cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adsorption Thermodynamic Analysis of a Quartz Tuning Fork Based Sensor for Volatile Organic Compounds Detection.

A volatile organic compounds (VOC) sensor based on molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) modified quartz tuning fork (QTF) has been developed. In this paper, the stability of the modified sensor as a function of the MIP composition, and the temperature effect of the analyte adsorption on the sensing transduction mechanism are evaluated. By mixing MIP and PS together, the stability was improved. A target analyte, o-xylene, was chosen as the VOC model to study the sensor response in a temperature range of 6–40 °C. Langmuir model fitted adsorption isotherms were used for thermodynamic analysis. The changes in the sensitivity of the QTF sensor to temperature rendered different behaviors. For a freshly modified QTF sensor, the adsorption response increased with increasing temperature, while for an aged QTF sensor, the adsorption response decreased with increasing temperature. The results indicated that the enthalpy change of the MIP and PS composition sensing material changes from positive to negative over the c...
Progress on Adoption of Basel III Standards: Monetary Policy, Leverage Ratios and Risk Based Capital Adequacy Measures

The introduction of the 2010 Basel III leverage ratios was intended not only to address shortcomings of the previous Basel capital framework, but also intended to serve as a complement to the risk based capital adequacy framework. However, as with many implementation challenges, other issues which involve calibration between the risk based and leverage based frameworks continue to constitute areas of concern for regulators – and supervisors. So also matters relating to disclosures – as evidenced by ongoing initiatives in respect of Pillar 3. This paper aims to highlight progress and developments being made since 2010 – as well as accentuate challenges still being encountered by the leverage based framework. Herein lies the importance of continued collaborative efforts aimed at facilitating comparability, consistency, understanding and communication between national and federal regulators and supervisors from different jurisdictions – in efforts aimed at realizing Basel III initiatives and objectives.
Multiband Ambient RF Energy Harvesting Circuit Design for Enabling Batteryless Sensors and IoT

Ambient radio frequency (RF) energy harvesting (RF-EH) allows powering low-power electronic devices without wires, batteries, and dedicated energy sources. Current RF-EH circuit designs for ambient RF harvesting are optimized and fabricated for a predetermined frequency band. Thus, a single circuit is tuned for a given band with simple extensions to multiple circuits operating individually in distinct bands. Our approach is different in the sense that it designs and implements a common circuit design that can operate on multiple different RF cellular and ISM bands. This paper makes two contributions. First, it presents a study of ambient RF signal strength distribution conducted in Boston, MA, USA, indicating locations and associated RF bands that can point toward the practicality of ambient RF-EH. Second, it demonstrates an adjustable circuit for harvesting from LTE 700-MHz, GSM 850-MHz, and ISM 900-MHz bands with one single circuit. Our circuit design is fabricated on printed circuit board with comprehensive evaluations at each associated frequency to test the power conversion efficiency (PCE). In addition, we characterize the charging performance, and feasibility of powering sensors outdoors such as TI eZ430-RF2500. Results reveal more than 45% PCE for our prototype.
Use of an AUV to Quantify Submesoscale Mixing Processes

Abstract : This project provided planning support to attend meetings and perform preliminary calculations for the ONR DRI Scalable Lateral Mixing and Coherent Turbulence project "Use of an AUV to Quantify Submesoscale Mixing Processes" which commenced in FY 09. The long-term goal of this project is to quantify the driving mechanisms and pathways of dissipation of lateral submesoscale mixing. A major thrust is understanding the role that cascade processes, both forward and backward, play in connecting submesoscale variability to 3D turbulence.
Reaction of bis(dimethoxyphosphino)dimethylhydrazine (dmpdmh) with PhCCo3(CO)9: synthesis and X-ray characterization of the dmpdmh-bridged polymorphs of PhCCo3(CO)7[(MeO)2PN(Me)N(Me)P(OMe)2]

The tricobalt cluster PhCCo3(CO)9 reacts with the bis(phosphanyl)hydrazine ligand bis(dimethoxyphosphino)dimethylhydrazine (dmpdmh) to give the monosubstituted cluster [PhCCo3(CO)8]2(dmpdmh) and the disubstituted cluster PhCCo3(CO)7(dmpdmh) as the major products. This latter cluster contains a bridging dmpdmh ligand. Both IR and NMR spectroscopies (31P and 1H) have been employed in the solution characterization of these two clusters. The solid-state structure of PhCCo3(CO)7(dmpdmh) was unequivocally established by X-ray diffraction analysis, which has revealed the presence of two different polymorphs for this particular cluster. The first polymorph crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/n, a = 9.7127(7) A, b = 17.025(2) A,c = 16.894(1) A, β = 96.245(5)°, V = 2777.0(4) A3, Z = 4, and dcalc = 1.689 g/cm3; while the second polymorph crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pbca, a = 16.925(2) A, b = 16.208(2) A, c = 20.541(3) A, V = 5635(1) A3, Z = 8, and dcalc = 1.665 g/cm3.
mERlin: Development of an Emergency Department Tracking System

In the United States, the Emergency Department (ED) represents a major portion of health care. The Institute of Medicine issued its report on Emergency Care entitled, “Hospital-based Emergency Care: At the Breaking Point” specifically calling for hospitals to adopt information systems to improve the safety and quality of emergency care. We describe the functional requirements, vendor development, and barriers encountered during creation of a system by an integrated, inter-professional team.
Comparison of Some Flood Frequency Distributions Using Empirical Data

The Gumbel, 3-parameter lognormal, Pearson type 3, log-Pearson type 3, and Boughton distributions as well as power transformation were evaluated and compared using 55 flood data sets from various sizes of drainage basins representing various parts of the U.S.A. No distribution was found to fit all flood data sets accurately. Based on empirical criteria, the log-Pearson type 3 distribution emerged as the best distribution.
Data-Driven Investment Strategies for Peer-to-Peer Lending: A Case Study for Teaching Data Science

We develop a number of data-driven investment strategies that demonstrate how machine learning and data analytics can be used to guide investments in peer-to-peer loans. We detail the process starting with the acquisition of (real) data from a peer-to-peer lending platform all the way to the development and evaluation of investment strategies based on a variety of approaches. We focus heavily on how to apply and evaluate the data science methods, and resulting strategies, in a real-world business setting. The material presented in this article can be used by instructors who teach data science courses, at the undergraduate or graduate levels. Importantly, we go beyond just evaluating predictive performance of models, to assess how well the strategies would actually perform, using real, publicly available data. Our treatment is comprehensive and ranges from qualitative to technical, but is also modular-which gives instructors the flexibility to focus on specific parts of the case, depending on the topics they want to cover. The learning concepts include the following: data cleaning and ingestion, classification/probability estimation modeling, regression modeling, analytical engineering, calibration curves, data leakage, evaluation of model performance, basic portfolio optimization, evaluation of investment strategies, and using Python for data science.
Regularized Stokeslet segments

Abstract We present a variation of the method of regularized Stokeslet (MRS) specialized for the case of forces and torques distributed over filaments in three dimensions. The new formulation is based on the exact solution of Stokes equation generated by a linear continuous distribution of regularized forces along a line segment. Therefore, a straight filament with linearly varying forces does not require discretization. A general filament is approximated by a piecewise linear curve in three dimensions where the length of each line segment is chosen only based on the variation of the force field and the desired accuracy of its piecewise linear approximation. The most significant advantage of this formulation is that the values of the regularization parameter ϵ and the length of the segments h are decoupled as long as ϵ h so that ϵ can be selected as a proxy for the radius of the filament and h is chosen to discretize the forces and torques. We analyze the performance on test problems and present biological applications of sperm motility based on existing models of swimming flagella in open space and near a plane wall. The results show, for example, that because the forces along the flagellum vary mildly, a flagellum can be approximated with as few as 11 segments of length h while fixing the regularization parameter to ϵ = h / 30 , overcoming the need for hundreds of discretization nodes required by the MRS when ϵ is small. The filament behaves like a slender cylindrical tube of radius ≈ 0.97 ϵ so that the value of ϵ influences the flagellum's swimming speed. For fixed regularization, doubling the number of line segments does not affect the results significantly as long as the force field is resolved. Examples that require rotlets and potential dipoles along the filament are also presented.
The Action of the Hexokinase Inhibitor 2-deoxy-d-glucose on Cryptosporidium parvum and the Discovery of Activities against the Parasite Hexokinase from Marketed Drugs.

Cryptosporidium parvum is one of the major species causing mild to severe cryptosporidiosis in humans and animals. We have previously observed that 2-deoxy-d-glucose (2DG) could inhibit both the enzyme activity of C. parvum hexokinase (CpHK) and the parasite growth in vitro. However, the action and fate of 2DG in C. parvum was not fully investigated. In the present study, we showed that, although 2DG could be phosphorylated by CpHK to form 2DG-6-phosphate (2DG6P), the anti-cryptosporidial activity of 2DG was mainly attributed to the action of 2DG on CpHK, rather than the action of 2DG or 2DG6P on the downstream enzyme glucose-6-phosphate isomerase (CpGPI) nor 2DG6P on CpHK. These observations further supported the hypothesis that CpHK could serve as a drug target in the parasite. We also screened 1,200 small molecules consisting of marketed drugs against CpHK, from which four drugs were identified as CpHK inhibitors with micromolar level of anti-cryptospordial activities at concentrations nontoxic to the host cells (i.e. hexachlorphene, thimerosal, alexidine dihydrochloride, and ebselen with EC50 = 0.53, 1.77, 8.1 and 165 μM, respectively). The anti-CpHK activity of the four existing drugs provided us new reagents for studying the enzyme properties of the parasite hexokinase.
Apply Storytelling Techniques for Describing Time-Series Data

Narrative and storytelling have played an important role in communication. In this work, we demonstrate that the techniques of storytelling, and in particular raising attention to abnormality, can be used to add interestingness and memorability to descriptions of time-series data. A computational system has been developed for automatically generating descriptions for data graphs. The system identifies visual patterns in the graph, and treats the graph’s deviations from corresponding ideal patterns as abnormal events. It then uses storytelling templates to generate a graph description with the abnormal events highlighted.
Multilab: Multispectral image analysis in Matlab

In this paper we describe our approach to the VAST Challenge Mini Challenge 3 which provided time-series multispectral image for visualization and analysis. We used Matlab for rapid prototyping, interface design and implementation of the final software. The resulting application, Multilab, allowed us to interactively explore the collection of multispectral images, generate and test hypotheses, and answer quantitative questions about the images. Index Terms: I.4.9 [Computing Methodologies]: Image Processing and Computer Vision—Applications; D.2.2 [Software]: Software Engineering–Design Tools and Techniques;
White Matter Connectome Edge Density in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Potential Imaging Biomarkers Using Machine-Learning Models.

Prior neuroimaging studies have reported white matter network underconnectivity as a potential mechanism for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In this study, we examined the structural connectome of children with ASD using Edge Density Imaging (EDI); and then applied machine leaning algorithms to identify children with ASD based on tract-based connectivity metrics. Boys aged 8 to 12 years were included: 14 with ASD and 33 typically developing children (TDC). The Edge Density (ED) maps were computed from probabilistic streamline tractography applied to high angular resolution diffusion imaging (HARDI). Tract-Based Spatial Statistics (TBSS) was used for voxel-wise comparison and coregistration of ED maps in addition to conventional DTI metrics of Fractional Anisotropy (FA), Mean Diffusivity (MD), and Radial Diffusivity (RD). Tract-based average DTI/connectome metrics were calculated and used as input for different machine learning models: naive Bayes, random forest, support vector machines (SVM), neural networks. For these models, cross-validation was performed with stratified random sampling (×1000 permutations). The average accuracy among validation samples was calculated. In voxel-wise analysis, the body and splenium of corpus callosum, bilateral superior and posterior corona radiata, and left superior longitudinal fasciculus showed significantly lower ED in children with ASD; whereas, we could not find significant difference in FA, MD, and RD maps between the two study groups. Overall, machine-learning models using tract-based ED metrics had better performance in identification of children with ASD compared to those using FA, MD, and RD. The EDI-based random forest models had greater average accuracy (75.3%), specificity (97.0%), and positive predictive value (81.5%), whereas EDI-based polynomial SVM had greater sensitivity (51.4%), and negative predictive values (77.7%). In conclusion, we found reduced density of connectome edges in the posterior white matter tracts of children with ASD; and demonstrated the feasibility of connectome-based machine-learning algorithms in identification of children with ASD.
Abstract IA19: New directions in T cell therapies for cancer

Engineering T cells with chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) has shown great promise in the clinical setting for B-cell malignancies such as adult and pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). This therapy is so effective in ALL that based on relatively small numbers of patients, multiple academic centers and their industry partners have received Breakthrough Designation from the FDA to commercialize CAR T cell products. However, successful application of this form of therapy to other cancers is likely to require refinements in the molecular and clinical technologies. Our laboratory is focused on generating next-generation CAR T cells that overcome some of the main barriers for their widespread use: (1) cytokine release syndrome, (2) antigen escape, and (3) susceptibility to immunosuppression. We will discuss our ongoing work in these areas, including some of the successes and obstacles to modeling these systems in the preclinical setting. Citation Format: Marcela Maus. New directions in T cell therapies for cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy; 2017 Oct 1-4; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2018;6(9 Suppl):Abstract nr IA19.
Thermopower and thermal conductance of a superconducting quantum point contact

We find the charge and heat currents caused by a temperature difference applied to a superconducting point contact or to a quantum point contact between a superconducting and normal conductors. The results are formulated in terms of the properties of the electron scattering matrix of the quantum point contact in its normal state, and are valid at any transmission coefficient. In the low-transmission limit, the theory provides reliable results, setting the limits for the use of the popular method of the tunneling Hamiltonian.
The Influence of Health Literacy and Health Numeracy on Weight Loss Outcomes Following Bariatric Surgery.

Abstract Background Although cognitive functioning and health literacy are related to weight loss 1year following bariatric surgery, the influence of health numeracy (i.e., health-related mathematical abilities) is unknown. In addition, further research is needed to examine the impact of all these factors on longer-term weight loss outcomes to determine if they influence the ability to maintain weight loss. Setting Single bariatric center. Methods Patients (N = 567) who underwent bariatric surgery from 2014–2017 completed a brief survey including current weight. Retrospective chart reviews were conducted to gather information from the presurgical evaluation including weight, body mass index (BMI), health literacy, health numeracy and score on a cognitive screener. Results Among participants in the weight loss period ( Discussion Although health literacy and health numeracy did not predict weight loss outcomes for those in the initial weight loss period, they were related to weight outcomes for participants in the weight maintenance period. This suggests that health literacy and health numeracy may play a role in facilitating longer-term weight maintenance among patients who undergo bariatric surgery. Clinicians conducting presurgical psychosocial evaluations should consider routinely screening for health literacy and health numeracy.
Enteral tube administration of oral chemotherapy drugs.

ObjectivePatients receiving oral chemotherapies face treatment interruptions if they require placement of an enteral tube for nutrition, potentially leading to adverse outcomes in cancer treatment....
They took away my pen and paper! Taking Physician handoff to a digital platform.

Backround: Handoff communication for Pediatric Hospitalists is vital for the coordination of care for hospitalized pediatric patients. At Children’s Mercy Hospital Kansas City, we historically have performed communication and care coordination amongst our 45 Pediatric Hospitalists using paper tools in the form of 5x7 cards where patient data was recorded including vital signs, laboratory data, radiology reports, to do’s, and situation awareness. These communications were not standardized so that different providers recorded different information and detail level based upon their own perceptions of what was viewed as important data. There …
Development of adjustment factors for backfat and loin muscle area from serial real-time ultrasonic measurements on purebred lines of swine.

We recorded serial real-time ultrasonic measurements of backfat and loin muscle area to assess the rate of change per unit of live weight and growth rate measured as the change in weight per day of age during the finishing stage of production. Barrows (648) and gilts (459) representing eight major U.S. pure breeds of swine were evaluated in the study. Real-time ultrasonic measurements of backfat and loin muscle area were collected at average live weights (LW) of 67.4, 80.3, 93.4, and 104.9 kg. Backfat was measured at the midline over the last rib (LR) and last lumbar vertebra (LL) and off the midline at the 3/4 point (BF10) over the 10th rib. Loin muscle area (LMA) images were collected from the right-hand side of each pig at the 10th rib. Deposition rates were calculated on an intrapig basis for the dependent scan variables BF10, LMA, LR, and LL in models that included the independent variables LW and LW2. For growth rate (WDA), LW was regressed on age and age. Intrapig linear regression coefficients and y-intercepts were further analyzed as dependent variables in a mixed model that included the fixed effects test group, sex, and breed and random effects of sire and dam nested within breed. Significant breed effects were present for deposition rates of BF10, LMA, LR, LL, and WDA. Across the eight breeds, BF10 was deposited at a mean of .271 +/- .008 mm/kg, a rate faster than the average for LR (.201 mm/kg) and LL (.206 mm/kg). The LMA deposition rate across breeds averaged .304 cm2/kg. Average WDA across the breeds was .774 kg. Barrows deposited fat faster at all locations, deposited muscle slower, and grew faster than gilts in this study (P < .001). The results of this study indicate a need for breed- and sex-specific adjustment factors for rates of backfat and loin muscle deposition and for weight per day of age in swine.
Sudden cardiac arrest in epilepsy patients undergoing continuous video electroencephalogram monitoring: The national inpatient sample.

Abstract Objective To examine the relationship between epilepsy and sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and identify clinical and healthcare system related predictors of SCA in patients with a discharge diagnosis of epilepsy undergoing continuous video EEG (cVEEG) monitoring. Methods The national inpatient sample was used as data source to identify adults (18 years and older) with a primary discharge diagnosis of epilepsy who were at some point during their hospitalization on cVEEG monitoring. We applied a logistic regression model to identify independent patient-related and hospital/healthcare system-related factors associated with SCA. Results A total of weighted 10,059 (0.71 %) patients with epilepsy on cVEEG had a secondary discharge diagnosis of SCA. The main independent factors associated with SCA were the presence of any of the following secondary discharge diagnoses: paroxysmal arrhythmia (OR: 2.29, 95 %CI: 1.96–2.66), myocardial infarction (OR: 3.78, 95 %CI: 2.83–5.05), congestive heart failure (OR: 2.27, 95 %CI: 1.93–2.62), and anoxic brain injury (OR: 57.6, 95 %CI: 50.83–67.27). There was no association between refractory epilepsy and SCA (OR: 0.99, 95 %CI: 0.51–1.93). Conclusion SCA is a rare event occurring in
A New Species of Herrera Distant, 1905 (Hemiptera: Cicadoidea: Cicadidae: Cicadettinae: Carinetini) from Panama with New Records for Two Additional Species

A new Panamanian cicada Herrera barrocoloradoensis Sanborn, new species is described and illustrated. The new species is considered to be one of the unnamed species from Panama that was introduced by Wolda (1989) and Wolda and Ramos (1992). A key to the Panamanian species of Herrera Distant, 1905 is provided. New records for Guyalna variegata (Sanborn, 2005) and Carineta cearanaDistant, 1906 are also provided bringing the total alpha diversity to 57 described species and six unofficially described species.
Sick Day Management

In youth with T1D, the majority of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) events could be prevented by an overall improvement of metabolic control, reasons underlying omission of insulin, and a good understanding of early and appropriate implementation of sick day management. Consequently, the overarching aim of this chapter is to review in detail how to manage youth with T1D who are in the early stages of DKA. An important feature of this review is the provision of a sick day management flow sheet for patients using insulin pumps and a separate flow sheet for youth receiving insulin injections. We have also demonstrated that failure to recognize developing DKA in patients receiving adjunctive treatment with a SGLT2 inhibitor is due to delayed increases in plasma glucose rather than more rapid increases in β-hydroxybutyrate levels.
Epicardially Placed Bioengineered Cardiomyocyte Xenograft in Immune-Competent Rat Model of Heart Failure.

Background. Human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) are under preclinical investigation as a cell-based therapy for heart failure post-myocardial infarction. In a previous study, tissue-engineered cardiac grafts were found to improve hosts’ cardiac electrical and mechanical functions. However, the durability of effect, immune response, and in vitro properties of the tissue graft remained uncharacterized. This present study is aimed at confirming the graft therapeutic efficacy in an immune-competent chronic heart failure (CHF) model and providing evaluation of the in vitro properties of the tissue graft. Methods. hiPSC-CMs and human dermal fibroblasts were cultured into a synthetic bioabsorbable scaffold. The engineered grafts underwent epicardial implantation in infarcted immune-competent male Sprague-Dawley rats. Plasma samples were collected throughout the study to quantify antibody titers. At the study endpoint, all cohorts underwent echocardiographic, hemodynamic, electrophysiologic, and histopathologic assessments. Results. The epicardially placed tissue graft therapy improved ( ) in vivo and ex vivo cardiac function compared to the untreated CHF cohort. Total IgM and IgG increased for both the untreated and graft-treated CHF cohorts. An immune response to the grafts was detected after seven days in graft-treated CHF rats only. In vitro, engineered grafts exhibited responsiveness to beta-adrenergic receptor agonism/antagonism and SERCA inhibition and elicited complex molecular profiles. Conclusions. This hiPSC-CM-derived cardiac graft improved systolic and diastolic cardiac function in immune-competent CHF rats. The improvements were detectable at seven weeks post-graft implantation despite an antibody response beginning at week one and peaking at week three. This suggests that non-integrating cell-based therapy delivered by a bioengineered tissue graft for ischemic cardiomyopathy is a viable treatment option.
Studying the Feasibility of Postoperative Monitoring of Spinal Fusion Progress Using a Self-powered Fowler-Nordheim Sensor-Data-Logger.

This study investigates the feasibility of using a new self-powered sensing and data logging system for postoperative monitoring of spinal fusion progress. The sensor directly couples a piezoelectric transducer signal into a Fowler-Nordheim (FN) quantum tunneling-based synchronized dynamical system to record the mechanical usage of spinal fixation device. The operation of the proposed implantable FN sensor-data-logger is completely self-powered by harvesting the energy from the micro-motion of the spine during the course of fusion. Bench-top testing is performed using corpectomy models to evaluate the performance of the proposed monitoring system. In order to simulate the spinal fusion process, different materials with gradually increasing elastic modulus are used to fill the intervertebral space gap. Besides, finite element models are developed to analyze the strains induced on the spinal rods during the applied cyclic loading. Data measured from the benchtop experiment is processed by an FN sensor-data-logger model to obtain time-evolution curves representing each spinal fusion state. This feasibility study shows that the obtained curves are viable tools to differentiate between conditions of osseous union and assess the effective fusion period.
Smartness as Property: A Critical Exploration of Intersections Between Whiteness and Disability Studies

Background/ContextTwo scholars who each primarily identify as a scholar of Critical Race/Whiteness Studies and a scholar of Disability Studies, respectively, engage in this article in a purposeful ...
Introducing 3D modeling and animation into the course curriculum

As students are entering our schools with more and more computing experience, there has been an increased interest in the area of computer graphics. However, many students do not understand the complicated mathematics behind computer graphics. Fortunately, there are many software packages available that allow students to use the methods that have been developed over the years without needing a strong understanding of the underlying programming.The purpose of this class is to introduce to both computer science majors and non-majors the exciting world of three-dimensional modeling and animation. Students are able to solidify essential concepts and methodologies through the production of a term long team project in which teams containing between one and three students will work to develop their own models that are then used in a short animation.The class also explores the history, development, and theories behind modeling and animation. Throughout the term, we examine how the medium of computer arts in animation has evolved from traditional cel animation to today's fascinating computer graphics imagery.
On the Determination of Planetary Masses

A common method of determining the mass of a planet is to solve for the orbit of some other object several times with different trial values for the mass in question. It is pointed out that a parabola fitted to the values of the sums of the squares of the residuals may be used to obtain, not only the planetary mass, but also its probable error. Marsden’s determination of the mass of Saturn from observations of Hidalgo is used as an example.
The binding of CO to nickel clusters. I. Determination of saturation coverages

The reactions of small nickel clusters Nin (n=3–60) with carbon monoxide are studied in a gas-phase flow-tube reactor. Cluster coverage is determined as a function of CO pressure at temperatures between −160 and 20 °C. The reactions are kinetically controlled under these conditions, but the CO uptake is characterized by a transition from a fast kinetics to a slow kinetics process. Sticking probabilities in the fast kinetics region are near unity at low temperature. The coverage at the transition is consistent with random filling of the cluster surface with van der Waals CO molecules in a standing up configuration with the carbon end toward the metal. Higher coverages in most cases are a consequence of changes in nickel cluster structure to more open ones having larger surface areas.
Microbiologic survey of long-term care facilities.

Abstract Background: We undertook a microbiologic survey of long-term care facilities to categorize bacteria found in cultures of residents. Culture and sensitivity data were collected on 566 samples from indwelling bladder catheters, percutaneous gastrostomy tubes, nares, stool, wounds, pressure ulcers, and tracheostomies in 25 Nebraska and Iowa facilities. Information was also collected on resident factors (eg, presence of indwelling urinary catheter, prior antibiotic administration) and institutional variables (eg, number of beds, nosocomial infection rates). Results: There were 478 gram-negative isolates, the leading organisms being Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis, Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. There were 221 gram-positive isolates, the most frequently seen of which were enterococci and Staphylococcus aureus. Of the 442 residents sampled in the study, 168 (38%) were taking, or had within the previous month been taking, a systemic antibiotic. Quinolones were the most frequently prescribed antibiotic class. The institutional prevalence of urinary catheterization averaged 6.7%. Conclusions: Significant antibiotic pressure exists in long-term care facilities, a fact that is reflected in antibiotic resistance patterns. A variety of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria were found in nursing home culture specimens. (AJIC Am J Infect Control 2000;28:8-13)
Dynamic relationships among R&D, advertising, inventory and firm performance

Firms’ spending on R&D, advertising, and inventory holding affect firm performance, which in turn affects future spending in each of these three areas. Effective allocation of resources across R&D, advertising, and inventory holding is challenging since an understanding of their dynamic inter-relationships is necessary. Past research has not examined these spending issues simultaneously. We estimate inter-relationships among the effects of firms’ R&D spending, advertising spending, and inventory holding on sales and firm value (as measured by its Tobin’s Q) using a vector auto regression model of a panel of publicly listed U.S. high technology manufacturing firms. Insights from the computation of long-term effects indicate that advertising spending and inventory holding increase sales, while R&D spending does not, and advertising and R&D spending increase firm value, while inventory holding does not. In addition, firm spending in all three functions is positively affected by sales but negatively by firm value. We discuss the implications of the study for marketing literature and managerial practice.
Anodic stripping voltammetric determination of antimony in gunshot residue

Abstract Anodic stripping voltammetry (a.s.v.) ata mercury film on a glassy carbon working electrode was utilized to determine the amount of antimony from hand swabs. The procedure described is useful for determining 10–120 ng of antimony found in the residue ou the hands of an individual suspected of discharging or handling a firearm. The voltammogram provides an elemental pattern recognizable as gunshot residue containing small amounts of antimony and much larger amounts of copper and lead. The amount of antimony in a variety of gunshot-residue samples was determined by both anodic stripping voltammetry and graphite-furnace atomic absorptiou spectrometry for comparison purposes. Anodic stripping voltammetry is excellent for observation of the multielement pattern which proves to be very useful for gunshot-residue samples.
Thermal Conductivity of Gas Mixtures

Thermal conductivities of ten gases and selected binary and ternary mixtures of them were measured in a concentric silver cylinder cell over the temperature range from 100° to 540°C. The gases were helium, argon, nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, methyl ether, and methyl formate. Correlations based upon empirical equations derived from kinetic theory have been developed for the thermal conductivity of gas mixtures. For mixtures of polyatomic molecules the energy transport is considered in two parts, that is one portion transferred by collision and the other by diffusion. When compared with the experimental data for 226 binary mixtures over temperatures from 0° to 774°C., the conductivity equation proposed in this work shows an average deviation of 2.1%.
Monitoring the water balance of Lake Victoria, East Africa, from space

Summary Using satellite gravimetric and altimetric data, we examine trends in water storage and lake levels of multiple lakes in the Great Rift Valley region of East Africa for the years 2003–2008. GRACE total water storage estimates reveal that water storage declined in much of East Africa, by as much as 60 mm year , while altimetric data show that lake levels in some large lakes dropped by as much as 1–2 m. The largest declines occurred in Lake Victoria, the Earth’s second largest freshwater body. Because the discharge from the outlet of Lake Victoria is used to generate hydroelectric power, the role of human management in the lake’s decline has been questioned. By comparing catchment water storage trends to lake level trends, we confirm that climatic forcing explains only about 50decline. This analysis provides an independent means of assessing the relative impacts of climate and human management on the water balance of Lake Victoria that does not depend on observations of dam discharge, which may not be publically available. In the second part of the study, the individual components of the lake water balance are estimated. Satellite estimates of changes in lake level, precipitation, and evaporation are used with observed lake discharge to develop a parameterization for estimating subsurface inflows due to changes in groundwater storage estimated from satellite gravimetry. At seasonal timescales, this approach provides closure to Lake Victoria’s water balance to within 17 mm month . The third part of this study uses the water balance of a downstream water body, Lake Kyoga, to estimate the outflow from Lake Victoria remotely. Because Lake Kyoga is roughly 20 times smaller in area than Lake Victoria, its water balance is strongly influenced by inflow from Lake Victoria. Lake Kyoga has been shown to act as a linear reservoir, where its outflow is proportional to the height of the lake. This model can be used with satellite altimetric lake levels to estimate a time series of Lake Victoria discharge with an rms error of about 134 m 3 s .
Characterization of the paste-aggregate interfacial transition zone surface roughness and its relationship to the fracture toughness of concrete

Notched concrete beams containing varying amounts of pea gravel aggregate were tested under three-point bend, and their fracture toughness determined. The roughness of the region near the interface between the cement paste and the aggregate was evaluated by digitizing images from a confocal tandem scanning microscope. The average roughness of the paste was found to be related to the fracture parametersKIC (critical stress intensity factor) and Δac (critical crack extension), as determined by the two-parameter fracture model. The roughness in the proximity of the paste-aggregate interface was generally higher than that of the paste far from the aggregate, and it decreased with the distance from the aggregate. This study indicates that aggregate particles increase the toughness of the cement paste portion of concrete, and that this is an important mechanism for toughening concrete.
Pyogenic spondylodiscitis associated with sacral colpopexy and rectopexy: report of two cases and evaluation of the literature

Pyogenic spondylodiscitis includes a spectrum of spinal infections such as discitis, osteomyelitis, epidural abscess, meningitis, subdural empyema, and spinal cord abscess. This is a rare complication of sacral colpopexy, but can lead to devastating consequences for the patient. We present two cases of pyogenic spondylodiscitis following sacral colpopexy. In addition, we discuss 26 cases of pyogenic spondylodiscitis reported in the literature from 1957 to 2012. Techniques to decrease rates of infection include proper identification of the S1 vertebra, awareness of the suture placement depth at the level of the sacrum and at the vagina, and early treatment of post-operative urinary tract and vaginal infections. Awareness of symptoms, timely diagnosis and multidisciplinary approach to management is essential in preventing long-term complications.
Art, Advertising, and the Legacy of Empire

L'A. montre comment l'iconographie sur les colonies, instrumentalisee par l'empire britannique a des fins de propagande, des la premiere periode de la colonisation, fut integree et perennisee a l'epoque postcoloniale dans l'imagerie populaire qui sous-tend encore aujourd'hui les representations europeennes et americaines des contrees d'outre-mer. Il montre comment les cinq tropes qui servaient a promouvoir l'attrait des colonies - exotisation, racialisation, sexualisation, marchandisation et civilisation -, a l'epoque postcoloniale, ne servent plus qu'a promouvoir les marchandises produites par l'empire. Alors que ces cinq tropes marchandisaient l'empire, subsistent, dans le monde postcolonial, uniquement les marchandises, imperialisees, et vendues a travers les tropes et les procedes de l'art imperial. L'A. retrace cette transformation, de la marchandisation de l'empire a l'imperialisation des marchandises. Aujourd'hui, l'iconographie et le trope publicitaires du primitif representent ce que Rosaldo appelle la nostalgie imperialiste.
Deformation-induced pseudo-twinning and a new superstructure in Ni2Mo precipitates contained in a Ni-25Mo-8Cr alloy

Abstract Deformation twinning in a two-phase Ni25Mo8Cr (in wt%) alloy containing Ni 2 (Mo, Cr) precipitates in a face centered cubic matrix has been studied by transmission electron microscopy. It has been found that the normal twinning variant in the disordered face centered cubic matrix phase which corresponds to the pseudo-twinning mode in the ordered body centered orthorhombic Ni 2 Mo phase changes the atomic arrangement (nearest neighbor environment) such that a new superstructure (called the μ phase) with tetragonal symmetry is produced in the twinned regions of the Ni 2 Mo precipitates. Experimental electron diffraction evidence obtained across this pseudo-twinned structure has been correlated with the associated crystallography of the phases and a discussion based on these analytical correlations is presented.
Considerations in the use of ozone and PM2.5 data for exposure assessment

The US national ambient-air monitoring network, created to verify compliance with health-based standards, now doubles as an important source of exposure data for the epidemiological analyses on which these standards increasingly rest, particularly in the case of ozone and PM2.5. This paper was written for a workshop called to facilitate and inform the use of routine ozone and PM2.5 data by the Environmental Public Health Tracking Network. It examines the fit between priorities that shape regulatory monitoring and modeling and the data needs of public health tracking.
Competitive banks and the inflation tax

Abstract The purpose of this note is to show that the presence of a competitive banking sector has important quantitative implications for the revenue-maximizing rate of inflation.
Mowing Strategies and Dew Removal to Minimize Dollar Spot on Creeping Bentgrass

Dollar spot (DS) disease (caused by Sclerotinia homoeocarpa F.T. Bennett) on bentgrass (Agrostis spp.) can be greatly reduced by implementing mowing and other cultural practices that reduce leaf wetness duration (LWD). Field studies were conducted in 2004 and 2005 to discern the effects of dew removal time (mowing at 0400, 1000, or 2200 h), method of dew removal (mowing with sharp or dull mower or squeegee), and frequency of dew removal (daily or alternate days) on the incidence of DS on fairway height (16 mm) creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.). The severity of DS was studied in laboratory experiments with 6, 12, and 18 h LWD. Dollar spot incidence on field test plots was lowest when mowing treatments were conducted at 0400 h. In addition plots mowed at 2200 h had significantly lower DS incidence than plots mowed at 1000 h. Mowing with either a sharp or dull reel mower proved more effective in reducing DS than alternating mowing with a Squeegee for dew removal. Dull mower blades were as effective as sharp mower blades in reducing DS in our field studies. Dollar spot incidence was also lower when dew was removed daily than when dew was removed on alternate days. Mowing at 0400 h daily was the most effective treatment for reducing DS on creeping bentgrass plots in both 2004 and 2005. In laboratory experiments, DS lesion size increased as LWD increased. Specifically, disruption of leaf moisture after 6 h of uninterrupted LWD appeared to be most effective in reducing DS lesion diameter.
Pyrolysis and gas chromatography of plasma-polymerized ethylene

Plasma-polymerized polyethylene (PPE) obtained on a radio-frequency glow discharge has been analyzed by flash pyrolysis combined with in-line hydrogenation and gas chromatography. The pyrogram of a bulk powder PPE, which had been characterized by both infrared spectroscopy and density measurements, was compared with a 400 A thick PPE film deposited directly on the pyrolysis probe. Although the two pyrograms have a qualitative resemblance, they are substantially different from that of conventional branched polyethylene (PE). Some of the fragments exhibited by the deposited PPE are also present in pyrograms of 1,4-polybutadiene. It is evident that the deposited film is a highly branched and unsaturated network polymer with a random arrangement of these structural features.
Mechanical properties of CRETE, a polyurethane foam

The room-temperature mechanical properties of a closed-cell, polyurethane encapsulant foam were measured as a function of foam density. Over the range of densities examined, the modulus could be described by a power-law relationship with respect to density. This power-law relationship was the same for both tension and compression testing. The basis for this power-law relationship is explained in terms of the elastic compliance of the cellular structure of the foam using a simple geometric model put forth by Gibson and Ashby. The elastic collapse stress, a property relevant to compression testing, also is found to exhibit a power-law relationship with respect to density. The density dependence of this property is also found in the work of Gibson and Ashby and is explained in terms of the Euler buckling of the struts that comprise the cellular structure. Energy absorption during deformation is also reported for both tension and compression testing. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 68: 1045–1055, 1998
Temperature dependence of the dynamic susceptibility of nickel

The coherent magnetic inelastic scattering of neutrons has been used to measure the dynamic susceptibility $\ensuremath{\chi}(\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{q}},\ensuremath{\omega})$ of nickel from low temperatures to well above the ferromagnetic transition temperature. As the temperature approaches ${T}_{C}$ from below, the linewidths of the spin waves are found to broaden, and in the small wave-vector region the scattering is in general agreement with dynamic scaling theory. At larger wa\ifmmode \dot{}\else \.{}\fi{}ve vectors, however, we find that the observed scattering can be more naturally described in terms of spin-wave-like excitations whose widths $\ensuremath{\Delta}E$ remain less than the excitation energies $E(\frac{\ensuremath{\Delta}E}{E}l1)$ for $Tg{T}_{C}$. The "dispersion relation" for these spin waves is only moderately renormalized up to ${T}_{C}$ and then remains constant as the temperature is raised further up to at least twice ${T}_{C}$, while the widths continue to broaden slowly above ${T}_{C}$. The overall magnitude of the susceptibility decreases with increasing temperatures, but the abrupt decrease of $\ensuremath{\chi}(\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{q}},\ensuremath{\omega})$ at high energies, interpreted as the intersection of the collective excitation spectrum with the Stoner continuum of single-particle excitations, is found to be insensitive to the temperature. These results are compared and contrasted with the recent results for iron.
Reversible seizures produced by neuronal hyaluronic acid depletion

Abstract Hyaluronic acid has been demonstrated histochemically and biochemically in the brain but its function remains to be elucidated. Cats were injected with hyaluronidase through an intraventricular cannula for 5 to 7 days. The EEG of these cats were monitored by means of permanently implanted skull electrodes and clinical examination was performed daily. Slow waves or spiking or both were recorded as early as the second day, usually appearing first on the side of the injection. As the number of days of the injections was extended the severity of the electrical and clinical abnormalities was augmented. Upon cessation of the injections the severity of both types of abnormalities lessened. The animals were killed, perfused, and the brain removed; no gross pathology was found. Histochemical staining for hyaluronic acid demonstrated disappearance of the compound from neurons, especially the perikaryon; no staining was found in the neuroglia cells. This disappearance was confirmed by microinjection of the enzyme into the spinal cord. It is concluded that hyaluronic acid disappearance from neurons is capable of producing seizure discharge and thus may in some way be important in the maintenance of the membrane potential.