cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Monte Carlo Simulations of Water Adsorption Isotherms in Silicalite and Dealuminated Zeolite Y

The affinity that adsorbents have for water can influence their effectiveness in organics removal from drinking water due to competitive adsorption. The extent of the affinity of microporous zeolites for water is determined, in part, by AlO4(-) tetrahedral sites (T-sites) in the crystal lattice and lattice defects in the form of silanol nests. In this study, water adsorption isotherms in silicalite and in dealuminated zeolite Y (DAY) were simulated using the Compass force-field. The results show that the simulations can predict the shape of water adsorption isotherms and predict adsorption levels comparable to literature results. Moreover, simulations revealed that the results are influenced significantly by the presence of AlO4(-) T-sites. The results confirm the capacity of the Compass force-field to predict water sorption properties in silicalite and in DAY.
Premenopausal women with a distal radial fracture have deteriorated trabecular bone density and morphology compared with controls without a fracture.

Osteoporosis and fragility fractures are major public health issues with considerable social and economic costs1-4. Measurement of bone mineral density by dual x-ray absorptiometry and risk assessment by the Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX) model are currently the gold standard for the diagnosis of osteoporosis, and low bone density is a widely accepted major risk factor for fragility fracture5-8. Yet, bone mineral density does not always accurately reflect fracture risk and up to 50% of those who sustain fragility fractures do not have osteoporosis by bone mineral density testing7-9. FRAX can also have a poor sensitivity for fracture prediction10-12. As such, recent efforts have focused on more sophisticated imaging technology to more accurately assess bone strength and fracture risk determinants. In vivo assessment of bone morphology and microarchitecture is now possible using high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT). Studies utilizing this technology have demonstrated worse trabecular and cortical bone microarchitecture in postmenopausal women and older men with a history of fragility fractures13-21. In some instances, differences in bone microarchitecture remained after fracture, even after adjusting for lower bone mineral density14,17,22. Although bone loss is most prominent after menopause, bone density and microarchitecture begin to decline before then23-25. However, it is unknown whether premenopausal women who sustain fractures have evidence of poor bone architecture. We hypothesized that premenopausal women with fractures of the distal end of the radius would have similar bone mineral density but worse bone microarchitecture compared with control subjects with no fracture history. To address this hypothesis, we compared trabecular and cortical bone microarchitecture assessed by HR-pQCT at the distal end of the radius and distal end of the tibia in premenopausal women with a recent distal radial fracture and that in control subjects without a fracture. In addition, we determined whether differences in bone microarchitecture were significant after adjustment for bone mineral density at the hip or distal end of the radius.
Tumors in long-term rat studies associated with microchip animal identification devices

Summary Tumors surrounding implanted microchip animal identification devices were noted in two separate chronic toxicity/oncogenicity studies using F344 rats. The tumors occurred at a low incidence rate (approximately 1 percent), but did result in the early sacrifice of most affected animals, due to tumor size and occasional metastases. No sex-related trends were noted. All tumors occurred during the second year of the studies, were located in the subcutaneous dorsal thoracic area (the site of microchip implantation) and contained embedded microchip devices. All were mesenchymal in origin and consisted of the following types, listed in order of frequency: malignant schwannoma, fibrosarcoma, anaplastic sarcoma, and histiocytic sarcoma. The following diagnostic techniques were employed: light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and immunohistochemistry. The mechanism of carcinogenicity appeared to be that of foreign-body induced tumorigenesis.
System simulation for predictive relations in penetration mechanics

The availability of a software system yielding quick numerical models to predict ballistic behavior is a requisite asset for any research laboratory engaged in material behavior. What is especially true about accessibility of rapid prototyping for terminal impaction is the enhancement of a system structure that will direct the specific material and impact situation toward a specific predictive model, yielding an outcome of physical significance. This, of course, is of particular importance when the ranges of validity are at stake and the pertinent constraints associated with the impact are unknown. Hence, a compilation of semi-empirical predictive penetration relations for various physical phenomena has been organized into a data structure for the purpose of developing a knowledge-based decision-aided expert system to predict the terminal ballistic behavior of projectiles and targets.
New approach to jitter reduction of an x-ray streak camera in accumulation mode

An x-ray streak camera operating in accumulation mode was developed for studying ultrafast dynamics at synchrotron facilities. A laser-triggered photoconductive switch was used as a sweeping unit to obtain low timing jitter. The fast rise time of the ramp pulse generated by the switch (90 ps) combined with the fast response of the traveling wave deflection plates (150 ps) significantly reduced the jitter caused by the shot-to-shot laser fluctuation. At ~1% rms (root mean square) laser energy fluctuation, the resolution of the camera is 1.1 ps when over 5000 laser shots were accumulated. This is two times better than that of the previous design with slower response (300 ps) deflection plates.
A study of the effects of wet surface soil conditions on the performance of single wheel

Abstract This paper presents of a test programme conducted to determine the effects of wet surface soil conditions on the performance of pneumatic tyres. Two fine-grained soils were used, one that was highly plastic (heavy clay) and one that was only slightly plastic (silt). The surface soil conditions were of three types: “as compacted”, flooded and drained, flooded and undrained. Most of the tests were conducted with the heavy clay using a tyre size of 6.00–16 and a deflection of 35 per cent. The four tread conditions tested were a smooth tyre, a directional tread, a non-directional tread and a smooth tyre with traction aid. Test results showed that in soils exhibiting non-uniform strength profile of the type and extent of the non-uniformity largely controlled the performance. As a result, the value used to describe the soil characteristics in relation to performance should be varied accordingly. For a given wheel load, the loss of pull due to flooding, expressed as a percentage of the pull in the flooded condition, is a constant for each tread pattern. The tread pattern does not materially affect the performance in the slippery condition so long as the tyre is not smooth. However, in the unflooded condition the tread pattern can make a considerable difference in performance. It was found that a peak performance was attained at a specific load, regardless of tread pattern or soil condition. It was also found that repetitive traffic had no effect on pull through five passes in the “as compacted” condition. However, for the flooded soil the pull increased with traffic in the drained condition and decreased with traffic in the undrained condition. The level of performance depends to some extent on the duration of flooding. The lowest pulls were attained when the flooding period was very brief and the soil strength was high. Although the sheargraph tended to reflect the influence of surface conditions on performance for all soil conditions, the relations developed were very broad.
A technique of treating negative weights in WENO schemes

High-order accurate weighted essentially nonoscillatory (WENO) schemes have recently been developed for finite difference and finite volume methods both in structured and in unstructured meshes. A key idea in WENO scheme is a linear combination of lower order fluxes or reconstructions to obtain a higher order approximation. The combination coefficients, also called linear weights, are determined by local geometry of the mesh and order of accuracy and may become negative, such as in the central WENO schemes using staggered meshes, high-order finite volume WENO schemes in two space dimensions, and finite difference WENO approximations for second derivatives. WENO procedures cannot be applied directly to obtain a stable scheme if negative linear weights are present. The previous strategy for handling this difficulty is either by regrouping of stencils or by reducing the order of accuracy to get rid of the negative linear weights. In this paper we present a simple and effective technique for handling negative linear weights without a need to get rid of them. Test cases are shown to illustrate the stability and accuracy of this approach.
Hydromagnetic buoyancy force in the solar atmosphere

A quantitative definition of the hydromagnetic buoyancy force in the solar atmosphere is presented, on the basis of a numerical analysis of the hydromagnetic characteristics of a circular flux tube. It is shown that the peripheral inhomogeneity of ambient hydromagnetic pressure in the solar atmosphere can lead to hydromagnetic buoyancy in the presence of an extraneous body. The results of the flux tube analyses showed that the strength of the force is often equal to or greater than the gravitational force of the solar atmosphere, and may be responsible for the stationary equilibria of quiescent solar prominences, as well as the outward motions of coronal transients. A diagram is presented in order to describe the field lines in the large-scale solar magnetic field in the presence of hydromagnetic buoyancy.
Methodology issues in studies of sexuality and hysterectomy

Eighteen studies concerning hysterectomy and female sexuality, published between 1950 and 1982, were critically analyzed. Inconsistent findings among the studies led to a search for an explanation for these discrepancies. Methodological and measurement problems, including definition of terms, data collection instruments and procedures, sampling approaches, and other factors were studied. Further research is needed to build a solid base of knowledge concerning the relationship between the variables of sexuality and hysterectomy.
Comparative Bioavailability of Papaverine Hydrochloride, Papaverine Hexametaphosphate and Papaverine Polymetaphosphate

AbstractPapaverine hexametaphosphate and papaverine polymetaphosphate salts were Prepared and isolated. Experiments were conducted in mongrel dogs to compare the bioavailability of papaverine hydro-chloride, papaverine hexametaphosphate and papaverine polymeta-phosphate. The metaphosphates resulted in greater area under the curve compared to the hydrochloride salt, however, there was no difference observed in the lag time, apparent absorption rate constant, time of peak or maximum plasma concentrations obtained by any of the three salts. Intravenous doses of papaverine hydrochloride were given to all dogs to determine the absolute bioavailability. The pharmacokinetic parameters and first order transfer constants for drug disposition were calculated from the intravenous data; whereas, the apparent absorption rate constant was estimated from percent unabsorbed versus time plots. The pharmacokinetic analysis confirm a three compartment model for the drug in the mongrel dog.
Comparison of DTPA and resin extractable soil Zn to plant Zn uptake

Abstract Extraction of soil zinc with routine chemical extractants does not always reflect differences in Zn availability as detected by plant uptake. This study was undertaken to explore and compare the use of an ion exchange resin and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) for extracting soil Zn as related to plant Zn uptake. Beans were grown in 1989 following differential cropping with corn and beans or fallow in 1988 on a Portneuf silt loam near Kimberly, Idaho. Two Zn fertilizer treatments were imposed across previous cropping treatments. A batch method for determining resin extractable soil Zn was established. Both plant Zn concentration and Zn uptake by beans in 1989 were significantly higher in Zn fertilized than unfertilized treatments regardless of previous crop; and higher in plots previously cropped with corn than beans or fallow, regardless of Zn treatment. DTPA and resin extractable soil Zn were significantly higher in Zn fertilized plots compared to unfertilized plots but did not differ ...
Acousto-optic tunable filter sidelobe analysis and reduction with telecentric confocal optics

The acousto-optic tunable filter (AOTF) has optical sidelobes that are due to the acoustic field produced by the transducer. These sidelobes were analyzed by wave-vector phase matching between the optical and acoustic fields, which correlated with measurements made with a TeO2 AOTF. A white-light point source was filtered and imaged, showing reasonably large and slowly decreasing sidelobes covering a large spectral range. This effect reduces the image quality of an AOTF system by producing faint secondary images of bright objects. The image quality can be improved with a telecentric confocal optical arrangement in which the angular shift of the sidelobes is greatly reduced, producing a much sharper image. This effect was also demonstrated experimentally with the point source.
Early L2 Writing Development: A Study of Autobiographical Essays by University-Level Students of Russian.

The article reports the results of a cross-sectional study of 67 short autobiographical essays by U.S. students of Russian at 4 levels of study. The Novice and Intermediate level descriptions in the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines for Writing characterize the writing under study, but the Guidelines still require further empirical testing. Linguistic measures that differentiated the groups included fluency and syntactic fluency, but not accuracy, calling into question the tendency of foreign language writing research and pedagogy to focus on grammatical accuracy. Finally, the article calls for further research into second and foreign language (L2) writing that accounts for different languages (truly foreign as well as cognate; non-English as well as English), different developmental levels (beginning as well as advanced), and different learning situations (foreign language learning as well as second language learning).
Simulating Field-Scale Soil Organic Carbon Dynamics Using EPIC

Simulation models integrate our knowledge of soil organic C (SOC) dynamics and are useful tools for evaluating impacts of crop management on soil C sequestration; yet, they require local calibration. Our objectives were to calibrate the Environmental Policy Integrated Climate (EPIC) model, and evaluate its performance for simulating SOC fractions as affected by soil landscape and management. An automated parameter optimization procedure was used to calibrate the model for a site-specific experiment in the Coastal Plain of central Alabama. The ability of EPIC to predict corn (Zea mays L.) and cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) yields and SOC dynamics on different soil landscape positions (summit, sideslope and drainageway) during the initial period of conservation tillage adoption (5 years) was evaluated using regression and mean squared deviations. Simulated yield explained 88% of measured yield variation, with greatest disagreement on the sideslope position and highest agreement in the drainageway. Simulations explained approximately 1, 34 and 40% of the total variation in microbial biomass C (MBC), particulate organic C (POC) and total organic C (TOC), respectively. Lowest errors on TOC simulations (0-20 cm) were found on the sideslope and summit. We conclude that the automated parameterization was generally successful, although further work is neededmore » to refine the MBC and POC fractions, and to improve EPIC predictions of SOC dynamics with depth. Overall, EPIC was sensitive to spatial differences in C fractions that resulted from differing soil landscape positions. The model needs additional refinement for accurate simulations of field-scale SOC dynamics affected by short-term management decisions.« less
Review of the theory of the compression wave generated when a high-speed train enters a tunnel

AbstractA review is given of the analytical theory of the compression wave generated when a high-speed train enters a tunnel. The waveform can be calculated exactly at subsonic train Mach numbers for a tunnel consisting of an unflanged cylinder of semicircular cross-section, which has been the subject of extensive experimental study. An analysis of this case reveals how an approximate theory can be developed for arbitrary tunnel portals and train Mach numbers as large as 0.4. Details are given for flanged portals of both semicircular and rectangular cross-sections. Non-linear steepening in a very long tunnel is responsible for an intense, environmentally harmful Micropressure wave, which propagates as a pulse from the distant tunnel exit when the compression wave arrives, with amplitude proportional to the maximum gradient in the compression wavefront. The theory permits the design of tunnel portals that greatly increase the initial wave thickness (thereby tending to inhibit wave steepening), either by fl...
Experiments on Language Errors in Aviation Maintenance

The Federal Aviation Administration has raised many issues concerning the outsourcing of maintenance to foreign repair stations and recommends establishing a method for determining whether language barriers result in maintenance deficiencies. This work addresses concerns that non-native English speakers may be prone to an increased error rate that could potentially affect airworthiness. This paper presents Year 2 of the project. We used the seven scenarios of language error developed in Year 1 as the basis for our data collection effort to quantify the frequency of error. An intervention experiment has been designed and tested on two groups of participants: English-speaking maintenance personnel and Chinese speaking engineering graduate students. Neither is the final target group, but the methodology needed to be verified before on-site data collection. The analysis of the data from these two experiments is presented here.
Internal tide generation in nonuniformly stratified deep oceans

We present numerical and experimental studies of the conversion of tidal motions of an exponentially stratified fluid over two-dimensional knife edge, Gaussian, and complex bottom topography to radiated internal waves in a model of the deep ocean. We compare the radiated internal wave power for cases of strong stratification, where the buoyancy frequency profile N(z) (proportional to the square root of the density gradient) is much larger than the tidal frequency ω, to the power radiated for weak stratifications. We consider particularly internal wave generation for topography below a turning depth ztd, where N(ztd )=ω; for z ztd, although the radiated power in these waves is much weaker than in cases without turning depths. The radiated power is predicted well by prior analytical theory if the nonuniform stratification is averaged over depths spanning from the bottom boundary up to an effective height zeff. In the absence of a turning depth, we find zeff is approximately equal to the height of the topography, indicating that only the stratification for depths spanned by the topography is relevant. However, in the presence of a turning depth, the vertical scale of the internal tide becomes larger, and zeff increases approximately linearly with the turning depth height toward values comparable to the total fluid depth.
Chemically Reactive Intermediates and Pulmonary Xenobiotic Toxicity

### A. Activation of Xenobiotics to Chemically Reactive Intermediates The biochemical literature abounds with reviews of drug oxidation and conjugation by and toxic effects in liver ([Gillette, 1974a][1],[b][2]). Although it was once believed that drug-induced hepatotoxicity was the result of some
Quality of Life and Life Skill Baseline Measures of Urban Adolescents with Disabilities

Many gaps exist in the understanding of how adolescents with disabilities successfully transition to adulthood and the services contributing to this success. This study attempts to fill one gap by establishing quality of life baseline measures for low-income urban adolescents. We compared baseline data for a representative sample of adolescents with disabilities in the District of Columbia to national norms using three instruments—the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0, the Ansell-Casey Life Skills Assessment, and the Career Maturity Inventory-Attitude Scale. The sample for this study was primarily African American and had a higher level of disability as measured by receipt of Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The baseline scores of the adolescents in DC may be lower than the normed scores of their peers with disabilities in the U.S. because of socioeconomic and racial inequities and because the population has to contend with greater levels of disabilities.
Some physiological and growth responses of Betula papyrifera seedlings to flooding

Betula papyrifera Marsh, seedlings adapted very poorly to flooding for up to 60 days. Responses to flooding included increased ethylene production; stomatal closure; leaf senescence; drastic inhibition of shoot growth, cambial growth, and root growth; decay of roots, and death of many seedlings. Flooding inhibited growth of leaves that formed prior to flooding, inhibited formation of new leaves, and induced abscission of old leaves. As a result of extensive leaf abscission, fewer leaves were present after flooding than before flooding was initiated. The drastic reduction in leaf area was associated with greatly decreased growth of the lower stem and roots. No evidence was found of adaptive morphological changes to flooding. The data indicate that intolerance of B. papyrifera seedlings to flooding is an important barrier to regeneration of the species on sites subject to periodic inundation.
Displacement-based finite elements with nodal integration for Reissner-Mindlin plates

An assumed-strain finite element technique is presented for shear-deformable (Reissner–Mindlin) plates. The weighted residual method (reminiscent of the strain–displacement functional) is used to enforce weakly the balance equation with the natural boundary condition and, separately, the kinematic equation (the strain–displacement relationship). The a priori satisfaction of the kinematic weighted residual serves as a condition from which strain–displacement operators are derived via nodal integration, for linear triangles, and quadrilaterals, and also for quadratic triangles. The degrees of freedom are only the primitive variables: transverse displacements and rotations at the nodes. A straightforward constraint count can partially explain the insensitivity of the resulting finite element models to locking in the thin-plate limit. We also construct an energy-based argument for the ability of the present formulation to converge to the correct deflections in the limit of the thickness approaching zero. Examples are used to illustrate the performance with particular attention to the sensitivity to element shape and shear locking. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Attack-resilient hierarchical data aggregation in sensor networks

In a large sensor network, in-network data aggregation, i.e., combining partial results at intermediate nodes during message routing, significantly reduces the amount of communication and hence the energy consumed. Recently several researchers have proposed robust aggregation frameworks, which combine multi-path routing schemes with duplicate-insensitive algorithms, to accurately compute aggregates (e.g., Sum, Count, Average) in spite of message losses resulting from node and transmission failures. However, these aggregation frameworks have been designed without security in mind. Given the lack of hardware support for tamper-resistance and the unattended nature of sensor nodes, sensor networks are highly vulnerable to node compromises. We show that even if a few compromised nodes contribute false sub-aggregate values, this results in large errors in the aggregate computed at the root of the hierarchy. We present modifications to the aggregation algorithms that guard against such attacks, i.e., we present algorithms for resilient hierarchical data aggregation despite the presence of compromised nodes in the aggregation hierarchy. We evaluate the performance and costs of our approach via both analysis and simulation. Our results show that our approach is scalable and efficient.
The design and use of simplepower: a cycle-accurate energy estimation tool

In this paper, we presen t the design and use of a comprehensiv e framework, SimplePower, for ev aluating the effect of high-level algorithmic, architectural, and compilation trade-offs on energy. An execution-driven, cycle-accurate RT lev el energy estimation tool that uses transition sensitive energy models forms the cornerstone of this framework. SimplePower also pro vides the energy consumed in the memory system and on-chip buses using analytical energy models.We presen t the use of SimplePower to evaluate the impact of a new selective gated pipeline register optimization, a high-level data transformation and a pow er-conscious post compilation optimization (register relabeling) on the datapath, memory and on-chip bus energy, respectively. We find that these three optimizations reduce the energy by 18-36% in the datapath, 62% in the memory system and 12% in the instruction cache data bus, respectively.
SPECIFICATION TESTING WITH LOCALLY MISSPECIFIED ALTERNATIVES

It is well known that most of the standard specification tests are not robust when the alternative is misspecified. Using the asymptotic distributions of standard Lagrange multiplier (LM) test under local misspecification, we suggest a robust specification test. This test essentially adjusts the mean and covariance matrix of the usual LM statistic. We show that for local misspecification the adjusted test is asymptotically equivalent to Neyman's C(ce) test, and therefore, shares the optimality properties of the C(a) test. The main advantage of the new test is that, compared to the C(ca) test, it is much simpler to compute. Our procedure does require full specification of the model and there might be some loss of asymptotic power relative to the unadjusted test if the model is indeed correctly specified.
Glycine binds the transcriptional accessory protein GcvR to disrupt a GcvA/GcvR interaction and allow GcvA-mediated activation of the Escherichia coli gcvTHP operon.

The Escherichia coli gcvTHP operon is under control of the LysR-type transcriptional regulator GcvA. GcvA activates the operon in the presence of glycine and represses the operon in its absence. Repression by GcvA is dependent on a second regulatory protein, GcvR. Generally, LysR-type transcriptional regulators bind to specific small co-effector molecules which results in either their altered affinity for specific binding sites on the DNA or altered ability to bend the DNA, resulting in either activation or repression of their respective operons. This study shows that glycine, the co-activator for the gcv operon, does not alter either GcvA’s ability to bind DNA nor its ability to bend DNA. Rather, glycine binds to GcvR, disrupting a GcvA/GcvR interaction required for repression and allowing GcvA activation of the gcvTHP operon. Amino acid changes in GcvR that reduce glycine binding result in a loss of glycine-mediated activation in vivo.
Application of GPS Attitude Determination to Gravity Gradient Stabilized Spacecraft

Recent advances in the Global Positioning System (GPS) technology have initiated a new era in aerospace navigation and control. GPS receivers have become increasingly compact and affordable, and new developments have made attitude determination using subcentimeter positioning among two or more antennas feasible for real-time applications. GPS-based attitude control systems will become highly portable packages which provide time, navigation, and attitude information of sufficient accuracy for many aerospace needs. A typical spacecraft application of GPS attitude determination is a gravity gradient stabilized satellite in low Earth orbit that employs a GPS receiver and four body mounted patch antennas. The coupled, linearized equations of motion enable complete position and attitude information to be extracted from only two antennas. A discussion of the various error sources for spaceborne GPS attitude measurement systems is included. Attitude determination of better than 0.3 degrees is possible for 1 meter antenna separation. Suggestions are provided to improve the accuracy of the attitude solution.
Human cardiac high‐energy phosphate metabolite concentrations by 1D‐resolved NMR spectroscopy

We have developed a method that can measure high-energy phosphate metabolite concentrations in humans with 1D resolved surface-coil NMR spectroscopy. The metabolites are measured by phosphorus (31P) NMR spectroscopy, and the tissue water proton (1H) resonance from the same volume serves as an internal concentration reference. The method requires only the additional acquisition of a 1H data set, and a simple calibration, performed separately, to determine the ratio of the signal per proton to the signal per phosphorus nucleus. The quantification method is particularly useful for human cardiac spectroscopy, where it eliminates image-based tissue volumetry and the corrections for signal sensitivity and phase nonuniformity necessary in prior approaches. Corrections are introduced to account for blood and fat contributions to the spectra. The method was validated on phantoms of phosphate of varying concentrations and on the human calf muscle. In calf, the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and phosphocreatine (PCr) concentrations were 5.6 +/- 1.6 (mean +/- SD) and 26 +/- 4 mmol/kg wet wt, respectively. In normal heart, [ATP] was 5.8 +/- 1.6 and [PCr] was 10 +/- 2 mmol/kg wet wt. These values are in excellent agreement with prior NMR studies and biopsy data. The protocol is easily accommodated within existing 1D cardiac patient protocols, and the same approach is advantageous for eliminating tissue volumetry and sensitivity corrections when measuring concentrations by 2D and 3D resolved spectroscopy.
Injection of Immature Dendritic Cells into Adjuvant-Treated Skin Obviates the Need for Ex Vivo Maturation

A key and limiting step in the process of generating human monocyte-derived dendritic cells (DC) for clinical applications is maturation. In the setting of immunotherapy, DC are matured ex vivo by culturing them with various agents that mimic the conditions encountered at a site of inflammation. This study examined whether the ex vivo DC maturation step could be replaced by maturing DC in situ by injecting immature DC into sites pre-exposed to agents that induce a microenvironment conducive to in situ maturation of the injected DC. The hypothesis was that recapitulation of the physiological conditions occurring during pathogen infection would lead to optimal conditions for DC maturation, migration, and function. Murine immature DC injected into adjuvant (Adjuprime, poly-arginine, or Imiquimod)-pretreated skin exhibited lymph node migratory capacity comparable to and immunostimulatory capacity equal to or exceeding that of ex vivo matured DC. Acquisition of migratory capacity did not always correlate with enhanced immunostimulatory capacity. Immunostimulatory capacity was not enhanced when mature DC were injected into adjuvant-pretreated sites and remained below that seen with immature DC matured in situ. Immature DC injected into adjuvant-pretreated sites were more effective than mature DC in stimulating antitumor immunity in mice. (111)Indium-labeled human monocyte-derived immature DC injected into adjuvant (Imiquimod)-pretreated sites in cancer patients acquired lymph node migratory capacity comparable to ex vivo matured DC. This study shows that in situ maturation offers a simpler and potentially superior method to generate potent immunostimulatory DC for clinical immunotherapy.
Coping and positive affect predict longitudinal change in glycosylated hemoglobin.

Objective: This study investigated whether different psychosocial factors predicted levels of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA 1c ) over time, after adjusting for covariates and baseline level of HbA 1c . Design: These questions were investigated with a longitudinal sample (N = 97, age = 61-91) of older women without diabetes. HbA 1c levels and psychosocial measures were obtained at baseline and 2-year follow-up. Main Outcome Measures: Coping strategies, positive affect, medical history, and health behaviors were assessed using self-administered questionnaires. HbA 1c were obtained during the respondents' overnight stay at the General Clinical Research Center (GCRC) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Results and Conclusion: Regression analyses showed that higher levels of problem-focused coping, venting, and positive affect predicted lower levels of HbA 1c , after controlling for baseline HbA 1c and sociodemographic and health factors. Furthermore, positive affect was found to moderate the effects of problem-focused coping (active, instrumental social support, suppressing competing activities). The pattern of interaction showed that the adverse effects of low problem-focused coping on cross-time changes in HbA 1c were amplified among those who also had low levels of positive affect.
Activation to self-management and exercise in overweight and obese older women with knee osteoarthritis.

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) affects approximately 1 in 10 adults in the United States, with higher prevalence in women, aggravated by increased weight. This quasi-experimental pilot study implemented an online self-management (SM) program for older overweight and obese women with knee OA combined with a two-arm progressive exercise trial (walking and stepping groups). After the 10-week intervention using an interprofessional approach, activation to SM scores were significantly higher in all participants (N = 16) and between groups, with a higher increase in the stepping group. Those with higher activation scores pre-intervention obtained higher scores post-intervention. Activation levels also increased significantly among all participants with majority at the highest activation level. Follow-up data at 6 weeks and 6 months showed sustained SM and health-directed behaviors. These findings, although preliminary, highlight the value of combined SM and progressive exercise intervention using an interprofessional...
Effect of element polarization on the capacity of a MIMO system

We have analyzed the behavior of a multiple element antenna system in an indoor environment based on the measurements taken in the Lucent Crawford Hill building with a system of 12 transmitters and 15 receivers. The parameters that we investigated were the distance between the transmitting and the receiving arrays, and the polarization of the transmitter/receiver elements. Our measurements show that the capacity of single polarization systems (only vertical or only horizontal) decays with distance in the presence of a strong line-of-sight component. The same is observed in the absence of a strong line-of-sight component if instead there is a dominant propagation path. Systems with elements of both polarizations perform better in terms of capacity in both environments.
The Effects of Hexamethonium on Certain Manifestations of Congestive Heart Failure

Hypotensive doses of hexamethonium were administered intravenously to 19 patients with various types of heart disease in congestive failure. Clinical improvement as judged by the usual methods was seen in most cases. Intracardiac or pulmonary artery pressures paralleled the fall of arterial pressures following hexamethonium in four patients with hypertensive heart disease in congestive failure. It is suggested that hexamethonium, by reducing the total peripheral resistance and by a redistribution of blood volume, may interrupt the vicious cycle of heart failure.
Reversible Plastic Events During Oscillatory Deformation of Amorphous Solids

The effect of oscillatory shear strain on nonaffine rearrangements of individual particles in a three-dimensional binary glass is investigated using molecular dynamics simulations. The amorphous material is represented by the Kob-Andersen mixture at the temperature well below the glass transition. We find that during periodic shear deformation of the material, some particles undergo reversible nonaffine displacements with amplitudes that are approximately power-law distributed. Our simulations show that particles with large amplitudes of nonaffine displacement exhibit a collective behavior; namely, they tend to aggregate into relatively compact clusters that become comparable with the system size near the yield strain. Along with reversible displacements there exist a number of irreversible ones. With increasing strain amplitude, the probability of irreversible displacements during one cycle increases, which leads to permanent structural relaxation of the material.
Inpatient and Tertiary Consultations in Teledermatology

Inpatient and tertiary teledermatology have significant potential to increase access to timely, high-quality, specialized dermatology care. Early studies on inpatient teledermatology suggest that it is reliable and can provide assistance with both triage and management decisions, making it a potentially valuable adjunct to increase access to inpatient dermatology care. Initial studies on tertiary teledermatology suggest that it is a popular modality of care, both formally and informally, and that it can reduce the need for referrals to tertiary care centers. However, the development of successful formal tertiary teledermatology networks has been challenging, especially when informal tertiary teledermatology networks are already available. Given the limited number of studies on both of these modalities, further research is needed to define their impact on clinical outcomes and the cost of care, as well as to explore solutions to potential economic, legal, and technological challenges that may limit their application.
Nickel–Iron Oxyhydroxide Oxygen-Evolution Electrocatalysts: The Role of Intentional and Incidental Iron Incorporation

Fe plays a critical, but not yet understood, role in enhancing the activity of the Ni-based oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts. We report electrochemical, in situ electrical, photoelectron spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction measurements on Ni1–xFex(OH)2/Ni1–xFexOOH thin films to investigate the changes in electronic properties, OER activity, and structure as a result of Fe inclusion. We developed a simple method for purification of KOH electrolyte that uses precipitated bulk Ni(OH)2 to absorb Fe impurities. Cyclic voltammetry on rigorously Fe-free Ni(OH)2/NiOOH reveals new Ni redox features and no significant OER current until >400 mV overpotential, different from previous reports which were likely affected by Fe impurities. We show through controlled crystallization that β-NiOOH is less active for OER than the disordered γ-NiOOH starting material and that previous reports of increased activity for β-NiOOH are due to incorporation of Fe-impurities during the crystallization process. Through...
Brain dynamics based automated epileptic seizure detection

We developed and tested a seizure detection algorithm based on two measures of nonlinear and linear dynamics, that is, the adaptive short-term maximum Lyapunov exponent (ASTLmax) and the adaptive Teager energy (ATE). The algorithm was tested on long-term (0.5-11.7 days) continuous EEG recordings from five patients (3 with intracranial and 2 with scalp EEG) with a total of 56 seizures, producing a mean sensitivity of 91% and mean specificity of 0.14 false positives per hour. The developed seizure detection algorithm is data-adaptive, training-free, and patient-independent.
Patient-reported outcome measures after total knee arthroplasty: a systematic review.

Objectives A lack of connection between surgeons and patients in evaluating the outcome of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has led to the search for the ideal patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) to evaluate these procedures. We hypothesised that the desired psychometric properties of the ideal outcome tool have not been uniformly addressed in studies describing TKA PROMS. Methods A systematic review was conducted investigating one or more facets of patient-reported scores for measuring primary TKA outcome. Studies were analysed by study design, subject demographics, surgical technique, and follow-up adequacy, with the ‘gold standard’ of psychometric properties being systematic development, validity, reliability, and responsiveness. Results A total of 38 articles reported outcomes from 47 different PROMS to 85 541 subjects at 26.3 months (standard deviation 30.8) post-operatively. Of the 38, eight developed new scores, 20 evaluated existing scores, and ten were cross-cultural adaptation of existing scores. Only six of 38 surveyed studies acknowledged all ‘gold standard’ psychometric properties. The most commonly studied PROMS were the Oxford Knee Score, New Knee Society Score, Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index. Conclusions A single, validated, reliable, and responsive PROM addressing TKA patients’ priorities has not yet been identified. Moreover, a clear definition of a successful procedure remains elusive. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2015;4:120–127
Study on the Variability of Fruit Weight in Loquat Germplasm Resources

The fruit weight of 222 loquat germplasm resources was studied.The results indicated that weight of different germplasm types had high variation,the average fruit weight was 32.78 g with 48.44% coefficient variation,and the fruit weight of 10 loquat germplasm resources was more than 60.00 g.There was an obvious difference in fruit weight from different regions and significant difference in the weight between loquat cultivars and wild species.And the weight of wild species was less than that of cultivars.The difference of fruit weight between red flesh and white flesh species was not significant.The fruit weight had significant positive correlation with number of seeds,weight of seeds and edible rate.
Dysbiosis in the intensive care unit: Microbiome science coming to the bedside

Complex microbial communities within the human body, constituting the microbiome, have a broad impact on human health and disease. A growing body of research now examines the role of the microbiome in patients with critical illness, such as sepsis and acute respiratory failure. In this article, we provide an introduction to microbiome concepts and terminology and we systematically review the current evidence base of the critical-illness microbiome, including 51 studies in animal models and pediatric and adult critically ill patients. We further examine how this emerging scientific discipline may transform the way we manage infectious and inflammatory diseases in intensive care units. The evolving molecular, culture-independent techniques offer the ability to study microbial communities in unprecedented depth and detail, and in the short-term, may enable us to diagnose and treat infections in critical care more precisely and effectively. Longer term, these tools may also give us insights in the underlying pathophysiology of critical illness and reveal previously unsuspected targets for innovative, microbiome-targeted therapeutics. We finally propose a roadmap for future studies in the field for transforming critical care from its current isolated focus on the host to a more personalized paradigm addressing both human and microbial contributions to critical illness.
Top 10 Tips for a Newly Tenured Professor

Prospective and junior professors can find lots of advice in blogs about key milestones in a junior professor’s life cycle: how to get the first academic job, how to lateral from one institution to another, and how to get tenure.In contrast, tenured professors don’t get a lot of guidance about what do with the rest of their career. It’s tempting to assume that if you’re good enough to get tenure, you’ll know what to do with it. However, it turns out my pre-tenure experiences hadn’t fully prepared me for what I encountered post-tenure. Based on my experiences, I prepared my top 10 recommendations for newly tenured professors.
Testosterone Pellet Implantation Practices: A Sexual Medicine Society of North America (SMSNA) Member Questionnaire

Abstract Introduction There has been renewed interest in the use of subcutaneous testosterone pellets for the treatment of hypogonadism since the introduction of Testopel in 2008 by Slate Pharmaceuticals (Durham, NC, USA). Manufacturer guidelines recommend using two to six pellets; however, in the clinical setting, this is deemed insufficient. This has produced a wide variety of testosterone pellet usage that is not fully understood. Aim To better understand subcutaneous testosterone pellet implantation practices among members of the Sexual Medicine Society of North America (SMSNA). Methods A 19-item questionnaire was emailed to the 687 members of the SMSNA. Of the 19 questions, 17 were multiple choice and two required write-in responses. Usage patterns, satisfaction rates, and complication rates were investigated. Main Outcome Measures Data regarding indications for initiating treatment with Testopel, initial dosage, follow-up of testosterone levels and dose titration, patient tolerance and satisfaction, technique of implantation, and procedural complications were collected. Results Eighty-seven survey responses were received (12.9%). At initiation of Testopel therapy, 80.5% of respondents would implant at least 10 pellets, whereas only 4.6% would place six to seven pellets and 3.4% would implant fewer than six pellets. Many respondents would determine the starting dose based on some combination of baseline testosterone level and weight, although 24.1% described using a standard starting dose for all patients. All respondents would check testosterone levels within 3 months of initiating therapy, with the vast majority (72.4%) doing so at 1 month. Subsequent dosing of Testopel was not changed in most patients, with 41.4% and 26.4% of respondents reporting that 60% to 80% and 80% to 100% of patients, respectively, remained on their initial dose. Most respondents would re-implant pellets at a 3-month (21.8%) or 4-month (43.7%) interval. High patient satisfaction was described by respondents, with 56.3% finding patients to be satisfied “most times” and 34.5% “almost always.” Conclusion This study provides insight into the usage of Testopel among members of the SMSNA. We found that the vast majority of specialists use at least 10 pellets at initial implantation, with limited need for subsequent dose adjustments, good durability of response, and high patient satisfaction and tolerability.