cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Automobile airbag impulse noise: otologic symptoms in six patients

Automobile airbag safety systems have successfully reduced the number of occupant injuries from motor vehicle accidents. Unfortunately, airbags are also associated with some inherent risk, including a high-amplitude, short-duration noise from airbag deployment. A review of the available research in the automobile industry indicates that the peak amplitude of this noise may exceed 170 dB sound pressure level. Despite the increasingly wide application of airbags in automobiles, there have been no previous reports of airbag-related otologic injuries. We have encountered six patients with otologic symptoms that appear to be related to airbag impulse noise. Five of these patients have documented hearing loss, one patient reported persistent tinnitus, and two patients have significant dysequilibrium. Although permanent hearing loss from airbag noise appears to be rare, temporary threshold shifts are probably much more common. It is important, therefore, that the clinician be aware of the noise associated with airbag inflation and the possibility of acoustic trauma from these safety devices.
Confinement and manipulation of individual molecules in attoliter volumes.

We report observation of fluorescence from individual rhodamine 6G molecules in streams of charged 1-μm-diameter water droplets. With this approach, illumination volumes comparable to diffraction-limited fluorescence microscopy techniques (≤500 aL) are achieved, resulting in similarly high contrast between single-molecule fluorescence signals and nonfluorescent background. However, since the fluorescent molecules are confined to electrically charged droplets, in situ electrodynamic manipulation (e.g., focusing, switching, or merging) can be accomplished in a straightforward manner, allowing experimental control over both the delivery of molecules of interest to the observation region and the laser-molecule interaction time. As illustrated by photocount statistics that are independent of molecular diffusion and spatial characteristics of the excitation field, individual rhodamine 6G molecules in 1-μm droplets are reproducibly delivered to a target a few micrometers in diameter at a rate of between 10 and 100 Hz, with laser beam transit times more than 1 order of magnitude longer than diffusion-limited laser-molecule interaction times in equivalent volumes of free solution.
Institutional change and invariance of behaviour in Major League Baseball

The invariance interpretation of the Coase Theorem is examined using the mobility behaviour of all offensive players (hitters) in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played from 1949 to 1992. Results indicate that while the institution of the rookie draft did not affect the mobility of players, the mobility of players was altered under free agency. In addition, the period of free agency witnessed mobility behaviours of veteran players which was unlike that mobility under the guidance of owners.
A Systems Framework for Assessing Attitudes toward the Learning Disabled

This article describes a systems framework for assessing attitudes towards learning disabled students. The framework consists of three levels, each being the locus of attitude development, and each affecting attitude development at the other levels. Level I describes attitudes which affect the goals of the system. Attitudes which pervade the organizational structure of the school are described in Level II. Attitudes within the student environment are described in Level III. Generalizations concerning the framework are drawn to assist researchers, school practitioners, and project directors in formulating research questions and analyzing data regarding the nature and effects of attitudes toward the learning disabled.
Liquid Chromatography Analysis of Hippuric Acid

Abstract Hippuric acid analysis by TLC is demonstrated. Both normal silica and reverse phase C18 TLC plates are used with fluorescent quenching to visualize the hippuric acid. Urine samples may be spotted directly or extracted with CHCl3 to concentrate the hippurate. Tissues may be analyzed in this same manner. Aluminum backed Merck TLC plates give best normal phase separation of tissue extracts and Whatman C18 give best reverse phase separation of tissue extracts. A Kontes scanner may be used to directly analyze TLC plates or the bands may be removed and analyzed by ultraviolet spectroscopy. Confirmation may be done by mass spectrometry.
Alterations in Synaptic Strength Preceding Axon Withdrawal

Permanent removal of axonal input to postsynaptic cells helps shape the pattern of neuronal connections in response to experience, but the process is poorly understood. Intracellular recording from newborn and adult mouse muscle fibers temporarily innervated by two axons showed an increasing disparity in the synaptic strengths of the two inputs before one was eliminated. The connection that survived gained strength by increasing the amount of neurotransmitter released (quantal content), whereas the input that was subsequently removed became progressively weaker, because of a reduction in quantal content and a reduction in quantal efficacy associated with reduced postsynaptic receptor density. Once the synaptic strengths of two inputs began to diverge, complete axonal withdrawal of the weaker input occurred within 1 to 2 days. These experiments provide a link between experience-driven changes in synaptic strength and long-term changes in connectivity in the mammalian nervous system.
Prejudice Concerns and Race-Based Attentional Bias New Evidence From Eyetracking

The present study used eyetracking methodology to assess whether individuals high in external motivation (EM) to appear nonprejudiced exhibit an early bias in visual attention toward Black faces in...
Instability of Nanofluids in Natural Convection

Instability of natural convection in nanofluids is investigated in this work. As a result of Brownian motion and thermophoresis of nanoparticles, the critical Rayleigh number is shown to be much lower, by one to two orders of magnitude, as compared to that for regular fluids. The highly promoted turbulence, in the presence of nanoparticles for as little as 1% in volume fraction, significantly enhances heat transfer in nanofluids, which may be much more pronounced than the enhancement of the effective thermal conductivity alone. Seven dominating groups are extracted from the nondimensional analysis. By extending the method of eigenfunction expansions in conjunction with the method of weighted residuals, closed-form solutions are derived for the Rayleigh number to justify such remarkable change by the nanoparticles at the onset of instability.
Increased Sprouting and Delayed Protection with an AMPA Receptor Potentiator in a Rodent Model of Parkinson's Disease Suggests a Trophic Mechanism of Action

Central administration of growth factors or cell transplantation have been utilized in an attempt to find a therapy to halt and potentially reverse degeneration in Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, these techniques are expensive, invasive and further intensive research is required before they can be utilized safely in man. In our previous poster (Murray et al.) we reported that two AMPA receptor potentiators provided protection in rodent models of PD. Our earlier studies indicating that these molecules could increase neurotrophin expression and the large degree of protection after a severe nigral 6-OHDA lesion prompted us to evaluate the neurotrophic effects of LY503430. A series of studies indicated that delayed treatment with LY503430 (0.5 mg kg s.c. initiated 1, 3, 6, or 14 days post infusion of 6-OHDA into the substantia nigra) provided a correction of apomorphine-induced rotations and loss of striatal tyrosine hydroxylase. In a second series of studies an oral dose response with LY503430 (0.05, 0.1, 0.2, or 0.5 mg kg initiated 1 day after 6-OHDA) indicated that 0.1–0.5 mg kg p.o. provided robust functional and histological protection. In an attempt to characterize the mechanism of this protection, adjacent striatal sections from the oral efficacy studies were immunostained with antibodies for neurotrophins and growth associated protein-43 (GAP-43). The data indicated that there was a dose-dependent increase in GAP-43 in the striatum. The data provide strong evidence that LY503430 has neurotrophic actions and that in addition to providing neuroprotection, it may also be able to regenerate damaged dopaminergic terminals in PD patients.
Structure and Evolution of a Long-Lived, Microburst-Producing Storm

Abstract This paper describes an analysis of a long-lived, microburst-producing storm that evolved within a relatively dry environment having a relatively low CAPE value of 450 J kg−1. The storm displayed a variety of kinematic and echo formations over its 2.5-h lifetime, including 1) a near equality in the strength (∼10 m s−1) of updrafts and downdrafts, 2) strong downdrafts over an extended time period of greater than 60 min, 3) a prevalence of up-down-type downdraft trajectories associated with the strong downdrafts, 4) a prominent echo overhang during the early mature stage, 5) a spearhead-like echo protrusion during the mature storm phase that was indirectly associated with strong downdrafts, and 6) a narrow bow echo and associated weak inflow jet at midlevels during the latter storm stage. An elongated ascending branch of the up-down downdraft circulation was associated with the echo protrusion. The prominence of the up-down trajectory is corroborated by surface data and 3D numerical simulations, bo...
Non-Destructive Determination of Soluble Solids in Papayas Using near Infrared Spectroscopy

A non-destructive optical method for determining the soluble solids content of fresh whole papayas (Carica papaya L.) “Kapoho Solo” was investigated. The method, based upon near infrared spectrophotometric techniques, could predict the soluble solids content of papayas (r2 = 0.84, SEC = 1.1°Brix, SEP = 1.1°Brix).
Evaluation of Ki-67 (MIB-1) in placentas with hydropic change and partial and complete hydatidiform mole.

The separation of complete from partial hydatidiform mole and of partial mole from placentas with hydropic change on gross and microscopic evaluation can be difficult, and ploidy provides important diagnostic information. We applied an immunohistochemical marker of proliferation, Ki-67 (MIB-1), to 10 complete moles, 11 partial moles, and 8 placentas with hydropic change to determine whether growth fraction differs in these three placentas and can aid in diagnosis. Ploidy was confirmed using flow cytometry and fluorescence in situ hybridization with probes to chromosomes 7 and 2. The Ki-67-determined growth fractions (number of positive cells/total number of cells) for villous stromal cells, cytotrophoblast, and proliferating trophoblast were evaluated separately by counting 200 cells of each population. Growth fraction on stroma did not differ among the three entities. Mean percent growth fraction for cytotrophoblast was 13.3% for hydropic change, 14.6% in partial moles and 38.7% in complete moles (P =. 0...
Solar cues in the migratory orientation of the Savannah sparrow, Passerculus sandwichensis

Abstract Results clearly implicate the setting sun as a critical source of directional information in the migratory orientation of the savannah sparrow, Passerculus sandwichensis. Savannah sparrows allowed a view of both sunset and stars displayed oriented behaviour in biologically meaningful directions during spring and fall seasons. When the same individuals were denied a view of sunset, and tested under the stars alone, disorientation characterized their behaviour. Furthermore, birds allowed a view of sunset, but tested under ‘overcast’ night skies (no stars visible), displayed well-oriented behaviour indicating the sufficiency of sunset. Experiments in which the migrant's internal chronometer was shifted suggested a fixed-angle (menotactic) response to the sunset cue rather than a time-compensating compass mechanism. I believe stars are valuable to this migrant as celestial reference points. Orientational information gained at the time of sunset is transferred to stars on a nightly basis. The relationship between solar and stellar cues is apparently hierarchical in the savannah sparrow. Information necessary to select the appropriate migratory direction is gained from the primary cue, the setting sun, while maintenance of that heading is dependent on a secondary cue, probably the stars.
Pilot study of inflammatory responses following a negative imaginal focus in persons with chronic pain: Analysis by sex/gender

Abstract Background: Recent evidence suggests that differential stress and immune responses may play a role in the sex/gender disparity for pain. Pain pathology and psychological stress are both associated with elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines. Objective: This pilot study tested a negative imaginal focus to assess whether it would elicit a proinflammatory cytokine response and whether responses would vary by sex/gender. Methods: Adults with chronic musculoskeletal pain were recruited from an outpatient, multidisciplinary pain clinic in Portland, Oregon, between 2007 and 2008. All participants underwent a psychologist-guided 10-minute focus on the negative aspects of their pain condition and the imagined worsening of their pain; no control group was used. Serum collected at baseline and postfocus (1, 2, and 2.5 hours) was assayed for interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Cortisol was assayed at each time point and at 15 minutes postfocus. Results: Thirty-six outpatients (aged 26-62 years; 23 women, 13 men) participated in the study. Compared with men, women displayed greater negative emotional expression during the experiment, and this in turn mediated their IL-6 inflammatory responses. Relative to men, the IL-6 response trajectory was delayed for women. The IL-6 and TNF-a findings suggest women's maximal cytokine responses were not captured by the final time point. Conclusions: This pilot study provides preliminary evidence that women with chronic pain may experience increased and delayed inflammatory responses following negative emotional expression induced by thinking negatively about their pain condition. The findings have implications for pain catastrophizing research. This early-phase research suggests that the timing and duration of the cytokine response are critical factors to consider in future pain research.
Adherence to guidelines for oral anticoagulation after venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism

OBJECTIVE: Guidelines for oral anticoagulation after deep venous thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE) have recommended that patients be anticoagulated for at least 3 months after hospital discharge. We sought to determine whether this recommendation was being followed and what patient characteristics predict a shorter than recommended duration of therapy. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study using linked health care claims data. SETTING: Routine clinical practice. PATIENTS: Five hundred seventy-three members of New Jersey’s Medicaid or Pharmacy Assistance for the Aged and Disabled programs aged 65 years and older who were hospitalized for DVT or PE between January 1, 1991 and June 30, 1994. RESULTS: Of the 573 patients, 129 (23%) filled prescriptions covering less than 90 days of oral anticoagulant therapy. In multivariate models, African-American race was associated with an increased risk of a shorter than recommended duration of therapy (odds ratio [OR], 1.87; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.14 to 3.08), but age and gender were not. Patients who used anticoagulants in the year prior to admission were less likely to have a short duration of therapy (OR, 0.30; 95% CI, 0.12 to 0.78), than were patients with PE (OR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.38 to 0.88). CONCLUSIONS: Nearly a quarter of those anticoagulated following DVT or PE received therapy for less than the recommended length of time after hospital discharge, with African Americans more likely to have a shorter than recommended course of treatment. Further research is needed to evaluate the causes of shorter than recommended duration of therapy and racial disparities in anticoagulant use.
Operator Upscaling for the Acoustic Wave Equation

Modeling of wave propagation in a heterogeneous medium requires input data that varies on many different spatial and temporal scales. Operator-based upscaling allows us to capture the effect of the fine scales on a coarser domain without solving the full fine-scale problem. The method applied to the constant density, variable sound velocity acoustic wave equation consists of two stages. First, we solve small independent problems for approximate fine-scale information internal to each coarse block. Then we use these subgrid solutions to define an upscaled operator on the coarse grid. The fine-grid velocity field is used throughout the process (i.e.,no averaging of input fields is required). An equivalence between the variational form of the problem and a staggered finite-difference scheme allows us to use finite differences to solve the subgrid wave propagation problems. Due to the homogeneous Neumann boundary conditions imposed on each coarse block, the subgrid problems decouple, which leads to the natura...
Bioreactor droplets from liposome-stabilized all-aqueous emulsions

Artificial bioreactors are desirable for in vitro biochemical studies and as protocells. A key challenge is maintaining a favourable internal environment while allowing substrate entry and product departure. We show that semipermeable, size-controlled bioreactors with aqueous, macromolecularly crowded interiors can be assembled by liposome stabilization of an all-aqueous emulsion. Dextran-rich aqueous droplets are dispersed in a continuous polyethylene glycol (PEG)-rich aqueous phase, with coalescence inhibited by adsorbed ~130-nm diameter liposomes. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching and dynamic light scattering data indicate that the liposomes, which are PEGylated and negatively charged, remain intact at the interface for extended time. Inter-droplet repulsion provides electrostatic stabilization of the emulsion, with droplet coalescence prevented even for submonolayer interfacial coatings. RNA and DNA can enter and exit aqueous droplets by diffusion, with final concentrations dictated by partitioning. The capacity to serve as microscale bioreactors is established by demonstrating a ribozyme cleavage reaction within the liposome-coated droplets.
Methodology for increasing the adoption of R & D project selection models

Although some studies and experiences have shown that R & D project selection models can be potentially useful decision aids, their adoption and routine use is not widespread. This lack of usage may be a consequence of the lack of attention which model builders have traditionally given to the prevailing adoption attitudes of R & D managers. A design methodology centering around the measurement of adoption attitudes has been developed and used by the authors. The methodology consists of procedures for analyzing the organizational climate relative to project selection model usage, developing an acceptable model form relative to the organizational climate, and inducing the adoption of this model form within the climate. Three case applications of the methodology are described in which negative-to-positive shifts in adoption attitudes occurred and project selection models were adopted for long-term use. These results indicate that the use of this general methodology may lead to increased formal adoption and widespread usage of project selection model forms in R & D.
Depression and Hippocampal Neurogenesis: A Road to Remission?

Adult-generated hippocampal neurons are required for mood control and antidepressant efficacy, raising hopes that someday we can harness the power of new neurons to treat mood disorders such as depression. However, conflicting findings from preclinical research—involving stress, depression, and neurogenesis—highlight the complexity of considering neurogenesis as a road to remission from depression. To reconcile differences in the literature, we introduce the “neurogenic interactome,” a platform from which to consider the diverse and dynamic factors regulating neurogenesis. We propose consideration of the varying perspectives—system, region, and local regulation of neurogenesis—offered by the interactome and exchange of ideas between the fields of learning and memory and mood disorder research to clarify the role of neurogenesis in the etiology and treatment of depression.
Blattella germánica, Periplaneta americana, and Monomorium pharaonis: control with insecticidal baits in an animal building and in insectaries.

A pellet bait containing 0.125% of Kepone® (decachlorooctahydro-1,3,4-metheno- 2H -cyclobuta[ cd ]pentalen-2-one) was evaluated against natural infestations of Blattella germanica (L.) and PeriPlaneta americana (L.) in an insectary that housed colonies of Musca domestica L. The reduction in numbers of both live B. germanica and P. americana was 99% at 4 wk posttreatment; however, the reduction in B. germanica did not exceed 99% during the 32-wk test period, whereas 100% reduction in P. americana was obtained within 12 wk. A paste bait containing 0.125% of Kepone was evaluated against a natural infestation of B. germanica in an experimental animal building. In this study, the reduction in live B. germanica was 99% at 4 wk posttreatment and 100% within 13 wk. Infestations of Monomorium pharaonis (L.) in insectaries were controlled within 2 wk with a paste bait containing 0.25% of mirex.
Study of lipid rich compositions in the intimal wall of aorta by Raman spectroscopy

We report an ex-vivo study on Raman spectra of adipose tissue covered by layers of aortic intimal wall tissue with different thicknesses. The Raman vibration modes of 1435cm-1, 2850cm-1 and 2892cm-1 were investigated for the first time on fresh porcine aortic adipose tissue with 633 nm laser excitation. The adipose tissue was taken from adventitial fat grown on aorta walls. The frozen sections of porcine aorta wall tissue with a thickness of 25μ - 50μ were cut from intimal surface. The samples were prepared by placing the variable numbers of the aorta intimal wall tissue layers on the top of adipose tissue. The Raman spectra of adipose tissue were investigated. The changes of intensities of the Raman modes versus thickness of the aorta intimal wall tissue layers were measured. The total thickness of the aorta intimal wall tissue layers was varied in the range of 50μ - 1800μ. The main characteristic Raman vibration modes of adipose tissue were found at 1435cm-1, 2850cm-1 and 2892cm-1. Among them, the intensities of the modes of 2850 cm-1 and 2892 cm-1 are about four-times stronger than that of the 1435cm-1 mode. The study on Raman vibration modes of 1435cm-1, 2800 cm-1 and 2950 cm-1 may be useful for developing a simple, inexpensive and accurate optical technique for monitoring the degree of vulnerability of the aorta intimal surface due to atherogenesis. These three Raman modes can be used as new molecular spectroscopic indicators to monitor in situ the development of fatty-streaks and lipid core in aorta walls, and determine the thickness change of aorta intimal wall at different stages of atherogenesis.© (2008) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Complications of thyroid and parathyroid surgery

Today most complications of thyroid and parathyroid surgery are related to either metabolic derangements or injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerves. Other complications include superior laryngeal nerve injury, infection, airway compromise, and bleeding. Although the principal goal of thyroid and parathyroid surgery is the prevention of these complications, prompt recognition and intervention will minimize morbidity and provide the patient with the best chance of a satisfactory outcome.
Dynamic Pricing via Dynamic Programming1

This article specifies an efficient numerical scheme for computing optimal dynamic prices in a setting where the demand in a given period depends on the price in that period, cumulative sales up to the current period, and remaining market potential. The problem is studied in a deterministic and monopolistic context with a general form of the demand function. While traditional approaches produce closed-form equations that are difficult to solve due to the boundary conditions, we specify a computationally tractable numerical procedure by converting the problem to an initial-value problem based on a dynamic programming formulation. We find also that the optimal price dynamics preserves certain properties over the planning horizon: the unit revenue is linearly proportional to the demand elasticity of price; the unit revenue is constant over time when the demand elasticity is constant; and the sales rate is constant over time when the demand elasticity is linear in the price.
THE MOLECULAR GENETICS OF MULTIPLE ENDOCRINE NEOPLASIA TYPE 2A AND RELATED SYNDROMES

▪ Abstract Identification of RET gene mutations in patients at-risk for the development of the hereditary forms of medullary thyroid carcinoma has simplified management and expanded the scope of indications for surgical intervention. Patients who carry this mutation can be offered thyroidectomy at a very young age, hopefully at a point when the cancer has not yet developed or spread. Those who are found not to have inherited the mutation are spared further genetic and biochemical screening. This achievement marks a new paradigm in surgery—the recommendation that an operation be performed based on the result of a genetic test. Experience with management of patients with multiple endocrine neoplasia types 2A and 2B and with familial, non–multiple endocrine neoplasia medullary thyroid carcinoma will provide information that will aid in the future management of patients with other hereditary cancers.
Meteorology of Jupiter's Equatorial Hot Spots and Plumes from Cassini

We present an updated analysis of Jupiter’s equatorial meteorology from Cassini observations. For two months preceding the spacecraft’s closest approach, the Imaging Science Subsystem (ISS) onboard regularly imaged the atmosphere. We created time-lapse movies from this period in order to analyze the dynamics of equatorial hot spots and their interactions with adjacent latitudes. Hot spots are relatively cloud-free regions that emit strongly at 5 lm; improved knowledge of these features is crucial for fully understanding Galileo probe measurements taken during its descent through one. Hot spots are quasistable, rectangular dark areas on visible-wavelength images, with defined eastern edges that sharply contrast with surrounding clouds, but diffuse western edges serving as nebulous boundaries with adjacent equatorial plumes. Hot spots exhibit significant variations in size and shape over timescales of days and weeks. Some of these changes correspond with passing vortex systems from adjacent latitudes interacting with hot spots. Strong anticyclonic gyres present to the south and southeast of the dark areas appear to circulate into hot spots. Impressive, bright white plumes occupy spaces in between hot spots. Compact cirrus-like ‘scooter’ clouds flow rapidly through the plumes before disappearing within the dark areas. These clouds travel at 150–200 m s 1 , much faster than the 100 m s 1 hot spot and plume drift speed. This raises the possibility that the scooter clouds may be more illustrative of the actual jet stream speed at these latitudes. Most previously published zonal wind profiles represent the drift speed of the hot spots at their latitude from pattern matching of the entire longitudinal image strip. If a downward branch of an equatorially-trapped Rossby wave controls the overall appearance of hot spots, however, the westward phase velocity of the wave leads to underestimates of the true jet stream speed.
A background digital self-calibration scheme for pipelined ADCs based on transfer curve estimation

The pipelined architecture is one of the most popular ADC architecture. Various linear and nonlinear errors limit the pipelined ADC's performance. Many calibration algorithms to calibrate this architecture ADC have been reported in literature. In this paper, a new background self-calibration scheme for pipelined ADCs is presented and this calibration scheme can correct both linear and nonlinear errors in the pipelined data path. Simulation shows that with this calibration scheme, the ENOB of a 16-bit pipelined ADC can be improved from 10 bits to about 15 bits.
Using modeling as a lens to focus testing

Designers of collaborative unmanned systems assume that they have designed their systems to achieve the goals of reduced Soldier workload and higher level situation awareness (SA). Whether this assumption is valid, however, depends upon how soldiers interact with the systems as they accomplish their military missions. To evaluate their system design, designers of collaborative unmanned systems use field experiments in which soldiers interact with the systems. These experiments, however, are expensive and obtaining all the technologies and soldiers required to perform an entire military mission is challenging. Researchers at the Army Research Laboratory (ARL) and Tank Automotive Research, Development, and Evaluation Command (TARDEC) have established an approach that is effective in overcoming these restraints. To represent the complete military mission, they use human performance modeling. To evaluate the impact of interface specifications on the soldiers, they conduct experiments that incorporate issues identified by the mission modeling. ARL and TARDEC demonstrated the effectiveness of this approach when they used human performance modeling of future concept combat vehicles to focus a series of TARDEC autonomous vehicle experiments on critical soldier survivability issues. The experiments, in turn, demonstrated a way of mitigating some of the soldier performance issues related to unmanned asset operations identified by the human performance modeling.
Modeling thermal conductivity in UO2 with BeO additions as a function of microstructure

Abstract New processing methods show promise for improved thermal conductivity in UO2 by the incorporation of a highly-conducting material. Such composites are likely to have anisotropic microstructures which bring new challenges to thermal conductivity simulation but also significant potential for improvement in the thermal performance. This paper presents simulation results for the thermal conductivity of UO2/BeO composites using statistical continuum mechanics. The results successfully capture the microstructural heterogeneity and predict the corresponding anisotropic thermal properties. The application of statistical continuum mechanics to materials design makes it possible to design novel anisotropic fuel pellets with enhanced thermal conductivity in a preferred direction.
Sensitivity of the Kurtosis Statistic as a Detector of Pulsed Sinusoidal RFI

A new type of microwave radiometer detector that is capable of identifying low-level pulsed radio frequency interference (RFI) has been developed. The Agile Digital Detector can discriminate between RFI and natural thermal emission signals by directly measuring other moments of the signal than the variance that is traditionally measured. The kurtosis is the ratio of the fourth central moment of the predetected voltage to the square of the second central moment. It can be an excellent indicator of the presence of RFI. A number of issues that are related to the proper calculation of the kurtosis are addressed. The mean and standard deviation of the kurtosis, in both the absence and the presence of pulsed sinusoidal RFI, are derived. The kurtosis is much more sensitive to short-pulsed RFI-such as from radars-than to continuous-wave RFI. The minimum detectable power for pulsed sinusoidal RFI is found to be proportional to (M 3 N)-1/4, where N is the number of independent samples and M is the number of frequency subbands in the receiver.
Towards Automating the Pulmonary Artery Catheter: a Canine Validation Study

We have recently introduced a unique technique to automatically estimate both cardiac output (CO) and left atrial pressure (LAP) by pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) waveform analysis. In this contribution, we review the technique and present its evaluation with respect to gold standard, but highly invasive, reference aortic flow probe CO and direct LAP catheter measurements from two dogs during various pharmacological interventions. We report that the technique achieved an overall CO error of 15.3% and an overall LAP error of 17.1% over a wide hemodynamic range. For comparison, the overall LAP error of classic end-diastolic PAP estimates was about three times as large. With further successful testing, the technique may ultimately be employed so as to effectively automate the pulmonary artery catheter.
Characterization of power system small disturbance stability with models incorporating voltage variation

The small disturbance (SD) stability of a power system is studied with the model including generator swing equations, the real and reactive power flow equations. The effects of voltage variation and reactive power constraints are thus explicitly represented in the model. It is shown that the necessary and sufficient condition for an operating point to be SD stable is that the reduced matrix from the power flow Jacobian is positive definite. A sufficient condition is that the power flow Jacobian itself is positive definite. The result is compared to the one obtained from the constant voltage model and the latter is shown to be more optimistic. Also derived are conditions for steady-state security regions to be SD stable.
Comparing the Effects of Rise Time and Inspiratory Cycling Criteria on 6 Different Mechanical Ventilators

BACKGROUND: Inspiratory rise time and cycling criteria are important settings in pressure support ventilation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of minimum and maximum rise time and inspiratory cycling criteria settings on 6 new generation ventilators. Our hypothesis was there would be a difference in the exhaled tidal volume, inspiratory time, and peak flow among 6 different ventilators, based on change in rise time and cycling criteria. METHODS: The research utilized a breathing simulator and 4 different ventilator models. All mechanical ventilators were set to a spontaneous mode of ventilation with settings of pressure support 8 cm H2O and PEEP of 5 cm H2O. A minimum and maximum setting for rise time and cycling criteria were examined. Exhaled tidal volume, inspiratory time, and peak flow measurements were recorded for each simulation. RESULTS: Significant ( P < .001) differences were found when comparing minimum and maximum rise time and minimum and maximum cycling criteria for each ventilator. CONCLUSIONS: Significant differences in exhaled tidal volume, inspiratory time, and peak flow were observed by adjusting rise time and cycling criteria. This research demonstrates that during pressure support ventilation strategy, adjustments in rise time and/or cycling criteria can produce changes in inspiratory parameters. Obviously, this finding has important implications for practitioners who utilize a similar pressure support strategy when conducting a ventilator wean. Additionally, this study outlines major differences among ventilator manufacturers when considering inspiratory rise time and cycling criteria.
Geochemical and isotopic variations in shallow groundwater in areas of the Fayetteville Shale development, north-central Arkansas

Exploration of unconventional natural gas reservoirs such as impermeable shale basins through the use of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing has changed the energy landscape in the USA providing a vast new energy source. The accelerated production of natural gas has triggered a debate concerning the safety and possible environmental impacts of these operations. This study investigates one of the critical aspects of the environmental effects; the possible degradation of water quality in shallow aquifers overlying producing shale formations. The geochemistry of domestic groundwater wells was investigated in aquifers overlying the Fayetteville Shale in north-central Arkansas, where approximately 4000 wells have been drilled since 2004 to extract unconventional natural gas. Monitoring was performed on 127 drinking water wells and the geochemistry of major ions, trace metals, CH4 gas content and its C isotopes (d
An experimental study of miscible displacement with gravity-override and viscosity-contrast in a Hele Shaw cell

An experimental investigation of miscible displacements at constant volume flow-rate under the coupled effects of mobility contrast and gravitational segregation has been performed in a Hele Shaw cell having an aspect ratio, width to length, of 1:2. While the viscosity ratio was large (M > 180), the experiments covered both the neutrally buoyant case through to gravity-override-dominated unstable displacements. Dependence of the global displacement properties on the Gravity number (G) and the Peclet number (Pe) were quantified using a flow visualization technique. Within the experiment’s parameter range, no matter how complex the finger patterns became, and independent of G, the area grew linearly in time. As a result, the thickness of the injected less dense and less viscous fluid was almost constant at a value of 0.5–0.58 of the cell thickness with a weak dependence on Peclet number. Based on transversely averaged concentration profiles, the dependence of the average finger length was investigated and it also grew linearly in time. The displacement efficiency and breakthrough time decreased with increase of G, while the longitudinal finger growth rate increased with G. The averaged finger width followed the opposite trend and decreased as G increased. Velocity of the leading fingertip grew linearly with G at fixed Pe. The larger the value of Pe, the faster fingertips spread. As was to be expected, the larger the gravity number, the larger the global tilting of the whole finger pattern. The fractal dimension of the distorted interface at breakthrough was investigated, and it varied from 1.54 for the neutrally buoyant case to 1.08 for the gravity override dominated case.
Vaccine resource tracking systems

From 1999 to 2010, annual disbursements of development assistance for health for vaccinations increased from $0.5 billion to $2.0 billion (all financial values USD 2010). In its 2012 Global Vaccine Action Plan (GVAP), the World Health Assembly recommended establishing a comprehensive vaccination resource tracking system to better understand the source and recipients of these funds, and ultimately their impact on outcomes. This systematic review aims to respond to the GVAP recommendation in reviewing and assessing the state of the data and literature on vaccination resource tracking. We scrutinized all relevant vaccination resource tracking systems identified in the literature and by practitioners in the field. We examined schemes used elsewhere in the health sector and by other sectors. Informant interviews were also conducted to determine what data exists and how it might be utilized. With this information, we completed a qualitative assessment of existing approaches to vaccination resources tracking. Tracking systems provide information about some vaccine-related activity in the majority of low- and middle-income countries. Data are generally available for the period of 2006–2010. Levels of granularity vary. Interviewees were concerned about the degree of rigor used to validate the data and the lack of verification. Data are often presented in tabular form, which may be unwieldy for non-technical audiences. The schemes currently in place to track the resources available for vaccinations were fairly advanced relative to other mechanisms in the health sector. Nonetheless, the coverage, validity, and accessibility of vaccination resource tracking data could be ameliorated. Establishing improved feedback loops and verification mechanisms that connect country-level administrators and the international organizations that support reporting efforts would enhance data quality.
Organically-structured control

The purpose of the paper is to propose a study of the following control problem: given a complex interconnected system, determine autonomous decentralized control laws which stabilize the system despite structural perturbations whereby subsystems are disconnected and again connected in various ways during its lifetime. The underlying assumption is that subsystems (overlapping or disjoint) are made of structural elements connected to at least one intelligent element (controller); they are either multiple controller or multiple plant configurations. Disconnected structural or intelligent elements are no longer considered to be integral parts of the system. A distributed intelligence over interconnected complex structures imitates what goes on in the biological world, and we initiate a systematic investigation of the problem of organically-structured control (OS-control) which can stabilize the system under structural perturbations and ultimately prevent a system breakdown.
Guest Editorial: Optical Interconnects and Packaging

This PDF file contains the editorial “Guest Editorial: Optical Interconnects and Packaging” for OE Vol. 33 Issue 05
Feeding Performance of King Mackerel, Scomberomorus Cavalla

Feeding performance is an organism's ability to capture and handle prey. Although bite force is a commonlyusedmetricoffeedingperformance,otherfactorssuchasbitepressureandstrikespeed are also likely to affect prey capture. Therefore, this study investigated static bite force, dynamic speeds, and predator and prey forces resulting from ram strikes, as well as bite pressure of the king mackerel, Scomberomorus cavalla, in order to examine their relative contributions to overall feeding performance. Theoretical posterior bite force ranged from 14.0-318.7N. Ram speed, recorded with a rod and reel incorporated with a line counter and video camera, ranged from 3.3- 15.8BL/s. Impact forces on the prey ranged from 0.1-1.9N. Bite pressure, estimated using theoretical bite forces at three gape angles and tooth cross-sectional areas, ranged from 1.7- 56.9MPa. Mass-specific bite force for king mackerel is relatively low in comparison with other bony fishes and sharks, with relatively little impact force applied to the prey during the strike. This suggests that king mackerel rely on high velocity chases and high bite pressure generated via sharp, laterally compressed teeth to maximize feeding performance. J. Exp. Zool. 9999A: XX-XX, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Redescription of Paralagenophrys singularis (Kellicott) n. comb. (Ciliophora: Peritricha: Lagenophryidae)1

Lagenophrys singularis is removed from Lagenophrys and designated the type species of Paralagenophrys n. g. Compared to members of Lagenophrys, the oral area of P. singularis is radically distorted. Paralagenophrys apparently also lacks second-type division, a special phase of sexual reproduction characteristic of Lagenophrys and associated with its adaptation to symbiotic life on crustaceans. Members of Lagenophrys are obligate ectocommensals of crustaceans. In contrast, P. singularis (Kellicott, 1887) n. comb. occurs most often on the leaves of aquatic vascular plants.
Quantitative genetic analysis of ventral midbrain and liver iron in BXD recombinant inbred mice.

Male and female mice from 15 of the BXD/Ty recombinant inbred strain panel were examined for regional brain and liver iron content. Brain regions included medial prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, caudate-putamen and ventral midbrain. Our focal tissue was the ventral midbrain, containing the ventral tegmentum and substantia nigra. This area contains the perikarya of the dopamine neurons that project to nucleus accumbens and caudate-putamen. Genetic correlations between ventral midbrain and liver iron content were not statistically significant, suggesting that peripheral and central iron regulatory systems are largely independent. Correlations between ventral midbrain iron and iron in the caudateputamen and nucleus accumbens, but not the prefrontal cortex were moderately high and significant. Ventral midbrain and liver iron contents were subjected to quantitative trait loci analysis to identify associated chromosomal locations. This analysis revealed several suggestive loci for iron content in ventral midbrain but fewer loci for liver. Genetic correlations between ventral midbrain iron and published dopamine functional indices were significant, suggesting a link between ventral midbrain iron status and central dopamine neurobiology. This work shows the value of quantitative genetic analysis in the neurobiology of iron and in showing the close association between ventral midbrain iron and nigrostriatal/mesolimbic dopamine function.
An inhibitory segment of the catalytic subunit of phosphorylase kinase does not act as a pseudosubstrate.

Abstract The C terminus of the catalytic γ subunit of phosphorylase kinase contains two autoinhibitory calmodulin binding domains designated PhK13 and PhK5. These peptides inhibit truncated γ(1-300). Previous data show that PhK13 (residues 302–326) is a competitive inhibitor with respect to phosphorylase b, with a K i of 1.8 μm (1). This result suggests that PhK13 may bind to the active site of truncated γ(1-300). Variants of PhK13 were prepared to localize the determinants for interaction with the catalytic fragment γ(1-300). PhK13-1, containing residues 302–312, was found to be a competitive inhibitor with respect to phosphorylase b with aK i of 6.0 μm. PhK13 has been proposed to function as a pseudosubstrate inhibitor with Cys-308 occupying the site that normally accommodates the phosphorylatable serine in phosphorylase b. A PhK13-1 variant, C308S, was synthesized. Kinetic characterization of this peptide reveals that it does not serve as a substrate but is a competitive inhibitor. Additional variants were designed based on previous knowledge of phosphorylase kinase substrate determinants. Variants were analyzed as substrates and as inhibitors for truncated γ(1-300). Although PhK13-1 does not appear to function as a pseudosubstrate, several specificity determinants employed in the recognition of phosphorylase bas substrate are utilized in the recognition of PhK13-1 as an inhibitor.
Analog Neural Networks as Decoders

Analog neural networks with feedback can be used to implement K- (Winner-Take-All (KWTA) networks. In turn, KWTA networks can be used as decoders of a class of nonlinear error-correcting codes. By interconnecting such KWTA networks, we can construct decoders capable of decoding more powerful codes. We consider several families of interconnected KWTA networks, analyze their performance in terms of coding theory metrics, and consider the feasibility of embedding such networks in VLSI technologies.
Mingling with the masses [History of Physical Standards]

Would it be okay if I refer to mass as a weighty subject? And if I should do such a thing, would it give me gravitas? Well, weight and gravitas are much in the news these days, although weight seems to show up mainly in health stories and gravitas dominates the political scene. So let me be perfectly clear. Today, I want to discuss mass, weight, and gravity (the English equivalent of the Latin ?gravitas?).