cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Physical Problem List Accompanying the Distress Thermometer: Its Associations with Psychological Symptoms and Survival in Patients with Metastatic Lung Cancer

BACKGROUND The distress thermometer and problem list (DT&PL) is a recommended screening measure but the utility of the physical problem list (PPL) has not been evaluated in patients with metastatic lung cancer who typically have high rates of both physical and psychological symptoms. We hypothesized that the PPL will provide an accurate representation of lung cancer symptoms and be associated with concomitant distress, anxiety, depression, and worsened survival. METHODS Stage IV lung cancer patients (n = 116) reported physical symptoms from 22 PPL variables and completed the DT&PL for distress, general anxiety disorder-7 for anxiety, and Patient Health Questionnaire 9 for depression. Inferential analyses were controlled for demographic and clinical characteristics. RESULTS The average number of physical problems was 4.7 (SD = 3.8) while the median was 3.0. Fatigue, sleep, pain, and breathing problems were most common. Physical symptom burden was associated with nonmarried/partnered status (P = .003) and depression (P < .001) on multivariate analysis accounting for 43% of physical symptom burden variance. Greater number of physical symptoms and lower BMI were associated with worsened survival. Individual physical symptoms were most often associated with depression. CONCLUSION The PPL of the DT&PL appears to have clinical utility given its associations with the most common lung cancer symptoms, depression, and worsened survival. In addition to its potential role in clinics worldwide already using the DT&PL, physical symptom burden on the DT&PL should trigger a concomitant psychological assessment.
Quasielastic lepton scattering and back-to-back nucleons in the short-time approximation

Understanding quasielastic electron and neutrino scattering from nuclei has taken on new urgency with current and planned neutrino oscillation experiments, and with electron scattering experiments measuring specific final states, such as those involving nucleon pairs in ``back-to-back'' configurations. Accurate many-body methods are available for calculating the response of light ($A\ensuremath{\le}12$) nuclei to electromagnetic and weak probes, but they are computationally intensive and only applicable to the inclusive response. In the present work we introduce a novel approach, based on realistic models of nuclear interactions and currents, to evaluate the short-time (high-energy) inclusive and exclusive response of nuclei. The approach accounts reliably for crucial two-nucleon dynamics, including correlations and currents, and provides information on back-to-back nucleons observed in electron and neutrino scattering experiments. We demonstrate that in the quasielastic regime and at moderate momentum transfers both initial- and final-state correlations and two-nucleon currents are important for a quantitatively successful description of the inclusive response and final-state nucleons. Finally, the approach can be extended to include relativistic---kinematical and dynamical---effects, at least approximately in the two-nucleon sector, and to describe the response in the resonance-excitation region.
Normal and glaucomatous outflow regulation

Abstract Glaucoma remains only partially understood, particularly at the level of intraocular pressure (IOP) regulation. Trabecular meshwork (TM) and Schlemm's canal inner wall endothelium (SCE) are key to IOP regulation and their characteristics and behavior are the focus of much investigation. This is becoming more apparent with time. We and others have studied the TM and SCE's extracellular matrix (ECM) extensively and unraveled much about its functions and role in regulating aqueous outflow. Ongoing ECM turnover is required to maintain IOP regulation and several TM ECM manipulations modulate outflow facility. We have established clearly that the outflow pathway senses sustained pressure deviations and responds by adjusting the outflow resistance correctively to keep IOP within an appropriately narrow range which will not normally damage the optic nerve. The glaucomatous outflow pathway has in many cases lost this IOP homeostatic response, apparently due at least in part, to loss of TM cells. Depletion of TM cells eliminates the IOP homeostatic response, while restoration of TM cells restores it. Aqueous outflow is not homogeneous, but rather segmental with regions of high, intermediate and low flow. In general, glaucomatous eyes have more low flow regions than normal eyes. There are distinctive molecular differences between high and low flow regions, and during the response to an IOP homeostatic pressure challenge, additional changes in segmental molecular composition occur. In conjunction with these changes, the biomechanical properties of the juxtacanalicular (JCT) segmental regions are different, with low flow regions being stiffer than high flow regions. The JCT ECM of glaucomatous eyes is around 20 times stiffer than in normal eyes. The aqueous humor outflow resistance has been studied extensively, but neither the exact molecular components that comprise the resistance nor their exact location have been established. Our hypothetical model, based on considerable available data, posits that the continuous SCE basal lamina, which lies between 125 and 500 nm beneath the SCE basal surface, is the primary source of normal resistance. On the surface of JCT cells, small and highly controlled focal degradation of its components by podosome- or invadopodia-like structures, PILS, occurs in response to pressure-induced mechanical stretching. Sub-micron sized basement membrane discontinuities develop in the SCE basement membrane and these discontinuities allow passage of aqueous humor to and through SCE giant vacuoles and pores. JCT cells then relocate versican with its highly charged glycosaminoglycan side chains into the discontinuities and by manipulation of their orientation and concentration, the JCT and perhaps the SCE cells regulate the amount of fluid passage. Testing this outflow resistance hypothesis is ongoing in our lab and has the potential to advance our understanding of IOP regulation and of glaucoma.
Confirming two conjectures of Su and Wang on binomial coefficients

Two conjectures of Su and Wang (2008) concerning binomial coefficients are proved. For n>=k>=0 and b>a>0, we show that the finite sequence C"j=(n+jak+jb) is a Polya frequency sequence. For n>=k>=0 and a>b>0, we show that there exists an integer m>=0 such that the infinite sequence (n+jak+jb), j=0,1,[email protected]?, is log-concave for 0==m. The proof of the first result exploits the connection between total positivity and planar networks, while that of the second uses a variation-diminishing property of the Laplace transform.
Simulation of general relativistic shock wave interactions by a locally inertial Godunov method featuring dynamical time dilation

We introduce the locally inertial Godunov method with dynamical time dilation, and use it to give a definitive numerical simulation of a point of shock wave interaction in general relativity starting from a new initial dataset. Prior work of Groah and Temple justifies meeting the Einstein constraint equations for the initial data only at the weak level of Lipshitz continuity in the metric. The forward time simulations, presented here, resolve the secondary wave in the Smoller–Temple shock wave model for an explosion into a static, singular, isothermal sphere. The backward time solutions indicate black hole formation from a smooth solution via collapse associated with an incoming rarefaction wave. A new feature is that space–time is approximated as locally flat in each grid cell so that Riemann problems and the Godunov method can be implemented. Clocks are then dynamically dilated to simulate effects of space–time curvature. Such points of shock wave interaction are more singular than points on single shock surfaces because the coordinate systems that make space–time locally flat on single shock surfaces (Gaussian normal coordinates), break down at points of shock wave interaction.
Defining Themselves: Transition Coordinators’ Conceptions of Their Roles in Schools:

Transition coordinators are key players in the delivery of high-quality transition services, but little is known about how they interpret and enact their roles. This qualitative study examined how ...
Effects of altered tau expression on dentate granule cell excitability in mice.

Abstract Tauopathies, including Alzheimer's disease, are characterized by progressive accumulation of hyperphosphorylated and pathologic tau protein in association with onset of cognitive and behavioral impairment. Tau pathology is also associated with increased susceptibility to seizures and epilepsy, with tau−/− mice showing seizure resistance in some epilepsy models. To better understand how tau pathology is related to neuronal excitability, we performed whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology in dentate gyrus granule cells of tau−/− and human-tau expressing, htau mice. The htau mouse is unique from other transgenic tau models in that the endogenous murine tau gene has been and replaced with readily phosphorylated human tau. We assessed several measures of neuronal excitability, including evoked action potential frequency and excitatory synaptic responses in dentate granule cells from tau−/−, htau, and non-transgenic control mice at 1.5, 4, and 9 months of age. Compared to age matched controls, dentate granule cells from both tau−/− and htau mice had a lower peak frequency of evoked action potentials and greater paired pulse facilitation, suggesting reduced neuronal excitability. Our results suggest that neuronal excitability is more strongly influenced by the absence of functional tau than by the presence of pathologic tau. These results also suggest that tau's effect on neuronal excitability is more complex than previously understood.
Preteens in pantsuits: instructional feminism and the professionalization of girlhood fashion on the red carpet

This article analyzes the impact of popular feminism on girlhood culture via tween celebrities’ red carpet fashion. Trends on the red carpet have taken a markedly mature turn for tween girls, namel...
University COVID -19 Surveillance Testing Center: Challenges and Opportunities for Schools of Nursing

As the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic became clear, it was evident that higher education schools and Universities, including schools of nursing were facing enormous challenges to create a safe environment for educational instruction to continue. Clinical education in particular was affected as clinical sites were increasingly unable to accommodate student clinical rotations due to crushing volumes and overwhelming care needs of COVID patients. This article outlines the innovative efforts of one university that set up a robust surveillance testing program that required and provided weekly COVID-19 testing of all students, faculty and staff that were on-campus. The testing center is nurse led and nurse managed, providing a clinical experience for over 50 nursing students each semester, allowing them to accrue community clinical hours so that they can progress through their nursing program. Clinical quality and patient experience outcomes are shared, and lessons learned described.
Endothelial Poldip2 regulates sepsis-induced lung injury via Rho pathway activation.

Aims Sepsis-induced lung injury is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Previously, we showed that heterozygous deletion of polymerase δ-interacting protein 2 (Poldip2) was protective against sepsis-induced lung injury. Since endothelial barrier disruption is thought to be the main mechanism of sepsis-induced lung injury, we sought to determine if the observed protection was specifically due to the effect of reduced endothelial Poldip2. Methods and results Endothelial-specific Poldip2 knock-out mice (EC-/-) and their wild type littermates (EC+/+) were injected with saline or lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 18 mg/kg) to model sepsis-induced lung injury. At 18 hours post-injection mice, were euthanized and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and lung tissue were collected to assess leukocyte infiltration. Poldip2 EC-/- mice showed reduced lung leukocyte infiltration in BAL (0.21 ± 0.9x106 vs 1.29 ± 1.8x106 cells/mL) and lung tissue (12.7 ± 1.8 vs 23 ± 3.7% neutrophils of total number of cells) compared to Poldip2 EC+/+ mice. qPCR analysis of the lung tissue revealed a significantly dampened induction of inflammatory gene expression (TNFα 2.23 ± 0.39 vs 4.15 ± 0.5 fold, IκBα 4.32 ± 1.53 vs 8.97 ± 1.59 fold), neutrophil chemoattractant gene expression (CXCL1 68.8 ± 29.6 vs 147 ± 25.7 fold, CXCL2 65 ± 25.6 vs 215 ± 27.3 fold) and a marker of endothelial activation (VCAM1 1.25 ± 0.25 vs 3.8 ± 0.38 fold) in Poldip2 EC-/- compared to Poldip2 EC+/+ lungs. An in vitro model using human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells was used to assess the effect of Poldip2 knock-down on endothelial activation and permeability. TNFα-induced endothelial permeability and VE-cadherin disruption were significantly reduced with siRNA-mediated knockdown of Poldip2 (5 ± 0.5 vs 17.5 ± 3 fold for permeability, 1.5 ± 0.4 vs 10.9 ± 1.3 fold for proportion of disrupted VE-cadherin). Poldip2 knockdown altered expression of Rho-GTPase-related genes, which correlated with reduced RhoA activation by TNFα (0.94 ± 0.05 vs 1.29 ± 0.01 of relative RhoA activity) accompanied by redistribution of active RhoA staining to the center of the cell. Conclusion Poldip2 is a potent regulator of endothelial dysfunction during sepsis-induced lung injury, and its endothelium-specific inhibition may provide clinical benefit.
Pitfalls using smartphones videos in diagnosing functional seizures

Abstract Seizure semiology by reviewing video independent of EEG has been found to be useful for diagnosing functional seizures. Video recordings of “spells” can have similar sensitivity to EEG when quality recordings have been evaluated. Recently, smartphone videos were shown to serve as an adjunct to standard history and physical examination with similar diagnostic yields compared to diagnostic video-EEG monitoring when reviewed by experts. However, caution must be exercised when interpreting videos of paroxysmal neurological events recorded by caregivers to ensure proper quality is standardized. In this report, we present a case of false initial identification of functional seizures in a patient with epilepsy misjudged using a smartphone video to evaluate a “seizure” that was recorded by his wife using her smartphone. However, despite a quality recording and a history consistent with epilepsy, the smartphone video reviewed during evaluation in the clinic suggested a functional behavior in contrast to the history. Instead of bilateral tonic-clonic motor movements, bizarre, intermittent non-clonic wild flinging movements and vocalization were identified on smartphone video prompting inpatient video-EEG monitoring where the same nonepileptic semiology was subsequently clarified to represent a physiological nonepileptic event typical of his agitated post-ictal state following an electroclinical seizure. We highlight the pitfalls in using patient-recorded smartphone videos in diagnosing patients with epilepsy, with the hopes of better understanding their utility in differentiating epileptic from functional seizures.
Negotiations, social-psychological perspectives

'There's an excitement generated in these essays, as the authors seek to push toward the creation of new and alternative processes. Not content only to tie the "artificial" phenomena of the laboratory to the field, a number of the researchers are creating new phenomena in their own experiments and simulations. These social "inventions" portend policy applications to negotiation processes that are of significance to those practitioners working within a myriad of sites, from labor-management relations to international affairs.' -- Harold Guetzkow
Counterproductive Monetary Policy Coordination

This chapter considers the theory of counterproductive cooperation by examining the actual cases of coordination of macroeconomic policies among the major industrial countries during the 1970s and 1980s. It begins with a bird’s-eye view of some of empirical evidence relevant to the four theories developed in the previous chapter; the evidence is all consistent with the theories. The chapter then presents two case studies, both of which are presumed by at least some observers to have been counterproductive.
Latent tuberculosis infection in a subject with diabetes mellitus – a case report

Uvod: Bolesnici sa secernom bolesti tipa 1 cesto imaju narusenu stanicnu imunost i podložni su zaraznim bolestima. Cilj je ovog rada prikazati slucaj latentne tuberkulozne infekci je (LTBI) u 46-godisnje zdravstvene djelatnice (medicinske sestre na odjelu zatuberkulozu male djece) koja 20 godina boluje od secerne bolesti tipa 1. Materijali i metode: Tuberkulinski kožni test ucinjen je s 2 tuberkulinske jedinice (Tuberkulin RT-23, Statens Serum Institute, Kopenhagen, Danska). Krv za ispiti vanje oslobađanja interferona gama, IFN-gama, (engl. Interferon Gamma Releasing Assay, IGRA) uzorkovana je u epruvete koje sadrže specificne antigene mikobakterija tuberkuloze (ESA T-6, CFP10 i TB7.7). Nakon inkubacije (22 sata) na 37oC u plazmi je određena koncentracija IFN-gama metodom ELISA (QuantiFERON-TB Gold In Tube – Cellestis Ltd., Victoria, Australia). Pozitivna kontrola bila je krv uzor kovana s mitogenom fitohemaglutininom, a negativna kontrola krv uzorkovana s heparinom. Rezultati: Tuberkulinski kožni test bio je negativan (induracija 6 mm), a nalaz otpustanja I FN-gama iz aktiviranih limfocita (0, 35 kIU/L) pozitivan. Normalna stanicna imunost potvrđena je pozitivnom kontrolom. Ispitanica nema znakova aktivne tuberkuloze. Zakljucak: U medicinske sestre koja boluje od secerne bolesti tipa 1, a godinama radi s tuberkuloznim bolesnicima LTBI je dokazana testom oslobađanja IFN-gama, ali ne i tuberkulinskim kožnim testom. Unatoc dugogodisnje secerne bolesti tipa 1, reakcija oslobađanja IFN-gama prema specificnim tuberkuloznim antigenima je ocuvana, a aktivna se tuberkuloza nije razvila.
SU-E-T-626: Practical Method to Implement Arc Therapy Using Scanned Particle Beams

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to propose a method to implement arc therapy that is compatible with existing particle therapy systems having gantries and pencil-beam scanning capacities. Furthermore, we sought to demonstrate expected benefits of this method for selected clival chordoma patients. Methods: We propose that a desired particle arc treatment plan can be discretized into a finite number of fixed beams and that only one (or a subset) of these beams be delivered in any single treatment fraction; the target should receive uniform dose during each fraction. For 3 clival-chordoma patients, robust-optimized, scanned proton beams were simulated to deliver 78 Gy (RBE) to clinical target volumes (CTVs), using either a single-field plan with a posterior-anterior (PA) beam or a discrete-arc plan with 16 beams that were equally spaced throughout a 360-degree axial arc. Dose-volume metrics were compared with emphasis on the brainstem, since risk of radiation necrosis there can often restrict application of tumoricidal doses for chordomas. Results: The mean volume of brainstem receiving a dose of 60 Gy (RBE) or higher (V60Gy) was 10.3±0.9 cm 3 for the single-field plan and 4.7±1.8 cm 3 for the discrete-arc plan, a reduction of 55% in favor of arcs. The mean dose to the brainstem was also reduced using arcs, by 18%, while the maximum dose was nearly identical for both methods. For the whole brain, V60Gy was reduced by 23%, in favor of arcs. Mean dose to the CTVs were nearly identical for both strategies, within 0.3%. Conclusion: Discrete arc treatments can be implemented using existing scanned particle-beam facilities. Aside from the physical advantages, the biological uncertainties of particle therapy, particularly high in the distal edge, can be reduced by arc therapy via rotational smearing, which may be of benefit for tumors near the brainstem.
Molecular dynamics simulations of charged plates and electrolyte in a bilayer-like geometry: molecular ordering and electrostatic potential

We have performed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of NaCl solution separated by two charged plates. In order to establish its applicability to future simulations of the transmembrane electrochemical gradient, we have employed the EW3DC technique for calculations of long range electrostatics. EW3DC allows for different salt concentrations on the two sides of the plates. Hence, the system mimics a transmembrane concentration gradient, a phenomena not previously simulated via MD. Molecular-level ordering of oxygens, hydrogens and salt ions produced oscillations in the electrostatic potential profile.
A Logical Framework for Distributed Systems and Communication Protocols

I will introduce the main ideas of rewriting logic [11]—a logic for the specification, prototyping and programming of concurrent systems in which concurrent computation exactly corresponds to logical deduction—and will discuss some promising directions for its use as a logical and semantic framework for distributed computing and communication protocols. An important aspect is its wide-spectrum character. Thus, on the one hand it connects smoothly with—and provides a formal foundation for—notations suitable for the early phases of software design, such as architectural description languages and object-oriented modeling languages [14, 19]; and on the other hand it also provides a natural implementation path through subsets of the logic that are efficiently implement able as distributed or mobile languages [9]. Similarly, rewriting logic specifications, when supported by appropriate tools, can be used in a wide range of specification, prototyping, code generation, testing, formal analysis, and formal verification efforts to reach high levels of assurance about a system’s correctness. All these capabilities seem potentially useful for specifying, prototyping, testing, validating, and implementing distributed systems in general and communication protocols in particular; and they offer the promise of substantially narrowing the gap between specification and code. and of reaching high assurance about the correctness of implementations that can themselves be realized in efficient subsets of rewriting logic.
The replication requirement

Human geneticists withhold judgment on any report of linkage or allelic association until it is independently replicated. But the independent replication criterion has become harder to meet. Does this signal the demise of the reverse genetics paradigm or a problem with the replication requirement itself?
Inhibition of Nucleic Acid and Protein Synthesis in Mouse Spleen Cells In Vitro by Azathioprine

The effect of azathioprine on macromolecular biosynthesis was studied in mouse spleen cells cultured in vitro. The rate of incorporation of (3)H-thymidine, (3)H-uridine, and (14)C-leucine into acid-insoluble material was used to measure deoxyribonucleic acid, ribonucleic acid, and protein synthesis. Results indicate that azathioprine inhibited nucleic acid and protein synthesis at levels which did not decrease cell viability.
Patterns of use and public perception of over-the-counter pain relievers: focus on nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs.

Objective To assess the frequency and indications for over-the-counter (OTC) nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug (NSAID) use and to what degree the public is aware of their side effects. Methods Two surveys totaling 9062 respondents were performed of the American public. The Roper survey, conducted in 1997, and the National Consumers League (NCL) survey, conducted in December 2002, were intended primarily to assess the public's use of and attitudes toward NSAID and OTC analgesics. Results Ibuprofen based drugs were the most frequently used OTC in both surveys (57% Roper, 33% NCL). In the Roper survey, 17% of respondents used NSAID, with 38% using both prescription and OTC. Forty-six percent of exclusive OTC users believed OTC were safer, while 56% of exclusive users of prescription NSAID believed they were safer. Sixty percent and 29% of exclusive OTC users were neither aware of nor believed they were at risk for side effects from NSAID, respectively. Twenty-six percent of respondents used more than the recommended dose on the label, while 22% believed warning symptoms would always precede any NSAID induced complications. In the NCL survey, 83% had used an OTC agent in the last year, with 15% reporting daily use, and 49% were not concerned about potential side effects. In this survey, 30% believed there was less risk with OTC analgesics, and 44% consumed more than the recommended dosage on the label. Conclusion OTC analgesics including NSAID are widely used, are frequently taken inappropriately and potentially dangerously, and users are generally unaware of the potential for adverse side effects. Educational intervention directed toward both patients and physicians appears warranted.
Studies on the autoxidation of dopamine: interaction with ascorbate.

Abstract An oxygen electrode was used to monitor the reaction between dopamine (DA, 1–20 m m ) and oxygen at pH 7.4 and 37 °C, in both the presence and absence of ascorbate (10 m m ). The selected concentrations approximate levels within DA neurons. Diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA, 0.1 m m ) was used to suppress catalysis by trace metals in the reagents. Separate experiments with catalase showed that oxygen consumption could be equated with the formation of hydrogen peroxide. Depending upon the experimental conditions, ascorbate acted either as an antioxidant, suppressing oxygen consumption (H 2 O 2 production) to 6–8% of the expected rate, or as a prooxidant, amplifying oxygen consumption by 640%. The antioxidant action is consistent with the scavenging of superoxide radicals by ascorbate. The prooxidant action is probably the result of redox cycling of a pre-melanin oxidation product derived from DA. Analyses conducted by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection revealed formation of a product with a very low oxidation potential; the product was not 6-hydroxydopamine. These observations may be relevant to concepts of toxicity mediated by DA within neuronal systems.
Effects of high spin polarization in3He↑-4He mixtures

Abstract We apply a generalized microscopic Landau theory of spin-polarized Fermi liquids to 3 He↑- 4 He mixtures. We describe spin dynamics, a zero temperature relaxation, and thermodynamic parameters including the retardation caused by the phonon part of 3 He- 3 He interaction.
Novel True-Motion Estimation Algorithm and Its Application to Motion-Compensated Temporal Frame Interpolation

In this paper, a new low-complexity true-motion estimation (TME) algorithm is proposed for video processing applications, such as motion-compensated temporal frame interpolation (MCTFI) or motion-compensated frame rate up-conversion (MCFRUC). Regular motion estimation, which is often used in video coding, aims to find the motion vectors (MVs) to reduce the temporal redundancy, whereas TME aims to track the projected object motion as closely as possible. TME is obtained by imposing implicit and/or explicit smoothness constraints on the block-matching algorithm. To produce better quality-interpolated frames, the dense motion field at interpolation time is obtained for both forward and backward MVs; then, bidirectional motion compensation using forward and backward MVs is applied by mixing both elegantly. Finally, the performance of the proposed algorithm for MCTFI is demonstrated against recently proposed methods and smoothness constraint optical flow employed by a professional video production suite. Experimental results show that the quality of the interpolated frames using the proposed method is better when compared with the MCFRUC techniques.
5 V compatibility with 3.3 V-only CMOS ASICs

Abstract A 3.3 V-only CMOS I/O buffer is proposed that interfaces with 5 V CMOS and TTL devices. This new buffer eliminates the 5 V power supply bus on the application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) chip while greatly improving the performance and reliability of the I/O buffer. In addition, the cost of packaging these ASICs is reduced due to removing the need of supporting a 5 V power plane on the package. The interfacing issues and the characteristics of the proposed I/O buffer are examined in detail.
Microsecond optical - optical switching in a neodymium-doped two-mode fiber.

We report on optically induced optical switching of a 632.8-nm signal in a Nd3+-doped, two-mode fiber based on a nonlinearity resonantly enhanced by the dopant. A fast, 0.38-μs component was observed in the switched signal, which we believe is due to cross relaxation between clustered ions. We demonstrated a 600-kHz switch in a 1.14-m elliptical-core fiber with 0.31 μJ of launched 807-nm pump energy. Information about cluster size and speed of the cross-relaxation process is inferred from the switch dynamics.
Comparison of an inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry method for the determination of calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, copper and zinc with atomic absorption spectroscopy and flame photometry methods.

Abstract Serum calcium, magnesium, copper and zinc concentrations obtained from the analysis of 77 serum samples by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) are compared with the results obtained using atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). Similarly, serum sodium and potassium levels from the analysis of the same samples by ICP-AES are compared with the levels obtained by flame photometry. For each metal, we compare the results from both methods with a linear regression program that assumes error in both variables. The regression analysis shows that the ICP-AES method gives slightly higher calcium, copper, and zinc results and lower magnesium results than the AAS methods, and lower sodium and potassium results than the flame photometry method. Except for sodium, the correlation (r) between the results is very high (⩾0.958), indicating that the ICP-AES results could be corrected to be equivalent to the atomic absorption or flame photometry results. The ICP-AES has the advantage of requiring less preparation and analysis time, and additional elements could be determined simultaneously in the same sample.
The carpal tunnel view: helpful adjuvant for unrecognized fractures of the carpus

We present four cases of carpal bone fractures which were not recognized on standard anteroposterior (AP) and lateral views of the wrist. When there is clinical suspicion of fractures of the hook of the hamate, pisiform, or trapezium, either because of the mechanism of injury or clinical presentation, a carpal tunnel view of the wrist is often helpful to disclose previously unrecognized fractures.
Comparison of Inversion Electron Transport Properties of (0001) 4H and 6H-SiC MOSFETs

The effect of using two different polytypes, 4H-SiC and 6H-SiC, on the performance of (0001) SiC MOSFETs has been studied. 4H-SiC and 6H-SiC MOSFETs have been fabricated with deposited gate oxides followed by oxidation in dry O2 or NO. Device parameters, particularly field-effect mobility, inversion sheet carrier concentration and Hall mobility have been extracted. We have also compared the mobility-limiting mechanisms of (0001) 4H and 6H-SiC MOSFETs and found that inversion mobility can be further improved in 4H-SiC, but not 6H-SiC.
Optimum design of bridges with superelastic-friction base isolators against near-field earthquakes

The seismic response of a multi-span continuous bridge isolated with novel superelastic-friction base isolator (S-FBI) is investigated under near-field earthquakes. The isolation system consists of a flat steel-Teflon sliding bearing and a superelastic NiTi shape memory alloy (SMA) device. Sliding bearings limit the maximum seismic forces transmitted to the superstructure to a certain value that is a function of friction coefficient of sliding interface. Superelastic SMA device provides restoring capability to the isolation system together with additional damping characteristics. The key design parameters of an S-FBI system are the natural period of the isolated, yielding displacement of SMA device, and the friction coefficient of the sliding bearings. The goal of this study is to obtain optimal values for each design parameter by performing sensitivity analyses of the isolated bridge. First, a three-span continuous bridge is modeled as a two-degrees-of-freedom with S-FBI system. A neuro-fuzzy model is used to capture rate-dependent nonlinear behavior of SMA device. A time-dependent method which employs wavelets to adjust accelerograms to match a target response spectrum with minimum changes on the other characteristics of ground motions is used to generate ground motions used in the simulations. Then, a set of nonlinear time history analyses of the isolated bridge is performed. The variation of the peak response quantities of the isolated bridge is shown as a function of design parameters. Also, the influence of temperature variations on the effectiveness of S-FBI system is evaluated. The results show that the optimum design of the isolated bridge with S-FBI system can be achieved by a judicious specification of design parameters.
Extracting footfalls from voxel data

In this paper, we present a method for extracting footfall locations from three dimensional voxel data created from a pair of silhouettes. With the growth of the elderly population, there is a need for passive monitoring of physical activity to allow older adults to continue living in independent settings. Prior research using anonymized video data has shown good results in passively acquiring information useful for assessing physical function; and, additionally, research has shown that video data anonymized through the use of silhouettes alleviates privacy concerns of older adults towards the technology. Previous work in acquiring gait information from voxel data has not included a technique for identifying individual footfall locations, from which additional information useful for assessing asymmetric gait patterns and other physical parameters may be obtained. Furthermore, visualization of the footfall locations during a walking sequence may provide additional insight to care providers for assessing physical function. To evaluate our approach, participants were asked to walk across a GAITRite electronic mat, used to validate our results, while also being monitored by our camera system. Results show good agreement between the footfalls extracted by our system and those from the GAITRite.
Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composite Bridges in West Virginia:

Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites have been used more often over the past decade than before in new construction as well as in repair of deteriorated bridges. Many of these bridges are on low-volume roads, where they receive very little attention. It is imperative that new bridge construction or repair be long lasting, nearly maintenance free, and as economical as possible. Relative to those factors, FRP composite bridges have been found to be structurally adequate and feasible because of their reduced maintenance cost and limited environmental impact (i.e., no harmful chemicals leaching into the atmosphere with longer service life). In West Virginia, 23 FRP composite bridges have been constructed, among which 18 are built on low-volume roads that have an average daily traffic (ADT) of less than 1,000, including 7 with ADT less than 400. General FRP composite bridge geometry and preliminary field responses are presented as are some of the preliminary construction specifications and cost data of FRP composite bridges built on low-volume roads in West Virginia.
Ki-67 labeling index in the differential diagnosis of exaggerated placental site, placental site trophoblastic tumor, and choriocarcinoma: A double immunohistochemical staining technique using Ki-67 and Mel-CAM antibodies

The diagnosis of placental site trophoblastic lesions, particularly the distinction of a placental site trophoblastic tumor from an exaggerated placental site, can be difficult. Mel-CAM (also known as CD146 and MUC18) is a recently recognized cell adhesion molecule belonging to the immunoglobin gene superfamily that specifically identifies intermediate trophoblast (IT). In this study, we evaluated immunohistochemical staining of Ki-67 (using Mib-1 antibody) in Mel-CAM defined IT as an aid in the differential diagnosis of these lesions. Formalin-fixed tissue samples from 24 normal implantation sites, 19 exaggerated placental sites, five molar implantation sites, 16 placental site trophoblastic tumors, and 12 choriocarcinomas were stained with a Mel-CAM-specific polyclonal antibody and a Ki-67 antibody using streptavidin-biotin immunoperoxidase with two different chromagens. No Ki-67 nuclear labeling was seen in IT of normal implantation sites. The Ki-67 index (mean +/- standard deviation) in IT of exaggerated placental site was near zero, but in the molar implantation sites the Ki-67 index was 5.2% +/- 4.0%. In contrast, the Ki-67 index in IT of placental site trophoblastic tumor was 14% +/- 6.9% and in choriocarcinoma was 69% +/- 20%. The differences in the Ki-67 labeling index were statistically significant (P < .001) between exaggerated placental site, placental site trophoblastic tumor, and choriocarcinoma. In conclusion, a double-staining technique using MIB-1 antibody to determine the Ki-67 proliferative index in Mel-CAM defined IT is a useful technique in the differential diagnosis of exaggerated placental site versus placental site trophoblastic tumor and placental site trophoblastic tumor versus choriocarcinoma.
Local De Novo Assembly of RAD Paired-End Contigs Using Short Sequencing Reads

Despite the power of massively parallel sequencing platforms, a drawback is the short length of the sequence reads produced. We demonstrate that short reads can be locally assembled into longer contigs using paired-end sequencing of restriction-site associated DNA (RAD-PE) fragments. We use this RAD-PE contig approach to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and determine haplotype structure in threespine stickleback and to sequence E. coli and stickleback genomic DNA with overlapping contigs of several hundred nucleotides. We also demonstrate that adding a circularization step allows the local assembly of contigs up to 5 kilobases (kb) in length. The ease of assembly and accuracy of the individual contigs produced from each RAD site sequence suggests RAD-PE sequencing is a useful way to convert genome-wide short reads into individually-assembled sequences hundreds or thousands of nucleotides long.
Effect of amine counterion type on the retention of basic compounds on octadecyl silane bonded silica-based and polybutadiene-coated zirconia phases

In a previous paper, we compared the mixed-mode retention characteristics of cationic solutes on octadecyl silane-bonded silica (ODS) and polybutadiene-coated zirconia (PBD-ZrO2) phases. It is well recognized that both reversed-phase and ion-exchange interactions contribute to the retention of cations on ODS phases. The reversed-phase interaction results from the bonded hydrocarbon chain; the ion-exchange interaction originates in the ionized residual silanol groups. These two types of interactions also exist on the PBD-ZrO2 phase. The polybutadiene contributes to the reversed-phase interaction and the ionized zirconol, but primarily, the adsorbed Lewis base anions, such as phosphate or fluoride, contribute to the ion-exchange interaction. We have shown that on ODS phases, reversed-phase interactions are much more important, whereas the opposite is true of PBD-ZrO2 phases. In this work, we investigate the effect of several amine mobile phase counterions on the retention of cationic solutes on ODS and PBD-...
Structure of thin film polymer/nanoparticle systems: polystyrene (PS) coated-Au nanoparticle/tetramethyl bisphenol-A polycarbonate mixtures (TMPC)

The morphologies of thin film blends of polystyrene (PS)-brush coated Au nanoparticles with tetramethyl bisphenol-A polycarbonate (TMPC) were investigated. Our results reveal that entropic effects, associated with the brush/host chain interactions, nanoparticle diameter, D, and asymmetries in monomer sizes of the host and grafted chains, can play a more important role than the favorable PS/TMPC enthalpic interactions toward determining the phase miscibility of the system. A diagram of states is constructed to show the phase separated and dispersed regimes as a function of D, N, the degree of polymerization of the grafted chains, and P, the degree of polymerization of the host chains, at a constant grafting density. These results have important implications on the design of brush coated nanoparticle/homopolymer mixtures for various applications.
Influence of Inundation Potential and Forest Overstory on the Ground-layer Vegetation of Allegheny Plateau Riparian Forests

Abstract In the nonglaciated Allegheny Plateau of northwestern Pennsylvania ground-layer plant communities of headwater riparian forests are among the most species-rich of the region. We examined the influence of inundation potential (geomorphic surfaces with high, moderate or low probability of seasonal inundation) and forest overstory (stems ≥2.5 cm dbh) characteristics (percent overstory cover, overstory basal area, overstory stem density and basal area of eastern hemlock, Tsuga canadensis) on species richness, biomass and cover of the summer ground-layer (all vascular plants ≤1 m tall) at six riparian sites. The study design used inundation as a class variable with sites or portions of sites within each class as replicates (n = 4 for each inundation class). Mean total species richness (7.3 ± 1.3 se species/0.25 m2) and biomass (51.0 ± 12.4 se gm dry weight/0.25 m2), forb species richness (4.3 ± 0.8 se species/0.25 m2) and biomass (9.3 ± 4.5 se gm dry weight/0.25 m2) and graminoid species richness (2.4...
Magnetic field suppression of3He superfluidity in aerogel

We report nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements of superfluid3He confined in 98% porosity aerogel*.3He superfluidity in aerogel has been identified as an equal-spin pairing superfluid with a transition temperature,T c, suppressed from that of the bulk. In magnetic fields, 0.38≤H≤2.2 kOe,T c is further suppressed by 61 ±1μK/kOe2 at 18.7 bar. Such a quadratic magnetic field dependence of the superfluid transition is unexpected for an equal-spin pairing state. The effects of small additions of4He on the NMR frequency shifts and on the phase diagram are described.
Freezing-induced fluid-matrix interaction in poroelastic material

Freezing of biological tissue is emerging in various biomedical applications. The success of these applications requires precise control of the tissue functionality, which is closely associated with the microstructure of the extracellular matrix (ECM). In the present study, the spatiotemporal effects of freezing on the ECM were experimentally and theoretically investigated by approximating biological tissue as a poroelastic material saturated with interstitial fluid. The experiments with type I collagen gel showed that its matrix underwent two distinct levels of structural changes due to freezing: enlarged pore structure of the matrix and increased collagen fibril diameters. The extent of these changes was augmented as the freezing temperature was lowered. The theoretical model suggested that the interstitial fluid might be transported toward the unfrozen region from the phase change interface due to the volumetric expansion associated with the water-ice phase change, and the transported fluid could interact with the matrix and enlarge its pore structure. The model also illustrated the effects of matrix structural properties on this interaction including initial porosity, hydraulic conductivity, and elastic modulus. These results imply that an identical macroscopic freezing protocol may result in different microstructural alterations of poroelastic materials depending on the structural properties of the matrix. This may be relevant to understanding the tissue-type dependent outcomes of cryomedicine applications and be useful in designing cryomedicine applications for a wide variety of tissues.
Solvent selectivity by an organoclay complex

Abstract Selective adsorption isotherms were obtained for a series of polar organic solvents in toluene on a quarternary alkyl ammonium complex of hectorite. Crossing points were derived from the typical S shaped isotherms and correlated with the polar character of the solvent and the gel strengths of organoclay gels made from similar binary solvent systems.
Plasma flow healing of magnetic islands in stellaratorsa)

Recent experiments from the large helical device (LHD) demonstrate a correlation between the “healing” of vacuum magnetic islands in stellarators and changes in the plasma flow. A model explaining this phenomenon is developed based on self-consistent torque balance and island evolution equations. In conventional stellarators, neoclassical flow damping physics plays an important role in establishing the flow profiles. The balance of neoclassical damping and cross-field viscosity produces a radial boundary layer for the plasma rotation profile outside the separatrix of a locked magnetic island. The width of this boundary layer decreases as the plasma becomes less collisional. Associated with these flow effects are plasma currents flowing in the island region that attempt to suppress island formation. These currents are enhanced as the collisionality drops making magnetic island healing occur more readily in high temperature conventional stellarators. The analytic theory produces a critical β for healing tha...
Head-mounted displays for civil helicopter navigation and obstacle avoidance: Is what you see what you don’t get, or is seeing not believing?

Civilian helicopter pilots flew simulated Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) scenarios using a head-mounted display (HMD) with guidance and/or obstruction imagery. Obstructions were detect...
Formic Acid Activation in Plants. II. Activation of Formyltetrahydrofolate Synthetase by Magnesium, Potassium, and Other Univalent Cations.

The purification, properties and distribution of the formate activating enzyme, formyltetrahydrofolate synthetase, from plants were described in the preceding paper (5). Studies of the activation of the enzyme by magnesium and univalent cations are described in this paper. The mechanism of action of magnesium in biological catalysis is reasonably well understood. Most transphosphorylation reactions involving ATP require magnesium ions and it is generally assumed that the reactive species is a magnesium complex of ATP. Knowledge of the mechanism of action of potassium in metabolism, however, is limited. In recent years a number of enzyme catalyzed reactions have been shown to require K+, NH4+ or Rb+ for activity (4). Evans and coworkers (6, 11) have demonstrated a requirement for K+, NH4+ or Rb+ by pyruvate kinase and acetic thiokinase from tissues of higher plants. Optimal activity of these enzymes was produced by a K+ concentration of approximately 0.04 M which is near the normal level of K+ concentration in plant tissues. Bertino et al. (1) reported that optimal activity of formyltetrahydrofolate synthetase from erythrocytes required the presence of K+ or NH4+. A detailed study of the K+ requirement was not made. The purpose of the experiments reported in this paper was to study the activation of the enzyme from plant tissues by potassium ions and to determine the effect of potassium deficiency in plants on the rate of the reaction catalyzed by the enzyme.