cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
DEXTRAN RECEPTORS AS IMMUNOGENS IN CARIES PROPHYLAXIS

Understanding of the basic mechanisms of bacterial adherence of cariogenic bacteria to smooth surfaces is essential to developing effective control measures for inhibiting plaque formation and dental caries. Bacteria of the species Streptococcus mutans are strongly implicated as causative agents (1). Their ability to adhere to smooth surfaces is directly related to glucan synthesis by bacterial glucosyltransferases (2). Recent investigations indicate the existence of receptors on the cell surface which bind extracellular glucans (3,4). These receptors are distinct from glucosyltransferase and bind either soluble dex-trans or insoluble glucans (mutans). This study described the purification and use of dextran receptors in immunization of experimental rats and evaluation of the effects of immunization on subsequent challenge under caries-promoting conditions.
The influence of the Atlantic multidecadal oscillation on the eastern Andes low-level jet and precipitation in South America

The South America low-level jet (SALLJ) on the eastern slopes of the Andes is a unique climatological feature in the continent. The SALLJ transports large amounts of moisture and controls the spatiotemporal variability of precipitation in southeast South America. This study shows a remarkable influence of the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) on decadal-to-multidecadal variability of the SALLJ. The results show a consistent pattern in which active SALLJ days during negative AMO phases are associated with negative precipitation anomalies over northern Amazon and the Atlantic Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). Increased cross-equatorial flow over northwestern South America combined with the outflow associated with the atmospheric subsidence over the negative precipitation anomalies enhances northerly winds along the eastern slopes of the Andes and Amazon. This atmospheric circulation response, which is more prevalent in the austral winter, intensifies the SALLJ. In the exit region of the SALLJ over southern Brazil, Uruguay and northern Argentina, an anomalous low-level cyclonic circulation is associated with enhanced precipitation. The influence of the AMO on the SALLJ is consistent with paleo-proxy studies showing multidecadal changes in precipitation over the La Plata River drainage basin. The analysis shows that secular trends reinforce the SALLJ and precipitation patterns. Moreover, the study highlights the importance of natural variability (i.e., decadal-multidecadal variations) occurring within long-term trends in the mean state, possibly associated with global warming, and significant changes in the SALLJ and precipitation over South America. The Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO), a climate-driven water temperature cycle in the North Atlantic, has a remarkable influence on a wind system on the eastern slopes of the Andes called the South American low-level jet (SALLJ). The SALLJ transports large amounts of moisture to greatly influence the variability in rainfall in south-east South America. Using records spanning more than 100 years, Charles Jones and Leila Carvalho at the University of California, Santa Barbara, USA, identified a consistent correlation linking the levels of precipitation under the influence of SALLJ and the phase of the AMO. This cyclical influence, which repeats with a periodicity of 60-80 years, seems driven by the AMO affecting atmospheric circulation in the equatorial Atlantic. The results may help predict the influence of natural climate variability in South America.
Angular Detection and Shielding Characterization of Simulated 235U Using Time Encoded Imaging and 3D Position Sensitive CdZnTe Detectors

Unknown shielding of radioactive material can be estimated via the combined photoelectric modulation and forward-angle Compton scatter of emitted source gamma-rays in recorded spectra. Time Encoded Imaging (TEI), using 3D pixelated, CdZnTe detectors, can be used to estimate low energy, high angular resolution, directional gamma-ray spectra. Using directional spectra from TEI, directional detection and characterization of unknown shielding mass thickness and atomic number is possible. Estimated directional shielding parameters and solid angle corrections can then be used to improve estimates of source intensities. In a proof of concept GEANT4 simulation, several $^{235}U$ sources in bare, aluminum, iron, tungsten and lead shielded configurations were simultaneously reconstructed using TEI. Reasonable estimates of bare, aluminum, iron and lead shield compositions were made which improved subsequent estimates of source intensities.
Persons of nonbinary gender - Awareness, visibility, and health disparities

Persons of Nonbinary Gender As our society’s concept of gender evolves, so does the visibility of contemporary nonbinary people. Yet many members of the medical community may not know how to intera...
Update in Hematology and Oncology: Evidence Published in 2015

This Update summarizes studies published in 2015 that the authors consider highly relevant to the practice of hematology/oncology.
Bunchgrass Root Abundances and Their Relationship to Resistance and Resilience of Burned Shrub-Steppe Landscape

Abstract Invasion of exotic annual grasses (EAG) and increased wildfire have led to an emphasis on managing rangeland plant communities for resistance to invasion and resilience to disturbances. In sagebrush steppe and similar rangelands, perennial bunchgrasses and particularly their roots are hypothesized to be primary contributors to resistance and resilience. We asked how bunchgrass root abundance relates to annual grass invasion and aboveground indicators of bunchgrass vigor that are more readily measured, such as plant height. We used a standardized US Department of Agriculture protocol for root measurement in 445 excavations made in 2016 − 2018 across a topographically and ecologically varied region of sagebrush steppe burned in the 2015 Soda fire in the Northern Great Basin, United States. Nearly all (99%) bunchgrasses, including seedlings, had deeper roots than the surrounding annual grasses (mean depth of annuals = 6.8 ± 3.3 cm), and 88% of seedlings remained rooted in response to the “tug test” (uprooting resistance to ~ 1 kg of upward pull on shoot), with smaller plants (mean height and basal diameters
Neighborhoods and health during the transition to adulthood: A scoping review

Research suggests that neighborhoods play an important role in shaping health outcomes across the life course, but the neighborhood-health link during the transition to adulthood period (18-29 years) is not well studied. A scoping review of 24 studies used thematic analysis to examine the theoretical and methodological approaches of the neighborhood-health literature during this period. Themes illustrate the varied approaches used in this research, including diversity in how neighborhood is defined, theoretical variation regarding the importance of the transition period and the neighborhood-health link, and the importance of gender and race/ethnicity to this area of study. While the literature on this topic is fragmented, with varied definitions and minimal theoretical coherence, all studies found some degree of support for the relationship between neighborhoods and health during the transition to adulthood. Our analysis suggests that future research should focus on developing a theoretical foundation for these relationships in order to clarify key concepts and advance a science to better understand how and why neighborhoods affect health during this period.
Analysis of the effect of surface roughness on fatigue performance of powder bed fusion additive manufactured metals

Abstract An important advantage of AM is to create net-shaped components with no need for further surface machining since it is usually very difficult for complex geometries. The effect of surface roughness on fatigue performance of powder bed fusion additively manufactured metals was evaluated in this work. The intrinsic rough surface of metal AM parts that could act like existing surface cracks and significantly affect fatigue performance is investigated. The effect of processing and post-processing conditions on surface roughness of AM parts are reviewed and the effect of surface roughness on fatigue performance is analyzed. The synergistic effect of internal defects and surface roughness on fatigue performance is also evaluated. Arithmetic mean surface roughness parameter Ra is used here as a representation of surface roughness, since this parameter has been presented in most of the studies dealing with metal AM surface roughness. Surface roughness effect on fatigue performance is shown to be dominant even in the presence of relatively large internal defects and various microstructures. Ra decreases with an increase in power. This consequently increases fatigue limit, although scatter is observed due to the secondary effect of internal defects and microstructure. For similar microstructures, considering synergistic effect of Ra along with average critical internal defect size in combination with the stress amplitude, resulted in improved correlation of the S-N fatigue data.
Pharmacologic considerations in patients with osteoporosis undergoing lumbar interbody fusion: A systematic review

Abstract Objective As the ageing population continues to grow, the incidence of osteoporosis continues to rise. Patients with osteoporosis are often managed pharmacologically. It is unclear the impact of these medications on osteoporotic patients requiring lumbar interbody fusion, and whether differences exist with respect to patient outcomes among the different medication classes that are often employed. In this systematic review, the authors examine studies evaluating the impact of pharmacologic therapy on osteoporotic patients undergoing lumbar interbody fusion. Methods Using PubMed and MEDLINE databases, the authors conducted a systematic literature review for studies published between 1986 and 2020 following PRISMA guidelines. Results A total of 12 articles were ultimately selected. Studies assessing bisphosphonate usage, parathyroid hormone analogues, vitamin D, or combination therapies and their impact on lumbar interbody fusion were included. Conclusions The evidence regarding bisphosphonate therapy and improved fusion rates with reduced incidence of complications is inconsistent. While some studies suggest bisphosphonates to confer added benefit, other studies suggest no such improvements despite reduction in bone turnover biomarkers. Teriparatide, on the other hand, consistently demonstrated improved fusion rates and may reduce screw loosening events. In comparison studies against bisphosphonates, teriparatide demonstrates greater potential. A single study reported vitamin D3 to increase fusion rates, although more studies are needed to validate this finding. It is important to note that these benefits are only demonstrated in single-level fusion, with multi-level fusions not being significantly enhanced by teriparatide therapy. Combination therapy with denosumab further augment fusion rates. Further prospective randomized controlled trials are necessary before standardized recommendations regarding pharmacological intervention in patients undergoing LIF can be made.
Tighe & Ryberg-Webster: Legacy Cities: Continuity and Change Amid Decline and Revival

Heavy and sustained population loss characteristic of older industrial cities have been the subject of renewed attention in recent years, typically under the rubric of shrinking cities. Work in thi...
Almost Tight L0-norm Certified Robustness of Top-k Predictions against Adversarial Perturbations

Top-k predictions are used in many real-world applications such as machine learning as a service, recommender systems, and web searches. l0-norm adversarial perturbation characterizes an attack that arbitrarily modifies some features of an input such that a classifier makes an incorrect prediction for the perturbed input. l0-norm adversarial perturbation is easy to interpret and can be implemented in the physical world. Therefore, certifying robustness of top-k predictions against l0-norm adversarial perturbation is important. However, existing studies either focused on certifying l0-norm robustness of top-1 predictions or l2-norm robustness of top-k predictions. In this work, we aim to bridge the gap. Our approach is based on randomized smoothing, which builds a provably robust classifier from an arbitrary classifier via randomizing an input. Our major theoretical contribution is an almost tight l0-norm certified robustness guarantee for top-k predictions. We empirically evaluate our method on CIFAR10 and ImageNet. For instance, our method can build a classifier that achieves a certified top-3 accuracy of 69.2\% on ImageNet when an attacker can arbitrarily perturb 5 pixels of a testing image. We will publish our code upon paper acceptance.
Hot-pressed ceramic Fe:ZnSe gain-switched laser

We report the first room temperature gain-switched Fe:ZnSe hot-pressed ceramic laser pumped by 2.94 µm radiation of mechanically Q-switched Er:YAG laser. The maximum output energy at 4.2 µm was 41 mJ at 3 Hz repetition rate and 120 ns pulse duration. The measured slope efficiency was 25% with respect to the absorbed energy. This technique could be attractive for the future development of high-energy short-pulse solid-state mid-IR systems.
Transactional Drafting with Donna, Google, and Cooley: Leveraging Technology Tools in a Time of Online Learning

During a time of online learning, technology tools can help facilitate student engagement and foster deeper understanding of course concepts. A variety of helpful technology tools are available to assist transactional attorneys in practice and can be used by professors teaching transactional drafting. This article discusses three examples of technology tools available to facilitate the teaching of transactional drafting in an online format. This article introduces the reader to tools relevant to how artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and document assembly can be used in the classroom and provides specific resources and example assignments that can be easily adopted and integrated into existing courses.
Investigation of Variable Switching Frequency in Finite Control Set Model Predictive Control on Grid-Connected Inverters

Finite control set model predictive control (FCS-MPC) has been widely studied and applied to the power converters and motor drives. It provides the power electronics system with fast dynamic response, nonlinear system formulation, and flexible objectives and constraints integration. However, its variable switching frequency feature also induces severe concerns on the power loss, the thermal profile, and the filter design. Stemming from these concerns, this article investigates the variable switching frequency characteristics of FCS-MPC on the grid-connected inverters. An intuitive relationship between the switching frequency and the magnitude of the converter output voltage is proposed through the geometry analysis, where the switching frequency is maximized when the converter output voltage is around one-third of the DC bus voltage and decreasing when the output voltage moves away from this value. The impacts of this variable switching frequency property on the power loss and current harmonics are also analyzed. Simulation and experimental results both verify the proposed property. With this intrinsic property, FCS-MPC can autonomously achieve a less-varying temperature profile of power modules and an improved reliability compared with the conventional control strategy.
Environmental Phytoremediation and Analytical Technologies for Heavy Metal Removal and Assessment

Biotic or abiotic environmental systems do not function well under chemical stresses. The realization that heavy metal stressors are a major threat to the environment and its ecosystems and the organisms that depend on them, have created an urgent need for novel ways to take effectively, efficiently, economically, and eco-friendly sustainable bioremediation interventions to decontaminate and protect the environment from heavy metal stressors. One very promising green technology intervention is phytoremediation. Phytoremediation technologies presented in this chapter include phytoaccumulation (phytoextraction), phytodegradation (phytotransformation), phytostabilization, phytovolatilization, phytofiltration. Because the effectiveness of these technologies is evaluated by assessing accumulated, degraded, immobilized, volatilized, precipitated, removed, extracted, adsorbed, desorbed, or leached heavy metals, this chapter also covers atomic spectroscopic techniques, the commonly used analytical techniques for the assessment of heavy metals in the environment. The analytical techniques presented in the chapter include atomic absorption spectroscopy, atomic absorption spectroscopy, inorganic mass spectrometry, atomic fluorescence spectroscopy, and X-ray fluorescence. Results from analytical techniques are critical to chemical hazard identification, exposure assessment, dose-response assessment, and nature and the magnitude of risk to biotic and abiotic environmental constituents. The goal is to protect, restore, and promote sustainable use of the environment to meet the needs of present and future generations.
Protein-Protein Interactions in Translesion Synthesis.

Translesion synthesis (TLS) is an error-prone DNA damage tolerance mechanism used by actively replicating cells to copy past DNA lesions and extend the primer strand. TLS ensures that cells continue replication in the presence of damaged DNA bases, albeit at the expense of an increased mutation rate. Recent studies have demonstrated a clear role for TLS in rescuing cancer cells treated with first-line genotoxic agents by allowing them to replicate and survive in the presence of chemotherapy-induced DNA lesions. The importance of TLS in both the initial response to chemotherapy and the long-term development of acquired resistance has allowed it to emerge as an interesting target for small molecule drug discovery. Proper TLS function is a complicated process involving a heteroprotein complex that mediates multiple attachment and switching steps through several protein–protein interactions (PPIs). In this review, we briefly describe the importance of TLS in cancer and provide an in-depth analysis of key TLS PPIs, focusing on key structural features at the PPI interface while also exploring the potential druggability of each key PPI.
The Influence of Lipid Composition on the Binding of LDL to Chondroitin 6-Sulphate

THE INFLUENCE OF LIPID COMPOSITION ON THE BINDING OF LDL TO CHONDROITIN 6-SULPHATE By Wilma 0. Espiritu, M.S. Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Biochemistry at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2005 Major Director: Rik van Antwerpen, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry The interaction between low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and glycosaminoglycans is a key factor in atherosclerosis. The present study examines the characteristics of LDL and its binding properties with the main glycosaminoglycan of the vascular wall, chondroitin 6sulphate (C6S). The compositional characteristics that were studied for each LDL sample were phase transition temperature, phospholipid content, free cholesterol content, cholesteryl ester content, triglyceride content, and size. Correlations of these characteristics with LDL-C6S binding were analyzed using a turbidity assay. Our results showed that there is no correlation between LDL-C6S binding and phase transition vii temperature, triglyceride content, or size. Strong correlations were present for LDL-C6S binding and phospholipid content (P < 0.0001, r2 = 0.4591), free cholesterol content (P < 0.01, r2 = 0.2495), and cliolesteryl ester content (P < 0.005, r2 = 0.2952). When values for surface (phospholipids and free cholesterol) and core (cholesteryl esters and triglycerides) lipids were determined a positive correlation was also present with LDL-C6S binding (P < 0.0005, r2 = 0.4172; P < 0.0005, r2 = 0.4282; respectively). These results indicate that large, lipid-rich LDL particles have a higher capacity to bind C6S than smaller, lipid poor LDL. Possible implications for the atherogenicity of LDL are discussed. CHAPTER
Understanding interannual variations of biomass burning from Peninsular Southeast Asia, part I: Model evaluation and analysis of systematic bias

The Weather Research and Forecasting model and the Community Multiscale Air Quality model (WRF/CMAQ) modeling system was applied over Peninsular Southeast Asia (PSEA) and East Asia (EA) for 5 consecutive years from 2006 to 2010 in March and April to understand the PSEA biomass burning for its interannual variations, transport pathway, and impacts at local and downwind areas. As many of the modeling applications over PSEA or EA were usually evaluated with limited regional or local observations focusing on short simulation periods, in this work we incorporated ground surface measurements from multiple networks covering different sub-regions and satellite retrievals to comprehensively examine the performance of WRF/CMAQ and probe into the possible uncertainties of the modeling system. We found increasing simulation discrepancy for CO, NO2, and SO2 from 2006 to 2010 at south part of PSEA (≤17°N) due to outmoded anthropogenic emission in INTEX-B, while local surface observations and CO2 emission data from World Bank suggested substantial growth of anthropogenic emission over PSEA during the 5 years. The spatial allocation of emission based on population distribution was also found to introduce large uncertainty with overestimation at populated urban area and underestimation at industry area. Over north PSEA (>17°N) CMAQ systematically overestimated CO, surface NO2, troposheric column NO2 by around 6%–20%, 8–15%, and 40%–50% respectively, indicating positive bias within the biomass burning emission due to overestimated emission factor as suggested by OMI retrievals. At EA, despite moderate overestimations for surface NO2 and SO2 by 20%–30% and moderate underestimation for AOD by 30%–50%, no significant temporal trend was found. We found CMAQ underestimated PM10 concentrations at north and northeast EA by 50%–60% due to impact of dust storm, yet the dust plume rise scheme within the model was unable to reproduce it. Our results suggested that an urgent research effort is needed for updating the anthropogenic emission of PSEA countries, and the dust emission module within CMAQ need further improvement for applications over EA.
A functional analysis of feeding.

Publisher Summary The two basic approaches to the study of food intake, the classical approach and the functional approach, are characterized by four useful distinctions—open versus closed economies, single responses versus bouts of behavior, reinforcement versus global contingencies, and consumption versus foraging. This chapter considers these distinctions and presents evidence that supports the utility of a functional analysis of feeding. It points out critical differences in the predictions for behavior that the two approaches have generated. These differences pose another major challenge for the generality of the laws of learning. The pattern of feeding in closed economies is a function of cost-benefit algorithms and an animal's energy budget. The function of the initiation and termination of feeding bouts is to optimize the regulation and use of resources. Currently, the emphasis of this analysis has been on the efficient exploitation of resources.
Deficit financing in overlapping generation economies with habit persistence

In this paper, we study how deficit financing is affected by the introduction of habit formation in an otherwise standard Gale (JET, 1973) economy in which the government is a net lender and young agents are borrowing rather than saving. We find that the amount of deficit the government is able to float into the economy is lower when habits are present. This finding is due to the fact that habit persistence puts a cap on borrowing.
Beyond the technical apparatus: Identity, connections, and the use of “Autonarrativas virtuales” Virtual Autonarratives

The rapid technological changes that have occurred in recent years have become critical for the academic and professional success of novice teachers. This study illuminates the use of digital autonarratives as social transformative pedagogy. The process of telling ones’ story—the process of defining and redefining self as teacher through the medium of technology—documents the creation of a bilingual 21 st century teacher. Findings indicate the need for preservice teachers to engage in technologically mediated learning as they develop a practical understanding of technology integration. The goals of this research lend additional insight into the direction that teacher preparation programs must take to better serve bilingual teacher candidates in their educational journey to become technologically competent teachers who are prepared to meet the needs of an increasingly culturally and linguistically diverse school-age population.
Dynamics of Ubiquitin Pools in Developing Sea Urchin Embryos

The sea urchin embryo is a closed metabolic system in which embryogenesis is accompanied by significant protein degradation. We report results which are consistent with a function for the ubiquitinmediated proteolytic pathway in selective protein degradation during embryogenesis in this system. Quantitative solid- and solution-phase immunochemical assays, employing anti-ubiquitin antibodies, showed that unfertilized eggs of Strongylocentrotus purpuratus have a high content of unconjugated ubiquitin (ca. 8 × 108 molecules), and also contain abundant conjugates involving ubiquitin and maternal proteins. The absolute content of ubiquitin in the conjugated form increases about 13-fold between fertilization and the pluteus larva stage; 90% or more of embryonic ubiquitin molecules are conjugated to embryonic proteins in hatched blastulae and later-stage embryos. Qualitatively similar results were obtained with embryos of Lytechinus variegatus. The results of pulse-labeling and immunoprecipitation experiments indicate that synthesis of ubiquitin in S. purpuratus is developmentally regulated, with an overall increase in synthetic rate of 12-fold between fertilization and hatching. Regulation is likely to occur at the level of translation, since others have shown that levels of ubiquitin-encoding mRNA remain virtually constant in echinoid embryos during this developmental interval. The sea urchin embryo should be a useful system for characterizing the role of ubiquitination in embryogenesis.
“That Truly Meant a Lot to Me”: A Qualitative Examination of Meaningful Faculty-Student Interactions

The majority of research on faculty-student interaction has been primarily quantitative to date and has focused primarily on determining what kinds of interactions students have with faculty. This study furthers the literature on faculty-student interaction, taking a qualitative approach to examine what types of interactions with faculty students find meaningful. Our findings indicate that students appreciate the types of interactions that research shows benefits them the most, suggesting that there is less of a disconnect between the types of faculty behaviors that benefit students and the types of faculty behaviors that students appreciate than many might assume.
Scapegoating of mothers: A study of mother-blaming in case studies included in core foundation social work practice textbooks

Building on the important quantitative investigation completed by Caplan and Hall-McCorquodale (1985) on mother-blaming in major clinical journals, this study examined mother-blaming in case studies included in core foundation social work practice textbooks. The study explored the questions: (1) Using the mother-blaming categories developed in the Caplan and Hall-McCorquodale (1985) study, how prevalent is mother-blaming in the case studies presented in core foundation social work practice textbooks? (2) What types of mother-blaming occur most frequently in these textbooks? (2) What types of mother-blaming occur most frequently in these textbooks? and (3) How are cultural diversity and sexual orientation factors presented? This study challenges social work educators to examine the underlying mother-blaming themes present in case studies used to prepare social work students for social work practice in a diverse society.
Infrared Spatial Interferometry

Infrared spatial interferometry of red giant stars is a powerful way to study the distribution of gas and dust in the circum-stellar envelopes. The circumstellar dust around many giant stars is easily resolved at infrared wavelengths. The dust distributions sometimes deviate markedly from spherical and even reflection symmetry in the objects most easily resolved. The light intensities suggest dust formation radii larger than expected on the basis of pure theory, and may mean that mass loss is not driven by radiation pressure on dust grains, although there are different interpretations. Radial density and temperature distributions expected for uniformly outflowing envelopes heated solely by the central stars are consistent with the observed emission sizes versus wavelength, but are not strongly constrained by the data.
EFFECTS OF MAGNESIUM SULFATE ON UTERINE CONTRACTILITY, INTRAUTERINE FETUS, AND INFANT.

Abstract 1. Magnesium sulfate injected in a dose of 4 Gm. intravenously reduces uterine intensity, frequency, and tonus. The degree and duration of this action varied with the individual patient. Subsequent enhancement of uterine contractility was observed. 2. No evidence of potentiation of synthetic oxytocin was obtained. Valyl oxytocin action on the other hand was potentiated by magnesium in all 4 cases studied. 3. The effect of magnesium on the human uterus appears to be twofold: (a) that on the myometrial cell at its cellular level, and (b) that resulting from generalized relaxation of striated muscle and concomitant changes of arterial blood pressure. 4. Fetal heart rate changes during labor in patients treated by magnesium were consistent with those related to specific types of uterine contractility produced by magnesium. 5. No evidence was obtained of depressant effects of magnesium therapy on the infant during the neonatal period due to maternal sedation or analgesic action.
Acceleration of ultrasonic data compression using OpenCL on GPU

Ultrasonic imaging applications require real-time acquisition and processing of huge volume of data. Subsequently, reducing the data storage becomes an essential requirement for applications involving ultrasound technology. Compression of the acquired data significantly reduces the storage and also helps in faster data processing. Furthermore, computationally efficient data compression enables real-time data transfer to remote locations for expert analysis. In this study, an efficient implementation of ultrasonic data compression based on discrete wavelet transform (DWT) is realized on GeForce GT 750M NVIDIA graphical processing unit (GPU) using Open Computing Language (OpenCL). Execution of OpenCL program on GPU allows parallel computing of the compression algorithm to accelerate the computational performance. This study demonstrates that OpenCL implementation of ultrasonic compression algorithm on GPU requires only 0.29 seconds for compressing 33 Mbytes of ultrasonic data into 6.6 Mbytes (80% compression), which makes it suitable for real-time ultrasonic imaging applications.
Numerical analysis of post-impact droplet deformation for direct-print

Two-dimensional (2D) numerical investigations of droplet impacts on a solid surface and the consequent deformation have been performed. The application lies in the direct-print technology where droplets are used to create lines and instantly cured to maintain line dimension. The investigation focuses on the evolution of droplet shape at the initial stage after the impact for Newtonian fluids. More specifically, the investigation emphasized the time for an impacted droplet to start increasing its diameter after the initial compression due to impact. A computational model has been developed by utilizing an adaptive quadtree spatial discretization with piecewise-linear geometrical volume-of-fluid (VOF) for this multiphase problem. The continuum-surface-force method and the height-function (HF) were employed for estimating the surface tension and the interface curvature, respectively. The Gerris Flow Solver, an open-source finite-volume package, was used for developing the computational model. The investigati...
Use of DSC and DMA to study crystallization as a possible cause for a glove tear Neoprene rubber gloves are used as part of a Space Shuttle pressurized astronaut suit

The Advanced Crew Escape Suit (ACES) is a pressurized suit worn by astronauts during launch and landing phases of Space Shuttle operations. In 2008, a large tear (12.7–25.4 mm long, between the pinky and ring finger) in the ACES left-hand glove made of neoprene latex rubber was found during training for Shuttle flight STS-124. An investigation to help determine the cause(s) of the glove tear was headed by the NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, Texas. Efforts at JSC to reproduce the actual glove tear pattern by cutting/tearing or rupturing were unsuccessful. Chemical and material property data from JSC such as GC-MS, FTIR, DSC, and TGA mostly showed little differences between samples from the torn and control gloves. One possible cause for the glove tear could be a wedding ring/band worn by an astronaut. Even with a smooth edge, such a ring could scratch the material and initiate the tear observed in the left-hand glove. A decision was later made by JSC to not allow the wearing of such a ring during training or actual flight. Another possible cause for the ACES glove tear is crystallinity induced by strain in the neoprene rubber over a long period of time and use. Neoprene is one among several elastomers known to be susceptible to crystallization, and such a process is accelerated with exposure of the material to cold temperatures plus strain. When the temperature is lowered below room temperature, researchers have shown that neoprene crystallization may be maintained at temperatures as high as 7.2–10 °C, with a maximum crystallization rate near −6.7 to −3.9 °C (Kell et al. J Appl Polym Sci 2(4):8–13, 1959 [1]). A convenient conditioning temperature for inducing neoprene crystallization is a typical freezer that is held near −17.8 °C. For work at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), samples were cut from several areas/locations (pinky/ring finger crotch, index finger and palm) on each of two pairs of unstrained ACES gloves for DSC and DMA thermal analysis testing. The samples were conditioned in a freezer for various times up to about 14 days. Some rectangular conditioned samples were unstrained, while most were subjected to strains up to 250% with the aid of two slotted aluminum blocks and two aluminum clamps per sample. Trends were observed to correlate DSC data (heat of fusion) and DMA data (linear CTE and stress for iso-strain testing) with (a) sample location on each glove; and (b) percent strain during conditioning. Control samples cut “as is” from each glove location were also tested by DSC and DMA.
MR-guided laser interstitial thermal therapy for pediatric drug-resistant lesional epilepsy

Summary Objective To report the feasibility, safety, and clinical outcomes of an exploratory study of MR-guided Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy (MRgLITT) as a minimally invasive surgical procedure for the ablation of epileptogenic foci in children with drug-resistant, lesional epilepsy. Methods Retrospective chart review of all MRgLITT procedures at a single tertiary care center. All procedures were performed using a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)–cleared surgical laser ablation system (Visualase Thermal Therapy System). Predefined clinical and surgical variables were extracted from archived medical records. Results Seventeen patients underwent 19 MRgLITT procedures from May 2011 to January 2014. Mean age at seizure onset was 7.1 years (range 0.1–14.8 years). Mean age at surgery was 15.3 years (range 5.9–20.6 years). Surgical substrates were mixed but mainly composed of focal cortical dysplasia (n = 11). Complications occurred in four patients. Average length of hospitalization postsurgery was 1.56 days. Mean follow-up was 16.1 months (n = 16; range 3.5–35.9 months). Engel class I outcome was achieved in seven patients (7/17; 41%), Engel class II in one (1/17; 6%), Engel class III in three (3/17; 18%), and Engel class IV in six (6/17; 35%). Three patients (3/8; 38%) with class I and II outcomes and five patients (5/9; 56%) with class III and IV outcomes had at least one prior resection. Fisher's exact test was not statistically significant for the association between Engel class outcome and previous resection (p = 0.64). Significance This study provides descriptive results regarding the use of MRgLITT in a mixed population of pediatric, lesional, drug-resistant epilepsy cases. The ability to classify case-specific outcomes and reduce technical complications is anticipated as experience develops. Further multicenter, prospective studies are required to delineate optimal candidates for MRgLITT, and larger cohorts are needed to more accurately define outcome and complication rates.
Performance enhancement and trade-offs of smart antennas in CDMA cellular networks

In this paper, we study the improvement in the reverse link budget due to base-station smart antennas in CDMA cellular networks. Considering a typical multipath propagation environment, we quantify the excess energy per bit to interference plus noise ratio /spl gamma//sub b/ due to smart antenna processing at the base station as a function of the number of sensors, their separation, and scattering angle, With this excess /spl gamma//sub b/, we evaluate different trade-offs between different performance measures such as capacity, area coverage, and mobile transmitted power. Both theoretical and simulation results are presented.
Neurogenic inflammation of the airways and skin

According to its original definition, the main feature of neurogenic inflammation is plasma leakage induced by the stimulation of peripheral sensory nerves. The plasma leakage from postcapillary venules is accompanied by increased blood flow due to dilatation of upstream arterioles, and by other phenomena, including leukocyte adhesion and migration. Neurogenic inflammation occurs in the airways, skin, and parts of the intestinal, urinary, and reproductive tract of man and animals, but varies markedly in its magnitude and extent. In skin, neurogenic inflammation is manifested as wheal and flare. Both phenomena are mediated by neuropeptides released from unmyelinated sensory nerve fibers via stimulation of capsaicin-sensitive vanilloid receptors. Substance P is mainly responsible for the plasma leakage, acting via NK-1 receptors present on target blood vessels, whereas calcitonin gene-related peptide and substance P both induce vasodilatation. Sensory neuropeptides also trigger release of histamine from mast cells, which contributes substantially to plasma leakage in the skin, but less so in the airways. The increase in vascular permeability is due to a focal, transient, and fully reversible formation of gaps located between endothelial cell junctions. Neurogenic inflammation can be inhibited by preventing the stimulation of sensory nerves, by depleting them of their neuropeptide transmitters, by presynaptic inhibition of transmitter release, or by blocking neuropeptide receptors. Anti-inflammatory drugs such as β-adrenergic agonists and steroids can reduce neurogenic inflammation by stabilizing endothelial cells.
Direction of Polarization of Proton Spin produced by Elastic Scattering

BEAMS of high-energy protons with spin polarization are produced by scattering unpolarized protons from nuclei1,2. If the protons are scattered elastically, the polarization is considerably larger than if the scattering occurs by inelastic processes3,4. A theoretical interpretation has been suggested by Fermi and others5, which demonstrates that the polarization of the elastically scattered beam may be accounted for as a consequence of the spin orbit-coupling postulated in the nuclear shell model of Mayer and Jensen. This hypothesis gives correctly the magnitude of the observed polarization, and in addition predicts the direction of the polarization. In particular, if the scattering is to the right at small angles, this hypothesis requires the predominant spin direction to be downward.
Critical care transportation medicine: New concepts in pretransport stabilization of the critically III patient

Abstract Regionalization of health care for trauma has become commonplace, and the same concept for critically ill medical/surgical patients is developing. Recent evidence suggests that current stabillization measures used by transport teams can be inadequate for this critically ill patient population. In trauma, speed has been considered a necessity to get the patient to a facllity which cannot be carried out to the field, eg, an operating room. For acute medical Illnesses, critical care transport teams can bring intensive care technology to the patient. Accumulating evidence supports the premise that speed of transport is not as important as stabilization before transport, knowledge of hemodynamics during transport, and early use of critical care monitoring systems. Other reports identify the need for initial evaluation and stabilization of critically ill patients by physicians at the critical care level of expertise. Accordingly, critical care transportation teams have evolved, creating new notions of pretransport stabilization not applicable to previous transport systems.
Suicide risk in adolescents with chronic illness: implications for primary care and specialty pediatric practice: a review

Suicide in adolescents is a global tragedy. Research-identified correlates of suicide in youth include depression, academic failure, loss of friends, social isolation, and substance abuse, among others. This review focuses on the potential link between chronic illness in adolescents and increased suicide risk. Research suggests that chronic illness is a risk factor for depression in adolescents that may induce suicide ideation and attempts; however, this risk may be increased even more in young adulthood if the underlying causes of depression are not resolved. This risk needs to be considered against the research data noting an increase in suicide attempts and completions, in each decade of life from adolescence into adulthood. Although more research is clearly needed, it can be concluded that suicide risks are seen in adolescents with chronic illness and all of these young people should be screened for depression and other risk factors for suicide on a regular basis.
Permeability of responsive poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) gel to solutes

The diffusion (D) and partition (K) coefficients of dissolved solutes within a thermally responsive hydrogel, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (NIPAAm), were determined by independent measurement to give the permeability, defined as the product of D and K. For acetaminophen, the Yasuda et al. free volume theory successfully predicted the decrease in D as the swelling of the gel decreased with increasing temperature. In the collapsed gel, however, this theory overestimated D by 35 times. Ideal size exclusion theory failed to correlate observed partition coefficients (ratio of solute concentration in the gel to that in solution) for dilute solutions of acetaminophen, norethindrone and methyl orange. Examination of K as a function of solute character and the presence of structure breaking and structure forming salts demonstrates that hydrophobic interactions are often dominant in these systems. In the presence of ammonium sulfate, partition coefficients of nearly 200 were determined for methyl orange in collapsed gels, despite their relatively low water content (40%). As a result, permeability does not necessarily decrease with a decline in gel swelling or drop sharply upon gel collapse.
Inflammation induces fibrinogen nitration in experimental human endotoxemia

Abstract Elevated plasma fibrinogen is a prothrombotic risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Recent small studies report that fibrinogen oxidative modifications, specifically tyrosine residue nitration, can occur in inflammatory states and may modify fibrinogen function. HDL cholesterol is inversely related to CVD and suggested to reduce the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, but whether these antioxidant functions extend to fibrinogen modifications is unknown. We used a recently validated ELISA to quantify nitrated fibrinogen during experimental human endotoxemia (N = 23) and in a cohort of healthy adults (N = 361) who were characterized for inflammatory and HDL parameters as well as subclinical atherosclerosis measures, carotid artery intima-medial thickness (IMT) and coronary artery calcification (CAC). Fibrinogen nitration increased following endotoxemia and directly correlated with accelerated ex vivo plasma clotting velocity. In the observational cohort, nitrated fibrinogen was associated with levels of CRP and serum amyloid A. Nitrated fibrinogen levels were not lower with increasing HDL cholesterol and did not associate with IMT and CAC. In humans, fibrinogen nitration was induced during inflammation and was correlated with markers of inflammation and clotting function but not HDL cholesterol or subclinical atherosclerosis in our modest sample. Inflammation-induced fibrinogen nitration may be a risk factor for promoting CVD events.
A sample of the Purington Shale prepared as a geochemical standard

ABSTRACT A sample of the Purington Shale, one of many Pennsylvanian shales whose stratigraphy and environment of deposition have been described, is suggested as a geochemical standard. Analytical data for splits of this sample from ten cooperating laboratories allow comparison for interlaboratory precision with previously established rock standards.
A Small-Scale Quarantine Facility for Existing Fish Hatcheries

Abstract A small-scale quarantine facility to hatch, rear, and house up to 100 lb of native fish using water recirculation technology was developed at the Mora National Fish Hatchery and Technology Center in Mora, New Mexico. The facility is isolated from the main hatchery and includes two types of self-contained water reuse systems. One system is small (160 gal) and was built with a vertical-tray incubator and Living Stream modified for egg hatching and fry rearing. The second system is large (880 gal) and houses age-0 to adult fish. The systems have separate chillers, biological filters, and pumps. Both are commonly aerated and have backup oxygen and power supplies. The quarantine facility drains to a septic system so that it needs no effluent disinfection. Although designed to hold coldwater fishes, it is flexible in function and can easily be modified to accommodate coolwater and warmwater species. Cost estimates are included to assist in determining feasibility and construction costs on such quaranti...