cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cytology Laboratory Information System Using a Mini-Computer

A system using a minicomputer to facilitate report preparation, bookkeeping, and accounting in a diagnostic cytology laboratory was developed. The system uses a stand-alone mini-computer with immediate turn-around (data retrieval capability). It can generate statistics and listings for follow-up and quality control. The necessary hardware is of minimal configuration so that it is economically feasible for the average cytology laboratory, and easy to operate for the average clerical staff.
Equivalent Dynamic Strength Test Method of Structure

An equivalent dynamic strength test method of structure is suggested by according to the equivalent principle of the responses to the dynamic and the static test.As a typical example,a tube clamped with two ends is studied.The dynamic impact test and static tensile test of tubes are implemented firstly.And the corresponding finite element models are constructed on the basis of the results of both the dynamic impact test and static tensile test,so as to make it possible that the numerical simulations can take the place of the tests.The relationship between the dynamic and static inputs is regressed by the orthogonal experiment design.Finally,the prediction error of the dynamic strength with static tensile test is analyzed by the additional tests.The suggested method can quickly estimate the dynamic strength of a structure with a dynamic impact loading by using a simple static test in the preliminary design stage.
A method for the transport and registration of images on implicit surfaces

Image transport is at the heart of large deformation registration algorithms and level set methods. Here we propose to extend this concept to solve alignment and correspondence problems for images defined on general geometries. Our approach builds upon the framework proposed by Bertalmio et al. [1] for solving PDEs on implicit surfaces. The registration process is defined by a system of transport equations and is driven by the gradient of a similarity functional. The transformation is regularized using a nonlinear heat equation. Compared to recent developments for image registration on manifolds [4], the implicit representation of the image domain allows us to deal easily with arbitrary surfaces. We illustrate the potential of this technique with several synthetic experiments.
Investigation of the Occurrence of a Contraceptive Tetrapeptide in Hamster Embryos

The synthetic tetrapeptide H-Thr-Pro-Arg-Lys-OH, the extract of two-cell hamster embryos, and the oviductal contents devoid of embryos failed to show any in vivo antifertility activity. In addition, the tetrapeptide was not found in the biologic preparations of embryo extract and remaining oviductal contents. These findings are not in agreement with those of previous reports.
Patient and family education after myocardial infarction.

Patient education must be an integral part of medical care. A defined core curriculum is necessary. The educational program on myocardial infarction can be started early in hospitalization, with repetition of information and no contradiction. The family must be included in the educational process.
Rheumatoid factors : historical perspective, origins and possible role in disease

The recognition of antibodies by the immune system is more complex than previously believed. Rheumatoid factor (RF), a family of autoantibodies against gammaglobulin, has long been recognized as an important biologic marker for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). When RF contributes to the generation of the inflammatory aspects of RA, it probably does so by forming immune complexes that are themselves able to bring about the inflammatory response. Contrary to the widely accepted belief that RF somehow is triggered by recognition of self IgG, antibodies to viral Fc receptors may provide the initial stimulus for RF production in RA.
E-Cigarettes and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: Evaluation of Evidence, Policy Implications, and Recommendations

Cardiovascular disease is the major cause of death in smokers. Although new tobacco products such as e-cigarettes do not generate many of the harmful or potentially harmful constituents (HPHCs), present in combustible tobacco products the cardiovascular effects of these devices are unknown and their efficacy in promoting and sustaining cessation remains unclear. Currently, these devices are being marketed as cleaner and safer alternative to smoking that could help smokers quit smoking. Nevertheless, e-cigarette aerosols contain appreciable levels of carbonyls, which within the concentration range reported in e-cigarettes, exert significant cardiovascular toxicity. Moreover, even by itself, nicotine is a sympathomimetic drug that elicits hemodynamic and metabolic changes that could increase the risk of acute cardiovascular events such as arrhythmias or plaque rupture and chronically increase cardiovascular disease risk by inducing dyslipidemia. The dose-response relationship between smoking and cardiovascular mortality is non-linear, suggesting that reduction in HPHC concentrations in e-cigarette aerosols may not result in proportional harm reduction and decreased HPHC exposure may be offset by increased use by individuals who believe that e-cigarettes are safer than conventional cigarettes. Thus, taken together, current evidence does not entirely support the notion that e-cigarettes are reduced harm products or effective smoking cessation devices.
S05.3 Calculating risk among men who have sex with men

In the United States (US) in 2013, men who have sex with men (MSM) accounted for 75% of reported primary and secondary syphilis and over 80% of new HIV diagnoses. However, describing trends in MSM disparities are challenging. Few estimates of the size of the population of men who have sex with men (MSM) in the US exist. The National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) is a probability sample of American men and women aged 15–44. We used the weighted proportion of males surveyed during the 2006–2010 cycle of NSFG who reported having ever had sex with men to estimate the population prevalence of MSM in the US; racial/ethnic and age specific were also developed. We estimated the population of MSM by applying the proportions of men who reported ever having sex with a man from NSFG to the 2010 census estimates of the number of men 15–44. Rates of primary and secondary (PS we estimated 3.2 million MSM aged 15–44 in the US. By applying metrics from a national probability sample of males, we were able to estimate conservative rates of P&S syphilis among important sub-populations of MSM. However, numerous challenges exist to developing robust MSM population-based estimates of disease burden including how to determine the gender of sex partners on male case reports for syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhoea, and HIV and the estimation of sub-population specific denominators (e.g. racial/ethnic groups) for MSM.
TU-H-CAMPUS-TeP1-04: Novel 3D Printed Plastic Cutouts Filled with Aluminum Oxide for Same Day Electron Radiotherapy

Purpose: Clinics that outsource electron cutout manufacturing may be unable to simulate and treat patients on the same day. To enable same day treatment, we investigate the use of 3D printed hollow cutouts filled with 30 grit Al2O3 powder. We verified the dosimetric equivalence of such a cutout relative to an outsourced Copper cutout. Methods: Printing was performed using a Ultibots Kossel 250 V-Slot 3D printer and polylactic acid filament. Printing files were derived from an in-house 3D model designed to mate with a Varian 6 cm electron cone. Relative to conventional cutouts (Copper or Cerrobend), the height of the hollow plastic cutout was extended by 1.0 cm to increase attenuation. Measurements were performed for 6 MeV in solid water at dmax (1.4 cm) with Gafchromic™ EBT3 film; the cutout was kidney-shaped with a long and short axis of approximately 5 and 2 cm, respectively. The Copper cutout was based on an outline of the 3D printed cutout.A calibration film was exposed immediately after the electron irradiations. All films, including an un-irradiated one, were from the same batch. Films were scanned on an Epson 10000XL flatbed scanner. Film analysis was performed in DoseLab (MOBIUS Medical Systems, Houston, Tx). Results: Visual comparison of the physical cutouts revealed that the Copper cutout had a slightly smaller opening than the printed cutout. Line profiles through the registered films indicated agreement within 5% in the open section. 99.9% of pixels passed gamma analysis with 2% local percent difference, 2 mm DTA, and a 25% threshold. Conclusion: Same day simulation and treatment with electrons is feasible with 3D printing of a hollow cutout filled with Al2O3. Future work will include evaluations of additional cutout shapes at different depths for higher energies. Other printing materials, such as bismuth, are being tested.
Mineralizing urban net-zero water treatment: Field experience for energy-positive water management.

An urban net-zero water treatment system, designed for energy-positive water management, 100% recycle of comingled black/grey water to drinking water standards, and mineralization of hormones and other organics, without production of concentrate, was constructed and operated for two years, serving an occupied four-bedroom, four-bath university residence hall apartment. The system comprised septic tank, denitrifying membrane bioreactor (MBR), iron-mediated aeration (IMA) reactor, vacuum ultrafilter, and peroxone or UV/H2O2 advanced oxidation, with 14% rainwater make-up and concomitant discharge of 14% of treated water (ultimately for reuse in irrigation). Chemical oxygen demand was reduced to 12.9 ± 3.7 mg/L by MBR and further decreased to below the detection limit (<0.7 mg/L) by IMA and advanced oxidation treatment. The process produced a mineral water meeting 115 of 115 Florida drinking water standards that, after 10 months of recycle operation with ∼14% rainwater make-up, had a total dissolved solids of ∼500 mg/L, pH 7.8 ± 0.4, turbidity 0.12 ± 0.06 NTU, and NO3-N concentration 3.0 ± 1.0 mg/L. None of 97 hormones, personal care products, and pharmaceuticals analyzed were detected in the product water. For a typical single-home system with full occupancy, sludge pumping is projected on a 12–24 month cycle. Operational aspects, including disinfection requirements, pH evolution through the process, mineral control, advanced oxidation by-products, and applicability of point-of-use filters, are discussed. A distributed, peroxone-based NZW management system is projected to save more energy than is consumed in treatment, due largely to retention of wastewater thermal energy. Recommendations regarding design and operation are offered.
The Emission Gated Device Experiment

The Emission Gated Device Experiment has been constructed to observe a prebunched electron beam in a traveling wave circuit. The objective of this study is to define the efficiency, bandwidth, and high-frequency performance of emission gated devices for potential applications in radar, electronic warfare, and neutral particle beam accelerators. With tight bunches injected into an undriven helix one wavelength long, an efficiency of 6% and a gain of 10 dB have been observed. Experimental results and simulations are compared with a view to understanding the dynamics of the bunched beam in the circuit fields. Tight bunching and high average current are shown to be the strongest contributors to high efficiency; therefore, a practical device requires a very high gain input circuit. >
Insert Thickness Affects Backside Micromotion and Polyethylene Wear in Modular Total Knee Replacements

The wear particles released from the polyethylene (PE) tibial insert of modular total knee replacements (TKRs) have been shown to cause wear particle induced osteolysis, which may necessitate revision surgery [1]. Wear occurs at the backside surface of the PE insert of modular TKRs, resulting from the relative movement between the PE insert and the tibial tray [2]. Wear particles generated from the backside surface of the PE insert have been shown to be smaller in size than those originating from the articular surface [1], and may therefore have increased biological activity and osteolytic potential [3-4]. The ability to predict backside micromotion and contact pressure by finite element simulation has previously been demonstrated by O9Brien et al. [6-7]. Although the effect of insert thickness on articular surface contact pressure has been investigated [5], the effects of insert thickness on backside contact pressures, backside micromotion, and wear has not received adequate attention. Brandt et al. [2] has suggested that increased insert thickness was associated with increased backside damage (Fig. 1). In the present study, finite element simulations were conducted using the Sigma - Press Fit Condylar TKR (Sigma-PFC®, DePuy Orthopedics Inc., Warsaw, IN) with inserts of different insert thickness ranging between 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 mm. The TKRs were simulated under ISO 14343-2 [8]. A non-linear PE material model was implemented by means of the J2-plasticity theory [6] and the effects of insert thickness on backside micromotion and contact pressure were analyzed. At the peak loading of the simulated gait cycle (time=13%), the 5 mm thick PE insert showed a greater backside peak contact pressure than the 25 mm thickness PE insert. Increasing insert thickness from 5 mm to 25 mm lead to approximately 15% greater peak micromotion at the modular interface (Fig. 2). This effect may be attributed to the ability of the PE material to distribute the load more evenly through deformation at the modular interface and reduce micromotion for thinner inserts. It is suggested that increased insert thickness results in increased moments at the modular interface that could lead to increased backside wear in silico. Although an increase in PE insert thickness was only associated with a moderate increase in backside micromotion in the present study, it was deemed likely that backside micromotion could be accelerated for thicker inserts in vivo as the PE locking mechanism has been shown to degrade after extended implantation periods.
FDA Regulation of Prescription Drugs.

Over the past 5 years, the FDA has approved 182 new drugs. This overview explains the FDA’s drug-approval process, including its approach to benefit–risk assessment, drug labeling, risk evaluation and mitigation strategies, and postmarketing surveillance.
Instantaneous frequency estimation based on synchrosqueezing wavelet transform

The instantaneous frequency-embedded continuous wavelet transform (IFE-CWT) is introduced and its properties are studied.Based on IFE-CWT, the instantaneous frequency-embedded synchrosqueezing transform (IFE-SST) is introduced.IFE-SST can preserve the IF of a monocomponent signal. To estimate IF of a component of a multicomponent signal, IFE-SST uses a reference IF function associated with that component.The IFE-SST-based multicomponent signal separation algorithm is proposed. The experimental results also show that IFE-SST works well in the noise environment. Recently, the synchrosqueezing transform (SST) was developed as an alternative to the empirical mode decomposition scheme to separate a non-stationary signal with time-varying amplitudes and instantaneous frequencies (IFs) into a superposition of frequency components that each have well-defined IFs. The continuous wavelet transform (CWT)-based SST sharpens the time-frequency representation of a non-stationary signal by assigning the scale variable of the signals CWT to the frequency variable by a reference IF function. Since the SST method is applied to estimate the IFs of all frequency components of a signal based on one single reference IF function, it may yield not very accurate results. In this paper we introduce the instantaneous frequency-embedded synchrosqueezing wavelet transform (IFE-SST). IFE-SST uses a rough estimation of the IF of a targeted component to produce accurate IF estimation. The reference IF function of IFE-SST is associated with the targeted component. Our numerical experiments show that IFE-SST outperforms the CWT-based SST in IF estimation and separation of multicomponent signals.
Spatio-temporal rainfall patterns around Atlanta, Georgia and possible relationships to urban land cover

Abstract Spatio-temporal patterns in mean and extreme rainfall are examined around the city of Atlanta, Georgia using the Multi-sensor Precipitation Estimates (MPE) and ERA-Interim reanalysis datasets. The analysis spans the period 2002 to 2015 and employs a 9-cell gridded framework centered on downtown Atlanta. Statistically significant anomalies in daily precipitation were found over and downwind (predominately east to northeast) of Atlanta. The pattern of rainfall anomalies is most evident in the early evening hours of the day and is hypothesized to be related to the evolution of the skin or surface urban heat island (UHI), rather than the canopy layer UHI. The study formally proposes the term “flow regime dependent” downwind anomaly regions. Like previous results, the study reveals that downwind anomaly regions can vary as a function of prevailing wind regime. Using a metric called the Wet Millimeter Day (WMD), the study also finds that there is a tendency for extreme rainfall to cluster in the climatological downwind area of Atlanta. The work builds upon previous findings while employing different datasets to provide novel additional contributions related to the temporal evolution of the “urban rainfall effect” and the patterns of extreme rainfall.
Surgical and molecular considerations in the treatment of pediatric thalamopeduncular tumors

OBJECTIVE Thalamopeduncular tumors are a group of pediatric low-grade gliomas that arise at the interface of the thalamus and brainstem peduncle. They typically occur within the first 2 decades of life, presenting with progressive spastic hemiparesis. Treatment strategies, including surgical intervention, have varied significantly. The authors present their experience in the treatment of 13 children, ages 2-15 years, with non-neurofibromatosis-related pilocytic astrocytomas located in the thalamopeduncular region. METHODS Between 2003 and 2016, 13 children presenting with progressive spastic hemiparesis due to a pilocytic astrocytoma at the interface of the thalamus and cerebral peduncles were identified. Medical records were reviewed retrospectively for clinical, radiological, pathological, and surgical data. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue was obtained for 12 cases and tested for KIAA1549-BRAF fusion and BRAF V600E point mutation. RESULTS On preoperative diffusion tensor imaging tractography (performed in 12 patients), the ipsilateral corticospinal tract was displaced laterally in 1 case (8.3%), medially in 1 case (8.3%), anterolaterally in 10 cases (83%), and posteriorly in no cases. Ten patients underwent resection via a transtemporal, transchoroidal approach, which was chosen to avoid further damage to motor function in cases of tumors that caused anterolateral or medial corticospinal tract displacement. With this approach, complications included hemianopia, oculomotor palsy, and tremor at a rate of 50%. Among the 12 patients with obtainable follow-up (mean 50.9 months), none received adjuvant therapy, and only 2 (17%) experienced recurrence or progression. KIAA1549-BRAF fusions were present in 10 cases (83%), while BRAF V600E was absent (0%). The 2 fusion-negative tumors had clinical features atypical for the series, including multi-focality and infiltration. CONCLUSIONS Transcortical, transchoroidal resection of thalamopeduncular tumors through the middle temporal gyrus allows for a high rate of gross-total resection and cure. Diffuse tensor tractography is a critical component of the preoperative planning process to determine the location of white matter tracts in proximity. Molecular status may correlate with clinical features, and the presence of BRAF lesions offers an additional target for future novel therapeutics.
Abstract 1975: FAM83B: A novel regulator of cell plasticity in breast cancer

Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is an important process in both metastasis and cancer stem cell (CSC) enrichment. Recent studies suggest that instead of simply transitioning from one cell state to another, cancer cells exist along a continuum of epithelial and mesenchymal cell states. Identifying novel regulators of tumor cell plasticity will be critical to fully understand this continuum and to target metastasis and CSC phenotypes in the future. FAM83B is a novel oncogene identified by the Jackson Laboratory in a forward genetic screen for drivers of Human Mammary Epithelial Cell (HMEC) transformation. Previous work showed that FAM83B expression is elevated in triple negative breast cancers and that FAM83B also activates key cell signaling pathways (EGFR, MAPK, and PI3K) in breast cancers. Here, we implicate FAM83B as a novel regulator of epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity using a HMEC transformation model. Transformation of primary HMEC by expressing shp16, shp53, c-Myc, and RAS results in the generation of two distinct transformed cell populations. One population retains epithelial characteristics, while an emergent population spontaneously acquires a mesenchymal morphology and a CD24LOCD44HI (CSC) cell surface marker profile. Moreover, isolation of epithelial, CD24HICD44LO cells (non-CSC) and exposure to Oncostatin M (OSM), an EMT-inducing cytokine, can also generate cells with a mesenchymal/CSC phenotype. Interestingly, FAM83B expression was significantly elevated in the epithelial/non-CSC population compared to the mesenchymal/CSC population. Moreover, treatment of purified epithelial/non-CSC cells with OSM resulted in decreased FAM83B expression levels, indicating FAM83B expression is suppressed as the cells move through EMT. FAM83B expression also correlated with an epithelial phenotype in a panel of breast cancer cell lines. shRNA-mediated knock-down of FAM83B from epithelial/non-CSC resulted in increased spontaneous EMT, concomitant with elevated expression of the mesenchymal marker Vimentin and master EMT transcription factor Zeb1. Following treatment with OSM, sh83B cells maintain prolonged, elevated p-Stat3 and p-ERK signaling, known contributors to the mesenchymal/CSC phenotype. Conversely, OSM-induced EMT was blunted in epithelial/non-CSC expressing exogenous FAM83B. Thus, FAM83B expression is a determinant in maintaining an epithelial phenotype, while suppression of FAM83B is important during EMT. Future work will seek to define novel FAM83B-mediated signaling pathways important for regulating cellular plasticity. Citation Format: Courtney A. Bartel, Damian J. Junk, Mark W. Jackson. FAM83B: A novel regulator of cell plasticity in breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1975. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-1975
A Theory of Experimentation in New Ventures

Experimentation has been the center of a fascinating debate among entrepreneurship practitioners throughout the past decade. While intellectually stimulating and practically relevant, this discussion has received little attention from management research, and therefore has no scientific support. To start filling this gap, I propose a novel theory of experimentation in entrepreneurial ventures. I argue that the impact of experimentation on performance is highly contingent on market-level and organization-level factors. This theoretical exercise seeks to shed light on when experimentation creates value and when it destroys value. By using the value-based strategy approach, I propose that experimentation drives short-run value through the channels of learning, reputation, and imitation, and affects long-run value through the channels of imprinting and positioning. I conclude by listing a set of testable implications for future empirical analysis.
Salinity in the Soil Environment

The purpose of this chapter is to provide plant scientists with a background on the nature of soil salinity with a particular emphasis on irrigated agriculture. Since the chemistry of soil solutions plays a major role in soil salinity, considerable details on this topic are offered. Chemical speciation in the soil solution should be of importance to plant scientists. The dynamic nature of soil salinity in the rootzone affects performance of plants. Profile distribution of salts is affected by leaching fraction and changes with changing water content from irrigation and rootwater extraction. Soluble salts in soils are highly mobile and transported by water through mass flow and dispersion. Irrigation water management is one of the keys in maintaining salt balance in the rootzone. Growing regulations on the disposal and management of poor quality drainage waters is now exacerbating the maintenance of salt balance in the rootzone in irrigated lands.
Expression of Fos-Like Proteins in the Preoptic Area and Hypothalamus of the Rat Brain Following Intracerebral or Peripheral Administration of Colchicine

Colchicine is frequently employed as a pharmacologic tool to enhance perikaryal neuropeptide concentrations, in order to facilitate mapping of functional neuron populations in the brain. However, it is not clear if effects of colchicine on central neurons include transcriptional activation. The following studies utilized immunocytochemical techniques to evaluate the effects of intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) drug treatment on Fos-like immunoreactivity (Fos-li) in preoptic and hypothalamic neurons. Since colchicine is administered orally in the treatment of gout-associated arthritis, additional experiments examined whether intragastric delivery of colchicine elicits protooncogene expression by neurons in the brain. Groups of adult male rats were treated with colchicine by i.c.v. injection (150 micrograms/3.0 microliters 0.9% saline) or by gavage (4.0 mg/1.0 ml 0.9% saline); vehicle-treated controls received saline alone. All animals were sacrificed 24 hr after drug or vehicle treatment. Serial 25 microns brain sections were processed for Fos-like immunoreactivity using anti-human Fos4-17 antibodies (Ab-2, Oncogene Sciences) in conjunction with avidin-biotin immunoperoxidase cytochemistry. These studies revealed negligible immunolabeling for Fos 24 hr after vehicle treatment, 24 hr after intracerebral delivery of colchicine, Fos-li was observed within the medial preoptic area, the arcuate nucleus, the supraoptic nucleus, and parvocellular neurons in the paraventricular nucleus. Animals treated with colchicine by gavage exhibited Fos-immunopositive neurons in the same sites, but additional immunolabeling for Fos was also observed within the median preoptic nucleus, suprachiasmatic nucleus, dorsomedial nucleus, and magnocellular neurons in the paraventricular nucleus. These results suggest, first of all, that neuronal responses to colchicine exposure include the synthesis of Fos-like proteins in a number of brain sites, at least over the time frame examined here. The present findings that protooncogene expression occurs within central neurons in response to intragastric drug administration suggest that neuronal activation may in response to drug-induced neural afferent and/or endocrine stimuli of peripheral origin.
Does Maternal Exposure to Secondhand Tobacco Smoke During Pregnancy Increase the Risk for Preterm or Small-for-Gestational Age Birth?

Introduction While associations between active smoking and various adverse birth outcomes (ABOs) have been reported in the literature, less is known about the impact of secondhand smoke (SHS) on many pregnancy outcomes. Methods We examined the relationship between maternal exposure to SHS during pregnancy and preterm (< 37 weeks gestation) and small-for-gestational age (SGA; assessed using sex-, race/ethnic-, and parity-specific growth curves) singleton births using non-smoking controls from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study (1997–2011). Multivariable logistic regression models for household, workplace/school, and combined SHS exposure—controlled for maternal education, race/ethnicity, pre-pregnancy body mass index, and high blood pressure—were used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Interaction was assessed for maternal folic acid supplementation, alcohol use, age at delivery, and infant sex. Results Infants of 8855 mothers were examined in the preterm birth analysis with 666 (7.5%) categorized as preterm, 574 moderately preterm (32–36 weeks), and 92 very preterm (< 32 weeks). For the SGA analysis, infants of 8684 mothers were examined with 670 (7.7%) categorized as SGA. The aORs for mothers reporting both household and workplace/school SHS were elevated for preterm (aOR 1.99; 95% CI 1.13–3.50) and moderately preterm birth (32–36 weeks) (aOR 2.17; 95% CI 1.22–3.88). No results for the SGA analysis achieved significance, nor was evidence of interaction evident. Conclusion The findings suggest an association between SHS from multiple exposure sources and preterm birth, but no evidence for association with SGA births. Continued study of SHS and ABOs is needed to best inform public health prevention programs.
Application of an energy balance method for estimating evapotranspiration in cropping systems

Abstract Accurate quantification of evapotranspiration (ET, consumptive water use) from planting through harvest is critical for managing limited water resources for crop irrigation. Our objective was to develop and apply a land-crop surface residual energy balance (EB) method for quantifying ET and to estimate ET of corn (Zea mays L.) for the first time in the climate of the lower Mississippi Delta region. Actual ET (ETe) was estimated as the residual term of the energy balance equation from measurements of net solar irradiance (Rn) and computed sensible heat (H) and ground heat (Go) fluxes. The H flux was computed from measurements of the air and crop canopy temperature differential and modeling the aerodynamic resistance (ra) to heat and water transport in the turbulent atmospheric boundary layer above the canopy. The Go flux was estimated by measuring heat flux at 8 cm depth and accounting for heat storage in the soil layer above it. The developed EB procedure was tested using simultaneous measurements of EB data and lysimetric ET in a cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) field at Bushland, Texas, USA in 2008. The lysimeter measured ET compared well with the computed ETe under cotton (RMSE of daily ET = 1.2 mm, and seasonal ET within 1% error). Further, we quantified irrigated corn ET using EB in a silt loam soil at Stoneville, Mississippi, USA in 2016. The computed seasonal values of ETe were greater than shortgrass reference ET (ETo) by 27 mm and less than alfalfa reference crop ET (ETr) by 80 mm. The instrumentation used in the EB method can be moved, and the estimated ET was comparable with lysimeter measured ET. As such, this method provides a cost-effective, viable alternative for quantifying ET, which should be broadly tested in other locations and cropping systems.
Chapter 2 Tensegrity: 60 Years of Art, Science, and Engineering

Abstract This chapter traces down the roots of the first man-made objects which resemble what are nowadays known as tensegrity structures. It then shows how the tensegrity concept evolved, finding increasingly large audience in engineering, mathematics, and biology. The history of tensegrity structures research is presented including references to the most important discoveries and examples of the author's contributions. Some of the current challenges these structures face in the area of practical applications conclude the chapter.
Advanced process control for clean fuel production: smart plant of the future

Abstract: Advanced process control (APC) technologies can yield remarkable benefits in improving the efficiency and profitability of plant operations. In this chapter, we will describe some key smart control technologies that help deliver significant improvements to operations and, therefore, to profits, in a most cost-effective and timely way while minimizing energy loss and mitigating CO2 emissions. In addition, the chapter will highlight new innovations in this area. The future of advanced technologies will be shaped by new innovations in control systems and in advanced sensing devices such as biosensors.
Representational Competence: A Commentary on the Greeno Analysis of Classroom Practice

In his analysis of the classroom videos, Greeno provides a theoretical basis for analyzing classroom interactions. He advances the notion of empowering students by positioning them with the authority, accountability, and competence to problematize issues and reconcile differences among themselves. This commentary focuses on the different aspects of representational competence that the students were grappling with in the lesson analyzed and that students need to develop in order to be skilled in mathematical and scientific reasoning.
Practical Quantum Computing

Publisher Summary This chapter explains briefly the concept of quantum computation. It is computation using quantum mechanical systems. The bit of classical computation becomes the quantum bit or qubit of quantum mechanical computation. Recent publications suggest that quantum computing may have enormous advantages over the “classical” computation of the present day. For example, Shor has demonstrated that a quantum computer could, at least in principle, provide a remarkable advantage in the factoring of very large numbers. This chapter reviews the fundamental requirements for a quantum computation system as well as some of the most important ideas involved in potential applications of such systems. The chapter also reviews the pioneering “practical” applications of quantum computation, primarily involving magnetic resonance, in addition to the possible advances in resonance based quantum computation.
Review of optical properties of two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides

Two dimensional (2D) materials have become a growing subject in the last 15 years mainly due to the isolation of graphene, which created a completely different class of material based on its unique, monolayer design. Since then, various stable materials of few atoms thick are showing emerging capabilities in optical electronics and photonics. Semiconducting monolayers of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) such as MoS2, Mo1-xWxS2, and WS2 exhibit direct electronic band gaps; bulk crystals display indirect band gaps. Interestingly, these 2D materials show significant light interaction over a broad bandwidth ranging from infrared to ultraviolet wavelengths. The materials allow photodetection in this bandwidth without the need of cooling, thus creating new potential for uncooled detection. In this review, we discuss various 2D materials and their interaction with light for photodetection applications.
Tracking icebergs with time-lapse photography and sparse optical flow, LeConte Bay, Alaska, 2016-2017

We present a workflow to track icebergs in proglacial fjords using oblique time-lapse photos and the Lucas-Kanade optical flow algorithm. We employ the workflow at LeConte Bay, Alaska, where we ran five time-lapse cameras between April 2016 and September 2017, capturing more than 400 000 photos at frame rates of 0.5–4.0 min−1. Hourly to daily average velocity fields in map coordinates illustrate dynamic currents in the bay, with dominant downfjord velocities (exceeding 0.5 m s−1 intermittently) and several eddies. Comparisons with simultaneous Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) measurements yield best agreement for the uppermost ADCP levels (~ 12 m and above), in line with prevalent small icebergs that trace near-surface currents. Tracking results from multiple cameras compare favorably, although cameras with lower frame rates (0.5 min−1) tend to underestimate high flow speeds. Tests to determine requisite temporal and spatial image resolution confirm the importance of high image frame rates, while spatial resolution is of secondary importance. Application of our procedure to other fjords will be successful if iceberg concentrations are high enough and if the camera frame rates are sufficiently rapid (at least 1 min−1 for conditions similar to LeConte Bay).
Pathology of Endometrioid and Clear Cell Carcinoma of the Ovary

This review is an appraisal of the current state of knowledge of 2 enigmatic histotypes of ovarian carcinoma: endometrioid and clear cell carcinoma. Both show an association endometriosis and the hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (Lynch) syndrome, and both typically present at an early stage. Pathologic and immunohistochemical features that distinguish these tumors from high-grade serous carcinomas, each other, and other potential mimics are discussed, as are staging, grading, and molecular pathogenesis.
A declarative enhancement of JavaScript programs by leveraging the Java metadata infrastructure

Abstract Web browsers have evolved into indispensable software platforms for modern applications. Although JavaScript has become a de-facto lingua franca for developing web applications, the JavaScript software development tools and methodologies lag behind those of languages such as Java and C#. In particular, to enhance JavaScript programs with non-functional concerns (e.g., persistence, security, transactions, and logging) JavaScript developers need to modify the source code by hand. Developers then often end up having to maintain the resulting modified version separately for reasons that include poor design, the complexities of program evolution, and fundamental language limitations. The necessity to modify code by hand could be avoided if JavaScript had metadata facilities for developers to specify non-functional concerns declaratively. To address this problem, we present a novel declarative approach, T ransparent A utomated E nhancement for J ava S cript (TAE-JS) that enhances JavaScript programs with the ability to use declarative metadata. The metadata is expressed by means of Java annotations. We have implemented our technique in an open-source plug-in for the Eclipse IDE. This plug-in allows a developer to enhance the original version of a JavaScript program by specifying concerns declaratively using Java annotations. It then analyzes an original version of the program to automatically generate enhanced program versions by adding the declared concerns. We evaluated TAE-JS with four practical examples that enhance JavaScript programs by declaratively adding concerns such as persistence, security, transactions, and logging. In a user study with ten student developers and three professional engineers at PayPal, the participants viewed favorably TAE-JS's flexible declarative enhancement capabilities, seeing them as a valuable mechanism for implementing non-functional concerns in JavaScript programs. Our evaluation results are promising in demonstrating the potential benefits of our approach to complement existing JavaScript development tools.
The structure of 7,14-dicarbonylethoxyacenaphth[l,2-k]-fluoranthene and its tetracyanoquinodimethane charge transfer complex

A molecular mechanics simulation of the structure of 7,14-dicarbonylethoxyacenaphth[l,2-k]fluoranthene,1, indicated a preferred geometry for the hindered substituents in which the carbonyl groups were constrained to an anti conformation because of the steric hindrance associated with the in-plane buttressing hydrogen atoms. X-ray crystallographic analysis of1 verifies the correctness of the computation. Compound1 and tetracyanoquinodimethane,2, form a charge transfer complex, and a crystal structure analysis shows a slightly offset, nearly parallel arrangement of the acceptor with the π cloud of the donor. The interplanar distance of 3.45 A between acceptor and donor lies within the statistical limits of the interplanar distance of π complexes formed between2 and a variety of PAH donors. The steric hindrance caused by the substituents in1 appears to offer only minimal interference to the formation of the π complex.
Study design factors influencing patients' willingness to participate in clinical research: a randomised vignette-based study.

High patient participation in clinical research reduces selection bias and ensures the generalizability of study findings. We explored study-related factors that may influence patients’ willingness to participate in research. We submitted by mail two vignettes that described clinical research studies – a drug trial and a diagnostic study – to patients recently discharged from hospital and assessed their willingness to participate. We used a factorial design to randomly allocate three study attributes per vignette: in the drug trial, presumed superiority of new drug versus equipoise, public versus industry funding, and random versus non-random treatment allocation; in the diagnostic study, common versus rare disease, genetic versus protein analysis, and automatic reporting of results versus reporting on request. Of 2600 patients contacted, 1140 (44%) participated. Globally, willingness to participate in a drug trial was lower than in a diagnostic study (44.8% vs. 76.2%; P < 0.001). In the drug trial, participation was significantly higher when the new drug was presented as presumably better than the old (vs. equipoise) and when the study was funded by public sources (vs. industry), but was not affected by the allocation method. None of the factors tested in the diagnostic study was associated with participation. Patients were more likely to participate in a hypothetical observational diagnostic study than in a hypothetical drug trial. Participation in the trial was lower when clinical equipoise was expressed and when the trial was funded by industry. These results suggest that some features of study design can influence participation.
Estimated National and Regional Impact of COVID-19 on Elective Case Volume in Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.

Background In efforts to help alleviate the strain placed on healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic, the American Society of Plastic Surgery recommended suspending elective procedures on March 19, 2020. When this suspension was enacted, it was unknown when cases would resume. Objectives This analysis aimed to estimate the regional economic impact of the pandemic specifically with regards to elective, aesthetic surgical procedures. As knowledge regarding the effects of the pandemic has grown, the authors then evaluated the accuracy of the projected estimates compared with actual events. Methods Utilizing the American Society of Plastic Surgery 2018 Plastic Surgery Statistics Report, regional case volume and surgeons' fees were obtained for the top 5 aesthetic procedures. Models developed by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation were employed to estimate the anticipated duration of suspension by utilizing the date that no ventilators would be required for COVID-19 patients. This duration was utilized to calculate the volume of cases that would not occur. Results These estimates predict up to 1.3 billion fewer dollars will be collected in surgeons' fees, representing a 20% loss compared with 2018. The South Atlantic region is predicted to have the greatest number of operating room days lost. However, the Mountain and Pacific regions are estimated to have the greatest loss in case volume and surgeons' fees. Conclusions The cumulative impact of the pandemic on life, society, and the economy is tremendous. This analysis may help guide surgeons' responses during and after the crisis.
Sound radiated by turbulent flow over unrounded and rounded forward-facing steps

Abstract This study presents measurements of the far-field noise radiated by forward-facing steps with and without rounded corners. A noise prediction formula, obtained by combining theory and measurements, to predict noise radiated by an unrounded forward step is also presented. The prediction methodology has also been extended to include the effects of rounding the step corner. The height of the step in measurements ranged between 78% to 84% of the incoming, turbulent wall-jet boundary layer. The Reynolds number based on step height was between 8300 and 16,800. Six roundings of the step corner were considered with radii equal to 0%, 6.25%, 12.5%, 25%, 50%, and 100% of the step height. It was found that rounding the forward step corner reduces the noise without affecting its directivity and scaling significantly. A slight rounding of the corner only affects the noise at high frequencies, however, a further increase in rounding leads to a broadband noise reduction. The prediction formula for the unrounded forward step yields reasonably good agreement with both past and present measurements. The predictions also suggest that the noise generated by a forward step is independent of the incoming boundary-layer thickness and scales with the step height. The predictions for rounded forward steps show that the noise attenuation due to corner rounding can be reasonably approximated if it is assumed that the unsteady surface loading in the vicinity of rounded steps scales with the reattachment length associated with each rounding.
A self-promoting growth of Na microstructures.

In situ NMR and magnetic resonance imaging unravel new chemistries for the formation and growth of metal microstructures, with consequences on the solid–electrolyte interphase stability.
Does a standardized operative approach in cloacal reconstruction allow for preservation of a patent urethra

Abstract Background Cloacal malformations are recognized as a particularly challenging congenital condition to manage and they present with a wide spectrum of anatomical configurations making surgical repair very complicated. Urethral necrosis or urethral loss is a known and devastating complication of cloacal repair. The surgical repair of these malformations has evolved over time and historically only common channel (CC) length was measured. More recently, it has been advocated that the urethral length and the CC are both important in determining surgical repair. The purpose of our study is to evaluate if this surgical approach allows for preservation of a patent urethra. Methods A prospective database of all cloaca patients maintained with IRB approval (IRB# STUDY00000721) was retrospectively reviewed. We included any girl with cloacal malformation who underwent primary repair at our institution between May 2014 and December 2019. Standardized preop evaluation with endoscopy and 3-dimentional imaging to assess urethral length and CC length. These measurements were used to determine operative approach. Girls with CC 1.5 cm undergo total urogenital mobilization (TUM) and those with CC > 3 cm or urethra Results A total of 59 patients met inclusion criteria with a median age of 11.6 months. Four girls underwent PSARP + I, 19 girls had a TUM and 36 girls underwent a UGS. All of the girls who had PSARP +I (n = 4) or TUM (n = 19) had a viable and patent urethra that was catheterizable at the cystoscopy and EUA 4–6 weeks postoperatively. Of the 36 girls who had UGS, all but 2 (5.6%) had a viable and patent urethra that catheterized without problems. Overall, 97% of girls in this cohort had a patent urethra after cloacal repair using this surgical protocol. Conclusions The use of a standard protocol that considers urethral and common channel length for cloacal repairs results in a viable and patent urethra in 97% of patients. Level of evidence Level II.