cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A New Algorithm for Finding Mixed Layer Depths with Applications to Argo Data and Subantarctic Mode Water Formation

Abstract A new hybrid method for finding the mixed layer depth (MLD) of individual ocean profiles models the general shape of each profile, searches for physical features in the profile, and calculates threshold and gradient MLDs to assemble a suite of possible MLD values. It then analyzes the patterns in the suite to select a final MLD estimate. The new algorithm is provided in online supplemental materials. Developed using profiles from all oceans, the algorithm is compared to threshold methods that use the C. de Boyer Montegut et al. criteria and to gradient methods using 13 601 Argo profiles from the southeast Pacific and southwest Atlantic Oceans. In general, the threshold methods find deeper MLDs than the new algorithm and the gradient methods produce more anomalous MLDs than the new algorithm. When constrained to using only temperature profiles, the algorithm offers a clear improvement over the temperature threshold and gradient methods; the new temperature algorithm MLDs more closely approximate t...
Exact anisotropic sphere with polytropic equation of state

We study static spherically symmetric spacetime to describe compact objects with anisotropic matter distribution. We express the system of Einstein field equations as a new system of differential equations using a coordinate transformation, and then write the system in another form with polytropic equation of state and obtain two classes of exact models. The models satisfy all major physical features expected in a realistic star. For polytropic index n = 2, we obtain expressions for mass and density which are comparable with the reported experimental observations.
Errata: Quantitative two-photon flow cytometry—in vitro and in vivo

This PDF file contains the errata for “JBO Vol. 13 Issue 05 Paper 2993165” for JBO Vol. 13 Issue 05
A note on windowing for the waveform relaxation method

The technique of windowing has often been used in the implementation of the waveform relaxation method for solving ordinary differential equations and time-dependent partial differential equations. Its efficiency depends upon the operator splitting and the coupling of the subsystems involved. For two model problems, estimates for the window length and convergence rate for the early phase of the iteration are derived. The effectiveness of windowing is then investigated, leading to some suggestions for the use of windowing. The discussions are supported by the computational results.
A comparative study of selected tissues from the parasitod Cardiochiles nigriceps, its susceptible host Heliothis virescens and a resistant host Heliothis zea by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis

1. 1. Fourteen anodically migrating protein bands were observed in the hemolymph of both Heliothis zea and H. virescens using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis while the calyx fluid from Cardiochiles nigriceps showed very dilute protein concentrations. 2. 2. In vitro and in vivo melanized blood samples from H. zea and H. virescens contained eleven observable bands. 3. 3. Superparasitized H. zea showed a reduction in hemolymph proteins with eight observable bands. 4. 4. Electrophoresed materials from the parasite, C. nigriceps, revealed eleven protein bands from the teratocytes, nine protein bands from egg homogenates, nine protein bands from second instar larvae homogenates and seven protein bands from the calyx fluid.
Diastereoselective synthesis of highly functionalized homoallylic amine derivatives via diels—alder adducts of N-sulfinyl dienophiles

Abstract Novel methodology for the diastereoselective synthesis of some branched functionalized homoallylic amine derivatives is described. The protocol starts with a 3,6-dihydrothiazine-1-oxide, which is readily obtained in a totally stereospecific manner by the hetero-Diels—Alder cycloaddition of an N-sulfinyl dienophile and a 1,3-diene. Various Grignard reagents have been added to these adducts to afford sulfoxide derivatives which have been manipulated stereoselectively via [2,3]- or [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangements into branched homoallylic amines potentially useful for further synthetic transformations.
Angiotensin-converting enzyme in the testis and epididymis: differential development and pituitary regulation of isozymes.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE, EC 3.14.5.1) is found in particulate fractions of the epididymis but not in soluble epididymal fractions or in the testis of 4-week-old rats. [3H]Captopril autoradiography of testis and epididymis from 4-week-old rats confirms the association of ACE with epididymal ducts but not the testis. ACE appears in the testis between 4 and 6 weeks of age. Soluble ACE is not detectable in the epididymis until 6–7 weeks of age. Within the epididymis, regions closest to the testis develop soluble ACE activity about 1 week before those nearest to the vas deferens. Hypophysectomy of 10 week-old-rats depletes greater than 95% of ACE activity from the testis and soluble fractions of the epididymis, with little change in ACE levels from particulate fractions of the epididymis. [3H]Captopril autoradiography after hypophysectomy reveals luminal and epithelial ACE in the epididymis. The presence of particulate ACE in the epididymis under conditions where there is no testicular ACE indicates...
Dealing with Humpty Dumpty: Research, Practice, and the Ethics of Public Health Surveillance

Alice considered [the idea of un-birthday presents] a little. “I llke birthday presents best,” she said at last. “You don’t know what you’re talking about!” cried Humpty Dumpty. … “[There are three hundred and sixty-four days when you might get un-birthday presents… And only one for birthday presents, you know. There’s a ‘glory’ for you!” “I don’t know what you mean by ‘glory,’” Alice said. Humpty Dumpty smiled contemptuously. “Of course you don’t—till I tell you. I meant ‘there’s a nice knock-down argument for you!’” “But ‘glory’ doesn’t mean ‘a nice knock-down argument,’” Alice objected. “When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said in a rather scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean—neither more nor less.”
New DNA Methylation Markers for Pancreatic Cancer: Discovery, Tissue Validation, and Pilot Testing in Pancreatic Juice

Purpose: Discriminant markers for pancreatic cancer detection are needed. We sought to identify and validate methylated DNA markers for pancreatic cancer using next-generation sequencing unbiased by known targets. Experimental Design: At a referral center, we conducted four sequential case–control studies: discovery, technical validation, biologic validation, and clinical piloting. Candidate markers were identified using variance-inflated logistic regression on reduced-representation bisulfite DNA sequencing results from matched pancreatic cancers, benign pancreas, and normal colon tissues. Markers were validated technically on replicate discovery study DNA and biologically on independent, matched, blinded tissues by methylation-specific PCR. Clinical testing of six methylation candidates and mutant KRAS was performed on secretin-stimulated pancreatic juice samples from 61 patients with pancreatic cancer, 22 with chronic pancreatitis, and 19 with normal pancreas on endoscopic ultrasound. Areas under receiver-operating characteristics curves (AUC) for markers were calculated. Results: Sequencing identified >500 differentially hyper-methylated regions. On independent tissues, AUC on 19 selected markers ranged between 0.73 and 0.97. Pancreatic juice AUC values for CD1D, KCNK12, CLEC11A, NDRG4, IKZF1, PKRCB, and KRAS were 0.92*, 0.88, 0.85, 0.85, 0.84, 0.83, and 0.75, respectively, for pancreatic cancer compared with normal pancreas and 0.92*, 0.73, 0.76, 0.85*, 0.73, 0.77, and 0.62 for pancreatic cancer compared with chronic pancreatitis (*, P = 0.001 vs. KRAS). Conclusions: We identified and validated novel DNA methylation markers strongly associated with pancreatic cancer. On pilot testing in pancreatic juice, best markers (especially CD1D) highly discriminated pancreatic cases from controls. Clin Cancer Res; 21(19); 4473–81. ©2015 AACR.
An O(logn) dynamic router-table design

Internet (IP) packet forwarding is typically done by finding the longest prefix in a router table that matches the packet's destination address. For W-bit destination addresses, the use of binary tries enables us to determine the longest matching prefix in O(W) time, independent of the number n of prefixes in the router table. New prefixes may be inserted and old ones deleted in O(W) time also. Since n/spl Lt/2/sup W/ in real router tables, it is desirable to develop a data structure that permits longest prefix matching as well as the insertion and deletion of prefixes in O(logn). These three operations can be done with O(logn) cache misses using a B-tree data structure [S. Suri et al., (2001)]. However, the runtime (including operation cost and cost of cache misses) is not O(logn). In this paper, we develop a data structure in which prefix matching, prefix insertion, and deletion can each be done in O(logn) time. Experiments using real IPv4 routing databases indicate that, although the proposed data structure is slower than optimized variable-stride tries for longest prefix matching, the proposed data structure is considerably faster for the insert and delete operations.
Destinations and detours of the users' movement

One of the most important, if unexpected, influences on psychiatric practice over the last decade has been the growing involvement of what have variously been called mental health consumers, surviv...
Effect of Method of Catching and Time of Season on Sensory Quality of Fresh Raw Atlantic Cod (Gadus Morhua)

A controlled study to assess effect of method of catching and time of season upon blood clot, color, discoloration/bruising, odor, texture and final overall grades of fresh raw cod, muscle pH of thawed cod, and firmness (shear-compression force) of cooked muscle was conducted. Sensory analyses revealed that method of catching significantly (P ≤ 0.001) affected only color, discoloration/bruising, and final overall grades. Time of season did not significantly affect any sensory variables. Muscle pH was significantly (P ≤ 0.001) affected by both method of catching and time of season. Any significant effect of time of season upon firmness of cooked cod muscle depended upon method of catching. In general, method of catching was the most important factor affecting sensory quality of fresh raw Atlantic cod.
Comparative Activity and β-Lactamase Stability of Cefoperazone, a Piperazine Cephalosporin

The in vitro activity and β-lactamase stability of 7-[d(−)-α-(4-ethyl-2,3-dioxopiperazino-carbonylamino) - p -hydroxyphenylacetamido]-3-[(1-methyl)-5-tetrazolylthiomethyl] -Δ 3 -cephem-4-carboxylic acid (cefoperazone), a cephalosporin analog of piperacillin, were compared with the activities and stabilities of other cephalosporins and cephamycins. The compound was less active than cephalothin or cefamandole in inhibiting Staphylococcus aureus ; it was as active as cefamandole and cefoxitin against most of the Enterobacteriaceae but less active than cefotaxime. It was more active than carbenicillin or piperacillin against Pseudomonas aeruginosa . In general, the compound was not active against Bacteroides . It was hydrolyzed by the β-lactamases of some Escherichia coli which hydrolyzed cefamandole, but was stable to most plasmid-mediated, chromosomally mediated, inducible β-lactamases in the Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas .
A review of the effects of medication delivery systems on treatment adherence in children with asthma

Background: A patient's adherence to an appropriate treatment regimen is necessary to minimize morbidity and mortality associated with childhood asthma. Many factors influence the success of treatment adherence. Objective: The goal of this article was to examine the effect of the mode of medication delivery on the success of treatment adherence in children with asthma. Methods: Relevant clinical studies were identified through a MEDLINE search of articles published from 1966 to 2002, using the search terms adherence, aerosol, asthma, children, compliance, dry powder inhaler, metered-dose inhaler, nebulizer, and pediatric. Results: A relationship seems to exist between treatment adherence and the type of medication delivery system used in childhood asthma. The highest rates of adherence appear to be associated with oral medications. Conclusions: Clinicians should consider the mode of medication delivery as 1 factor that can influence the success of treatment adherence.
Stygiomedusa fabulosa from the North Atlantic: its Taxonomy, with a note on its Natural History

The largest recorded specimen of the mesopelagic scyphomedusa, Stygiomedusa fabulosa Russell 1959, was taken in the North Atlantic (49° 53' N, 33° 18' W). Umbrella diameter was 140 cm with an oral arm length of 164 cm. This specimen is morphologically intermediate between the nominal species of the genus, S. fabulosa and S. stauchi. This suggests that S. stauchi is not a distinct species. The midwater fish Thalassobathia peligica was captured in the same haul and could live in association with large scyphomedusae.
Visual Adaptation in the Retina of the Skate

The electroretinogram (ERG) and single-unit ganglion cell activity were recorded from the eyecup of the skate (Raja erinacea and R. oscellata), and the adaptation properties of both types of response compared with in situ rhodopsin measurements obtained by fundus reflectometry. Under all conditions tested, the b-wave of the ERG and the ganglion cell discharge showed identical adaptation properties. For example, after flash adaptation that bleached 80% of the rhodopsin, neither ganglion cell nor b-wave activity could be elicited for 10–15 min. Following this unresponsive period, thresholds fell rapidly; by 20 min after the flash, sensitivity was within 3 log units of the dark-adapted level. Further recovery of threshold was slow, requiring an additional 70–90 min to reach absolute threshold. Measurements of rhodopsin levels showed a close correlation with the slow recovery of threshold that occurred between 20 and 120 min of dark adaptation; there is a linear relation between rhodopsin concentration and log threshold. Other experiments dealt with the initial unresponsive period induced by light adaptation. The duration of this unresponsive period depended on the brightness of the adapting field; with bright backgrounds, suppression of retinal activity lasted 20–25 min, but sensitivity subsequently returned and thresholds fell to a steady-state value. At all background levels tested, increment thresholds were linearly related to background luminance.
Impaired Voluntary Neuromuscular Activation Limits Muscle Power in Mobility-Limited Older Adults

Background. Age-related alterations of neuromuscular activation may contribute to deficits in muscle power and mobility function. This study assesses whether impaired activation of the agonist quadriceps and antagonist hamstrings, including amplitude- and velocity-dependent characteristics of activation, may explain differences in leg extension torque and power between healthy middle-aged, healthy older, and mobility-limited older adults. Methods. Torque, power, and electromyography were recorded during maximal voluntary leg extension trials across a range of velocities on an isokinetic dynamometer. Results. Neuromuscular activation was similar between middle-aged and older healthy groups, with differences in torque and power explained predominantly by muscle size. However, the older mobility-limited group demonstrated marked impairment of torque, power, and agonist muscle activation, with the greatest deficits occurring at the fastest movement velocities. Agonist muscle activation was found to be strongly associated with torque output. Conclusions. similar neuromuscular activation between the middle-aged and older healthy groups indicates that im - paired voluntary activation is not an obligatory consequence of aging. However, the finding that the mobility-limited group exhibited impaired activation of the agonist quadriceps and concomitant deficits in torque and power output sug
Ultrafast dynamics of ligand-field excited states

Ultrafast time-resolved spectroscopic methods have been used to probe the dynamics associated with ligand-field excited states in complexes of Cr III and Fe II . In the former case, Cr(acac)3 (where acac is the monodeprotonated form of acetylacetonate) serves as a prototype for studying the 4 T2 → 2 E conversion endemic to complexes of this ion. The data reveal that formation of the 2 E state occurs faster than the instrumental time resolution of ca. 100 fs, implying a rate constant for intersystem crossing of kISC >1 0 13 s −1 . Subtle changes observed in the differential absorption spectra were attributed to vibrational cooling in the 2 E state having a time constant of 1.1 ± 0.1 ps. The role of low-lying ligand-field states as highly efficient deactivation pathways for higher-lying charge-transfer states was demonstrated in low-spin Fe II polypyridyl complexes. Following 1 A1 → 1 MLCT excitation, the ligand-field manifold is accessed with a time constant of ∼100 fs. This pattern was observed for several different complexes, suggesting it is a general feature of this class of molecules. Dynamics subsequent to populating the ligand-field manifold are ill-defined at present but are presumed to consist of a barrierless evolution through a series of highly mixed ligand-field states, ultimately leading to the formation of the 5 T2 state as the lowest-energy excited state on the sub-picosecond time scale. This observation has important implications for the use of such complexes as sensitizers in photovoltaic applications.
Design decisions in the pipelined architecture for Quantum Monte Carlo simulations

The ground-state properties of atomic and molecular clusters can be obtained using Quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) simulations. We propose a reconfigurable hardware architecture using Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) to implement the kernels of the QMC application. To achieve higher clock rates, we experiment with different pipeline stages for each component of the design and develop a deeply pipelined architecture that provides the best performance in terms of clock rate, while at the same time has a modest use of embedded memory and multiplier resources so we can fit additional functions in a future implementation. Here, we discuss the details of the pipelined architecture and our design decisions while developing a general framework that can be used to obtain the potential energy of atomic or molecular clusters and extended to compute other useful properties.
Peripheral Blood Lymphocyte Depletion After Hepatic Arterial 90Yttrium Microsphere Therapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Purpose The short- and long-term effects of 90 Yttrium microspheres therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) on peripheral blood lymphocytes are unknown and were therefore examined. Methods and Materials Ninety-two HCC patients were enrolled in a 90 Yttrium therapy study and routine blood counts were examined as part of standard clinical monitoring. Results We found an early, profound, and prolonged lymphopenia. In a subsequent cohort of 25 additional HCC patients, prospective flow cytometric immune-monitoring analysis was performed to identify specific changes on distinct lymphocyte subsets ( i.e. , CD3, CD4, CD8 T, and CD19 B lymphocytes) and NK cells absolute numbers, in addition to the granulocytes and platelets subsets. We found that the pretreatment lymphocyte subset absolute numbers (with the exception of NK cells) had a tendency to be lower compared with healthy control values, but no significant differences were detected between groups. Posttherapy follow-up revealed that overall, all lymphocyte subsets, except for NK cells, were significantly (>50% from pretherapy values), promptly (as early as 24 h) and persistently (up to 30 months) depleted post- 90 Yttrium microspheres therapy. In contrast, granulocytes increased rapidly (24 h) to compensate for lymphocyte depletion, and remained increased at 1-year after therapy. We further stratified patients into two groups, according to survival at 1 year. We found that lack of recovery of CD19, CD3, CD8, and especially CD4 T cells was linked to poor patient survival. No fungal or bacterial infections were noted during the 30-month follow-up period. Conclusions The results show that lymphocytes (and not granulocytes, platelets, or NK cells) are sensitive to hepatic arterial 90 Yttrium without associated clinical toxicity, and lack of lymphocyte recovery (possibly leading to dysregulation of adaptive cellular immunity) posttherapy indicates poor survival.
False coupling exploration in timing analysis

As integrated circuit technology continues to scale into the nanometer regime, the effect of crosstalk on circuit timing becomes significant. Static timing analysis shows that crosstalk routinely adds 10% to 20% delay to the critical path of a design. However, many aggressor/victim switching combinations are infeasible due to inherent circuit operating constraints, thereby contributing to the mismatch between timing analysis and actual silicon performance. This paper proposes a novel timing analysis technique where circuit functionality, delay, and crosstalk are simultaneously considered using time-sliced Boolean logic. The worst case timing on the critical path end point is calculated to be the minimum and maximum time slices where the timed Boolean logic on its coupled fanin cone is satisfiable. Up to 1-ns reduction in timing pessimism on 0.13-/spl mu/m industrial designs was observed. Furthermore, results on special circuit topologies such as data busses with coupled interleaved inverters match well with results from exhaustive Spice simulation sweeps with up to 50% reduction in timing pessimism over timing analysis that does not consider false coupling.
The Thoracic Outlet Syndrome Produced by Costochondritis

Thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) is a rare condition in children. Compression of the neurovascular bundle as it passes from the neck through the thorax into the arm may be produced by numerous anatomic and structural abnormalities. This case represents compression produced by spasm of the pectoralis minor muscle originating from costochondritis.
AutoRex: An automated post-silicon clock tuning tool

Post-silicon clock-tuning is a technique used as part of speed-debug efforts to increase the allowable clock frequency of a chip. These days, it is not uncommon for high-end microprocessors to have cores containing a few thousand clock-tuning elements (i.e., variable-delay buffers). Each such buffer can be assigned to one of several possible discrete delay values, as part of the post-silicon speed debugging process. With the proper mix of assignments, many chips that initially could not meet targeted speed requirements, can now run within specification. With thousands of tunable buffers available on chip, the possible combination of assignments to the delay values is quite large. In addition, process variation causes the same design, once fabricated into silicon, to have different critical paths across different chips. Thus a specific buffer-delay assignment that most improves clock frequency for some chips may not be optimal for all chips. In this paper, we propose a tool we call AutoRex, that produces clock-tuning assignments automatically. AutoRex operates by taking data from a volume experiment across multiple process corners and analyzes this data using Satisfiability Modulo Theory (SMT) solvers to create a single “recipe” for delay buffer assignments such that the clock frequency of the chip is improved as much as possible over the entire sample of chips. Our results show up to a 9% improvement in frequency using AutoRex.
Mutually pumped phase conjugation in photorefractive strontium barium niobate: theory and experiment

Two mutually incoherent laser beams can generate each other’s phase-conjugate replica by sharing holograms in a photorefractive strontium barium niobate (SBN) crystal. The path of each beam inside the SBN crystal uses three internal reflections at the crystal faces. We discuss phase-conjugate imaging, moving gratings induced by an applied electric field, the time response of grating formation, and the dependence of the phase-conjugate reflectivity on the incident-beam ratio. Also, we derive the amplitude coupled-wave solutions for mutually pumped phase conjugators with two coupled gratings, and we compare the theoretical results with our experimental results.
Iron overload alters iron-regulatory genes and proteins, down-regulates osteoblastic phenotype, and is associated with apoptosis in fetal rat calvaria cultures

Iron overload has been implicated in decreased bone mineral density. However, the effect of iron overload on osteoblast lineage cells remains poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to examine osteoblast differentiation, function, and apoptosis in iron-loaded cells from fetal rat calvaria. Cells were incubated with media supplemented with 0-10 microM ferrous sulfate (FeSO(4)) during differentiation (days 6-20). Intracellular iron status was assessed by measuring iron content in cell layers and changes in transferrin receptor (TrfR) and ferritin gene and protein expression. Osteoblast differentiation and function were evaluated by measuring osteoblast phenotypic gene markers and capacity of cultures to form mineralized bone nodules. Apoptotic hallmarks were evaluated by microscopy. A 2.3-fold increase in media iron concentration resulted in saturable accumulation of iron in the cell layer 20-fold higher than control (p<0.05) by mid-differentiation (day 15, D15). Iron accumulation resulted in rapid and sustained down-regulation of TrfR gene and protein levels (within 24 h) and up-regulation of light and heavy chain ferritin protein levels at late differentiation (day 20, D20). Concurrently, osteoblast phenotype gene markers were suppressed by D15 and a decreased number of mineralized nodules at D20 were observed. Apoptotic events were observed within 24 h of iron loading. These results provide evidence that iron overload alters iron metabolism and suppresses differentiation and function of cells in the osteoblast lineage associated with increased apoptosis.
Lipid-cytokine-chemokine cascades orchestrate leukocyte recruitment in inflammation

Chemoattractants are pivotal mediators of host defense, orchestrating the recruitment of immune cells into sites of infection and inflammation. Chemoattractants display vast chemical diversity and include bioactive lipids, proteolytic fragments of serum proteins, and chemokines (chemotactic cytokines). All chemoattractants induce chemotaxis by activating seven-transmembrane-spanning GPCRs expressed on immune cells, establishing the concept that all chemoattractants are related in function. However, although chemoattractants have overlapping functions in vitro, recent in vivo data have revealed that they function, in many cases, nonredundantly in vivo. The chemically diverse nature of chemoattractants contributes to the fine control of leukocyte trafficking in vivo, with sequential chemoattractant use guiding immune cell recruitment into inflammatory sites. Lipid mediators frequently function as initiators of leukocyte recruitment, attracting the first immune cells into tissues. These initial responding immune cells produce cytokines locally, which in turn, induce the local release of chemokines. Local chemokine production then markedly amplifies subsequent waves of leukocyte recruitment. These new discoveries establish a paradigm for leukocyte recruitment in inflammation--described as lipid-cytokine-chemokine cascades--as a driving force in the effector phase of immune responses.
Three-dimensional nanoscale manipulation and manufacturing using proximal probes: controlled pulling of polymer micro/nanofibers

Besides imaging and characterization, proximal probes are proposed to be use as a three-dimensional (3D) nanoscale manipulation and manufacturing tool In this work. We propose 3D nanoscale pulling of liquid polymer micro/nanofibers by precise positioning of atomic force microscope (AFM) nanoprobes and control of polymer solidification. An AFM probe is used to pull or extrude thermoset or thermoplastic polymers precisely to fabricate 3D polymer micro/nano-fiber structures. A liquid polymer fiber bridge between the probe tip and a substrate is maintained when pulling the probe from the surface with controlled speed and position. We present results of our pulling experiments in vertical, horizontal and arbitrary 3D pulling directions for PMMA polymer fibers. Implications and future directions are discussed. This micro/nano-fiber pulling technology would have wide applications in nano-circuit interconnects, prototyping novel nano-electronic devices, 3D polymer fiber based nano-actuators, photonic devices, and novel smart sensors and materials.
Computational analysis of actively-cooled 3D woven microvascular composites using a stabilized interface-enriched generalized finite element method

The computational design of an actively-cooled 3D woven microvascular composite plate with sinusoidal and straight microchannels is presented. The design objectives include minimizing the maximum temperature of the composite, the microchannel volume fraction, and the pressure drop needed to circulate the coolant in the microchannels. We study the impact of a variety of parameters on the optimal design of a microvascular composite plate subjected to a uniform heat flux over its bottom surface. These parameters include the spacing, wavelength, and amplitude of the microchannels, the coolant type and flow rate, and the applied thermal loads. To facilitate the computational design process, a mesh-independent Interface-enriched Generalized Finite Element Method (IGFEM) is employed to evaluate the temperature field in the actively-cooled composite. The IGFEM solver also includes the streamline upwind Petrov-Galekin stabilization scheme to eliminate the spurious oscillations in the temperature field due to the convection-dominated heat transfer in the microchannels. This study reveals that the straight microchannels are often the optimal configuration. Design maps are presented to evaluate the required flow rate as a function of the applied thermal load and the plate dimensions.
THE EVOLUTION OF EYES

Eyes are the preeminent source of sensory information for the brain in most species, and many features of eyes reflect evolutionary solutions to particular selective pressures, both from the nonbiolog
Litigation Risk Factors As Identified By Malpractice Insurance Carriers

We examine the application forms of the major insurance companies to identify risk factors associated with non-Big 5 CPA firm litigation. We find considerable agreement among insurers as to the client-specific and firm-specific information they request. Moreover, the information requested by insurers confirms several client-specific risk factors found significant in prior research, and introduces several firm-specific risk factors that should be examined in the future.
Birth of identity: understanding changes to birth certificates and their value for identity resolution

Introduction Identity information is often used to link records within or among information systems in public health and clinical settings. The quality and stability of birth certificate identifiers impacts both the success of linkage efforts and the value of birth certificate registries for identity resolution. Objective Our objectives were to describe: (1) the frequency and cause of changes to birth certificate identifiers as children age, and (2) the frequency of events (ie, adoptions, paternities, amendments) that may trigger changes and their impact on names. Methods We obtained two de-identified datasets from the Utah birth certificate registry: (1) change history from 2000 to 2012, and (2) occurrences for adoptions, paternities, and amendments among births in 1987 and 2000. We conducted cohort analyses for births in 1987 and 2000, examining the number, reason, and extent of changes over time. We conducted cross-sectional analyses to assess the patterns of changes between 2000 and 2012. Results In a cohort of 48 350 individuals born in 2000 in Utah, 3164 (6.5%) experienced a change in identifiers prior to their 13th birthday, with most changes occurring before 2 years of age. Cross-sectional analysis showed that identifiers are stable for individuals over 5 years of age, but patterns of changes fluctuate considerably over time, potentially due to policy and social factors. Conclusions Identities represented in birth certificates change over time. Specific events that cause changes to birth certificates also fluctuate over time. Understanding these changes can help in the development of automated strategies to improve identity resolution.
Notes toward a Formal Definition of Strategy

Some criticisms of the use of the term “strategy” are presented, and a formal definition is offered.
Minimum shift keying for frequency modulation of semiconductor lasers for a 100-Mbit/s coherent optical communication system

Minimum shift keying for frequency modulation (MSK-FM) has been proposed for high-speed coherent optical communication systems utilizing direct modulation of semiconductor diode lasers.1 Although frequency shift keying (FSK) is the more common modulation scheme in these systems,2 the enhanced FM response of the semiconductor laser due to thermal effects3 causes distortion of the FSK waveform which is data pattern dependent and thus can hamper reliable demodulation.
Parametric Analysis of Damage Detection Using Piezoelectric Transducer and Lamb Wave Approach

Structural damage detection using piezoelectric transducers and the Lamb wave approach has been under intensive investigations. A commonly-pursued topic is the selection of system parameters such that the detection performance can be maximized. Previous studies have indicated that the excitation center frequency plays a critical role and suggested use the “sweet spot” frequency. This paper provides a comprehensive parametric analysis on Lamb wave propagation excited and sensed by piezoelectric transducers, where the “sweet spot” phenomenon is systematically explored by using correlated analytical, numerical, and experimental analyses. The analyses results can be used as guidelines for damage detection research.© 2007 ASME
Mixed strategy solutions forN-person quadratic games

Mixed strategy ∈-equilibrium points are given forN-person games with cost functions consisting of quadratic, bilinear, and linear terms and strategy spaces consisting of closed balls in Hilbert spaces. The results are applied to linear-quadratic differential games with no information and quadratic integral constraints on the control functions.
476 EXPRESSION OF THE HSF-4 GENE: CHARACTERIZATION OF ALTERNATIVELY SPLICED ISOFORMS.

Cataract is a debilitating condition that has significant genetic propensity. Mutations in the HSF-4 gene have been reported to be associated with the most prevalent form of autosomal dominant childhood cataract. HSF-4 (heat shock transcription factor 4) is a member of the family of heat shock transcription factors that regulate the expression of heat shock proteins in response to various physical and chemical stresses. Recently, our laboratory has shown that expression of HSF-4 gene is developmentally controlled and predominantly expressed in postnatal lens, corresponding to the appearance of cataractogenesis in early childhood; it is also the only HSF present in ocular lens. The HSF-4 gene is known to consist of 13 to 14 exons, and a number of alternately spliced transcripts have been cloned in our laboratory. We have used RNA isolated from U373 human glioblastoma cells and performed RT-PCR using specific primers to evaluate the presence of alternately spliced transcripts. The specific primers used enclosed the regions of exons 7, 9, and 11 in the HSF-4 gene. Preliminary data suggest the existence of a number of alternatively spliced HSF-4 RNAs. Further analysis will include cloning of these transcripts and quantitative estimation and characterization of the possible gene products that may result from these transcripts. The existence of various isoforms generated via alternative splicing may have physiological consequences in the maintenance of transparency in the ocular lens and in the brain and retina.
Using the cloud as middleware: tutorial presentation

Cloud platforms can facilitate the creation of custom tools and assignments to support teaching both in the classroom and out. In this tutorial I will provide an overview of Google Apps Script and the Google Drive API. Although we will walk through the code for a couple of different use cases, the emphasis of the presentation will be on the concepts, trade-offs, and use cases associated with each. Associated resources will provide more detailed examples of the implementation. The tutorial is geared towards those who are new to cloud programming. Code examples will assume familiarity with Java and Javascript.
Synanthropic birds of North America

Biological synanthropy refers to human-mediated symbioses. Synanthropic birds are thus avian symbionts of humans. Such birds have a wide degree of relationship to humans, ranging from the almost obligate to the tangential. Avian synanthropy, which includes urbanized and urbanizing birds, is a common ecological relationship, to which at least 25% of North American birds can be referred. Species known to be specialists on early stages of ecological succession, as well as habitat generalists, may be predisposed to be synanthropic. This paper presents certain details on the scope of the behavior and discusses the taxonomic range of birds that can be judged to be synanthropic. Synanthropy may have demographic consequences, such as decreased longevity and increased fecundity.
Theoretical and Computational Studies of Energetic Salts

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the theoretical and computational studies of energetic salts. The discussions indicate that significant progress has been achieved in recent years in applying various computational methods for atomic-scale descriptions of the ionic energetic systems in either gas, liquid, or solid phases. Using computational chemistry methods, it has been possible to determine accurate information about the structural properties of various ionic systems, the relative stabilities of different configurations in different phases, and decomposition reaction mechanisms. The experimentally challenging case, for example, the description of complicated reaction mechanisms where the accurate identification of transition states for various pathways is presented. Beside the structural and energetic data, the important steps have also been achieved computationally in description of the dynamic processes of ionic salts in condensed phases. The chapter also presents reactive force fields such as relative empirical bond order potentials for the case of ionic systems. References to further resources are presented toward the end.
Homeland Education in a New Home

As of July 2014, there were eighty weekend Japanese language schools in the United States. They are called supplementary instruction schools (hoshū jugyō kō), and their main purpose is to serve Japanese children overseas by providing them with instruction in the Japanese language arts.
Learning Experiences and the Liminality of Expertise

This chapter reports on research that explored the space between novice and expert professional knowledge to ascertain whether or not threshold concepts were present in this liminal space. The study explored the learning experiences of highly proficient novices, those who demonstrated expertlike practices and attributes, and discipline experts with more than 30 years professional experience, thus creating a centred study space for the liminality of expertise.
Renal Survival in Patients with Collapsing Compared with Not Otherwise Specified FSGS

Background and objectives Idiopathic collapsing FSGS has historically been associated with poor renal outcomes. Minimal clinical data exist on the efficacy of immunosuppressive therapy. Our study sought to provide a comprehensive description of renal survival in patients with collapsing and not otherwise specified FSGS after controlling for factors affecting renal prognosis. Design, setting, participants, & measurements We performed a retrospective analysis of an inception cohort study of patients diagnosed between 1989 and 2012. All potential patients with collapsing FSGS fulfilling the inclusion criteria were identified and compared with patients with not otherwise specified FSGS (approximately 1:2 ratio) on the basis of biopsy report and record availability. Time to ESRD was analyzed using Cox proportional hazards models. Results In total, 187 patients were studied (61 collapsing and 126 not otherwise specified), with a mean follow-up of 96 months. At baseline, patients with collapsing FSGS had higher median proteinuria (12.2 [5.6–14.8] versus 4.4 [2.3–8.1] g/d, respectively; P Conclusions Compared with not otherwise specified FSGS, idiopathic collapsing FSGS presented with more severe nephrotic syndrome and lower eGFR but had a similar renal survival after controlling for exposure to immunosuppressive treatment. These results highlight the importance of early diagnosis and institution of immunosuppressive therapy in patients with collapsing FSGS.
La influencia de la fundacion rockefeller en la conformacion de la profesion medica mexicana, 1921-1949

This article introduces a new variable into the study of the medical profession in Mexico. It argues that international influence, represented by the Rockefeller Foundation, is crucial to an understanding of the nature and behavior of the medical profession. Based on a detailed analysis of the fellowship program established by the Rockefeller Foundation for Mexican doctors, the article shows that the Mexican medical profession depends academically on patterns established in the United States, maintains certain elitist traits which separate it from the national medical problem and acquires its legitimacy through the scientific complicity of the international sphere. This argument is supported by different sources of information, particularly the correspondence and documents from the Rockefeller Foundation archives in New York which have been analyzed
Early cardiac electrographic and molecular remodeling in a model of status epilepticus and acquired epilepsy.

Objectives A myriad of acute and chronic cardiac alterations are associated with status epilepticus (SE) including increased sympathetic tone, rhythm and ventricular repolarization disturbances. Despite these observations, the molecular processes underlying SE-associated myocardial remodeling remain to be identified. Here we determined early SE-associated myocardial electrical and molecular alterations using a model of SE and acquired epilepsy. Methods We performed electrocardiography (ECG) assessments in rats beginning at 2 weeks following kainate-induced SE, and calculated short-term variability (STV) of the corrected QT intervals (QTc) as a marker of ventricular stability. Using western blotting, we quantified myocardial β1-adrenergic receptors (β1-AR) and ventricular gap junction protein connexin 43 (Cx43) levels as makers of increased sympathetic tone. We determined the activation status of three kinases associated with sympathetic stimulation and their downstream ion channel targets: extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), protein kinase A (PKA), Ca2+ /calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CamKII), hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channel subunit 2 (HCN2), and voltage-gated potassium channels 4.2 (Kv4.2 ). We investigated whether SE was associated with altered Ca2+ homeostasis by determining select Ca2+ -handling protein levels using western blotting. Results Compared with the sham group, SE animals exhibited higher heart rate, longer QTc interval, and higher STV beginning at 2 weeks following SE. Concurrently, the myocardium of SE rats showed lower β1-AR and higher Cx43 protein levels, higher levels of phosphorylated ERK, PKA, and CamKII along with decreased HCN2 and Kv4.2 channel levels. In addition, the SE rats had altered proteins levels of Ca2+ -handling proteins, with decreased Na+ /Ca2+ exchanger-1 and increased calreticulin. Significance SE triggers early molecular alterations in the myocardium consistent with increased sympathetic tone and altered Ca2+ homeostasis. These changes, coupled with early and persistent ECG abnormalities, suggest that the observed molecular alterations may contribute to SE-associated cardiac remodeling. Additional mechanistic studies are needed to determine potential causal roles.
Through thick and thin: a pictorial review of the endometrium

The purpose of this pictorial review is to describe the normal appearance of the endometrium and to provide radiologists with an overview of endometrial pathology utilizing case examples. The normal appearance of the endometrium varies by age, menstrual phase, and hormonal status with differing degrees of acceptable endometrial thickness. Endometrial pathology most often manifests as either focal or diffuse endometrial thickening, and patients frequently present with abnormal vaginal bleeding. Endovaginal ultrasound (US) is the first-line modality for imaging the endometrium. This article will discuss the endometrial measurements used to direct management and workup of symptomatic patients and will discuss when additional imaging may be appropriate. Three-dimensional US is complementary to two-dimensional ultrasound and can be used as a problem-solving technique. Saline-infused sonohysterogram is a useful adjunct to delineate and detect focal intracavitary abnormalities, such as polyps and submucosal fibroids. Magnetic resonance imaging is the preferred imaging modality for staging endometrial cancer because it best depicts the depth of myometrial invasion and cervical stromal involvement. Unique imaging features and complications of endometrial ablation will be introduced. At the completion of this article, the reader will understand the spectrum of normal endometrial findings and will understand the workup of common endometrial pathology.
Dermal safety assessment of Arm & Hammer laundry products formulated for sensitive skin.

Context: The prevalence of sensitive skin among the general population in industrialized countries is reported to be over 50%. Sensitive skin subjects often report significant reactions to contact ...
Epidemiology and management of bacterial leaf spot on watermelon caused by Pseudomonas syringae

Bacterial leaf spot of watermelon caused by Pseudomonas syringae has been an emerging disease in the southeastern United States in recent years. Disease outbreaks in Florida were widespread from 2013 to 2014 and resulted in foliar blighting at the early stages of the crop and transplant losses. We conducted a series of field trials at two locations over the course of two years to examine the chemical control options that may be effective in management of this disease, and to investigate the environmental conditions conducive for bacterial leaf spot development. Weekly applications of acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM) foliar, ASM drip, or copper hydroxide mixed with ethylene bis-dithiocarbamate were effective in reducing the standardized area under the disease progress curve (P < 0.05). Pearson's correlation test demonstrated a negative relationship between the average weekly temperature and disease severity (-0.77, P = 0.0002). When incorporated into a multiple regression model with the square root transformed average weekly rainfall, these two variables accounted for 71% of the variability observed in the weekly disease severity (P < 0.0001). This information should be considered when choosing the planting date for watermelon seedlings as the cool conditions often encountered early in the spring season are conducive for bacterial leaf spot development.