cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Severe primary refractory thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) in the post plasma exchange (PEX) and rituximab era

Acute acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) requires prompt recognition and initiation of plasma exchange (PEX) therapy and immunosuppression. When PEX fails, mortality nears 100%, making finding an effective treatment crucial. Primary refractory TTP occurs when initial therapies fail or if exacerbations occur during PEX therapy, both signifying the need for treatment intensification to achieve clinical remission. Rituximab helps treat most of the refractory TTP cases, except those that are severely refractory. A paucity of studies guiding severely refractory TTP makes management arbitrary and individualised, highlighting the value of isolated reports. We present an extremely rare case of primary refractory TTP with an insufficient platelet response to numerous types of treatments, including emerging therapies such as caplacizumab, on the background of repeated PEX and immunosuppressive therapies.
Sexual Orientation Identity Disparities in Mammography Among White, Black, and Latina U.S. Women.

Purpose: Our goal was to examine sexual orientation identity disparities in mammography in relationship to race/ethnicity among U.S. women. Methods: Using nationally representative 2013–2017 Nation...
Active Disturbance Rejection Control for Grasping Force Tracking

In this paper, a robotic manipulator is developed to allow the appropriate exertion of the coupling force needed for proper implementation of Smart-touch inspection. A force feedback control system works in tandem with a load cell sensor and DC motor, which allows the manipulator to guide two fingers to grasp a bolted connection for Smart-touch inspection. The envisioned device can be mounted onto a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) and eventually a fully autonomous vehicle. The load-cell on one of the fingers senses the touching force, which provides force feedback information for the DC motor on the joint of the robotic manipulator. To reject the system's uncertainties and nonlinearities, such as dead-zone, backlash and sensing noise, a reduced-order active disturbance rejection control (R-ADRC) is developed for the robotic manipulator to maintain its grasping force at the inspection location. Experimental results have shown that the R-ADRC can actively reject the system's uncertainties and work better than proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control in terms of less steady-state error and overshoot.
Development and Validation of a Deep Learning Model for Automated View Classification of Pediatric Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma (FAST)

ABSTRACT The pediatric Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma (FAST) is a sequence of ultrasound views rapidly performed by the clinician to diagnose hemorrhage. One limitation of FAST is inconsistent acquisition of required views. We sought to develop a deep learning model and classify FAST views using a heterogeneous dataset of pediatric FAST. This study of diagnostic test developed and tested a deep learning model for view classification of archived real-world pediatric FAST studies collected from two pediatric emergency departments. FAST frames were randomly distributed to training, validation, and test datasets in a 70:20:10 ratio; each patient was represented in only one dataset to maintain sample independence. The outcome was the prediction accuracy of the model in classifying FAST frames and video clips. FAST studies performed by 30 different clinicians from 699 injured children included 4,925 videos representing 1,062,612 frames from children who were a median of 9 years old. On test dataset, the overall view classification accuracy for the model was 93.4% (95% CI: 93.3-93.6) for frames and 97.8% (95% CI: 96.0-99.0) for video clips. Frames were correctly classified with an accuracy of 96.0% (95% CI: 95.9-96.1) for cardiac, 99.8% (95% CI: 99.8-99.8) for thoracic, 95.2% (95% CI: 95.0-95.3) for abdominal upper quadrants, and 95.9% (95% CI: 95.8-96.0) for suprapubic. A deep learning model can be developed to accurately classify pediatric FAST views. Accurate view classification is the important first step to support developing a consistent and accurate multi-stage deep learning model for pediatric FAST interpretation.
Dealing with difficult clients via personalized chaperone inhibitors

The importance of molecular chaperones in cancer is well established, yet several chaperone inhibitors have failed in clinical trials due to toxicity. Recent efforts have focused on targeting chaperone function in cancer by either manipulating the "chaperone code" or inhibiting helper cochaperones, such as DNAJA1. Tong et al. identify a novel inhibitor that specifically disrupts DNAJA1's interaction with p53, promoting p53 degradation. This finding highlights specific DNAJA1 interactions with the potential for less toxicity compared to traditional chaperone inhibitors.
Modality-wise relational reasoning for one-shot sensor-based activity recognition

Abstract Deep learning concepts have been successfully transferred from the computer vision task to that of wearable human activity recognition (HAR) over the last few years. However, deep learning models require a large volume of annotated samples to be efficiently trained, while adding new activities results in training the whole network from scratch. In this paper, we study the use of one-shot learning techniques based on high-level features extracted by deep neural networks that rely on convolutional layers. Using these feature vectors as input we measure the similarity of two activities by computing their Euclidean distance, cosine similarity or applying self-attention to perceive the relations between the signals. We evaluate four different one-shot learning approaches using two publicly available HAR datasets, by keeping out of the training set several activity classes. Our results demonstrate that the model relying on modality-wise relational reasoning surpasses the other three, achieving 94.8% and 84.41% one-shot accuracy on UCL and PAMAP2 dataset respectively, while we demonstrate the model’s sensitivity on fusing sensor modalities and provide explainable attention maps to display the modality-wise similarities.
AEROBIC EXERCISE VOLUME, NOT PRESCRIPTION, INFLUENCES POST-CONCUSSION SYMPTOMS: A RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIAL:

Background:Current recommendations for sport-related concussion uniformly emphasize the importance of physical activity. However, specifics of this recommendation remain vague and do not account fo...
Measuring and Improving Organizational Productivity: A Practical Guide

Introduction Background and Description of the Productivity Measurement and Enhancement System (ProMES) The Importance of Productivity Measurement and Improvement Understanding Organizational Productivity Desirable Characteristics of a Productivity Measurement System The ProMES Approach: An Overview Comparison of ProMES to the Desirable Characteristics Past Experiences with ProMES Why ProMES Works Developing ProMES in an Organization Conditions Needed for Implementation Developing the System: Preliminary Steps Steps in Developing Products and Indicators Steps in Developing the Contingencies Developing the Feedback Report and Feedback Meetings Aggregation Across Units Issues in Implementing the System Questions and Answers about ProMES General Questions Questions About Measurement Questions About Feedback Reports and Meetings Using ProMES with other Productivity Improvement Techniques Other Interventions with ProMES Designing Goal-Setting Systems Designing Incentive Systems Evaluating the Effects of a Productivity Improvement Program How to Evaluate the Effects of a Productivity Improvement System Conclusions References Appendixes Bibliography Index
Neuropeptidergic regulation of pair-bonding and stress buffering: Lessons from voles

This article is part of a Special Issue "SBN 2014". Interpersonal attachment is a critical component of the human experience. Pair-bonding ameliorates the severity of several mental and physical diseases. Thus, a better understanding of how the central nervous system responds to and encodes social-buffering during stress is a valuable research enterprise. The prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster), as a laboratory animal model, provides the gold standard for the investigation of the neurobiology underlying attachment. Furthermore, emerging research in voles, additional laboratory rodents, transgenic mice, primates, and humans has provided novel insight into the neurochemical mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of social bonds reducing anxiety, depression, and drug abuse liability. In the present review, we highlight the work from this burgeoning field and focus on the role(s) of the neuropeptides oxytocin (OT), vasopressin (AVP), and corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH) mediating stress buffering. Together, the data suggest that OT underlies social bonding to reduce stress-induced psychological illness while AVP and CRH facilitate arousal to enhance autonomic reactivity, increasing susceptibility to adverse mental and physical health.
Mucocele of appendix

Abstract 1.1. Two cases of mucocele of the appendix are reported, one of which caused intussusception and partial intestinal obstruction in an adult. Complete recovery followed operation in each case. 2.2. Mucocele of the appendix is a rare, chronic condition which is seldom diagnosed before operation or necropsy. Its presence should be suspected in any case in which there is a movable palpable mass in the region of the cecum which is not associated with fever, loss of weight, anemia or gastrointestinal disturbances other than vague discomfort in this region. 3.3. Surgical removal of the appendix is the only method of treatment, and should be done as early as possible before pseudomyxomatous peritonaei develop which nearly always terminate fatally. 4.4. Other complications associated with mucocele of the appendix are intussusception, invagination, volvulus, intestinal obstruction and gangrene. 5.5. Surgical treatment may necessitate partial resection of the cecum as was necessary in Case 1, and the surgeon should be prepared to follow this procedure if it is necessary.
A Personal Perspective on Global Lorentzian Geometry

A selected survey is given of aspects of global space-time geometry from a differential geometric perspective that were germane to the First and Second Editions of the monograph Global Lorentzian Geometry and beyond.
The Influence of Campus Protest on Student Conduct Policies: The Case of Indiana University Bloomington

This article provides a historic view of how student activism influenced campus governance in the 1960s, using Indiana University as a lens. Alongside IU archival documents, publications of the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges provide the national context of campus administration during this period of student unrest. These documents come together to provide an example of how one institution navigated the task of reconciling institutional need with opinions from different stakeholder groups.
Slit-Dependent Endocytic Trafficking of the Robo Receptor Is Required for Son of Sevenless Recruitment and Midline Axon Repulsion.

Understanding how axon guidance receptors are activated by their extracellular ligands to regulate growth cone motility is critical to learning how proper wiring is established during development. Roundabout (Robo) is one such guidance receptor that mediates repulsion from its ligand Slit in both invertebrates and vertebrates. Here we show that endocytic trafficking of the Robo receptor in response to Slit-binding is necessary for its repulsive signaling output. Dose-dependent genetic interactions and in vitro Robo activation assays support a role for Clathrin-dependent endocytosis, and entry into both the early and late endosomes as positive regulators of Slit-Robo signaling. We identify two conserved motifs in Robo’s cytoplasmic domain that are required for its Clathrin-dependent endocytosis and activation in vitro; gain of function and genetic rescue experiments provide strong evidence that these trafficking events are required for Robo repulsive guidance activity in vivo. Our data support a model in which Robo’s ligand-dependent internalization from the cell surface to the late endosome is essential for receptor activation and proper repulsive guidance at the midline by allowing recruitment of the downstream effector Son of Sevenless in a spatially constrained endocytic trafficking compartment.
Novel annular illumination using controlled phase and transparency

An off axis illumination is valid to enlarge resolution limit and depth of focus (DOF) for narrow pitch patterns. While in wide pitch patterns, the DOF is remarkably inferior to conventional illumination. A novel annular illumination has been achieved by amplitude superposition of off axis and on axis illuminations which are controlled inverse phases with appropriate transmittance. It has been confirmed, using a new optical filter, that this method can improve the DOF over wide range of pattern pitches maintaining resolution capability of under 0.25 /spl mu/m. >
Hypercrosslinked rigid-rod polymers

In a search for new types of polymer architecture, we have examined systems where one couples rigid-rod monomers with multifunctional tie-point monomers. High surface area (400–1000 m2/g) polymeric carbinols result from reaction of 4,4′-dilithiobiphenyl, as well as other multi-lithiated aromatic compounds with dimethyl carbonate.
Relation of resting potential of rat gastrocnemius and soleus muscles to innervation, activity, and the Na-K pump.

The effect of nerve on resting membrane potential of rat muscle was studied. Denervation produces a decline from 83.5 mV in gastrocnemius and from 68.8 mV in soleus to a range of 60 mV. The rate of decline is more rapid with distal than with proximal nerve section. With reinnervation, potential returns to normal. Immobilization, posterior rhizotomy or spinal section produces a decline in gastrocnemius membrane potential to about 70 mV indicating that integrity of ventral root does not prevent a fall. Independence of resting potential and muscle fiber size is indicated by work hypertrophy, by near and distant section of nerve and by variation in resting potential for the same degree of atrophy produced by disuse or denervation. Existence of a plateau below which resting potential does not decline following denervation is compatible with the concept of two fractions of normal resting potential maintained by different mechanisms. The higher and more vulnerable is less in soleus than in gastrocnemius. It responds to diresct and indirect tetanus with a decline, the low point of which is similar to that which follows nerve section. Direct tetanization of denervated gastrocnemius muscle affects only the residual of the upper fraction of membrane potential not yet reduced by denervation. Topical or intravenous administration of ouabain produces a decline of resting potential to the range of 60 mV. Following nerve section only the residual portion of “upper fraction” is vulnerable to ouabain. At no time does administration of ouabain produce a fall of mean resting potential below the level achieved by long term nerve section alone.
Confuser rejection performance of EMACH filters for MSTAR ATR

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) automatic target recognition (ATR) based on the extended maximum average correlation height (EMACH) distortion invariant filter (DIF) is presented. Prior work on the EMACH filter addresses 3-class and 10 class classification with clutter rejection. However, the ability of the EMACH filter to reject confusers is not well known. This paper addresses this. We follow a benchmark procedure which involves classification of three object classes over 360° aspect angle differences and with depression angle and variant differences and rejection of two unseen confusers from the Moving and Stationary Target Acquisition and Recognition (MSTAR) public database. We present a scheme to select which training set images to include while making the filters, since it is not necessary to use all training set images to make the filters. Results for classification with both confuser and clutter rejection are presented. We also compare our work with prior EMACH MSTAR work. We find EMACH filters to have poor confuser and clutter rejection. We also correct prior EMACH clutter rejection performance results.
73.1: Role of Glass in Manufacturing of Advanced Displays

Increasing diversity in display applications, devices and underlying materials technologies have required the glass industry to deliver significant platform innovations for display manufacturing, including new compositions and capabilities such as ultra-slim flexible glass.
On the yield stress of polycrystalline iron at low temperatures

Abstract Several investigations of iron at low temperatures have indicated that the yield stress reaches a constant level below liquid nitrogen temperatures. This had been attributed to the intervention of twinning as the deformation mode. However, a recent study has shown that the onset of twinning occurs near 130°K in iron and twinning produces no effect on the lower yield stress-temperature curve when it initiates deformation. The data thus described are shown to fit an empirical expression below 300°K of the form: The possible significance of the equation's parameters as suggested by the initial data is presented. The energy thus obtained is compared with that reported by other investigators, applying different techniques, for the activation of flow in body-centred cubic metals. If this energy term is associated with overcoming the lattice resistance to dislocation motion, then this process appears to have a small thermal dependence in iron.
Viscous CFD Calculations of Grid Fin Missile Aerodynamics in the Supersonic Flow Regime

Abstract : This report presents the results of an investigation to use viscous computational fluid dynamic calculations to predict the flowfleld and aerodynamic coefficients for a missile with grid fins in the supersonic flow regime. The calculations were made at Mach 2 and 3 and several angles of attack. The results were validated by compamig the computed aerodynamic coefficients against wind tunnel experimental data. Good agreement was found between the computed and experimental axial force coefficients, with the difference between 4 and 8%. Reasonable agreement was found for the normal force coefficient, with a difference of 8-16%. The agreement between the computed and experimental pitching moment coefficient was not as good, with a difference of 16-27%. Good agreement was found for the location of the center of pressure, with a difference of 6-10%. The flowlield around the individual grid fins and the normal force on the fins showed characteristics similar to those found in an earlier study.
Correcting soft errors online in LU factorization

In high-performance systems, the probability of failure is higher with more processors. Errors in calculations may occur that cannot be detected by outside means. To address this problem, we create a checksum-based approach that detects and recovers from calculation errors. We apply this approach to the LU factorization algorithm used by High Performance Linpack. Our approach has low overhead; in contrast to an existing approach that requires repeated calculation, it repeats only a fraction of the calculation during recovery. Because of error propagation, the existing approach has to repeat calculations when soft errors occur. Our approach detects and corrects errors during the calculation before they are propagated. The frequency of checking can be adjusted for the error rate, resulting in a flexible method of fault tolerance.
Effects of strain relaxation on luminescent properties of InGaN/GaN nanorods from 2D to 0D transition

We characterized luminescent properties of InGaN nanodisks in both quantum well and dot regimes. The luminescent efficiency increases as strain is relaxed in the quantum well but peaks at the transition from well to dot.
Do short-term markers of treatment efficacy predict long-term sequelae of pelvic inflammatory disease?

Objective This study was undertaken to assess whether short-term markers, often used to measure clinical cure after treatment for pelvic inflammatory disease, predict sequelae of lack of pregnancy, recurrent pelvic inflammatory disease, and chronic pelvic pain. Study Design Women with mild-to-moderate pelvic inflammatory disease were assessed after treatment initiation at 5 days for tenderness (n = 713) and at 30 days for tenderness, cervical infections and endometritis (n = 298). Pregnancy, recurrent pelvic inflammatory disease, and chronic pelvic pain were evaluated after 84 months, on average. Results Pelvic tenderness at 5 and at 30 days significantly elevated the risk for developing chronic pelvic pain; tenderness at 30 days was also significantly associated with recurrent pelvic inflammatory disease. However, pelvic tenderness at 5 and at 30 days was only modestly clinically predictive of chronic pelvic pain or recurrent pelvic inflammatory disease (positive predictive values 22.1-66.9%). No short-term marker significantly influenced the likelihood of achieving a pregnancy. Conclusion Tenderness at 5 or 30 days did not accurately predict the occurrence of pelvic inflammatory disease-related reproductive morbidities.
Adolescent gang participation: Psychological perspectives

An issue concerning societal welfare that receives much exposure in the media is the existence of gangs and their effects on children. There is a perception that the level of youth related violence is going up while the age of gang participation is going down. Multiple sources (e.g., statistics from the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation) suggest that the extent of gang activity has risen dramatically over the last two decades and it is common to hear of stories concerning juvenile crime. Despite this apparent increase, psychological theory is rarely applied to the consideration of gang behavior. Therefore this paper offers a review of the growth and trends of gang participation among American youth, followed with an overview of research and theory taken from various domains within psychology, in an effort to offer explanations for why adolescents become involved with gangs. Although the psychological research and theory has much to say about adolescence, it does not speak directly to gang involvement. Nevertheless, there is a solid knowledge base from which to explore the issue and a consideration of psychological theory provides a number of research questions for those that are interested in further exploration of this area.
The Role and Management of Woody Debris in West Coast Salmonid Nursery Streams

Abstract Debris removal is a frequently used management technique for small streams in logged watersheds, but many stream-cleaning techniques overlook important habitat requirements of juvenile salmonids. Reviews of some past management practices show little systematic evaluation or monitoring of physical or biological effects. A review of several studies (most of them not associated with debris removal) shows the importance of woody debris as salmonid habitat. The role of organic debris in small stream systems is discussed and a set of criteria for debris removal is proposed.
Louis Jacobs: Quest for the African Dinosaurs—Ancient Roots of the Modern World

(1994). Louis Jacobs: Quest for the African Dinosaurs—Ancient Roots of the Modern World. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology: Vol. 13, No. 4, pp. 535-537.
Unusual pulmonary findings in mucolipidosis II.

We report undescribed pulmonary findings in a child with mucolipidosis II (ML-II). Children with ML-II bear significant pulmonary morbidity that may include extensive pulmonary fibrosis, persistent hemosiderosis as well as pulmonary airway excrescences as they reach preschool age. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2012; 47:719–721. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Conservative operation in the management of annular dilatation and ascending aortic aneurysm

Abstract Ascending aortic aneurysm associated with annular dilatation is generally handled by resection and replacement of the aortic root. Such an extensive operation may be avoided by a much simpler surgical intervention, ie, aortoplasty, valve replacement, and aortic wall reinforcement. Such an operation may be performed in cases where the shape of the aneurysm is a relatively regular "pear" or "teardrop" shape and is not extremely large. It also may be applied in cases of aortic stenosis with post-stenotic dilatation. The procedure requires barely more operative time and effort than a "simple" aortic valve replacement.
Age-dependent alterations of decorin glycosaminoglycans in human skin

Proteoglycans, a family of glycosaminoglycan (GAG) conjugated proteins, are important constituents of human skin connective tissue (dermis) and are essential for maintaining mechanical strength of the skin. Age-related alterations of dermal proteoglycans have not been fully elucidated. We quantified transcripts of 20 known interstitial proteoglycans in human skin and found that decorin was the most highly expressed. Decorin was predominantly produced by dermal fibroblasts. Decorin was localized in dermal extracellular matrix with GAG bound to type I collagen fibrils. Analysis of decorin extracted from young (21–30 years) and aged (>80 years) sun-protected human buttock skin revealed that decorin molecular size in aged skin is significantly smaller than in young skin. The average size of decorin protein did not alter, indicating size of GAG chain is reduced in aged, compared to young skin. This age-dependent alteration of decorin GAG may contribute to skin fragility of elderly people.
Errata:. Strong and Weak Forms of the Method of Moments and the Coupled Dipole Method for Scattering of Time-Harmonic Electromagnetic Fields

Algorithms based on the method of moments (MOM) and the coupled dipole method (CDM) are commonly used to solve electromagnetic scattering problems. In this paper, the strong and the weak forms of both numerical techniques are derived for bianisotropic scatterers. The two techniques are shown to be fully equivalent to each other, thereby defusing claims of superiority often made for the charms of one technique over the other. In the final section, reductions of the algorithms for isotropic dielectric scatterers are explicitly given.
Technique of Per anal excision for carcinoma of the low rectum

Per anal excision is suitable for rectal carcinoma that is 7 cm from the anal verge. The entire lesion is excised in its full thickness with a 1.5 cm to 2 cm normal margin, using electrocautery. It is important that the specimen is carefully examined by the pathologist for completeness of the excision and grade of the carcinoma. Abdominoperineal resection should be considered in good risk patients if adequate margins cannot be achieved and if the carcinoma is a high pathologic grade.
Sirtuins Caught in the Act

Sirtuins catalyze the NAD + -dependent protein deacetylation of lysine residues. In this issue of Structure , Hoff et al. (2006) report the structure of a sirtuin homolog with both substrates bound, providing new insight into the catalytic mechanism.
A sensitive solid-phase fluoroimmunoassay for detection of opiates in urine.

An automated flow fluorometer designed for kinetic binding analysis was adapted to develop a solid-phase competitive fluoroimmunoassay for urinalysis of opiates. The solid phase consisted of polymer beads coated with commercial monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) raised against morphine. Fluorescein-conjugated morphine (FL-MOR) was used as the fluorescein-labeled hapten. The dissociation equilibrium constant (K D ) for the binding of FL-MOR to the anti-MOR MAb was 0.23 nM. The binding of FL-MOR to the anti-MOR MAb reached steady state within minutes and was displaced effectively by morphine and other opiates. Morphine-3-glucuronide (M3G), the major urinary metabolite of heroin and morphine, competed effectively with FL-MOR in a concentration-dependent manner for binding to the antimorphine MAb and was therefore used to construct the calibration curve. The sensitivity of the assay was 0.2 ng/mL for M3G. The assay was effective at concentrations of M3G from 0.2 to 50 ng/mL, with an IC50 of 2 ng/mL. Other opiates and heroin metabolites that showed >50% crossreactivity when present at 1 µg/mL included codeine, morphine-6-glucuronide, and oxycodone. Methadone showed very low crossreactivity (<5%), which is a benefit for testing in patients being treated for opiate addictions. The high sensitivity of the assay and the relatively high cutoff value for positive opiate tests allows very small sample volumes (e.g., in saliva or sweat) to be analyzed. A double-blind comparison using 205 clinical urine samples showed good agreement between this single-step competitive assay and a commercially performed enzyme multiplied immunoassay technique for the detection of opiates and benzoylecgonine (a metabolite of cocaine).
Design of Accumulators and Liquid/Gas Charging of Single Phase Mechanically Pumped Fluid Loop Heat Rejection Systems

For single phase mechanically pumped fluid loops used for thermal control of spacecraft, a gas charged accumulator is typically used to modulate pressures within the loop. This is needed to accommodate changes in the working fluid volume due to changes in the operating temperatures as the spacecraft encounters varying thermal environments during its mission. Overall, the three key requirements on the accumulator to maintain an appropriate pressure range throughout the mission are: accommodation of the volume change of the fluid due to temperature changes, avoidance of pump cavitation and prevention of boiling in the liquid. The sizing and design of such an accumulator requires very careful and accurate accounting of temperature distribution within each element of the working fluid for the entire range of conditions expected, accurate knowledge of volume of each fluid element, assessment of corresponding pressures needed to avoid boiling in the liquid, as well as the pressures needed to avoid cavitation in the pump. The appropriate liquid and accumulator strokes required to accommodate the liquid volume change, as well as the appropriate gas volumes, require proper sizing to ensure that the correct pressure range is maintained during the mission. Additionally, a very careful assessment of the process for charging both the gas side and the liquid side of the accumulator is required to properly position the bellows and pressurize the system to a level commensurate with requirements. To achieve the accurate sizing of the accumulator and the charging of the system, sophisticated EXCEL based spreadsheets were developed to rapidly come up with an accumulator design and the corresponding charging parameters. These spreadsheets have proven to be computationally fast and accurate tools for this purpose. This paper will describe the entire process of designing and charging the system, using a case study of the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) fluid loops, which is en route to Mars for an August 2012 landing.
An Antidote for Acute Cocaine Toxicity

Not only has immunopharmacotherapy grown into a field that addresses the abuse of numerous illicit substances, but also the treatment methodologies within immunopharmacotherapy have expanded from traditional active vaccination to passive immunization with anti-drug monoclonal antibodies, optimized mAb formats, and catalytic drug-degrading antibodies. Many laboratories have focused on transitioning distinct immunopharmacotherapeutics to clinical evaluation, but with respect to the indication of cocaine abuse, only the active vaccine TA-CD, which is modeled after our original cocaine hapten GNC, has been carried through to human clinical trials. The successful application of murine mAb GNC92H2 to the reversal of cocaine overdose in a mouse model prompted investigations of human immunoglobulins with the clinical potential to serve as cocaine antidotes. We now report the therapeutic utility of a superior clone, human mAb GNCgzk (K(d) = 0.18 nM), which offers a 10-fold improvement in cocaine binding affinity. The GNCgzk manifold was engineered for rapid cocaine clearance, and administration of the F(ab')₂ and Fab formats even after the appearance of acute behavioral signs of cocaine toxicity granted nearly complete prevention of lethality. Thus, contrary to the immunopharmacotherapeutic treatment of drug self-administration, minimal antibody doses were shown to counteract the lethality of a molar excess of circulating cocaine. Passive vaccination with drug-specific antibodies represents a viable treatment strategy for the human condition of cocaine overdose.
On the Scattering of Hard X-Rays by Solids

The distribution of the intensity of scattering for angles ranging from 10 to 105 degrees has been experimentally determined for various solids. For paraffin and aluminum the scattering occurred at an effective wave-length for the primary rays of 0.23A; for copper and lead the wave-length was 0.19A. These wave-lengths were determined from absorption measurements in aluminum. The scattering from paraffin and aluminum was from thin plates by the transmission method, while that from copper and lead was from thick plates by reflection. The ratios of intensities at any given angles to those at 90 degrees were corrected for the different ionization effects at those angles, on account of the change of wave-length due to the Compton effect. Comparison of the experimental results for paraffin with the predictions of the Breit-Dirac theory of scattering from free electrons shows distinct excess scattering. This part of the work has been performed with a precision of about 1 percent. In addition, the $S$-values (scattering per electron) were computed for the various materials from their experimental scattering functions, using the paraffin value at 90 degrees, as predicted by the Dirac theory, as the basic measure. The $S$-values from aluminum have a most probable error of less than 2 percent, while those from copper and lead, being based upon a not entirely satisfactory computation, are assigned less than 6 percent. Curves have been plotted of the $S$-values against $\frac{[sin(\frac{\ensuremath{\varphi}}{2})]}{\ensuremath{\lambda}}$. The $S$-values show a large increase with the atomic number of the scatterer for the smaller values of $\frac{[sin(\frac{\ensuremath{\varphi}}{2})]}{\ensuremath{\lambda}}$, while for the larger values they tend to come together.
Optical performance of the Naval Research Laboratory's Materials Analysis Beam Line at the NSLS

Abstract The optical performance of the Naval Research Laboratory's Materials Analysis Beam Line at the National Synchrotron Light Source is reported. Photon fluxes into the experimental hutch were measured over the energy range from 3 to 11 keV. Two sets of flux data were taken, one with no slits in the beam and the other with a 2.5 mm diameter slit which passed only the best focused portion of the beam. At 6 keV, a total flux in excess of 2 × 109 photons/(s mA) of stored current was observed. The focal spot was mapped at several energies using a pinhole and a detector which were mounted on a two dimensional translation stage. At 6 keV the fwhm dimensions of the focal spot were 1.0 mm horizontally, and 3.0 mm vertically. The energy spread in the monochromatic beam was estimated by measuring the width of a narrow pre-edge feature of manganese in KMnO4 at 6.5 keV. The spread was minimized by adjusting the curvature and incident angle of a collimating mirror upstream of the beam line's monochromator. At 6.5 keV an energy spread of 2.6 eV was observed. These measured quantities of flux, spot size and energy resolution are compared to their expected values [1,2] to give an overall view of the performance of the optics.
Oral labetalol given to treated non hypertensive patients with preeclampsia is no more likely to cause hypotension than magnesium sulfate

CLAMPSIA IS NO MORE LIKELY TO CAUSE HYPOTENSION THAN MAGNESIUM SULFATE DANIELLE SMITH, JENNIFER WARREN, GEORGE SAADE, STEVEN CLARK, MICHAEL BELFORT, University of Utah, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Salt Lake City, Utah, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Galveston, Texas, University of Utah Dept. Obstetrics and Gynecology, and HCA Healthcare Study Group, Salt Lake City, Utah OBJECTIVE: To determine whether scheduled dosing of labetalol (L) 200 mg PO given q 6 hourly to preeclamptic women causes hypotension more frequently than in those receiving MgSO4 (M). STUDY DESIGN: Hourly blood pressure profiles of preeclampic women with a BP ! 140/90 mmHg who had been randomized to receive either L or M for seizure prophylaxis during labor were examined for any episodes of hypotension as defined by a systolic (SBP) ! 90 and/or diastolic (DBP) ! 60 mmHg. Patients were studied beginning at 6 hours after admission (time of administration of the second dose of L). RESULTS: There were 115 patients in the Labetalol group and 92 in the MgSO4 group. Of these, 30 (26%) on L and 20 (22%) on M had a SBP ! 140 mmHg at the time of the second 200 mg L dose (6 hours after enrollment). One patient on L (3%), and 0 on M, subsequently had an asymptomatic SBP !90 mmHg (p = NS). In terms of DBP, 48 patients on L (42%) and 30 on M (22%) had a DBP ! 90 mmHg at the time of the second 200 mg L dose. Nine patients on L (19%), and 7 (23%) on M, subsequently had an asymptomatic DBP !60 mmHg (p = 0.77, RR 1.18 [0.62 – 2.24]). CONCLUSION: Labetalol 200 mg PO q 6 hourly, when routinely administered for seizure prophylaxis to patients with BP ! 140/90 mmHg does not cause hypotension in any greater frequency than that seen in patients on continuous MgSO4 infusion.
Nest-Guarding by Female Agassiz's Desert Tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) at a Wind-Energy Facility Near Palm Springs, California

Abstract We observed behavior consistent with nest-guarding in Agassiz's desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) at two nests in a large wind-energy-generation facility near Palm Springs, California, locally known as the Mesa Wind Farm. As researchers approached the nests, female desert tortoises moved to the entrance of their burrows and positioned themselves sideways, directly over their nests. One female stretched her limbs outward and wedged herself into the burrow (her plastron directly above the nest). Guarding of nests is rarely observed in Agassiz's desert tortoise but can occur as a result of attempted predation on eggs by Gila monsters (Heloderma suspectum) or in direct response to the perceived threat posed by researchers. This is the first report of nest-guarding for G. agassizii in the Sonoran Desert ecosystem of California.
Estimating System-Wide Impacts of Smart Grid Demonstrations

Quantifying the impact of new technologies on a single distribution feeder is a tractable analysis problem. But the analysis of a single distribution feeder does not provide insight into the complexities and variations of a system-wide deployment. The inability to extrapolate system-wide impacts hinders the deployment of many promising new technologies. This paper presents a three-stage method of extrapolating technological impacts, either simulated or from a field demonstration, from a limited number of distribution feeders to the entire system. The size of the system can vary from the service territory of a single utility, to a region, or to an entire country. The paper will include an example analysis using the United States Department of Energy funded Smart Grid Investment Grant projects, extrapolating their benefits to a national level, and an example of a regionalized deployment of Volt-VAR optimization for peak demand reduction. Both of the example analyses utilize the presented three-stage extrapolation method.
Mechanism of reversible alkyne coupling at zirconocene: ancillary ligand effects.

The mechanism of reversible alkyne coupling at zirconium was investigated by examination of the kinetics of zirconacyclopentadiene cleavage to produce free alkynes. The zirconacyclopentadiene rings studied possess trimethylsilyl substituents in the α-positions, and the ancillary Cp2, Me2C(η5-C5H4)2, and CpCp* (Cp* = η5-C5Me5) bis(cyclopentadienyl) ligand sets were employed. Fragmentation of the zirconacyclopentadiene ring in Cp2Zr[2,5-(Me3Si)2-3,4-Ph2C4] with PMe3, to produce Cp2Zr(η2-PhC⋮CSiMe3)(PMe3) and free PhC⋮CSiMe3, is first-order in initial zirconacycle concentration and zero-order in incoming phosphine (kobs = 1.4(2) × 10-5 s-1 at 22 °C), and the activation parameters determined by an Eyring analysis (ΔH⧧ = 28(2) kcal mol-1 and ΔS⧧ = 14(4) eu) are consistent with a dissociative mechanism. The analogous reaction of the ansa-bridged complex Me2C(η5-C5H4)2Zr[2,5-(Me3Si)2-3,4-Ph2C4] is 100 times faster than that for the corresponding Cp2 complex, while the corresponding CpCp* complex reacts 20 times ...
Comparison of the dynamics of non-structural carbohydrate pools in cut tulip stems supplied with sucrose or trehalose

Abstract The postharvest life of many cut flowers can be extended by adding sucrose to the vase solution. Recent reports indicate that trehalose, a non-reducing disaccharide consisting of two glucose molecules, is also effective in increasing the flower longevity in cut flower stems. To understand the physiological basis of trehalose on tulip, we investigated the changes in non-structural carbohydrate pools during the postharvest phase of cut tulip ( Tulipa gesneriana L. cv. Ballerina) stems treated with sucrose or trehalose. Cut tulip stems were placed in water, 30 mmol L −1 and 60 mmol L −1 sucrose, or 30 mmol L −1 trehalose solutions, and kept at 22 °C for evaluation. Stems were harvested at 3-d intervals and non-structural carbohydrates in tepals and leaves were analyzed. Sucrose and trehalose increased flower longevity by 18–37%, depending on the experiment. Sucrose supplied in the vase solution increased the concentrations of glucose, fructose and sucrose in both leaves and tepals. When whole stems with leaves were used, exogenous trehalose caused trehalose accumulation in leaves (as high 80 g kg −1 ) and to a much lesser extent in tepals (less than 10 g kg −1 ). However, tepals of flowers with only a short stem (10 cm) accumulated trehalose up to 50 g kg −1 . Trehalose also exerted significant changes in other soluble sugars, notably increased concentrations of sucrose and fructose. The tips of trehalose-treated leaves became dry, and the trehalose concentration at the tip of the leaf was much higher compared to the base of the leaf.
Psychosocial influences on human immunity

Abstract In recent years the relationship between stress and illness has received support from studies of psychosocial influences on immunity. Initial findings from human studies indicate that decreases in measures of immune status accompany a variety of stressful life events. Research also demonstrates how emotional distress, individual differences, and social support may mediate the impact of stress on the immune system. Although statistically significant findings have been widely reported, a predominance of retrospective and cross-sectional research has produced little evidence that psychoimmunological changes are clinically significant. Future studies involving longitudinal designs and multimodal assessment can contribute greatly to a deeper understanding of the processes involved. Psychologists, especially well-qualified to measure psychosocial factors of immunomodulating potential, can have valuable roles within the expanding interdisciplinary field of psychoimmunology.
On dual ultrasound sensor technique for unmanned vehicles

Abstract Ultrasound ranging devices have been widely used in unmanned vehicles or autonomous mobile robots because of their cost-effectiveness and reliability. They have been widely used for detecting obstacles for collision avoidance, and path planning. However, due to the properties of the ultrasound devices, they suffer a few important drawbacks for these applications. First, they detect only objects whose surface is normal with respect to the travelling direction of the sound beam generated, i.e., they do not “see” obstacles whose surfaces are oriented more than ± 12% off normal. Second, they do not provide any information on the size of the obstacle even when the surface is normal with respect to the sound beam. In this paper, we describe a technique by which a system can estimate the size of objects of different orientations. This technique utilizes a pair of Polaroid ultrasonic ranging units mounted on a rotating shaft to scan the surrounding environment. The data are then fed into an IBM-PC/XT and processed by a novel algorithm. Experimental results show that the system can estimate the size of an object at different orientations. It can detect an obstacle and determine if the obstacle is moving or stationary. With this property, the system can plot its environmental setting, and the perimeter of an object, which is essential information for any unmanned or autonomous vehicles. The algorithm is first simulated on the IBM-PC/XT using the raw data collected with the dual ultrasound device based system. The algorithm is then verified experimentally with the “real-world” environment.
Correction for background absorption in atomic absorption spectrometry with carbon atomizers

Abstract In atomic absorption, analytical errors arise in the pretreatment steps with carbon atomizers. A procedure is described wherein the entire sample is decomposed and atomized. The products are swept into an absorption tube where atomic absorption and molecular absorption measurements are made. Errors caused by sample loss during pretreatment or by incomplete solvent removal are eliminated.
Imputing forest carbon stock estimates from inventory plots to a nationally continuous coverage.

The U.S. has been providing national-scale estimates of forest carbon (C) stocks and stock change to meet United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) reporting requirements for years. Although these currently are provided as national estimates by pool and year to meet greenhouse gas monitoring requirements, there is growing need to disaggregate these estimates to finer scales to enable strategic forest management and monitoring activities focused on various ecosystem services such as C storage enhancement. Through application of a nearest-neighbor imputation approach, spatially extant estimates of forest C density were developed for the conterminous U.S. using the U.S.’s annual forest inventory. Results suggest that an existing forest inventory plot imputation approach can be readily modified to provide raster maps of C density across a range of pools (e.g., live tree to soil organic carbon) and spatial scales (e.g., sub-county to biome). Comparisons among imputed maps indicate strong regional differences across C pools. The C density of pools closely related to detrital input (e.g., dead wood) is often highest in forests suffering from recent mortality events such as those in the northern Rocky Mountains (e.g., beetle infestations). In contrast, live tree carbon density is often highest on the highest quality forest sites such as those found in the Pacific Northwest. Validation results suggest strong agreement between the estimates produced from the forest inventory plots and those from the imputed maps, particularly when the C pool is closely associated with the imputation model (e.g., aboveground live biomass and live tree basal area), with weaker agreement for detrital pools (e.g., standing dead trees). Forest inventory imputed plot maps provide an efficient and flexible approach to monitoring diverse C pools at national (e.g., UNFCCC) and regional scales (e.g., Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation projects) while allowing timely incorporation of empirical data (e.g., annual forest inventory).