cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prevalence and etiology of autonomic dysreflexia in children with spinal cord injuries

AbstractObjective: To delineate the prevalenee, etiologies, clinieal manifestations, eomplieations, and management of autonomie dysreflexia in individuals who sustained spinal eord injury (SCI) as ehildren.Method: Retrospective ehart review.Participants: All individuals with 2: T6 SCI who were injured at 13 years of age or younger and who were eared for at one pediatrie SCI program.Outcome Measures: Outeome measures ineluded prevalenee, etiologie factors, and symptoms of autonomie dysreflexia as doeumented in both inpatient and outpatient reeords. Blood pressure and heart rate for observed episodes of autonomie dysreflexia also were reeorded.Results: Of 1 21 partieipants who met the study eriteria, 62 (51%) had experieneed autonomie dysreflexia. The most eommon eauses of dysreflexia were urologie (7 5%) and bowel impaction (18%), and the distribution of eausative factors were similar in the 3 age ranges (0-5 years, 6-1 3 years, and 14-21 years). For all age groups, the most eommon symptoms were faeial flu...
Chemokines and Their Receptors in Fibrosis

Tissue fibrosis, which results in the destruction of normal organ function, is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Current strategies for treating fibrosis have been unsuccessful, largely because of the difficulty in distinguishing whether inflammatory or fibrogenic events sustain the progression of the disease. The causes of fibrosis are diverse regardless of the tissue involved, and the common features include the sequential recruitment of inflammatory cells, overproliferation of matrix-producing cells, and the overproduction of extracellular matrix. An excessive wound-healing response presumably represents disruption in this sequence thereby leading to a disturbance in the balance between tissue remodeling, matrix degradation, and permanent scarring. The mechanisms involved in pulmonary fibrosis also represent three sequential events characterized by an initial insult, inflammation, and tissue repair. Central to the progression of these events is the balance between a T helper 1 (Th1) and a T helper 2 (Th2) environment, in which Th2-specific signals have been shown to be immunomodulatory and profibrotic. However, the release of these Th2-specific cytokines and chemokines by both inflammatory and resident cells maintains the fibrotic response, consequently leading to fibrotic disease. Evidence from animal models and human studies have identified a number of Th1/Th2-associated chemokines and chemokine receptors as profibrotic or antifibrotic. Therefore, investigating the chemokines, chemokine receptors, and the cells that they impact is an attractive approach to identifying therapeutic targets in fibrosis.
THE WATER VAPOR CONTINUUM AS WINGS OF STRONG ABSORPTION LINES

A study of the shape of water vapor absorption lines in the infrared spectral region has been made in order to determine the role of far wings in 10-μm continuum absorption. A spectral line profile has been derived by considering collisional interactions between water vapor molecules and other perturbing molecules. Both self-broadening and foreign-broadening have been included. When the line profile is applied to water vapor absorption lines within a region 1000 cm −1 from a given frequency, the predicted absorption at 296 K is in good agreement with measured 10 μm absorption at that frequency at 296 K. Increasing the boundary region does not substantially increase the predicted absorption. The predicted absorption near 10 μm decreases with increasing temperature, although the rate of decrease is not as rapid as measurement would indicate. Application of the line shape to other spectral regions including 4 μm and near millimeter wavelengths will be discussed.
Precision Timing Calorimetry with the Upgraded CMS Crystal ECAL

Particle detectors with a timing resolution of a few 10 ps allow to improve event reconstruction at high luminosity hadron colliders tremendously. The upgrade of the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) crystal electromagnetic calorimeter (ECAL), which will operate at the High Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC), will achieve a timing resolution of around 30 ps for high energy photons and electrons. In this talk we will discuss the benefits of precision timing for the ECAL event reconstruction at HL-LHC. Simulation and test beam studies carried out for the timing upgrade of the CMS ECAL will be presented and the prospects for a full implementation of this option will be discussed.
Validation of the PHYSIO-PORT UP ambulatory blood pressure monitor in pregnant women according to the European Society of Hypertension International Protocol revision 2010

The present study examines the performance of the ambulatory blood pressure monitor PHYSIO-PORT UP in pregnant and preeclamptic women. The systolic blood pressure (SBP) and the diastolic blood pressure (DBP) of 33 subjects (among them 13 with preeclampsia) were sequentially measured and compared to reference measurements. Those reference measurements were taken by two observers using a mercury sphygmomanometer. Subject recruitment and evaluation of the measurement results were performed according to the European Society of Hypertension International Protocol revision 2010 (ESH-IP 2010). Three readings were recorded per subject under static conditions. The protocol did not include testing under ambulatory conditions. 87/90 (SBP/DBP) of the 99 readings had a difference ≤ 5 mmHg, 96/98 had a difference 98 ≤ 10 mmHg, and 98/99 had a difference ≤ 15 mmHg. 2 out of 3 readings ≤ 5 mmHg was achieved by 31/32 subjects. None of the subjects had less than 1 comparative reading ≤ 5 mmHg. In conclusion, the PHYSIO-PORT UP fulfilled all requirements of the ESH-IP 2010. According to these results, the PHYSIO-PORT UP can be recommended for blood pressure measurement in pregnant women.
Tunnel diode resonator for precision magnetic susceptibility measurements in a mK temperature range and large DC magnetic fields

Precision radio-frequency measurements of the magnetic susceptibility using the tunnel diode resonator (TDR) technique are used to study the delicate effects in magnetic and superconducting materials. High resolution (in ppb range) measurements are particularly important for studies of the London and Campbell penetration depths in a superconductor and for the investigation of magnetic transitions in (anti)ferromagnets. Due to the small rf magnetic-excitation in a mOe range, the TDR is especially useful at low-temperatures in a mK range, if Joule heating generated in the TDR circuitry is efficiently removed and the circuit is stabilized with sub-mK precision. Unfortunately, the circuit has significant magnetic field dependence, and therefore, most of the precision TDR measurements at low-temperatures were conducted in zero magnetic field. In this work, we describe the design of a setup for precision TDR measurements in a dilution refrigerator down to ∼40 mK with a 14 T superconducting magnet. The key features of our design are the separated electronics components and the placement of the most field sensitive parts in the field-compensated zone far from the center of solenoid as well as the heat-sinking at a higher temperature stage. The performance of the working setup is demonstrated using several superconductors.
Minimally Invasive Lumbar Pedicle Screw Fixation Using Cortical Bone Trajectory: Functional Outcomes.

Background Pedicle screw fixation is currently the mainstay technique for lumbar spinal fusion; however, more minimally invasive techniques are available such as cortical screw fixation. Numerous studies have proven biomechanical equivalence or superiority for cortical screws but few studies have examined clinical outcomes in patients. Our study aims to examine functional outcomes, as well as fusion rates, in patients who underwent pedicle screw fixation using a cortical trajectory. Methods We retrospectively reviewed prospectively collected functional outcomes data on 10 patients with a degenerative lumbar disease who underwent cortical screw placement by the senior author. Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and Roland Morris (RM) scoring were calculated preoperatively, at six to 12 weeks and at six to eight months. The Kruskal-Wallis test and Dunn's multiple comparison were used to analyze differences in scores over time. Results We found that over time, cortical screw fixation resulted in a mean decrease of 27 from the baseline ODI at six to eight months (p = 0.014). Additionally, six out of seven (86%) patients who had at least 12 months of radiographic follow-up showed fusion. Conclusions Cortical screw fixation showed a decrease of 27 from the baseline ODI at six to eight months, which is comparable to changes from the baseline ODI reported in three, recent, large clinical trials examining functional outcomes following traditional pedicle screw fixation.
Fully Dense UNet for 2-D Sparse Photoacoustic Tomography Artifact Removal

Photoacoustic imaging is an emerging imaging modality that is based upon the photoacoustic effect. In photoacoustic tomography (PAT), the induced acoustic pressure waves are measured by an array of detectors and used to reconstruct an image of the initial pressure distribution. A common challenge faced in PAT is that the measured acoustic waves can only be sparsely sampled. Reconstructing sparsely sampled data using standard methods results in severe artifacts that obscure information within the image. We propose a modified convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture termed fully dense UNet (FD-UNet) for removing artifacts from two-dimensional PAT images reconstructed from sparse data and compare the proposed CNN with the standard UNet in terms of reconstructed image quality.
Assessment and the Use of Questionnaires in Sport Psychology Consulting: An Analysis of Practices and Attitudes From 2003 to 2017

The purpose of this study was to examine the types and perceived usefulness of questionnaires used by consultants in applied intervention work with athletes in 2003 and 2017, as well as to understa...
Identifying Unresolved Issues in Online Student Discussions: A Multi-Phase Dialogue Classification Approach

Automatic tools for analyzing student online discussions are highly desirable for providing better assistance and encouraging participation. This paper presents an approach for automatically identifying student discussions with unresolved issues or unanswered questions. We apply a two-phase classification algorithm. First, we classify “speech acts” of individual messages to identify the roles that the messages play, such as question, answer, issue raising, or acknowledgement. We then use the resulting speech acts as features for identifying discussion threads with unresolved issues or questions. We performed a preliminary analysis of the classifiers and achieved an average accuracy of 78%.
Non-market forces significantly affect oil prices

Non-market effects, such as strategic decisions by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, energy legislation and speculative bubbles, move crude oil prices away from the level implied by supply and demand for extended periods. These effects should be more proactively monitored and regulated to suit national and international objectives.
State, corporate and traditional community relations and the politics of leverage in the Royal Bafokeng Nation

Abstract The strategic management of resources have recently garnered widespread analytic attention with the prevailing consensus being the “resource curse,” and its negative effect on social, economic and political development worldwide. The curse is significantly worse for traditional and indigenous communities where tribal land rests atop valuable subterranean resources without much leverage to negotiate for their use or ownership. Some of the poorest indigenous people live in the most resource-rich regions of the world, a condition that is true in both the developed and developing worlds alike. The Royal Bafokeng Nation of South Africa, however, provides a strong counterpoint. Deemed Africa's richest ethnic group, the nation was able to leverage its political clout to establish a community investment company which administers a lucrative financial portfolio that consists of assets in a diverse range of economic sectors all stemming from platinum resources on Bafokeng tribal land. The case of the Royal Bafokeng Nation provides a stark anomaly to the literature on indigenous access to subterranean resources and begs the question “how do communities navigate leverage with their respective state governments in order to benefit from their subterranean natural resources on their indigenous land?” To examine this question, this paper borrows insights from examples in former Anglophone colonies of settlement for structural context and argues that the Bafokeng's political culture evidenced by its political mobilization, inclinations to litigate and its shrewd politicking provided levers of success in negotiating for communal access to platinum resources.
Timely Management of Testicular Torsion: A Collaborative QI Approach

Background Testicular torsion is a surgical emergency requiring timely operative care (ideally within 240 minutes) to achieve optimal testicular salvage and functional outcome. At our institution, approximately 14% patients had a delay in operative management (92 patients, January 2014 - November 2016, with a mean of 164 minutes and range of 48-565 minutes). Objective To increase the percentage of patients arriving to the operating room (OR) within 240 minutes from time of emergency department (ED) arrival from 86% to 95% in 18 …
Colonic mucormycosis in an immunocompetent patient with endocarditis.

Abstract Mucormycosis is a fatal opportunistic fungal infection. Rarely it can occur in immunocompetent patients. Here, we present a case of colonic mucormycosis in immunocompetent patients.
Rural communities as a context for entrepreneurship: Exploring perceptions of youth and business owners

Abstract In light of declining rural economies and dissipating rural populations, scholars, policy makers and program developers have increasingly looked to local business development and entrepreneurship as a means of revitalizing small communities across the United States. This study explores the perceptions of youth and business owners regarding the unique challenges and benefits or rural contexts for entrepreneurship, as well as perceptions regarding the potential role of youth in contributing to rural economies. Drawing from in-depth interviews and focus groups among local business owners and young rural residents, findings support earlier research regarding structural challenges that hamper rural business development (e.g., weak infrastructure) but also shed light on social challenges brought about by small and tightly bonded communities (e.g., openness to unfamiliar businesses). Notwithstanding these challenges, findings also suggest several perceived benefits of small communities such as local support for residents’ enterprises and ease of communication with one’s customer base. Finally, business owners expressed placing a high value on rural youth and their potential to make unique contributions to business development, nonetheless, found challenges around providing meaningful hands-on experiences for youth to learn about business operations.
An Initial Investigation of School Principal Perspectives on School Psychologists as Systems-Level Consultants

Understanding the existing discrepancy between school psychologist engagement in systems-level consultation and the ascribed importance of such practice is likely multifaceted. Barriers, such as time spent in assessment, limited training in consultation, and high caseloads, are known to reduce the possibilities and opportunities for school psychologist participation in systems-level consultation as discussed by Barrett et al. 2017 and Curtis et al. (2012). An underexplored potential barrier to increased school psychologist involvement in more consultative activities, especially at the systems-level, may be resistance from school administrators, such as principals, to offer and engage school psychologists in consultative opportunities. The present study sought to explore principal perceptions of school psychologist preparedness for and engagement in systems-level consultation. Results of this study suggest principals may not perceive school psychologists as having the necessary knowledge and skills to provide systems-level consultation. Additionally, a principal’s knowledge about systems-level consultation and school psychologist accessibility were found to significantly influence how often principals provided school psychologists with systems-level consultation opportunities. Results of this study may aid school psychology training programs in preparing future systems-level consultants and help current school psychologists interested in expanding their roles by entering into systems-level activities.
ARE STABLECOINS SAFE HAVENS FOR TRADITIONAL CRYPTOCURRENCIES? AN EMPIRICAL STUDY DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

We investigate whether stablecoins are safe havens for traditional cryptocurrencies with fresh evidence from the recent crisis period of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our results support the safe-haven properties of Tether for both before and during the pandemic. For Digix, a gold-backed stablecoin with relatively small market capitalization, we find a change in characteristics before and during the pandemic, but do not find statistically significant evidence for its safe-haven properties. Furthermore, we document that, when considering the economic benefits and costs of adding safe-haven assets into cryptocurrency portfolios, the one with Tether outperforms both a naked portfolio and the portfolio with a traditional safe-haven asset such as gold.
86. Unilateral Ovarian Agenesis: A Systematic Review of the Literature and Report of Two Cases

Background Ovarian agenesis (OA) is a rare and often incidental finding. Noncompeting embryological, vascular, and mechanical hypotheses comprise possible etiologies, though exact predisposing factors remain unknown. Here, we report two cases of unilateral OA (UOA) and results from the first systematic review. Case A 15-year-old girl with history of nephrolithiasis and pelvic pain presented for diagnostic laparoscopy due to suspected endometriosis. Three prior ultrasounds demonstrated normal-appearing ovaries with right corpus luteum cyst. Surgery revealed normal round ligaments, normal postpubertal uterus, right fallopian tube with paratubal cyst and enlarged right ovary. The left ovary, left distal fallopian tube, and left uteroovarian ligament were absent. Multiple peritoneal biopsies were positive for endometriosis. Right paratubal cyst was removed. Postoperative MRI did not identify a heterotopic left ovary. The second patient is a 30-year-old G3P1011 with a history of genital chlamydia, prior laparotomy to retrieve a foreign body, and right tubal ectopic pregnancy treated medically two years prior. She presented with severe abdominal pain and positive pregnancy test. An ultrasound demonstrated normal bilateral ovaries and a cystic right adnexal structure concerning for ectopic pregnancy. Patient elected for unilateral salpingectomy. Operative findings were significant for bleeding gestational sac extruding from the broad ligament. The left ovary and round ligaments were normal, but the right ovary, distal fallopian tube and infundibulopelvic ligament were absent. In both cases a second attending physician was consulted intraoperatively to confirm the absent ovary. Comments We conducted a systematic literature review on OA on 6/29/20 using Cochrane Library, Medline, Embase, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science databases, resulting in 66 relevant articles with 85 cases of OA. Descriptive statistics and univariate analysis were performed in SAS and Excel. The average age of diagnosis was 23.8 years. Ultrasound was the most common imaging technique (49%), and the majority of cases had laparoscopic surgery (65%). Of the cases that mentioned pre-operative imaging results, 13/51 did not mention ovarian anomalies. Abdominal/pelvic pain (27%), and infertility/subfertility (21%) were the most common presenting symptoms. UOA was the most common type of OA (96%) with both sides equally affected. Some ipsilateral fallopian tube absence was present in 81% cases. Approximately 26% of cases had concomitant uterine abnormalities, while 20% had renal abnormalities. These findings are important as they may guide workup and follow-up for females if ovarian agenesis or heterotopic ovarian location is diagnosed.
Trajectories of functional status among older adults receiving treatment for gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies: A report from the CARE study.

12045Background: Preservation of functional independence while undergoing treatment is of utmost importance to older adults with cancer, in addition to being associated with healthcare utilization ...
Moving Beyond Murdoch: Kantian Religion as Moral Empowerment

I offer some criticisms of Murdoch’s position, and suggest ways in which my view (which is an extended, and partially amended, version of her view) may eliminate those concerns. Specifically, I argue that her position can be improved upon by incorporating Kant’s affirmatively interpreted approach to religion, and that her view is more compatible with a religious way of life than she recognized. In my view, beauty begins the moment we decide to choose our true selves; that is, when we strive to progress to the higher, selfless (and also prudential) perspective, for which I argue in this book. This is a loving perspective, and it allows for an understanding of goodness that enlightens our view of the moral.
Interim Consideration of the Columbia River Entrance

Providing for entrance channel of suitable alignment at mouth of Columbia River; channel would be obtained by dredging and construction of spur jetty on north shore, in combination with existing jetties, at additional cost of $10,- 340,000; re-evaluation of natural forces controlling regimen of entrance area.
Communication cost function for parallel CFD in a heterogeneous environment using ethernet

Publisher Summary Solving computational fluid-dynamics problems requires computers of very fast computation speed and large memory space. The measurement of communication time on an Ethernet network during parallel CFD is a difficult problem because of the random nature of message-passing and collision-handling protocol. The criteria for measuring the communication speed of the computer network used for parallel calculations are rather unique. However, in other cases, such as more load on a slower sender and less load on a faster receiver, the load of the sender computer controls the communication time The approach used for deriving the communication cost function for sending messages among processes on different computers is similar to that on the same computer. In this arrangement, the communication time used in the program execution is comparable to the computation time even when the load is balanced. Initially, the load is distributed to the computers. A software package is also developed to automatically derive the communication cost function for Ethernet network and TCP/IP protocol.
An Experimental Investigation of Excludable Public Goods

This paper extends the research on incentive compatible institutions for the provision of public goods by imposing a minimum contribution that must be met in order for an individual to enjoy the benefits of the public good. Excluding individuals who do not contribute at least the minimum transforms the linear n-player pure public goods game to an n-player coordination game with multiple, Pareto-ranked Nash equilibria. The experimental results show that exclusion increases contributions to the public good in most cases. However, an increase in contributions may not be sufficient to increase social welfare because there is a welfare cost to excluding individuals when the good is non-rival. Furthermore, exclusion can decrease both contributions and welfare in environments in which individuals fail to coordinate their contributions. The results are sensitive to the minimum contribution requirement and to the relative returns from the public and private alternatives.
Chapter 46 Reciprocity in Ultimatum and Dictator Games: An Introduction

Publisher Summary This chapter presents data based on treatment manipulations intended to affect subjects' expectations about others' behavior, and degree of social isolation (anonymity) from the experimenter and others who might see the results, holding constant subject anonymity with respect to each other .The standard economic/game theoretic model predicts that the (conscious) reasoning process that applies to social exchange – optimization in the self interest against other presumed self-interested protagonists – applies also to coalitional relations, games against nature and other content-specific decision problems. Of course, this paradigm makes provision for cooperative behavior in repeat play interaction, but such outcomes emerge out of reward and threat possibilities, that channel the self-interest into longer term betterment over time. According to game theory, such behavior is strictly ruled out in any one-shot game, unless one postulates a taste (utility) for fairness, a topic to which we shall return after introducing our experimental design and results.
Genocide, the United Nations, and the Death of Absolute Rights

This Book Review uses Michael Barnett's argument that the United Nations (UN) refrained from intervening to stop the Rwandan genocide out of considered self-interest as a case-study through which to examine whether absolute rights exist in practice. The UN's actions in Rwanda represent a staggering failure to protect absolute rights, namely, the Rwandan people's right to freedom from genocide. The Rwandan case-study demonstrates that absolute rights, which have an impressive pedigree in legal and philosophical scholarship, are nothing more than a theoretical ideal-they are non-existent in practice. Nonetheless, there are hopeful signs, such as the international community's 1999 intervention in Kosovo, that absolute rights need not be "dead" as a useful concept. In order to maintain relevance as practical, as opposed to normative, ideals, absolute rights must be given greater priority in policymaking, allowing the existing, powerful regime of human rights law to prevent future absolute rights catastrophes.
Poincaré Invariance, Cluster Properties, and Particle Production

A method is presented for constructing a class of Poincare invariant quantum mechanical models of systems of a finite number of degrees of freedom that satisfy cluster separability, the spectral condition, but do not conserve particle number. The class of models includes the relativistic Lee model [1] and relativistic isobar models.
High-power slab coupled optical waveguide laser (SCOWL) arrays

High-power 915-nm and 980-nm AlGaAs/InGaAs/GaAs single-spatial mode slab-coupled optical waveguide (SCOWL) laser diode arrays are described. Quasi-CW output powers of 100 W and CW output powers of 49 W have been demonstrated in single bars.
On the role of TolC in multidrug efflux: the function and assembly of AcrAB-TolC tolerate significant depletion of intracellular TolC protein.

TolC channel provides a route for the expelled drugs and toxins to cross the outer membrane of Escherichia coli. The puzzling feature of TolC structure is that the periplasmic entrance of the channel is closed by dense packing of 12 α-helices. Efflux pumps exemplified by AcrAB are proposed to drive the opening of TolC channel. How interactions with AcrAB promote the close-to-open transition in TolC remains unclear. In this study, we investigated in vivo the functional and physical interactions of AcrAB with the closed TolC and its conformer opened by mutations in the periplasmic entrance. We found that the two conformers of TolC are readily distinguishable in vivo by characteristic drug susceptibility, thiol modification and proteolytic profiles. However, these profiles of TolC variants respond neither to the in vivo stoichiometry of AcrAB:TolC nor to the presence of vancomycin, which is used often to assess the permeability of TolC channel. We further found that the activity and assembly of AcrAB-TolC tolerates significant changes in amounts of TolC and that only a small fraction of intracellular TolC is likely used to support efflux needs of E. coli. Our findings explain why TolC is not a good target for inhibition of multidrug efflux.
The effect of oxythioquinox exposure on normal human mammary epithelial cell gene expression: A microarray analysis study

Inter-individual variation in normal human mammary epithelial cells in response to oxythioquinox (OTQ) is reported. Gene expression signatures resulting from chemical exposures are generally created from analysis of exposures in rat, mouse or other genetically similar animal models, limiting information about inter-individual variations. This study focused on the effect of inter-individual variation in gene expression signatures. Gene expression was studied in primary normal human mammary epithelial cells (NHMECs) derived from four women undergoing reduction mammoplasty [Cooperative Human Tissue Network (National Cancer Institute and National Disease Research Interchange)]. Gene transcription in each cell strain was analyzed using high-density oligonucleotide DNA microarrays (HuGeneFL, Affymetrix™) and changes in the expression of selected genes were verified by real-time polymerase chain reaction at extended time points (ABI). DNA microarrays were hybridized to materials prepared from total RNA that was collected after OTQ treatment for 15, 60 and 120 min. RNA was harvested from the vehicle control (DMSO) at 120 min. The gene expression profile included all genes altered by at least a signal log ratio (SLR) of ± 0.6 and p value ≤ 0.05 in three of four cell strains analyzed. RNA species were clustered in various patterns of expression highlighting genes with altered expression in one or more of the cell strains, including metabolic enzymes and transcription factors. Of the clustered RNA species, only 36 were found to be altered at one time point in three or more of the cell strains analyzed (13 up-regulated, 23 down-regulated). Cluster analysis examined the effects of OTQ on the cells with specific p53 polymorphisms. The two strains expressing the major variant of p53 had 83 common genes altered (35 increased, 48 decreased) at one or more time point by at least a 0.6 signal log ratio (SLR). The intermediate variant strains showed 105 common genes altered (80 increased, 25 decreased) in both strains. Differential changes in expression of these genes may yield biomarkers that provide insight into inter-individual variation in cancer risk. Further, specific individual patterns of gene expression may help to determine more susceptible populations.
Dynamic Maximum Entropy algorithms for clustering and coverage control

The dynamic coverage problem is increasingly found in a wide variety of areas, for example, from the development of mobile sensor networks, to the analysis of clustering in spatio-temporal dynamics of brain signals. In this paper, we apply control-theoretic methods to locate and track cluster center dynamics and show that dynamic control design is necessary to achieve dynamic coverage of mobile objects under acceleration fields. This is the first work to consider tracking cluster centers when site dynamics involve accelerations. We focus on the relationship between the objective of maximizing coverage in real-time and the Maximum Entropy Principle, and develop the ability to identify inherent cluster dynamics in a dataset. Algorithms are presented that guarantee asymptotic tracking of cluster centers, and for which we prove continuity and boundedness of the corresponding control laws. Simulations are provided to corroborate these results.
Base Substitution Specificity of DNA Polymerase β Depends on Interactions in the DNA Minor Groove

To examine the hypothesis that interactions between a DNA polymerase and the DNA minor groove are critical for accurate DNA synthesis, we studied the fidelity of DNA polymerase β mutants at residue Arg283, where arginine, which interacts with the minor groove at the active site, is replaced by alanine or lysine. Alanine substitution, removing minor groove interactions, strongly reduces polymerase selectivity for all single-base mispairs examined. In contrast, the lysine substitution, which retains significant interactions with the minor groove, has wild-type-like selectivity for T·dGMP and A·dGMP mispairs but reduced selectivity for T·dCMP and A·dCMP mispairs. Examination of DNA crystal structures of these four mispairs indicates that the two mispairs excluded by the lysine mutant have an atom (N2) in an unfavorable position in the minor groove, while the two mispairs permitted by the lysine mutant do not. These results suggest that unfavorable interactions between an active site amino acid side chain and mispair-specific atoms in the minor groove contribute to DNA polymerase specificity.
Rickets in low birth weight infants receiving total parenteral nutrition

Development of rickets in association with parenteral nutrition is described in four premature infants having gestational ages of 26-31 wk. In the first two infants there was a documented deficiency of vitamin D, but in the second two adequate supplementation was achieved. Vitamin D, whose primary action is to facilitate intestinal absorption of calcium, may also be a hormone of prime necessity in infant bone formation. Conversion of precursor cholecalciferol to the active form of hormone, 1,25-DHCC, requires intermediate hydroxylation by the liver. The premature infant liver may be deficient in its ability to carry out this step of metabolism, and in normal intrauterine existence the fetus may receive 1,25-DHCC, the active metabolite, from the mother. Calcium intake in these infants was far below that achieved by fetuses of comparable age in utero, even though in excess of that provided by usual premature infant oral formulas. Although calcium deficiency has not been incriminated as a cause of rickets in the past, it is possible that in very tiny premature infants rapid growth requirements lead to a relative calcium deficiency which may be manifested as uncalcified osteoid. Until the mechanism of the formation of rickets in small premature infants is clarified it is recommended that supplemental calcium and vitamin D be given to all premature infants receiving parenteral nutrition, and that periodic x-rays be obtained to detect the development of rickets.
Hyperspectral image reconstruction using RGB color for foodborne pathogen detection on agar plates

This paper reports the latest development of a color vision technique for detecting colonies of foodborne pathogens grown on agar plates with a hyperspectral image classification model that was developed using full hyperspectral data. The hyperspectral classification model depended on reflectance spectra measured in the visible and near-infrared spectral range from 400 and 1,000 nm (473 narrow spectral bands). Multivariate regression methods were used to estimate and predict hyperspectral data from RGB color values. The six representative non-O157 Shiga-toxin producing Eschetichia coli (STEC) serogroups (O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, and O145) were grown on Rainbow agar plates. A line-scan pushbroom hyperspectral image sensor was used to scan 36 agar plates grown with pure STEC colonies at each plate. The 36 hyperspectral images of the agar plates were divided in half to create training and test sets. The mean Rsquared value for hyperspectral image estimation was about 0.98 in the spectral range between 400 and 700 nm for linear, quadratic and cubic polynomial regression models and the detection accuracy of the hyperspectral image classification model with the principal component analysis and k-nearest neighbors for the test set was up to 92% (99% with the original hyperspectral images). Thus, the results of the study suggested that color-based detection may be viable as a multispectral imaging solution without much loss of prediction accuracy compared to hyperspectral imaging.
Age and satisfaction with dimensions of work.

Abstract Relationships between age and employee satisfaction with intrinsic and extrinsic outcomes were investigated in samples of female (n = 177) and male (n = 96) blue-collar operatives, holding organizational experience constant. The results, using the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire and Cornell Job Descriptive Index, indicated that a linear approximation of the age-satisfaction relationships is adequate, and that only satisfaction with intrinsic outcomes is consistently related to age. These results, along with the results of other recent studies that have also controlled for experience, suggest that the conventional wisdom regarding age-satisfaction relationships may require modification.
Analysis of atrazine and four degradation products in the pore water of the vadose zone, central Indiana

A new method is described for the analysis of atrazine and four of its degradation products (desethylatrazine, deisopropylatrazine, didealkylatrazine, and hydroxyatrazine) in water. This method uses solid-phase extraction on a graphitized carbon black cartridge, derivatization of the eluate with N-methyl-N-(tert-butyldimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide (MTBSTFA), and analysis by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). This method was used to analyze lysimeter samples collected from a field in central Indiana in 1994 and 1995. Atrazine and its degradation products were transported rapidly through the vadose zone. Maximum values of atrazine ranged from 2.61 to 8.44 μg/L and occurred from 15 to 57 days after application. Maximum concentrations of the degradation products occurred from 11 to 140 days after atrazine application. The degradation products were more persistent than atrazine in pore water. Desethylatrazine was the dominant degradation product detected in the first year, and didealkylatrazine wa...
Photoelectron-spectroscopy study of the electronic structure of Au and Ag overlayers on Pt(100), Pt(111), and Pt(997) surfaces

We have used photoelectron spectroscopy techniques [UPS (ultraviolet) and XPS (x ray)] to study the electronic structure of Au and Ag overlayers deposited on Pt(100), Pt(111), and Pt(997). Between 0 and 1 monolayer, the valence bands of Au and Ag show changes in the form of shifts of the most tightly bound peaks and the appearance of new structures around a coverage $\ensuremath{\bigominus}=1$ monolayer. The Au $5{d}_{\frac{3}{2}}$ peak shifts 0.6 eV towards higher binding energies when $\ensuremath{\bigominus}$ varies from 0.1 to 1 monolayer and 0.5 eV more when $\ensuremath{\bigominus}$ varies from 1 to 6 monolayers. In the case of Au on Pt(100) a shallow minimum in the work function around $\ensuremath{\bigominus}=1$ monolayer is observed. The $4f$ core levels of Au on Pt(100) shift also to higher binding energy as $\ensuremath{\bigominus}$ increases. From $\ensuremath{\bigominus}=0 \mathrm{to} 1$ monolayer the shift is 0.6 eV and from $\ensuremath{\bigominus}=1 \mathrm{to} 4$ monolayers additional 0.4-eV shift is observed. These shifts are explained as due to the changing contributions of the Au atoms in island edges for surface ($\ensuremath{\bigominus}l1$) and bulk ($\ensuremath{\bigominus}g1$) coordination positions.
Phase II trial of intravenous melphalan in advanced colorectal carcinoma

Background Relatively few studies have examined the activity of alkylating agents in the treatment of advanced colorectal adenocarcinoma. Recent reports have suggested possible therapeutic activity for high-dose intravenous melphalan administered with autologous bone marrow transplantation (BMT) support. We conducted a phase II study to determine the efficacy of administering intravenous melphalan at doses that do not require BMT support in patients with advanced colorectal adenocarcinoma.
Magnetization of lutetium iron garnet near the critical point

Abstract A study has been made of the critical magnetic properties of lutetium iron garnet. Values of the critical exponents, β, δ and λ were seen to fulfill the scaling relation, β(δ−1)=λ, within the limits of experimental error. The critical temperature, obtained from the kink-point plot of applied magnetic field vs break-point temperature, was reaffirmed through utilization of the Kouvel-Fisher analysis.
Direct molecular evidence for the degradation and mobility of black carbon in soils from ultrahigh-resolution mass spectral analysis of dissolved organic matter from a fire-impacted forest soil

Abstract The molecular composition of water-soluble products generated by the natural degradation of charcoal particles over a period of 100 years in a temperate forest soil has been investigated by ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization. The detectable products are condensed aromatic ring structures extensively substituted with oxygen-containing functional groups, indicating that oxidation and dissolution of charcoal black carbon occurs on a centennial timescale. Many of the same species are also detected within the dissolved organic matter (DOM) of the forest’s soil pore waters. We introduce the calculation of carbon normalized double bond equivalents (DBE/C) as a structural determinant for the empirical formulas obtained by mass spectral analysis. A threshold DBE/C value of 0.7 serves as a criterion for identifying species with condensed aromatic ring structures (CARS). A comparison with ultrahigh resolution mass spectra from previous studies shows that many of the CARS extracted directly from soil BC have the same mass (within 1 ppm) and empirical formulas as CARS detected in volcanic ash soil humic acid (HA) from Japan, and Amazonian Rio Negro DOM. The similarity of water-soluble condensed aromatics present within, and exported from fire-impacted soils of geographically and climatically disparate ecosystems indicates that the CARS reported herein are the molecular fingerprint of black carbon degradation in soils. Understanding the production mechanisms, reactivity, and fate of these molecular species should provide new insight to BC degradation and cycling. The soil charcoal particles at this site are infiltrated by filamentous microorganisms, suggesting that saprophytic fungi may be important to soil BC degradation processes.
Position distinctiveness and successive discrimination learning

This experiment tested the prediction that increased spatial separation of discriminanda would facilitate successive discrimination learning. Eight pigtailed monkeys were trained concurrently on two successive discrimination problems, one with a small and the other with a large separation of cues. Better performance was associated with the larger cue separation.
Implementation of electronic surveillance of catheter use and catheter-associated urinary tract infection at Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders (NICHE) hospitals.

Background Manual surveillance of indwelling urinary catheters (IUCs) and catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) is resource intense. Methods We implemented electronic surveillance in nonintensive care units of Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders (NICHE) hospitals. Capacity was created centrally to analyze data collected electronically or manually at each site. We measured the average IUC duration and proportion of patients with IUC duration Results Electronic surveillance was implemented in 25 units at 20 NICHE hospitals. Full automation was achieved at 15 of 16 sites with electronic health records (EHRs). Electronic surveillance challenges included EHR data element formats and IUC documentation. Study units reported on 4,574 patients for 16,105 IUC days over a 6-month period. The mean of the unit-level average IUC duration was 3.2 ± 2.6 days, mean proportion of patients with IUC duration Conclusion A centralized electronic surveillance strategy for CAUTI is feasible and sustainable. Baseline performance of participating sites was exemplary, with very low SIRs at baseline.
Large optical springs in picogram-scale optomechanical oscillators

We experimentally demonstrate a picogram-scale optomechanical system that increases its mechanical rigidity by more than 5X with the application of mW-level optical power. We discuss the theory and fabrication, making comparisons to existing optomechanical systems.
Manufacture of T cells using the Sleeping Beauty system to enforce expression of a CD19-specific chimeric antigen receptor

T cells can be reprogrammed to redirect specificity to tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) through the enforced expression of chimeric antigen receptors (CARs). The prototypical CAR is a single-chain molecule that docks with TAA expressed on the cell surface and, in contrast to the T-cell receptor complex, recognizes target cells independent of human leukocyte antigen. The bioprocessing to generate CAR(+) T cells has been reduced to clinical practice based on two common steps that are accomplished in compliance with current good manufacturing practice. These are (1) gene transfer to stably integrate the CAR using viral and nonviral approaches and (2) activating the T cells for proliferation by crosslinking CD3 or antigen-driven numeric expansion using activating and propagating cells (AaPCs). Here, we outline our approach to nonviral gene transfer using the Sleeping Beauty system and the selective propagation of CD19-specific CAR(+) T cells on AaPCs.
The desoxyribonucleoprotein of sea urchin sperm. II. Properties.

Some of the physical and chemical properties of the undissociated desoxyribonucleoprotein of the sperm of the sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, have been investigated. The desoxyribonucleoprotein is soluble in distilled water, precipitated by physiological saline, and is in general insoluble in salt solutions in the rage of 0.01 to 0.1 molar. The undissociated desoxyribonucleoprotein is soluble in and dissociated by strong salt solutions. The range of this effect is from 0.34 molar for (NH4)2SO4 to 1.1 molar for NaH2PO4. Ionic strength is believed to be the common denominator of this phenomenon. The isoelectric point of the undissociated desoxyribonucleoprotein is in the region of pH 2.3–2.7 Precipitation of the undissociated nucleoprotein particle in alcohol gives a light fluffy precipitate, indicating a very marked reduction in asymmetry as compared with the fibrous precipitate obtained by alcohol precipitation of the nucleoprotein from a strong salt solution. The increased viscosity of the nucleoprotein in strong salt solution provides further proof that the undissociated desoxyribonucleoprotein is dissociated into nucleic acid and protein components by the action of strong salt solutions. Electron microscopy has shown the undissociated desoxyribonucleoprotein particle to be approximately 4300 A.U. in length and 250–300 A.U. in width.
Mothers of Children With Physical Disabilities: Influence of Family Processes on Mothers' Depressive Symptomatology

This study examines how family processes, or specific behaviors and relationships within the family, influence the risk of depression in mothers of children with disabilities. Specifically, the collective influence of children's maladaptive behavior problems, father involvement, and coparental conflict on the risk of depression among 60 married mothers of children with physical disabilities is examined. Based on data from the National Survey of Families and Households, findings showed that these mothers perceived the child's behavioral problems as less influential when they were more satisfied with the father's parenting. Furthermore, coparental conflict appeared to mediate the influence of the child's behavior and her satisfaction with the father's involvement on the mother's risk of depression.