) at 6 months from surgery. Data regarding postoperative complications were recorded. All 30 patients that received allograft cartilage ECM for their OLT were evaluated for final follow-up at a mean of 20.2 months.Results:Mean FAAM increased from 51.4 preoperatively to 89.3 of 100 at final follow-up...
Hanbury-Brown-Twiss correlation functions and radii from event-by-event hydrodynamics

Hanbury-Brown--Twiss correlation functions and radii from event-by-event hydrodynamics (HoTCoffeeh) is a new computational tool which determines Hanbury-Brown--Twiss (HBT) charged-pion (${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}$) correlation functions and radii for event-by-event hydrodynamics with fluctuating initial conditions in terms of Cooper--Frye integrals, including resonance-decay contributions. In this paper, we review the basic formalism for computing the HBT correlation functions and radii with resonance-decay contributions included and discuss our implementation of this formalism in the form of HoTCoffeeh. This tool may easily be integrated with other numerical packages [see, e.g., [Comput. Phys. Commun. 199, 61 (2016)]] for the purpose of simulating the evolution of heavy-ion collisions and thereby extracting predictions for heavy-ion observables.
Application of active cassava starch films incorporated with oregano essential oil and pumpkin residue extract on ground beef

An antimicrobial and antioxidant film based on cassava starch incorporated with oregano essential oil (2% w/v) and pumpkin residue extract (3% w/v) was developed for application onto ground beef. A control film (without additives) was used for comparison. The film's physical, barrier, antioxidant (DPPH), and antimicrobial properties were analyzed. The addition of oil does not contribute to reducing the film's water vapor permeability or impact solubility values. Regarding the application of the film on ground beef, the addition of oregano oil demonstrated antimicrobial activity against mesophilic bacteria, coliforms, and Salmonella. The film also showed significant antioxidant activity. Meat color and pH were assessed and it was found that the film contributed to keeping the pH at low values until the sixth day of storage, but had no influence in maintaining color in the samples. Based on the results, the film may be used as an alternative to packaging because it can contribute to ground beef quality and safety. Practical application Developed films have antioxidant and antimicrobial activity, and the latter was proven when applied in ground beef. The film characteristics show that it may be applied in other foods such as cheeses and other meat cuts to avoid the multiplication of microorganisms. These films can be used as extra conventional packaging protection and its implementation would improve the microbiological quality and contribute to the safety and quality of packaged food.
Improving patients’ pain experience in a large rural hospital

The Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (HVBP) program was authorized by Congress in Section 3001 (a) of the Affordable Care Act. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the HVBP program is part of the CMS effort to improve healthcare quality by focusing the payment structure
Hippocampal memory impairment in breast cancer survivors after chemotherapy measurement using covert testing.

1024 Background: Cognitive impairments are frequently reported following adjuvant chemotherapy, yet potential neuropathological substrates remain uncertain. Chemotherapy and anti-estrogen therapy h...
Epistemic Strategies Causal Thinking in Expert and Nonexpert Judgment

The purpose of this chapter is to explore the nature of epistemic strategies, one of the two classes of strategies in the contingency model of judgment and forecasting proposed by Beach, Barnes, and Christensen-Szalanski (1986; see also Beach, Christensen-Szalanski, & Barnes, 1987), and to examine the development and use of these strategies by both experts and nonexperts. I will begin by reviewing the circumstances that led to formulation of the model, followed by a description of the model. Then I will demonstrate that considerably more is known about epistemic strategies than may at first appear. This will be followed by an examination of the use of epistemic strategies by experts in an important judgment task; the point being that this use is not atypical of many other judgment tasks. Finally, I will use what has gone before to broaden and clarify the contingency model of judgment and underscore its relevance to understanding and supporting judgmental expertise.