cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thrombotic Microangiopathy: A Multidisciplinary Team Approach.

Thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) is characterized by the presence of microangiopathic hemolytic anemia and thrombocytopenia along with organ dysfunction, and pathologically, by the presence of microthrombi in multiple microvascular beds. Delays in diagnosis and initiation of therapy are common due to the low incidence, variable presentation, and poor awareness of these diseases, underscoring the need for interdisciplinary approaches to clinical care for TMA. We describe a new approach to improve clinical management via a TMA team that originally stemmed from an Affinity Research Collaborative team focused on thrombosis and hemostasis. The TMA team consists of clinical faculty from different disciplines who together are charged with the responsibility to quickly analyze clinical presentations, guide laboratory testing, and streamline prompt institution of treatment. The TMA team also includes faculty members from a broad range of disciplines collaborating to elucidate the pathogenesis of TMA. To this end, a clinical database and biorepository have been constructed. TMA leaders educate front-line providers from other departments through presentations in various forums across multiple specialties. Facilitated by an Affinity Research Collaborative mechanism, we describe an interdisciplinary team dedicated to improving both clinical care and translational research in TMA.
Tailoring plasticity of metallic glasses via interfaces in Cu/amorphous CuNb laminates

Metallic glasses (MGs) are known to have high strength, but poor ductility. Prior studies have shown that plasticity in MG can be enhanced by significantly reducing their dimension to nanoscale. Here we show that, via the introduction of certain types of crystalline/amorphous interfaces, plasticity of MG can be prominently enhanced as manifested by the formation of ductile “dimples” in a 2 μm thick amorphous CuNb film. By tailoring the volume fraction and architecture of crystalline/amorphous multilayers, tensile fracture surface of MG can evolve from brittle featureless morphology to containing ductile dimples. In situ micropillar compression studies performed inside a scanning electron microscope show that shear instability in amorphous layers can be inhibited by interfaces. The mechanisms for improving plasticity and fracture resistance of MG via interface and size effect are discussed.
Plant water stress and previous herbivore damage affect insect performance

1. Short-term changes in plant resistance traits can be affected by abiotic factors or damage by herbivores, although how the combined effects of abiotic factors and previous damage affect subsequent insect larval development is not well understood. 2. Complementary glasshouse and field experiments were conducted to evaluate whether plant water stress and previous herbivore damage influenced monarch (Danaus plexippus) larval development on common milkweed, Asclepias syriaca. 3. In the glasshouse, water stress altered a suite of A. syriaca functional traits but did not affect nutrient content, whereas herbivore damage increased leaf nitrogen (N) and reduced the carbon:nitrogen (C:N) ratio. A bioassay experiment showed that monarch larval survival was lower on well-watered plants that were previously damaged by monarch larva than on damaged and drought-stressed plants. Bioassay larvae consumed less leaf tissue of previously damaged plants, whereas monarch larval mass was affected additively by water stress and previous damage, after correcting for the amount of leaf tissue consumed. 4. In a 2-year field experiment, monarch larval performance was higher on previously damaged A. syriaca plants that received experimentally reduced rainfall, relative to plants receiving ambient rainfall. 5. Collectively, these results from glasshouse and field experiments suggest that insect performance was highest on previously damaged plants under water stress and highlight the additive and interactive roles of abiotic and biotic factors on herbivore performance.
Twin, Triplet, and Higher-Order Multifetal Pregnancies

Multifetal gestations have increased significantly in the past 30 years, mostly due to the increase in fertility treatments. Diagnosis can be made as early as 5 weeks gestation. Determination of both chorionicity and zygosity is most accurate early in pregnancy. Maternal and fetal complications are elevated in multifetal gestations, and such patients should receive specialized prenatal care [1].
Lighting-on-Demand: Balancing Occupant Needs and Energy Savings

ABSTRACT Lighting on demand (LOD) is a high-resolution energy-efficient lighting control technique that dynamically adjusts the lights in a space according to its occupancy. It controls the lights in the space individually such that the area that receives a higher light level is determined by the location of the occupant(s) and, in some cases, by their tasks. In our LOD system, the controls adjust the individual lights above and around the occupant to track him or her while traversing a circulation space. We developed three scenarios with different combinations of light levels in the occupancy and background areas. We built a test bed, developed an occupancy algorithm, and conducted a usability test to demonstrate the acceptability of the LOD system to people walking in the circulation space by asking them to evaluate the conditions they experienced and measuring their walking time. Our test results suggest that in the case of individual occupants walking in a circulation space, the LOD concept is general...
International supply chains and trade agreements

There is a growing literature that examines the role of trade agreements on the formation of international supply chains. The evidence indicates that in general countries that share trade agreement...
Emergency Care of Anxious Patients

Anxiety may be a normal response to stressful events or the symptom of an underlying disorder. Anxiety is both an emotional and a physical experience. Emotions range from apprehension to panic, with fears of losing control, going crazy, or dying. Physical symptoms include sweating, flushing, dizziness, fainting, racing heart, chest pain, hyperventilation, urinary frequency, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. The person’s experience of anxiety is determined by his constitution, psychology, affective style, and severity of external stressors.
Operational Agricultural Flood Monitoring with Sentinel-1 Synthetic Aperture Radar

Agricultural flood monitoring is important for food security and economic stability. Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) has the advantage over optical data by operating at wavelengths not impeded by cloud cover or a lack of illumination. This characteristic makes SAR a potential alternative to optical sensors for agricultural flood monitoring during disasters. The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of using freely available Copernicus Sentinel-1 SAR data for operational agricultural flood monitoring in the United States (U.S.). The operational detection of flood inundation was tested during Hurricane Harvey in 2017, which resulted in significant flooding over Texas and Louisiana, U.S. This paper presents 1) the agricultural flood monitoring method that utilizes Sentinel-1 SAR, the NASS 2016 Cultivated Layer, and the NASS 2016 and 2017 Cropland Data Layers; 2) flood detection validation results and 3) inundated cropland and pasture acreage estimates. The study shows that Sentinel-1 SAR is an effective and valuable data source for operational disaster assessment of agriculture.
Assessment of Cardiomyopathies and Cardiac Transplantation

Combining the diagnostic capabilities of CMR in the assessment of cardiac structures, myocardial perfusion, and various tissue characterizing pulse sequence methods provides a novel interrogation of myocardial physiology and abnormal anatomy from various forms of cardiomyopathy. Establishment of technical imaging standards and clinical adaptation in the past years has helped characterize the distinguishing features of different cardiomyopathies with CMR currently assuming a pivotal role in the diagnosis of cases of new-onset cardiomyopathy in experienced centers. Quantitative measurements, such as ventricular volumes, myocardial iron content, and extent of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) can effectively monitor disease status, guide medical therapy, and impact patient outcomes in specific clinical settings. This chapter will aim to summarize these current CMR applications in the assessment of various forms of cardiomyopathy, as well as post-cardiac transplantation with case examples. It will also discuss novel methods such as T1 and T2 mapping and future directions in cardiomyopathy assessment.
Sensitive multi-photon nonlinear laser wave-mixing detection of cancer and heart failure biomarkers

Multi-photon nonlinear laser wave-mixing spectroscopy is presented as an ultrasensitive detection method for pancreatic cancer biomarkers, carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) and carbohydrate antigen 242 (CA 242), and heart-failure biomarkers, pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (proANP) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP). Wave mixing is an ultrasensitive optical absorption-based detection method, and hence, it can detect both fluorescing and non-fluorescing biomarkers. One can detect biomarkers in their native form, label-free, without the use of time-consuming labeling steps. The wave-mixing signal beam is strong, collimated and coherent (laser-like) and it can be collected using a simple photodetector with an excellent signal-to-noise ratio (S/N). The wave-mixing signal has a quadratic dependence on the analyte concentration, and thus, small changes in analytes can be monitored more effectively (i.e., an ideal sensor). Compared to currently available detection methods, wave mixing offers inherent advantages such as short optical path length (micrometer-thin samples), high spatial resolution, ultrasensitive detection limits comparable or better than those of fluorescence- or ELISAbased methods, and native label-free detection. Since laser wave-mixing probe volume is small (nanoliter to picoliter), it is intrinsically convenient to couple with microfluidics or capillary-based electrophoresis systems to enhance chemical specificity. Different biomarkers can be placed on a simple slide or flowed inside a capillary and then detected. Our nonlinear multi-photon detectors can be easily configured as portable battery-powered devices that are suitable for use in the field. Potential real-world applications include detection of various biomarkers, cancer cells, and reliable early detection of diseases.
Rapid Development of Bleeding Esophageal Varices after Placement of Continuous Flow Left Ventricular Assist Device

We describe a patient with compensated cirrhosis and portal hypertension who underwent continuous flow LVAD implantation. Shortly after LVAD implantation, the patient developed new onset bleeding esophageal varices and ultimately had a fatal outcome. Our experience suggests that even well-compensated cirrhotic patients with significant portal hypertension are at risk of variceal bleeding after LVAD placement.
Cryptochromes Mediate Intrinsic Photomechanical Transduction in Avian Iris and Somatic Striated Muscle

Irises isolated from the eyes of diverse species constrict when exposed to light. Depending on species this intrinsic photomechanical transduction response (PMTR) requires either melanopsin or cryptochrome (CRY) photopigment proteins, generated by their respective association with retinoid or flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) chromophores. Although developmentally relevant circadian rhythms are also synchronized and reset by these same proteins, the cell type, mechanism, and specificity of photomechanical transduction (PMT) and its relationship to circadian processes remain poorly understood. Here we show that PMTRs consistent with CRY activation by 430 nm blue light occur in developing chicken iris striated muscle, identify relevant mechanisms, and demonstrate that similar PMTRs occur in striated iris and pectoral muscle fibers, prevented in both cases by knocking down CRY gene transcript levels. Supporting CRY activation, iris PMTRs were reduced by inhibiting flavin reductase, but unaffected by melanopsin antagonism. The largest iris PMTRs paralleled the developmental predominance of striated over smooth muscle fibers, and shared their requirement for extracellular Ca2+ influx and release of intracellular Ca2+. Photo-stimulation of identified striated myotubes maintained in dissociated culture revealed the cellular and molecular bases of PMT. Myotubes in iris cell cultures responded to 435 nm light with increased intracellular Ca2+ and contractions, mimicking iris PMTRs and their spectral sensitivity. Interestingly PMTRs featuring contractions and requiring extracellular Ca2+ influx and release of intracellular Ca2+ were also displayed by striated myotubes derived from pectoral muscle. Consistent with these findings, cytosolic CRY1 and CRY2 proteins were detected in both iris and pectoral myotubes, and knocking down myotube CRY1/CRY2 gene transcript levels specifically blocked PMTRs in both cases. Thus CRY-mediated PMT is not unique to iris, but instead reflects a more general feature of developing striated muscle fibers. Because CRYs are core timing components of circadian clocks and CRY2 is critical for circadian regulation of myogenic differentiation CRY-mediated PMT may interact with cell autonomous clocks to influence the progression of striated muscle development.
Differences in Treatment of Chlamydia trachomatis by Ambulatory Care Setting

Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) is the most commonly reported sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the US and timely, correct treatment can reduce CT transmission and sequelae. Emergency departments (ED) are an important location for diagnosing STIs. This study compared recommended treatment of CT in EDs to treatment in physician offices. Five years of data (2006–2010) were analyzed from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, and the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Surveys (NHAMCS), including the Outpatient survey (NHAMCS-OPD) and Emergency Department survey (NHAMCS-ED). All visits with a CT diagnosis and those with a diagnosis of unspecified venereal disease were selected for analysis. Differences in receipt of recommended treatments were compared between visits to physician offices and emergency departments using Chi square tests and logistic regression models. During the 5 year period, approximately 3.2 million ambulatory care visits had diagnosed CT or an unspecified venereal disease. A greater proportion of visits to EDs received the recommended treatment for CT compared to visits to physician offices (66.1 vs. 44.9 %, p < .01). When controlling for patients' age, sex and race/ethnicity, those presenting to the ED with CT were more likely to receive the recommended antibiotic treatment than patients presenting to a physician’s office (OR 2.16; 95 % CI 1.04–4.48). This effect was attenuated when further controlling for patients’ expected source of payment. These analyses demonstrate differences in the treatment of CT by ambulatory care setting as well as opportunities for increasing use of recommended treatments for diagnosed cases of this important STI.
Development of a miniaturized 3D organoid culture platform for ultra-high throughput screening.

The recent advent of robust methods to grow human tissues as 3D organoids allows us to recapitulate the 3D architecture of tumors in an in vitro setting and offers a new orthogonal approach for drug discovery. However, organoid culturing with extracellular matrix to support 3D architecture has been challenging for high-throughput screening (HTS)-based drug discovery due to technical difficulties. Using genetically engineered human colon organoids as a model system, here we report our effort to miniaturize such 3D organoid culture with extracellular matrix support in high-density plates to enable HTS. We first established organoid culturing in a 384-well plate format and validated its application in a cell viability HTS assay by screening a 2036-compound library. We further miniaturized the 3D organoid culturing in a 1536-well ultra-HTS format and demonstrated its robust performance for large-scale primary compound screening. Our miniaturized organoid culturing method may be adapted to other types of organoids. By leveraging the power of 3D organoid culture in a high-density plate format, we provide a physiologically relevant screening platform to model tumors to accelerate organoid-based research and drug discovery.
Low Loss Online Capacitor Tuning Method for Reactive Power Reduction of Inductive Wireless Power Transfer System Under Misalignment

In an inductive wireless power transfer system, unavoidable lateral misalignment between the transmitter and the receiver leads to reactive power, which reduces the powertransfer-efficiency and limits the maximum output power under given input voltage. A tunable capacitor provides access to achieve low reactive power and maintain high power-transfer-efficiency. In this paper, the effects of misalignment on power transfer performance is investigated. A conventional capacitor tuning method is analyzed, and its limitations are identified. An innovative low loss online capacitor tuning method is proposed to automatically achieve low reactive power and maintain high power-transfer-efficiency under misalignment. The proposed designs are evaluated via simulation.
Melting of multiple PCMs with different arrangements inside a heat exchanger for energy storage

Abstract Latent heat storage using Phase Change Materials (PCMs) is an important promising solution for addressing the renewable energy fluctuation problem. The low thermal conductivity of PCMs that substantially contributes to very slow storage and recovery of energy is a major obstacle. This study investigated the performance of multiple PCMs for different arrangements in a horizontally positioned heat exchanger during melting of the PCMs. The results identified the effects of conduction and natural convection heat transfer for different PCM arrangements in the heat exchanger. Numerical simulations were conducted for the defined geometries. The model developed for the study was validated against a published related study. Results in the form of liquid fraction contour and Nusselt number ratio plots are presented and discussed. It was found that the application of multiple arrangement of the PCMs has different effects on the heat transfer mechanisms. Natural convection has a significant positive effect on the heat transfer characteristics of these systems in all the arrangements studied. The parallel arrangement enhances conduction, leading to 40% reduced melting time, when only conduction heat transfer is considered, but it suppresses natural convection, while the series arrangement enhances natural convection heat transfer significantly. Compared to all the arrangements studied, the series arrangement was found to be superior for energy storage. With it, 15.5% reduction in complete melting time was achieved compared to the single PCM arrangement. Natural convection enhancement in this arrangement led to 50% complete melting time reduction, compared to the case of only conduction heat transfer. It was also found that the application of multiple PCMs increases the storage capacity by about 25%.
Improving Health Professions Students' Understanding of Interprofessional Roles Through Participation in a Patient Stabilization Simulation.

Objective. Interprofessional collaborative practice improves patient outcomes but is difficult to integrate into health care training. We aimed to teach interprofessional communication and teamwork through a standardized patient simulation on acute patient stabilization for health professions learners and measure the impact on learners’ perceptions of interprofessional collaboration. Methods. Medical and pharmacy students in their final year, and post-licensure nurses in their initial 6-month probationary period worked together to stabilize a simulated acutely-ill standardized patient. Perceptions of IPE were assessed pre- and post-simulation using the Student Perceptions of Interprofessional Clinical Education-Revised Instrument, version 2 (SPICE-R2). Scores were compared to a concurrently enrolled cohort of medical students who did not participate in the simulation. Results. Eighty learners participated in the simulations and all completed pre and post SPICE-R2 assessments. Learners’ perceptions increased significantly in all domains including understanding of roles in collaborative practice, interprofessional teamwork and team-based practice, and patient outcomes from collaborative practice. Compared to the control cohort whose scores did not change, perception of team-based practice and the impact on patient outcomes improved significantly; scores were similar for understanding of roles/responsibilities. SPICE-R2 scores increased similarly for students in each profession; repeat exposure to the simulation continued to improve perceptions but not as robustly as the initial simulation. Conclusion. This simulation changed learners’ perception of how interprofessional collaboration affects patient care supporting the incorporation of standardized patient-based interprofessional education even in late-stage education of health professionals.
Bacterial transmission and colonization in activated carbon block (ACB) point-of-use (PoU) filters

Drinking water bacteria are known to colonize commercial activated carbon block (ACB) point-of-use (PoU) drinking water filters. The breakthrough pattern of drinking water bacteria through these filters, however, is unclear. A manifold system was constructed with two of the most common filter brands in the U.S. and operated to simulate normal household diurnal use. The filters were fed tap water inoculated with two fluorescent-tagged bacterial species that were acclimated to drinking water conditions (GFP-Pseudomonas aeruginosa and mCherry-Escherichia coli). Separate breakthrough tests with abiotic fluorescent microspheres (1 μm) were also conducted. The fluorescent P. aeruginosa and E. coli strains were detected in filter effluent within the first 6 and 28 L processed, respectively. The fluorescent microspheres were also detected in the effluent within the first 6 L processed, indicating that preferential flow pathways with diameters larger than 1 μm allow influent particles to transit the entire thickness of the carbon block. P. aeruginosa broke through the filters more quickly than E. coli, possibly due to its smaller cell size. P. aeruginosa also displayed greater colonization advantages over E. coli, and its effluent cell number plateaued at levels two times the influent level. This study provides evidence that some bacteria, including species known to include opportunistic and enteric pathogenic strains, can be readily transmitted through solid block activated carbon filters and that these filters can elevate the levels of effective colonizers in drinking water.
Imaging in Inflammatory Breast Carcinoma

In this section, imaging findings of inflammatory breast carcinoma using the following modalities - mammography, ultrasonography, computerized tomography, and positron emission tomography - are described. Differential diagnoses are presented. The key finding in IBC is its inflammatory component, which can be well demonstrated on all of the modalities. Because no pathognomonic feature exists for IBC, biopsy is always needed for diagnosis. Nevertheless, there is a substantial and expanding role for imaging in the characterization and definition of the extent of disease, and in the monitoring its therapy.
Nutrient Intakes and Eating Patterns of U.S. Adults by Race/Ethnicity

To address a paucity of health and nutrition information, non-Hispanic Asians were oversampled for the first time in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2012. Therefo...
Hierarchical Exploration of Large Multivariate Data Sets

Multivariate data visualization techniques are often limited in terms of the number of data records that can be simultaneously displayed in a manner that allows ready interpretation. Due to the size of the screen and number of pixels available, visualizing more than a few thousand data points generally leads to clutter and occlusion. This in turn restricts our ability to detect, classify, and measure phenomena of interest, such as clusters, anomalies, trends, and patterns. In this paper we describe our experiences in the development of multi-resolution visualization techniques for large multivariate data sets. By hierarchically clustering the data and displaying aggregation information for each cluster, we can examine the data set at multiple levels of abstraction. In addition, by providing powerful navigation and filtering operations, we can create an environment suitable for interactive exploration without overloading the user with dense information displays. In this paper, we illustrate that our hierarchical displays are general by successfully applying them to four popular yet non-scalable visualizations, namely parallel coordinates, glyphs, scatterplot matrices and dimensional stacking.
The III V nitride semiconductors for blue light emission: Recent progress and a critical evaluation of their potential in comparison to the ZnSe based II VI semiconductors

The GaN based III–V nitride material system holds great promise for optical device technologies in the blue and ultraviolet spectra. Past researchers were hindered by high background electron concentrations, an inability to dope GaN p-type, and lack of a suitable substrate material. In the last several years, significant progress in overcoming each of these difficulties has created widespread interest in GaN device applications. These breakthroughs are reviewed and the remaining obstacles to the fabrication of a GaN laser are identified. Based on a detailed comparison of the material properties of GaN to ZnSe, it is predicted that GaN based lasers will have significantly better performance and reliability.
One-to-all personalized communication in torus networks

Given a multicomputer system of parallel processors connected in a torus network, the one-to-all personalized communication is to send from the root processor unique data to each of the other processors in the network. Under the assumptions of same-size data to each processor, store-and-forward routing, and all-port processors, we formulate the one-to-all personalized communication problem as an optimization problem with the goal to minimize the total elapsed time (measured in the number of time steps) for all data to reach their respective destinations. We design an optimal algorithm based on partitioning the torus network into disjoint subnetworks. We also present a heuristic algorithm based on a greedy strategy. We implement the algorithms on two Linux clusters with Gigabit Ethernet torus connection, currently in use at the Jefferson National Lab and configured as a 2-dimensional 8 × 8 torus and a 3-dimensional 4 × 8 × 8 torus, respectively. We analyze the performance of the algorithms using data collected in experiments.
Isolation of Vi Antigen and a Simple Method for Its Measurement

Vi antigen was purified from saline extract of Citrobacter strain 5396/38 by enzymatic digestion, concentration with ethanol, and precipitation with hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide. The Vi antigen prepared by this method was 18 and 230 times more protective in mice than two other preparations isolated by an earlier method utilizing acid hydrolysis. A sensitive and specific method of electroimmunodiffusion was described for measurement of Vi antigen.
Quarkonia production in p+A collisions

We present recent data on the production and suppression of quarkonia in proton-nucleus at s N N = 200 GeV collisions at RHIC. In particular the latest J / ψ suppression in d + Au collisions at s N N = 200 GeV is shown from PHENIX and ϒ data from both PHENIX and STAR is presented. These data are confronted with two standard calculations from the literature. The first assumes a factorization of the initial partonic hard scattering from the interaction of the quarkonia pre-cursor with the nucleons while traversing the target. The second calculation leverages a coherence argument to calculate very forward quarkonia production. Finally, we discuss the recent attempt by the PHENIX collaboration to test the geometric dependence on the integrated longitudinal density using this data.
Inequality in Knowledge Repository Use in Scaling Service Operations

To scale service operations requires sharing knowledge across the organization. However, prior work highlights that individuals on the periphery of organizational knowledge sharing networks may struggle to access useful knowledge at work. A knowledge repository (KR) has the potential to help peripheral individuals gain access to valuable knowledge because it is universally available and can be used without social interaction. However, for it to serve this equalizing function, those on the periphery of the organizational knowledge sharing networks must actually use it, possibly overcoming barriers to doing so. In this paper, we develop a multi-level model of knowledge use in teams to explore how individuals on the periphery of knowledge networks – due to inexperience, location, lack of social capital, gender, and role – access knowledge from a KR. Unexpectedly, we find that individuals whose experience and position already provide access to vital knowledge use a KR more frequently than individuals on the organizational periphery. We argue that this occurs because the KR – despite its appearance of equivalent accessibility – is actually more accessible to central than peripheral players. Thus, KR use is not driven primarily by the need to overcome limited access to other knowledge sources. Rather KR use is enabled when actors know how to reap value from the KR, which ironically improves with increasing access to other sources of knowledge. We conclude that KRs are unlikely to scale service operations without additional intervention.
On the Direct and Radiated Components of the Collisional Particle Pressure in Liquid-Solid Flows

In a recent study the collisional particle pressure was measured for liquid fluidized beds and liquid-solid flows. The particle pressure was defined as the 'additional pressure' generated by the presence of the particle-solid phase in a liquid-solid mixture. The particle pressure generated by collisions of particles was found to be composed of two main contributions: one from pressure pulses generated by direct collisions of particles against the containing walls (direct component), and a second one from pressure pulses due to collisions between individual particles that are transmitted through the liquid (radiated component). This paper presents a summary of the technique to measure the particle pressure and the main results of that study. Additional experiments were performed to further study each one of the components of the particle pressure. The direct component was studied by impacting particles on the active face of the pressure transducer. The magnitude of the measured impulse was found to be related to the impact velocity, the mass and the size of the impacting particle. By comparing the measurements with the predictions from the Hertzian theory, a quantification of the interstitial fluid effects could be obtained. The radiated component was investigated by generating binary collisions of particles in the vicinity of the transducer. The magnitude of the measured impulse was found to be a function of fluid density, particle size and impact velocity. Predictions based on impulse-pressure theory were obtained and compared with the experimental measurements. The model results showed good agreement with the experimental measurements.
DOD-STD-2167A applied to software maintenance

DOD-STD-2167A, the US Department of Defense Defense System Software Development standard, establishes requirements to be applied not only to software development but also to the support of software systems. The authors present a tailored 2167A process as the procedural philosophy for a defense industry software support group. Even though the software being maintained was not developed under the 1267A process, use of 2167A as a guideline in maintenance provides a better product than prior maintenance procedures. The tailored process includes nested software development cycles that address annual software version releases at the highest level, aggregates of software problem reports (SPRs) at the intermediate level, and individual SPRs at the lowest level. The complete process is described at each level. >
How to write an educational research grant: AMEE Guide No. 101

Writing an educational research grant in health profession education is challenging, not only for those doing it for the first time but also for more experienced scholars. The intensity of the competition, the peculiarities of the grant format, the risk of rejection, and the time required are among the many obstacles that can prevent educational researchers with interesting and important ideas from writing a grant, that could provide the funding needed to turn their scholarly ideas into reality. The aim of this AMEE Guide is to clarify the grant-writing process by (a) explaining the mechanics and structure of a typical educational research grant proposal, and (b) sharing tips and strategies for making the process more manageable.
Clinical Analysis of Excimer Laser Photorefractive Keratectomy Using a Multiple Zone Technique for Severe Myopia

Purpose In an investigational procedure, excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy for severe myopia was performed at three clinical trial centers to determine the effectiveness of the multiple zone technique. Methods A VisX Model Twenty/Twenty excimer laser (VisX, Santa Clara, California) was used to perform photorefractive keratectomy on 14 severely myopic eyes (– 10.37 to –24.5 diopters) of 12 patients by using a multiple zone technique. Postoperative follow-up ranged from six months to two years; retreatments were performed on four patients, with a follow-up of at least nine months. Results At six months postoperatively, before retreatment, three of the 14 eyes were within 2 diopters and seven of the 14 eyes were within 4 diopters of attempted correction. Regression of effect to more severe myopia was worse in five eyes treated with nitrogen gas blowing. Retreatments also demonstrated considerable myopic regression. Three patients had loss of two or more lines of best-corrected visual acuity, and these patients also had moderate or severe levels of haze. Conclusion Excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy for severe myopia using a multiple zone technique is associated with considerable regression, haze, and loss of best-corrected visual acuity, especially when performed in association with nitrogen gas blowing.
Ad-hoc wireless sensor network based underwater diffusive source localization

In this paper, we develop a statistical method for estimating the location of a diffusive source using an ad-hoc network of wireless sensors capable of sensing a diffusive field/environment. In particular, we focus on an underwater oil spill scenario along with statistical algorithms for analysis of sensor data leading to efficient estimation of the parameters of interest. We derive a maximum likelihood (ML) based parametric estimation method for localizing the diffusive source. The Cramer-Rao lower bound (CRLB) for the ML estimator performance is also derived as a measure of the theoretical performance bound. The effectiveness of the proposed method is also shown through numerical simulations.
Fabrication and Testing of Computer-Generated Volume Holograms in the Terahertz

Advances in rapid prototyping technology have allowed for successful fabrication of terahertz computer-generated volume holograms. We report on our progress in the design, fabrication, and measurement of our first successful holograms.
First Report of Turnip mosaic virus in Tomatillo (Physalis philadelphica) in California

Tomatillo is an important vegetable in Mexican cuisine. It is of Mesoamerica origin and now is grown widely in the Western Hemisphere. In 2011, 2% of commercially grown tomatillo plants in San Benito County, California exhibited severe stunting with foliage showing mosaic symptoms and leaf distortion. The fruits on infected plants were mottled and unmarketable. Flexuous filamentous-shaped virus particles of 800 to 850 nm long and 11 to 12 nm wide were observed from sap of the symptomatic plants with a transmission electron microscope. Sap from the diseased tomatillo plants reacted positively in an immunostrip assay for potyvirus (Agdia Inc., Elkhart, IN), indicating a potyvirus was associated with the disease. The causal agent was mechanically transmitted from the diseased field plants to six virus-free greenhouse tomatillo plants and all inoculated plants induced identical symptoms. The causal agent was also transmitted to Chenopodium quinoa and C. murale (chlorotic local lesions) and Nicotiana cleveland...
Relationships between landscape, snowcover depletion, and regional weather and climate

The effects of landscape changes on winter and spring snow-related processes, and on regional weather and climate are not thoroughly understood. In this study, a climate version of the Regional Atmospheric Modelling System (ClimRAMS) is used to investigate the effects of landscape change on seasonal snow depletion and its corresponding effects on atmospheric and hydrologic processes. Two simulations of the 1996 spring melt season in the Rocky Mountains and Northern Great Plains are compared. The first simulation utilizes the present-day vegetation distribution, and the second uses the same vegetation distribution with the exception that all forested regions are replaced by grassland. This vegetation modification affects 18% of the domain and changes the leaf area index, transmissivity of the vegetation canopy to incoming solar radiation, roughness length, and surface albedo. Additional snow-related differences occur because the snow lying over grass, and the snow under the forest canopy, exist in dramatically different radiative and thermal regimes. The snowcover changes resulting from the simulated deforestation influence the surface radiation balance, which leads to changes in surface sensible and latent energy fluxes, evaporation and transpiration rates, melt rates, and air temperature. The vegetation change also modifies snowcover depletion rates, which in turn cause variations in runoff production. Unmodified regions are affected through hydrologic transport processes. The manifestations of these changes with respect to regional weather and climate are discussed.
Age, Sex, Race, and the Lüscher Color Test:

Scores on Luscher Color Test are claimed to be independent of age, sex, and race. The test was administered to 102 consecutive admissions (71 males, 31 females; 35 Negroes, 67 Caucasians) to an acute psychiatric inpatient unit. The preference for each of the 8 Luscher colors was correlated with age, sex, and race. Two of the 48 biserial correlations were significant (p = .05). Negroes demonstrated significantly greater preference for grey than did Caucasians. Females showed significantly greater preference for red than males. These results are essentially supportive of the Luscher premise, i.e., age, sex, and race are independent of color preference.
Review of Pi2 Models

More than half a century after the discovery of Pi2 pulsations, Pi2 research is still vigorous and evolving. Especially in the last decade, new results have provided supporting evidence for some Pi2 models, challenged earlier interpretations, and led to entirely new models. We have gone beyond the inner magnetosphere and have explored the outer magnetosphere, where Pi2 pulsations have been observed in unexpected places. The new Pi2 models cover virtually all magnetotail regions and their coupling, from the reconnection site via the lobes and plasma sheet to the ionosphere.
The Effect of High.Dose Phenylephrine Versus Epinephrine on Regional Cerebral Blood Flow During CPR

Prior studies have not found the alpha agonist phenylephrine, in a dose of 0.1 mg/kg, to be as effective as 0.20 mg/kg of epinephrine in improving regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) during CPR in swine. We undertook this study to assess whether higher doses of phenylephrine might improve regional CBF. Fifteen swine were allocated to receive either epinephrine 0.2 mg/kg, phenylephrine 1.0 mg/kg, or phenylephrine 10 mg/kg. Regional CBF measurements were made during normal sinus rhythm, during CPR, and during CPR following drug administration. Epinephrine 0.2 mg/kg was significantly better in improving regional CBF to the left and right cerebral cortices, cerebellum, midbrain, and cervical cord than was phenylephrine 1.0 mg/kg. There was no significant difference in regional CBF between the animals receiving epinephrine 0.2 mg/kg and phenylephrine 10 mg/kg. The study shows that large doses of epinephrine and phenylephrine may be required during CPR to improve regional cerebral blood flow following a prolonged arrest.
Critical hand ischemia caused by forearm fibromuscular dysplasia

Abstract This article describes our experience with the management of a 79-year-old woman who had abrupt onset of unilateral critical hand ischemia associated with advanced localized fibromuscular dysplasia of the forearm arteries and thrombotic occlusion of the palmar arch. The patient was successfully managed with local infusion of streptokinase, which was followed by excision and grafting of the radial and ulnar arteries. To our knowledge this represents the first case of hand ischemia associated with forearm fibromuscular dysplasia. (J VASC SURG 1985;2:459-63.)
A theory of the transition to secondary market trading of IPOs.

Abstract We develop a model in which investment banks and institutional investors collaborate in smoothing an initial public offering's (IPOs) transition to secondary market trading. Their intervention promotes welfare under the assumption that significant new information arrives in the market in the immediate aftermath of the IPO. Under this assumption, it is optimal to stage the offering and suboptimal to commit to selling shares at a uniform price. The optimal strategy yields an economic rationale for secondary market price stabilization for IPOs carried out via a well-coordinated network of repeat institutional investors.
The Type 4 Prepilin Peptidases Comprise a Novel Family of Aspartic Acid Proteases

Type 4 prepilins or prepilin-like-proteins are secreted by a wide range of bacterial species and are required for a variety of functions including type 4 pilus formation, toxin and other enzyme secretion, gene transfer, and biofilm formation. A distinctive feature of these proteins is the presence of a specialized leader peptide that is cleaved off by a cognate membrane-bound type 4 prepilin peptidase (TFPP) during the process of secretion. In this report we show that the TFPPs represent a novel family of bilobed aspartate proteases that is unlike any other protease. The active site pairs of aspartic acids of the two TFPPs in Vibrio cholerae are found at positions 125 and 189 of TcpJ and 147 and 212 of VcpD. Corresponding aspartate residues are completely conserved throughout this extensive peptidase family.
Transmission of the atmosphere of Mars in the region of 2 mu.

Random Elsasser band model to compute atmospheric transmission of Earth and Mars for 2-micron carbon dioxide bands
Alternative Mating Behaviors of Young Male Bullfrogs

Yearling male bullfrogs often attempt to intercept and mate with females attracted to older, larger males (male parasitism) instead of defending a territory and attracting their own mates. Mating behaviors like male parasitism are thought to occur only when individuals suffer some strong disadvantage in using the behaviors that are more typical of their species. In this paper, I consider the relative benefits and costs of territoriality vs male parasitism for yearling males. Yearlings employing male parasitism are only occasionally successful at mating, and in years of reduced male-male competition, they produce significantly fewer young than territorial males of their age. Yearling males that vary in the degree to which they employ territorial behaviors instead of male parasitism do not differ measurably in growth rate or chances of mortality; however, indirect information suggests that territoriality should entail a greater chance of mortality. A computer simulation based solely on observed demographic parameters predicts that yearling males should be territorial whenever they can compete as effectively as two-year-old males. This condition appears to provide little restriction on the breeding tactics of yearling males; however, data on male-male aggressive encounters show that the size differences between one-year-old and two-year-old males are usually sufficient to preclude yearling males from competing successfully. Thus, the observed behavioral plasticity of yearling males may be best interpreted as a means of adjusting their behavioral tactics to levels of male-male competition that can vary within and between breeding seasons.
N-Glycans differentially regulate eosinophil and neutrophil recruitment during allergic airway inflammation

Allergic airway inflammation, including asthma, is usually characterized by the predominant recruitment of eosinophils. However, neutrophilia is also prominent during severe exacerbations. Cell surface-expressed glycans play a role in leukocyte trafficking and recruitment during inflammation. Here, the involvement of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine:α-6-D-mannoside β1,6-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase V (MGAT5)-modified N-glycans in eosinophil and neutrophil recruitment during allergic airway inflammation was investigated. Allergen-challenged Mgat5-deficient (Mgat5(-/-)) mice exhibited significantly attenuated airway eosinophilia and inflammation (decreased Th2 cytokines, mucus production) compared with WT counterparts, attributable to decreased rolling, adhesion, and survival of Mgat5(-/-) eosinophils. Interestingly, allergen-challenged Mgat5(-/-) mice developed airway neutrophilia and increased airway reactivity with persistent elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-17A, TNFα, IFNγ)). This increased neutrophil recruitment was also observed in LPS- and thioglycollate (TG)-induced inflammation in Mgat5(-/-) mice. Furthermore, there was significantly increased recruitment of infused Mgat5(-/-) neutrophils compared with WT neutrophils in the peritoneal cavity of TG-exposed WT mice. Mgat5(-/-) neutrophils demonstrated enhanced adhesion to P-selectin as well as increased migration toward keratinocyte-derived chemokine compared with WT neutrophils in vitro along with increased calcium mobilization upon activation and expression of elevated levels of CXCR2, which may contribute to the increased neutrophil recruitment. These data indicate an important role for MGAT5-modified N-glycans in differential regulation of eosinophil and neutrophil recruitment during allergic airway inflammation.
Synthesis and Structural Characterization of Metal Compounds Incorporating the Ortho-Quinone Manganese Tricarbonyl Complex as an Organometalloligand

Three π-quinonoid compounds incorporating the organometalloligand ortho-quinone manganese tricarbonyl ([(C6H4O2)Mn(CO)3]−, o-QMTC) have been synthesized and characterized by IR and X-ray crystallography: [Pd(o-QMTC)(PPh3)2]BF4·CH2Cl2 (1), (o-QMTC)Rh(1,5-cyclooctadiene) (2), and Cu(o-QMTC)2 (3). The formally anionic o-QMTC ligand features Mn-arene bonding that is best described as η4-bound. Nevertheless, o-QMTC interplanar angular data and νco data suggest significant contribution from η5 and η6 forms. In each of the compounds, the o-QMTC organometalloligand(s) contribute to a square planar geometry about the Pd(II), Rh(I), or Cu(II) metal center.
Electron-hole droplets in germanium in the high stress limit

Abstract We have observed electron-hole droplets in germanium stressed uniformly in the direction to the high stress limit. The measured values of the density, binding energy and phase diagram are in good agreement with theoretical calculations.