cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Implementation and application of the peak scaling method for temperature measurement in the laser heated diamond anvil cell

A new design for a double-sided high-pressure diamond anvil cell laser heating set-up is described. The prototype is deployed at beamline 12.2.2 of the Advanced Light Source at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. Our compact design features shortened mechanical lever arms, which results in more stable imaging optics, and thus more user friendly and more reliable temperature measurements based on pyrometry. A modification of the peak scaling method was implemented for pyrometry, including an iterative method to determine the absolute peak temperature, thus allowing for quasi-real time temperature mapping of the actual hotspot within a laser-heated diamond anvil cell without any assumptions on shape, size, and symmetry of the hotspot and without any assumptions to the relationship between fitted temperature and peak temperature. This is important since we show that the relationship between peak temperature and temperature obtained by fitting the Planck function against the thermal emission spectrum averaged over the entire hotspot is not constant but depends on variable fitting parameters (in particular, the size and position of the fitting window). The accuracy of the method is confirmed through measuring melting points of metal wires at ambient pressure. Having absolute temperature maps in real time allows for more differentiated analyses of laser heating experiments. We present such an example of the pressure variations within a heated hotspot of AgI at a loaded base pressure of 3.8 GPa.
Semaphorin 4D to suppress bone formation in multiple myeloma.

8039Background: Myeloma bone disease is characterized by osteoclast activation and long-term osteoblast suppression. We investigated if Semaphorin 4D (Sema4D; CD100) plays a role in these processes...
Process improvement strategies: Designing and implementing quality improvement research

Quality improvement (QI) is the practice of continuously evaluating and improving the quality of health care that is delivered to patients. In this article, we will use practical examples to show how quality improvement projects have improved surgical patient care, and can be shared between institutions to accelerate the pace of improvement. We will explain the differences between quality improvement and research, and describe the methodological approach to performing and reporting quality improvement projects. Finally, we will describe ways to disseminate and widely implement changes in clinical practice using QI methodology. Even if they are not initiating and developing QI projects, all surgeons are likely to be affected by improvement initiatives going on in their hospitals, and should understand their valuable contribution to patient care.
Key Factors Affecting Ambulatory Care Providers' Electronic Exchange of Health Information With Affiliated and Unaffiliated Partners: Web-Based Survey Study.

Background: Despite the potential benefits of electronic health information exchange (HIE) to improve the quality and efficiency of care, HIE use by ambulatory providers remains low. Ambulatory providers can greatly improve the quality of care by electronically exchanging health information with affiliated providers within their health care network as well as with unaffiliated, external providers. Objective: This study aimed to examine the extent of electronic HIE use by ambulatory clinics with affiliated providers within their health system and with external providers, as well as the key technological, organizational, and environmental factors affecting the extent of HIE use within and outside the health system. Methods: A Web-based survey of 320 ambulatory care providers was conducted in the state of Illinois. The study examined the extent of HIE usage by ambulatory providers with hospitals, clinics, and other facilities within and outside their health care system–encompassing seven kinds of health care data. Ten factors pertaining to technology (IT [information technology] Compatibility, External IT Support, Security & Privacy Safeguards), organization (Workflow Adaptability, Senior Leadership Support, Clinicians Health-IT Knowledge, Staff Health-IT Knowledge), and environment (Government Efforts & Incentives, Partner Readiness, Competitors and Peers) were assessed. A series of multivariate regressions were used to examine predictor effects. Results: The 6 regressions produced adjusted R-squared values ranging from 0.44 to 0.63. We found that ambulatory clinics exchanged more health information electronically with affiliated entities within their health system as compared with those outside their health system. Partner readiness emerged as the most significant predictor of HIE usage with all entities. Governmental initiatives for HIE, clinicians’ prior familiarity and knowledge of health IT systems, implementation of appropriate security, and privacy safeguards were also significant predictors. External information technology support and workflow adaptability emerged as key predictors for HIE use outside a clinic’s health system. Differences based on clinic size, ownership, and specialty were also observed. Conclusions: This study provides exploratory insights into HIE use by ambulatory providers within and outside their health care system and differential predictors that impact HIE use. HIE use can be further improved by encouraging large-scale interoperability efforts, improving external IT support, and redesigning adaptable workflows.
Short- and Long-term Outcomes After Ileal Pouch Anal Anastomosis in Pediatric Patients: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND Restorative proctocolectomy and ileal pouch anal anastomosis (IPAA) has become the procedures of choice for restoration of intestinal continuity in ulcerative colitis or familial adenomatous polyposis. This systematic review aims to assess short-term postoperative and long-term functional outcomes in pediatric patients undergoing IPAA. METHODS A literature search was performed for all publications of pediatric IPAA in which short- and long-term outcomes were reported. Papers were excluded based on title, abstract, and full-length review. Data collection included patient demographics, medication use preoperatively, operative approach, 30-day postoperative outcomes, long-term functional outcomes (to maximal date of follow-up), and pouch failure rate. Outcomes were compared in those patients with and without perioperative corticosteroid exposure. Study quality and risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale as all studies were cohort studies. RESULTS Of 710 records reviewed, 42 full papers were included in the analysis. Rates of superficial surgical site infection, pelvic sepsis, ileus, and small bowel obstruction at <30 days were 10%, 11%, 10%, and 14%, respectively. Rates of pouchitis, stricture, chronic fistula tract, incontinence, and pouch failure were 30%, 17%, 12%, 20%, and 8%, respectively, at 37-109 months of follow-up; incontinence was significantly higher in those exposed to corticosteroids preoperatively (52% vs 20%; P < 0.001). The median daytime, nighttime, and 24-hour stool frequency were 5.3, 1.4, and 5 bowel movements, respectively. CONCLUSIONS IPAA is safe with good long-term functional outcomes in pediatric patients.
Learning to Teach with Virtual Reality: Lessons from One Elementary Teacher

In this article we make recommendations based on our qualitative inquiry into one elementary teacher’s iterative processes of designing and implementing technology-enhanced instruction using virtual reality (VR). The use of VR has gained more attention from educational researchers and practitioners but evidence-based demonstrations of how teachers can use this emerging tool effectively in K-12 classroom settings is rare. Therefore, we provide reflections on our observations of and interviews with one teacher, providing a model for how teachers might integrate VR into their own curricula and use emerging technologies to enhance their teaching practices more generally. Some instructional design suggestions include needs assessment for students’ prior exposure to VR, communication with parents, modification of existing lessons and selection of VR content to align with learning objectives, plan for alternative experiences as well as physical and technological setup.
An Application of Decision Tree Models toExamine Motor Vehicle Crash Severity Outcomes

Classification and Regression Tree (CART) and chi-square automatic interaction detection (CHAID) decision tree models are estimated and compared to examine the effect of driver characteristics and behaviors, temporal factors, weather conditions, and road characteristics on motor vehicle crash severity levels using Missouri crash data from 2002 to 2012. The CHAID model is found to significantly better discriminate among severity outcomes, and results suggest that the presence of alcohol, speeding, and failing to yield lead to many fatalities each year and likely have interactive effects. Decision rules are used to identify changes in driving policies expected to reduce severity outcomes.
Erik H. Erikson’s Young Man Luther: A Classic Revisited, Again

Using Erik H. Erikson’s book Young Man Luther and Donald Capps’s “Young Man Luther: A Classic Revisited,” the author reflects on his relationships with two of his professors at Princeton Theological Seminary, Donald Capps and Robert C. Dykstra. The author discusses the relationship between Martin Luther and John Staupitz and reflects on its significance for the formation and care of religious individuals. He encourages ministers and pastoral theologians to embrace a theology of personal involvement that goes beyond pedagogical effectiveness and pastoral wisdom.
Post-intubation Glottic Insufficiency

Posterior glottic insufficiency (PGI) is a triangular or keyhole aperture between the vocal processes and the posterior laryngeal wall. It is the result of inadequate arytenoid closure and apposition, often a complication of long-term indwelling endotracheal tubes. Although many factors affect the likelihood of intubation-related chronic laryngeal injuries, such as PGI, the duration of intubation and the physical characteristics of the endotracheal tube are the most impactful. The endotracheal tube’s presence causes sustained pressure on the larynx, thereby inducing ischemia and infarction of the mucosal and mucoperichondrial capillaries. The resultant pathology is broken into a sequence of fundamental lesions: edema, ulceration, granulation tissue, ulcerated troughs, and chronic healed furrows. From these pressure-induced lesions, chronic laryngeal injuries (not limited to PGI) may develop. Treatment options for PGI include endoscopic posterior cricoid reduction laryngoplasty (EPCRL), aryepiglottic fold grafts, and grafting of the buccal mucosa into the damaged interarytenoid space. Pathogenesis and injuries may be assessed with rigid telescope and the patient under general anesthesia, and tube removal and potentially tracheotomy can be considered upon discovery of deep ulceration.
Antifungal Susceptibility Testing: Current Approaches

SUMMARY Although not as ubiquitous as antibacterial susceptibility testing, antifungal susceptibility testing (AFST) is a tool of increasing importance in clinical microbiology laboratories. The goal of AFST is to reliably produce MIC values that may be used to guide patient therapy, inform epidemiological studies, and track rates of antifungal drug resistance. There are three methods that have been standardized by standards development organizations: broth dilution, disk diffusion, and azole agar screening for Aspergillus. Other commonly used methods include gradient diffusion and the use of rapid automated instruments. Novel methodologies for susceptibility testing are in development. It is important for laboratories to consider not only the method of testing but also the interpretation (or lack thereof) of in vitro data.
Local and Systemic Effects of Blood Flow Restriction Therapy in an Animal Model.

Background:Blood flow restriction therapy (BFRT) has been increasingly applied to improve athletic performance and injury recovery. Validation of BFRT has lagged behind commercialization, and curre...
Decision-making at a T-junction by gradient-sensing microscopic agents

Active navigation in food searching, survival, and mating has led to the evolution of diverse strategies in natural living systems. We study navigation of microscopic gradient-sensing agents that orient among possible paths via sensing of a diffusible substance's concentration, first with experiments on colloidal particle migration along concentration gradients by diffusiophoresis. We treat particle exit time as a mean first passage time (MFPT) problem and show that a separatrix concentration gradient determines path taking statistics. We confirm numerically that an MFPT discontinuity hinders microscopic agents in following the shortest path.
Semi-dense visual-inertial odometry and mapping for computationally constrained platforms

In this paper we present a direct semi-dense stereo Visual-Inertial Odometry (VIO) algorithm enabling autonomous flight for quadrotor systems with Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) constraints. The proposed approach is validated through experiments on a 250 g, 22 cm diameter quadrotor equipped with a stereo camera and an IMU. Semi-dense methods have superior performance in low texture areas, which are often encountered in robotic tasks such as infrastructure inspection. However, due to the measurement size and iterative nonlinear optimization, these methods are computationally more expensive. As the scale of the platform shrinks down, the available computation of the on-board CPU becomes limited, making autonomous navigation using optimization-based semi-dense tracking a hard problem. We show that our direct semi-dense VIO performs comparably to other state-of-the-art methods, while taking less CPU than other optimization-based approaches, making it suitable for computationally-constrained small platforms. Our method takes less amount of CPU than the state-of-the-art semi-dense method, VI-Stereo-DSO, due to a simpler framework in the algorithm and a multi-threaded code structure allowing us to run real-time state estimation on an ARM board. With a low texture dataset obtained with our quadrotor platform, we show that this method performs significantly better than sparse methods in low texture conditions encountered in indoor navigation. Finally, we demonstrate autonomous flight on a small platform using our direct semi-dense Visual-Inertial Odometry. Supplementary code, low texture datasets and videos can be found on our github repo: https://github.com/KumarRobotics/sdd_vio .
Trends in Incidence and Mortality Rates of Uterine Cancer in Kentucky.

OBJECTIVES The objective of this analysis was to gauge how the incidence and mortality of uterine cancer in Kentucky have changed from 1995 through 2017. An assessment of the trends in incidence and mortality across different geographic areas and between different races was also performed. METHODS Age-adjusted annual incidence and mortality rates for uterine cancer were obtained from the Kentucky Cancer Registry. A meta-regression framework was used to assess changes in incidence and mortality rates during the time frame and to determine differences in these rates between rural versus urban counties, Appalachian versus non-Appalachian counties, and Black versus White women. RESULTS The incidence of uterine cancer has significantly increased throughout the state of Kentucky since 1995. Uterine cancer incidence was 10% and 22% higher in rural and Appalachian counties, respectively, compared with urban and non-Appalachian counties (P < 0.0001) from 1995 through 2017. In contrast, urban and non-Appalachian women had higher or equivalent age-adjusted mortality from uterine cancer, compared with rural and Appalachian women, respectively. The incidence of uterine cancer was significantly higher in White women compared with Black women from 1995 through 2006, but since 2007, there has been no significant difference in uterine cancer incidence based on race. Black women had higher age-adjusted mortality than White women throughout the entire time period examined. CONCLUSIONS The incidence of uterine cancer is higher in rural and Appalachian Kentucky, without a corresponding geographic trend in mortality. Uterine cancer mortality is significantly higher in Black women.
Wealth into Power: The Communist Party's Embrace of China's Private Sector

In Wealth into Power, Bruce Dickson challenges the notion that economic development is leading to political change in China, or that China's private entrepreneurs are helping to promote democratization. Instead, they have become partners with the ruling Chinese Communist Party to promote economic growth while maintaining the political status quo. Dickson's research illuminates the Communist Party's strategy for incorporating China's capitalists into the political system and how the shared interests, personal ties, and common views of the party and the private sector are creating a form of 'crony communism'. Rather than being potential agents of change, China's entrepreneurs may prove to be a key source of support for the party's agenda. Based on years of research and original survey data, this book will be of interest to all those interested in China's political future and in the relationship between economic wealth and political power.
Law and Society in Vietnam: Economic law in the service of globalization: Labor law and labor export from Vietnam

Economic law in Vietnam takes multiple forms, with multiple objectives. It can serve to strengthen Vietnam's integration into a global economy and to bring the benefits of that integration to Vietnam's citizens – either a narrow band, or a wide urban and rural community. The law governing the economy and various forms of commercial and business transactions can, however, also be used to restrict rights and opportunities in a rapidly marketizing economy, particularly rights and opportunities for the poorer and weaker in Vietnamese society, as it frees the creative forces of entrepreneurs and provides flexibility for the domestic business sector (Greenfield 1994). Most recent academic work on Vietnamese economic law analyzes the role of law in corporate, commercial, contracting, foreign investment and related contexts. Here we look at an another important and recent example of Vietnamese economic law at work – the role of law in facilitating opportunities for Vietnamese workers in the globalizing economy, and in controlling and restricting workers' rights as well. The protection of export laborers under Vietnamese law and the cases that have arisen in this arena illuminate a key problem in Vietnamese legal reform: what and who does the law effectively protect? Is law intended to defend the rights of those with fewer protections in society, does it primarily serve as a tool for the extraction of economic profit by government and private interests from workers and other less powerful groups, or is it intended to balance these interests? And what are its actual effects?
Study of Single Pion Production by Weak Charged Currents in Low-energy Neutrino $d$ Interactions

This paper gives the results of a study of single-pion production by the weak charged current utilizing the wide-band muon-type-neutrino beam at the Argonne Zero Gradient Synchrotron. The data were obtained from hydrogen and deuterium fillings of the 12-foot bubble chamber. The methods of event selection and separation from background are given as are the details of the corrections and systematic effects in the data sample. The energy-dependent cross sections and differential distributions are presented for the three single-pion production reactions ..nu..p..--> mu../sup -/p..pi../sup +/, ..nu..n..--> mu../sup -/p..pi../sup 0/, and ..nu..n..--> mu../sup -/n..pi../sup +/. An isospin decomposition shows that the ratio of I = 1/2 to I = 3/2 amplitudes is 0.68 +- 0.04 with a relative phase of (90.7 +- 4.6)/sup 0/ for M(N..pi..) mu../sup -/p..pi../sup +/, the characteristic mass of the nucleon axial-vector elastic form factor is measured to be 0.98/sup +0.06//sub -0.03/ GeV when analyzed within the context of the Adler model. The data are also compared to other parametrizations of the nucleon axial-vector form factor.
Pirfenidone in the treatment of primary sclerosing cholangitis

Our aim was to evaluate the safety and assess the efficacy of pirfenidone, an antifibrotic drug, in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). Twenty-four patients with PSC were enrolled in this pilot study. Oral pirfenidone, 2400 mg daily, was given for one year. Liver biochemistries were determined at three-month intervals. The Mayo risk score was calculated, and liver biopsy and endoscopic cholangiography were performed at entry and at one year of treatment. No significant changes in liver biochemistries were noted at the end of the treatment period or at any of the three-month intervals. The Mayo risk score did not change significantly, and no significant changes were noted in the degree of inflammation, fibrosis, histologic stage of disease, or cholangiographic findings at the end of the treatment period. Adverse events occurred in 20/24 (83%) patients, but disappeared shortly after pirfenidone was discontinued. Pirfenidone did not benefit patients with PSC, and it was frequently associated with adverse events. The results of this pilot study discourage further trials of pirfenidone in patients with PSC.
The Interpolation-Based Bintree and its Application to Graphics

A new structure for representing binary images, called the Interpolation-Based Bintree is introduced. This structure combines the features of some existing representations such as linear quadtrees, binary trees, and interpolation-based codes, to improve the performance of operations manipulating graphics images. The implementation of this method is performed on both randomly generated and actual images and is shown to be very simple and efficient. It is also shown to compare favorably with several popular techniques in both storage and processing requirement. Although this structure is mainly for binary images, it can also be utilized for a class of “color-coded” images, where the color-code has a nominal value, the difference between two codes has no meaning, and where areas of uniform code value are larger with respect to resolution.
Crystal structure of the cytotoxic bacterial protein colicin B at 2.5 Å resolution

Colicin B (55 kDa) is a cytotoxic protein that recognizes the outer membrane transporter, FepA, as a receptor and, after gaining access to the cytoplasmic membranes of sensitive Escherichia coli cells, forms a pore that depletes the electrochemical potential of the membrane and ultimately results in cell death. To begin to understand the series of dynamic conformational changes that must occur as colicin B translocates from outer membrane to cytoplasmic membrane, we report here the crystal structure of colicin B at 2.5 A resolution. The crystal belongs to the space group C2221 with unit cell dimensions a = 132.162 A, b = 138.167 A, c = 106.16 A. The overall structure of colicin B is dumbbell shaped. Unlike colicin Ia, the only other TonB-dependent colicin crystallized to date, colicin B does not have clearly structurally delineated receptor-binding and translocation domains. Instead, the unique N-terminal lobe of the dumbbell contains both domains and consists of a large (290 residues), mostly beta-stranded structure with two short alpha-helices. This is followed by a single long ( approximately 74 A) helix that connects the N-terminal domain to the C-terminal pore-forming domain, which is composed of 10 alpha-helices arranged in a bundle-type structure, similar to the pore-forming domains of other colicins. The TonB box sequence at the N-terminus folds back to interact with the N-terminal lobe of the dumbbell and leaves the flanking sequences highly disordered. Comparison of sequences among many colicins has allowed the identification of a putative receptor-binding domain.
Sporicidal Properties of Hydrogen Peroxide Against Food Spoilage Organisms

The sporicidal properties of hydrogen peroxide were evaluated at concentrations of 10 to 41% and at temperatures of 24 to 76 C. The organisms tested and their relative resistance at 24 C to 25.8% H2O2 were: Bacillus subtilis SA 22 > B. subtilis var. globigii > B. coagulans > B. stearothermophilus > Clostridium sp. putrefactive anaerobe 3679 > S. aureus, with “D” values of 7.3, 2, 1.8, 1.5, 0.8., and 0.2 min, respectively. Heat shocking spores prior to hydrogen peroxide treatment decreased their resistance. Wet spores were more resistant than dry spores when good mixing was achieved during hydrogen peroxide treatment. Inactivation curves followed first-order kinetics except for a lag period where the inactivation rate was very slow. Increasing the H2O2 concentration and the temperature reduced the lag period.
RUPTURE OF THE MITOCHONDRIAL OUTER MEMBRANE IMPAIRS PORIN ASSEMBLY

Outer membranes isolated from yeast mitochondria were capable mediating the in vitro insertion of porin. As with the outer membrane of intact mitochondria, the insertion was ATP-dependent, and the inserted porin was resistant to trypsin treatment after detergent solubilization. However, the extent of porin insertion into isolated outer membranes was much less per mg of outer membrane protein than with intact mitochondria. The greater efficiency of intact mitochondria was not due to contact site-mediated translocation as isolated contact sites were less able to insert porin than isolated outer membranes, and blockade of the contact site channel in intact mitochondria did not affect porin insertion. However, mitochondria that had been subjected to osmotic shock sufficient to rupture the outer membrane and deplete the contents of the intermembrane space (i.e. mitoplasts) lost most of their ability to insert porin. Since outer membranes are isolated from mitoplasts, the low insertion activity of mitoplasts explains the low efficiency of insertion into isolated outer membranes. These results also indicate that, unlike proteins that are imported to the inner membrane and matrix of the mitochondria, porin's assembly is severely reduced by breaching the outer membrane and depletion of the intermembrane space contents.
Development of a conventional pig model for Clostridium difficile infection and associated disease in neonatal pigs

The purpose of this study was to reproduce Clostridium difficile-associated disease (CDAD) using conventional pigs as an animal model and to determine whether different disease outcomes occur with isolates of human and porcine origin. Piglets were snatch farrowed from a conventional sow farm where they were given pooled colostrum and then transported to a research facility. At four hours of age, 26 conventional pigs were oralgastrically inoculated with one of four different isolates of C. difficile and 6 control pigs were sham-inoculated. All challenge isolates were toxinotype V; three were isolated from clinical field cases of diarrhea in neonatal pigs in Illinois or Missouri, and the fourth isolate was of human origin. All pigs were individually housed and randomly selected for necropsy at 24, 48, or 72 hours post infection (hpi). The results of this study show that C. difficile was isolated from all pigs, inoculated and uninoculated. Commonly observed lesions and indications of CDAD, including mesocolonic edema, toxin detection, diarrhea, neutrophilic infiltration of the colonic and cecal lamina propria, as well as mucosal ulceration or erosion of the colon and cecum were observed in challenged pigs. No difference in disease between the human and porcine isolates was observed. Clinical signs and lesions were observed in some controls and these pigs may have been inadvertently contaminated. The data generated in this study provide evidence that this can be an effective challenge model.
Efficient 1.94-/spl mu/m Tm:YALO laser

Laser emission from Tm:YALO is observed over the range 1.93-2.00 /spl mu/m. A model including reabsorption loss and polarization effects, predicting the output wavelength as a function of laser parameters, is used to design a Tm:YALO laser with output restricted to 1.94 /spl mu/m, without employing a tuning element. This laser is potentially useful for medical applications, offing to the strong absorption coefficient at 1.94 /spl mu/m in liquid water (twice that of the 2.02-/spl mu/m Tm:YAG laser and four times that of the 2.09-/spl mu/m Ho:YAG laser). >
Simulations and Models for Aspiration in a Supersonic Flow Using OVERFLOW

A SIGNIFICANT problem with supersonic inlets occurs when shock waves interact with the boundary layer. Separated flow can grow to encompass a significant portion of the inlet area in these regions. The inlet can unstart if this condition is not alleviated. The traditional approach to counteract this effect is to aspirate sections of the inlet using bleed holes with the goal of removing a portion of the flow, diminishing the size of the separated region, and reducing blockage. This bleed is expensive in terms of increased mechanical complexity, cost, weight, and drag but is still necessary to control bad flow behavior. For this reason, modeling/simulation of bleed is still a necessity for accurate numerical prediction of supersonic inlets [1,2]. Prior research on bleed includes both experimental [3–5] and computational studies. Computational studies generally fall under two categories. The first group resolves all regions of the bleed flow [6–10]. The second group of computational studies attempts tomodel regions of bleed using boundary conditions [11–18]. Because of the large number of discrete holes used in inlet bleed systems, modeling the “global” bleed effect through a boundary condition is often a muchmore practical method of accounting for bleedmass flow in full inlet simulations. A bleed boundary condition detailed by Slater [17] extended a previously developed boundary condition from Mayer and Paynter [11] by introducing a scaling to experimental sonic flow coefficient data that allows the local flow variables to be evaluated at thewall and eliminating the need to search for the edge of the boundary layer, as was the case in the bounary condition from Mayer and Paynter. Manavasi et al. [12] and Hamed et al. [16] used this boundary condition to study single holes and a small number of holes in series. The major focus of their work was the behavior of the solution downstream of the bleed hole and the interaction between bleed holes. They noted that Slater’s boundary condition provides a better match of downstream conditions if applied only to the physical region of the bleed hole itself, rather than in a distributed fashion over the bleed plate. In this work, mass aspirated from a supersonic flow through bleed holes is both simulated and modeled to better understand the flow physics and demonstrate effective and efficientmethods formodeling and simulating bleed hole systems when using the Chimera overset grid methodology.
Isolation, characterization, and nucleotide sequence of IS1202, an insertion sequence of Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Abstract A comparative hybridization protocol was used to isolate a small segment of DNA present in the Streptococcus pneumoniae type 19F strain SSZ but absent from strain Rx1, a nonencapsulated derivative of the type 2 strain D39. This segment of DNA is a 1,747-bp insertion sequence, designated IS1202, flanked by 23-bp imperfect inverted repeats and containing a single open reading frame sufficient to encode a 54.4-kDa polypeptide. A 27-bp target sequence is duplicated at either end of the element. IS1202 is not related to any of the currently known insertion elements and is the first reported for S. pneumoniae. Although found predominantly in type 19F strains in up to five copies, it has also been shown to be present in the chromosomes of pneumococci belonging to other serotypes. One of the four IS1202 copies in the encapsulated strain SSZ is located 1,009 bp downstream of the dexB gene, and transformation studies reveal that it is also closely linked to the type 19F capsular polysaccharide synthesis (cps) locus.
CCD camera calibration and noise estimation

The variation in digitized pixel values that is due to sensor noise and scene variation is quantified, using physical models for CCD (charge-coupled device) video cameras and material reflectance. This analysis forms the basis of algorithms for camera characterization and calibration and for surface description. The use of these techniques for estimating a measure of scene variation is described. This measure is independent of image irradiance and can be used to identify a surface from a single sensor band over a range of situations. Experimental results verify the models presented. >
Positron Emission Tomography for Evaluating Para-aortic Nodal Metastasis in Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer Before Surgical Staging: A Surgicopathologic Study

PURPOSE: Positron emission tomographic (PET) scanning provides a novel means of imaging malignancies. This prospective study was undertaken to evaluate PET scanning in detecting para-aortic nodal metastasis in patients with locally advanced cervical carcinoma and no evidence of extrapelvic disease before planned surgical staging lymphadenectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After 20 mCi of 2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (FDG) were administered intravenously, the abdomen and pelvis were scanned. Continuous bladder irrigation was used to reduce artifact. Patients were classified by the presence or absence of FDG uptake in the primary tumor and in pelvic or para-aortic nodes. Para-aortic node metastases were classified as present or absent according to a standardized staging procedure. Pelvic node metastases were similarly classified in a subset of patients who underwent pelvic node resection. RESULTS: Thirty-two patients with stage IIB (n = 6), IIIB (n = 24), and IVA (n = 2) tumors were studied. Fluorodeoxygluco...
Optimal adaptive two-stage designs for early phase II clinical trials

Simon's optimal two-stage design has been widely used in early phase clinical trials for Oncology and AIDS studies with binary endpoints. With this approach, the second-stage sample size is fixed when the trial passes the first stage with sufficient activity. Adaptive designs, such as those due to Banerjee and Tsiatis (2006) and Englert and Kieser (2013), are flexible in the sense that the second-stage sample size depends on the response from the first stage, and these designs are often seen to reduce the expected sample size under the null hypothesis as compared with Simon's approach. An unappealing trait of the existing designs is that they are not associated with a second-stage sample size, which is a non-increasing function of the first-stage response rate. In this paper, an efficient intelligent process, the branch-and-bound algorithm, is used in extensively searching for the optimal adaptive design with the smallest expected sample size under the null, while the type I and II error rates are maintained and the aforementioned monotonicity characteristic is respected. The proposed optimal design is observed to have smaller expected sample sizes compared to Simon's optimal design, and the maximum total sample size of the proposed adaptive design is very close to that from Simon's method. The proposed optimal adaptive two-stage design is recommended for use in practice to improve the flexibility and efficiency of early phase therapeutic development.
Choosing Your Words and Pictures Wisely: When Do Individuation Instructions Reduce the Cross-Race Effect?

Summary Recognition accuracy for faces of an individual's own race typically exceeds recognition accuracy for other-race faces. The categorization–individuation model (Hugenberg, Young, Bernstein, & Sacco, 2010) attributes this cross-race effect to motivation to encode distinctive features of own-race faces but category defining features for other-race faces. Two experiments using different stimuli tested hypotheses generated from this model with both Black and White participants. For White participants, instructions to individuate reduced the cross-race effect in both studies but did not eliminate it in Study 1. Black participants did not exhibit the cross-race effect in either study, but individuation instructions improved both their same-race and other-race sensitivity. The present quality of interracial contact moderated the relationship between instructions and other-race sensitivity for both Black and White participants in Study 1 but not in Study 2. Overall, results provide mixed support for this social categorization model. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Scalpel blade contamination with skin bacteria during orthopedic and neurosurgical procedures in dogs.

Skin incision and internal incision scalpel blades used during 40 clean canine orthopedic or neurologic operations were cultured. A biopsy of skin was taken from the incision edge and cultured aerobically and anaerobically. Culture of five skin blades, eight skin biopsies, and nine deep dissection blades resulted in bacterical growth. Results indicate that the skin blade does not add significantly to bacterial inoculum contaminating clean wounds.
A functional model and simulation of spinal motor pools and intrafascicular recordings of motoneuron activity in peripheral nerve

Decoding motor intent from recorded neural signals is essential for the development of effective neural-controlled prostheses. To facilitate the development of online decoding algorithms we have developed a software platform to simulate neural motor signals recorded with peripheral nerve electrodes, such as longitudinal intrafascicular electrodes (LIFEs). The simulator uses stored motor intent signals to drive a pool of simulated motoneurons with various spike shapes, recruitment characteristics, and firing frequencies. Each electrode records a weighted sum of a subset of simulated motoneuron activity patterns. As designed, the simulator facilitates development of a suite of test scenarios that would not be possible with actual data sets because, unlike with actual recordings, in the simulator the individual contributions to the simulated composite recordings are known and can be methodically varied across a set of simulation runs. In this manner, the simulation tool is suitable for iterative development of real-time decoding algorithms prior to definitive evaluation in amputee subjects with implanted electrodes. The simulation tool was used to produce data sets that demonstrate its ability to capture some features of neural recordings that pose challenges for decoding algorithms.
Linearly constrained positive definite completions

Abstract A partial matrix is a rectangular array consisting of specified entries, which are fixed elements of the complex numbers C, and unspecified entries, which are free variables over C. Given a partial Hermitian matrix A(z) (in which z is the vector of unspecified entries of A), a fixed matrix B, and a fixed vector c, the optimal solution of the problem maximize det A(z) subject to A(z) positive definite, Bz = c is unique, provided the problem is feasible, and has a simple characterization. This class of problems includes the case in which A(z) is constrained to be Toeplitz.
Optimization of simultaneous saccharification and fermentation for the production of ethanol from sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) bagasse using response surface methodology.

Abstract The response surface method was used to investigate the effects of process parameters, including temperature from 35 to 45 °C, enzyme loading from 10 to 30 filter paper units (FPU)/g-glucan, yeast concentration from 0.5 to 1.5 g/L, and bagasse solid concentration from 4 to 10% on ethanol yield, concentration and production rate during simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) of sweet sorghum bagasse. The results showed that the maximum ethanol yield, concentration and production rate were obtained at different SSF conditions. Under the recommended SSF condition of the temperature at 37 °C, yeast concentration at 1.4 g/L, enzyme loading at 25 FPU/g-glucan and bagasse solid concentration at 10%, the ethanol yield, concentration and production rate were 89.4%, 38 g/L and 1.28 g/L/h, respectively. The bagasse solid concentration had significant effects on the ethanol concentration and ethanol production rate. The optimum bagasse solid concentration for the ethanol yield was 7%. The increase of the bagasse solid concentration significantly increased the final ethanol concentration but decreased the ethanol production rate. Fed batch operation could be used to maintain the bagasse solid concentration at a low value (e.g., 7%) to achieve high ethanol yield and production rate while increasing the final ethanol concentration.
Cotreatment with the histone deacetylase inhibitor suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) enhances imatinib-induced apoptosis of Bcr-Abl-positive human acute leukemia cells

Here we demonstrate that treatment with SAHA (suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid), a known inhibitor of histone deacetylases (HDACs), alone induced p21 and/or p27 expressions but decreased the mRNA and protein levels of Bcr-Abl, which was associated with apoptosis of Bcr-Abl-expressing K562 and LAMA-84 cells. Cotreatment with SAHA and imatinib (Gleevec) caused more down-regulation of the levels and auto-tyrosine phosphorylation of Bcr-Abl and apoptosis of these cell types, as compared with treatment with either agent alone (P <.05). This finding was also associated with a greater decline in the levels of phospho-AKT and Bcl-x(L). Significantly, treatment with SAHA also down-regulated Bcr-Abl levels and induced apoptosis of CD34(+) leukemia blast progenitor cells derived from patients who had developed progressive blast crisis (BC) of chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML) while receiving therapy with imatinib. Taken together, these findings indicate that cotreatment with SAHA enhances the cytotoxic effects of imatinib and may have activity against imatinib-refractory CML-BC.
An efficiency theorem for incompletely known preferences

Abstract There are n agents who have von Neumann–Morgenstern utility functions on a finite set of alternatives A. Each agent i's utility function is known to lie in the nonempty, convex, relatively open set U i . Suppose L is a lottery on A that is undominated, meaning that there is no other lottery that is guaranteed to Pareto dominate L no matter what the true utility functions are. Then, there exist utility functions u i ∈ U i for which L is Pareto efficient. This result includes the ordinal efficiency welfare theorem as a special case.
Experimental analysis and constitutive modeling for the newly developed 2139-T8 alloy

Abstract Mechanical behavior of recently emerged 2139-T8 aluminum alloy, which is based on an Al–Cu–Mg–Ag system, has been characterized by uniaxial compression and tension experiments over a wide range of strain rates from 10 −4 to 10 4 s −1 and for temperatures from −60 to 300 °C. Driven by experimental results, modifications to widely used Johnson–Cook constitutive model has been proposed, and model parameters have been determined. It has been shown that modified Johnson–Cook (MJC) model satisfactorily captures rate- and temperature-dependent variations in flow stress through enhanced coupling between temperature and strain hardening as well as temperature and strain-rate sensitivity. The modified model also provides flow stress prediction over the entire range of quasi-static and dynamic regimes by a single continuous function.
Tumor necrosis factor alpha has an early protective effect on retinal ganglion cells after optic nerve crush

Glaucoma is an optic neuropathy that is characterized by the loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) initiated by damage to axons in the optic nerve. The degeneration and death of RGCs has been thought to occur in two waves. The first is axogenic, caused by direct insult to the axon. The second is somatic, and is thought to be caused by the production of inflammatory cytokines from the activated retinal innate immune cells. One of the cytokines consistently linked to glaucoma and RGC damage has been TNFα. Despite strong evidence implicating this protein in neurodegeneration, a direct injection of TNFα does not mimic the rapid loss of RGCs observed after acute optic nerve trauma or exposure to excitotoxins. This suggests that our understanding of TNFα signaling is incomplete. RGC death was induced by optic nerve crush in mice. The role of TNFα in this process was examined by quantitative PCR of Tnfα gene expression, and quantification of cell loss in Tnfα -/- mice or in wild-type animals receiving an intraocular injection of exongenous TNFα either before or after crush. Signaling pathways downstream of TNFα were examined by immunolabeling for JUN protein accumulation or activation of EGFP expression in NFκB reporter mice. Optic nerve crush caused a modest increase in Tnfα gene expression, with kinetics similar to the activation of both macroglia and microglia. A pre-injection of TNFα attenuated ganglion cell loss after crush, while ganglion cell loss was more severe in Tnfα -/- mice. Conversely, over the long term, a single exposure to TNFα induced extrinsic apoptosis in RGCs. Muller cells responded to exogenous TNFα by accumulating JUN and activating NFkB. Early after optic nerve crush, TNFα appears to have a protective role for RGCs, which may be mediated through Muller cells.
Typical case complexity of Satisfiability Algorithms and the threshold phenomenon

This is a written record of a survey talk on the topic of typical case complexity of Satisfiability algorithms which was presented at the LICS workshop on this subject in June, 2003, Ottawa, Canada.
Bandwagons considered harmful, or the past as prologue in curriculum change

The field of computer science changes rapidly, and this change occurs as well in the introductory curriculum. Formerly advanced topics filter down to the first year, and even to secondary school; some topics disappear completely. These changes are good---they indicate a dynamic discipline and a still-emerging picture of the field's fundamental principles. But we must not let our revolutionary zeal blind us to the pedagogical need and conceptual value of time-tested material. Many topics and approaches that are well understood and now unfashionable should retain their place in the introductory curriculum, where they serve as intellectual ballast, foundation, and motivation for the more current and trendier content. We argue here for balance: that radical change be tempered by an appreciation for the place of long-standing approaches and underlying fundamentals. Those advocating curricular change must articulate their educational goals fully and consider explicitly what effect on those goals they expect the change to have; they must not throw the baby out with the bathwater.