cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modeling mid-frequency reverberation in the Arctic Ocean

With renewed interest in the Arctic in response to its changing environment, various acoustic field measurements are underway or being planned. Anticipating the utility of reverberation as a tool to probe the environment, as well as to detect targets, here a time-domain reverberation model suitable for the frequency band of 0.5—5 kHz is introduced. This model assumes that the sea ice as the scattering mechanism and sea ice scattering parameters are taken from a set of laboratory measurements. It is found that the double-duct sound speed profile in the Arctic enables sound to propagate to long distances, and the main loss mechanism is scattering by sea ice, including ice keels. Reverberation measured at different azimuths is hypothesized as an effective method to estimate angular-dependent keel density and varying sound channels. [Work supported by ONR Ocean Acoustics.]
Optimal segmentation of high spatial resolution images for the classification of buildings using random forests

Abstract In the application of machine learning to geographic object based image analysis, several parameters influence overall classifier performance. One of the first parameters is segmentation size—for example, how many pixels should be grouped together to form an image object. Often, trial and error methods are used to obtain segmentation parameters that best delineate the borders of real world objects. Several attempts at automated methods have produced promising results, but manual intervention is still necessary. Meanwhile, numerous measures of segmentation quality have been defined, but their relationship to classifier performance is not then directly shown. For example, as measures of segmentation quality improve, do classification results improve as well? Our work considers the problem of building classification in high resolution aerial imagery of urban areas. Based on user defined training polygons generated with or without a reference segmentation, we have found several measures of segmentation quality and feature performance that can help users narrow the range of appropriate segmentations. Furthermore, our work finds that given this range, performance of machine learning algorithms remains relatively constant for any given segmentation as long as features used for classification are chosen correctly. We find that the range of scale parameters capable of producing an accurate classification is much broader than typically assumed and trial and error methods for finding this parameter may be an acceptable approach.
Comparing the impacts of an invasive grass on nitrogen cycling and ammonia-oxidizing prokaryotes in high-nitrogen forests, open fields, and wetlands

Numerous invasive plant species can increase soil nitrate (NO3−) by altering the nitrification process through plant-soil microbe interactions with ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB). We evaluated how the invasive species Microstegium vimineum influenced physico-chemical soil properties, inorganic nitrogen (N) cycling, and AOA and AOB abundances under various environmental conditions. We paired 75 M. vimineum-invaded plots with 75 neighboring reference plots across forests, open fields, and forested wetlands within a state park in the Mid-Atlantic United States that has received high levels of N deposition. Soils were sampled for physico-chemical properties, NO3− and ammonium (NH4+) pools and availability, and AOA and AOB abundances. There were multiple soil impacts associated with M. vimineum across all ecosystems, most consistent were increased soil pH and increased NO3− pools. For other impacts, the directionality and effect sizes varied among ecosystems (e.g. NH4+ pools were 34% lower in forests, 35% lower in open fields, and 90% higher in wetlands relative to reference plots). Finally, forests had nearly all of impacts predicted by a pH-mediated nitrification plant-soil feedback. This study highlights the ability of an invasive grass to alter N cycling and soil properties in forests, open fields, and wetlands that have received high N deposition. We also show how invader-mediated impacts to N cycling may be dependent on the context of the ecosystem being invaded, including its hydrology, ambient soil conditions, and substrate-availability.
Project Management: A Natural Career Destination for Military Veterans

This quantitative study surveys 595 United States military veterans from all four branches of the military in order to ascertain the degree to which the branches of the military prepare individuals for possible future careers in civilian project management roles. Further, the study compares the relative knowledge of project management technical skill areas, processes and personal competencies. Although all branches provided responses indicating a high degree of familiarity with and preparation for project management roles, some significant differences were observed in responses between military branches.
The effect of natural fractures on CO2 storage performance and oil recovery from CO2 and WAG injection in an Appalachian basin reservoir

Natural fractures affect both the oil recovery from the enhanced oil recovery (EOR) process and the associated CO2 storage during and after EOR. The main objective of this study is to evaluate two performance parameters: (1) oil recovery during CO2 and water alternating gas (WAG) injection, and (2) CO2 storage, during and after EOR, in a fractured oil reservoir of the Appalachian basin. While previous studies have shown the potential of CO2‐EOR to enhance oil recovery in the Appalachian basin, this work investigates WAG performance in comparison to continuous CO2‐EOR. A compositional numerical modeling approach was used to quantify the incremental oil recovery stemming from incorporating natural fractures. History matching of primary production and CO2 huff‐and‐puff pilot test for a well producing from a depleted oil field in Ohio was used to assign the fracture network parameters in the dual continuum model. The scenarios modeled include continuous CO2 and WAG injection under two injection pore volumes. Each scenario is followed by a CO2 storage phase. These simulations help evaluate the performance of different scenarios in terms of oil recovery and CO2 storage. Simulation results show how oil recovery and CO2 storage vary significantly as a function of operational parameters. The results also show the amount of CO2 stored during WAG injection is significantly lower than that stored during the storage phase at the end of oil recovery. In addition, the operational parameters during WAG affect the amount of CO2 stored at the end of following storage phase. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Abstract 6072: MUC16-Cter cleavage increases the metastatic potential in pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the most lethal malignant tumors. Several membrane-bound mucins are overexpressed in PC, including MUC16. The role and molecular mechanism of MUC16 mucin, particularly carboxyl-terminal domain (MUC16-Cter) in metastasis of pancreatic cancer, are poorly understood. Therefore, we hypothesize that the “MUC16-Cter domain plays a vital role in facilitating metastasis in pancreatic cancer”. Here, we knockout MUC16 in Capan 1 PC cells and overexpressed MUC16-Cter (F114AA) domain in MiaPaCa2 PC cells to study its functional impact in PC. Capan-1 MUC16 knockout cells displayed a significant decrease in colony-forming by in vitro tumorigenicity assay, endothelial binding, and P-selectin binding ability compared to control cells. Whereas, MUC16-Cter domain overexpressed MiaPaCa2 cells showed a significant increase in colony formation as compared to vector control cells. These results suggest that MUC16 plays a role in promoting in vitro tumorigenicity and facilitating intravasation and circulation of PC cell by interacting with endothelial cells during the metastatic spread of PC cells. Interestingly, we observed that chemotherapeutic drug (gemcitabine) induces MUC16-Cter cleavage in PC cells. We generated a genetically engineered mouse model Muc16-/- with KrasG12D, Trp53R172H/+, Pdx1-Cre (KPCM) background to study the role of Muc16 in PC tumorigenesis and metastasis with existing KPC model. KPCM showed decreased the early onset of cancer formation compared to KPC. Further, the Kaplan Meier test showed an increased survival rate in Muc16 -/- with KPC background as compared to KPC mice. EMT markers showed decreased expression in KPCM compared to KPC tumors. KPCM cells showed a significant decreased in migratory potential, endothelial, and P-selectin binding ability KPC PC cells. In conclusion, our in vitro and in vivo findings confirm that MUC16 and its Cter domain might play an essential role during the PC tumorigenesis and metastasis. Therefore, targeting MUC16-Cter might be an ideal therapeutic strategy for inhibiting tumorigenesis and metastasis of PC. Citation Format: Saravanakumar Marimuthu, Imayavaramban Lakshmanan, Sakthivel Muniyan, Pranita Atri, Maneesh Jain, Moorthy P. Ponnusamy, Surinder K. Batra. MUC16-Cter cleavage increases the metastatic potential in pancreatic cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 6072.
Play, Curiosity, and Cognition

Few phenomena in childhood are as compelling—and mystifying—as play. We review five proposals about the relationship between play and development. We believe each captures important aspects of play...
The development of sex differences in the nervous system and behavior of flies, worms, and rodents.

Abstract Understanding how sex differences in innate animal behaviors arise has long fascinated biologists. As a general rule, the potential for sex differences in behavior is built by the developmental actions of sex-specific hormones or regulatory proteins that direct the sexual differentiation of the nervous system. In the last decade, studies in several animal systems have uncovered neural circuit mechanisms underlying discrete sexually dimorphic behaviors. Moreover, how certain hormones and regulatory proteins implement the sexual differentiation of these neural circuits has been illuminated in tremendous detail. Here, we discuss some of these mechanisms with three case-studies—mate recognition in flies, maturation of mating behavior in worms, and play-fighting behavior in young rodents. These studies illustrate general and unique developmental mechanisms to establish sex differences in neuroanatomy and behavior and highlight future challenges for the field.
Restrictive diet in a patient with irritable bowel syndrome leading to Wernicke encephalopathy.

We present a case of a woman with a past medical history of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and anxiety, who presents with ophthalmoplegia, ataxia and memory loss, characteristic of Wernicke encephalopathy. A 64-year-old woman presented with double vision, unsteady gait and memory loss. These symptoms began after 3 months on an unfortified restricted diet, which she initiated to alleviate IBS symptoms. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain demonstrated hyperintense T2-weighted signal in the dorsomedial aspect of bilateral thalami, periaqueductal grey matter and around the third ventricle. The patient’s visual symptoms improved significantly after thiamine supplementation, although her memory deficits persisted. Although WE is often associated with chronic alcohol abuse, this case demonstrates the importance of recognizing WE in any patient with a restricted diet and subsequent timely initiation of thiamine.
Building psychiatric advanced practice student nurse competency to conduct comprehensive diagnostic interviews using two types of online simulation methods

Abstract Background Through innovative use of established technologies, online nursing programs can provide psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) students with robust virtual experiences for learning professional competencies, including those involving psychomotor and affective domains. Purpose To describe a virtual simulation teaching methodology using online text-based simulations of patient visits prior to a virtual standardized patient (SP) encounter in an asynchronous online course for PMHNP students. Method Student learning experiences were framed by the Framework for the 21st Century Learning. Two types of online simulations were employed: (1) four text-based exercises, created with a testing tool in a learning management system, allowed students to practice the critical thinking processes behind diagnostic interviewing, and (2) a telehealth simulation with an SP, where students engaged the patient, conducted a diagnostic interview, and discussed the treatment plan with the patient. Following the telehealth simulation, students completed self-assessments, received individual feedback from the SP and clinical faculty, and discussed experiences in small groups. Results Students demonstrated professional competencies and developed self-awareness and self-efficacy through reflection and discussion. Conclusion This teaching approach can potentially enhance learning and build greater career skills including conducting diagnostic interviews using therapeutic communication skills for patients with stigmatizing mental health conditions.
Leveling Transient and Spatial Gradients in Planar Solid Oxide Cells Using Spatially Varied Microstructures: A Numerical Study

Spatial and transient gradients of temperature, current density, and gas species concentrations are expected to occur within large area planar solid oxide cells. These gradients can be detrimental to cell performance and stability. Such gradients are inherent to the geometry of the flow fields and interconnects between cells, especially at high current densities and fuel/steam utilizations in fuel cell/electrolysis modes, respectively. To reduce the extent of these gradients, additive manufacturing techniques could be employed to level the electrochemical reaction rates in the electrodes by purposefully designing the electrode active layer to have engineered property distributions. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of applied microstructural property gradients on spatial and transient gradients under extreme operating conditions. Modeling results suggest that by strategically varying the volume fractions of composite electrode materials, it is possible to modulate temperature, species, and current density gradients in planar solid oxide cells.
Power-to-Gas Systems for Active Load Management at EV Charging Sites with High DER Penetration

Intermittent renewable systems and increasing electric vehicle (EV) penetrations increase load intermittency—and will require expensive distribution system infrastructure upgrades. Power-to-gas (P2G) systems are highly controllable loads that can be modulated to regulate the net load behind the meter. In this work, we present an active load management approach using P2G systems to regulate the net load for an EV charging station with high penetrations of renewable generation. The system also validates the feasibility of the proposed approach using a 750-kW electrolyzer operated with the distribution system in a real-time power-hardware-in-the-loop test. Finally, we evaluate the impact of the size of the P2G system on its ability to regulate the net load.
Multiple in-stream stressors degrade biological assemblages in five U.S. regions

Abstract Biological assemblages in streams are affected by a wide variety of physical and chemical stressors associated with land-use development, yet the importance of combinations of different types of stressors is not well known. From 2013 to 2017, the U.S. Geological Survey completed multi-stressor/multi-assemblage stream ecological assessments in five regions of the United States (434 streams total). Diatom, invertebrate, and fish communities were enumerated, and five types of potential stressors were quantified: habitat disturbance, excess nutrients, high flows, basic water quality, and contaminants in water and sediment. Boosted regression tree (BRT) models for each biological assemblage and region generally included variables from all five stressor types and multiple stressors types in each model was the norm. Classification and regression tree (CART) models then were used to determine thresholds for each BRT model variable above which there appeared to be adverse effects (multi-metric index (MMI) models only). In every region and assemblage there was a significant inverse relation between the MMI and the number of stressors exerting potentially adverse effects. The number of elevated instream stressors often varied substantially for a given level of land-use development and the number of elevated stressors was a better predictor of biological condition than was development. Using the adverse effects-levels that were developed based on the BRT model results, 68% of the streams had two or more stressors with potentially adverse effects and 35% had four or more. Our results indicate that relatively small increases in the number of stressors of different types can have a large effect on a stream ecosystem.
Music for a Lifetime: How Are We Doing? A Review of Literature on Adult Participation in Large Community Music Ensembles:

A common rationale for the continued existence and support of music education in schools has been the development of skills and attitudes leading to a lifetime of music-making for all students. The...
Degenerative Mitral Valve Disease: Prolapse and Flail

A 62-year-old man presented with a prominent systolic murmur and exertional dyspnea for several years. He also reported intermittent palpitations suggestive of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. He was found to have posterior mitral valve leaflet prolapse with severe mitral regurgitation and underwent mitral valve repair (Figs. 4.1, 4.2, and 4.3).
Platform Therapy Compared with Natalizumab for Multiple Sclerosis: Relapse Rates and Time to Relapse Among Propensity Score-Matched US Patients

Background Multiple sclerosis (MS) registry data, primarily from Europe, suggest that treatment with natalizumab delays time to relapse compared with platform therapy (interferon beta/glatiramer acetate).
Asthma Epigenetics: Emergence of a New Paradigm?

Asthma is a disease that is influenced by environmental exposures, including those that occur prenatally. Recently, epigenetic regulation has been posited as an explanation for how environmental toxicants may induce asthma-related immune responses. However, our knowledge of the epigenetic regulation of asthma lags substantially behind our understanding of the epigenetic regulation of other complex diseases such as cancer. Fortunately new data are beginning to emerge. These include translational data from molecular experiments that implicate epigenetic regulation in T helper differentiation and/or the development of T regulatory cells, important in allergic immune responses. They also include a growing collection of cohort studies that associate epigenetic regulation with several components of the asthma clinical phenotype. So far these clinical studies are small, often unconfirmed, and only have started to address key issues relating to tissue specificity. Nonetheless, these studies provide a preview of what future research may reveal and raise the possibility that previously held paradigms for asthma pathogenesis may, and perhaps should, be changing.
Longitudinal Validation of Psychosis Risk Screening Tools

The development of widely used interview tools has helped to standardize the criteria for a "clinical high risk" syndrome, thus enabling advances in efforts to develop interventions for this phase of illness. These assessments, however, are burdensome to administer and not likely to be adopted for widespread use. Scalable early intervention depends on the availability of brief, low-cost assessment tools that can serve to screen populations of interest or triage treatment-seekers toward specialized care. The current study examines the sensitivity, specificity, and predictive strength of three self-report measures (Prime Screen-Revised, Prodromal Questionnaire-Brief, and Youth Psychosis at Risk Questionnaire-Brief) with regard to psychosis onset and symptom persistence over six months of follow-up within an indicated sample of 54 adolescents and young adults ages 12-22. Within this sample, all three measures demonstrated excellent sensitivity to emerging psychosis and strong agreement with clinician evaluations of attenuated psychosis symptoms. Additionally, all screeners obtained negative predictive values of 1.00 with regard to psychosis onset, indicating that an individual scoring below the recommended threshold score would be extremely unlikely to develop psychosis over the following six months. The longitudinal validation of psychosis risk screening tools constitutes an important step toward establishing a standard of care for early identification and monitoring in this vulnerable population.
Web Services for the Footwear Sector in a Networked Context

Manufacturing companies, in our case shoe producers, increasingly have the need to improve collaboration and co-operation across the company boarders. Especially in the case of SMEs they are more and more interested in building networks with the support of business integrators like trade associations or service providers which can guarantee qualified support. This paper describes a case study and propose two different services in an Italian footwear district to support shoe producers in managing automatically their temporary partnerships with suppliers and customers through ICT applications. The roles of the two service providers in the networking environment is compared.
Regulation of rat liver phenylalanine hydroxylase. III. Control of catalysis by (6R)-tetrahydrobiopterin and phenylalanine.

Effects of phenylalanine and di- and tetrahydropterins on presteady-state and steady-state catalytic behavior of rat liver phenylalanine hydroxylase are analyzed. From this and previous work (Shiman, R, Xia, T., Hill, M., and Gray, D.(1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 24647-24656), which analyzed binding of the same compounds to the enzyme in the absence of catalysis, a model of phenylalanine hydroxylase regulation is proposed. The mechanism appears novel in that 1) one substrate, phenylalanine, is a positive effector (activator), 2) a second substrate, (6R)-tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4), is a negative effector that blocks phenylalanine activation by forming an inactive BH4.enzyme complex, and 3) the BH4.enzyme complex sequesters BH4 and controls its metabolic availability. Reaction progress curves showing regulatory effects of BH4, 7,8-dihydrobiopterin (BH2), and phenylalanine are fit by the model with high precision. Data are presented that the high affinity pterin-binding site on unactivated phenylalanine hydroxylase is the pterin site that regulates catalysis. Occupancy of this site by BH4 or BH2 causes non-cooperative, linear inhibition of phenylalanine activation of the enzyme. All inhibitory effects of BH4 appear due to its binding at the pterin regulatory site on unactivated enzyme. BH2 inhibits by binding at the active site as well as the pterin regulatory site. 6-Methyltetrahydropterin also appears to bind at the pterin regulatory site, but its effect is only seen at high phenylalanine concentrations. Using kinetic constants measured in this and earlier work, quantitative effects of phenylalanine and BH4 regulation on the rate of the phenylalanine hydroxylase reaction in vitro and in vivo are calculated. The effects of formation of the BH4.enzyme complex on free BH4 concentration, on enzyme activity, and on regulation of the rate of phenylalanine hydroxylation in liver are discussed.
Acute effect of glucose on cerebral blood flow, blood oxygenation, and oxidative metabolism

r r Abstract: While it is known that specific nuclei of the brain, for example hypothalamus, contain glucose- sensing neurons thus their activity is affected by blood glucose level, the effect of glucose modulation on whole-brain metabolism is not completely understood. Several recent reports have elucidated the long- term impact of caloric restriction on the brain, showing that animals under caloric restriction had enhanced rate of tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA) cycle flux accompanied by extended life span. However, acute effect of postprandial blood glucose increase has not been addressed in detail, partly due to a scar- city and complexity of measurement techniques. In this study, using a recently developed noninvasive MR technique, we measured dynamic changes in global cerebral metabolic rate of O2 (CMRO2) following a 50 g glucose ingestion (N 510). A time dependent decrease in CMRO2 was observed, which was accompanied by a reduction in oxygen extraction fraction (OEF) with unaltered cerebral blood flow (CBF). At 40 min post-ingestion, the amount of CMRO2 reduction was 7.8 61.6%. A control study with- out glucose ingestion was performed (N 510), which revealed no changes in CMRO2 ,C BF, or OEF, sug- gesting that the observations in the glucose study was not due to subject drowsiness or fatigue after staying inside the scanner. These findings suggest that ingestion of glucose may alter the rate of cerebral metabolism of oxygen in an acute setting. Hum Brain Mapp 00:000-000, 2014. V C 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Persistence of saddle-node bifurcations for general nonlinear systems under unmodeled dynamics and applications

The authors consider a general nonlinear dynamical system with both slow and fast unmodeled dynamics called the original system. Associated with the original system, they define a simplified system which treats the fast variables in the original system as instantaneous variables and the slow variables as constants. It is shown that under a fair general condition, the general nonlinear system with both fast and slow dynamics will encounter a saddle-node bifurcation relative to a varying parameter if the associated simplified system encounters a saddle-node bifurcation relative to the varying parameter. An error bound is derived between the bifurcation point of the simplified system and that of the original system. It is shown that the system behaviors, after the saddle-node bifurcation of the reduced system and that of the original system, are close to each other in state space. >
Neutron Scattering and Its Application to Strongly Correlated Systems

Neutron scattering is a powerful probe of strongly correlated systems. It can directly detect common phenomena such as magnetic order, and can be used to determine the coupling between magnetic moments through measurements of the spin-wave dispersions. In the absence of magnetic order, one can detect diffuse scattering and dynamic correlations. Neutrons are also sensitive to the arrangement of atoms in a solid (crystal structure) and lattice dynamics (phonons). In this chapter, we provide an introduction to neutrons and neutron sources. The neutron scattering cross section is described and formulas are given for nuclear diffraction, phonon scattering, magnetic diffraction, and magnon scattering. As an experimental example, we describe measurements of antiferromagnetic order, spin dynamics, and their evolution in the La\(_{2-x}\)Ba\(_x\)CuO\(_4\) family of high-temperature superconductors.
Point-Nonpoint Trading – Can It Work?1

Ribaudo, Marc O. and Jessica Gottlieb, 2011. Point-Nonpoint Trading – Can It Work? Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 47(1):5-14. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2010.00454.x Abstract: Water quality trading between point and nonpoint sources is of great interest as an alternative to strict command and control regulations on point sources for achieving water quality goals. The expectation is that trading will reduce the costs of water quality protection, and may speed compliance. The United States Environmental Protection Agency has issued guidance to the States on developing point-nonpoint trading programs, and United States Department of Agriculture is encouraging farmer participation. However, existing point-nonpoint trading programs have resulted in very few trades. Supply side and demand side impediments seem to be preventing trades from occurring in most trading programs. These include uncertainty over the number of discharge allowances different management practices can produce, high transactions costs of identifying trading partners, baseline requirements that eliminate low-cost credits, the reluctance of point sources to trade with unfamiliar agents, and the perception of some farmers that entering contracts with regulated point sources leads to greater scrutiny and potential future regulation. Many of these problems can be addressed through research and program design.
A Tale of Two Anomalies: The Implications of Investor Attention for Price and Earnings Momentum

We examine the role of investor attention in explaining the profitability of price and earnings momentum strategies. Using trading volume and market state to measure cross-sectional and time-series variations of investor attention, we find that price momentum profits are higher among high volume stocks and in up markets, but that earnings momentum profits are higher among low volume stocks and in down markets. In the long run, price momentum profits reverse but earnings momentum profits do not. These results suggest that price underreaction to earnings news weakens with investor attention, but price continuation caused by investors' overreaction strengthens with attention.
Pathogenesis of HIV infection: implications for treatment and prevention

The immune systems of patients with HIV infection are characterized by an immunodeficiency that develops in the setting of a global immune activation and a complex array of HIV-specific immune responses. The immunodeficiency of HIV infection is the result of a decrease in both memory and naive CD4+ T cells. (Published: 10 November 2008) doi:10.1186/1758-2652-11-S1-K1 Full text: PubMed Central: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3226181/
Large-Aperture Grating Spectrograph Utilizing Commercial Camera Components*†

A compact, large-aperture spectrograph utilizing commercially available optical components has been designed and constructed. Light is admitted through an adjustable bilateral slit and is collimated by a 300-mm f/4.5 telephoto camera lens. The dispersive element is a 102 × 102 mm, 600-lines per mm plane reflection grating with a first-order blaze at 1.0 μ. The spectrum is photographed with a single-lens reflex 35-mm camera equipped with a 75-mm f/1.5 lens. One frame covers a spectral range of approximately 8000 A with a dispersion of about 200 A/mm in the first order.
Sciatic hernia: laparoscopic transabdominal extraperitoneal repair with plug and patch

Sciatic hernia is a rare pelvic floor hernia that occurs through the greater or lesser sciatic foramen. Sciatic hernias often present as pelvic pain, particularly in women, and diagnosis can be difficult. Transabdominal and transgluteal operative approaches, including laparoscopic repair, have been reported. We show a laparoscopic technique using a plug of human allogeneic dermal matrix and lightweight polypropylene extraperitoneal patch avoiding fixation. The patient had significant improvement of her symptoms and no complications at 12 months follow-up.
Evaluation of genotype-specific survival using joint analysis of genetic and non-genetic subsamples of longitudinal data

Small sample size of genetic data is often a limiting factor for desirable accuracy of estimated genetic effects on age-specific risks and survival. Longitudinal non-genetic data containing information on survival or disease onsets of study participants for whom the genetic data were not collected may provide an additional “reserve” for increasing the accuracy of respective estimates. We present a novel method for joint analyses of “genetic” (covering individuals for whom both genetic information and mortality/morbidity data are available) and “non-genetic” (covering individuals for whom only mortality/morbidity data were collected) subsamples of longitudinal data. Our simulation studies show substantial increase in the accuracy of estimates in such joint analyses compared to analyses based on genetic subsample alone. Application of this method to analysis of the effect of common apolipoprotein E (APOE) polymorphism on survival using combined genetic and non-genetic subsamples of the Framingham Heart Study original cohort data showed that female, but not male, carriers of the APOE e4 allele have significantly worse survival than non-carriers, whereas empirical analyses did not produce any significant results for either sex.
EEG monitoring for anesthetic depth assessment

The authors discuss classical signs and assessment of anesthetic depth as well as EEG applications. Assessment of anesthetic depth still rests on clinically relevant signs in use for more than a century. These signs, variable among different anesthetics and in the presence of other drugs, correlate imperfectly with anesthetic depth. Despite these limitations, there often are no other means to assess anesthetic depth. The vagaries of correlation between clinical signs and anesthetic depth, as well as the lack of further developments in monitoring anesthetic depth, stem partially from incomplete understanding of the brain activities most closely linked to perception, awareness and consciousness. >
Information exchanged in grasshopper interactions

Measures of information theory are applied to the analysis of several thousand brief interactions between male grasshoppers. The system analyzed is neither ergodic nor stationary. Measurements of time-varying entropies and transinformations, and of the relative importance of various signals, illuminate the communication taking place.
Undocumented immigrants and quality of life in New Mexico and Arizona Colonias

Abstract Recent legislation aims to stop the northward flow of undocumented immigrants into the United States by creating amnesty and formal guest worker programs and by increasing the “deterrent effect” at the border. The 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) contained similar policies, and subsequent research tells us much about what to expect from proposed “reforms.” However, virtually no research has considered how immigration reforms have played out at the local level. This holds especially for colonias that line the border from Texas to California. We respond to this deficiency by examining how the 1986 IRCA affected undocumented immigration and quality of life in unincorporated colonias of Arizona and New Mexico. We find that the IRCA legislation did little to stop the flow of undocumented immigrants to Arizona and New Mexico colonias and led the rise of deprivation.
Gadsup of Papua New Guinea Revisited: A Three Decade View

The purpose of this article is to share some highlights of the author's revisits to Papua New Guinea covering three decades (1962-1992) with focus on the Gadsup of the Eastern Highlands of New Guinea. In addition, some recent developments in the country are covered as well as special visits with members of the Papua New Guinea Nurses Association. A comparative analysis of the world view, social structure, and related factors is made with respect to the theory of Culture Care Diversity and Univers-ality with two Gadsup villages. In general, the researcher found limited progress and beneficial health care changes in the two villages. Rascalism with violence was discovered which had cultural functions to redress some of the socioeconomic inequities and dissatisfactions of the indigenous people. Major tenets of the Culture Care theory were supported with the Gadsup, especially related to diverse forms, meanings, and lifestyle processes.
Confined-growth crystallization of polyethylene

A new typical orientation pattern of polyethylene has been observed in extruded, melt-drawn composites containing 10% polyethylene and 90% polystyrene. In these composites, the polyethylene phase is dispersed in the polystyrene matrix as thin, long ribbons (width 1000 A, thickness 500 A). The b axis of the crystallites is found oriented preferentially along the long dimension of the ribbons, i.e., in the extrusion direction. The a and c axes of the crystallites show no preferred orientation. This texture pattern is attributed to the fact that, in view of the small cross section of the polyethylene phase, crystallization can proceed only along the long axis of the ribbons. Since the b axis is the direction of fastest growth in polyethylene (and the radial direction in a spherulite), most polyethylene unit cells are oriented with their b axes in the long dimension of the ribbons.
Almost sure convergence of adaptive identification prediction and control algorithms

The paper is concerned with the almost sure convergence of the adaptive parameter estimation, N-step ahead prediction and control algorithms based upon standard least square algorithm. With the usual stability and passivity assumptions for the prediction problem, it is demonstrated that the state estimation and the N-step ahead prediction errors converge to the optimum such errors achievable with known plant parameters, in the Cesaro sense. An additional regularity assumption on the signal model establishes the result that the state estimation and prediction errors also converge in the strong sense at an asymptotically arithmetic rate. Under an additional persistency of excitation condition it is shown that the parameter estimation error converges to zero at a rate specified by the degree of excitation. With the regularity condition holding, the convergence is also established for the adaptive control algorithms.
Micro-pitting fatigue lives of lubricated point contacts: Experiments and model validation

Abstract This study employs the two-disk rolling contact fatigue test methodology to investigate the impacts of various parameters on micro-pitting performance of lubricated point contacts of rough surfaces. A test matrix that spans the operating ranges of the sun-planet gear pair of a wind turbine gearbox is constructed using the Fractional Factorial technique to rank the order of the influences of contact pressure, rolling velocity, slide-to-roll ratio, roughness amplitude and run-in process. The test results indicate that a run-in stage with higher contact pressure and lower rolling velocity reduce the amount of micro-pits. For the normal operating stage that follows, lower roughness amplitude, lower slide-to-roll ratio, higher rolling velocity and lower contact pressures are observed to lead to reduced micro-pitting activity. To quantify micro-pitting failure, the micro-pitting severity index (MSI) which is defined as the cumulative probability of fatigue failure is proposed. The micro-pitting test outcomes are compared to the predictions of a recently developed physics-based micro-pitting model [1] to describe the failure mechanism and assess the model accuracy.
The management of unicentric and multicentric Castleman's disease: a report of 16 cases and a review of the literature.

BACKGROUND Castleman's disease (CD), or angiofollicular lymph node hyperplasia, creates both diagnostic and therapeutic dilemmas for most physicians. For patients with this rare and poorly understood disease, the optimal therapy is unknown. The authors report their experience during the years 1986–1997 with this uncommon clinicopathologic entity. METHODS Sixteen patients with a histologic diagnosis of CD were identified in the pathology database. Unicentric disease was defined as a solitary mass. Multicentric disease compromised patients with widespread lymphadenectomy. Clinical, radiologic, and laboratory data were analyzed to evaluate treatment response. RESULTS The study group consisted of 16 patients classified into 3 clinicopathologic groups: hyaline-vascular, plasma cell, and “mixed.” Of those patients who underwent complete surgical excision of a unicentric hyaline-vascular CD mass (n = 8), all remain symptom free without clinical or radiographic recurrence. Two patients remain asymptomatic following partial resection or radiation therapy for an unresectable unicentric hyaline-vascular CD mass. Two patients with multicentric hyaline-vascular CD are currently in complete remission following adjuvant therapy. Multicentric plasma cell CD was present in a single patient. This patient (who underwent surgical and systemic therapy) died of disease within 4 months of presentation. Three patients with unicentric hyaline-vascular/plasma cell-CD remain symptom free following either complete resection or observation. CONCLUSIONS The authors recommend surgical resection for patients with the unicentric variant of CD. Surgical removal of a unicentric mass of hyaline-vascular or hyaline-vascular/plasma cell type is curative. Partial resection, radiotherapy, or observation alone may avoid the need for excessively aggressive therapy. Patients with multicentric disease, either hyaline-vascular or plasma cell type, do not benefit from surgical management and should be candidates for multimodality therapy, the nature of which has yet to be defined. Cancer 1999;85:706–17. © 1999 American Cancer Society.
Creed, cult, code and business ethics

What does religion contribute to business ethics? Related to the practical, religion applies theological concepts to business situations; namely, vocation, stewardship, human dignity, co-creation, co-conservation, sharing in God's power, servant leadership, encounter with the Incarnation, sacramental sign and justice (divine and human). These concepts suggest the threefold component of religion: doctrine (creed), worship (cult) and values governing behavior (code). A principle taken from religious practice illustrates its unique contribution to business ethics. The principle of proportionality (or double effect) exemplifies code in its balancing of good and evil outcomes. The more contemporary principle called the fundamental option identifies the role of vocation and calling in the notion of creed. The component cult might be reflected in the insistence on human dignity which is highlighted in papal social teaching.
Radiation cooling of structures with infrared transparent wind screens

Abstract Energy conserving radiation cooling schemes for dwellings in high humidity climates have usually failed due to the deleterious effect of the wind. In this paper the cooling mechanisms at work in wind conditions are examined. A radiator system using an i.r. transparent wind screen that doubles as the structural envelope is proposed and supporting experimental results are presented. A one family dwelling built with these radiation panels can carry 50 per cent of the 24 hr cooling load. Worst case conditions give radiator coefficients of performance twice that of existing appliances.
Infrared spectroscopic study of the reaction of H atoms with CF2 in argon and nitrogen matrices

Abstract The concurrent generation of CF 2 and of H atoms upon exposure of samples containing CF 2 N 2 and either HI or H 2 S isolated in an argon or a nitrogen matrix at 14 K to 2537-A mercury-arc radiation leads to the appearance of prominent infrared absorptions of HCF 2 , demonstrating that this species is the primary product of the H + CF 2 reaction. Infrared absorptions assigned to HCF 2 , DCF 2 , CF 2 I, and CF 2 S in previous studies on other reaction systems are confirmed in the experimental studies here reported.
Geothermal anomalies in the crust and upper mantle along Southern Rocky Mountain transitions

Heat-flow, temperature gradient, and gravity data are analyzed along five profiles crossing from the Colorado Plateau or Great Plains to the high topographic areas of the Southern Rocky Mountains. These profiles cross large, negative, Bouguer gravity anomalies associated with the high topography in the region, and are within the area studied by two recent seismic investigations. The heatflow and gravity profiles typically cross from maximum to minimum values in the region, allowing an FFT (fast Fourier transform) algorithm to be applied to the data so that high frequencies can be filtered. The resulting smoothed data can be fitted by the first few terms of a sine series to estimate mid-depths of crustal and upper mantle step sources, although anomalies could also be caused by different source geometries at much shallower or much deeper depths. The analysis provides a depth comparison for thermal- and gravity-anomaly sources modeled with similar geometries, and a comparison of thermal source depths with seismic-velocity anomalies. There is considerable similarity along the profiles between the gravity and heat-flow data, and anomaly sources appear to be both in the crust and upper mantle. There often appears to be spatial coincidence between thermal- and gravity-anomaly sources and seismic-velocity anomalies proposed in the upper mantle, implying thermal influence to these gravity and seismic anomalies. Thermal anomalies proposed to have sources in the crust in some areas are consistent with gravity and shear-wave anomalies and support studies in those areas, suggesting high crustal radiogenic concentrations in relatively less dense, granitic crustal rocks.
Antibacterial activity of rokitamycin compared with that of other macrolides.

Abstract The activity of rokitamycin, a 16-membered macrolide, was compared with other macrolides and agents used to treat respiratory infections. Rokitamycin had in vitro activity against streptococci and Streptococcus pneumoniae comparable to the other macrolides, inhibiting most organisms at Staphylococcus aureus , inhibiting 90% at 1 μg/ml. Macrolide-resistant streptococci and staphylococci in which resistance was inducible were inhibited, but constitutively resistant Gram-positive bacteria were resistant. Rokitamycin was less active than erythromycin against Haemophilus influenzae , but had activity comparable to erythromycin against Moraxella catarrhalis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae . It inhibited Clostridium spp. and peptostreptococci, but had poor activity against Bacteroides species. Rokitamycin was bactericidal for streptococci and staphylococci, but not for enterococci. Overall rokitamycin has in vitro activity comparable to currently available 14-membered macrolides. Its clinical utility will be influenced by the degree of metabolism to less active metabolites since 70% is rapidly metabolized.
Shutdown, budget, and funding

There are few new funding announcements and requests for proposals, mostly due to the partial government shutdown and the budget impasse. We will report on the potential impact on NSF of the government shutdown and a 7-year balanced budget. We then briefly discuss some BAAs from ARPA, Rome Laboratory, and the Air Force.
Immunosuppressive Effects of Experimental Infection with Plosmodium gallinoceum

SummaryExperimental infection of chickens with P. gallinaceum markedly suppressed the splenic PFC response to SRBC. Suppression was most pronounced when birds were immunized at the time of peak par-asitemia. The PFC response to E. coli LPS was of low magnitude in both normal and infected chickens; however, it, too, was suppressed in infected birds, but not to the same degree as observed in response to SRBC. Cellular immunity as evidenced by allograft rejection was not influenced by infection.The authors thank Dr. B. J. Landau for his helpful suggestions in the preparation of this manuscript and L. L. Rank for statistical treatment of the data.
Surface-impact ionization of alkali nanoparticles

Abstract Sodium nanoparticles of ∼10 nm radius, generated in a vapor condensation source, produce copious amounts of positive ions upon colliding with a surface. The ion flux does not display an exponential surface temperature dependence, is present for both conducting and non-conducting surfaces, and carries a substantial kinetic energy. On the basis of these characteristics it is concluded that the signal arises from dissociative ionization produced by energetic impact, rather than from thermal charge transfer to the surface.