cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Diffusion kinetics of proton-induced 21Ne, 3He, and 4He in quartz

A natural quartz sample free of mineral and fluid inclusions was irradiated with a 200 MeV proton beam to produce spallogenic ^(21)Ne, ^3He and ^4He. Temperature-dependent diffusivities of these three nuclides were then determined simultaneously by high precision stepped-heating and noble gas mass spectrometry. The outward mobility of proton-induced nuclides reflects diffusion through the quartz lattice. In the studied range of 70 to 400°C the helium diffusion coefficients exceed those of neon by 5–7 orders of magnitude. The implied diffusion parameters E_a = 153.7 ± 1.5 (kJ/mol) and ln(D_o/a^2) = 15.9 ± 0.3 (ln(s^(−1))) and E_a = 84.5 ± 1.2 (kJ/mol) and ln(D_o/a^2) = 11.1 ± 0.3 (ln(s^(−1))) for proton-induced ^(21)Ne and ^3He, respectively, indicate that cosmogenic neon will be quantitatively retained in inclusion-free quartz at typical Earth surface temperatures whereas cosmogenic helium will not. However, the neon diffusion parameters also indicate that diffusive loss needs to be considered for small (<1 mm) quartz grains that have experienced elevated temperatures. Since natural quartz often contains fluid inclusions which may enhance noble gas retentivity, these parameters likely represent an end-member case of purely solid-state diffusion. The ∼70 kJ/mol higher activation energy for neon diffusion compared to helium diffusion likely represents an energy barrier related to its ∼13% greater diameter and provides a fundamental constraint with which to test theories of solid state diffusion. The diffusion parameters for proton-induced ^4He are indistinguishable from those for ^3He, providing no evidence for the commonly expected inverse square root of the mass diffusion relationship between isotopes. We also find preliminary indication that increased exposure to radiation may enhance neon and helium retentivity in quartz at low temperatures.
Linking Contemporary Research on Youth, Literacy, and Popular Culture With Literacy Teacher Education

The aim of this article is to expand the dialogue about how contemporary scholarship on the intersections between youth, literacy, and popular culture might inform literacy teacher education. Specifically, this article is designed to (a) orient literacy teacher educators who may be somewhat unfamiliar with this particular line of scholarship to a few of its major concepts and K-12 classroom implications and (b) propose several ways this line of scholarship might open up possibilities for literacy teacher educators to help pre-service literacy teachers develop culturally responsive teaching practices. To address these goals, this article first provides an introduction to several common ways popular culture has been theorized. From this introduction, the article explains the following three concepts within contemporary scholarship that investigates youth engagement with popular culture: (a) popular culture as a site of identity formation for youth; (b) popular culture as a context for literacy development; ...
Robust snake model

In this paper, we propose a new deformable model a robust snake model, which solves the primary problems suffered by the conventional snake, such as contour initialization, proper internal parameter setting and the limited capture range of the external energy. A reformulated internal energy is used to serve the smoothness of snake contour without a contraction of the contour. The external energy combines both region and edge information to enlarge the capture range, and also reduces the requirement of initial contour. Both synthetic and real gray-level images are selected to evaluate the performance of the proposed model. Its implementation show it robust, fast and accurate. Initial experimental results are encouraging.
Support Services for Distance Education

The creation and operation of a distance education support infrastructure requires the collaboration of virtually all administrative departments whose activities deal with students and faculty, and all participating academic departments. Implementation can build on where the institution is and design service-oriented strategies that strengthen institutional support and commitment. Issues to address include planning, faculty issues and concerns, policies and guidelines, approval processes, scheduling, training, publicity, information-line operations, informational materials, orientation and registration processes, class coordination and support, testing, evaluations, receive site management, partnerships, budgets, staffing, library and e-mail support, and different delivery modes (microwave, compressed video, radio, satellite, public television/cable, video tape and online). The process is ongoing and increasingly participative as various groups on campus begin to get involved with distance education activities. The distance education unit must continuously examine and revise its processes and procedures to maintain the academic integrity and service excellence of its programs. It’s a daunting prospect to revise the way things have been done for many years, but each department has an opportunity to respond to new ways of serving and reaching students.
"Eyes" on the thrones: imperial ophthalmologic nicknames.

Several Greek and Byzantine sovereigns are known in history by nicknames that are of ophthalmologic origin; the sobriquets derive from characteristics of their eyes or their actions in relation to the eyes. The first was Antigonos I Monophthalmus (the One-eyed), who was the most eminent successor of Alexander the Great and Sovereign of Eastern Mediterranean Asia. He obtained his nickname at an early age when he lost one eye fighting at the seige of Perinthos, as a general of King Philip of Macedon (father of Alexander the Great). Several Byzantine emperors also have a number of similar nicknames, such as Anastasius I Dicoros (with Heterochromia Iridis), Alexius V Ducas Murtzuphlus (with Scowling Eyebrows), and Andronicus I Comnenus Misophaes (Hater of Sunlight, since he blinded a great number of his opponents). To these must be added the Byzantine Empress Zoe Carvounopsina (with Coal-black Eyes).
Paleomagnetic evidence for tectonic rotation of the Oregon Coast Range

Paleomagnetic directions from lower, middle, and upper Eocene sedimentary and volcanic rocks in the Oregon Coast Range point 50° to 70° east of the expected Eocene field direction. This discrepancy is attributed to the tectonic rotation of a block at least 225 km in length extending from just north of the Klamath Mountains to north of Newport, Oregon. Two models are developed for the tectonic evolution of the Pacific Northwest. In the first, the coastal block is rotated seaward about a pivot point near its southern end in order to restore it to its Eocene position. In the second, it is assumed that the coastal block extends all the way to the Olympic Peninsula. Rotating the block back about a pivot near its northern end moves the southern end and the Klamath Mountains eastward across Oregon and restores the Klamath metamorphic belts to a position against the line of Cretaceous batholiths in northwestern Nevada.
Electrical Noise in MEMS Capacitive Elements Resulting From Environmental Mechanical Vibrations in Harsh Environments

Many microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices possess charged capacitor structures where the suspension system allows relative electrode motion due to internal or external stimuli. When such a device is subjected to external mechanical vibrations present in a harsh operating environment, unwanted movement between the capacitor plates can generate a noise current which is injected into the connected circuitry. This paper analyzes this phenomenon and presents a model for the dynamics of a MEMS device with capacitive plates experiencing relative motion due to external stimuli. A Fourier series expansion of the current is developed to characterize the frequency content of the signal in closed form for a given vibration frequency, and simulation and experimental results are presented.
Accuracy of protein-protein binding sites in high-throughput template-based modeling.

The accuracy of protein structures, particularly their binding sites, is essential for the success of modeling protein complexes. Computationally inexpensive methodology is required for genome-wide modeling of such structures. For systematic evaluation of potential accuracy in high-throughput modeling of binding sites, a statistical analysis of target-template sequence alignments was performed for a representative set of protein complexes. For most of the complexes, alignments containing all residues of the interface were found. The full interface alignments were obtained even in the case of poor alignments where a relatively small part of the target sequence (as low as 40%) aligned to the template sequence, with a low overall alignment identity (<30%). Although such poor overall alignments might be considered inadequate for modeling of whole proteins, the alignment of the interfaces was strong enough for docking. In the set of homology models built on these alignments, one third of those ranked 1 by a simple sequence identity criteria had RMSD<5 A, the accuracy suitable for low-resolution template free docking. Such models corresponded to multi-domain target proteins, whereas for single-domain proteins the best models had 5 A<RMSD<10 A, the accuracy suitable for less sensitive structure-alignment methods. Overall, ∼50% of complexes with the interfaces modeled by high-throughput techniques had accuracy suitable for meaningful docking experiments. This percentage will grow with the increasing availability of co-crystallized protein-protein complexes.
Diagnosis of Carotid Arterial Occlusive Disease Reliability of Combined Carotid Phonoangiography and Oculoplethysmography

A retrospective analysis of 1500 patient records was performed to assess the validity and reliability of combined oculoplethysmography and carotid phonoangiography (OPG/CPA) as indicators of carotid arterial occlusive disease. The tests were interpreted by means of a five-level grading system based on percentage of flow reduction. Reliability statistics were calculated by using arteriography as a comparison in 10% (152) of the patients.Of the 1500 tests, 477 (32%) were abnormal, but only 252 (17%) were graded as hemodynamically significant (levels II-V). Arteriography confirmed total carotid occlusion in 16 of 19 (84%) grade V patients; the remaining 3 (16%) had significant stenosis but on a less severe level (III or IV). In the inter mediate grade II-IV results, 39 of 44 (89%) were accurate; 2 (4%) false positive and 3 (7%) overestimated cases were in this group. In the normal- grade I patients, 81 of 89 (91%) interpretations were confirmed. The false negatives (9%) in the latter group were attributable ...
A Classification of Disconnected Operation Techniques

Distributed, decentralized, and mobile systems are highly dependent on the underlying network. Due to network failures, these systems must address the problem of disconnected operation, i.e., continued functioning in the (near) absence of network accessibility. A number of approaches provide support for disconnected operation by employing different techniques. What is currently missing, however, is a general understanding of the applicability of these techniques to different kinds of software systems, and the manner in which they affect the overall system dependability. This paper strives to improve that understanding. We present a framework for classifying disconnected operation solutions and assess several representative approaches according to the proposed classification. This study highlights several pertinent areas that are currently not supported, that can help to motivate future work on this subject.
Evaluation of a new wavelet-based compression algorithm for synthetic aperture radar images

In this paper we will discuss the performance of a new wavelet based embedded compression algorithm on synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image data. This new algorithm uses index coding on the indices of the discrete wavelet transform of the image data and provides an embedded code to successively approximate it. Results on compressing still images, medical images as well as seismic traces indicate that the new algorithm performs quite competitively with other image compression algorithms. The evaluation for SAR image compression of it will be presented in this paper. One advantage of the new algorithm presented here is that the compressed data is encoded in such a way as to facilitate processing in the compressed wavelet domain, which is a significant aspect considering the rate at which SAR data is collected and the desire to process the data 'near real time'.
Pentobarbitone, but not propofol, produces pre-emptive analgesia in the rat formalin model

Injection of formalin into the hindpaw of a rat induces a biphasic response in pain-related behaviours, such that C-fibre activation during phase 1 triggers a state of central sensitization characterized by a longer lasting phase 2. As the inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) may participate in processing of nociceptive inputs, we hypothesized that pentobarbitone and propofol, i.v. anaesthetics with known GABAA agonist properties, would inten'ere with development of central sensitization and thereby modify the phase 2 hyperalgesic response. Pentobarbitone administered i. v. before injection of formalin produced dose-dependent suppression of phase 2, even though animals had recovered from anaesthesia, whereas it had substantially less effect when given after phase 1 had resolved. Picrotoxin, a GABAA antagonist, reversed the effect of pentobarbitone on phase 2 pain behaviour but was itself a mild analgesic. In contrast, propofol had no effect on phase 2 formalin-induced pain behaviour. Thus we conclude that pentobarbitone, but not propofol, produced pre-emptive analgesia in this model, presumably by suppressing noxious stimulation-induced central sensitization via activation of GABAA receptors.
Vocabulary Development of English‐Language and English‐Only Learners in Kindergarten

Abstract In this study I investigated the effectiveness of a kindergarten vocabulary intervention, developed based on previous research on characteristics of effective vocabulary intervention through storybook read‐alouds, in 5 kindergarten classrooms. Among these classrooms were 3 mainstream, 1 two‐way bilingual, and 1 structured immersion classroom. The classrooms served 44 English‐only (EO) and 28 English‐language‐learning (ELL) children. Linear growth analyses investigated children’s learning of taught words, as assessed by a researcher‐designed vocabulary measure, and their overall growth in vocabulary knowledge, measured by the Test of Language Development Primary:3. Findings showed that ELLs learned target words at the same rate, and grew in general vocabulary at a faster rate, than EOs.
Guidelines for the Provision and Assessment of Nutrition Support Therapy in the Adult Critically Ill Patient Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) and American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (A.S.P.E.N.)

This document represents the first collaboration between 2 organizations-the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition and the Society of Critical Care Medicine-to describe best practices in nutrition therapy in critically ill children. The target of these guidelines is intended to be the pediatric critically ill patient (>1 month and 2-3 days in a PICU admitting medical, surgical, and cardiac patients. In total, 2032 citations were scanned for relevance. The PubMed/MEDLINE search resulted in 960 citations for clinical trials and 925 citations for cohort studies. The EMBASE search for clinical trials culled 1661 citations. In total, the search for clinical trials yielded 1107 citations, whereas the cohort search yielded 925. After careful review, 16 randomized controlled trials and 37 cohort studies appeared to answer 1 of the 8 preidentified question groups for this guideline. We used the GRADE criteria (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) to adjust the evidence grade based on assessment of the quality of study design and execution. These guidelines are not intended for neonates or adult patients. The guidelines reiterate the importance of nutrition assessment-particularly, the detection of malnourished patients who are most vulnerable and therefore may benefit from timely intervention. There is a need for renewed focus on accurate estimation of energy needs and attention to optimizing protein intake. Indirect calorimetry, where feasible, and cautious use of estimating equations and increased surveillance for unintended caloric underfeeding and overfeeding are recommended. Optimal protein intake and its correlation with clinical outcomes are areas of great interest. The optimal route and timing of nutrient delivery are areas of intense debate and investigations. Enteral nutrition remains the preferred route for nutrient delivery. Several strategies to optimize enteral nutrition during critical illness have emerged. The role of supplemental parenteral nutrition has been highlighted, and a delayed approach appears to be beneficial. Immunonutrition cannot be currently recommended. Overall, the pediatric critical care population is heterogeneous, and a nuanced approach to individualizing nutrition support with the aim of improving clinical outcomes is necessary.
Fully Integrated Microfluidic Device with Carbon Sensing Electrode

We have developed a fully integrated capillary electrophoresis (CE)-based microfluidic device with an integrated carbon sensing electrode. A combination of microfabrication protocols were employed for fabricating the hybrid PDMS/glass microfluidic device including chemical wet etching, soft lithography, and micromolding techniques. The microdevice is comprised of a glass substrate with integrated gold electrodes, a carbon sensing electrode, and a polydimethyl siloxane (PDMS) slab that encompasses the microchannel network. The carbon sensing electrode was physically characterized via atomic force microscopy (AFM) and Raman spectrometry. In addition, its quality was evaluated electrochemically and compared to commercial glassy carbon electrodes upon performance of cyclic voltammetric analysis of two illicit drugs, morphine and codeine. The analytical performance of the stand-alone microdevice was evaluated upon testing the injection, separation, and amperometric detection on the carbon sensing electrode. The carbon sensing electrode provides a stable background current during the application of a high sensing potential, which is necessary for sensing molecules that can only be detected at high potentials such as morphine and codeine.
Effect of low frequency ultrasound on combined rt-PA and eptifibatide thrombolysis in human clots

Introduction Fibrinolytics such as recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) are used to treat thrombotic disease such as acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and ischemic stroke. Interest in increasing efficacy and reducing side effects has led to the study of adjuncts such as GP IIb-IIIa inhibitors and ultrasound (US) enhanced thrombolysis. Currently, GP IIb-IIIa inhibitor and fibrinolytic treatment are often used in AMI, and are under investigation for stroke treatment. However, little is known of the efficacy of combined GP IIb-IIIa inhibitor, fibrinolytic and ultrasound treatment. We measure the lytic efficacy of rt-PA, eptifibatide (Epf) and 120 kHz ultrasound treatment in an in-vitro human clot model.
Ralph Wendell Burhoe and the Natural Selection of God

A crisis is looming for religious man as science claims sovereignty over our objective reality and threatens the stability of communities of faith. One by one, prior claims to explaining ultimate reality are systematically shown to have little correlation with scientific fact. This paper addresses the problem of meaning in Ralph Wendell Burhoe’s scientific theology. Through a detailed analysis of Burhoe’s writings and subsequent criticisms and responses, Burhoe is rescued from Ian Barbour’s claim that “[scientific theology cannot] deal adequately with the problems of human freedom, evil and conflict in nature.” Of primary importance is the demonstration that Burhoe’s Lord of History (God as natural process) is worthy of Paul Tillich’s conception of faith as ultimate concern. Further analysis reveals how one may derive meaning from a scientific theology, providing a basis for Burhoe’s world-view as the next step for homo religiosus.
Modeling of mutually coupled switched reluctance motors for torque ripple minimization

A model of Mutually Coupled Switched Reluctance Machine (MCSRM) which includes the effect of multiple phase current excitations using a single lookup table is developed. The model can predict the MCSRM flux linkage and electromagnetic torque. The current waveform for low torque ripple is determined with the help of this model. The optimum current waveforms vary with the torque and speed levels. This increases the memory requirement of the control system. A memory efficient method for determining the optimum current waveform responsible for low torque ripple is proposed in this paper. With the proposed method Fourier series coefficients of the current shapes at some specific operating points are determined. Parameters for other operating points are determined through bi-cubic spline interpolation. The proposed modeling and torque ripple minimization approach is studied for a 30 kW MCSRM design. Finite Element Analysis (FEA) coupled with circuit simulations are presented along with Matlab/Simulink simulations for verification of the proposed modeling and ripple minimization methods.
The Gelatinous Extracellular Matrix Facilitates Transport Studies in Kelp: Visualization of Pressure-Induced Flow Reversal Across Sieve Plates

Background and aims In vascular plants, important questions regarding phloem function remain unanswered due to problems with invasive experimental procedures in this highly sensitive tissue. Certain brown algae (kelps; Laminariales) also possess sieve tubes for photoassimilate transport, but these are embedded in large volumes of a gelatinous extracellular matrix which isolates them from neighbouring cells. Therefore, we hypothesized that kelp sieve tubes might tolerate invasive experimentation better than their analogues in higher plants, and sought to establish Nereocystis luetkeana as an experimental system. Methods The predominant localization of cellulose and the gelatinous extracellular matrix in N. luetkeana was verified using specific fluorescent markers and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Sieve tubes in intact specimens were loaded with fluorescent dyes, either passively (carboxyfluorescein diacetate; CFDA) or by microinjection (rhodamine B), and the movement of the dyes was monitored by fluorescence microscopy. Key results Application of CFDA demonstrated source to sink bulk flow in N. luetkeana sieve tubes, and revealed the complexity of sieve tube structure, with branches, junctions and lateral connections. Microinjection into sieve elements proved comparatively easy. Pulsed rhodamine B injection enabled the determination of flow velocity in individual sieve elements, and the direct visualization of pressure-induced reversals of flow direction across sieve plates. Conclusions The reversal of flow direction across sieve plates by pressurizing the downstream sieve element conclusively demonstrates that a critical requirement of the Munch theory is satisfied in kelp; no such evidence exists for tracheophytes. Because of the high tolerance of its sieve elements to experimental manipulation, N. luetkeana is a promising alternative to vascular plants for studying the fluid mechanics of sieve tube networks.
Electrical contact properties between the accumulation layer and metal electrodes in ultrathin poly(3-hexylthiophene)(P3HT) field effect transistors.

Probing contact properties between an ultrathin conjugated polymer film and metal electrodes in field effect transistors (FETs) is crucial not only to understanding charge transport properties in t...
Becoming a person—Part II

I have tried to tell you what has seemed to occur in the lives of people with whom I have had the privilege of being in a relationship as they struggled toward becoming themselves. I have endeavored to describe, as accurately as I can, the meanings which seem to be involved in this process of becoming a person. I am sure that I do not see it clearly or completely, since I keep changing in my comprehension and understanding of it. I hope you will accept it as a current and tentative picture, not as something final. One reason for stressing the tentative nature of what I have said is that I wish to make it clear that I amnot saying: “This is what you should become; here is the goal for you.” Rather, I am saying that these are some of the meanings I see in the experiences that my clients and I have shared. Perhaps this picture of the experience of others may illuminate or give more meaning to some of your own experience. I have pointed out that the individual appears to have a strong desire to become himself; that given a favorable psychological climate he drops the defensive masks with which he has faced life, and begins to discover and to experience the stranger who lives behind these masks—the hidden parts of himself. I have pictured some of the attributes of the person who emerges—the tendency, to be more open to all elements of his organic experience; the growth of trust in one's organism as an instrument of sensitive living; the acceptance of the fearsome responsibility of being a unique person; and finally the sense of living in one's life as a participant in a fluid, ongoing process, continually discovering new aspects of one's self in the flow of experience. These are some of the things which seem to me to be involved in becoming a person.
Quartz Crystal Microbalance Analysis of DNA-Templated Calcium Phosphate Mineralization

A quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor was developed for the quantitation of calcium phosphate mineralization and the assessment of DNA as a template molecule. Inherent advantages of QCM, such as nanogram sensitivity, temporal resolution, surface-based measurements, and flow capabilities, were leveraged in the design of this sensor, and in-line fluidic mixing was used to control precursor reaction. This research shows that DNA, a highly programmable anionic polymer, is able to template and control mineralization of calcium phosphate, with nucleation occurring in less than 15 min and initial rates ranging from 4 to 8 ng/min. FT-IR measurements show mineralized material to be calcium phosphate resembling hydroxyapatite (HAP) when a DNA template is used. DNA is a promising mineralization template, and the QCM proves to be a dynamic technique for a broad range of heterogeneous mineralization experiments in complement to classic, diffusion-limited, end-point analysis techniques.
Remembrances of self-assemblies past.

Research on four types of self-assemblies (micelles, coacervates, gels, and vesicles) is discussed via a particular investigative methodology (in order of appearance): kinetics, dynamic NMR, PGSE-NMR, double-13C labeling, molecular dynamics computations, phase diagrams, cryo-HRSEM, rheology, light/electron microscopy, electrophoretic mobility, electroformation, confocal microscopy, and calorimetry. The emphasis here is on how a given method, each in its own special way, illuminates a complex system.
Keeping Appointments: The Politics of Confirming United States Attorneys

ABSTRACTAs the gatekeepers of federal law, U.S. Attorneys have a strong influence on legal policy. While U.S. Attorneys are presidential appointees subject to Senate confirmation, the rules governing their appointments differ significantly from those used for executive and judicial nominees. Specifically, U.S. District Courts may name interim appointees if prolonged stalemate occurs. When combined with other recent rules changes favoring presidents, U.S. Attorney nominations provide an opportunity to observe how variations in rules influence the confirmation process. Examining all U.S. Attorney nominations between 1987 and 2010, we find evidence that U.S. Attorneys are generally confirmed faster than other executive or judicial nominations even while familiar predictors of delay remain important. The findings have broad implications for the study of appointments and confirmation politics.
Plotting the Axis Tract of Aero-engine Based on Vibration Acceleration Signals

In aero-engine fault diagnosis,the axis track which contains the basic information of the rotor state plays an important role in time area analyses,so it needs to know the axis tract.Double integral is necessary when it has vibration acceleration signals only.This paper processes vibration acceleration data using the method based on least mean square(LMS) to correct waveform and proposes eliminating tendency by dynamic fitting to displacement signal,then gets the axis tract finally.It provides the basis of the fault diagnosis.
The ChrSA and HrrSA Two-Component Systems Are Required for Transcriptional Regulation of the hemA Promoter in Corynebacterium diphtheriae.

ABSTRACT Corynebacterium diphtheriae utilizes heme and hemoglobin (Hb) as iron sources for growth in low-iron environments. In C. diphtheriae, the two-component signal transduction systems (TCSs) ChrSA and HrrSA are responsive to Hb levels and regulate the transcription of promoters for hmuO, hrtAB, and hemA. ChrSA and HrrSA activate transcription at the hmuO promoter and repress transcription at hemA in an Hb-dependent manner. In this study, we show that HrrSA is the predominant repressor at hemA and that its activity results in transcriptional repression in the presence and absence of Hb, whereas repression of hemA by ChrSA is primarily responsive to Hb. DNA binding studies showed that both ChrA and HrrA bind to the hemA promoter region at virtually identical sequences. ChrA binding was enhanced by phosphorylation, while binding to DNA by HrrA was independent of its phosphorylation state. ChrA and HrrA are phosphorylated in vitro by the sensor kinase ChrS, whereas no kinase activity was observed with HrrS in vitro. Phosphorylated ChrA was not observed in vivo, even in the presence of Hb, which is likely due to the instability of the phosphate moiety on ChrA. However, phosphorylation of HrrA was observed in vivo regardless of the presence of the Hb inducer, and genetic analysis indicates that ChrS is responsible for most of the phosphorylation of HrrA in vivo. Phosphorylation studies strongly suggest that HrrS functions primarily as a phosphatase and has only minimal kinase activity. These findings collectively show a complex mechanism of regulation at the hemA promoter, where both two-component systems act in concert to optimize expression of heme biosynthetic enzymes. IMPORTANCE Understanding the mechanism by which two-component signal transduction systems function to respond to environmental stimuli is critical to the study of bacterial pathogenesis. The current study expands on the previous analyses of the ChrSA and HrrSA TCSs in the human pathogen C. diphtheriae. The findings here underscore the complex interactions between the ChrSA and HrrSA systems in the regulation of the hemA promoter and demonstrate how the two systems complement one another to refine and control transcription in the presence and absence of Hb.
Experimental evidence of edge intrinsic momentum source driven by kinetic ion loss and edge radial electric fields in tokamaks

Bulk ion toroidal velocity profiles, V||D+, peaking at 40–60 km/s are observed with Mach probes in a narrow edge region of DIII-D discharges without external momentum input. This intrinsic rotation can be well reproduced by a first principle, collisionless kinetic loss model of thermal ion loss that predicts the existence of a loss-cone distribution in velocity space resulting in a co-Ip directed velocity. We consider two kinetic models, one of which includes turbulence-enhanced momentum transport, as well as the Pfirsch-Schluter (P-S) fluid mechanism. We measure a fine structure of the boundary radial electric field, Er, insofar ignored, featuring large (10–20 kV/m) positive peaks in the scrape off layer (SOL) at, or slightly inside, the last closed flux surface of these low power L- and H-mode discharges in DIII-D. The Er structure significantly affects the ion-loss model, extended to account for a non-uniform electric field. We also find that V||D+ is reduced when the magnetic topology is changed from ...
Optical coherence tomographic angiography of choroidal neovascularization ill-defined with fluorescein angiography

Purpose To evaluate the morphological structure of ill-defined choroidal neovascularisation (CNV) with traditional fluorescein angiography (FA) compared with optical coherence tomographic angiography (OCTA). Methods A retrospective case series study of 11 eyes with ill-defined CNV on FA was performed. Eyes were scanned with commercially available spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) (70 000 A-scans/s). The split-spectrum amplitude-decorrelation angiography (SSADA) algorithm was used to distinguish blood flow from static tissue. En face OCT angiograms were compared with FA. Results Eleven cases of ill-defined CNV on FA were identified from 10 study participants. Mean age of the participants was 74.5±6.8 years. Six cases had late leakage from undetermined source (LLUS) and five had fibrovascular pigment epithelial detachment (FVPED). Combining cross-sectional structural OCT with OCT angiograms, all cases were found to have type 1 CNV that corresponded to occult CNV with FA. In all cases of occult CNV on FA, distinct vascular structures were visible with OCTA in the outer retinal/retinal pigment epithelium slab. The mean CNV vessel area was 2.61±3.65 mm 2 . The mean CNV vessel area in cases with FVPED was larger than that in cases with LLUS (4.69±4.72 mm 2 compared with 0.85±0.90 mm 2 , Mann-Whitney p value=0.04). Conclusions Although the sample size is small to draw conclusions and the nature of work is retrospective and descriptive, OCTA has the potential to improve visualisation of ill-defined CNV with dye-based angiography, including occult CNV.
DangerTrack: A scoring system to detect difficult-to-assess regions.

Over recent years, multiple groups have shown that a large number of structural variants, repeats, or problems with the underlying genome assembly have dramatic effects on the mapping, calling, and overall reliability of single nucleotide polymorphism calls. This project endeavored to develop an easy-to-use track for looking at structural variant and repeat regions. This track, DangerTrack, can be displayed alongside the existing Genome Reference Consortium assembly tracks to warn clinicians and biologists when variants of interest may be incorrectly called, of dubious quality, or on an insertion or copy number expansion. While mapping and variant calling can be automated, it is our opinion that when these regions are of interest to a particular clinical or research group, they warrant a careful examination, potentially involving localized reassembly. DangerTrack is available at https://github.com/DCGenomics/DangerTrack .
Per oral endoscopic pyloromyotomy for refractory gastroparesis: initial results from a single institution.

Gastroparesis is a debilitating disease characterized by delayed gastric emptying in the absence of mechanical obstruction. A new intramural technique, per oral endoscopic pyloromyotomy (POP), has been proposed as an alternative to surgical pyloroplasty for the management of medical refractory gastroparesis. Herein, we detail the short-term results of POP at our institution. POP was first performed at our institution in January 2016. All patients undergoing POP for management of gastroparesis from January 2016 through January 2017 were prospectively followed. All patients underwent a 4-h, non-extrapolated gastric emptying scintigraphy study and were asked to rate their symptoms using the Gastroparesis Cardinal Symptom Index (GCSI) at their pre-procedure visit and at 3 months post-procedure. A total of 47 patients underwent POP during the defined study period. Twenty-seven (57.4%) patients had idiopathic gastroparesis, 12 (25.6%) had diabetic gastroparesis, and eight (17.0%) had post-surgical gastroparesis. Forty-one (87.2%) patients had at least one previous intervention (i.e., enteral feeding tube, gastric pacer, botox injection) for their gastroparesis symptoms. All patients had evidence of gastroparesis on pre-procedure gastric emptying studies. The average length of hospital stay was 1 day. One patient died within 30-days of their index procedure which was unrelated to the procedure itself. The average pre-procedure percentage of retained food at 4 h was 37% compared to an average post-procedure percentage of 20% (p < 0.03). The average pre-procedure GCSI score was 4.6 compared to an average post-procedure GCSI of 3.3 (p < 0.001). POP is a safe and feasible endoscopic intervention for medical refractory gastroparesis. Additional follow-up is required to determine the long-term success of this approach in alleviating gastroparesis symptoms.
Factors That Contribute to a Sense of Belonging in Business Students on a Small 4-Year Public Commuter Campus in the Midwest:

Institutions of higher education are increasingly focused on student outcomes such as persistence. This study investigated factors that contribute to a sense of belonging, a key contributor to pers...
The Hospital-Acquired Condition Reduction Program

This column is designed to provide a nursing perspective on hospital quality measurements. Future articles will cover the various quality indicators hospitals face and the role of the nurse in meeting mandated benchmarks. Reader responses to this column are welcome and will help to make it more useful to nurses in meeting the challenges posed by health care reform and changing Medicare reimbursement programs.
Connecting contact angle evolution to photocatalytic kinetics of self cleaning surfaces

Abstract We demonstrate that the Cassie-Baxter model of contact angle for a composite surface consisting of “bare” and “covered” components (typically adventitious or purposeful carbonaceous deposits) can be used for quantitative determination of the kinetics of “self-cleaning” photocatalyst surfaces. In particular, literature data is analyzed to demonstrate examples of zero and first order reaction, as well as quantitative determination of rate constant values for two key processes: the initial activation of new photocatalysts, and the removal of purposeful fatty acid deposits such as that required in the ISO standard 27448: 2009 for activity determination of photocatalytic self-cleaning surfaces.
Assessment of clinical immunogenicity of inotuzumab ozogamicin in patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Inotuzumab ozogamicin (InO) is an antibody-drug conjugate composed of a recombinant, humanized immunoglobulin type G, subtype 4 (IgG4) antibody covalently bound to a semisynthetic derivative of calicheamicin via an acid-labile linker. It was developed for the treatment of relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Based on the perceived relatively low immunogenicity risk for this product, a standard approach to immunogenicity testing was utilized during the clinical studies. This manuscript describes the analytical aspects of antibody measurement and highlights the immunogenicity data from clinical studies in patients with hematologic malignancies. Anti-drug antibodies (ADAs) were determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for patients with NHL and a bridging electrochemiluminescence assay for patients with ALL. ALL patients who tested positive for ADA were also tested for neutralizing antibodies (pivotal studies only) using a cell-based assay. Immunogenicity assays were validated per current industry practice and regulatory guidelines. Positive ADAs were observed in 7 of 164 (4%) patients with ALL during the pivotal trial. Neutralizing antibodies were not detected in any patients with positive ADAs. No ADAs were detected during the phase I/II ALL study. In NHL studies, antibodies to InO were observed in 27 of 630 (4%) patients. InO clearance was similar between ADA-positive and ADA-negative ALL patients. Standard immunogenicity strategy provided data to evaluate impact on InO efficacy, pharmacokinetics, or other clinical parameters in patients. The incidence of ADA to InO is low and is not clinically meaningful.
Jurisdictional Overlap and the Size of the Local Public Workforce

The United States is a country of many overlapping local governments. Theoretical explorations of the potential influence of this institutional arrangement abound; however, empirical evidence as th...
Cardiovascular Disease in Diabetic Nephropathy

Diabetes and chronic kidney disease lead to excess cardiovascular disease. Together these two entities have even more cardiovascular risk leading to excess morbidity and mortality. In fact, adverse cardiovascular outcomes are significantly more likely than end stage renal disease (ESRD) in patients with diabetic nephropathy. These diseases (diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and cardiovascular diseases) are growing major public health problems as illustrated by the prevalence and costs illustrated in Fig. 11.1. This chapter will review selected aspects of cardiovascular disease in patients with diabetic nephropathy. Because there is abundant literature in these areas, references are only selective and representative.
The Double Edge of Legitimacy: How Women with Disabilities Interpret Good Mothering:

Modern ideologies of “good mothering” demand the resources and family configurations primarily available to privileged mothers, and mothers with disabilities are among those women who have been reg...
Sleep quality buffers the effects of negative social interactions on maternal mood in the 3–6 month postpartum period: a daily diary study

Sleep and social relationships are two key determinants of psychosocial health that undergo considerable change across the transition to motherhood. The current study investigated the bidirectional relationship between daytime Positive and Negative Social Interactions (PSIs & NSIs) and nighttime sleep quality on maternal mood across 1 week in the 3–6 month postpartum period. Sixty healthy, non-depressed first-time mothers completed 7-consecutive days of daily social interaction and sleep diaries. Results indicated that higher than average sleep quality buffered the effect of higher than average NSIs on maternal mood (i.e., buffered mood reactivity) and appeared to promote mood recovery following a particularly “bad day” (i.e., higher than average NSIs). In addition, although PSIs were more common than NSIs overall, the most frequent and positively rated PSIs were with baby as were the most frequent and negatively rated NSIs. To our knowledge, our results are the first to characterize the impact of PSIs on postpartum maternal mood, assess maternal-infant social interactions in daily diary study of postpartum social relationships, and demonstrate the role that maternal sleep quality plays in social discord-related mood reactivity and mood recovery processes in the 3–6 month postpartum period.
Matrix Exponential in C/C++ Version of Vector Radiative Transfer Code IPOL

Abstract We use only left eigenvectors to evaluate the matrix exponential in the method of discrete ordinates for the vector radiative transfer equation, which neglects circular polarization, in a plane-parallel atmosphere. This is contrary to a common practice of using the right eigenvectors to evaluate the matrix exponential combined with the left eigenvectors to avoid the inversion of the matrix of the right ones. Two numerical tests for Rayleigh and Aerosol scattering confirm our idea. For better explanation of our approach and for independent crosscheck of our results, we distribute an example in C/C++.
Annual radiocarbon measurements in a century-old European beech tree (Fagus sylvatica) from coastal northeastern North America

Abstract Radiocarbon (14C) concentrations of annual tree rings from an European beech tree (Fagus sylvatica) from Woods Hole, MA, USA were analyzed at National Ocean Sciences Accelerator Mass Spectrometry facility (NOSAMS) to construct a 14C bomb curve record from northeastern North America. The 14C concentration rises from a pre-bomb (1895–1955) average of Fraction Modern (F14C) = 0.9764 to a peak of 1.8639 in 1964. After 1964, F14C gradually decreases to 1.0611 in 2014. The annual tree-ring radiocarbon content agrees with the atmospheric radiocarbon content of the Northern Hemisphere and is very similar to the radiocarbon concentration of a red oak (Quercus rubra) tree located in Bear Mountain State Park in New York, USA. Intra-annual tree-ring pairs did not produce evidence of a seasonal effect on the radiocarbon concentration, but there were few samples and more study is warranted.
Reinforcement learning for solving the vehicle routing problem

We present an end-to-end framework for solving the Vehicle Routing Problem (VRP) using reinforcement learning. In this approach, we train a single policy model that finds near-optimal solutions for a broad range of problem instances of similar size, only by observing the reward signals and following feasibility rules. We consider a parameterized stochastic policy, and by applying a policy gradient algorithm to optimize its parameters, the trained model produces the solution as a sequence of consecutive actions in real time, without the need to re-train for every new problem instance. On capacitated VRP, our approach outperforms classical heuristics and Google's OR-Tools on medium-sized instances in solution quality with comparable computation time (after training). We demonstrate how our approach can handle problems with split delivery and explore the effect of such deliveries on the solution quality. Our proposed framework can be applied to other variants of the VRP such as the stochastic VRP, and has the potential to be applied more generally to combinatorial optimization problems.
ABSENCE OF MACULAR DEGENERATION IN A PATIENT WITH ACERULOPLASMINEMIA.

Purpose:To describe the clinical, histological, electrophysiologic, and multimodal imaging findings in a 76-year-old patient with aceruloplasminemia with low genetic risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).Methods:Clinical examination as well as multimodal imaging including fundus photography
Bruce Yandle and the Art of Economic Communication

Bruce Yandle is one of the most influential economists of his generation, especially in the fields of environmental economics and public choice economics. But Yandle is also one of the most gifted communicators of economics and economic principles of his generation. This chapter, written for a book celebrating Yandle’s career and contributions to economic thought, is inspired by Yandle’s unparalleled gift for communication. It focuses particularly on Yandle’s use of modes of reasoning and “visions” about the world to illustrate the challenges of communicating economic concepts to citizens and government officials and how recognizing those challenges can enable economists to communicate better and, in so doing, to improve the world through the design of better regulatory policies. The chapter begins by reviewing Yandle’s use of the frameworks of Thomas Sowell’s Conflict of Visions and Robert Pirsig’s Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance to explain public and governmental resistance to environmental economics and then supplements the analysis with more recent and related work by Jonathan Haidt and psychological personality-typing, focusing particularly on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator framework. The chapter concludes with autobiographical reflections on how Yandle’s insights about economic communication and his pedagogical style have influenced my own efforts to communicate in the public arena with respect to questions of consumer financial protection which, like environmental regulation, is fraught with strong moral intuitions and contrasting visions of the world.