cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Laparoscopic classification of the internal ring in children with indirect inguinal hernia and the proper operation.

objective To evaluate the anatomic classification of the internal ring in children with indirect inguinal hernia by laparoscopy and to select the proper operation according to the classification.Methods There were consecutive 374 patients undergoing laparoscopic herniorrhaphy in our hospital from July 2005 to December 2006 and their clinical date was reviewed retrospectively.Results 374 cases (486 inguinal henia) were classified as follows:type 1,a huge open internal ring;type 2,a normal internal ring;type 3,a concealed internal ring.The number of type 1,2 and 3 was 60,320 and 106.Postoperative follow-up from 6 months to 24 months,1(1/4{14,0.23%) case in type 3 had recurred,1 case was missed on the contralateral hernia.Conclusions The internal ring in children with indirect inguinal hernia could be classified into different types according to their laparoscopic features.The classification system is advantageous to select the suitable Iaparoscopic procedure and reduce the recurrence incidence.
Concurrent Detection of Cellular and Molecular Cancer Markers Using an Immunomagnetic Flow System

We report a detection system for simultaneous measurement of cellular and molecular markers of cancer. Magnetic beads conjugated with antibodies against a specific antigen are used to capture both free molecules and whole cells overexpressing the antigen. The target-bound beads then flow through a microfluidic chamber where they are drawn to a glass surface by an external magnetic field. The cells and molecules captured on the surface are quantitatively analyzed using fluorescent microscopy. The system was characterized by detecting free folate receptor (FR) and an FR+ cancer cell line (KB) in culture media. The system detected as low as 10 pM of FR and captured 87% of the spiked KB cells at a volumetric throughput of 3 mL/min. We further demonstrated the detection of 100 KB cells and 200 pM FR spiked into healthy human blood to simulate detection of rare cells and protein biomarkers present in a cancer patient’s blood sample. The FR concentration was measured to be 244 pM (including the intrinsic FR pres...
Understanding Annual Reports of Hospitality Firms

In her discussion Understanding Annual Reports of Hospitality Firms by Elisa S. Moncarz, Associate Professor, School of Hospitality Management, Florida International University, Associate Professor Moncarz initially offers: “Management bears full responsibility for the reporting function of annual reports prepared by publicly-held companies designed to provide interested parties with information that is useful in making business and economic decisions. In Part I the author reviews the content of annual reports of firms in the hospitality industry, while looking at recent developments affecting annual reports. Part 11, in a subsequent issue, will comprise an in-depth examination of the annual report of an actual firm in the hospitality industry, focusing on suggested guidelines and recommendations for how to use annual reports as an aid to the decision-making process in the hospitality industry.” This article is to be considered a primer on reading and understanding annual reports, as well as a glimpse into the dynamics that affect them. In defining what an annual report is, Associate Professor Moncarz informs you with citation, “Annual reports are required by the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) 1 for all companies with securities sold to the general public. These reports, which must be issued within 90 days after the close of the calendar (or fiscal) year, comprise a primary source of information about these companies,” she further reports. “Indeed, the official version of the company's history is summed up yearly in its annual report by providing full information of the company's operations over the period as well as what the company is gearing up to accomplish in the next year,” Professor Moncarz closes the definition. Why should thus happen over and above SEC requirements? The financial component is an important one; the author offers her informed view: “The major objective of financial statement reporting is to provide information that is useful to present and potential investors, creditors, and other financial statement users in making rational investment, credit, and similar decisions. Thus, financial statements represent the primary (and most reliable) source of knowledge about a particular firm in the hospitality industry.” The above two paragraphs crystallize the requirement and the objective of annual reports. “A typical annual report of a hospitality firm contains a number of standard features which may be broken down into the following three sections...” General, financial data, and supplementary data are variously bounded and circumscribed for you. As a marketing device and feel-good initiative, the annual report is a useful tool for a hospitality corporation that is in-the-black, and focused on the future, says the author. She cites the Marriott Corporation’s 1985 annual report as an example. Of course, an annual report can also be a harbinger of bad news for shareholders
Solder Joint Reliability Performance of Flip Chip Molded Ball Grid Array (BGA) Package for Network/Communication Application

Flip chip molded package solder joint reliability (SJR) performance was evaluated by using mechanical shock and temperature cycling test. Package design factors that influence the SIR performance are considered. Temperature cycling results show that SIR performance decrease with thicker board and solder mask defined pad design. Most of the solder joint failures happen at the die shadow region with solder joint interface crack at package or board interface. As for mechanical shock test, a diagonal bend setup was used to generate the desired dynamic response. Typical failures in shock happen at package corner with solder joint package interface crack and board pad crater. The key finding in shock is the flip chip molded package shock capability is similar to flip chip ball grid array (FCBGA) package regardless of the package size and type.
A Comparative Study of Millimeter-Wave Transmission Lines

The state of the art in areas such as material science, solid state devices, and photo-lithography has progressed rapidly and has created a need for innovative and efficient guiding methods of electromagnetic energy. With recent advances in millimeter-wave technology, various transmission lines have been introduced that can be quite useful in the upper frequency bands. By combining classical theory and numerical methods, it is possible to predict the characteristics of these structures and develop a reliable network design that utilizes them. The most common transmission lines may be grouped into four categories: Dielectric waveguides, Semi-open structures, Non-TEM lines, and Quasi-TEM lines. Extensive work has been performed on all of these so reference data is not difficult to obtain.
Bridgework ahead! Innovation ecosystems vis-à-vis responsible innovation

Public funding agencies largely support academic research as an effort to stimulate future product commercialization and foster broader societal benefits. Yet, translating research nurtured in academic settings into such outcomes is complex and demands functional interactions between government, academic, and industry, i.e., “triple helix,” organizations within an innovation ecosystem. This article argues that in the spirit of responsible innovation, research funding should build bridges that extend beyond the triple helix stakeholders to connect to peripheral organizations. To support that argument, evidence from agent network analysis gathered from two case studies reveals strong and weak connections, as well as gaps within innovation ecosystems in Switzerland and metropolitan Phoenix, USA. This article offers insights on how innovation ecosystems are aligned or misaligned with responsible innovation.
Hydrothermal synthesis of tetragonal phase BaTiO3 on carbon fiber with enhanced electromechanical coupling

Core–shell fibers utilizing carbon fiber as the load-bearing element and a functional shell are in the early stages of research and development, but are already showing promising results in multifunctional composite fabrication. This study builds on prior multifunctional fiber research that applied hydrothermal synthesis to grow BaTiO3 on carbon fibers. In this work, the hydrothermal reaction conditions are thoroughly explored and illustrate the typical trade-off between the tensile strength of the core fiber and the d 33 piezoelectric strain coefficient. This trade-off exemplifies the difficulty in synthesizing multifunctional fibers that maintain mechanical integrity while offering enhanced electromechanical functionality. By studying the hydrothermal synthesis conditions, parameters are established that result in the first demonstration of tetragonal phase BaTiO3 on carbon fiber. Synthesis parameters are developed that maintain the tensile strength of the core carbon fiber while increasing the d 33 piezoelectric strain coefficient of the BaTiO3 film. The optimal fiber has a tensile strength of 4.96 GPa and a d 33 of 39.2 pm/V, which equate to 16.2 and 49.6% increases over the prior synthesis of BaTiO3 coated carbon fibers, respectively. Therefore, this work establishes hydrothermal reaction conditions that create higher-performance multifunctional fibers through the development of tetragonal phase BaTiO3 on carbon fiber.
Interproximal distance analysis of stereolithographic casts made by CAD-CAM technology: An in vitro study.

Abstract Statement of problem The accuracy of interproximal distances of the definitive casts made by computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) technology is not yet known. Purpose The purpose of this in vitro study was to compare the interproximal distances of stereolithographic casts made by CAD-CAM technology with those of stone casts made by the conventional method. Material and methods Dentoform teeth were prepared for a single ceramic crown on the maxillary left central incisor, a 3-unit fixed dental prosthesis (FDP) on the second premolar for a metal-ceramic crown, and a maxillary right first molar for a metal crown. Twenty digital intraoral impressions were made on the dentoform with an intraoral digital impression scanner. The digital impression files were used to fabricate 20 sets of stereolithographic casts, 10 definitive casts for the single ceramic crown, and 10 definitive casts for the FDP. Furthermore, 20 stone casts were made by the conventional method using polyvinyl siloxane impression material with a custom tray. Each definitive cast for stereolithographic cast and stone cast consisted of removable die-sectioned casts (DC) and nonsectioned solid casts (SC). Measurements of interproximal distance of each cast were made using CAD software to provide mean ±standard deviation (SD) values. Data were first analyzed by repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA), using different methods of cast fabrication (stone and stereolithography) as one within subject factor and different cast types (DC and SC) as another within subject factor. Post hoc analyses were performed to investigate the differences between stone and stereolithographic casts depending upon the results from the repeated measures ANOVA (α=.05). Results Analysis of interproximal distances showed the mean ±SD value of the single ceramic crown group was 31.2 ±24.5 μm for stone casts and 261.0 ±116.1 μm for stereolithographic casts, whereas the mean ±SD value for the FDP group was 46.0 ±35.0 μm for stone casts and 292.8 ±216.6 μm for stereolithographic casts. For both the single ceramic crown and the FDP groups, there were significant differences in interproximal distances between stereolithographic casts and stone casts ( P (P Conclusions For both the single ceramic crown and the FDP groups, the stereolithographic cast group showed significantly larger interproximal distances than the stone cast group. In terms of the comparison between DC and SC, DC stereolithographic casts for the FDP group only showed significantly larger interproximal values than those of the SC stereolithographic casts for the FDP group.
Major Steinbeck Publications, 2002–2003

Ariki, Kyoko. " Torutiiya Furatto : Danii no Shi o Megutte [Tortilla Flat Centering on Danny's Death]." Persica 29 (Okayama English Literature Society, Mar. 2002): 109-25. In Japanese. Canter, Gray W. "Mayor Orden: Steinbeck's Admirable Hero in The Moon Is Down ." Eigo-Eibei-Bungaku 42 (Society of English Language and Literature, Chuo University, Feb. 2002): 145-61. Cerce, Danica. "Centennial Reflections on Steinbeck's Reputation in Slovenia." Acta Neophilogica 35.1-2 (2002): 45-55, 147. Cunningham, Charles. "Rethinking the Politics of The Grapes ofWrathV Cultural Logic : An Electronic Journal of Marxist Theory and Practice 5 (2002). http:// eserver.org/clogic/2002/cunningham.html (accessed 22 Jan. 2004). Dooley, Patrick K. "Human Dignity, Work, the Need for Community, and 'the Duty of the Writer to Lift Up': John Steinbeck's Philosophy." Steinbeck Studies (Center for Steinbeck Studies, San Jose State University, Fall 2002): 21-25. DunbarOrtiz, Roxanne. "One or Two Things I Know about Us: Rethinking the Image and Role of the 'Okies.'" Monthly Review: An Independent Socialist Magazine 54.3 (July/ Aug. 2002): 13-28. Includes discussion of the significance of The Grapes of Wrath to the "Okies." Fahy, Thomas. "Worn, Damaged Bodies in Literature and Photography of the Great Depression." Journal of American Culture 26.1 (Mar. 2003): 2-16. Fink, Chris. "Naked Writing: John Steinbeck's Unpublished Manuscript 'The Kittens and the Curtain.'" Steinbeck Studies (Center for Steinbeck Studies, San Jose State University, Fall 2002): 15-20.
The Jesus Potential

The Jesus Potential closely examines Giorgio Agamben’s recent book Pilate and Jesus (Stanford UP, 2015) and his use of Pilate to construct different frameworks for understanding Jesus’s subjectivity as one who is “handed over.” This largely is explored in the context of Agamben’s reading of the key seven scenes in the Jesus’s trial in which Pilate oscillates between his role as Rome’s legal surrogate and the city’s practical, informal negotiator. The latter sections of the chapter present Francois Laruelle’s concept of non-standard philosophy as it relates to seeing as a “victim-in-person” and as a “cloned Christ.”
Domestic Institutional Constraints, Veto Players, and Sanction Effectiveness:

What effect do the domestic institutional constraints in target states have on sanction outcomes? Other than the narrow focus on political regime type, little is known about how the institutional m...
Abstract 14066: Methamphetamine Associated Heart Failure, a New Epidemic

Introduction: Methamphetamine is one of the most commonly abused illegal substances in the United States. Heart failure due to Methamphetamine use (MethHF) is a poorly characterized disease entity ...
The Royalist Party, 1642–1643

The single tendency most apparent throughout the early years of the civil wars is the general inclination toward neutrality, and there can be little doubt that the vast majority of Englishmen would have been content to remain impartial in the quarrel between king and parliament. Among the gentry there was dismay at the prospect of being forced to take sides, and strenuous efforts were made to avoid being embroiled in a struggle hazardous to both life and property. Nonintervention likewise commended itself to men who were never satisfied in their consciences as to the justice of either faction, and who were torn between allegiance to the king and resistance to personal government. Their dilemma is clearly expressed in a letter of a Birmingham gentleman.
Reversible secretome and signaling defects in diabetic mesenchymal stem cells from peripheral arterial disease patients.

Abstract Objective Regenerative medicine seeks to stall or to reverse the pathologic consequences of chronic diseases. Many people with diabetes have peripheral arterial disease (PAD), which increases their already high risk of major amputation. Cellular therapies are a promising regenerative medicine approach to PAD that can be used to focally inject regenerative cells to endangered tissue beds. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are known to promote tissue regeneration through stromal support and paracrine stimulation of new blood vessels (angiogenesis). Whereas little is known about human diabetic MSCs (dMSCs), particularly those from patients with PAD, dMSCs have a limited expansion capacity but can be improved with human platelet lysate (PL) supplementation. PL is rich in many growth factors, including epidermal growth factor (EGF), which is known to be important to cell proliferation and survival signaling pathways. We hypothesize that dMSCs have a reversible defect in EGF receptor pathways. The objective of this work was to test this hypothesis using dMSCs from PAD patients. Methods The secretome expression of EGF and prominent angiogens was characterized from bone marrow (BM)-derived and adipose tissue-derived (ATD) dMSCs from five patients (six limbs) undergoing major amputation. Western blot was used to characterize the AKT and extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases 1 and 2 expression in dMSCs under standard culture (5% fetal bovine serum plus fibroblast growth factor 2 [FGF2]), 5% human PL, or 5% fetal bovine serum plus EGF. Healthy donor MSCs were control cells. The angiogenic activity of BM- and ATD-dMSCs was tested on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (ECs). Paired t-test, analysis of variance, and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used as appropriate. Results Both BM- and ATD-dMSCs had typical MSC surface marker expression and similar expansion profiles, and they did not express EGF in their secretome. PL supplementation of dMSCs improved AKT signaling, but they were resistant to FGF2 activation of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases 1 and 2. EGF supplementation led to similar AKT expression as with PL, but PL had greater phosphorylation of AKT at 30 and 60 minutes. The conditioned media from both BM- and ATD-dMSCs had robust levels of prominent angiogens (vascular endothelial growth factor, monocyte chemoattractant protein 1, hepatocyte growth factor), which stimulated EC proliferation and migration, and the co-culture of dMSCs with ECs led to significantly longer EC sprouts in three-dimensional gel than EC-alone pellets. Conclusions PL and EGF supplementation improves AKT expression in dMSCs over that of FGF2, but PL improved pAKT over that of EGF. Thus, PL supplementation strategies may improve AKT signaling, which could be important to MSC survival in cellular therapies. Furthermore, BM- and ATD-dMSCs have similar secretomes and robust in vitro angiogenic activity, which supports pursuing dMSCs from both reservoirs in regenerative medicine strategies.
Robust XVA.

We introduce an arbitrage-free framework for robust valuation adjustments. An investor trades a credit default swap portfolio with a risky counterparty, and hedges credit risk by taking a position in defaultable bonds. The investor does not know the return rate of her counterparty's bond, but is confident that it lies within an uncertainty interval. We derive both upper and lower bounds for the XVA process of the portfolio, and show that these bounds may be recovered as solutions of nonlinear ordinary differential equations. The presence of collateralization and closeout payoffs leads to important differences with respect to classical credit risk valuation. The value of the super-replicating portfolio cannot be directly obtained by plugging one of the extremes of the uncertainty interval in the valuation equation, but rather depends on the relation between the XVA replicating portfolio and the close-out value throughout the life of the transaction. Our comparative statics analysis indicates that credit contagion has a nonlinear effect on the replication strategies and on the XVA.
Psychiatric comorbidity in Intermittent Explosive Disorder.

Abstract This study examined aspects of psychiatry comorbidity in Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED) in order to explore the validity of IED in the context of other psychiatric disorders. Data from the National Comorbidity Study – Revised (NCS-R: n = 9,282 adults) and its Adolescent Supplement (NCS-AS: n = 10,148 adolescents) and a large clinical research data set (n = 1640) were analyzed in this study. Mean number of comorbid disorders among current IED participants was similar to that among other Non-IED disorders and comorbidity of IED with Non-IED disorders was similar to comorbidity among Non-IED disorders. When examined together, current IED was significantly comorbid with current bipolar, depressive, anxiety, substance use, and post-traumatic stress disorder, and age of onset of IED generally preceded that of the comorbid disorders. Finally, mean aggression scores were generally highest among those with IED and the comorbid disorder while scores among those with the comorbid disorder alone were generally less than that with IED or with IED and the comorbid disorder. Comorbidity in IED is similar to that in other, more established, Non-IED disorders. The observation that the development of IED precedes the onset of most comorbid disorders and that aggression scores in those with IED and a comorbid disorder are often higher than those with IED alone supports the rationale that a diagnosis of both IED and the comorbid disorder should be made when both are present.
Geographical Variation in Pediatric Emergency Medical Services Utilization

Background: Pediatric transport by emergency medical services (EMS) is costly and resource-intensive. Significant variation in pediatric EMS utilization exists across large-scale geographies. Identifying geographic factors associated with EMS utilization will allow for targeted community-based interventions to minimize unnecessary use and focus services on those at greatest need. Purpose: To determine if pediatric EMS utilization varied geographically across Hamilton County, Ohio and whether that variability was associated with underlying neighborhood-level socioeconomic characteristics. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of children transported by EMS to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital …
Mid and long-wave infrared free-space optical communication

Mid-wave (MW) and long-wave infrared (LWIR) spectral bands (3 to 5 μm and 9 to 14 μm) are known for their robust transmission characteristics in free-space optical communications (FSOC) under various weather conditions such as haze, fog, rain, and snow. These bands are also expected to be more tolerant to atmospheric turbulence compared to the shortwave IR region (SWIR) near 1.55 μm. Conversely, low-cost, power efficient laser transmitters (Tx) and receivers (Rx) for the MW-LWIR wavelengths are not as widely available as the 1.55 μm counterpart especially for high bandwidth. Larger aperture sizes are also likely required for MW-LWIR to maintain acceptable beam divergence and adequate receiver signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs). All of these are challenges for the development of the MW-LWIR FSOC technology. In the framework of ARAP DOC-P program (Applied Research for the Advancement of S and T Priorities Defense Optical Channel Program), CCDC-ARL (Combat Capabilities Development Command Army Research Laboratory) has taken on the challenge to investigate and develop ground-to-space FSOC in the MW-LWIR regions with commensurate comparisons of MW-LWIR and SWIR systems. The effort started with a detailed literature survey on the MWIR and LWIR FSOC experiments and the latest progress. CCDC-ARL has conducted investigations of the state-of-the-art MWLWIR laser Tx and MW-LWIR photodetectors including in-house development. An FSOC ground testbed employing MW-LWIR COTS quantum cascade laser (QCL) sources is being developed. The Tx will be directly modulated using electronic circuits built in-house. In a collaborative effort with the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), CCDC-ARL is testing a free-space link emulator based on 1.55 μm fiber optics components first developed by NRL. CCDC-ARL is also developing atmospheric beam propagation simulation tools based on random phase screens in order to gain insight and compare the performance envelope for MW-LWIR and SWIR.
Designing a physical activity program for children and youth with disabilities: Identifying values and behaviors for a person-centered approach

The number of physical activity (PA) programs for children and youth with physical disabilities (CYPD) has not increased in conjunction with the large population of CYPD there is today. Research co...
Cortical Thickness Links Impulsive Personality Traits and Risky Behavior

Impulsive personality traits are often predictive of risky behavior, but not much is known about the neurobiological basis of this relationship. We investigated whether thickness of the cortical mantle varied as a function of impulsive traits and whether such variation also explained recent risky behavior. A community sample of 107 adults (ages 18–55; 54.2% men) completed self-report measures of impulsive traits and risky behavior followed by a neuroimaging protocol. Using the three-factor model of impulsive traits derived from the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale, analysis of the entire cortical mantle identified three thickness clusters that related to impulsive traits. Sensation seeking was negatively related to thickness in the right pericalcarine cortex, whereas impulsive urgency was positively associated with thickness in the left superior parietal and right paracentral lobule. Notably, follow-up analyses showed that thickness in the right pericalcarine cortex also related to recent risky behavior, with the identified cluster mediating the association between sensation seeking and risky behavior. Findings suggest that reduced thickness in the pericalcarine region partially explains the link between sensation seeking and the tendency to engage in risky behavior, providing new insight into the neurobiological basis of these relationships.
“Trailer Trash” Stigma and Belonging in Florida Mobile Home Parks

In the United States, residents of mobile homes and mobile home communities are faced with cultural stigmatization regarding their places of living. While common, the “trailer trash” stigma, an example of both housing and neighborhood/territorial stigma, has been understudied in contemporary research. Through a range of discursive strategies, many subgroups within this larger population manage to successfully distance themselves from the stigma and thereby render it inconsequential (Kusenbach, 2009). But what about those residents—typically white, poor, and occasionally lacking in stability—who do not have the necessary resources to accomplish this? This article examines three typical responses by low-income mobile home residents—here called resisting, downplaying, and perpetuating—leading to different outcomes regarding residents’ sense of community belonging. The article is based on the analysis of over 150 qualitative interviews with mobile home park residents conducted in West Central Florida between 2005 and 2010.
KARAKTERISTIK MISI KELUARGA DALAM PERSPEKTIF PERJANJIAN LAMA

According to Barna's research, 51% of the church did not understand the Great Commission. Though the church is called to carry out its witnessing duties in this world. The church serves God's people and builds communities that witness and feel the presence of Christ. In order to understand this calling, it is necessary to study the role of Israelites which also had the mission aspect in the Old Testament. The election of Israel as the people of God means that they also have a mission, as an agent of God’s mission to the world. This concept can be seen within the history of the life of Adam until the people of Israel, where God had given the mandate to become a blessing for the world. This research then will elaborate the calling and mission concept within the Old Testament, especially the chosen characters in it. In that context, every character in the Old Testament had their own calling to do God’s mission as their life goal. They all have the same characteristic that is their life goal is to bring other or people to enjoy the blessing of God as God’s people. In that way, the people of God will live in his holiness.
Estimating wildfire fuel consumption with multitemporal airborne laser scanning data and demonstrating linkage with MODIS-derived fire radiative energy

Abstract Characterizing pre- and post-fire fuels remains a key challenge for estimating biomass consumption and carbon emissions from wildfires. Airborne laser scanning (ALS) data have demonstrated effectiveness for estimating canopy, and to a lesser degree, surface fuel components at fine-scale (i.e., 30 m) across landscapes. Using pre- and post-fire ALS data and corresponding field data, this study estimated consumption of canopy fuel (ΔCF), understory fuel (ΔUF), total fuel (ΔTF), and canopy bulk density (ΔCBD) for the 2012 Pole Creek fire in Oregon, USA (10,760 ha), and portions of the 2011 Las Conchas fire in New Mexico, USA (4,934 ha). Additionally, the feasibility of predicting fuel consumption was tested using separate pre- and post-fire models (PrePost), models combining all pre- and post-fire data (Pooled), and models using all data from both fires (Global). Estimates of ΔTF were then compared to fire radiative energy (FRE, units: MJ) derived from Fire Radiative Power (FRP, units: MW) observations from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor onboard NASA Terra and Aqua satellites to mechanistically derive a biomass combustion coefficient (BCC, units: kg MJ−1). The PrePost and Pooled approaches yielded similar results at Las Conchas, but at Pole Creek insufficient pre-fire field data resulted in erroneous fuel consumption estimates outside the fire perimeter using the PrePost models. These results demonstrated that pre-fire field data were less important for these models than having field data which represent the full range of fuel conditions likely to exist across the landscape. Estimated total biomass consumed for the PrePost, Pooled, and Global models were 226 Gg, 224 Gg, and 224 Gg at Las Conchas, and 581 Gg, 713 Gg, and 552 Gg at Pole Creek. Comparisons between estimated ΔTF and FRE yielded an average BCC for both fires of 0.367 (s.d. ± 0.049) kg MJ−1 based on pixels with at least five MODIS observations. Both higher MODIS observations per pixel and accounting for canopy occlusion of FRE improved the relationship between ΔTF and MODIS-FRE. This study suggested a practical modelling approach for future efforts using only post-fire field observations and quantified a landscape-scale relationship between MODIS-derived FRE and fine-scale fuel consumption consistent with prior experiments.
Low rates of anti-recipient isohemagglutinins in ABO incompatible hematopoietic stem cell transplants.

Abstract Introduction Isohemagglutinins occur naturally and form in an 'opposite' (antigen-negative) pattern to a patient’s ABO blood type. Patients undergoing minor and bidirectional ABO incompatible hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) may demonstrate detectable antibodies against their native blood type. In this study, we sought to characterize the rates of such antibody formation and evaluate the clinical significance of our findings. Materials and Methods An internal database of HSCT patients at an academic medical center was queried for ABO incompatible transplant patients from 2009-2019. Serum typing results, clinical histories, and laboratory data were compiled and reviewed. Results A total of 182 minor and bidirectional ABO incompatible HSCT patients were identified. Anti-recipient isohemagglutinins were found in 9% (16/182) of the HSCT patients. The rate was higher in patients with minor incompatibility (12%: 15/127) versus bidirectional ABO incompatibility (2%: 1/55) (p = 0.04). No anti-recipient isohemagglutinins were identified in umbilical cord HSCT patients (0%: 0/7). Serologic agglutination reactions of recipient isohemagglutinins were overall mostly weak (13/16 weak + to 1+). There was a trend towards a higher rate of acute graft-versus-host-disease in patients with anti-recipient isohemagglutinins compared to those without (75% vs. 53%; p = 0.12), though not statistically significant. Rates of alloimmunization to minor red cell antigens were similar between the two groups. Few patients showed laboratory evidence of hemolysis at 12 months follow up. Discussion and conclusions Anti-recipient isohemagglutinins occur at low rates in ABO incompatible HSCT and are significantly more common in minor ABO incompatible transplant compared to bidirectional transplants. Larger cohort studies are needed to better understand the relationship between anti-recipient isohemagglutinins and HSCT outcomes.
Identifying Missed Opportunities for Routine Vaccination among People Who Use Drugs

In the US, adult immunization coverage remains low, especially among vulnerable populations, as recent hepatitis A outbreaks have demonstrated. We studied the vaccination history variation among the US adults who use drugs by implementing a community-engaged research survey to identify reported immunization coverage, missed opportunities (MO), and places where immunizations might be delivered. Our analysis of a sample of 1127 participants recruited at community syringe exchanges in three cities identified higher overall vaccination receipt in Los Angeles compared to Atlanta or Las Vegas (e.g., HAV receipt 52.2% LA, 42.1% LV, 41.4% Atlanta). Overall, fewer participants reported having received HAV (45.9%), HBV (47.5%), or influenza (47.6%) vaccines than MMR (57.1%) or Td/Tdap (61.1%). Across sites, HAV receipt was higher for participants incarcerated ≥ 5 years (54.2% vs. 43.6% for those incarcerated $20k predicted higher rates of MMR receipt (67.0% vs. 56.5%, p = 0.009), as did stable housing (62.8% vs. 54.3%, p = 0.01). To address the need to expand vaccine coverage among vulnerable adults, delivering vaccine at sites where persons who use drugs access services, or in correctional facilities, may be warranted.
An Improved Model for Human Activity Recognition by Integrated feature Approach and Optimized SVM

Lately, human activity recognition has pulled in an expanding measure of consideration from research and industry networks. Human activity recognition is the consistently sprouting exploration zone as it finds magnificent utilizations in surveillance, healthcare, and many real-life problems. This paper presents a technique to automatically recognize human activity from a video sequence. An integrated features approach using Histogram of Gradient (HOG) local feature descriptor and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) as a global feature is proposed in this paper. Optimized Support Vector Machine(SVM), Artificial Neural Network (ANN) used as a classifier. The proposed model is trained and tested on Benchmark KTH dataset, results obtained are comparable with existing methods. The proposed technique achieved the activity recognition accuracy of 99.21 percent. The experimental results confirms that the embedded feature approach and optimization techniques for classifier improves the performance of human activity recognition
SICs and Bell Inequalities

Close study of three sporadic SICs reveals an illuminating relation between different ways of quantifying the extent to which quantum theory deviates from classical expectations. In brief, the SIC outcome does not exist when no one is looking.
Higher-Harmonic Load Control of Wind Turbine Blades with Actuator Saturation

Dynamic loads on the wind turbine blades result in structural fatigue, which is harmful to the longevity of a wind turbine. The fatigue damage on the blades correlate with fluctuations in blade-root bending moments. Dynamic load control aims to reduce such load fluctuations. In this paper, higher-harmonic load control is developed to target the first two harmonics of the dynamic loads at blade roots. Sectional Lift Actuators (SLA), which are a proxy for on-blade flow control devices, are utilized. The SLAs are assumed to have finite actuator authority. This paper compares two nonlinear saturation management schemes that allocate the available actuator authority towards controlling the different harmonics. These schemes are compared based on damage equivalent fatigue loads and turbine performance. The relative efficacy of the saturation management schemes proposed is evaluated.
Molecules of cell adhesion and recognition: An overview

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of cell adhesion—from early experiments implicating differential cell–cell adhesion as an important developmental mechanism to the methods used to isolate and characterize cell adhesion molecules (CAMs). More than 50 CAMs have been identified and structural characterization has allowed these molecules to be classified into families. The initial definition of CAMs was operational, based on their ability to mediate cell–cell adhesion in assays in vitro . Many of the CAMs (the desmogleins and desmocollins of desmosomes) and the cadherins, found within adherens junctions, do appear to function as adhesive molecules in vivo . CAMs do not serve simply as intercellular glue—for example, contacts involving N-cadherin, Ll/Ng-CAM, or N-CAM trigger changes in intracellular second-messenger systems that affect neurite extension and contact mediated by E-cadherin affects cell motility. The structure of the membrane-associated protein tyrosine phosphatase μ that includes an immunoglobulin domain that mediates cell–cell adhesion and a cadherin-related segment in its cytoplasmic region is strongly suggestive of a role in cell-contact regulation of cellular differentiation. In the case of some integrin receptors, ligand binding is known to affect gene expression. The field of cell adhesion is moving beyond identifying and structurally characterizing CAMs and into the more exciting realm of precisely defining their roles in cellular physiology and differentiation.
The impact of left ventricular hypertrophy on survival in candidates for liver transplantation.

Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) occurs in 12% to 30% of patients with cirrhosis; however, its prognostic significance is not well studied. We assessed the association of LVH with survival in patients undergoing a liver transplantation (LT) evaluation. We performed a multicenter cohort study of patients undergoing an evaluation for LT. LVH was defined with transthoracic echocardiography. The outcome of interest was all-cause mortality. LVH was present in 138 of 485 patients (28%). Patients with LVH were older, more likely to be male and African American, and were more likely to have hypertension. Three hundred forty-five patients did not undergo transplantation (212 declined, and 133 were waiting): 36 of 110 patients with LVH (33%) died, whereas 57 of 235 patients without LVH (24%) died (P = 0.23). After LT, 8 of 28 patients with LVH (29%) died over the course of 3 years, whereas 9 of 112 patients without LVH (8%) died (P = 0.007). This finding was independent of conventional risk factors for LVH, and all deaths for patients with LVH occurred within 9 months of LT. No clinical or demographic characteristics were associated with mortality among LVH patients. In conclusion, the presence of LVH is associated with an early increase in mortality after LT, and this is independent of conventional risk factors for LVH. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and identify factors associated with mortality after transplantation to improve outcomes.
CooA, CAP and allostery.

The crystal structure of the CooA protein yields potential insight into the general mechanism of allostery within the CAP family of transcriptional regulators.
Towards computational understanding of skill levels in simulation-based surgical training via automatic video analysis

Analysis of motion expertise is an important problem in many domains including sports and surgery. Recent years, surgical simulation has emerged at the forefront of new technologies for improving the education and training of surgical residents. In simulation-based surgical training, a key task is to rate the performance of the operator, which is done currently by senior surgeons. This is deemed as a costly practice and researchers have been working towards building automated systems to achieve computational understanding of surgical skills, largely through analysis of motion data captured by video or data of other modalities. This paper presents our study on understanding a fundamental issue in building such automated systems: how visual features computed from videos capturing surgical actions may be related to the motion expertise of the operator. Utilizing domain-speciffic knowledge, we propose algorithms for detecting visual features that support understanding the skill of the operator. A set of video streams captured from resident surgeons in two local hospitals were employed in our analysis. The experiments revealed useful observations on potential correlations between computable visual features and the motion expertise of the subjects, hence leading to insights into how to build automatic system for solving the problem of expertise evaluation.
ENDOGENOUS NON-CYCLOOXYGENASE METABOLITES OF ARACHIDONIC ACID MODULATE GROWTH AND MRNA LEVELS OF IMMEDIATE-EARLY RESPONSE GENES IN RAT MESANGIAL CELLS

The role of endogenous arachidonic acid and its metabolites as mediators of cell growth was studied in rat mesangial cells. Inhibitors of the cytochrome P450 monooxygenase and lipoxygenase systems (nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA), SK&F 525A, and ketoconazole) significantly reduced serum-stimulated cell growth as determined by cell counts and incorporation of [3H]thymidine. Inhibition of cyclooxygenase or lipoxygenases alone had no effect on cell growth. Stimulation with arginine vasopressin, epidermal growth factor, or phorbol myristate acetate increased [3H]thymidine incorporation and mRNA levels of the immediate-early response genes c-fos and Egr-1. These increases in [3H]thymidine incorporation and mRNA levels were reduced by NDGA and ketoconazole. NDGA, SK&F 525A, and ketoconazole had no effect on cellular ATP levels. Indomethacin had no effect upon cell growth. 14,15-Epoxyeicosatrienoic acid potentiated the effect of arginine vasopressin to enhance [3H]thymidine incorporation. Reverse-phase high pressure liquid chromatography analysis of lipid extracts from cells prelabeled with [3H]arachidonic acid resulted in the detection of a radioactive peak which eluted with lipoxygenase and monooxygenase products, with the same retention time as vicinal dihydroxyeicosatrienoic acids. This peak increased after stimulation with arginine vasopressin or epidermal growth factor and was reduced by preincubation with NDGA. Furthermore, analysis of unlabeled cell extracts by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry revealed the presence of a compound with epoxyeicosatrienoic acid-like characteristics. These results indicate that mesangial cells in culture likely produce products of the cytochrome P450 monooxygenase system that are important endogenous mediators of the growth response to mitogenic agents.
A Concentric Model for Jazz History

This article proposes an alternative to the historical narratives and learning outcomes undergirding the organization of the majority of modern jazz history courses and textbooks. After outlining the dominant modes of historical and ethnographic writing on jazz, I assert the need for scholars and educators to shift attention away from the objects of jazz history – such as prized recordings, performances, and biographies – and toward interactive processes as the core content of the tradition. Through a sustained consideration of musical process, I ask students to engage with the collective work of improvisers and the subjectivities – of bandleaders, recordists, audiences, and critics – that inevitably shape their interactive work. This concentric historical model is responsive to the contingent, communal work that defines the jazz community and reflective of the multiple, uneven, non-linear temporal frames that inform historical narratives in the age of recorded sound.
Liberation and Development of Allomyces arbuscula Mitospores Viewed by Scanning Electron Microscopy

Scanning electron microscopy has been employed to examine events in the release and development of mitospores of the aquatic fungus, Allomyces arbuscula. Among the salient features of spore release from the mitosporangium is the digestion of the inner matrix of the exit papillum. Hydrolysis appears to begin at the outer layer of the papillum plug matrix and probably results from activation of localized hydrolytic enzymes. The plug clearly consists of at least two different component layers. Elaboration of mitospores from the mitosporangium is depicted in several micrographs. Motile spores were induced to begin development, and the sequence of surface changes associated with the encystment process was studied. Time course studies show the retraction of the flagellum, the change from elipsoidal to spherical shape, and the deposition of the cell wall. Early in encystment, small vesicles accumulate on the surface of the plasma membrane. These enlarge and fuse to form the mature cyst wall. This surface view of cell wall deposition appears to support the possible role of gamma particles in cell wall synthesis during encystment.
Nanopore structures, statistically representative elementary volumes, and transport properties of chalk

[1] Dual focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) is frequently being used to characterize nano-scale pore structures observed in carbonate and shale gas rocks. However, applications are limited to qualitative analysis of nanopore structures. Herein, the concept of statistical representative elementary volumes (SREV) is applied to FIB-SEM data of a Cretaceous chalk sample. Lattice-Boltzmann (LB) simulations with multiple relaxation time and topological analysis show that the size of the SREV for this chalk sample can be established at ~ 10 microns based on anisotropic permeability, tortuosity, and specific surface area. This work confirms that the FIB-SEM technique can be used for the quantitative analysis of nanopore structures and highlights nano-scale basis for strong anisotropy in the presence of fractures. In addition, nanopores and pore throats are not resolved at voxel dimensions less than ~ 80 nm, resulting in significant underestimation of surface area and permeability.
Analog VLSI design of cellular neural networks with annealing agility

Local interconnection and simple synaptic operators are the most attractive features of the CNN for VLSI implementation in high-speed, real-time applications. Several hardware implementations of the CNN have been reported in the literatures. The CMOS VLSI design of a continuous-time shift-invariant CNN with digitally-programmable operators is considered. In addition, the circuits for hardware annealing is included to provide the flexibility of the network in a variety of applications. >