cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The measurement of erythrocyte thiamin pyrophosphate by high-performance liquid chromatography

Abstract A procedure for the rapid, sensitive, and direct measurement of thiamin pyrophosphate (TPP) in erythrocytes using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is described. Human erythrocyte TPP levels from 17 normal healthy adults had a mean value of 123 ± 27 ng/ml packed erythrocytes, ranging from 80 to 166 ng/ml. These values are in general agreement with TPP levels of control subjects using the enzymatic method developed previously by this laboratory. Statistical evaluation of the TPP levels using both of these methods on 13 samples of calf blood resulted in no significant difference (mean values of 114 ± 22 and 115 ± 20). The TPP levels determined by the HPLC method on erythrocytes from rats fed a thiamin-deficient diet fell rapidly during the first 9 days that the animals were on the diet. They had fallen out of the normal range by the 5th day. It remains to be determined whether this method can be applied to humans as an index of thiamin status.
Crossroads: The Eric Clapton Guitar Festival Recorded Live at Madison Square Garden in New York City on April 12–13, 2013

From the early 20th century to the present day, guitarists have constituted a distinctive cadre among instrumental artists. From their fanciful nicknames (ranging from Les Paul’s “Rhubarb Red” to E...
Mechanism of the enhanced spreading of some mixtures of anionic and cationic hydrocarbon chain surfactants on a highly hydrophobic polyethylene surface

The objective of this investigation was to measure the interfacial properties and interactions among mixtures of different cationic and anionic surfactants at the hydrophobic solid/aqueous solution interface to explain the different spreading factors or behavior of the mixed surfactants on a highly hydrophobic polyethylene (PE) film. A synergistic effect in the spreading of the mixed surfactant solutions on the PE film was observed when the surfactants were added sequentially. Other interfacial phenomena related to this surfactant spreading, such as interaction parameters at the solid/liquid (S/L) and liquid/air (L/A) interfaces in the mixtures adsorbed at various interfaces and dynamic contact angles of the mixed surfactant solutions during the process of spreading on the PE substrate, were investigated to obtain insight into this enhanced spreading. All the interaction parameters were more negative than −20, indicating very strong interaction between these cationic and anionic surfactants. The interaction parameters at the S/L interface were more negative than at the L/A interface, showing that the attractive interaction at the S/L interface was stronger than at the L/A interface. The spreading was related to the difference in the interaction parameters at the S/L and L/A interfaces and to the dynamic contact angle.
Spectrally determined growth is generic

Let A be the infinitesimal generator of a Co-semigroup of operators in a Hilbert space. We consider the class of operators A + B, where B is bounded. It is proved that the spectrum of A + B determines the growth of the associated semigroup for "most" operators B (in the sense of Baire category).
Conduction Properties of Chemically Deposited Polycrystalline Silicon

The relation between the conduction properties of the polycrystalline silicon films and process parameters such as the dose of implanted impurities, the deposition temperature, and heat‐treatment were investigated. The doping concentration in polycrystalline silicon film was precisely controlled by ion implantation techniques. The trapping state density at the grain boundary which was the most important factor for the conduction properties of polycrystalline silicon was calculated using the doping concentration and experimentally obtained potential barrier height. It was found that the trapping state densities were for the boron‐implanted polycrystalline silicon deposited at 700°C, and for the phosphorus‐implanted polycrystalline silicon, respectively. The trapping state density was found to be reduced by increasing the deposition temperature or by the heat‐treatment of the film at high temperature after the deposition of the polycrystalline silicon. It was also revealed that even a very small amount of oxygen caused the increase of the trapping state density.
The (Temporal) Semantics and (Modal) Pragmatics of the Perfect

The English perfect involves two fundamental components of meaning: a truth-conditional one involving temporal notions and a current relevance presupposition best expressed in terms drawn from the analysis of modality. The proposal made here draws much for the Extended Now theory (McCoard 1978 and others), but improves on it by showing that many aspects of the perfect's meaning may be factored out into independent semantic or pragmatic principles.
Incoherent neutron scattering from multi‐element materials

In a neutron diffraction measurement, including small-angle scattering, there is generally a featureless (i.e. Q-independent) component due to incoherent scattering. This scattering contains no information about the atomic structure or structure on any scale. There may also be featureless scattering that arises from atomic disorder in multi-element materials. This scattering is sometimes referred to as compositional or mixture incoherent scattering. However, this designation is misleading. A much better designation is diffuse coherent scattering. Here the differences and distinguishing characteristics of incoherent scattering vis-a-vis diffuse coherent scattering due to atomic disorder are delineated and demonstrated experimentally.
Sexual Harassment Comes of Age: A Comparative Analysis of the United States and Japan

Public consciousness of sexual harassment, or sekuhara, emerged much later in Japan than in the United States. This article, the first comparative study of sexual harassment in the two nations, explores how consciousness of a new legal category diffuses across nations and begins to take root in younger cohorts. Analyses of the U.S. General Social Survey and the Japanese Survey on Working Women's Consciousness show how age cohorts entering the labor force following major equal opportunity legislation report more sexual harassment than do older cohorts. We first conduct a separate nation-specific analysis and then pool the data sets to test for national differences with cross-product interaction terms. The effects of age, income, and job satisfaction all differ significantly between the United States and Japan. Family and life course factors are also important predictors, particularly in Japan. We interpret these results based on the extant literature on sexual harassment, legal consciousness over the life course, and comparative research on workplace behaviors.
Analysis of radar dismount signatures via non-parametric and parametric methods

We present novel approaches to the analysis of radar dismount signatures that entail the characterization of the time-frequency (TF) structure of the received radar signal associated with the dismount gait by both non-parametric and parametric methods. We first introduce the concept of Gaussian g-Snakes in order to parametrically characterize the TF distribution of radar signals. In particular, we derive simple steepest descent equations that enable the estimation of the (locally) optimal g-Snake parameters for a given TF distribution. Furthermore the g-Snake modeling methodology gives us an objective unsupervised criterion from which to quantify the quality of the motion curve estimates that have been tracked from the TF data. We then formulate the non-parametric motion estimation for TF signals by a coupling of a simple partial tracking methodology in conjunction with boundary condition enforcement with regularity constraints. Finally we propose a coupling of the above non-parametric approach with g-Snake modeling that result in improved overall modeling of the given real and simulated radar TF data.
Large-scale porous media and wavelet transformations

Regardless of whether we're interested in extracting oil or gas from an underground reservoir, or wish to study how a contaminant may spread in an aquifer, we must be able to model flow and transport phenomena in large-scale porous media. However, such models can be predictive and, thus, useful only if we can characterize and model the LSPM's morphology.
Feline leukemia virus infection as a potentiating cofactor for the primary and secondary stages of experimentally induced feline immunodeficiency virus infection.

Preexistent feline leukemia virus (FeLV) infection greatly potentiated the severity of the transient primary and chronic secondary stages of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infection. Of 10 FeLV-FIV carrier cats, 5 died of experimentally induced FIV infection, compared with 2 deaths in 10 cats infected only with FeLV and 1 death in 7 cats infected only with FIV. FIV-infected cats with preexistent FeLV infections developed severe depression, anorexia, fever, diarrhea, dehydration, weight loss, and leukopenia 4 to 6 weeks after infection and were moribund within 2 weeks of the onset of signs, whereas cats infected only with FIV developed much milder self-limiting gross and hematologic abnormalities. Pathologic findings in dually infected cats that died were similar to those observed previously in cats dying from uncomplicated primary FIV infection but were much more widespread and severe. Coinfection of asymptomatic FeLV carrier cats with FIV did not increase the levels of FeLV p27 antigen present in their blood over that seen in cats infected with FeLV alone. The amount of proviral FIV DNA was much higher, however, in dually infected cats than in cats infected only with FIV; there was a greater expression of FIV DNA in lymphoid tissues, where the genome was normally detected, and in nonlymphoid tissues, where FIV DNA was not usually found. Dually infedted cats that recovered from the primary stage of FIV infection remained more leukopenic than cats infected with FIV or FeLV alone, and their CD4+/CD8+ T-lymphocyte ratios were inverted. One of these cats developed what was considered to be an opportunistic infection. It was concluded, therefore, that a preexistent FeLV infection in some way enhanced the expression and spread of FIV in the body and increased the severity of both the resulting transient primary and chronic secondary stages of FIV infection. This study also demonstrated the usefulness of the FIV model in studying the role of incidental infectious diseases as cofactors for immunodeficiency-causing lentiviruses. Images
Instrument Concept for the Proposed DESDynI SAR instrument

The proposed DESDynI (Solid Earth Deformation, Ecosystems Structure and Dynamics of Ice) SAR (synthetic aperture radar) Instrument would expand the trade-space of radar instrument concepts and push the boundaries of high-level integration of digital and RF subsystems in order to achieve very precise assessments of system's behavior; DESDynI mission concept would provide continuous science measurements that would greatly enhance understanding of geophysical and anthropological effects in three science disciplines; Trades in instrument architecture implementations and partnership discussions are producing a set of options for science community and NASA to evaluate and consider implementing late in the decade.
Ultrafast Pulsed Magnets for Beam Manipulation in an Electron Storage Ring

A fast kicker magnet has been developed for use in CESR. Magnetic fields of 300 gauss have been attained in a 6 cm gap with a rise time of 30 ns and a total pulse length of < 100 ns.
Improving the Sensitivity, Specificity, and Appositeness of Morphometric Analyses

The finesse and the communicativeness of papers in the physical anthropology Journals using multivariate techniques have improved quite a lot over the last ten or fifteen years. The best are excellent and it is not my intention here to write a jeremiad decrying the remaining shortcomings of the weakest papers. Still, there is value in reminding ourselves of some criteria of success in data analysis that are simple and familiar but which constantly need re-emphasis.
Frequent utilization of the emergency department for acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Background: Little is known about patients who frequently visit the emergency department (ED) for acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD). We aimed to quantify the proportion and characteristics of patients with frequent ED visits for AECOPD and associated healthcare utilization. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of adults aged ≥40 years with at least one ED visit for AECOPD between 2010 and 2011, derived from population-based all-payer data of State ED and Inpatient Databases for two large and diverse states: California and Florida. Outcome measures were frequency of ED visits for AECOPD, 30-day ED revisits, subsequent hospitalizations, near-fatal events (AECOPD involving mechanical ventilation), and charges for both ED and inpatient services (available only for Florida) during the year after the first ED visit. Results: The analytic cohort comprised 98,280 unique patients with 154,736 ED visits for AECOPD. During the 1-year period, 29.4% (95% CI, 29.1%-29.7%) of the patients had two or more (frequent) visits, accounting for 55.2% (95% CI, 54.9%-55.4%) of all ED visits for AECOPD. In the multivariable model, significant predictors of frequent ED visits were age 55–74 years (vs. 40–54 years), male sex, non-Hispanic white or black race, Medicaid insurance (vs. private), and lower median household income (all P < 0.001). At the visit-level, 12.3% of ED visits for AECOPD were 30-day revisit events (95% CI, 12.1%-12.4%). Additionally, 62.8% of ED visits for AECOPD (95% CI, 62.6%-63.0%) resulted in a hospitalization; patients with frequent ED visits comprised 55.5% (95% CI, 55.2%-55.8%) of all hospitalizations. Furthermore, 7.3% (95% CI, 7.3%-7.5%) of ED visits for AECOPD led to a near-fatal event; patients with frequent ED visits accounted for 64.4% (95% CI, 63.5%-65.3%) of all near-fatal events. Total charges for AECOPD were $1.94 billion (95% CI, $1.90-1.97 billion) in Florida; patients with frequent ED visits accounted for $1.07 billion (95% CI, $1.04-1.09 billion). Conclusions: In this large cohort study, we found that 29% had frequent ED visits for AECOPD and that lower socioeconomic status was significantly associated with a higher frequency of ED visits. Individuals with frequent ED visits for AECOPD accounted for a substantial amount of healthcare utilization and financial burden.
Electronic packaging research and education in the 21st century at PRC

The next generation of packaging must be consistent with both semiconductors and systems. The packages in the past have been mostly passive containers for semiconductors. Given the needs for extremely compact and ultra low-cost electronic systems of the 21st century and given the wafer fabrication costs that are $3-5B per plant, this paper looks at what packaging should be in the 21st century. Any packaging technology should also be built upon the learning of current state-of-the-art packaging. Highly integrated and low-cost packaging as a single level and single component that is capable of improving performance, reducing cost and size by about an order of magnitude in each case is proposed. Similar advances are also proposed in electronic packaging education for the 21st century, introducing packaging at pre-college level and providing a system-level view at undergraduate and graduate levels.
On design of a robust load frequency controller for interconnected power systems

A novel design of a robust decentralized load frequency controller (LFC) is proposed for an inter-connected three-area power system, for the purpose of regulating area control error (ACE) in the presence of uncertainties in system dynamics and external disturbances. The design is based on the concept of active disturbance rejection control (ADRC). Estimating and mitigating the total effect of various uncertainties in real time, ADRC is particularly effective against a wide range of parameter variations, model uncertainties, and large disturbances. Furthermore, with only two tuning parameters, the controller provides a simple, easy-to-use solution to complex engineering problems in practice. Here, an ADRC-based LFC solution is developed for the power systems with turbines of various types, such as non-reheat, reheat, and hydraulic. The simulation results verified the effectiveness of the ADRC.
Messages that Mobilize? Issue Publics and the Content of Campaign Advertising

Does the issue content of campaign appeals mobilize particular subsets of voters? We examine whether issue content interacts with the interests and agendas of “issue publics,” focusing on the relationship between campaign messages and the turnout of senior citizens, veterans, and parents. Our analysis matches Current Population Survey respondents to media markets and then to relevant campaign advertising data in the 1998, 2000, and 2002 elections. We find that issue-specific campaign messages are not associated with higher turnout among senior citizens or veterans and are associated with only a small increase in turnout among parents. Our results suggest that campaign effects vary in their magnitude and importance for the mobilization of issue publics.
Rapid tuning of a fuel gas saturator control system using Nyquist and bode diagrams

A multivariable controller is designed and implemented for a saturator in a fuel gas process evaluation facility for coal gasification based power plants. The saturator model developed from first principles is represented by a high-order nonlinear state variable dynamic system. The controller is designed so that the closed-loop frequency response is as close as possible, in a least-squares sense, to a desired response. The design method allows the use of a simple controller structure and minimizes interaction in the critical frequency range where the characteristic gains pass near the critical points. The test results describe the operational performance of the control system and offer a practical approach for coordinated control of heat transfer components in a power plant.
Dynamics of bound-exciton energy transformation to edge-luminescence centers in CdS

Abstract Dynamics of energy transfer among bound-excitons and donor-acceptor pairs (DAPs) in CdS have been investigated by using time-resolved edge luminescence excitation spectroscopy. Intensity peaks associated with the creation of I1 excitons (exciton bound to neutral acceptor) at short delay times indicate that the efficiency of bound exciton decay into impurity centers is high. However, evolution of the I1 intensity peak into a dip with increasing delay-time has been observed. This has been interpreted in terms of the decay rate of DAP luminescence increase caused by the electric field in the surface region.
Impulse response of the photonic time-stretched analog-to-digital converter

We discussed the impulse response (or the frequency response) of the TS-ADC for capturing high-speed electrical signals. It was shown that the upper bound for the frequency response is currently determined only by the optical modulator bandwidth, which is sufficient for capturing most electrical signals of interest today.
Retrotranslations of Post-Transsexuality, Notions of Regret

From the time Harry Benjamin's Transsexual Phenomenon appeared in 1966, psychiatrists and legislators have used clinical studies of the recipients of Sexual Reassignment Surgery to strengthen their franchise on the legitimate translation of sex. Within these translations, the speaking positions of post-transsexuals — those who no longer identify as transsexual, but who resist a return to an a priori sexual designation — have become shrouded in notions of regret. Drawing on the work of Judith Butler, Homi K. Bhabha and Michel Foucault, this article analyzes several legal, clinical and theoretical mistranslations of the post-transsexual enterprise, and the notion that post-transsexuals can only translate forward by going back.
Construction Specification Framework for Utility Installations

Utility accommodation policies nationwide contain requirements for the accommodation, location, installation, relocation, and maintenance of utility facilities on the state right-of-way. The policies normally cover basic requirements, making it necessary to use additional specifications and special provisions to handle situations not covered by the policies. Frequently, because of the lack of standard utility installation construction specifications at transportation agencies, many different versions of special specifications and special provisions exist. Closely related to the need to standardize construction specifications for utility installations is the need to standardize methodologies and procedures for determining the cost of utility relocation. This lack of standardization translates into difficulties such as how to verify the validity of the cost data submitted for reimbursement and how to prepare adequately for audits and other internal and external inquiries. This paper summarizes the work comp...
Electrothermal modeling of microwave and RF PIN Diode switch and attenuator circuits

This paper describes a time-domain electrothermal model for the microwave and RF p-i-n diode showing its usefulness in the design of PIN diode-based RF attenuator circuits over wide ambient temperature changes. The paper provides an overview of thermal variations on RF attenuation in PIN diode circuits and verifies this phenomenon with measurements on a series-reflective attenuator. These measured results compare favorably with the electrothermal model and provide circuit designers the insight needed to simulate and design temperature compensation circuits in time-domain simulators such as SPICE.
TWO LATE ORDOVICIAN ASTEROIDS (ECHINODERMATA) WITH CHARACTERS SUGGESTIVE OF EARLY OPHIUROIDS

Jugiaster n. gen. is based on the Upper Ordovician asteroid (Echinodermata) Petraster speciosus; in addition, a second Upper Ordovician occurrence, Phyrtosaster casteri, new gen. and sp., is described. Both species exhibit mouth frame characters suggestive of those long considered typical of early ophiuroids, thereby demonstrating the adaptive versatility and complexity of asterozoan diversification. Jugiaster specimens also exhibit delicate ambulacral column articulation. The new fossils indicate the need for much further study before early asterozoan history will be well understood.
Food and Feasting in the Zona Maya of Quintana Roo

Skeletal analysis shows that the ancient Maya typically obtained about 75% of their calories from maize (White 1999, passim). In some areas, they ate more seafood or root crops, and maize dropped to around 50% (Magennis 1999; Staller et al. 2006; White et al. 2006). Maize is a C4 plant; other common Maya foods are primarily C3 plants. This refers to different pathways for metabolizing carbon; the C4 pathway is more efficient than the C3 under very hot conditions, and is thus commonest among plants of hot, sunny, tropical areas. The C3 pathways works better under cooler conditions. These photosynthetic pathways leave different carbon isotope signatures in the people or animals that eat these plants. Thus, analysis of skeletons can tell us how much maize people ate (Reed 1999). Usually, the Maya ate much maize, and so did their one domestic mammal (the dog) and so did two of their favorite game animals – peccaries and pacas – who lived by robbing milpas. Deer, however, ate more C3 food (Reed 1999), though they ate enough C4 to prove they had been raiding gardens – or, locally, raised in captivity, possibly for sacrifice (White et al. 2006), though modern Maya raise deer simply as pets or for food.1
Signs and Minds: An Introduction to the Theory of Semiotic Systems

Perhaps no other view concerning the theoretical foundations of artificial intelligence has been as widely accepted or as broadly influential as the physical symbol system conception advanced by Newell and Simon (1976), where symbol systems are machines — possibly human — that process symbolic structures through time. From this point of view, artificial intelligence deals with the development and evolution of physical systems that employ symbols to represent and to utilize information or knowledge, a position often either explicitly endorsed or tacitly assumed by authors and scholars at work within this field (cf. Nii et al., 1982 and Buchanan 1985). Indeed, this perspective has been said to be “the heart of research in artificial intelligence” (Rich 1983, p. 3), a view that appears to be representative of its standing within the community at large.
Rents, Taxes, and Peasant Resistance: The Lower Yangzi Region, 1840-1950

Introduction 1. Landlords, tenants, and the state in the early and mid-quig 2. Popular resistance in the 1840's and 1850's 3. The Taiping occupation of Jiangnan, 1860-1864 4. Reconstruction and post-Taiping rural society, 1864-1911 5. Landlords, tenants, and the state in the republican period, 1912-1937 6. Popular resistance in the republican period, 1912-1937 Conclusion.
Beta-adrenergic blocking drugs in severe heart failure.

Diabetes mellitus is associated with an increased prevalence of and morbidity from coronary artery disease, which is present in at least 25% of diabetic patients. Diabetes mellitus is a risk factor for recurrent cardiovascular events after myocardial infarction and after percutaneous coronary intervention procedures or coronary artery bypass surgery. Less than half of the increase in cardiovascular events with diabetes mellitus is accounted for by the presence of traditional cardiac risk factors such as hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and hypertriglyceridemia. Vascular inflammation reflected by increased levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, endothelial dysfunction associated with hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia, impaired fibrinolysis mediated by hyperinsulinemia, and increased platelet aggregation are now recognized as promoting the development of arteriosclerosis in diabetic patients. These factors may be present long before a diagnosis of diabetes mellitus is established. Platelets in diabetic subjects appear to be in an activated state even in the absence of vascular injury, as evidenced by greater expression of the fibrinogen-binding glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor, which constitutes the final common pathway of platelet activation and allows for cross-linking of individual platelets by fibrinogen molecules and formation of thrombus. Platelet inhibition with intravenous glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors has been shown to reduce morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention for acute coronary syndromes, and diabetic patients appear to derive an even greater relative benefit from this treatment. The ACC/AHA 2002 guidelines for the management of acute coronary syndromes recommend the use of abciximab in diabetic patients undergoing stent implantation.
Intrathecal Lymphocyte Infusions: Clinical and Animal Toxicity Studies

Malignant gliomas are universally fatal. Untreated patients with this disease survive about 6 weeks from onset of symptoms. Surgery, which may vary from needle biopsy to radical resection, is the most widely accepted therapeutic modality, but results in a median survival of only 6 months.8 Radiologists have demonstrated that megavoltage irradiation after surgical decompression can extend the median survival to 9 months.36 Wilson40 has shown that the nitrosoureas, 1,3-bis(2-chlorethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU) and 1-(2-chlorethyl)-3-cyclohexyl-1-nitrosourea (CCNU), may have efficacy in therapy of malignant astrocytomas. They are not so effective as radiation, but the combination of radiation and BCNU results in an additional 6 weeks of median survival.39 Therefore, today, the combination of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy is the best available therapy for malignant gliomas. Nonetheless, it results in a median survival of only 10 months, which is not very impressive.
Procollagen type III amino-terminal propeptide: a serum biomarker of left ventricular remodelling in paediatric dilated cardiomyopathy.

Background Procollagen type III amino-terminal propeptide is a collagen III cleavage product released in blood. The serum levels of this propeptide in adults with dilated cardiomyopathy are associated with cardiac remodelling and prognosis. The utility of procollagen type III amino-terminal propeptide as a biomarker in paediatric dilated cardiomyopathy is unknown. Methods This was a prospective, longitudinal study of children with dilated cardiomyopathy and changes in procollagen type III amino-terminal propeptide. The serum level of propeptide was measured serially, compared with paediatric normal values, and correlated with clinical status and left ventricular size and function on echocardiograms and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. Results Procollagen type III amino-terminal propeptide was measured serially in 149 samples from 39 patients, age 9.0±6.4 years, followed up for 16.8±16.3 months. Procollagen type III amino-terminal propeptide in dilated cardiomyopathy was higher than in normal children. On multivariate analyses, procollagen type III amino-terminal propeptide had a positive correlation with left ventricular dilation, left ventricular end-diastolic diameter index (p<0.0001), and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter Z-score (p=0.0003), and a negative correlation with shortening fraction changes over time (p=0.001). Patients with myocarditis (n=12) had higher procollagen type III amino-terminal propeptide values than those with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (n=20). Conclusions Procollagen type III amino-terminal propeptide increases with left ventricular dilation and decreases with improvement in systolic function in paediatric dilated cardiomyopathy, indicating a role as a biomarker of cardiac remodelling in children. The diagnostic utility of procollagen type III amino-terminal propeptide to differentiate myocarditis from idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy warrants further investigation.
Determination of residual formic acid in medicine by headspace gas chromatography

Objective:To establish a method for determination of residual formic acid in medicine.Methods:The medicine was dissolved by the water,and added the 0.5 ml sulfuric acid-ethanol to the water,at the 55℃,the water was heated 90 minutes by headspace,the formic acid was derivatived to ethyl methanoate,and tested by the gas chromatography.Results:At the mentioned condition,the limitation was 0.05 mg/kg,and the precise was 5.2%,the average recoveries was between 90% and 92%.Conclusion:This method is easy to operate with precise result,and it is a reliable method for the determination of residual formic acid in medicine.
Application of PACS System in Radiology

Objective:To introduce the application of the PACS system in radiology department in the Wuhan Children Hospital.Methods:Through HL7 protocol and DICOM Worklist,the PACS was integrated with the HIS and RIS system,and it successfully connected the Full-PACS with the imaging equipment,cameras,computers,professional portraits,printers and so on.Results:The PACS achieved filmless and paperless,optimized workflow and improved efficiency.Conclusion:It seamlessly integrate the PACS,RIS and HIS system,within technical framework guidance of IHE,which is based on DICOM3.0 standard and HL7 protocol.
Molecular determinants of olfactory habituation

Sustained odor input can lead to reversible decreases in sensitivity to odor. Understanding the molecules that integrate sustained odor input are important for decoding the neuronal properties that tune odor sensitivity and prevent over stimulation. Here we will describe our data using Caenorhabditis elegans to understand how sustained odor input is encoded within olfactory neurons. Previous research has identified a protein kinase G (PKG) that is necessary to invoke olfactory habituation in C. elegans1, and we have found that during acute presentation of odor, this PKG is localized to the cytosol and after sustained odor input, moves into the nucleus of the olfactory neurons2,3. We also uncover a cGMP mediated signaling pathway within the cilia of the olfactory sensory neurons that is necessary to trigger the nuclear entry of PKG4. Our work provides insight into how the molecular landscape within olfactory neurons change during sustained odor input.
2015 Annual Report - Argonne Leadership Computing Facility

The Argonne Leadership Computing Facility provides supercomputing capabilities to the scientific and engineering community to advance fundamental discovery and understanding in a broad range of disciplines.
10 keV to 100 keV non-thermal radiation from high-Z exploding wires

There is an interest in 10 keV to 100 keV radiation sources for some types of radiation-interaction studies. The approach presented here uses non-thermal radiation from single-wire radiators (SWRs). An SWR is a high-Z exploding wire that produces many small, bright radiation sources along its length during a fast (< 100 ns) high-current (∼ MA) discharge. In previous experiments,2 tungsten wires produced spectra with 60 J above 10 keV with an effective endpoint of about 100 keV. An array of many, non-interacting SWRs is proposed to generate a higher yield in this energy range.
INTEGRATING SCIENTIFIC AND LOCAL SOILS KNOWLEDGE TO EXAMINE OPTIONS BY CONTEXT INTERACTIONS FOR PHOSPHORUS ADDITION TO LEGUMES IN AN ANDEAN AGROECOSYSTEM

This research sought to link Andean soil knowledge and farmer categorization of soil fertility to soil science characterization of soils, and use these to understand the impacts of phosphorus (P) fertilization of legumes using rock phosphate and soluble P fertilizer in 17 smallholder-managed sites with varying soil properties. We found that farmer high/low categorization of soils corresponded to soil P fertility and distance from farmer dwellings. Measures of soil P fertility also were inversely related to mycorrhizal colonization of vetch roots and directly related to the potential for P release by legume residues (C:P ratio). However, particular soil properties (texture and calcium phosphate pools) were better in explaining the response of legume biological nitrogen fixation to P addition, with maximal impacts in low-clay soils and soils with low calcium phosphates, as assessed with a dilute HCl extraction. In these conducive contexts, legume BNF increased 67 and 150% for RP and TSP, respectively (p < 0.05), with similar increases in biomass P stocks that showed promise for soil regeneration. In low-P fields, added P increased potential P release from legume residues via lower C:P ratios (p < 0.05). Percent cover of soil increased from 35% in the control to 45 and 55% with RP and TSP (p < 0.05), which shows potential for reduced erosion risk under P fertilization of legumes. We discuss results with respect to the integration of local farmer knowledge systems with exogenous scientific knowledge.
NICE food allergy and anaphylaxis quality standards: a review of the 2016 quality standards.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has in the last 5 years published guidance on several aspects of clinical allergy. In March 2016 they published quality standards on food allergy (QS 118)1 and anaphylaxis (QS 119).2 Despite the recent increase in allergy guidance, not only from NICE but also in the form of a Department of Health Commissioned Pathway Project with the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH),3 and several NICE-accredited guidelines from the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology (BSACI), inconsistencies remain in the management of food allergy and anaphylaxis. The National Review of Asthma Deaths highlights that some deaths may have been prevented had there been better management of those with asthma and allergies. Recognition that in uncontrolled asthma, allergic triggers such as food allergy should be considered and also acknowledging that having asthma increases the risk of life-threatening reactions in, for example, those with food allergies, may have prevented some of the deaths.4 It is hoped that these quality standards, accompanied by their performance measures, may drive a further awareness of ideal care of those with suspected food allergy and/or anaphylaxis. The quality standards are divided into six statements for food allergy and four for anaphylaxis. They are based on the corresponding NICE guidelines. ### Quality statement 1: history Identifying the possibility of food allergy comes from taking what NICE terms an allergy-focused clinical history. …
Risk of major cardiac events following adjuvant proton versus photon radiation therapy for patients with thymic malignancies

AbstractBackground: While often managed with surgery alone, patients with thymic malignancies with high-risk features may benefit from adjuvant radiation therapy but are at risk for late toxicities. Previously, the risk of major cardiac events (MCEs) was reported to increase by 7% per one Gray (Gy) to the heart. In this study, we compare dose to organs at risk (OARs) with intensity-modulated (IMRT) versus proton beam therapy (PBT). We hypothesize a decrease risk of predicted MCEs with PBT.Material and methods: Patients requiring adjuvant therapy for thymic malignancies were treated with double scattered proton beam therapy (DS-PBT). Clinical backup IMRT plans were generated. Predicted MCEs were calculated based on median dose to the heart. A Wilcoxon rank sum test was used for statistical comparisons.Results: Twenty-two consecutive patients were evaluated. DS-PBT resulted in statistically significant decreases in dose to the heart, lungs, left ventricle, esophagus, and spinal cord (all p ≤ .01). The incre...
Sodium-cationized carbohydrate gas-phase fragmentation chemistry: influence of glycosidic linkage position.

We investigate the gas-phase structures and fragmentation chemistry of two isomeric sodium-cationized carbohydrates using combined tandem mass spectrometry, hydrogen/deuterium exchange experiments, and computational methods. Our model systems are the glucose-based disaccharide analytes cellobiose (β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 4)-D-glucose) and gentiobiose (β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 6)-D-glucose). These analytes show substantially different tandem mass spectra. We characterize the rate-determining barriers to both the glycosidic and structurally-informative cross-ring bond cleavages. Sodiated cellobiose produces abundant Y1 and B1 peaks. Our deuterium labelling and computational chemistry approach provides evidence for 1,6-anhydroglucose B1 ion structures rather than the 1,2-anhydroglucose and oxacarbenium ion structures proposed elsewhere. Unlike those earlier proposals, this finding is consistent with the experimentally observed Bn/Ym branching ratios. In contrast to cellobiose, sodiated gentiobiose primarily fragments by cross-ring cleavage to form various A2 ion types. Fragmentation is facilitated by ring-opening at the reducing end which enables losses of CnH2nOn oligomers. Deuterium labelling and theory enables rationalization of these processes. Theory and experiment also support the importance of consecutive fragmentation processes at higher collision energies.
Evaluating Cardiac Biomarkers after Chemotherapy and Proton Therapy for Mediastinal Hodgkin Lymphoma.

Abstract Purpose: Late cardiac complications from thoracic radiation of patients with Hodgkin lymphoma are of great concern. The authors investigated whether cardiac biomarkers could identify patients with early cardiac damage from thoracic radiation. Materials and Methods: Following completion of anthracycline-based chemotherapy, 14 patients with stage I-IIIA mediastinal Hodgkin lymphoma were enrolled on an IRB-approved prospective trial and agreed to serum evaluation of troponin, CK-MB, and BNP before beginning radiation, after completing radiation, and every 3 to 6 months for 5 years, during follow-up or until relapse. Results: Among the 14 patients, median follow-up for the entire cohort was 5 years. No evidence in abnormal values in troponin or CK-MB was observed among the patient cohort. BNP levels demonstrated statistically significant higher values at various follow-up time points. Higher levels of BNP were observed among patients receiving higher anthracycline doses (>250 mg), but not among patie...
Immunoprecipitation of A1 adenosine receptor-GTP-binding protein complexes in ciliary epithelial cells

PURPOSE To examine the interaction of alpha subunits of guanine nucleotide binding proteins with A1 adenosine receptors from the SV40-transformed bovine-derived pigmented (PE) and human-derived nonpigmented (NPE) ciliary epithelial cell lines using an immunoprecipitation approach and [3H]DPCPX, a selective radioligand to adenosine receptor. METHODS Solubilized preparations of adenosine receptors from PE and NPE cell lines were immunoprecipitated with G protein specific antisera 8730 (anti-Gi alpha), 3646 (anti-Gi alpha 1), 1521 (anti-Gi alpha 2), and 1518 (anti-Gi alpha 3), and of adenosine receptor-G protein complexes were detected by the binding of radioactive [3H]DPCPX. RESULTS Data indicate that [3H]DPCPX forms high-affinity complex with membrane-bound and solubilized forms of adenosine receptors from PE and NPE cells. Peptide-directed antisera against various G protein alpha subunits indicate that the A1 adenosine receptors from these cells are specifically coupled to Gi alpha complexes. The results further indicate that the A1 adenosine receptors are predominantly associated to Gi alpha-3. CONCLUSION The findings document a selective interaction between the alpha subunits of the inhibitory guanine nucleotide binding protein (Gi) and A1 adenosine receptors in ocular ciliary epithelial cells in culture. The results suggest that adenosine receptors coupled to Gi alpha-3 may provide a site at which modulation of aqueous humor production in the ciliary epithelium occurs via the G protein-adenylyl cyclase pathway.
Enhanced thermoelectric properties of polymer/inorganic bulk composites through EG treatment and spark plasma sintering processing

Abstract Doping and consolidation processing of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) were investigated in an effort to improve the thermoelectric properties of bulk polymer/inorganic composites. Ethylene Glycol doped PEDOT:PSS polymers were consolidated employing spark plasma sintering and hot pressing in order to investigate the effects of the different processes on their transport properties. Spark plasma sintering processing results in superior thermoelectric properties, in part due to less entanglements of the polymer chains. PEDOT:PSS/Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 bulk composites were prepared and their thermoelectric properties investigated using the optimized processing conditions. The thermoelectric properties of these composites are reported and compared with that of bulk PEDOT:PSS and Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3.
Classical Test Theory Reliability

Reliability is the degree to which assessments are free from errors of measurement. There are many types of measurement error, including stability over time, consistency across forms, consistency in ratings, and internal consistency. The different sources of error lead to different estimates of reliability: test–retest, alternate form, interrater, split half, and internal consistency. The context of the test use determines the type of reliability that should be used. While the reliability coefficient provides an overall index of the consistency of assessments, the standard error of measurement provides an index that is useful for examining the consistency of individual scores.
Development of Step-Count Cut Points for School-Day Vigorous Physical Activity

Background. No study has established step-count cut points for varying amounts of accelerometer-assessed vigorous physical activity (VPA) accrued during the school day in children. The purpose of this study was to establish step-count cut points for discriminating children meeting VPA in 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, and 20 minutes per 7-hour school day. Methods. Participants were a convenience sample of 1,053 children (mean age = 8.4 (1.8) years) recruited from 5 schools from the Mountain West region of the USA. Data within students were observed across multiple semesters totaling 2,119 separate observations. Step counts and time in VPA were assessed using ActiGraph wGT3X-BT triaxial accelerometers that were worn during the entirety of a 7-hour school day for one school week. Average censored step counts and minutes in VPA were calculated across 3 to 5 days. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were employed to derive step counts via calculation of the maximum Youden statistic. Results. Area-under-the-curve (AUC) scores ranged from AUC = 0.81 (95% CI: 0.78–0.83; ) for meeting at least 5 minutes of VPA to AUC = 0.94 (95% CI: 0.88–1.00, ) for meeting at least 20 minutes of VPA. Approximately 3,460 steps best discriminated children meeting at least 5 minutes of VPA (sensitivity = 74.0%, specificity = 74.0%, and accuracy = 74.1%) and approximately 5,628 steps best discriminated children meeting at least 20 minutes per day of VPA (sensitivity = 85.7%, specificity = 95.1%, and accuracy = 95.1%). Conclusion. Step counts can discriminate with reasonable accuracy children that meet at least 5 minutes of school-day VPA and with strong accuracy children that meet 20 minutes of school-day VPA.
10+ years of teaching software engineering with itrust: the good, the bad, and the ugly

This paper presents an experience report with a junior-level software engineering course at North Carolina State University. We provide an overview of the course structure and the course project, iTrust, that has been developed by students over 25 semesters. We summarize reflections from faculty, teaching assistants, and students (through course evaluations). From our lessons learned, we present our course improvements as we prepare for the next ten years of software engineering courses. Our main lessons learned are 1) course technologies have a lifespan and require periodic updating to balance student learning and working with a legacy system; 2) teaching assistant longevity and support is critical to course success; and 3) the value of working with a large, legacy system in a semester long course is supported by faculty, teaching assistants, and eventually students.
Testing the Validity and Reliability of Intrinsic Motivation Inventory Subscales Within ASSISTments

Online learning environments allow for the implementation of psychometric scales on diverse samples of students participating in authentic learning tasks. One such scale, the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) can be used to inform stakeholders of students’ subjective motivational and regulatory styles. The IMI is a multidimensional scale developed in support of Self-Determination Theory [1, 2, 3], a strongly validated theory stating that motivation and regulation are moderated by three innate needs: autonomy, belonging, and competence. As applied to education, the theory posits that students who perceive volition in a task, those who report stronger connections with peers and teachers, and those who perceive themselves as competent in a task are more likely to internalize the task and excel. ASSISTments, an online mathematics platform, is hosting a series of randomized controlled trials targeting these needs to promote integrated learning. The present work supports these studies by attempting to validate four subscales of the IMI within ASSISTments. Iterative factor analysis and item reduction techniques are used to optimize the reliability of these subscales and limit the obtrusive nature of future data collection efforts. Such scale validation efforts are valuable because student perceptions can serve as powerful covariates in differentiating effective learning interventions.