cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Searching for sterile neutrinos from π and K decays

The production of heavy sterile neutrinos from � − ,K − decay at rest yields charged leptons with negative helicity (positive for � + ,K + ). We obtain the branching ratio for this process and argue that a Stern-Gerlach filter with a magnetic field gradient leads to spatially separated domains of both helicity components with abundances determined by the branching ratio. Complemented with a search of the monochromatic peak, this setup can yield both the mass and mixing angles for sterile neutrinos with masses in the range 3MeV . ms . 414MeV in next generation high intensity experiments. We also study oscillations of light Dirac and Majorana sterile neutrinos with ms ≃ eV produced in meson decays including decoherence aspects arising from lifetime effects of the decaying mesons and the stopping distance of the charged lepton in short baseline experiments. We obtain the transition probability from production to detection via charged current interactions including these decoherence effects for 3 + 1 and 3 + 2 scenarios, also studying |�L| = 2 transitions from � ↔ � oscillations for Majorana neutrinos and the impact of these effects on the determination of CP-violating amplitudes. We argue that decoherence effects are important in current short baseline accelerator experiments, leading to an underestimate of masses, mixing and CP-violating angles. At MiniBooNE/SciBooNE we estimate that these effects lead to an ∼ 15% underestimate for sterile neutrino masses ms & 3eV. We argue that reactor and current short baseline accelerator experiments are fundamentally different and suggest that in future high intensity experiments with neutrinos produced from �,K decay at rest, stopping the charged leptons on distances much smaller than the decay length of the parent meson suppresses considerably these decoherence effects.
Qualification of a 24-volt, 35-Ah sealed lead-acid aircraft battery

This paper presents the results from a test program to qualify a 24-volt, 35-Ah sealed lead-acid battery for use in the C/KC-135 aircraft. Samples were obtained from two prospective suppliers, and one of these suppliers was successfully qualified as a source of supply. A modification program is under way to retrofit the C/KC-135 fleet with this battery. This new battery is projected to save the Air Force $135 million over the next 20 years due to reduced maintenance costs.
Standardization of Currently Employed Biochemical Procedures (Cholesterol, Triglycerides, Lipoprotein Electrophoresis, and Typing)

The most common biochemical procedures employed in studies on atherosclerosis are those that measure lipids, lipoproteins, and associated metabolic products (1). At present, determinations of cholesterol and triglyceride levels appear to be more useful in the clinical classification of hyperlipidemia and hyperlipoproteinemia and in characterizing the patient with a risk factor. Determination of the lipoprotein concentration and the level of lipoprotein apoproteins and enzymes, however, provides a clearer and more definite picture of the patient’s lipid metabolic state. Other biochemical procedures for plasma constituents, such as hormones, coagulation factors, and constituents associated with other risk factors, are measured to detect or follow suspected risk factors and complications or sequelae of atherosclerosis. Standardization of all of these tests is essential if results obtained by laboratories participating in clinical and epidemiological studies are to be comparable.
How Cr changes the dislocation core structure of α-Fe: the role of magnetism

Cr is a critical alloying element in ferritic steels and its effect on the dislocation core structure of ?-Fe is examined computationally using a quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics method. We find that Cr can significantly change the dislocation core structure of Fe where magnetism plays a crucial role. The strain-dependent magnetic interaction between Cr and the host Fe atoms is responsible for the dislocation core structure. When Cr is at the tension side of the slip plane, the Cr?Fe magnetic interaction is repulsive, which lowers the dislocation energy and pins the dislocation. When Cr occupies the compression side of the slip plane, the Cr?Fe interaction is attractive which increases the dislocation energy and promotes the dislocation to break away from Cr.
Low-swing on-chip signaling techniques: effectiveness and robustness

This paper reviews a number of low-swing on-chip interconnect schemes and presents a thorough analysis of their effectiveness and limitations, especially on energy efficiency and signal integrity. In addition, several new interface circuits presenting even more energy savings and better reliability are proposed. Some of these circuits not only reduce the interconnect swing, but also use very low supply voltages so as to obtain quadratic energy savings. The performance of each of the presented circuits is thoroughly examined using simulation on a benchmark interconnect circuit. Significant energy savings up to a factor of six have been observed.
Functions of disordered regions in mammalian early base excision repair proteins

Reactive oxygen species, generated endogenously and induced as a toxic response, produce several dozen oxidized or modified bases and/or single-strand breaks in mammalian and other genomes. These lesions are predominantly repaired via the conserved base excision repair (BER) pathway. BER is initiated with excision of oxidized or modified bases by DNA glycosylases leading to formation of abasic (AP) site or strand break at the lesion site. Structural analysis by experimental and modeling approaches shows the presence of a disordered segment commonly localized at the N- or C-terminus as a characteristic signature of mammalian DNA glycosylases which is absent in their bacterial prototypes. Recent studies on unstructured regions in DNA metabolizing proteins have indicated their essential role in interaction with other proteins and target DNA recognition. In this review, we have discussed the unique presence of disordered segments in human DNA glycosylases, and AP endonuclease involved in the processing of glycosylase products, and their critical role in regulating repair functions. These disordered segments also include sites for posttranslational modifications and nuclear localization signal. The teleological basis for their structural flexibility is discussed.
Long-Acting Inhaled β2-Agonists for Stable COPD

OBJECTIVE:To describe the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and mechanisms of benefit, formulations available, drug costs, pharmacokinetic profiles, and pertinent clinical studies for long-acting β2-agonists.DATA SOURCES:A MEDLINE search was conducted from July 1966 through October 2002.STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION:Pertinent articles related to COPD and long-acting β2-agonists.DATA SYNTHESIS:The incidence and subsequent morbidity and mortality of COPD have increased during the last 4 decades, prompting worldwide initiatives to formulate guidelines to decrease the burden of this disease. COPD is a progressive, irreversible disease state characterized by chronic cough, dyspnea, sputum production, and wheezing, in which no medication has been shown to decrease mortality, excluding oxygen supplementation. Bronchodilators have been a mainstay of COPD treatment through their ability to work by both smooth- and non–smooth-muscle mechanisms. Long-acting β2-agonists (i.e., formote...
Demo: Uno: a sharing infrastructure for smartphone sensors and files

Current smartphones have been equipped with different kinds of sensors and enhanced by powerful mobile operating systems, such as Android OS, iOS, Windows Mobile, Blackberry and Symbian OS. These advantages, however, are not fully utilized by operating smartphone only in isolation. Therefore, we demonstrate Uno, a platform that is specifically designed to allow people to share resources in smartphone environments. Uno allows users to cooperate by sharing their files and sensors under a strong privacy protection. The fundamental idea is to map a smartphone to a networked node by the means of tagged objects in the distributed sharing system and to treat sensors and resources as sub-objects to the smartphones. Sensors or resource sharing are based on different attributes' settings in the system. Furthermore, Uno also supports a user with multiple smartphones. A Uno prototype implemented in Android OS [1] with full features will be shown in this demo.
The Rotation Axis of the Centaur 5145 Pholus

Abstract We present observations of the Centaur 5145 Pholus from January 2000 to August 2000. A rotational lightcurve was assembled from both V and R measurements, confirming previous period determinations of 0.416 day but exhibiting an amplitude over twice as high as previously measured. This lightcurve was then used in conjunction with previously published lightcurves to solve for a north pole position of λ0=149°, β0=+26° (prograde rotation), and a sidereal period of 0.4159256±0.0000016 day. As part of this analysis, the axial ratios of Pholus were found to be a/b=1.8 and b/c=1.0. Color analyses of the data give an average V−R color of 0.71±0.03, which is slightly lower than the 0.75–0.84 range previously seen. This difference, combined with the fact that we see color variations as a function of rotation, suggest that Pholus' northern hemisphere contains bluer features than are seen in its southern hemisphere.
Challenging issues arising in the broadband matching of small antennas and how we might solve them

In this paper we discuss some of the challenging issues arising in the process of designing broadband matching systems for small antennas that are inherently high-Q devices. One of the novel approaches to realizing broadband performance from a small antenna is to consider the possibility of loading it with metamaterials that have negative epsilon characteristics. It has been conjectured that it may be possible to balance the capacitive reactance of a small antenna by using such a negative epsilon material, say in the form of a spherical shell, which encloses the antenna. Though this concept is intriguing, its practical implementation is far from straightforward. Typically, the negative epsilon materials are physically realized by following the concept introduced by Rotman, in a now-classical paper, where he used thin wires to realize plasma-type characteristics. However, its performance does not meet our expectations when such an artificial slab is morphed into a thin, spherical, shell-type geometry, illuminated by a spectrum of plane waves emanating from a small antenna located at the center of the sphere. To-date, attempts to realizing ideal negative epsilon shells that circumvent the problems mentioned above have not met with noticeable success, though work in this area is still in progress.
An improved two dimensional thin-layer chromatography system for the separation of phosphatidylglycerol and its derivatives

A two dimensional thin-layer chromatography system has been devised for the improved separations of phosphatidylglycerol and its derivaties, cardiolipin and bis/monoacylglyceryl)phosphate, from the other phospholipid components of tissue total lipid extracts. The system employs silica gel G plates prepared with 0.4 M boric acid. Linear recovery of added phosphatidylglycerol was found, and phosphatidylglycerol did not cochromatograph with N, N-dimethylphosphatidylethanolamine in this system. The phospholipid class composition of various rat tissues and a Morris 7777 hepatoma has been determined and compared with values from the literature.
Lobe weight gain and vascular, alveolar, and peribronchial interstitial fluid pressures

Interstitial fluid movements in acute pulmonary edema were studied by recording interstitial fluid pressure [Px (f)] relative to pleural pressure (atmospheric), together with lobe weight gain or loss (delta W). Px (f) was measured by wicks inserted between lobar bronchus and artery while alveolar pressure (PA) was fixed at either 5 or 20 cmH2O. When vascular pressure (Pvas) was raised abruptly from -5 to +25 cmH2O by air inflation for 60 min, Px (f) became abruptly less negative, then remained stable. However, during vascular inflation with plasma, delta W began a steady increase, but plotted against delta W, Px(f) became less negative in several phases. After an immediate rise due to interdependence effects following vascular distension, Px (f) remained almost unchanged for 4–7 min as delta W increased 15–80% of initial lobe weight (Wi), representing a transport lag between leakage and measuring sites and suggesting that interstitial edema was not homogeneous. Next, Px (f) increased progressively as weight increased a further 70–200% of Wi and finally slowed its rise near zero pressure. When Pvas was lowered, Px (f) became abruptly more negative, again by interdependence; however, as delta W then decreased 20–50% of Wi over 30 min, Px (f) did not change consistently. It was possible to relate the rate of weight gain occurring between 2 and 5 min after Pvas was raised to two pressure gradients, Pvas - Px (f) and Pvas - PA, and to relate the time lag to filtration rate and Pvas - Px (f).
Intro 3 ways: an introduction to three environments for teaching introductory programming

In the past few years, many new and interesting environments have grown in popularity for introducing programming concepts to students at the university, secondary, and even the middle school level. This workshop will provide an introduction to three such environments: Scratch, Greenfoot, and Processing. During the workshop the participants will be exposed to basic features of the environment through some simple hands-on exercises. Resources (online communities, websites, and additional workshop examples) will be provided for those interested in further exploration of the environments. Laptops strongly recommended for hands-on exercises.
PBIS in Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice: Data Dashboard and Radar Reports Utilized for Team Data-Based Decision-Making With Facility Team Leader Perspectives

In February of 2013, the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) launched the use of Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) which has changed the culture and dialogue between youth and staff within its 27 secure facilities. The article discusses: 1) The reasons why DJJ knew it needed to change its behavior management system, 2) Changes in state law that reformed the DJJ system but altered the concentration of youth with more disruptive behavior issues, 3) How DJJ implemented PBIS in its facilities, 4) How DJJ developed data tools that ensured that PBIS decisions are data driven at the youth and facility level and 5) Gives examples of how PBIS was implemented in two of its facilities.
OXYGEN CONSUMPTION DURING SINGING BY MALE CAROLINA WRENS (THRYOTHORUS LUDOVICIANUS)

A technique was developed to measure oxygen consumption during singing in captive male Carolina Wrens (Thryothorus ludovicianus). Oxygen consumption during sing- ing varied between individuals, which may have been a result of variation in singing rates. The average basal rate of metabolism was estimated to be 3.31 cm3 02 g-' h-I from standard metabolism measurements made at night. Oxygen consumption during singing ranged from 9.07 to 28.69 cm3 03 g - h -'. Captive study animals used singing rates similar to wild wrens. A comparison between metabolism during singing and resting showed that the cost of singing in male Carolina Wrens is higher than the costs of other common activities of passerines except flight. Received 31 July 1992, accepted 25 November 1992.
BIOASSA Y FOR FULL-SCALE UV DISINFECTION SYSTEMS

A new bioassay technique for ultraviolet (UY) disinfection is presented which penn its application to fullscale systems. The technique involves comparison of batch dose-response behavior and full-scale, continuous-flow disinfection efficacy using indigenous indicator organisms present in secondary or tertiary wastewater effluent. This approach allows the bioassay to be applied to UY systems of all sizes, thereby eliminating the need for extrapolation of pilot-scale bioassays to full-scale systems. By comparing the results of the bioassay with dose estimates from numerical modelling, a semi-quantitative assessment of full-scale system hydrodynamic efficiency is developed relative to two idealized reactor models. This approach has merit in tenns of evaluating full-scale disinfection system design and identification of hydrodynamic shortcomings.
A Direct Reading Photoelectric Trichromatic Colorimeter

Details are given of the principle, development and construction of a new type of photoelectric colorimeter, which indicates the trichromatic co-ordinates directly on an RGB system closely and linearly related to the C.I.E., XYZ system. The method of calibration is described, and the Appendix contains a worked example of the transformation from the RGB to the XYZ system, together with a nomogram for the rapid conversion from one system to the other. Reference is made to the many applications of this instrument.
Clinical pharmacologic studies of L-asparaginase.

Studies were performed with L-asparaginase in patients with metastatic cancer and leukemia. The enzyme in human plasma had a broad optimal pH range and was stable in plasma at 40° C. for at least 40 days and at −10° C. for more than 4 months. Frequent freezing and thawing had no effect on the enzyme activity. The activity was not affected in vitro by the addition of 2 × 10−3M L-aspartic acid, NH4C1, or (NH4)2 SO4. The initial plasma level following a single intravenous infection was dose related. The enzyme decrease in the plasma was exponential with half-times varying among patients from 8 to 30 hours. In 15 patients who received daily doses there was a cumulative increase in plasma enzyme levels, but the half-time did not change and rapid immune clearance was not observed. Plasma half-time was not affected by age, sex, diagnosis, extent of disease, plasma lactic dehydrogenase levels, or hepatic or renal function. The apparent volume of distribution of the enzyme was slightly greater than the plasma volume. In a patient with a thoracic duct fistula it was found that the enzyme entered the extravascular space slowly and attained a concentration of 20 per cent the plasma level. Only a trace of L-asparaginase activity was present in the cerebrospinal fluid and urine of patients after treatment.
Endometrial cancer. Changing concepts in therapy.

All patients with adenocarcinoma of the endometrium should have a total abdominal hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, peritoneal cytology study, and pelvic and para-aortic node biopsies when feasible. The stage of disease determines postoperative therapy.
The Political Mobilization of Evangelicals from 1960 to the Present

Evangelical Christians in Britain and America mobilized political protest groups in the 1970s and 1980s around the issues of abortion, pornography, and religion in state-supported schools. In contrast to the evangelical mobilization against alcohol discussed in the previous chapter, evangelical activism of the past few decades has not focused on a single social issue. Instead, believers in each nation organized groups in response to a series of social and political changes. The reason for evangelical involvement now and a century ago, however, is essentially the same: social change conflicted with evangelical religious and cultural values. This chapter demonstrates how an evangelical ideology led believers to form social and political groups against abortion and pornography and in favour of religion in state-supported schools.
Optimierung der ATL-Turbine

In diesem Kapitel werden die Optimierungsstrategie und die Ergebnisse der Optimierung vorgestellt. Einleitend dazu zeigt eine Vorstudie die Einflusse der Zielgrosen Turbinenwirkungsgrad und Massentragheitsmoment auf das Motoransprechverhalten. Abschliesend werden die optimierten Turbinenrader auf ihre strukturmechanischen Eigenschaften uberpruft und ihr Verhalten in weiteren Betriebspunkten untersucht.
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor and schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a severe disorder affecting approximately 1% of the population. Historically, alterations of dopaminergic function were considered the primary cause of schizophrenia. However, for many patients, drugs that alter dopaminergic function do not consistently lead to resolution of the symptoms of schizophrenia. Thus, there is an increased interest in pathophysiologic processes that result in altered neurodevelopment and plasticity associated with schizophrenia. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a neurotrophin involved in neurogenesis, synaptic plasticity, cognition, and neurotransmission. Genetic polymorphism, expression, and function of BDNF have been implicated in psychiatric diseases, including schizophrenia. This review discusses BDNF, its role in neurologic processes, and the evidence implicating BDNF in schizophrenia.
Different Combining Process Between Male and Female Patients to Reach Their Overall Satisfaction

Patient satisfaction and how it is measured is an important field of study in healthcare. Consequently, there have been many patient satisfaction studies. However, there is a lack of studies that focused on how male and female patients perceive, or weigh, their overall satisfaction. Determining the weights of these attributes by gender is an important outcome to determine overall patient satisfaction and quality of care. Data were collected by applying the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey instrument to record regular patient experience at 70 United States hospitals. The data were collected between July 1, 2011 and June 30, 2012, and there are 43,938 cases in the data set. This study found that all five of the attributes (Nursing Care, Physician Care, Staff Care, Room, and Help) had an association with patient satisfaction. Among them, nursing Care had the largest influence on patient satisfaction of all of the five attributes. This study also showed a statistically significant interaction effect by gender for the interaction between Nursing care x Gender, Physician care x Gender, and Help x Gender. Female patients rated their relationship with their nurses as being more important to their overall satisfaction, while male patients rated their relationship with their doctor as being more important to overall satisfaction. Male patients also rated their relationship with help as being more important to overall satisfaction when compared with the results from female patients. Suggestions to healthcare managers are also discussed.
The Comprehensive Female Soldier Support Model

Women represent a small minority in the U.S. military and an even smaller minority in the military chaplaincy. Prior to this study, the U.S. Army chaplaincy did not have a gender-specific model for providing support to women soldiers. In this Delphi research project, wounded women soldiers and female military chaplains provided expert opinions to develop the comprehensive female soldier support model (CFS2). Ten military women and 11 female chaplains who had been deployed overseas contributed to the body of knowledge related to the understanding of the emotional and spiritual support needs of wounded female soldiers. Five key findings appeared in the study: (a) many women did not get the chaplain support they needed; (b) the gender of the chaplain was not significant; (c) the attitude of the chaplain was critical; (d) chaplain skills not found in literature were identified; and (e) the comprehensive female soldier support model was developed.
Cost-effectiveness of Family-Based Obesity Treatment

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: We translated family-based behavioral treatment (FBT) to treat children with overweight and obesity and their parents in the patient-centered medical home. We reported greater reductions in child and parent weight at 6 and 24 months compared with an attention-controlled information control (IC) group. This article reports the cost-effectiveness of long-term weight change for FBT compared with IC. METHODS: Ninety-six children 2 to 5 years of age with overweight or obesity and with parents who had a BMI ≥25 were randomly assigned to FBT or IC, and both received diet and activity education (12-month treatment and 12-month follow-up). Weight loss and cost-effectiveness were assessed at 24 months. Intention-to-treat, completers, and sensitivity analyses were performed. RESULTS: The average societal cost per family was $1629 for the FBT and $886 for the IC groups at 24 months. At 24 months, child percent over BMI (%OBMI) change decreased by 2.0 U in the FBT group versus an increase of 4.4 U in the IC group. Parents lost 6.0 vs 0.2 kg at 24 months in the FBT and IC groups, respectively. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) for children and parents’ %OBMI were $116.1 and $83.5 per U of %OBMI, respectively. Parental ICERs were also calculated for body weight and BMI and were $128.1 per 1, and $353.8/ per kilogram, respectively. ICER values for child %OBMI were similar in the intention-to-treat group ($116.1/1 U decrease) compared with completers ($114.3). CONCLUSIONS: For families consisting of children and parents with overweight, FBT presents a more cost-effective alternative than an IC group.
Searching for signatures of dark matter-dark radiation interaction in observations of large-scale structure

In this paper, we conduct a search in the latest large-scale structure measurements for signatures of the dark matter-dark radiation interaction proposed by Buen-Abad et al. (2015). We show that prior claims of an inference of this interaction at $\ensuremath{\sim}3\ensuremath{\sigma}$ significance rely on a use of the Sunyaev-Zeldovich cluster mass function that ignores uncertainty in the mass-observable relationship. Including this uncertainty we find that the inferred level of interaction remains consistent with the data, but so does zero interaction; i.e., there is no longer a preference for nonzero interaction. We also point out that inference of the shape and amplitude of the matter power spectrum from $\mathrm{Ly}\ensuremath{\alpha}$ forest measurements is highly inconsistent with the predictions of the $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}\mathrm{CDM}$ model conditioned on Planck cosmic microwave background temperature, polarization, and lensing power spectra, and that the dark matter-dark radiation model can restore that consistency. We also phenomenologically generalize the model of Buen-Abad et al. (2015) to allow for interaction rates with different scalings with temperature, and find that the original scaling is preferred by the data.
Identification of Novel Hemostatic Biomarkers of Adverse Clinical Events in Patients Implanted With a Continuous-Flow Left Ventricular Assist Device:

Heart failure affects over 5 million people in the United States. Its rising prevalence and the limited supply of donor hearts is increasing the use of mechanical cardiac support with the implantation of continuous-flow ventricular assist devices (CF-VAD). Patients with CF-VAD implants are at risk of complications, specifically adverse hemostatic events such as nonsurgical bleeding and thrombosis. Development of a pump thrombus requires clinical intervention and/or surgical replacement significantly increasing the risk of patient morbidity and mortality. Identification of biomarkers for these events could improve current risk assessment models, subsequent treatment, and quality of life prognoses for VAD-implanted patients. The standard means for identifying thrombus in VAD patients is currently limited to monitoring levels of lactate dehydrogenase (>2× upper limit of normal), which is incapable of predicting a future event, but describes the risk of a present thrombus. Surface-enhanced laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry is a technique used to identify biomarkers. In this study, 3 groups of unique peaks were identified in plasma from patients with left ventricular assist devices: 8.1-kDa, 11.7-kDa, and a 15.2-/16.1-kDa pair. Unique correlations were found for each peak, respectively, with microparticles (MPs) and MP procoagulant activity, C-reactive protein, and MP-tissue factor. Furthermore, the use of 8.1-kDa peaks may be able to differentiate thrombotic events from other hemostatic events.
Changing Girls’ Lives: One Programme at a Time

In the past two decades, research conducted on all-female outdoor education/adventure education/experiential education programmes, particularly for adolescent girls, has seen remarkable attention. Many women have focused their careers on creating and offering programmes that promote girls’ development. Researchers and practitioners have documented outcomes of girls’ participation and have shed light on the various benefits that girls may have received. This chapter examines the collective outcomes of girls’ participation in programmes designed for girls, facilitated by women. It examines why all-girls programmes exist, the outcomes and benefits of girls’ participation, and suggests programme-planning strategies for practitioners.
Application of acoustic fabrics to improve the insertion loss of a partial enclosure

The sound absorption coefficient, transmission loss, and transfer impedance of different sound absorbing fabrics are measured. It is shown that the properties are similar to microperforated panels. Using microperforated panel equations, effective hole diameter and porosity are determined via a least squares curve fit. The effective parameters can then be used to predict the sound absorptive performance for different cavity depths. It is demonstrated that the fabrics have good sound absorptive performance over a wide range of frequencies. The fabric was then positioned in a partial enclosure. Single and double layers of the fabric were placed over an opening and the insertion loss as a result of fabric application was measured. The insertion loss is increased by approximately 5 dB if two layers of the fabric is used.
Successful Coronary Protection during TAVI in Heavily Calcified Aortic Leaflets in Patient with Short and Low Left Coronary System

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement has been recently approved for patients who are high or intermediate risk for surgical aortic valve replacement. The procedure is associated with several known complications including coronary related complications. Coronary obstruction is rare but disastrous complication, and it is associated with a high mortality rate. Coronary protection technique has emerged as a preemptive technique to avoid this complication. We present a case of successful coronary protection during TAVR in severely calcified left cusp in patient with short and low left ostium.
Labyrinthitis Ossificans in a Cynomolgus Macaque (Macaca fascicularis)

Labyrinthitis is inflammation of the membranous and bony labyrinth of the inner ear. Typical portals of entry includehematogenous spread from the cochlear vasculature, passage of otitis media pathogens through the round window, and mostcommonly, meningogenic spread from the subarachnoid space. The sequela of chronic inner ear inflammation is labyrinthitisossificans, in which inner ear structures are replaced by fibrous and osseous tissues. Labyrinthitis in humans has been reportedconcurrently with infection due to various viruses (for example, varicella-zoster, measles, mumps) and bacteria (for example,Treponema pallidum, Streptococcus pneumoniae) and may be associated with vertebrobasilar ischemia and meningitis. Profoundsensorineural hearing loss is a common, serious complication of this disease. Here, we report a case of labyrinthitisossificans in a cynomolgus macaque (Macaca fascicularis) with a potential infectious etiology. Historically, this animal hadan indwelling femoral intravenous catheter for more than 4 y. He presented with a right-sided head tilt and incoordinationof 2 mo duration. The macaque was treated with NSAID and antibiotics, which corrected the incoordination but not the headtilt. MRI revealed right-sided labyrinthitis, and euthanasia was elected due to clinical signs that were refractory to treatment.Gross pathology was unremarkable, but histopathology revealed chronic labyrinthitis ossificans with local fibroplasia andvestibuloauditory neuritis. We describe here the clinical features, imaging, and histologic lesions of labyrinthitis in a macaque.
A Generalized Fuzzy T-norm Formulation of Fuzzy Modularity for Community Detection in Social Networks

Fuzzy community detection in social networks has caught researchers’ attention because, in most real world networks, the vertices (i.e., people) do not belong to only one community. Our recent work on generalized modularity motivated us to introduce a generalized fuzzy t-norm formulation of fuzzy modularity. We investigated four fuzzy t-norm operators, Product, Drastic, Lukasiewicz and Minimum, and the generalized Yager operator, with five well-known social network data sets. The experiments show that the Yager operator with a proper parameter value performs better than the product operator in revealing community structure: (1) the Yager operator can provide a more certain visualization of the number of communities for simple networks; (2) it can find a relatively small-sized community in a flat network; (3) it can detect communities in networks with hierarchical structures; and (4) it can uncover several reasonable covers in a complicated network. These findings lead us to believe that the Yager operator can play a big role in fuzzy community detection. Our future work is to build a theoretical relation between the Yager operator and different types of networks.
Corporate Bonds Underwritten by Commercial and Investment Banks: Analyzing the Default Risk

Starting in the early 1990s, banks began to slowly make their way into securities underwriting using their Section 20 subsidiaries. With the enactment of the Gram-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999, the long-standing restrictions between commercial- and investment-banking activities were formally removed. Banks have not wasted any time utilizing these new powers, making significant inroads in bond and equity underwriting over the last few years. In 2003, banks accounted for 53 percent of the IPO volume and 61 percent of corporate bond underwriting. The rapid ascendancy of many large banks in the underwriting league tables has renewed the debate concerning the gains (private information certification benefits) and costs (conflicts-of-interest costs) of combining commercial and investment banking. This paper examines these competing views on bank entry by analyzing the post-issue performance of corporate bond issues managed by investment and commercial banks during 1990-2003. We find that both commercial banks and investment banks underwrote the same quality of high-yield bonds. Investment-grade bonds underwritten by banks exhibited higher default rates than investment bank issues. Bank-advised unrated bonds had a lower default rate, suggesting that banks may be better at certifying unrated opaque firms where private information is more critical. Moreover, we find that the aftermarket performance of bonds was not adversely influenced by pre-existing syndicated loan relationships between bank underwriters and issuers.
Better-reply Dynamics in Deferred Acceptance Games

In this paper we address the question of learning in a two-sided matching mechanism that utilizes the deferred acceptance algorithm. We consider a repeated matching game where at each period agents observe their match and have the opportunity to revise their strategy (i.e., the preference list they will submit to the mechanism). We focus in this paper on better-reply dynamics. To this end, we rst provide a characterization of better-replies and a comprehensive description of the dominance relation between strategies. Better-replies are shown to have a simple structure and can be decomposed into four types of changes. We then present a simple better-reply dynamics with myopic and boundedly rational agents and identify conditions that ensure that limit outcomes are outcome equivalent to the outcome obtained when agents play their dominant strategies. Better-reply dynamics may not converge, but if they do converge, then the limit strategy proles constitute a subset of the Nash equilibria of the stage game. JEL codes C72, D41.
Non-empirical Pair Potentials for the Interaction Between Amino Acids

A pair potential describing the potential hypersurface between interacting aliphatic amino acids (without sulphur) is presented. This pair potential has been derived entirely from ab initio calculations at the Hartree-Fock level. Almost two thousand SCF calculations have been performed and used as input for a nonlinear least-squares fitting in order to obtain the parameters for the atom-atom analytical pair potential.
The Implant-Supported Screw-Retained Provisional Prosthesis: Science, Fabrication, and Design

When properly designed and fabricated, the implant-supported screw-retained provisional prosthesis (ISP) is a crucial component for predictable treatment of implants in the aesthetic zone. It helps to support and maintain the peri-implant soft tissues, particularly when used with immediate implant placement. The materials used in its fabrication should be selected to provide biocompatibility, aesthetics, and strength. The ISP is fabricated in the clinic in conjunction with implant placement. Special care must be given to the occlusion to minimize the risk to the implant.
Influence of Aggregate Gradation and Nominal Maximum Aggregate Size on the Performance Properties of OGFC Mixtures

The effect of aggregate gradation and nominal maximum aggregate size (NMAS) on the performance properties of open-graded friction courses (OGFC) mixtures was investigated in this research. Several ...
Superconductivity in Y 7 R u 4 InG e 12

We report a type-II intermetallic superconductor ${\mathrm{Y}}_{7}\mathrm{R}{\mathrm{u}}_{4}\mathrm{InG}{\mathrm{e}}_{12}$ with a transition temperature $({T}_{\mathrm{c}})$ of \ensuremath{\sim}5.8 K, which is confirmed by zero resistivity, diamagnetic magnetic susceptibility, and specific-heat jump. Single crystals of ${\mathrm{Y}}_{7}\mathrm{R}{\mathrm{u}}_{4}\mathrm{InG}{\mathrm{e}}_{12}$ were grown from a reactive indium flux. ${\mathrm{Y}}_{7}\mathrm{R}{\mathrm{u}}_{4}\mathrm{InG}{\mathrm{e}}_{12}$ crystallizes in the tetragonal space group $P4/m$ and features a $[\mathrm{R}{\mathrm{u}}_{4}\mathrm{InG}{\mathrm{e}}_{12}]$ polyanionic network with Y atoms located in three different channels. The upper critical fields of ${\mathrm{Y}}_{7}\mathrm{R}{\mathrm{u}}_{4}\mathrm{InG}{\mathrm{e}}_{12}$ at 0 K are determined to be \ensuremath{\sim}5.3 and 2.4 T along the $c$ axis and the $ab$ plane, respectively. The estimated coherence length along the $c$ axis (\ensuremath{\sim}174 \AA{}) is much larger than the estimated mean free path along the $c$ axis (\ensuremath{\sim}29 \AA{}) in ${\mathrm{Y}}_{7}\mathrm{R}{\mathrm{u}}_{4}\mathrm{InG}{\mathrm{e}}_{12}$, placing its superconductivity in the so-called dirty regime. The compound exhibits a large superconducting specific-heat jump $\phantom{\rule{4pt}{0ex}}\frac{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}C}{{\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{e}{T}_{\mathrm{c}}}\ensuremath{\approx}2.4$, significantly well above the weak-coupling Barden-Cooper-Schrieffer theoretical value of 1.43 and pointing to a strong-coupling scenario in ${\mathrm{Y}}_{7}\mathrm{R}{\mathrm{u}}_{4}\mathrm{InG}{\mathrm{e}}_{12}$. Density-functional-theory calculations show that the density of states in ${\mathrm{Y}}_{7}\mathrm{R}{\mathrm{u}}_{4}\mathrm{InG}{\mathrm{e}}_{12}$ exhibits a broad peak near the Fermi level which mainly derives from $\mathrm{Y}\text{\ensuremath{-}}4d,\mathrm{Ru}\text{\ensuremath{-}}4d$, and $\mathrm{Ge}\text{\ensuremath{-}}4p$ states.
Sigmoid Diverticulitis and Perforation Secondary to Biliary Stent Migration

Introduction. Biliary stent migration occurs in 5-10% of patients. Generally, this is a benign process and stents pass or are retrieved endoscopically. In rare instances, intestinal perforation has occurred. Presentation of Case. A 79-year-old female presented with a one-day history of abdominal pain. She had undergone an ERCP four weeks previously for primary choledocholithiasis during which time a sphincterotomy and sphincteroplasty were performed, and stents were placed in the common bile duct. CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis demonstrated a biliary stent that had migrated into the sigmoid colon, appearing to perforate the colon with free air throughout the abdomen. Patient was taken for diagnostic laparoscopy and noted to have biliary stent perforating the sigmoid colon. Procedure was converted to open, and Hartmann’s procedure was performed with end colostomy. Conclusion. Generally, biliary stent migration is a benign process, but in rare instances, intestinal perforation has occurred. Sites of perforation include the duodenum, distal small bowel, and colon. Perforation is more common with an additional pathology present such as hernias or diverticular disease. Migration and perforation also appear more common with straight biliary stents. In patients with known diverticular disease and straight biliary stents, considerations should be made for early stent removal.
A brief from the leaf: latest research to inform our understanding of the phyllosphere microbiome

The plant leaf surface, or phyllosphere, represents a unique and challenging microbial biome with a diverse and dynamic community of commensal, parasitic, and mutualistic agents of microscopic proportions. This mini-review offers a digest of recently published research dedicated to the study of phyllosphere microbiota, framed in the context of processes and outcomes of microbial community assembly, structure, and (inter)activity in the phyllosphere, with particular focus on the contributions of environment, plant, and microbe, and on the potential benefits of interrogating those contributions at finer resolutions.
Spontaneous osteoradionecrosis—features and characteristics: the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center experience

Objectives Osteoradionecrosis (ORN) is a complication of head and neck radiation therapy (RT) and is associated with significant morbidity. The incidence of ORN is variable, and it has been speculated to be lower with advanced RT techniques. Risk factors that have been associated with the development of ORN mainly include trauma and a radiation dose to the head and neck region greater than 60 Gy. However, in a study conducted by our group, ORN developed spontaneously (without any known history of trauma or dentoalveolar procedure) in 82% of the ORN cohort following intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT).The purpose of this study was to characterize spontaneous ORN and to compare spontaneous ORN with nonspontaneous ORN (e.g., related to trauma or dentoalveolar procedures). Study Design Following approval by the Institutional Review Board of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), the treatment records of 44 patients with spontaneous ORN (group A) and 24 patients with nonspontaneous ORN (group B) treated with IMRT at the MSKCC for head and neck cancer (HNCa) were identified and retrospectively reviewed. Average prescribed mean and maximum radiation doses for the region of ORN were calculated by using MSKCC's proprietary radiation treatment planning software. Furthermore, Fischer's exact test was used to compare patient characteristics, such as primary site, tumor stage, smoking status, and other comorbidities, between the spontaneous ORN group and the nonspontaneous ORN group. Results According to preliminary data from 12 patients in group A and 6 patients from group B, the patients in group A appeared to have been exposed to higher radiation doses (Dmax; greater than 70 Gy) compared with group B. Furthermore, no statistical significance was noted between the 2 groups with regard to primary tumor, tumor stage, smoking status, and comorbidities, such as cardiovascular disease and hypertension (P > .05). However, statistical significance was evident for diabetes in group B (P Conclusions Collection of data on the expanded cohort of patients from each group, as well as other variables, such as radiation therapy fractionation, is ongoing. Our initial data indicates that increased radiation dose greater than 70 Gy may be associated with the development of spontaneous ORN.
Removing the Camouflage: A Deeper Look at Military-Connected Adolescent Perception of Identity in Secondary Schools

Schools can play a key role in supporting and promoting inclusion and diversity, but one marginalized group often remains invisible in public schools: military-connected adolescents. To better supp...
Soybean androgenesis I: identification of pyramidal stressors in anther cultures that sustain cell divisions and putative embryo formation from isolated microspore cultures

Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] is one of the most complete food crops and has fed people and livestock since its domestication. Soybean androgenesis has been a challenging process yet to be advanced significantly. There have been minor advances, e.g., reports of a 2% induction rate in anther culture, formation of roots, rare shoots, but few plantlets and these did not survive to maturity. This research attempted to identify pyramidal stressors (the combination of temperature shock and incubation conditions) for soybean androgenesis using anther cultures. The results across genotypes Jack, Thorne, Williams 82 and IAS-5 indicated that androgenesis can be stimulated up to 9 to 12% induction frequency by the use of 10°C day/8°C night for 3 d then 4°C overnight dark pretreatment of donor plants, a series of incubation temperatures from 11°C to 18°C to 25°C, and nitrogen starvation medium. The adaptation of the anther culture protocol for isolated microspore cultures of IAS-5 and Embrapa-1 resulted in more than 90% of culture replicates (ave. 4 × 105 microspores mL−1, 500 μL per replicate) exhibiting sustained cell divisions with complex multicellular structures, including formation of one or more putative embryos. These results are a promising step towards the use of microspore cultures for soybean androgenesis, and a possible route to doubled haploid breeding for soybean.
External Fixator-Assisted Reduction of Distal Femur Fractures: A Technical Trick.

SUMMARY Restoration of anatomical alignment while preserving the soft-tissue envelope around the fracture site remains a challenge during distal femur fracture fixation. Although the lateral distal femoral locking plate allows surgeons to achieve adequate bony stability, their application has been associated with malalignment leading to inferior outcomes. We propose a biologically friendly, percutaneous technique that sequentially reduces and aligns distal femur fractures with an anterior external fixator before definitive fixation with a lateral distal femoral locking plate.
Biological treatment of MTBE

In this paper, we discuss the challenges of MTBE biodegradation. We begin by explaining why MTBE has become the most ubiquitous contaminant in United States of America. We then present the extent of its distribution in United States and the specific case of California. We will describe the biological treatment methods used for removal of MTBE then proceed to describe the case of microalgal growth on MTBE and the research in San Francisco State University, School of Engineering.
An Ion-exchange Bone Demineralization Method for Improved Time, Expense, and Tissue Preservation:

Here, we describe an ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)-based bone demineralization procedure that uses cation-exchange resin and dialysis tubing. This method does not require solution changes ...