cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tandem Scanning Confocal Corneal Microscopy in the Diagnosis of Suspected Acanthamoeba Keratitis

Objective To evaluate the role of in vivo corneal tandem scanning confocal microscopy (TSCM) in the definitive diagnosis of suspected Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK). Design Noncomparative interventional single-institution case series. Method A retrospective case review of patients consecutively referred with suspected AK and undergoing corneal TSCM was performed. Results A total of 63 cases that met the inclusion criteria for the study were referred for diagnostic evaluation. Tandem scanning confocal microscopy demonstrated Acanthamoeba cysts/trophozoites in 54 cases and fungal hyphae in 2, whereas 1 case was positive for both Acanthamoeba and fungus. Culture of the cornea or contact lenses was carried out in 35 cases, 9 of which were positive for Acanthamoeba. Six of the TSCM-positive cases also underwent corneal biopsy, being positive for Acanthamoeba in only 2. Six patients were negative for Acanthamoeba on TSCM, the etiology being fungal in 1 case, as shown by subsequent culture. One patient was positive on culture for Acanthamoeba but falsely negative by TSCM, which was limited by poor cooperation during the examination. Two cases initially masqueraded as Acanthamoeba keratitis but showed fungus on TSCM. Mean follow-up was 14 months. Conclusion In vivo corneal TSCM can establish the diagnosis of Acanthamoeba keratitis rapidly and noninvasively, particularly when conventional microbiology is inconclusive.
Continuous-wave terahertz spectroscopy of biotin: vibrational anharmonicity in the far-infrared

A high-resolution continuous-wave terahertz spectrometer has been used to investigate the absorption spectrum of biotin in a polyethylene matrix from 6 to 115 cm � 1 . Gaussian linewidths from least squares fits at 4.2 K are found to increase from 1 to 5 cm � 1 over this region establishing conservative lower limits on the vibrational lifetimes from 5 to 1 ps. The calculated partition function of 1.0 at 4.2 K is shown to increase to >10 8 at 298 K indicating enormous changes in the sequence level populations with increasing temperature. Lineshape models that include mechanical anharmonicity were therefore necessary to obtain satisfactory fits at 298 K. Anharmonicity factors (veme=me) range from 0.1% to 1% and establish their importance for refining model predictions.
Forensic application of the polymerase chain reaction.

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a process which allows targeted short segments of DNA sequence to be selectively copied a million-fold or more; hence the term "gene amplification". It was first described in 1985 [I] and has rapidly gained acceptance as a tool in molecular biology, population genetics, genome mapping, and medical diagnostics [2]. PCR offers a number of advantages for the detection of genetic markers in biological evidence, and is emerging as the cornerstone technology for the second generation of forensic DNA analysis methods. PCR brings two important benefits to the analysis of DNA markers in biological evidence. First, amplification is possible from very small amounts of DNA. This allows genetic information to be obtained from evidence samples such as single shed hairs, swabbings from bitemarks, and the like. Second, amplification is possible from degraded DNA. This allows genetic typing to be done on the many routine case samples that contain degraded DNA, and on those special samples such as decayed body remains that previously defied genetic testing. From an operational standpoint, PCR offers two additional benefits; it is relatively simple to perform and results can be obtained within a short time frame, usually within 24 hours. PCR-based genetic typing Approaches for the detection of genetic variation in PCR-generated material fall into two general categories; those based on detecting differences in sequence and those based on detecting differences in the size of the PCR products. A number of sequence-based approaches have been described; sequence specific probing, allele specific amplification, oligonucleotide ligation, restriction site cleavage, and denaturing gel electrophoresis. Of these, sequence specific probing is the most general and the most specific in defining sequence variation at a site. The DQA typing system developed by Cetus is the best studied sequence specific probe system; it is currently available in kit form. The power of sequence specific probing is further
Compression of binary facsimile images by preprocessing and color shrinking

Algorithms for preprocessing, global modeling and segmentation, local modeling and representation, and binary encoding of facsimile images are proposed, and their performance is examined. Some binary morphological operations that can be used to improve the quality and increase the compressibility of binary images and the modeling of binary images are discussed. The techniques are incorporated into a set of comprehensive encoding schemes, the PCSE codes. Their effectiveness in compressing the International Telegraphy and Telephony Consultative Committee (CCITT) binary images is demonstrated. The PCSE code using preprocessing and color shrinking prior to encoding is shown to outperform the READ code by from 7 to 42% for the standard CCITT test images with a very small change in image quality. >
Plastic-Syringe Induced Silicone Contamination in Organic Photovoltaic Fabrication: Implications for Small-Volume Additives

Herein, the implications of silicone contamination found in solution-processed conjugated polymer solar cells are explored. Similar to a previous work based on molecular cells, we find this contamination as a result of the use of plastic syringes during fabrication. However, in contrast to the molecular case, we find that glass-syringe fabricated devices give superior performance than plastic-syringe fabricated devices in poly(3-hexylthiophene)-based cells. We find that the unintentional silicone addition alters the solution’s wettability, which translates to a thinner, less absorbent film on spinning. With many groups studying the effects of small-volume additives, this work should be closely considered as many of these additives may also directly alter the solutions’ wettability, or the amount of silicone dissolved off the plastic syringes, or both. Thereby, film thickness, which generally is not reported in detail, can vary significantly from device to device.
Rapid and quantitative detection of p38 kinase pathway in mouse blood monocyte

The p38α mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) is essential in controlling the production of many proinflammtory cytokines, and its specific inhibitor can effectively block their production for treating human diseases. To effectively identify highly specific p38α inhibitors in vivo, we developed an ex vivo mouse blood cell-based assay by flow cytometry to measure the intracellular p38α kinase activation. We first attempted to identify the individual blood cell population in which the p38α kinase pathway is highly expressed and activated. Based on CD11b, combined with Ly-6G cell surface expression, we identified two distinct subsets of non-neutrophilic myeloid cells, CD11bMedLy-6G− and CD11bLoLy-6G−, and characterized them as monocytes and natural killer (NK) cells, respectively. Then, we demonstrated that only monocytes, not NK cells, expressed a high level of p38α kinase, which was rapidly activated by anisomycin stimulation as evidenced by the phosphorylation of both p38 and its substrate, MAPKAP-K2 (MK2). Finally, the p38α kinase pathway activation in monocytes was fully inhibited by a highly selective p38α kinase inhibitor dose-dependently in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, we demonstrated an effective method for separating blood monocytes from other cells and for detecting the expression level and activation of the p38α kinase pathway in monocytes, which provided a new approach for the rapid identification of specific p38α inhibitors.
Unbelief, Lawlessness, and Satan: Viewing the Freer Logion as a Scribal Response to Open- Ended Eschatological Themes in Mark

The focus of my study is to demonstrate that major variants in the text of Early Christian Literature were purposely inserted into the text in light of theological controversies by scribes who represented a certain perspective on behalf of an Early Christian community. The text on which this paper is focused is the ending of the Gospel of Mark and the major textual variant known as the “Freer Logion.” I will argue that the Freer Logion was purposely inserted to conclude themes that were left open by the author of Mark and not addressed by the scribe who inserted the Longer Ending of Mark. There seems to be a problem with the ending of the Gospel According to Mark. When one studies the various manuscripts of Mark, one finds at least four different endings that are not similar; they are actually very different (Metzger 1975, 122). The earliest and best manuscripts of Mark show that the text ends at 16:8, which reads: “So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid” (Mk 16:8 NRSV). This ending has been disputed by some scholars, but it is generally the consensus that Mark originally ended with verse 8 or that the rest of the original ending was lost in transmission (Bartholomew and Boomershine 1981). The second known ending to Mark is an 1 The following is a list of frequently abbreviated terms used in this paper. I Primary Texts, Manuscript Variations and English Translations a FL: “Freer Logion”—an addition to Mark 16:14 found only in Codex Freerianus b LE: “Longer Ending of Mark”—Mark 16:9-20 c LXX: The Septuagint—the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures d NRSV: New Revised Standard Edition Bible e W: Codex Freerianus II Other Abbreviations a EDNT: Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament b NIB: New Interpreter’s Bible c NOAB: New Oxford Annotated Bible Special thanks to my advisor and friend, Dr. Matthew Baldwin. 2 The Gospel of Mark will only be italicized when written out as the full title, The Gospel According to Mark. All other references to Mark will not be italicized. 3 All translation of canonical biblical text comes from the New Revised Standard Edition unless otherwise noted. 1 Clark: The Freer Logion as a Scribal Response to OpenEnded Eschatological Themes in Mark
Hyper Space: Communicating Ideas about the Quality of Urban Spaces

Environmental designers must be spatially literate: They must be proficient in reading and interpreting spaces and articulating ideas about the quality of the experience of spaces. To promote spatial literacy among environmental designers, we need an effective medium for describing the experience of realworld spaces and for communicating ideas about such spatial experiences. Hyper Space, a computer-based tool, could function as such a medium. In this article, I first discuss the difficulties of communicating ideas about spaces and specify characteristics of an effective medium for communicating spatial ideas. Then, I describe Hyper Space: how it is used and how a simulation is created. After describing and evaluating its use in the classroom, I conclude with a discussion of other uses of Hyper Space in design and planning education and how it cannot be a completely effective medium for describing spaces.
The use of theories about the etiology of incest as guidelines for legal and therapeutic interventions

Explanations for the etiology of incest can be grouped into four general categories. Although some authors believe that one of the explanations is persuasive for most or all cases of incest, it appears that there is empirical and case report support for all four explanations. In this paper, it is suggested that assessing which of the four explanations best characterizes a particular incestuous family will provide valuable guidelines for determining the most appropriate legal and therapeutic interventions for that family. Language: en
Methods of utilizing baseline values for indirect response models

This study derives and assesses modified equations for Indirect Response Models (IDR) for normalizing data for baseline values (R 0) and evaluates different methods of utilizing baseline information. Pharmacodynamic response equations for the four basic IDR models were adjusted to reflect a ratio to, a change from (e.g., subtraction), or percent change relative to baseline. The original and modified IDR equations were fitted individually to simulated data sets and compared for recovery of true parameter values. Handling of baseline values was investigated using: estimation (E), fixing at the starting value (F1), and fixing at an average of starting and returning values of response profiles (F2). The performance of each method was evaluated using simulated data with variability under various scenarios of different doses, numbers of data points, type of IDR model, and degree of residual errors. The median error and inter-quartile range relative to true values were used as indicators of bias and precision for each method. Applying IDR models to normalized data required modifications in writing differential equations and initial conditions. Use of an observed/baseline ratio led to parameter estimates of k in = k out and inability to detect differences in k in values for groups with different R 0, whereas the modified equations recovered the true values. An increase in variability increased the %Bias and %Imprecision for each R 0 fitting method and was more pronounced for ‘F1’. The overall performance of ‘F2’ was as good as that of ‘E’ and better than ‘F1’. The %Bias in estimation of parameters SC50 (IC50) and k out followed the same trend, whereas use of ‘F1’ or ‘F2’ resulted in the least bias for S max (I max). The IDR equations need modifications to directly assess baseline-normalized data. In general, Method ‘E’ resulted in lesser bias and better precision compared to ‘F1’. With rich datasets including sufficient information on the return to baseline, Method ‘F2’ is reasonable. Method ‘E’ offers no significant advantage over ‘F1’ with datasets lacking information on the return to baseline phase. Handling baseline responses properly is an essential aspect of applying pharmacodynamic models.
Mismatch negativity in subjects at high risk for alcoholism.

Background: Evidence from P300 studies in both alcohol-dependent and high-risk (HR) individuals suggests that the reduced P300 amplitudes that often characterize these individuals may reflect a deficit in inhibition (hyperexcitability) in the central nervous system. In this context, the mismatch negativity (MMN) was investigated in the male and female HR offspring of alcohol-dependent fathers and a mixed-sex, low-risk (LR) control group. Methods: As subjects read popular materials, they received a random sequence of 500 binaurally presented tones of 600 Hz and 1600 Hz. The designation of the rare stimulus (n= 60 trials) and frequent stimulus (n= 440 trials) was alternated across subjects. Recordings of MMN were made from 61 electrodes; risk group comparisons were restricted to the five frontal midline electrodes: Fpz, Afz, Fz, Fcz, and Cz. The MMN was obtained by calculating the integral of the area under the curve for both the frequent and rare waveforms over an interval from 100 to 190 msec and then subtracting the former from the latter. Results: The primary observation was that MMN responses in the HR group were significantly larger than those in the LR group. In addition, both LR and HR individuals manifested differential responses to the rare and frequent stimuli, and MMN responses in both groups were largest at Fcz and smallest at Fpz. Discussion: The results indicate that individuals at high risk for alcoholism differ electrophysiologically from LR controls. These differences were manifested as larger magnitudes of the MMN. The findings suggest the possibility that as measured by the MMN, individuals at high risk for alcoholism may be characterized by a deficit in inhibition (excessive neural excitation). The presence of these preexisting central nervous system states may lead to ethanol use for self-medication, which then may facilitate the development of both tolerance to and dependence on ethanol.
Engineering a novel biosynthetic pathway in Escherichia coli for production of renewable ethylene glycol.

Ethylene glycol (EG) is an important commodity chemical with broad industrial applications. It is presently produced from petroleum or natural gas feedstocks in processes requiring consumption of significant quantities of non-renewable resources. Here, we report a novel pathway for biosynthesis of EG from the renewable sugar glucose in metabolically engineered Escherichia coli. Serine-to-EG conversion was first achieved through a pathway comprising serine decarboxylase, ethanolamine oxidase, and glycolaldehyde reductase. Serine provision in E. coli was then enhanced by overexpression of the serine-biosynthesis pathway. The integration of these two parts into the complete EG-biosynthesis pathway in E. coli allowed for production of 4.1 g/L EG at a cumulative yield of 0.14 g-EG/g-glucose, establishing a foundation for a promising biotechnology. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2016;113: 376–383. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Hemodynamic patterning of the avian atrioventricular valve

In this study, we develop an innovative approach to rigorously quantify the evolving hemodynamic environment of the atrioventricular (AV) canal of avian embryos. Ultrasound generated velocity profiles were imported into Micro-Computed Tomography generated anatomically precise cardiac geometries between Hamburger-Hamilton (HH) stages 17 and 30. Computational fluid dynamic simulations were then conducted and iterated until results mimicked in vivo observations. Blood flow in tubular hearts (HH17) was laminar with parallel streamlines, but strong vortices developed simultaneous with expansion of the cushions and septal walls. For all investigated stages, highest wall shear stresses (WSS) are localized to AV canal valve-forming regions. Peak WSS increased from 19.34 dynes/cm(2) at HH17 to 287.18 dynes/cm(2) at HH30, but spatiotemporally averaged WSS became 3.62 dynes/cm(2) for HH17 to 9.11 dynes/cm(2) for HH30. Hemodynamic changes often preceded and correlated with morphological changes. These results establish a quantitative baseline supporting future hemodynamic analyses and interpretations.
PAMM - a robotic aid to the elderly for mobility assistance and monitoring: a "helping-hand" for the elderly

Meeting the needs of the elderly presents important technical challenges. In this research, a system concept for a robotic aid to provide mobility assistance and monitoring for the elderly and its enabling technologies are being developed. The system, called PAMM (personal aid for mobility and monitoring), is intended to assist the elderly living independently or in senior assisted living facilities. It provides physical support and guidance, and it monitors the user's basic vital signs. An experimental test-bed used to evaluate the PAMM technology is described. This test-bed has a cane based configuration with a nonholonomic drive. Preliminary field trials at an Eldercare Facility are presented.
Essentials of Cyberspace Education for Online Students

In the twenty first century, the development and advancement of the Internet Technology has remarkably transformed and redefined various fabric of human life, from individual communication to the way in which businesses conduct themselves. One of the more significant paradigm shifts has been in the field of education, particularly with the introduction and rapid growth of distance learning. Online education has afforded students, especially working adults, an opportunity to become involved in the learning process, bridging the gap that once existed between the busy lifestyles of working professionals and their goals of obtaining a University degree. Although there are many differences between the conventional modules of face-to-face and the online educational formats, both underscore the importance of learner participation and interaction that assist instructors in developing and initiating effective facilitation techniques to promote learning and retention among adult learners. This document outlines certain skills and nuances of online education and the essential skills that one requires for the successful completion of courses and programs. One of the most important aspects of online learning is communication, wherein online correspondence in the form of emailing, chatting and online discussions are critical when communicating with instructors, colleagues and administrations. Therefore, unlike other literature on cyberspace learning, this document provides a simple format on the essentials of online learning, chatting and emailing, without inserting too much academic literature, and acts as a manuscript for the “know-hows” of online education for prospective online students.
The Neuroimmunology of Cortical Disease (Dementia, Epilepsy, and Autoimmune Encephalopathies)

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized ­pathologically by large numbers of extracellular neuritic plaques containing a core of amyloid Aβ fibrils as well as intracellular neurofibrillary tangles containing hyperphosphorylated tau protein filaments in the neurons of the cerebral cortex. Other features include reactive gliosis, synaptic loss, neuronal death, and mitochondrial dysfunction. A small percentage of cases are due to genetic mutations of the amyloid precursor gene on chromosome 21 and mutations in presenilin 1 and 2 genes on chromosomes 2 and 14, respectively [1]. These presenilin proteins are inherent to secretase enzymes involved with cleavage of the amyloid Aβ precursor protein into amyloidogenic A fragments, particularly Aβ42 [2]. Apolipoprotein E4 is an important risk factor allele for other cases [3]. The molecular underpinnings for the common form of AD occurring sporadically in older patients remain largely to be elucidated.
Naturalized habitat on golf courses: source or sink for natural enemies and conservation biological control?

Many golf courses are converting out-of-play areas to meadow-like habitat to reduce mowing, irrigation, and chemical inputs. Such naturalized roughs, which often constitute 50 % or more of a course’s total acreage, support biodiversity by providing habitat for pollinators and other wildlife. This study explored the hypothesis that they also serve as reservoirs of invertebrate natural enemies whose services extend to suppress pests in adjacent mowed turf. We used vacuum sampling, pitfall traps, and ant baits to compare arthropod populations in grassland or meadow-type naturalized roughs and traditional mowed roughs at two courses, and tested for spillover of biological control using sentinel eggs or larvae of a grass-feeding caterpillar exposed near or farther from naturalized areas into mowed turf. Although some natural enemies (e.g., spiders) were more abundant in naturalized roughs, we saw no direct spillover of predation which was quite high regardless of habitat type. Most likely that is because ground-nesting ants (Lasius, Solenopsis, and Pheidole spp.), which are dominant predators in this system, were equally or more abundant in the mowed turfgrass. Herbivorous insects, too, were more abundant in naturalized roughs, so prey availability may discourage solitary ground-dwelling predators from leaving those refuges to forage in mowed areas. There was no parasitism of sentinel eggs or larvae in our trials. Despite absence of direct spillover of predation, we argue that naturalized roughs might be more purposely designed and managed to promote parasitoids, insectivorous birds, and other enemies that provide diffuse biological control services elsewhere on the course.
Effect of vasopressin on baroreflex control of lumbar sympathetic nerve activity and hindquarter resistance

Arginine vasopressin (AVP) has been shown to increase the inhibitory influence of the baroreflex on sympathetic nerve activity by a mechanism involving receptors located in the area postrema. The purpose of these experiments was to study the functional effect of this action of AVP by testing the hypothesis that AVP can buffer its own vasoconstrictor effect by facilitating baroreflex-mediated withdrawal of sympathetic nerve activity. Specifically, we determined 1) if AVP can attenuate increases in hindquarter vascular resistance during the infusion of another vasoconstrictor, phenylephrine, and 2) whether the effects of AVP on vascular resistance are associated with appropriate corresponding changes in lumbar sympathetic nerve activity (LSNA). In pentobarbital-anesthetized New Zealand White rabbits the baroreflex was stimulated by phenylephrine-induced elevations in arterial pressure. Baroreflex-mediated changes in heart rate (HR), calculated hindquarter vascular resistance index (R), and LSNA were determined during the simultaneous intravertebral infusion of AVP (0, 0.5, or 1.0 ng.kg-1, min-1). Intravertebral infusion of AVP alone had no effect on resting mean arterial pressure (MAP) but reduced baseline values for LSNA and HR. Intravenous infusion of phenylephrine alone produced dose-dependent increases in MAP and R and decreases in LSNA and HR. The simultaneous infusion of AVP (0.5 or 1.0 ng.kg-1 min-1) and phenylephrine (1.25, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, and 10.0 micrograms.kg-1.min-1) had no effect on the increase in MAP but attenuated the increases in R and facilitated the reductions in LSNA at all doses of phenylephrine. The higher dose of AVP also enhanced the phenylephrine-induced reductions in HR. In contrast, the intravenous infusion of AVP (1.0 ng.kg-1.min-1) did not alter baroreflex-mediated changes in R, LSNA, or HR. Therefore, we conclude that the action of AVP to increase baroreflex-mediated sympathoinhibition results in an attenuated rise in hindquarter vascular resistance during the infusion of another vasoconstrictor, phenylephrine.
Nonlinear instability of double-humped equilibria

Abstract Consider a plasma described by the Vlasov-Poisson system in a cube Q with the specular boundary condition. We prove that an equilibrium μ (v), which satisfies the Penrose linear instability condition and which decays like O (|v|−3), is nonlinearly unstable in the C1 norm with a weight function in v.
Inhibition: Please define what it means and how to measure it: Inhibition in Cognition. David S. Gorfein & Colin M. MacLeod (Eds.). 2007. Washington DC: American Psychological Association. Decade of Behavior Series. Pp. 337. ISBN 978-1-59147-930-7. $79.95 (APA member/affiliate price: $49.95).

The concept of inhibition has been employed as an explanatory element in psychological theories across diverse areas of psychology. Despite wide usage of the term “inhibition,” this book opens with...
A viscous shock-layer flowfield analysis by an explicit-implicit method

An implicit analogue of a widely used explicit method to external axisymmetric laminar flows with strong entropy gradients is extended. The details of the "numerics" of the implicit part are provided in a body oriented coordinate system with a moving outer (shock) boundary during the transient part of the solutions. The limiting values of the Courant number are obtained when the shock boundary is treated explicitly. The solution algorithm outlined includes the treatment of the source term associated with the equations in weak conservation form. From the results obtained for two sample problems, it becomes clear that accuracy of predictions is, indeed, very good at higher values of the Courant number. There is a significant saving in overall computing time, depending on the Courant number used and the flow Reynolds number. These properties combined with the simplicity of programming the implicit analog may appeal to researchers for using it in the analysis of 3-D flow problems.
Longevity and Fecundity of the Boll Weevil Complex in Arizona

Adult boll weevils, Anthonomus grandis Boheman, collected from cultivated cotton in Arizona lived an average of 6 months in the laboratory, and a few lived as long as 11 months; in the field this longevity was abbreviated. Thurberia weevils, A. grandis thurberiae Pierce, were lived than weevils from cultivated cotton, and overwintering thurberia weevils lived longer than the 1st square-reared generation. The fecundity of Arizona boll weevils was highly variable, and the potential was drastically reduced in the field. The ovipositional pattern of weevils from cultivated cotton was relatively consist-tent and apparently was closely associated with longevity.
Some Chemical Components of the Egg Shell of Drosophila Melanogaster. I. Amino Acids

Paper chromatography shows the presence of 14 amino acids in appreciable quantities, plus traces of one or two more. Most abundant are aspartic acid and alanine; next come serine, glutamic acid, glycine, and tyrosine, in approximately equal amounts. Lysine and arginine are found in equivalent, but smaller, amounts, followed by threonine and valine. Proline, hydroxyproline, leucines, and histidine occur in substantial amounts, together with traces of cystine and/or cysteine. The nitrogen content of the shell averages 13 percent, which indicates a protein content of 80 to 82 percent.
Final Lecture: Political Freedom

So here we are; you at the end of the course, me at the end of 34 years of teaching at UCSC and 20 years of teaching Political Freedom. This seems an appropriate enough occasion for us to reflect together on teaching and being taught.
New exact solutions for a(2+1) dimensional shallow water wave equation

The aim of this paper is to generalize the existing solutions of the(2+1)dimensional shallow water wave equation.By applying the CK method,we obtain the Backlund transformation of finding solution,substituting the known solutions to it,so some new solutions are found.The results of the shallow water wave equation are generalized.
HARD MEDIA RECORDS DIGITIZING AND RELATIVE DATA PROCESSING

This paper introduce a practicable method to digitalize various curves or drawings recorded on hard- media such as paper. The AntoCAD software and a digitizing tablet are both necessary when digitize a curve or a drawing. The curve can be separated by a controllable acquiring - step into a series of short lines end to end and saved in a AntoCAD drawing database file automatically. Coordinates of the end points of the separated lines can be read out from the file by running a special computer program developed by the author. Because the course of the curve digitizing is based upon hypothenuse step, according rules of AutoCAD, not coordinate -step in normal data acquisition cases, it is generally necessary to convert the hypotenuse-step-based data to normative coordinate-step-based ones through a special transforming calculation. This convenient and credible method would be very helpful for those people who need to get their various hard - copy curves or records processed and saved by means of computer.
Infrared imaging spectroscopy for space uses

The infrared radiation reflected and emitted from a planetary surface is rich in diagnostic information about the surface of the body and the atmosphere through which the radiation passes. Infrared spectroscopy is, therefore, a useful tool in the remote sensing of both the earth and planets. With the emergence of large-format IR detector arrays, it has become feasible to acquire spatially resolved spectra that can be displayed in image format. The result of this technique—imaging spectroscopy—can be illustrated by the data cube shown in Fig. 1. We can represent the imaging spectrometry data as a geometrically registered set of spatial images, each acquired at a distinct wavelength. The spectrum corresponding to any resolved feature within an image can be retrieved by extracting the corresponding samples from each of the multispectral images in the set.
Hybrid MOCVD/MBE GaN tunnel junction LEDs with greater than 70% wall plug efficiency

Tunnel junctions in the III-Nitride system have the potential to revolutionize GaN device design and capabilities. However, the high doping densities required and difficulty in activating buried p-GaN prevent widespread use. We combine MOCVD and MBE growth techniques to produce GaN tunnel junction devices with a total device series resistance as low as 1.5 × 10−4 Ω cm2. III-Nitride edge emitting lasers and VCSELs were fabricated and will be discussed. In addition, a regrowth technique for growing tunnel junctions on commercial c-plane wafers has been developed and LEDs with an EQE of 78% and wall plug efficiency (WPE) of 72% have been fabricated using this technique.
Abortion and Religion

The world religions address the ethical issues of living and dying; all of them treat abortion. However, there is no unanimous view bonding all religions on the liceity of abortion. Opinions range from very conservative – permitting no abortions for any reason – to more permissive views, especially for early abortions. Very often, there is a variety of views within the individual religious tradition. In understanding the position of any religion on abortion, it is thus important not to look for a single “official” position in any religion, even in the most hierarchical religions. Many factors are involved in fertility choices, such as educational level, status of women, and culturally ensconced folkways. Keywords: abortion; family planning; world religions; contraception
Behavioral and Mental Health Correlates of Youth Stalking Victimization: A Latent Class Approach.

Introduction Although recognized as a public health problem, little attention has been paid to the problem of stalking among youth. Latent profile analysis was used to identify latent groups of adolescent stalking victims and their behavioral and mental health correlates. Methods A cross-sectional sample of 1,236 youths were randomly selected from 13 schools stratified by community risk level (i.e., low, moderate, and high risk) and gender. Students completed surveys assessing behavioral indicators of stalking victimization, as well as substance use, sexual behavior, dating violence, and psychiatric symptoms. Data were collected in 2013 and data analyses were performed in 2015. Results Analysis indicated the presence of a non-victim class, a minimal exposure class, and a victim class for boys and girls alike. Approximately 14% of girls and 13% of boys were in the stalking victim class. Adolescents in the victim class reported more symptoms of post-traumatic stress, mood disorder, and hopelessness, as well as more instances of alcohol use, binge drinking, and physical dating violence victimization. Girls in the victim class also reported engaging in sexting behaviors and oral sex with significantly more partners than their non-victim peers. Conclusions These findings provide valuable knowledge of the prevalence and pertinent health correlates of stalking victimization in adolescence. The data suggest a substantial proportion of adolescents are victims of stalking and are likewise at risk for a number of deleterious health outcomes. As such, this population merits further attention by prevention researchers and practitioners.
Monte Carlo simulation of a TOF PET scanner. I. Preliminary report

A Monte Carlo simulation was developed to study scattered radiation in the SP3000 (Scanditronix/PETT) time-of-flight (TOF) positron emission tomography (PET) scanner. The simulation was based on MCNP, a general-purpose radiation transport code, which was modified for requirements specific to PET and the SP3000: camera wobble, collinear 0.511-MeV annihilation source photons, and coincidence detection. Two detector rings, 640 detectors, of the SP3000 were modeled using MCNP's geometry description language, thus simulating one cross and two straight image planes. For each coincidence, information regarding the scattering of the detected photons was maintained. Good agreement of measured and simulated coincidence sensitivities, energy spectra, and scatter fraction provided strong evidence that the simulation was accurate. Simulation of a distributed source in a 22-cm-diameter water-filled Lucite cylinder indicates that the majority of scattered coincidences originate from photon scattering in the camera. >
How psychological bias shapes accounting and financial regulation

Most applications of behavioral economics, finance, and accounting research to policy focus on alleviating the adverse effects of individuals’ biases and cognitive constraints (e.g. through investor protection rules or nudges). We argue that it is equally important to understand how psychological bias can cause a collective dysfunction – bad accounting policy and financial regulation. We discuss here how psychological bias on the part of the designers of regulation and accounting policy (voters, regulators, politicians, media commentators, managers, users, auditors, and financial professionals) has helped shape existing regulation, and how an understanding of this process can improve regulation in the future. Regulatory ideologies are belief systems that have evolved and spread by virtue of their ability to recruit psychological biases. We examine how several psychological factors and social processes affect regulatory ideologies.
Prevention of Injury from Pelvic Irradiation

Radiotherapy is used as a component of therapy for a range of pelvic malignancies and can contribute to substantial toxicity. Preventative strategies including use of different treatment modalities, optimization of treatment technique and planning, and administration of various agents and radioprotectors should be considered to minimize risk of toxicity when possible.
Low-impact development for impervious surface connectivity mitigation: assessment of directly connected impervious areas (DCIAs)

Urbanization increases directly connected impervious area (DCIA), the impervious area that is hydraulically connected to downstream drainage by closed pipelines. Although the benefits of low-impact development (LID) have been examined in other studies, its effect on alleviating DCIA levels has seldom been assessed. This study measured the DCIA of urban watersheds in Houston, TX, USA. Five land-use types were categorized and the contribution of LID facilities to reducing DCIA in each type was estimated by using Sutherland's equations. The results showed (1) DCIA in commercial areas was greater than that in residential areas, especially for big-box retailers; (2) the percentage of DCIA reduction by LID varied by land-use type; and (3) optimal combinations of LID application could maximize the effectiveness of DCIA reduction. The results contribute to prioritizing land-use type for implementing LID practices and providing local governments with a useful measure to estimate runoff volume.
Convergence of Iterative Methods in Abstract Fractional Calculus

We present a semi-local convergence analysis for a class of iterative methods under generalized conditions. Some applications are suggested including Banach space valued functions of fractional calculus, where all integrals are of Bochner-type.
Variation in surgical management of neurogenic bowel among centers participating in National Spina Bifida Patient Registry

PURPOSE Optimal management of neurogenic bowel in patients with spina bifida (SB) remains controversial. Surgical interventions may be utilized to treat constipation and provide fecal continence, but their use may vary among SB treatment centers. METHODS We queried the National Spina Bifida Patient Registry (NSBPR) to identify patients who underwent surgical interventions for neurogenic bowel. We abstracted demographic characteristics, SB type, functional level, concurrent bladder surgery, mobility, and NSBPR clinics to determine whether any of these factors were associated with interventions for management of neurogenic bowel. Multivariable logistic regression with adjustment for selection bias was performed. RESULTS We identified 5,528 patients with SB enrolled in the 2009-14 NSBPR. Of these, 1,088 (19.7%) underwent procedures for neurogenic bowel, including 957 (17.3%) ACE/cecostomy tube and 155 (2.8%) ileostomy/colostomy patients. Procedures were more likely in patients who were older, white, non-ambulatory, with higher-level lesion, with myelomeningocele lesion, with private health insurance (all p< 0.001), and female (p= 0.006). On multivariable analysis, NSBPR clinic, older age (both p< 0.001), race (p= 0.002), mobility status (p= 0.011), higher lesion level (p< 0.001), private insurance (p= 0.002) and female sex (p= 0.015) were associated with increased odds of surgery. CONCLUSIONS There is significant variation in rates of procedures to manage neurogenic bowel among NSBPR clinics. In addition to SB-related factors such as mobility status and lesion type/level, non-SB-related factors such as patient age, sex, race and treating center are also associated with the likelihood of undergoing neurogenic bowel intervention.
Randomized Clinical Trial of Computerized and Clinician-Delivered CBT in Comparison With Standard Outpatient Treatment for Substance Use Disorders: Primary Within-Treatment and Follow-Up Outcomes.

Objective:Previous trials have demonstrated the efficacy and durability of computer-based cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT4CBT) as an add-on to standard outpatient care in a range of treatment-see...
Discovering a Profile for Protect and Defend: Penetration Testing

UW CIAC’s inter-collegiate research team has extended the World of Work Inventory (WOWI) to four specific job roles that incorporate penetration testing: Cybersecurity Defense Analyst, Cybersecurity Defense Infrastructure Responder, Cybersecurity Incident Responder, and Vulnerability Assessment Analyst. Identification of these statistically validated profiles can support methodologically based recruitment of high prospective candidates from diverse backgrounds and can inform career guidance protocols for these roles. The WOWI is a statistically validated multi-dimensional career assessment tool. Training data is gathered from a sample of people currently working in the roles, and the instrument identifies profiles for predicting successful candidates across aptitude, personality types, and interests. For this research, we selected the four roles that utilize the task of penetration testing within the category Protect and Defend, in the NIST NICE 800-818 Cybersecurity Workforce Framework. [1] Penetration testing is a skill that is in high demand in career pathways within government, industry and the military.
Endocervical and Neutrophil Lipoxygenases Coordinate Neutrophil Transepithelial Migration to Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

Background Infection with Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC) is characterized by robust neutrophil influx that is insufficient to clear the bacteria. Sustained neutrophilic inflammation contributes to serious clinical sequelae that particularly affect women, including pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility. Methods We established a 3-component system using GC, End1 polarized human endocervical cells, and primary human neutrophils to investigate neutrophil transepithelial migration following infection. Results Neutrophil migration across endocervical monolayers increased with the infectious dose and required GC-epithelial cell contact. Epithelial protein kinase C, cytosolic phospholipase A2, 12R-lipoxygenase (LOX), and eLOX3 hepoxilin synthase were required for neutrophil transmigration to GC, and migration was abrogated by blocking the MRP2 efflux pump and by adding recombinant soluble epoxide hydrolase. These results are all consistent with epithelial cell production of the neutrophil chemoattractant hepoxilin A3 (HXA3). Neutrophil transmigration was also accompanied by increasing apical concentrations of leukotriene B4 (LTB4). Neutrophil 5-lipoxygenase and active BLT1 receptor were required for apical LTB4 and neutrophil migration. Conclusions Our data support a model in which GC-endocervical cell contact infection stimulates HXA3 production, driving neutrophil migration that is amplified by neutrophil-derived LTB4. Therapeutic targeting of these pathways could limit inflammation and deleterious clinical sequelae in women with gonorrhea.
Maillard Reaction and Drug Stability

Summary The great majority of drugs have amine functionality. These drugs when mixed with reducing sugars or other carbonyl containing pharmaceutical adjuvants often produce extensive mottling or discoloration, (“Maillard browning”), of the final dosage form over time. In this article, the results of various studies that have been reported involving the Maillard reaction and pharmaceutical products are reviewed.
Laboratory Adjuncts to Differential Diagnosis

This presentation should really be entitled “What can the laboratory contribute to the diagnosis and management of the illness of a person with clinical manifestations of an aging brain?”
Quasi-Conformal Approaches for Two and Three-Dimensional Transformation Optical Media

Transformation optical design is generally complicated by the requirement for highly anisotropic and inhomogeneous constituent materials. Quasi-conformal mappings have appeared as an attractive subset of the general transformation optics method because they only require isotropic, dielectric-only materials. In this chapter, we examine the quasi-conformal method as it applies to transformation optics and show that while it does significantly ease the burden of material design and fabrication, it may also create severely aberrant behavior unless caution is taken. We also show how to extend the method to three dimensions, and examine the performance of an optic designed with the quasi-conformal method.
Opinion and Evidence in Cancer

Oncology is a vast and rapidly evolving area, with many novel approaches to treatment fast becoming a reality in the clinic. Of note, are the exciting results shown recently using targeted molecular therapies. To help you keep up-to-date with the latest advances worldwide on all aspects of drug therapy and management of cancer, this section of the journal brings you information selected from the drug therapy reporting service Inpharma Weekly 1. Each issue contains easy-to-read summaries of the most important research and development news, clinical studies, treatment guidelines, pharmacoeconomic and adverse reaction news, and expert opinion pieces published in the world’s top oncology publications.
Environmental Benefits of Cold-in-Place Recycling

The conventional highway resurfacing technique of mill and overlay (M&O) partially removes the existing pavement and replaces it with asphalt derived from some recycled but mostly virgin materials....
Patient-reported outcomes of a nurse practitioner-led intervention to enhance chemotherapy symptom management.

e20732 Background: Chemotherapy side effects are highly prevalent and commonly lead to urgent care needs. We evaluated a symptom management intervention for patients initiating chemotherapy for non...