cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Anti–NMDA-Receptor Encephalitis and Other Synaptic Autoimmune Disorders

Synaptic autoimmunity may result in a wide variety of symptoms, including catatonia, psychosis, movement disorders, short-term memory deficits, and refractory seizures, so these patients are seen by a wide spectrum of practitioners, who need to be aware of these disorders. In some cases, these disorders occur as a paraneoplastic manifestation of an associated cancer. However, in contrast to the well-known paraneoplastic neurologic disorders of the central nervous system that predominate in older individuals, these novel disorders often affect children and young adults. Additionally, for some syndromes, the presence of a tumor does not necessarily indicate a poor prognosis. Successful treatment of the tumor and immunotherapy often result in recovery, supporting the use of surgery for severely ill patients. In all syndromes, deficits may be reversible despite the duration or severity of symptoms. For example, patients with anti–NMDA-receptor encephalitis who had been in a coma or ventilated for 6–10 months have had full recovery after appropriate treatment.
Steady bimodal convection in a cylinder at large Prandtl numbers

Steady bimodal convection of an infinite Prandtl-number Boussinesq fluid in a cylinder is considered. An asymptotic analysis similar to the one used by Buell and Catton (1986) for axisymmetric convection yields a solvability condition that determines the radial wavenumber. The analysis is valid for convection far away from the origin, the lateral boundary, and any pattern dislocations. The azimuthal wave number is treated as a parameter, although in real systems it is dependent on the initial and boundary conditions. Results are presented for Rayleigh numbers between 14,000 and 60,000, and for azimuthal wave numbers between 5 and 7. It is shown that for increasing Rayleigh numbers, the selected radial wave number and the heat transfer tend to become independent of the azimuthal wave number. No quantitative experimental data are available, but one qualitative comparison is good.
Phase-contrast BioCD: high-speed immunoassays at sub-picogram detection levels

We previously introduced the biological compact disk (BioCD) as a sensitive detection platform to detect patterned biomolecules immobilized on the surface of a spinning disk. Spinning-disk interferometry allows high speed detection (10 microseconds per spot) of optical path length changes down to sub-nanometer scales with high repeatability. The key to performing stable interferometry on a mechanically spinning disk is self-referencing: locking the phase of the signal and reference beams to quadrature (μ/2 phase difference) independent of mechanical vibrations or relative motion. Two quadrature classes of BioCD have been reported previously: the micro-diffraction class (MD-Class) and the adaptive optical class (AO-Class) {Peng, 2004 #565; Varma, 2004 #440}. In this paper, we introduce a third class of BioCD, the Phase-Contrast-Class (PC-Class) BioCD. Protein is immobilized using photolithography on a disk in a 1024 spoke pattern. The edge of the printed protein pattern diffracts a focused laser beam that is detected in the Fourier plane with a split detector. The signal from the split detector is differenced, which plays a role in the electronic domain similar to that of a phase plate in optical phase contrast imaging. The PC-Class BioCD is simple in both theory and implementation, requiring no microstructure fabrication and no complex detection. Its potential in high speed label-free biosensing is demonstrated by a two-analyte immunoassay that shows good rejection of nonspecific binding and low antibody cross-reactivity. Immunoassays were performed against IgG immunoglobulins with detection of bound analyte on pictogram level. To show the potential of scaling up to hundreds or thousands of analytes per disk, an experiment was also performed with small drops of protein solution.
Do we all have multicreative potential

Are only certain people destined to be multicreative—capable of unique and meaningful contributions across unrelated domains? In this article, we argue that all students have multicreative potential. We discuss this argument in light of different conceptions of creativity and assert that the likelihood of expressing multicreative potential varies across levels of creativity (most likely at smaller-c levels of creativity; least likely at professional and eminent levels of creativity). We close by offering considerations for how math educators might nurture the multicreative potential of their students.
Complexity of Secondary Scientific Data Sources and Students’ Argumentative Discourse

This study examined the learning opportunities provided to students through the use of complex geological data supporting scientific inquiry. Through analysis of argumentative discourse in a high school Earth science classroom, uses of US Geological Survey (USGS) data were contrasted with uses of geoscience textbook data. To examine these differences, we conducted a review of frameworks for argumentation analysis, and through adaptation to the research foci of this study, developed a new analytic approach. Applying this approach to student classroom discourse revealed the affordances and constraints of both the complex USGS datasets and the filtered textbook data sources. The challenges of teaching with complex data are presented.
American Criminal Justice Exposed: A Review of The Collapse of American Criminal Justice, by William Stuntz

William Stuntz, who recently passed away, was the most influential criminal procedure scholar of his generation. Thus it is no surprise that his last book, The Collapse of American Criminal Justice, contains a number of provocative insights about modern American policing and criminal adjudication. But the book also delves into substantive criminal law, criminology, political economy, and nineteenth- and twentieth-century cultural history, and weaves all of it together in a bracingly original way. As a result, The Collapse of American Criminal Justice is a far-ranging analysis of the flaws in American criminal justice, how they developed, and how they can be remedied. It is a tour de force that only someone who has easy familiarity with a wide array of disciplines could pull off.
A Multi-Agent Solution to Distribution Systems Restoration

The goal to provide faster and faster restoration after a fault is pushing the technical envelope related to new algorithms. While many approaches use centralized strategies, the concept of multi-agent systems (MAS) is creating a new option related to distributed analyses for restoration. This paper provides details on a MAS that restores a power system after a fault. The development of agents and behaviors of the agents are described, including communication of agents. The MAS is tested on two test systems and facilitates both full and partial restoration, including load prioritization and shedding.
Wetland resources : Status, trends, ecosystem services, and restorability

▪ Abstract Estimates of global wetland area range from 5.3 to 12.8 million km2. About half the global wetland area has been lost, but an international treaty (the 1971 Ramsar Convention) has helped 144 nations protect the most significant remaining wetlands. Because most nations lack wetland inventories, changes in the quantity and quality of the world's wetlands cannot be tracked adequately. Despite the likelihood that remaining wetlands occupy less than 9% of the earth's land area, they contribute more to annually renewable ecosystem services than their small area implies. Biodiversity support, water quality improvement, flood abatement, and carbon sequestration are key functions that are impaired when wetlands are lost or degraded. Restoration techniques are improving, although the recovery of lost biodiversity is challenged by invasive species, which thrive under disturbance and displace natives. Not all damages to wetlands are reversible, but it is not always clear how much can be retained through re...
Beliefs and attitudes of members of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons regarding the treatment of anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Abstract Purpose: The purpose of the study was to quantify the amount of agreement among orthopaedic surgeons regarding the natural history of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)-deficient knee, surgery, and rehabilitation, and the treatment of these patients. Type of Study: Physician mail survey. Methods: Orthopaedic surgeons were randomly selected from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) directory. Only individuals who treated or referred ACL-insufficient patients for treatment within the past year were asked to complete the 3-page survey. The survey included 25 questions regarding clinical opinion. Clinical agreement was present when 80% or more of the surgeons agreed on the same response option. Results: The total number of surgeons who responded to the survey was 397 (response rate, 54.8%) and the number who had treated or referred ACL-insufficient patients in the past year was 261. Among surgeons who completed the questionnaire, the response rates to the individual questions ranged from 92% to 100%. The mean response rate for all questions was 97.4%. The mean age of the surgeons was 48.4 years, and 35.8% considered their practice to be a subspecialty in sports medicine or knee surgery. For 12 questions (48%), there was clinical disagreement among the surgeons. Surgical volume was associated with clinical opinion for 16 of 25 questions ( P ≤ .05). Conclusions: Significant variation is seen in clinical opinion and decision-making regarding ACL injuries among members of the AAOS, particularly regarding whether ACL-deficient patients can participate in all recreational sports activities, that ACL reconstruction reduces the rate of arthrosis, and on the use of braces in the postoperative period. Additionally, surgeons disagreed on the effect of 4 patient characteristics (age over 40, presence of pain, irreparable meniscal tear, injury involving Workers' Compensation) on the decision to perform surgery. Areas of significant clinical uncertainty should be the focus of future research and medical education for orthopaedic surgeons who treat ACL injuries.
Trotsky: A Biography – By Robert Service

The stated aim of this author is to exhume Leon Trotsky's “buried life,” an approach that illuminates, for example, Trotsky's efforts to conceal embarrassing details of his career such as his disag...
Volcanoes and climate

Of the natural forcings causing short-term climatic variations, volcanism, along with its climatic impact, is perhaps the best understood. The primary net result of the impact is the reduced receipt of solar energy at Earth’s surface due to the scattering of incoming solar radiation by secondary sulfate aerosols formed from volcanic sulfur. The quantitative effects can be measured in energy-balancebased climate models, which require validation using high-quality paleoclimatic and paleovolcanic data. An important advancement in the effort to understand the role of volcanism in climate change in the recent decade is the significant improvement in paleovolcanic records from polar ice cores, represented by long records with unprecedented temporal accuracy and precision, and by the potential to identify climate-impacting stratospheric eruptions in the records. Other improvements include (1) the investigation of long-term relationship between eruptions (including super-eruptions) and climate variations, beyond an eruption’s radiative impact of up to a few years; (2) a better understanding of the response to volcanic perturbation of feedback mechanisms in the climate system; and (3) the limited role of volcanic eruptions in the era of human-induced greenhouse warming. Urgent research/investigation is needed to evaluate the geoengineering proposition to counteract greenhouse warming by injecting sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere, which is based on the significant cooling effects of stratospheric volcanic eruptions, and its serious unintended consequences.  2010
Development of the New Drafting and Computer Aided Design Standards for Mechanical Engineering Program

The paper provides the method to develop the drafting and CAD standards for mechanical engineering program based on the systemic approach.The drafting has been used since the early stage of engineering. Lots of drafting technique has been developed and standardized. Recently, Computer Aided Design (CAD) software has been used widely in academia and industries too. Because of these reasons, every mechanical engineering program offers Drafting and CAD courses to its students. Some programs even have their own Drafting and CAD standards. However, it is not easy to develop the Drafting and CAD standard for whole program. It needs a careful plan to develop the standards. It needs to meet the certain requirements. Those requirements are 1) It needs to meet ASME Y14/ANSI Y14 standard as much as possible, 2) Students should be able to understand the standards and apply the rules to their own drawing and CAD models, 3) Any instructors should be able to give the proper feedback to students about their drawing using the standards, 4) Graduating students should be able to adopt the standard of their company easily.To meet these requirements, some preliminary work must be done. 1) Understanding of ASME Y14 is needed, 2) Expertise of one or more CAD software packages is required, 3) Students’ level of understanding the ASME Y14 standards needs to be measured, 4) Feedback from industries is required. Each steps of development of Drafting and CAD standards are explained using real example of students work.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Orbital cellulitis in children.

Background:To review the epidemiology and management of orbital cellulitis in children.Methods:The medical records of children ≤18 years old and hospitalized from June 1, 1992, through May 31, 2002, at the Brenner Children's Hospital, with a discharge ICD-9 code indicating a diagnosis of orbital cel
FRC: a method for extending the resolution of Nyquist rate converters using oversampling

Nyquist rate converters have traditionally been used for low to moderate resolution data acquisition applications. In this paper, we describe a feedforward residue compensation (FRC) technique to extend the resolution of such converters using an oversampling modulator loop. Closed-form analytical expressions are developed to provide insight into the operation and limits on the resolution of such converters. Simulation results are used to verify the operation and confirm the limitations of this technique.
Building the Tree of Life on Terascale Systems

Bayesian phylogenetic inference is an important alternative to maximum likelihood-based phylogenetic method. However, inferring large trees using the Bayesian approach is computationally demanding - requiring huge amounts of memory and months of computational time. With a combination of novel parallel algorithms and latest system technology, terascale phylogenetic tools provide biologists the computational power necessary to conduct experiments on very large dataset, and thus aid construction of the tree of life. In this work we evaluate the performance of PBPI, a parallel application that reconstructs phylogenetic trees using MCMC-based Bayesian methods, on two terascale systems, Blue Gene/L at IBM Rochester and System X at Virginia Tech. Our results confirm that for a benchmark dataset with 218 taxa and 10000 characters, PBPI can achieve linear speedup on 1024 or more processors for both systems.
Hormonal Effects of Soy in Premenopausal Women and Men

Over the past few years, there has been increasing interest in the possible hormonal effects of soy and soy isoflavone consumption in both women and men. Soy consumption has been suggested to exert potentially cancer-preventive effects in premenopausal women, such as increased menstrual cycle length and sex hormone-binding globulin levels and decreased estrogen levels. There has been some concern that consumption of phytoestrogens might exert adverse effects on men's fertility, such as lowered testosterone levels and semen quality. The studies in women have provided modest support for beneficial effects. One cross-sectional study showed serum estrogens to be inversely associated with soy intake. Seven soy intervention studies controlled for phase of menstrual cycle. These studies provided 32-200 mg/d of isoflavones and generally showed decreased midcycle plasma gonadotropins and trends toward increased menstrual cycle length and decreased blood concentrations of estradiol, progesterone and sex hormone-binding globulin. A few studies also showed decreased urinary estrogens and increased ratios of urinary 2-(OH) to 16alpha-(OH) and 2-(OH) to 4-(OH) estrogens. Soy and isoflavone consumption does not seem to affect the endometrium in premenopausal women, although there have been weak estrogenic effects reported in the breast. Thus, studies in women have mostly been consistent with beneficial effects, although the magnitude of the effects is quite small and of uncertain significance. Only three intervention studies reported hormonal effects of soy isoflavones in men. These recent studies in men consuming soyfoods or supplements containing 40--70 mg/d of soy isoflavones showed few effects on plasma hormones or semen quality. These data do not support concerns about effects on reproductive hormones and semen quality.
Phytoplankton of the North Central Sargasso Sea, 1950–521

U. S. Weather Ship personnel operating at Lat. 35°N, Long. 48°W obtained approximately weekly collections of water samples for phytoplankton enumeration at five depths between 0 and 150 m for a two-year period beginning in February, 1950. Temperature and Secchi disk measurements and zooplankton collections also were made. The average concentration of phytoplankton was sparse, but it extended through a long vertical column, in agreement with previous observations. There was a diatom increase in April of each year, which appeared to be analogous to the vernal augmentation in temperate waters although of miniature size. The seasonal minimum occurred in autumn, and the population tended to be larger in winter than in summer. Destruction of the seasonal thermocline between December and March presumably increased the rate of nutrient supply at that season, but light and turbulence were critical factors. Hence the development of winter diatom pulses was correlated with the stability of the water column. The species composition was mainly subtropical or ubiquitous, but occasional localized concentrations of temperate-water diatoms suggested eddy transfer from the north. Analysis of previous oceanographic observations in the region by three independent methods indicated an average daily rate of net phytoplankton production of about 0.15 g carbon per m2 of sea surface, or a quarter to a third of the observed rates in highly productive temperate waters.
The Vitamin D-Caicium Axis-1983

This chapter is devoted to a brief review of the vitamin D endocrine system coupled with the enumeration of new information on the role of vitamin D and its metabolites in calcium metabolism. Additionally, the most recent outlook for new applications of vitamin D hormonal substances in the treatment of metabolic bone diseases such as postmenopausal osteoporosis is presented.
Derivation of megakaryocytes and platelets from human pluripotent stem cells

Megakaryocytes (MKs), rare hematopoietic cells in adult bone marrow, produce platelets that are critical to vascular hemostasis and wound healing. Ex vivo generation of MKs from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) provides a renewable cell source of platelets for treating thrombocytopenic patients and allows a better understanding of MK/platelet biology. The key requirements in this approach include developing a robust and consistent method for the production of functional progeny cells, such as MKs from hiPSCs, and minimizing risk and variation due to the animal-derived products in cell cultures. Here, we describe an efficient system to generate MKs from hiPSCs under a feeder-free and xeno-free condition, in which all the animal-derived products were eliminated. Several crucial reagents were evaluated and replaced with FDA-approved pharmacological reagents, including romiplostim (Nplate®, a thrombopoietin analog), Oprelvekin (recombinant IL-11), and Plasbumin (human albumin). This basic and defined differentiation system provides a platform for our future effort in investigation of regulatory factors and protocol optimization toward generating large numbers of platelets ex vivo.
Core-Shell Molecular Bottlebrushes with Helical Polypeptide Backbone: Synthesis, Characterization, and Solution Conformations

A series of core−shell molecular bottlebrushes with helical polypeptide backbone and polylactide-b-poly(ethylene glycol) block copolymer side chains [PPLG-g-(PLA-b-PEG)] have been synthesized via a grafting-to method. The structurally well-defined side chains with low molecular weight distribution (PDI < 1.03) have been synthesized by ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of dl-lactides using PEG-OH macroinitiator and AlEt3 catalyst. Postpolymerization modification by esterification enables the quantitative installation of an alkynyl functionality at the block polymer chain ends. Grafting of alkynyl-terminated PLA-b-PEG onto poly(γ-azidopropyl-l-glutamate) (PAPLG) via copper-mediated [2 + 3] alkyne−azide 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition yields the targeted molecular bottlebrushes with high grafting density under mild conditions. A combination of the Langmuir−Blodgett (LB) technique with atomic force microscopy (AFM) has allowed for direct imaging of the synthesized molecular brushes and characterization of their mol...
A case study on Walker-Warburg syndrome.

ABSTRACTWalker—Warburg syndrome (WWS) is a rare, lethal genetic disease associated with a cobblestone-type lissencephaly, eye abnormalities, and a type of muscular dystrophy. There is a wide spectrum of brain and eye defects associated with this diagnosis; therefore, this diagnosis may not initially
Jurisprudential Thinking About Laboring For Child Care

Domestic help for child care possesses characteristics such as specialization,emotionality and stabilization,to develop this vocation vir- tuously,correlative measures be adopted including concluding labour contract,establishing career labour union and providing institutional guarantee for it.
The effects of exercise intensity and dialysis age on bone mineral density in hemodialysis patients

Objective To provide the clinical basis for early prevention of osteoporosis, we investigated the change of bone mineral density, and analyzed the effects of exercise intensity and dialysis age on bone mineral density in maintenance hemodialysis(MHD) patients. Methods A total of 120 MHD patients were recruited. Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry(DEXA), bone mineral densities of lumbar spine and proximal femur by a bone mineral densitometer, body height and weight, dialysis adequacy, daily exercise, and blood biochemistry parameters were measured and recorded. Correlation study was performed to evaluate their relationships. Results The prevalence of osteoporosis was 38.33% in MHD patients. The t values for bone mineral densities of proximal femur and lumbar spine were significantly different between patients with higher exercise intensity and those with lower exercise intensity(t =2.578, P0.01; t =3.074, P0.01), and were negatively correlated with dialysis age(t =-0.419, P=0.01; t =-0.378, P=0.02). Conclusion Lower exercise intensity and longer dialysis age are the important risk factors for osteoporosis in MHD patients.
Analysis of Key Technology and Equipment Capacity of 500 kV Directly Changing to 110 kV

This paper inquires into technical advantages,development needs and research status of 500 kV directly changing to 110 kV,and analyses the key technology and equipment capacity. Focusing on researching restricting factors of transformer capacity and manufacturing capacity, the paper calculates the single-phase autotransformer's maximum capacity in different voltage regulating methods, and analyses the technical level and needs of switch and CT at the maximum capacity.
Status of anti-mite knowledge and anti-mite behaviors among residents in Tianjin and their influential factors

Objective To investigate the anti-mite knowledge and anti-mite behaviors among residents in Tianjin and their influential factors,and to provide a basis for effective control measures and health education.Methods 720 residents aged above 15 years were randomly selected in 18 districts or counties of Tianjin for a questionnaire survey.Results The awareness rate of anti-mite knowledge and the formation rate of anti-mite behaviors among residents in Tianjin were respectively 45.3% and 83.9%.The logistic regression analysis showed that household register,career,education and monthly income were the significant factors affecting the awareness rate of anti-mite knowledge of residents in Tianjin(P 0.05).Career had association with the formation rate of anti-mite behaviors(P 0.05).Conclusion As a whole,the awareness rate of anti-mite knowledge and the formation rate of anti-mite behaviors among residents in Tianjin need to be enhanced.Health education should be enhanced among the residents in counties,low education degree and low-income residents to improve their knowledge and behaviors about dust mites control.
Exploration on relationship of C46359T and arseniasis

Objective:To determine polymorphisms of DNMT3B gene in peripheral blood of patients with arseniasis as attributed to exposure to indoor unventilated coal stove.And to explore the association between polymorphism of DNMT3B and arseniasis caused by indoor unventilated stove coal usage in Guizhou.Methods: PCR-RFLP were respectively performed to analyze polymorphisms of C46359T in DNMT3B promoter in arsenism patients group and control group.Results: 1.In arsenism patients group,genotypic frequencies were 4.89%(CT),95.11%(TT) and 0(CC).In control group,genotypic frequencies were 4.76%(CT),95.24%(TT) and 0(CC).There was no statistical significance in two groups(P0.05).2.Referring to the literature data,genotype distribution comparison showed that there was no statistical significance between control group and population of northern China(P0.05),but there was statistical significance between control group and American caucasian,English people(P0.01).Conclusion: DNMT3B promoter C46359T SNP may not be used as a significant marker to predict susceptibility of arseniasis caused by indoor unventilated-stove coal usage in Guizhou of China.The consistent genotype distribution of SNP in control group and population of northern China can provide basic data for Chinese genbank.
Nanobiomaterials in cancer therapy

Abstract The advent of nanotechnology has caused a profound impact on cancer therapeutics and diagnostics. Nanoparticle (NP) systems offer improved chemotherapeutic delivery by increased solubility, sustained retention time, and reduction of solvent-related toxicity. Additionally, active targeting of the drug/active agent-bearing NP by conjugation to tumor-specific targeting moieties enhances the efficacy of nanodrug delivery systems while reducing systemic toxicity. This chapter will focus on the current advances in synthesis of nanoformulations of existing chemotherapeutic drugs and the nanomaterials that are commonly used to engineer these systems. We then focus on multifunctional NPs that provide the platform for multimodal and combinatorial therapeutic options along with simultaneous and real-time cancer imaging. We also discuss the role of nanotechnology in the use of naturally occurring phytochemicals in cancer therapy and prevention. Lastly, we discuss the advances in nanoformulations that specifically target the cancer stem cell population to reduce cancer recurrence and relapse.
The Biot model for anisotropic poro-elastic media

We prove an existence theorem for the anisotropic, time-harmonic poro-elastic boundary value problem by using the Garding inequality.
Phased arrays around the world - progress and future trends

This is a survey paper summarizing the developments and future trends in passive, active bipolar and monolithic microwave integrated circuitry (MMIC) phased arrays for ground, ship, air, and space applications. Covered is the DD(X) ship radar suite; THAAD (formerly GBR); European COBRA; Israel BMD radar antennas; Dutch shipboard APAR; airborne US F- 22, JSF and F-18 radars, European AMSAR, Swedish AESA, Japan FSX and Israel Phalcon; Iridium (66 satellites in orbit for total of 198 antennas) and Globalstar MMIC spaceborne active array systems (these last two are communications but the technology is the same as used by radar systems, in fact the IRIDIUM T/R module technology derives from technology developed for a space based radar); Thales (formerly Thomson-CSF) 4 inch MMIC wafer 94 GHz seeker antenna; digital beamforming; ferroelectric row-column scanning; optical electronic scanning for communications and radar; the MMIC C-band to Ku-band Advanced Shared Aperture Program (ASAP) and AMRFS antenna systems for shared use for communications, radar, electronics countermeasures (ECM) and ESM; and continuous transverse stub (CTS) voltage-variable dielectric (VVD) antenna.
Oxygen plasma enhanced crystallization of a-Si for low thermal budget poly-Si TFTs on Corning 7059 glass

A new fabrication process for advanced polycrystalline silicon thin film transistors on 7059 glass substrates has been developed. This unique fabrication process has the advantage of short processing time at low processing temperatures (/spl les/600/spl deg/C). The processing is based on the key step of an oxygen plasma treatment of precursor amorphous silicon (a-Si) films prior to crystallization. This plasma treatment enhances the thermal crystallization process and reduces the crystallization thermal budget substantially. The viability of this new crystallization process is demonstrated with n-channel thin film transistors with mobility values of 35 cm/sup 2V s, on/off current ratios 4/spl times/10/sup 6/ and threshold voltages of 0.5 V. >
Cathodic voltage-controlled electrical stimulation of titanium for prevention of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Acinetobacter baumannii biofilm infections.

Abstract Antibiotic resistance of bacterial biofilms limits available treatment methods for implant-associated orthopaedic infections. This study evaluated the effects of applying cathodic voltage-controlled electrical stimulations (CVCES) of −1.5 V and −1.8 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) to coupons of commercially pure titanium (cpTi) incubated in cultures of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Acinetobacter baumannii ( A. baumannii ) as a method of preventing bacterial attachment. Stimulations were applied for 2, 4, and 8 h and coupon-associated and planktonic colony-forming units (CFU) were enumerated following stimulation. Compared to open circuit potential (OCP) controls, CVCES for 4 h at −1.8 V significantly reduced coupon-associated MRSA CFU by 99.9% (1.30 × 10 4 vs. 4.45 × 10 7 , p = 0.047) and A. baumannii coupon-associated CFU by 99.9% (1.64 × 10 4 vs. 5.93 × 10 7 , p = 0.001) and reduced planktonic CFU below detectable levels for both strains. CVCES at −1.8 V for 8 h also reduced coupon-associated and planktonic CFU below detectable levels for each strain. CVCES at −1.5 V for 4 and 8 h, and −1.8 V for 2 h did not result in clinically relevant reductions. For 4 and 8 h stimulations, the current density was significantly higher for −1.8 V than −1.5 V, an effect directly related to the rate of water and oxygen reduction on the cpTi surface. This significantly increased the pH, a suspected influence in decreased CFU viability. The voltage-dependent electrochemical properties of cpTi likely contribute to the observed antimicrobial effects of CVCES. This study revealed that CVCES of titanium could prevent coupon-associated and planktonic CFU of Gram-positive MRSA and Gram-negative A. baumannii from reaching detectable levels in a magnitude-dependent and time-dependent manner. Statement of Significance Periprosthetic joint infection is a devastating outcome of total joint arthroplasty and has led to increased patient morbidity and rising healthcare costs. Current treatments are limited by the growing prevalence of antimicrobial resistant biofilms. Therefore, there is a growing interest in the prevention of bacterial colonization of implants. Previous work has shown that cathodic voltage-controlled electrical stimulation (CVCES) of titanium is effective both in vitro and in vivo as an antimicrobial strategy to eradicate established implant-associated biofilm infections. The present study revealed that CVCES of titanium coupons also has utility in preventing coupon-associated and planktonic colony-forming units of Gram-positive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative Acinetobacter baumannii from reaching detectable levels in a magnitude-dependent and time-dependent manner.
On the real part of the proton optical model potential

Abstract The analysis of 11 MeV proton differential elastic scattering and polarization from over 20 isotopes in the mass region between 48 Ti and 76 Ge reveals an average set of parameters substantially different from those found at higher energies. The variation of the real well depth as a function of mass number is very smooth but does not follow the expected isotopic spin dependence of the potential.
Retinal Degeneration Detectable by Optical Coherence Tomography as a Potential Biomarker for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (P5.043)

Objective: To study retinal degeneration in Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) using optical coherence tomography (OCT) as a potential disease biomarker. Background: There has been increasing evidence which supports that ALS is a complex neurological disease characterized by non-motor involvement. OCT has already been employed for its promise as a biomarker for other neurological conditions. The technology quantitatively and non-invasively images layers of the retina, which is a direct projection of the central nervous system. Thus, it provides a reproducible measurement which may provide information about disease progression and underlying degenerative processes. Methods: This study aimed to investigate the presence of retinal degeneration in ALS patients by measuring mean thickness measurements of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), ganglion cell layer (GCL), inner nuclear layer (INL), and macular volume. 38 subjects (15 control, 23 ALS patients) were recruited from the University of Chicago Medical Center. Peripapillary RNFL scans and macular scans were performed on each eye, using new automated layer segmentation to measure individual layers of the macula. Results: RNFL thickness was significantly reduced in patients with ALS as compared to healthy controls (P = 0.0048). Macular scan measurements detected reduction in the macular volume (P = 0.001), the INL (P = 0.0012), and GCL (P = 0.0004). The greatest reductions observed were a 9.0[percnt] reduction in the GCL and 7.4[percnt] in the RNFL. Conclusions: The increased reductions in the GCL and RNFL offer support for retrograde degeneration as the mechanism of neurodegenerative spread. For diagnostic purposes, mean thickness measurements appear to have low sensitivity, but analysis of pattern specific degeneration may prove valuable and should be explored in future studies. Our findings show that OCT may be a promising biomarker for monitoring disease progression, and longitudinal studies should be pursued to confirm this. Disclosure: Dr. Rosen has nothing to disclose. Dr. Boeke has nothing to disclose. Dr. Bernard had received personal compensation for activities with Novartis. Dr Bernard has received research support from Biogen Idec.
Transparent Er3+-Doped Y2O3 Ceramics with Long Optical Coherence Lifetime.

Er3+-doped Y2O3 nanoparticles (NPs) are used to synthesize transparent ceramics by hot isostatic pressing. Two sizes of NPs are studied, and 40 nm NPs show better performance than 200 nm NPs in transparent ceramics syntheses. The axial optical transmission through millimeter thickness of the prepared ceramics is about 80% in the wavelength range of 1000–2000 nm. For a sample with 11.5 ppm Er3+, the inhomogeneous broadening of the 4I15/2 to 4I13/2 transition for the C2 site is as low as 0.42 GHz (full width at half-maximum), and the homogeneous line width is 11.2 kHz at a temperature of 2.5 K and in a 0.65 T magnetic field. This indicates that a majority of Er3+ ions are sitting in sites with very low structural disorder.
“A ground of more than necessary love”: Magic and loss in the poetry of K.D. Katrak

AbstractKnown primarily for his flamboyant and turbulent career in advertising, Kersy Katrak was also a remarkable poet. This article makes a case not only for retrieving Katrak’s poetic voice, and situating it in relation to his poetic peers in the 1960s and 1970s, but also for exploring the deep relation between Katrak’s publicity work and his poetic concerns. The article argues that the link may be drawn through Katrak’s lifelong engagement with esoteric practice.
FGF23 (fibroblast growth factor-23) and incident hypertension in young and middle-aged adults: The CARDIA study

Blacks have the highest prevalence of hypertension in the United States. Higher levels of FGF23 (fibroblast growth factor-23) have been associated with worse cardiovascular outcomes. Whether FGF23 ...
Definition and scope

We are concerned here with primary sedimentary structures. By “primary” we mean formed at the time of deposition or shortly thereafter and before consolidation of the rock in which they are found.
Introduction to Cholinesterase Inhibitors Used in Alzheimer’s Disease Therapy

Alzheimer’s disease patients show deficits in cholinergic as well as in several other neurotransmitter and neuropeptide systems (Kumar and Calache, 1991; Kumar and Becker, 1989). Cholinergic system deficits cause decreases in: a) choline acetyltransferase; b) acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity; c) release of and synthesis of acetylcholine (ACh); and d) presynaptic nicotine receptor binding. It is known that ACh is needed in sufficient amount for neuronal transmission. It is not possible to administer ACh directly to patients. The best approach to increase ACh has been by reducing the hydrolysis of ACh by means of cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEI).
Control of Aqueous Humor Flow

Aqueous humor circulation maintains the optical clarity of the cornea, anterior chamber, and crystalline lens, and is the source of intraocular pressure. Aqueous humor flows continuously and few conditions, other than sleep, affect its flow rate. Studies of the circulation of aqueous humor under a variety of conditions have provided an understanding of basic physiologic properties of the eye, as well as pharmacologic treatments for glaucoma. In this article, we will examine how aqueous humor flow rate is measured, what can change aqueous humor production, and how flow can be pharmacologically manipulated to treat glaucoma.
Continuous-Wave Terahertz Generation Using Photomixers

Optical heterodyne conversion, or photomixing, is a frequency agile technique that generates continuous-wave radiation at THz frequencies using thin films of low-temperature-grown GaAs. Optimizing photomixers for maximum output power requires careful design of the epitaxial growth sequence, and detailed analyses of the radio-frequency (RF) circuitry and of the optical feed. Control of the LTG-GaAs epitaxy leads to material with short photocarrier lifetime and robustness to thermal failure. Key tradeoffs are discussed for optimizing the RF and optical feeds for THz output power. Some promising applications for photomixers include local oscillators for THz heterodyne detectors based on superconductors, and high-resolution spectrometers useful for rotational spectroscopy of airborne molecules. Two experiments are described that demonstrate the viability of photomixers for these applications.
Stresses in Bending

Mabel Able, 80 years old, lived alone in a two-story house taking care of her own needs, such as cooking, cleaning, and tending a small garden and a flower bed. Until about two years ago she also walked around the block every day but recently has confined herself to her house and yard. Her next-door neighbor comes by to check on her every day and helps her with her grocery list, mails packages for her, and so on. On Monday morning when the neighbor went to check Mabel, she found Mabel lying on the kitchen floor, moaning and complaining of pain in her right hip. The neighbor could see that the leg was turned out and shortened, and she immediately suspected that Mabel had slipped on the linoleum when she came downstairs to make her morning coffee. The rescue squad was called, and Mabel was transported to the hospital, where the suspicion of a fractured hip was confirmed by a radiograph. After her family doctor came in and pronounced Mabel fit for surgery, she was taken to the operating room, where internal fixation with a compression screw and side plate was accomplished without any complications. The pre- and intra-operatice X rays are shown in Figure 4.1. What were the mechanical factors c ausing Mabel’s hip to break?
Implementation of Strategies to Improve Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Coverage: A Provider Survey.

Introduction Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine coverage in the U.S. is persistently suboptimal, despite research describing barriers to vaccination and strategies to increase vaccination coverage. The objective was to assess providers’ approach to the HPV vaccine and their implementation of strategies to increase HPV vaccination coverage. The hypothesis was that adoption of improvement measures to address underuse of the HPV vaccine has not occurred. Methods Community pediatric providers from two Midwestern practice-based research networks completed self-administered electronic surveys. Data were collected over 6 months in 2015 and organized and analyzed in 2016. Results There were 100 providers that participated. Despite agreement with national recommendations, some providers delayed their recommendation until the adolescent was older and many reported missed vaccination opportunities. Many providers experienced parental concerns including safety of the HPV vaccine, belief their child was not at risk of HPV infection, and their child's resistance to receiving multiple shots. Providers identified the following as barriers to adherence to Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices guidelines: bad publicity of the HPV vaccine, information about the HPV vaccine on the web, and a lack of a follow-up system for those who delayed HPV vaccine initiation. Approximately half of the participants had implemented strategies to address these barriers beyond offering immunization-only appointments. Conclusions Participants were aware of barriers to HPV vaccine use, but many had not adopted a systematic approach to increase vaccine coverage. A better understanding of the challenges facing providers to adopting improvement measures and a strategy to address barriers to implementation are needed to improve HPV coverage.
Nadia Boulanger: "In the midst of the stars"

Nadia Boulanger is the French performer/teacher who changed the landscape of American music. Under the mentorship of her father, Ernest Boulanger, and the tutelage of musical genius, Gabriel Faure at the Paris Conservatory, Nadia Boulanger had an excellent education and earned high honors as a student of organ and composition. However, early in her life Boulanger decided to turn her full focus to teaching. Among her most outstanding American composition students are Aaron Copland, Walter Piston, Roy Harris, Philip Glass, and Virgil Thomson. Student testimonials and class notebooks shed light on her teaching. Nadia Boulanger taught with a combination of rigor and passion, successfully mentoring a generation of aspiring composers and performers. Her profound imprint on American music is recognizable in the fact that almost all American composers of note in the 20th century studied with Nadia Boulanger either in Paris or during her residency in Boston. It is possible to trace parallels between her education and compositional style, and her teaching of composition. This paper investigates how Nadia Boulanger taught, why she was successful, and how her early education affected her future as a composition teacher.
Histone Deacetylase 7 Inhibition in a Murine Model of Gram-Negative Pneumonia-Induced Acute Lung Injury.

Background Pulmonary infections remain the most common cause of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), a pulmonary inflammatory disease with high mortality, for which no targeted therapy currently exists. We have previously demonstrated an ameliorated syndrome with early, broad spectrum Histone Deacetylase (HDAC) inhibition in a murine model of gram-negative pneumonia-induced Acute Lung Injury (ALI), the underlying pulmonary pathologic phenotype leading to ARDS. With the current project we aim to determine if selective inhibition of a specific HDAC leads to a similar pro-survival phenotype, potentially pointing to a future therapeutic target. Methods C57Bl/6 mice underwent endotracheal instillation of 30×10Escherichia coli (strain 19138) versus saline (n = 24). Half the infected mice were administered Trichostatin A (TSA) 30 min later. All animals were sacrificed 6 h later for tissue sampling and HDAC quantification, while another set of animals (n = 24) was followed to determine survival. Experiments were repeated with selective siRNA inhibition of the HDAC demonstrating the greatest inhibition versus scrambled siRNA (n = 24). Results TSA significantly ameliorated the inflammatory phenotype and improved survival in infected-ALI mice, and HDAC7 was the HDAC with the greatest transcription and protein translation suppression. Similar results were obtained with selective HDAC7 siRNA inhibition compared with scrambled siRNA. Conclusion HDAC7 appears to play a key role in the inflammatory response that leads to ALI after gram-negative pneumonia in mice.
Dynamic simulation and techno-economic analysis of a concentrated solar power (CSP) plant hybridized with both thermal energy storage and natural gas

Abstract The addition of thermal energy storage and natural gas as a complementary energy source improves the flexibility, reliability, and value of concentrated solar power (CSP) plants. Nevertheless, due to the transient nature of solar energy, transitions from solar-only mode and natural-gas mode to hybrid solar-natural gas mode is quite challenging, especially when the plant is equipped with thermal storage. Thus, it is important to develop proper dynamic modeling and control schemes to accurately simulate such transitions. The objective of this study is to address this subject by demonstrating a dynamic model with reliable control schemes for a highly integrated hybrid parabolic trough-natural gas plant equipped with thermal energy storage. The specific goal is to study the dynamics of adding thermal storage to the hybrid plant. It is found that the developed control schemes assist smooth transitions between different operational modes and effective utilization of thermal storage and natural gas to maintain steady power production and steam mass flow rates under different solar conditions. The results demonstrate that the integration of storage regulates power production by solar energy and natural gas during the day time. It also enables an increase in the solar fraction of the hybrid plant while it causes a small decrease in thermodynamic efficiency. The analysis shows that the hybrid plant with the storage has a substantially lower specific CO2 emission (0.320 tonne/MWh) than single natural gas plant (0.413 tonne/MWh) although it has a higher levelized cost of electricity ($86.32/MWh against $74.92/MWh). The hybrid plant with storage demonstrates a promising potential for reliable and clean production of electricity, although research and development should be conducted to lower its cost.