cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Design and analysis of feedforward symbol timing estimators based on the conditional maximum likelihood principle

This paper presents a general feedforward symbol-timing estimation framework based on the conditional maximum likelihood principle. The proposed timing estimator presents reduced implementation complexity and is obtained by performing an approximation on the Fourier series expansion of the conditional maximum likelihood function. The proposed algorithm is applied to linear modulations and two commonly used continuous phase modulations: minimum shift keying (MSK) and Gaussian MSK (GMSK). For the linear modulations, it is shown both analytically and via simulations that the performance of the proposed estimator is very close to the conditional CRB and modified CRB for signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) in the range SNR /spl les/ 30 dB. Furthermore, the proposed estimator is shown to be asymptotically equivalent to the classic square-law nonlinearity estimator under certain conditions. In the case of MSK and GMSK modulations, although the proposed algorithm reaches the conditional CRB at certain SNRs, however, the conditional CRB is quite far away from the modified CRB, and there exists an alternative algorithm whose performance comes closer to the modified CRB. Therefore, the proposed estimator is more suitable for linear modulations than for MSK and GMSK modulations.
U.S. Summer Precipitation and Temperature Patterns Following the Peak Phase of El Niño

AbstractEvidence for spatially coherent, but different, U.S. summer precipitation and surface air temperature anomalies during the evolving phase and during the summers following the peak phase of the winter El Nino is presented. The spatial patterns during the decaying phase of El Nino are distinctive from patterns in the preceding summer when El Nino is in its evolving phase, that is, the traditional “simultaneous” composite patterns associated with El Nino. The analysis of a multimodel ensemble of global atmospheric models forced by observed sea surface temperature further confirms that the differences in the U.S. summer precipitation and surface temperature anomalies between the developing and decaying phases of El Nino are a result of the atmospheric response to tropical warm SST anomalies that are shifted eastward and are confined east of 120°W during the decaying phase of El Nino. Given the distinctive pattern, and relatively large amplitude of these anomalies during the decaying phase of El Nino, ...
Tadpole swimming performance and activity affected by acute exposure to sublethal levels of carbaryl

General activity and swimming performance (i.e., sprint speed and distance) of plains leopard frog tadpoles (Rana blairi) were examined after acute exposure to three sublethal concentrations of carbaryl (3.5, 5.0, and 7.2 mg/L). Both swimming performance and spontaneous swimming activity are important for carrying out life history functions (e.g., growth and development) and for escaping from predators. Measured tadpole activity diminished by nearly 90% at 3.5 mg/L carbaryl and completely ceased at 7.2 mg/L. Sprint speed and sprint distance also decreased significantly following exposure. Carbaryl affected both swimming performance and activity after just 24 h, suggesting that 24 h may be an adequate length of exposure to determine behavioral effects on tadpoles. Slight recovery of activity levels was noted at 24 and 48 h post-exposure; no recovery of swimming performance was observed. Reduction in activity and swimming performance may result in increased predation rates and, because activity is closely associated with feeding, may result in slowed growth leading to a failure to emerge before pond drying or an indirect reduction in adult fitness. Acute exposure to sublethal toxicants such as carbaryl may not only affect immediate survival of tadpoles but also impact critical life history functions and generate changes at the local population level.
The Economics of Trauma Care

A common aphorism recited in hospital board rooms and in departments of public health goes something like this: “The answer is money, now remind me what the question is.” Trauma care requires highly skilled surgeons working in a highly technical environment in a time-constrained manner. This is an expensive proposition. In many areas, trauma patients are, on the whole, less well insured than patients in other surgical domains. At a time when the number of well-trained general surgeons appears to be diminishing, attracting and retaining the best surgeons may be a formidable task. The success of any trauma program director requires that he or she have an understanding of the economics of trauma care. Trauma directors need an understanding of the macroeconomic issues in trauma care to justify investment in their programs by hospitals and governments. More importantly, surgeons must master the microeconomics of trauma care: how to design programs that have appropriate scope and scale to generate income both for the participants in the business and the surgeons and for their sponsoring institution. This chapter will review the macroeconomic impact of injury and present a microeconomic approach to trauma service structure. Unlike the other chapters in this book, this financial analysis will not focus on care of penetrating trauma patients alone, but will assume that trauma centers and surgeons care for a mix of penetrating and blunt trauma victims.
Empowering Women and Improving Female Reproductive Health through Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases

This editorial examines the correlation between the control of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) and women particularly those living in low-income countries. It focuses on the impact of NTDs on female reproductive health NTDs & STIs and NTDs in relation to stigma gender and inequality.
Recent Advances in Bolide Entry Modeling: A Bolide Potpourri

In this paper, we will review recent research on numerous aspects of bolide entry into a planetary atmosphere, including such topics as the entry dynamics, energetics, ablation, deceleration, fragmentation, luminosity, mechanical wave generation processes, a total (panchromatic) power budget including differential and integral efficiencies versus time, etc. Fragmentation, triggered by stagnation pressures exceeding the bolide breaking strength, has been subsequently included in either a collective or non-collective wake behavior limit. We have also utilized the differential panchromatic luminous efficiency of ReVelle and Ceplecha (2002) to compute bolide luminosity. In addition we also introduce the concept of the differential and integral acoustic/infrasonic efficiency and generalized it to the case of mechanical wave efficiency including internal atmospheric gravity waves generated during entry. Unlike the other efficiencies which are assumed to be a constant multiple of the luminous efficiency, the acoustic efficiency is calculated independently using a “first principles” approach. All of these topics have been pursued using either a homogeneous or a porous meteoroid model with great success. As a direct result, porosity seems to be a rather good possibility for explaining anomalous meteoroid behavior in the atmosphere.
Transpyloric feeding in gastroesophageal-reflux-associated apnea in premature infants.

Objective: The aetiological role of gastroesophageal reflux in apnea of prematurity is controversial. We hypothesized that transpyloric feeds, which decreases reflux and aspiration, will not be associated with decrease in reflux-related apnea. Study design: The shows retrospective chart review of 41 premature babies on transpyloric feeds. Fifteen infants meeting the inclusion criteria of apnea of prematurity and clinical evidence of gastroesophageal reflux were included. Primary data points were number of apneas before and after transpyloric feeds. t-statistics was used for analysis. Results: Twelve of the 15 babies showed significant improvement on transpyloric feeds (p <. 005). The nonresponders were identified within 48 h. After discontinuation of transpyloric feeds, 2 responders underwent antireflux surgery and 9 were discharged without further intervention. No transpyloric-tube–related complication was documented. Conclusion: Transpyloric feeds may be useful for diagnosis and management of suspected gastroesophageal-reflux–associated apnea in a selected group of infants.
Impacts of CME‐induced geomagnetic storms on the midlatitude mesosphere and lower thermosphere observed by a sodium lidar and TIMED/GUVI

In this paper, we report our findings on the correlation between the neutral temperature (around the mesopause) and thermospheric column density O/N2 ratio, along with their response to geomagnetic storms above midlatitude of North America. A temperature/wind Doppler Na lidar, operating at Fort Collins, CO (41°N, 105°W), and later at Logan, UT (42°N and 112°W), observed significant temperature increases (temperature anomaly) above 95 km (as much as 55 K at 105 km altitude) during four coronal mass ejection-induced geomagnetic storms (April 2002, November 2004, May 2005, and October 2012). Coincident Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics/Global Ultraviolet Spectrographic Imager observations indicate significant depletion in the thermospheric O/N2 ratio at the lidar locations. These observations suggest that the local mesopause warming seen by the lidar is due to transport of the high-latitude joule and particle heated neutrals at the E and F layers to the midlatitude region.
Identification of an in Vivo Inhibitor of Bacillus anthracis Spore Germination

Germination of Bacillus anthracis spores into the vegetative form is an essential step in anthrax pathogenicity. This process can be triggered in vitro by the common germinants inosine and alanine. Kinetic analysis of B. anthracis spore germination revealed synergy and a sequential mechanism between inosine and alanine binding to their cognate receptors. Because inosine is a critical germinant in vitro, we screened inosine analogs for the ability to block in vitro germination of B. anthracis spores. Seven analogs efficiently blocked this process in vitro. This led to the identification of 6-thioguanosine, which also efficiently blocked spore germination in macrophages and prevented killing of these cells mediated by B. anthracis spores. 6-Thioguanosine shows potential as an anti-anthrax therapeutic agent.
Management of uncertainty in a medical expert system

The use of uncertainty in a rule-based expert system for the analysis of chest pain is discussed. The system, EMERGE, has been evaluated retrospectively and prospectively and has been found to perform extremely well. The original system has been altered to handle degrees of presence of symptoms and variable contribution of antecedents. It also utilizes a logical construct which generalizes traditional AND/OR logic.
Interaction-driven fractional quantum Hall state of hard-core bosons on kagome lattice at one-third filling

There has been a growing interest in realizing topologically nontrivial states of matter in band insulators, where a quantum Hall effect can appear as an intrinsic property of the band structure. While ongoing progress is under way with a number of directions, the possibility of realizing novel interaction-generated topological phases, without the requirement of a nontrivial invariant encoded in single-particle wave function or band structure, can significantly extend the class of topological materials and is thus of great importance. Here, we show an interaction-driven topological phase emerging in an extended Bose-Hubbard model on a kagome lattice, where the noninteracting band structure is topological trivial with zero Berry curvature in the Brillouin zone. By means of an unbiased state-of-the-art density-matrix renormalization group technique, we identify that the ground state in a broad parameter region is equivalent to a bosonic fractional quantum Hall Laughlin state, based on the characterization of universal properties including ground-state degeneracy, edge excitations, and anyonic quasiparticle statistics. Our work paves a way to finding an interaction-induced topological phase at the phase boundary of conventionally ordered solid phases.
Toxic Funding? Conflicts of Interest and their Epistemological Significance

Conflict of interest (COI) disclosure has become a routine requirement in communication of scientific information. Its advocates defend COI disclosure as a sensible middle path between the extremes of categorical prohibition on for-profit research and anything-goes acceptance of research regardless of origin. To the extent that COI information is meant to aid reviewer and reader evaluation of research, COIs must be epistemologically significant. While some commentators treat COIs as always relevant to research credibility, others liken the demand for disclosure to an ad hominem attack, impugning integrity when better evidence of research credibility is available. Kevin Elliott has argued for clearer justification of COI relevance to research credibility: some interests may be feared to corrupt research results, while others do not, and Elliott provides criteria to discern which financial COIs are actually relevant to research credibility. In this article, I seek to revise and extend Elliott's proposed criteria to COIs more widely. Specifically, I consider the relevance of financial interests as well as nonfinancial advocacy interests to the credibility of research into environmental equity as funded by industry and community groups, with particular attention to criticism and defence of the 1987 United Church of Christ study on the racial demographics of toxic waste facility siting in the United States.
Cardiovascular risk assessment in the treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis: a secondary analysis of the MOZART trial

Background:Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is associated with increased cardiovascular risk and mortality. No US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved therapies for NASH are available; cl...
Influence of Serum and Hypoxia on Incorporation of [ 14 C]- d -Glucose or [ 14 C]- l -Glutamine into Lipids and Lactate in Murine Glioblastoma Cells

Glucose and glutamine are essential energy metabolites for brain tumor growth and survival under both normoxic and hypoxic conditions. Both metabolites can contribute their carbons to lipid biosynthesis. We used uniformly labeled [(14)C]-U-D-glucose and [(14)C]-U-L-glutamine to examine the profile of de novo lipid biosynthesis in the VM-M3 murine glioblastoma cells. The major lipids synthesized included phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho), phosphatidylethanolamine (EtnGpl), phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns), phosphatidylserine (PtdSer), sphingomyelin (CerPCho), bis(monoacylglycero)phosphate (BMP)/phosphatidic acid (PtdOH), cholesterol (C), cardiolipin (Ptd2Gro), and gangliosides. Endogenous lipid synthesis, using either glucose or glutamine, was greater in media without fetal bovine serum (FBS) than in media containing 10 % FBS under normoxia. De novo lipid synthesis was greater using glucose carbons than glutamine carbons under normoxia. The reverse was observed for most lipids under hypoxia suggesting an attenuation of glucose entering the TCA cycle. Lactate was produced largely from glucose carbons with minimal lactate derived from glutamine under either normoxia or hypoxia. Accumulation of triacylglycerols (TAG), containing mostly saturated and mono-unsaturated fatty acids, was observed under hypoxia using carbons from either glucose or glutamine. The data show that the incorporation of labeled glucose and glutamine into most synthesized lipids was dependent on the type of growth environment, and that the VM-M3 glioblastoma cells could acquire lipids, especially cholesterol, from the external environment for growth and proliferation.
The Correlation of Mononuclear Cell Phenotype in Endomyocardial Biopsies with Clinical History and Cardiac Dysfunction

Endomyocardial biopsy specimens from 96 patients with unexplained congestive heart failure or dysrhythmia were evaluated by standard histologic techniques and by direct immunofluorescence and immunoperoxidase cell marker analysis for mononuclear cell infiltration. Control specimens derived from normal autopsy hearts (n = 8) and autopsy hearts with severe coronary artery disease (n = 9) were analyzed in a similar fashion. The results were correlated with functional data obtained from cardiac catheterizations as well as the clinical history. The objectives of the study were to assess the sensitivity and specificity of immunoperoxidase identification of lymphocytes for the diagnosis of myocarditis and to correlate clinical parameters such as degree of cardiac dysfunction and symptom duration with the extent of inflammatory changes. No control biopsies (neither normal nor ischemic) had a T-cell concentration of one or more cells per high-power field (HPF:200X), whereas 32% of the study cases had more than one T-cell per HPF. Heavy T-cell infiltration (greater than or equal to 3 per HPF) was present in 7% of the study cases and occurred most commonly when the symptoms were of recent onset. The results demonstrate that lymphocytes are not present (less than 1 per HPF) in normal myocardium, in viable myocardium from hearts with generalized coronary artery disease, and in most endomyocardial biopsies (68%) from patients with unexplained heart failure or dysrhythmia. Thus, lymphocyte infiltration is not a nonspecific response to cardiac dysfunction. Immunoperoxidase identification of lymphocytes provides a quantitative assessment of inflammatory cell infiltration that is useful in the detection of myocarditis.
Chemically Designed, UV Curable Polycarbosilane Polymers

To prepare new polycarbosilane polymer precursors with high solubility and the capability of UV cross-linking, commercial polycarbosilane was modified by a chemical route. These modifications involved AlCl3 catalyzed chlorination reactions of polycarbosilane's Si-H bonds. The resultant Si-Cl bonds were substituted by a reaction with sodium acetylyde to form Si-C=CH ligands. These ligands are suitable for controlled, free radical initiated cross-linking of the polycarbosilane polymers. The increase in molecular weight should allow for increased Tg's and the retention of polymer pre-forms. In this report, the chlorination of the polycarbosilane polymer and the substitution reactions of polycarbosilane were examined with IR, 29Si and 13C NMR spectroscopy. In addition, the retention of polymer pre-forms were analyzed after UV exposure and inert atmosphere pyrolysis.
Effects of Heterogeneous and Anisotropic Properties of Municipal Solid Waste on Leachate Distribution and Slope Stability of Bioreactor Landfills

Bioreactor landfills that involve leachate recirculation have emerged as sustainable approach to manage municipal solid waste (MSW) in landfills. The current design of leachate recirculation systems is rather empirical, and a rational design methodology is needed for effective, controlled leachate recirculation that ensures the physical stability of the landfill. In this study, a numerical two-phase flow model was used to determine the effects from the heterogeneous and anisotropic nature of MSW on the moisture distribution, generation and distribution of pore water and capillary pressures, and the stability of a typical bioreactor landfill side slope during pressurized leachate additions. Slope stability analysis was performed by taking into account the transient and spatially varying pore water and gas pressures. The effects of heterogeneous and anisotropic waste conditions were simulated by incorporating different waste layers of varying unit weight and saturated hydraulic conductivity (most representative field conditions). Overall, this study found that the heterogeneous and anisotropic properties of MSW can greatly influence the leachate distribution and the stability of landfill side slopes, and thus, these MSW properties need to be properly accounted for the design of bioreactor landfills.
Dalgarno-Lewis perturbation theory for nonlinear optics

We apply the quadrature-based perturbation method of Dalgarno and Lewis to the evaluation of the nonlinear optical response of quantum systems. This general operator method for perturbation theory allows us to derive exact expressions for the first three electronic polarizabilities, which requires only a good estimate of the ground state wave function, makes no explicit reference to the underlying potential, and avoids complexities arising from excited state degeneracies. We apply this method to simple examples in one-dimensional quantum mechanics for illustration, exploring the sensitivity of this method to variational solutions as well as poor numerical sampling. Finally, to the best of our knowledge, we extend the Dalgarno–Lewis method for the first time to time-harmonic perturbations, allowing dispersion characteristics to be determined from the unperturbed ground state wave function alone.
Preventing frail health

Frailty is a state of reduced physiologic reserve associated with increased susceptibility to disability. Reduced physiologic capacity in neurologic control, mechanical performance, and energy metabolism are the major components of frailty. Although disease is an important cause of frailty, there is sufficient epidemiologic and experimental evidence to conclude that frailty is also due to the additive effects of low-grade physiologic loss resulting from a sedentary lifestyle and more rapid loss due to acute insults (illness, injuries, major life events) that result in periods of limited activity and bedrest. The pathogenesis of frailty involves a complicated interaction of factors that block recovery from rapid physiologic loss. To some extent, frailty is preventable. Approaches to prevention include (1) the periodic monitoring of key physiologic indicators of frailty, (2) the prevention of physiologic loss and acute and subacute episodes of physiologic loss, (3) the prediction of episodes of physiologic loss and the reduction of frailty prior to the loss, and (4) the removal of obstacles to recovery once physiologic loss has occurred.
Effects of Acute and Subchronic Exposure of Topically Applied Fullerene Extracts on the Mouse Skin

The recent discovery that fullerenes (C60) can be produced in macroscopic quantities has sparked much interest in the chemistry of this unusual molecule. Concerns have also arose about the potential carcinogenic effects of this molecule. We have addressed the potential acute and subchronic toxic effects of fullerenes applied in benzene on the mouse skin. The acute toxic effects measured in this study included epidermal DNA synthesis and the induction of ornithine decarboxylase activity in the epidermis. At the topical dose of fullerenes used in these studies (i.e., 200 ug), we found no effect on either DNA synthesis or ornithine decarboxylase activity over a 72 hour time course after treatment. The subchronic effects of the fullerenes as a mouse skin tumor promoter was assessed by repeatedly applying the chemical to the skin after initiation with the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, 7,12-dimethlybenz-anthracene (DMBA). Repeated administration of the fullerenes for up to 24 weeks post-initiation did not re...
Using Spreadsheets to Teach Signal Detection Theory

Signal detection theory (SDT) is a mathematical framework for evaluating the performance of a detection system, which is broadly applicable across many academic and practical domains, including medicine, psychology, statistics and engineering. In this article, I present an interactive spreadsheet that allows students to systematically explore the function of the two key parameters of SDT: the decision criterion and discriminability. Stimulus distributions and ROC curves update in real time according to user input, thereby providing an intuitive visualization of the SDT parameters. The spreadsheet can be used to find an optimal decision criterion for a given level of discriminability, prior probabilities and payoff matrix. The article includes six problems and suggested answers that instructors may use in the classroom. The article concludes with a discussion of simple adaptions of the spreadsheet for teaching frequentist statistics and testing psychologically based models of detection.
Effect of Particle Size upon Pt/SiO2 Catalytic Cracking of n-Dodecane under Supercritical Conditions: In situ SAXS and XANES Studies

The endothermic cracking and dehydrogenation of n-dodecane is investigated over well-defined nanometer size platinum catalysts supported on SiO2 to study the particle size effects in the catalytic cracking reaction, with simultaneous in situ monitoring of the particle size and oxidation state of the working catalysts by in situ SAXS (small angle X-ray scattering) and XAS (X-ray absorption spectroscopy). The selectivity toward olefins products was found dominant in the 1 nm size platinum catalysts, whereas paraffins are dominant in the 2 nm catalysts. This reveals a strong correlation between catalytic performance and catalyst size as well as the stability of the nanoparticles in supercritical condition of n-dodecane. The presented results suggest that controlling the size and geometric structure of platinum nanocatalysts could lead to a fundamentally new level of understanding of nanoscale materials by monitoring the catalysts in realistic reaction conditions.
Real projective spaces with all geodesics closed

Let M be a smooth n-manifold admitting an even degree smooth covering by a smooth homotopy n-sphere. When \({n \neq 3}\), we prove that if g is a Riemannian metric on M with all geodesics closed, then g has constant sectional curvatures. In particular, n-dimensional real projective spaces (\({n \neq 3}\)) with all geodesics closed have constant sectional curvatures.
Effects of substrate stiffness and actomyosin contractility on coupling between force transmission and vinculin–paxillin recruitment at single focal adhesions

The relationship between force and focal adhesion (FA) dynamics is unclear. Substrate stiffness and contractility regulate the relationship between force and vinculin, but not paxillin, turnover at...
Vocal “Dialects” in Nuttall’s White-Crowned Sparrow

The White–crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) is a common breeding species on the west coast of North America, ranging from southern California to Alaska, although it is restricted to more northerly latitudes in the central and eastern part of the continent (Banks, 1964). Vocalizations of the several recognized subspecies (including Z. l. pugetensis, Z. l. oriantha, Z. l. gambelli, Z. l. leucophrys, and Z. l. nuttalli) have been examined, but it is the song of Z. l. nuttalli that has been the greatest focus of studies. Unlike the other subspecies, Z. l. nuttalli is nonmigratory and the characteristic song of the male is an ever present trademark of the coastal chapparal in central California during the summer breeding season.
Beyond Antitrust: Health Care And Health Insurance Market Trends And The Future Of Competition

The United States relies on competition to balance costs and quality in the health care system. But concentration is increasing throughout the hospital, physician, and insurer markets. Midsize community hospitals face declining demand and growing competition from both larger hospitals and smaller freestanding diagnostic and surgical centers, leaving the midsize hospitals vulnerable to closure or merger with other facilities. Competition among insurers has been limited by the development of hospital systems that extend the bargaining power of “must-have” hospitals (those perceived to provide the best care for complex and less common conditions) across local health care markets. Government antitrust enforcement could play an important role in maintaining competition in both the hospital and insurer markets, but in many markets, the impact of that enforcement has been limited to date. Policy makers should consider supplementing antitrust activities with strategies that combine competition and regulation—for ...
Dynamic tracking of non-stationarity in human ECoG activity

Modeling brain network dynamics is essential in understanding neural mechanisms and developing neurotechnologies such as closed-loop stimulation therapies for a wide range of neurological disorders. Brain network activity could have non-stationary and time-variant dynamics, especially when the subject's brain is monitored for a long period, e.g., using the electrocorticogram (ECoG). This non-stationarity makes the modeling of dynamics challenging. In our prior work, we developed a framework to identify time-invariant linear state-space models (SSMs) to describe both stationary spontaneous neural population dynamics and input-output (IO) neural dynamics in response to electrical stimulation. Here, we develop an adaptive identification algorithm that estimates time-variant SSMs to track possible non-stationarity in brain network dynamics. We apply the adaptive algorithm to track high-density human ECoG dynamics in three subjects over a long time-period. We find that the adaptive identification algorithm can estimate time-variant SSMs that significantly outperform time-invariant SSMs in all subjects. Our results demonstrate that non-stationary dynamics exist in high-dimensional human ECoG signals over long time-periods, and that the proposed adaptive SSM identification algorithm can successfully track these non-stationarities. These results have important implications for more accurate estimation of neural biomarkers for different brain states and for adaptive closed-loop stimulation therapy across a wide range of neurological disorders.
Many Languages, Many Workflows: Mapping and Analyzing Technical Services Processes for East Asian and International Studies Materials

ABSTRACTThis case study addresses a workflow analysis project undertaken in the International Studies and Asia Library technical services areas of the University of Michigan Library. The analysis was an opportunity to document existing technical services practices in three primary workflow areas: acquisitions/receiving, cataloging, and cataloging maintenance. International Studies began the project independently, and subsequently consultants were hired to work with both International Studies and Asia Library to find efficiencies and barriers, identify solutions, and propose future changes in non-Roman-language cataloging workflows. This article provides an account outlining the project background, implementation, outcomes, challenges, and lessons learned.
Intravascular ultrasound guided directional atherectomy versus directional atherectomy guided by angiography for the treatment of femoropopliteal in-stent restenosis.

Background:The aim of this study was to compare 1-year outcomes for patients with femoropopliteal in-stent restenosis using directional atherectomy guided by intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) versus ...
The Enzymatic Baeyer-Villiger Oxidation

A model that allows for the prediction of the absolute stereochemistry of the newly created stereogenic centers from the enzymatic Baeyer-Villiger oxidation of symmetrical ketones with the enzyme cyclohexanone oxygenase (E.C. 1.14.13.-), isolated from the bacteria Acinetobacter NCIB 9871, is presented. Product analysis in conjunction with an examination of the potential flavin binding produced a model that correlates with the stereochemical results obtained and addresses the question of facial selectivity in the attachment of the hydroperoxide to the flavin adenine dinucleotide. This model has been used to guide an approach for the preparation of chorismic acid with the correct absolute configuration.
Photon Statistics, Measurements, and Measurements Tools

Abstract To understand the nature of light sources, one needs to know the statistical properties of emitted light and how the tools used to measure those properties reflect those statistics. This chapter will cover the vocabulary and notation necessary for understanding the characteristics of the sources and detectors covered in this book. After a brief review of the quantized electric field and relevant operators, we explore properties of single-photon sources, starting with relationships among state vectors, density matrices and photon number probabilities P ( n ) . Next we investigate properties of g ( 2 ) , the second-order coherence, and how it relates to P ( n ) . We present an in-depth study of the Hanbury Brown-Twiss interferometer, showing how it can be used to accurately measure g ( 2 ) in many—but not all—experimental situations. This is followed by a discussion of bunching, antibunching, Poissonian photon statistics, high-order coherences and indistinguishability. The second half of the chapter discusses characteristics of single-photon detectors, starting with the definition of detection efficiency used in this book. We review the POVM (Positive-Operator-Valued-Measure) operators, use them to illustrate the distinction between photon number-resolving (PNR) detectors and click/ no-click detectors, and explore some of the practical limitations of photon number-resolving and energy-resolving detectors. We next discuss the time response of detectors, including timing latency, rise time, timing jitter, dead time, reset time and recovery time. Finally, we cover the distinction between dark count rate and background count rate, and briefly discuss afterpulse probability, active area and operating temperature.
Improving the Technique of Nuclear Cystography: The Manometric Approach

AbstractA simple technique of manometric scintigraphic retrograde cystography was applied prospectively to 125 patients (85 per cent children) with 142 studies. 99mTechnetium sulfur colloid (0.5 to 1 mCi.) was instilled in the bladder followed by increments of normal saline under manometric control. The sensitivity of the test was increased when the filling phase was concluded at 25cm. water pressure rather than when the patient complained of fullness (usually at 15cm.). The studies had a voiding phase that was essential for patients in whom pressures greater than 15cm. could not be achieved. Reflux was not detected on the voiding phase alone in 5 patients and the voiding phase could not be performed in 5 of 34 positive studies. It was not possible to predict volumes of fluid instilled to achieve satisfactory pressures. Monitoring during the entire study was necessary to diagnose reflux, which may occur at low or high pressure, or while voiding only.
Play as a Pathway of Behavior.

Seeking to understand play as part of a more general theory of human relationships, the author defines play as one of four fundamental categories of behavior, the others being work, ritual, and communitas. He discusses how each of these behaviors is organized as a “pathway” that offers distinctive opportunities for experiencing life and for discovering “self-locations,” specifically privilege, subordination, engagement, and marginality. These pathways and self-locations are understood to be key elements in the formation of experience. Associating play, ritual, work, and communitas with either ascending (self-directed) meaning or descending (other-directed) meaning, he describes their related “emotion sequences,” essentially chains of emotions that lead from feelings of anticipation to those addressing occurrences in the present to remembrances. For example, work leads from self-confidence to pride; play, from curiosity to gratitude; communitas, from hope to blessedness; and ritual, from faith to reverence. Each of the four pathways is a profoundly important, but also a limited format for action and experience.
Acute Cardiac Events in Patients With Severe Limb Infection

Recent studies have shown an association between infections, such as influenza, pneumonia, or bacteremia, and acute cardiac events. We studied the association between foot infection and myocardial infarction, arrhythmia, and/or congestive heart failure. We analyzed the records of 318 consecutive episodes of deep soft tissue infection, gangrene, and/or osteomyelitis in 274 patients referred to a vascular surgery service at a tertiary center. We identified 24 acute cardiac events in 21 of 318 (6.6%) episodes of foot infection or foot gangrene. These 24 events included 11 new myocardial infarctions (3.5%), 8 episodes of new onset or worsening congestive heart failure (2.5%), and 5 new arrhythmias (1.6%). Tachycardia and systemic inflammatory response syndrome were associated with acute cardiac events ( P < .05 for each). The 1-year survival of patients with acute cardiac events was 50.4%, significantly lower than the 91.7% 1-year survival of patients without acute cardiac events ( P < .0015). Acute cardiac complications are not uncommon among patients presenting with severe foot infection and are associated with a high 1-year mortality. Primary care physicians, cardiologists, and vascular and orthopedic surgeons must keep a high index of suspicion for the occurrence of an acute cardiac event.
Genome sequences published outside of Standards in Genomic Sciences, October — November 2011

The purpose of this table is to provide the community with a citable record of publications of ongoing genome sequencing projects that have led to a publication in the scientific literature. While our goal is to make the list complete, there is no guarantee that we may have omitted one or more publications appearing in this time frame. Readers and authors who wish to have publications added to subsequent versions of this list are invited to provide the bibliographic data for such references to the SIGS editorial office.
Plants trap pollen to feed predatory arthropods as an indirect resistance against herbivory.

Plants commonly employ indirect resistance to reduce herbivory by provisioning predatory arthropod populations with additional resources. Numerous predatory arthropods consume pollen that is entrapped on dense, wooly trichomes of plants. Over two seasons, we supplemented pollen on the wooly leaves of turkey mullein, Croton setiger, in natural populations to determine if pollen entrapped on leaves supplements predatory arthropods and reduces herbivore populations and damage to the plant. Pollen supplementation increased the abundance of predatory spiders in both years and omnivorous Orius bugs in 1 yr but had no effect on predatory hemipterans. Pollen supplementation reduced the abundance of herbivorous fleahoppers. Pollen supplementation decreased the amount of leaf damage experienced by plants over the season, suggesting that pollen entrapment may act as an indirect resistance. While C. setiger plants have little control over the amount of pollen on their surfaces, pollen adds to the diet of predatory arthropods that reduce herbivory, thus attraction of predators may be an adaptive benefit of leaf structures such as wooly trichomes that entrap pollen.
Older Patients With Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: National Variability in Palliative Care.

Abstract Background Older patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) have higher mortality and morbidity than their younger counterparts. Palliative care (PC) is recommended for all patients with a serious or life-limiting illness. However, its adoption for trauma patients has been variable across the nation. The goal of this study was to assess PC utilization and intensity of care in older patients with severe TBI. We hypothesized that PC is underutilized despite its positive effects. Materials and methods The National Inpatient Sample database (2009-2013) was queried for patients aged ≥55 y with International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes for TBI with loss of consciousness ≥24 h. Outcome measures included PC rate, in-hospital mortality, discharge disposition, length of stay (LOS), and intensity of care represented by craniotomy and or craniectomy, ventilator use, tracheostomy, and percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy. Results Of 5733 patients, 78% died in hospital with a median LOS of 1 d, and 85% of the survivors were discharged to facilities. The overall PC rate was 35%. Almost 40% of deaths received PC, with nearly half within 48 h of admission. PC was used in 26% who had neurosurgical procedures, compared with 35% who were nonoperatively managed (P = 0.003). PC was associated with less intensity of care in the entire population. For survivors, those with PC had significantly shorter LOS, compared with those without PC. Conclusions Despite high mortality, only one-third of older patients with severe TBI received PC. PC was associated with decreased use of life support and lower intensity of care. Significant efforts need to be made to bridge this quality gap and improve PC in this high-risk population.
Development of a FRAM-based framework to identify hazards in a complex system

Abstract System-based approaches such as Functional Resonance Analysis Model (FRAM) are developed to model the complex interactions of system variables and their performance variabilities that may lead to a hazardous scenario in a complex system. However, they have limitations to be applied in process industries for hazard identification since they are heavily based on qualitative analysis and expert elicitations. To overcome the limitations of the system-based hazard identification, the study developed a FRAM-based framework to integrate a human performance model, an equipment performance model, and a first-principle based chemical process model into a hybrid simulator, which will be able to aid hazard analysis in the process industries. The simulator is capable of simulating the performance variabilities of the functions through the aggregation of mathematical models within a complex system, which can be used to simulate potential hazard situations and identify the corresponding interactions. Interaction analysis is conducted by applying association rule mining to the simulated data. The impact of the interactions among upstream functions on the performance of downstream functions can be identified by interpreting the rules, whose antecedents contain upstream functions and consequents contain downstream functions.
Case Studies: Can We Truly Learn from Past Experiences?

The six case studies that follow are all from my life experiences. I learned quite a bit about the social dynamics of environmental protection, preservation, and restoration from these six projects alone. I was either directly responsible for the projects or had some level of influence (never total) over the outcomes. These were all basic engineering concerns with social and ecological implications. They all took place in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area, and all have redesigned this part of the Earth. Each case is as relevant today, years after their inception or initial plans. They are all activities played out every day in all corners of the world and represent changes that will continue to occur all over the globe (Jackson 2002). As human populations continue to exponentially increase, all these cases have been covered by the news media—they did not all make headline news. However, we can all learn something from these case studies and use this knowledge appropriately to make more effective conservation ecology decisions. In most of these cases, I consider myself as having lost the outcome. They didn’t turn out as I perceived they should, and the outcomes in every case were costly in terms of currency and ecology. I made every effort to apply what I had learned as a student or as a government employee in respective agencies. I attempted to exhibit a conservation ethic and ecosystem-based management. Too often, I was disappointed. In my relatively small way, I have attempted to follow these four principles of ecosystem management developed by the United Nations in the early 1970s, and so I share my experiences and ask that you keep these points in mind as you read the case studies.
Single molecule switches and molecular self-assembly: Low temperature STM investigations and manipulations

This dissertation is devoted to single molecule investigations and manipulations of two porphyrin-based molecules, chlorophyll-a and Co-popphyrin. The molecules are absorbed on metallic substrates and studied at low temperatures using a scanning tunneling microscope. The electronic, structural and mechanical properties of the molecules are investigated in detail with atomic level precision. Chlorophyll-a is the key ingredient in photosynthesis processes while Co-porphyrin is a magnetic molecule that represents the recent emerging field of molecular spintronics. Using the scanning tunneling microscope tip and the substrate as electrodes, and the molecules as active ingredients, single molecule switches made of these two molecules are demonstrated. The first switch, a multiple and reversible mechanical switch, is realized by using chlorophyll-a where the energy transfer of a single tunneling electron is used to rotate a C-C bond of the molecule's tail on a Au(111) surface. Here, the det
Poetry and the Beast: Giorgio Caproni’s Simulations of Opera

This chapter focuses on Giorgio Caproni, a poet whose relationship with music was far more direct than that of his predecessors. A trained violinist and aspiring composer, Caproni eventually abandoned musical studies and turned to poetry. But he would still make music the centerpiece of both his fiction and his theoretical writings: in his later, most ambitious collections—Muro della terra (1975), Il franco cacciatore (1982), and Il conte di Kevenhuller (1986)—Caproni sought to imitate opera through the written word. An analysis of Caproni’s works reveals elements of continuity with Saba and Montale, in particular their shared ambition to address a gnawing restlessness toward the limitations of poetic expression.
Weathering in Detroit: Place, Race, Ethnicity, and Poverty as Conceptually Fluctuating Social Constructs Shaping Variation in Allostatic Load

Policy Points Despite 30 years of attention to eliminating population health inequity, it remains entrenched, calling for new approaches. Targeted universalism, wellness-based local development, and Jedi Public Health approaches that are community informed, evidence based, and focused on improving everyday settings and diverse lived experiences are important policy directions. State and federal revenue transfers are necessary to mitigate the harms of austerity and assure greater equity in fiscal and population health in places like Detroit, Michigan. CONTEXT US population health inequity remains entrenched, despite mandates to eliminate it. To promote a public health approach of consequence in this domain, stakeholders call for moving from risk-factor epidemiology toward consideration of dynamic local variations in the physiological impacts of structured lived experience. METHODS Using a community-based, participatory research approach, we collected and analyzed a unique data set of 239 black, white, and Mexican adults from a stratified, multistage probability sample of three Detroit, Michigan, neighborhoods. We drew venous blood, collected saliva, took anthropometric measurements, and assayed specimens to measure allostatic load (AL), an indicator of stress-mediated biological dysregulation, linking participants' AL scores and survey responses. In a series of nested Poisson models, we regressed AL on socioeconomic, psychosocial, neighborhood, and behavioral stressors to test the hypothesis that race/ethnicity and poverty-to-income ratio (PIR) are conceptually fluctuating variables whose impacts on AL are sensitive to structured lived experience. FINDINGS White and Mexican Detroit participants with PIR < 1 have higher AL than counterparts nationally; black participants in Detroit and nationwide had comparable AL. Within Detroit, disparities by PIR were higher in whites than blacks, with no significant difference by PIR in Mexicans. The size of estimated effects of having PIR < 1 for whites is 58 percentage points greater than that of Mexicans and twice that of blacks. CONCLUSIONS Structurally rooted unobserved heterogeneity bias threatens the validity of independent main effects interpretations of associations between race/ethnicity, socioeconomic characteristics, or place and health. One-size-fits-all analytic or policy models developed from the perspective of the dominant social group insufficiently address the experiences of diverse populations in specific settings and historical moments; nor do they recognize culturally mediated protective resources residents may have developed against material and psychosocial hardship.