cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lack of association between genetic variation in 9 innate immunity genes and baseline CRP levels.

Summary It is well-known that baseline levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) are an independent cardiovascular risk factor. We hypothesized that genetic variation with significant influence on CRP levels might be found in genes of the innate immunity system. We performed a candidate gene association study examining common single nucleotide polymorphisms in 9 innate immunity genes (CARD15, IRAK1, IRAK4, LBP, LY86, MEFV, TLR2, TLR4 and NFKB1) in relation to CRP levels. Seven hundred and seventeen subjects from the Women's Health Study population were studied: 359 and 358 samples with extremely low ( 5 mg/liter) CRP levels, respectively. SNPs were identified from publicly available resequencing data, using a minor allele frequency threshold of >5% and a linkage disequilibrium (LD)-based strategy (r2 > 0.8) to select 63 LD-independent markers. One non-synonymous SNP in TLR4 and two non-synonymous SNPs in CARD15, previously associated with atherosclerosis and Crohn's disease, respectively, were also studied. Univariate, haplotype and gene-gene interaction analyses all indicated no significant association with CRP levels. Although this work excludes a significant association of common SNPs in these nine genes with CRP levels, it is possible that rarer alleles in these genes, or variation in other innate immunity genes, could be associated with variation in CRP.
Modeling Light Scattering in Tissue as Continuous Random Media Using a Versatile Refractive Index Correlation Function

Optical interactions with biological tissue provide powerful tools for study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease. When optical methods are used in applications involving tissue, scattering of light is an important phenomenon. In imaging modalities, scattering provides contrast, but also limits imaging depth, so models help optimize an imaging technique. Scattering can also be used to collect information about the tissue itself providing diagnostic value. Therapies involving focused beams require scattering models to assess dose distribution. In all cases, models of light scattering in tissue are crucial to correctly interpreting the measured signal. Here, we review a versatile model of light scattering that uses the Whittle-Matern correlation family to describe the refractive index correlation function Bn(rd). In weakly scattering media such as tissue, Bn(rd) determines the shape of the power spectral density from which all other scattering characteristics are derived. This model encompasses many forms such as mass fractal and the Henyey-Greenstein function as special cases. We discuss normalization and calculation of optical properties including the scattering coefficient and anisotropy factor. Experimental methods using the model are also described to quantify tissue properties that depend on length scales of only a few tens of nanometers.
Fermentation of hemicellulosic sugars and sugar mixtures by Candida shehatae.

In the experiments described here, batchwise fermentations were employed with Candida shehatae cells induced by growth on either glucose or xylose, and fermentation kinetic constants were determined. Results show that ethanol production rates were higher with xylose-grown inocula than with glucose-grown inocula. This comparison held true for all of the combinations of glucose and xylose tested. The ethanol production rate was highest for a fermentation of 6% xylose supplemented with 3% glucose by xylose-grown inoculum. The next highest rates were obtained with the fermentation of pure glucose and the glucose-xylose mixture by xylose-grown inoculum. Ethanol yields did not appear to be greatly affected by the sugars tested. The rates of mannose, glucose, xylose, galactose, and L-arabinose utilization by xylose-grown inocula were determined in a separate experiment. Mannose (6%) was used at a higher rate than any of the other sugars tested. Mannose also showed the highest rate of ethanol production. Most of the mannose taken up, however, could not be accounted for in the ethanol produced, so it is possible that significant amounts of mannitol were formed. The D-galactose was fermented at a significantly lower rate than glucose, xylose, or mannose. The L-arabinose was not consumed. The ethanol fermentation rate more » observed was much lower with an autoclaved acid hydrolysate than with the conditioned hydrolysate or a mixture of individual sugars. Contacting the hydrolysate with cells for an extended period of time prior to autoclaving greatly improved fermentability, but this strain of C. shehatae was still very susceptible to inhibition by components in the hydrolysate (Table III). « less
An Electrophysiological Signature of Unconscious Recognition Memory

Explicit memory is linked to conscious awareness of memory retrieval, whereas implicit memory can guide behavior without conscious awareness of memory retrieval. Here, the authors demonstrate recognition memory without awareness of the retrieval. ERP measures differentiated between implicit and explicit recognition. Contradicting the common assumption that accurate recognition reflects explicit-memory processing, we provide evidence for recognition lacking two hallmark explicit-memory features: awareness of memory retrieval and facilitation by attentive encoding. Kaleidoscope images were encoded in conjunction with an attentional diversion and were subsequently recognized more accurately than those encoded without diversion. Confidence in recognition was superior following attentive encoding, although recognition was markedly accurate when people claimed to be unaware of memory retrieval. This 'implicit recognition' was associated with frontal-occipital negative brain potentials at 200–400 ms post-stimulus-onset, which were spatially and temporally distinct from positive brain potentials corresponding to explicit recollection and familiarity. This dissociation between behavioral and electrophysiological characteristics of 'implicit recognition' versus explicit recognition indicates that a neurocognitive mechanism with properties similar to those that produce implicit memory can be operative in standard recognition tests. People can accurately discriminate repeat stimuli from new stimuli without necessarily knowing it.
Communicating Emotion: Not Just for Interpersonal Scholars Anymore

The Handbook of Communication and Emotion. Edited by P. A. Andersen & L. K. Guerrero. San Diego, CA: Academic Press, 1998. 120.00. Emotion in Organizations. By S. Fineman. Newbury Park, CA: Sage, 1993. 26.50. Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ. By D. Goleman. New York: Bantam Books, 1995. 13.95. The Emotions: Social, Cultural, and Biological Dimensions. By R. Harre & W. G. Parrott. London: Sage, 1996. 26.50.
Entrepreneurs Use a Balanced Scorecard to Translate Strategy into Performance Measures

Although 50 percent of Fortune 1000 companies currently use a balanced scorecard (BSC), few small businesses are using a BSC. A review of the literature finds no BSC papers in leading small business/entrepreneurship journals. This article begins with a discussion of the BSC and why a small business should use it. Three small to medium-sized enterprise (SME) case studies are presented, with a copy of their BSC, to illustrate how Hyde Park Electronics, Futura Industries, and Southern Gardens Citrus use a BSC to set strategy and align operations to achieve breakthrough results. Implications are, that like large businesses, SMEs can also benefit from using a BSC. Entrepreneurs of SMEs can use the case studies to develop their own BSC to improve performance. Implications for practice and research are discussed.
Productivity measurement in service operations: a case study from the health‐care environment

Examines the issue of productivity measurement in service operations. Proposes a dynamic model for productivity measurement in service operations. This model is based on the idea that the intangible output for service operations is the quality of their services and the input is the level of skill of their employees. Both the skill level and the quality are measured on the same scale. Bases the measurement of service quality on the five dimensions suggested by Zeithaml and also bases the measurement of the skill level of employees on a six‐dimensional instrument which is developed here.
Baguettes, Berets and Burning Cars: The 2005 Riots and the Question of Race in Contemporary France

Following the unprecedented destruction witnessed during the 2005 youth riots in France, some social commentators have suggested that the young offenders, many of whom were of immigrant descent, were tired of France's colour-blind rhetoric and were now demanding recognition of their minority status, much like some groups in the United States. However, little scholarly work has captured in any systematic way the perception of such young people. In an effort to illuminate their views, this paper draws on 12 months of ethnographic field research, beginning in September 2005, among young people, both of immigrant ancestry and ‘Franco-French’, living in the housing projects of a medium-sized French city. Noting that markers associated with class distinctions were accepted by youth as a valid form of diversity but ones having to do with race were not, I argue that these young people are just as committed to republican values as anyone else in France. Facile comparison between the American and French contexts is...
BINDING OF SOLUBLE IMMUNE COMPLEXES TO HUMAN LYMPHOBLASTOID CELLS : II. Use of Raji Cells to Detect Circulating Immune Complexes in Animal and Human Sera

Cells from a human lymphoblastoid cell line (Raji), with B-cell characteristics, and having receptors for human IgG Fc, C3b, and C3d, were used in an immunofluorescence test as in vitro detectors of immune complexes in animal and human sera. By this test, as little as 200-300 ng aggregated human gamma globulin or immune complexes per ml serum could be detected. The receptors for IgG Fc on the Raji cells were shown to be inefficient in detecting aggregated human gamma globulin and binding of aggregates to these receptors was inhibited by physiologic concentrations of 7S human IgG. Enhancement of aggregated human gamma globulin binding and binding of immune complexes formed in vitro to Raji cells was observed when the receptors for complement on these cells were used. By using the receptors for complement on Raji cells, circulating immune complexes were detected in rabbits with acute serum sickness, in mice with acute lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infection, and in humans with immune complex type glomerulonephritis. The Raji cell test may be useful in detecting complement fixing immune complexes in different disease states, in monitoring circulating complexes in patients with immune complex diseases and in identifying the antigen(s) responsible for the induction of pathogenic immune complexes in humans and animals.
The semantics and execution of a synchronous block-diagram language

We present a new block diagram language for describing synchronous software. It coordinates the execution of synchronous, concurrent software modules, allowing real-time systems to be assembled from precompiled blocks specified in other languages. The semantics we present, based on fixed points, is deterministic even in the presence of instantaneous feedback. The execution policy develops a static schedule--a fixed order in which to execute the blocks that makes the system execution predictable.We present exact and heuristic algorithms for finding schedules that minimize system execution time, and show that good schedules can be found quickly. The scheduling algorithms are applicable to other problems where large systems of equations need to be solved.
Sensitive and real-time fiber-optic-based surface plasmon resonance sensors for myoglobin and cardiac troponin I

Abstract A sensor to detect markers of cardiac muscle cell death at less than 3 ng ml−1 and in less than 10 min has been achieved. This fiber-optic-based surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor is being applied to detect myoglobin (MG) and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) in HEPES buffered saline solution. An in vivo sensor for the early detection of the onset of myocardial infarction (MI) will greatly enhance the patient care. MG and cTnI are two biological markers released from dying cardiac muscle cells during an MI, and their detection at biologically-relevant levels can be diagnostic of MI. Antibodies specific to an antigen of interest are attached to a carboxymethylated dextran layer on a gold SPR surface. With the method developed, the lower limit of detection (LOD) for MG is 2.9 ng ml−1 at 25 °C. The biological level for MG reaches 15–30 ng ml−1 in patient blood after myocardial damage. A Langmuir adsorption isotherm describes the binding well. For cTnI, a lower detection limit of 1.4 ng ml−1 was achieved in preliminary tests. cTnI levels are in the range of 1–3 ng ml−1 in patient blood after myocardial damage. The antibody reaction with the carboxymethylated dextran surface was optimized by modifying the reaction pH, the temperature, and the dextran chain length.
Multiple-Target Laser Rangefinding Receiver Using a Silicon Photomultiplier Array

In this paper, a silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) array module is evaluated and implemented as the receiver of laser rangefinding experiments to simultaneously measure the range of multiple targets. The array consists of 4 × 4 SiPMs on a single chip. Each SiPM is followed by a transimpedance amplifier to have an adequate output signal voltage. The 4 × 4 array is capable of measuring the range of 16 targets. A SiPM is an avalanche photodiode that operates in Geiger mode, where a huge multiplication factor, as high as 1000000, is obtainable. Thus, it can achieve high sensitivity. Our performance evaluation results show that the sensitivity of the measured SiPMs actually approaches the quantum limit. The SiPM can detect one single photoelectron in the depletion region. Each SiPM has a large active area, i.e., 8 mm2, and can collect much more returned light compared with typical silicon avalanche photodiodes (Si-APDs). The rise time of output voltage waveforms from SiPMs varies from 6 to 300 ns, depending on incident light power. The rising edges of output waveforms are compared for time measurement. Using a digital oscilloscope, the time of flight can be measured with 1-ns accuracy. This corresponds to a range resolution of 15 cm.
Aligned microcontact printing of micrometer-scale poly-L-Lysine structures for controlled growth of cultured neurons on planar microelectrode arrays

We describe a method for producing high-resolution chemical patterns on surfaces to control the attachment and growth of cultured neurons. Microcontact printing has been extended to allow the printing of /spl mu/m-scale protein lines aligned to an underlying pattern of planar microelectrodes. Poly-L-lysine (PL) lines have been printed on the electrode array for electrical studies on cultured neural networks. Rat hippocampal neurons showed degree of attachment selectivity to the PL and produced neurites that faithfully grew onto the electrode recording sites.
Algebraic design of fuzzy logic controllers

We present a simple and efficient method for designing Takagi-Sugeno-Kang (TSK) [1985] fuzzy compensators that stabilize plants described by TSK fuzzy models. Our approach is based on the polytopic representation of the TSK fuzzy systems in the input-output domain.
Rheological behavior of concentrated colloidal suspensions and dense atomic fluids

Abstract The number density (n) and shear rate (γ) dependence of the viscosity η(n, γ) of concentrated hard-sphere neutral colloidal suspensions, determined very recently experimentally and that of dense soft-sphere atomic fluids, determined by computer simulations, are compared to high reduced shear rates (Peclet numbers) γτ⩽0.6, where τ is an appropriate characteristic time. For both fluids η (n, γ) = η (n, 0) [1 − S(n) (γτ) 1 2 ] , where η (n, γ) = η(n, γ ) η(0,0) is a scaled viscosity and η(n, 0) and S(n) are identical functions of n for both types of fluids.
West Nile Encephalitis: An Emerging Disease in the United States

In 1999, an epidemic of West Nile virus (WNV) encephalitis occurred in New York City (NYC) and 2 surrounding New York counties. Simultaneously, an epizootic among American crows and other bird species occurred in 4 states. Indigenous transmission of WNV had never been documented in the western hemisphere until this epidemic. In 2000, the epizootic expanded to 12 states and the District of Columbia, and the epidemic continued in NYC, 5 New Jersey counties, and 1 Connecticut county. In addition to these outbreaks, several large epidemics of WNV have occurred in other regions of the world where this disease was absent or rare >5 years ago. Many of the WNV strains isolated during recent outbreaks demonstrate an extremely high degree of homology that strongly suggests widespread circulation of potentially epidemic strains of WNV. The high rates of severe neurologic illness and death among humans, horses, and birds in these outbreaks are unprecedented and unexplained. We review the current status of WNV in the United States.
Infection of Laboratory Worker with Bacillus Influenzae

The importance of Pfeiffer's bacillus as a pathogenic organism often associated with respiratory infections is generally recognized. It is a very difficult matter, however, to determine whether the organism is the primary cause of an infection. In measles and whooping cough the organism is unquestionably to be regarded only as a frequent secondary invader. There is a large group of infections diagnosed as colds, sporadic influenza, or epidemic influenza in which it is by no means certain that the organism, when found, is merely a secondary invader as in measles and whooping cough. It is the purpose of this paper to report an accidental infection in which it seems reasonably certain that Pfeiffer's bacillus was the primary etiological agent.
Network-based Home Range Analysis Using Delaunay Triangulation

The home range is the fundamental measurement of fish and wildlife space-use patterns. Kernel density estimation (KDE) is the most widely applied home range estimator, although its poor performance has recently been documented. In this paper, we suggest that KDE is inappropriate for home range estimation, because it assumes Euclidean-based space usage. Because animal space-use patterns show characteristics of network-based movement, we develop a network-based home range estimator. First, we use Delaunay triangulation (DT) to approximate a network of travel paths from a set of animal point locations. Then, we adapt KDE to estimate home ranges as a function of that network. Preliminary results suggest that network-based home range estimation using DT has the potential to improve the way ecologists measure animal space-use patterns.
Respect for autonomy.

To a great extent modern biomedical ethics emerged out of concerns about failures to respect the autonomy of patients and research subjects. Their choices often were not sought or were overridden to benefit them or others. Despite a predictable backlash against the principle of respect for autonomy, it still holds, and should hold, a central place in biomedical ethics in a liberal society in the 1990s. Debate rightly continues about the proper meaning, scope, and strength of the principle. It has been criticized in part because its proponents have often extended it beyond reasonable boundaries and claimed too much weight for it over against other principles and values. Properly interpreted, specified, and weighted, however, it still has a major role to play in modern biomedical ethics, as indicated, for example, by ongoing problems in research ethics. But a major role is not necessarily a dominant or exclusive role. Critics of the principle rightly challenge interpretations that inadequately attend to the self's location in time and community. These themes of time and community are central in several of the following points that require further attention as the role of the autonomy principle in biomedical ethics is reaffirmed but also clarified and perhaps modified. (1) Respect for autonomy is an important moral principle for research, medicine, and health care, alongside other equally important principles. The hard task for biomedical ethics is to determine the principle's range and strength relative to other moral principles in various contexts. On the one hand, it is specified in several moral rules, such as informed consent, privacy, and confidentiality. And further specification is necessary to determine its proper range and scope, especially in relation to other principles. On the other hand, while it is weighty and stringent, it is not absolute. As one among several important principles, it is prima facie binding, but it can be justifiably overridden under some conditions. (2) Respect for an agent's autonomy presupposes an interpretation of the agent's relevant actions and preferences. Too often only an agent's literal statements are admitted into evidence about his or her preferences. However, as persons are complex and the process of communication is complex, it is appropriate to consider the agent's preferences as expressed in a variety of relevant actions, not merely, for example, in signing a consent form, however decisive that may be for legal purposes. (3) Apart from the most dramatic crises, agents' choices in health care most often occur over time. For instance, consent itself is given or withdrawn over time. Hence, it is essential to consider the temporal dimensions of past, present, and future in determining an agent's preferences. (4) Critics sometimes charge that the principle of respect for autonomy is a minimalist standard. They often concentrate on agents' assertions of their own autonomy rights, rather than noting that the principle also generates significant obligations to respect the autonomy of others. …
GLOBECORP: simulation versus tradition

Although simulations and role-plays have been practiced within the confines of different methods, their effectiveness in sustaining a semester-long course of study burdened with institutional assessment had not been tested. A simulation called GLOBECORP was designed to discover the effects of a course syllabus designed exclusively around the method of simulation on the author's English as a second language (ESL) composition students and their progress as measured by mandated testing. The purpose of the study was to gather empirical evidence on the effectiveness of simulations in ESL writing instruction. The measurements of the experimental simulation group on four research instruments were compared with the measurements of a control group in the study. The results of statistical analyses suggest that simulations can be used in ESL writing instruction with the confidence that positive student outcomes will be achieved.
Strong Partition Properties for Infinite Cardinals

The notion of a “partition relation”, as it has been studied in the context of set theory for the past several years, was inspired by the following theorem of F. P. Ramsey [14]: Theorem 0.1. Let n be a positive integer and let {A, B} be a partition of those subsets of the nonnegative integers containing exactly n elements. Then there exists an infinite subset x of the nonnegative integers all of whose n-element subsets are contained in only one of A or B. (Any such set x is said to be “homogeneous” for the partition.)
Structure of the FP domain of Fbxo7 reveals a novel mode of protein–protein interaction

The FP (Fbxo7/PI31) domains found in the F-box protein Fbxo7 and the proteasome inhibitor PI31 mediate the homodimerization and heterodimerization of Fbxo7 and PI31. Fbxo7 is the substrate-recognition subunit of the SCFFbxo7 (Skp1-Cul1-F-box protein) E3 ubiquitin ligase that catalyzes the ubiquitination of hepatoma up-regulated protein (HURP) and inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP). Fbxo7 also interacts with proteins that are not substrates of the ubiquitin proteasome system, such as Cdk6 and PI31. Here, the crystal structure of the Fbxo7 FP domain is reported at 2.0 A resolution. The Fbxo7 FP domain adopts an α/β-fold similar to that of the PI31 FP domain. However, an α-helix and three β-­strands in the Fbxo7 FP domain are longer than their counterparts in the PI31 FP domain. The differences in these secondary-structural elements are spatially clustered to define a more structured and extended C-terminal end of the Fbxo7 FP domain. The two FP domains also differ substantially in the length and conformation of the longest connecting loop. More importantly, structural differences between the two FP domains lead to drastically different modes of inter-domain protein–protein interaction. The inter-domain interface of the Fbxo7 FP domain is defined by the α-­helical surface in one protomer and the β-sheet surface in the other protomer, whereas for the PI31 domain it is defined by either the α-­helical surfaces or the β-sheet surfaces in both protomers. The inter-domain interaction of the Fbxo7 FP domain is much more extensive, featuring a larger contact surface area, better shape complementarity and more hydrophobic and hydrogen-bonding interactions. The Fbxo7 FP domain also has the potential to bind two protein partners simultaneously using the α-helical and β-sheet surfaces. The results of this structural study provide critical insights into how Fbxo7 may dimerize (or multimerize) and interact with other regulatory proteins via the FP domain.
Review: contaminants in heparin: review of the literature, molecular profiling, and clinical implications.

Background: The contaminant isolated from contaminated heparin was oversulfated chondroitin sulfate (OSCS). Other possible contaminants should be evaluated. Methods: Contaminants were isolated from...
Non-operating Room Anesthesia

Every year the number of nonsurgical procedures performed in sites other than the operating room increases, as does the involvement of the anesthesia team in the care of the patients. As more procedures move toward the minimally invasive, the anesthesia team will be faced with providing quality care in potentially unfamiliar areas. Each non-OR site has its own unique anesthetic challenges and can either be secondary to the patient, the procedure, or the location. The change in venue can create technical, communication, and operational difficulties for anesthesiologists. Several closed-claim analyses evaluated complications in anesthetics performed in remote locations versus the operating room. The patients in remote locations were older and sicker with complications occurring most commonly in the endoscopy suite and the cardiology/electrophysiology labs. Those in non-OR sites had higher severity of injury with the most common complication being over sedation. The challenge of non-operating room anesthesia (NORA) is to deliver an anesthetic of the same quality as the operating room, and the best way to approach this is systematically.
Self-Determination and Disability Rights: Lessons From the Women's Movement

The methods employed by the women's rights movement are used in this article as a template for the future growth of the self-determination and disability rights movements. The focus is not on drawing parallels between these movements, but on looking at what specific methods were effective for the women's movement and then applying those methods to the self-determination movement. Specific methods and recommendations fall into 4 categories: academic/theoretical, leadership, political, and economic. The need for more direct involvement of individuals with disabilities in all of these areas is emphasized.
Antibiotic Studies on Beta Hemolytic Streptococci. IV. Penicillin Resistance Induced in Mice and Embryonated Eggs

ConclusionsTwo strains of group A streptococci failed to acquire resistance to penicillin after repeated exposures to sublethal amounts either in embryonated hens’ eggs or in mice. With 2 strains each of group B and C organisms, however, in eggs there was a definite increase in penicillin resistance. In mice this same increase may have occurred, but we failed to demonstrate it through limitations of the method. The increasing penicillin resistance in vivo of the group B and C streptococci was not associated with increasing resistance in vitro.
Climate controls on spatial and temporal variations in the formation of pedogenic carbonate in the western Great Basin of North America

Pedogenic carbonate is common in arid and semiarid soils, and though its stable C and O isotope composition has been shown to reflect local environmental conditions, questions remain about the quantitative nature of this relationship, and the implications for paleoclimate applications. To further address these questions, a climosequence of four Holocene soils in Fish Lake Valley, Nevada (western United States), was instrumented and examined over the course of more than a year. The annual precipitation along the transect ranges from ∼80 mm yr −1 to ∼220 mm yr −1 . Results show that the C and O stable isotope compositions of soil CO 2 , H 2 O, and carbonate change systematically with elevation and climate. However, there was considerable temporal variability in the conditions that affected carbonate isotope values. At the lowest elevation, CO 2 δ 13 C and H 2 O δ 18 O values were similar to that in equilibrium with carbonate nearly year-round. At the midelevation sites, spring through summer CO 2 δ 13 C and H 2 O δ 18 O values appeared to most closely match the δ 13 C and δ 18 O values of pedogenic carbonate. At the highest elevation, the C and O isotopes of carbonate did not reflect the soil CO 2 δ 13 C and H 2 O δ 18 O values measured during the period of study, but they did appear to reflect soil respiration rates during the late spring. The transect shows that arid soil carbonate δ 13 C values strongly reflect variations in soil respiration rates and the resulting concentrations of soil CO 2 . These results also indicate that depth profile sampling may be required to adequately constrain respiration rates, which affect the interpreted atmospheric CO 2 concentrations.
Fouling propensity of a poly(vinylidene fluoride) microfiltration membrane to several model oil/water emulsions

Abstract Laboratory membrane fouling studies are often performed with a single foulant. However, studies comparing the behavior of different foulants using a single membrane are rarely reported. In this study, a poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) microfiltration membrane was challenged with a series of aqueous-based model fouling media, including a suspension of latex beads, as well as soybean, motor and crude oil emulsions, in constant permeate flux fouling experiments. The critical and threshold fluxes were determined for each membrane-foulant pair. Constant permeate flux crossflow fouling experiments were performed at both low and high fluxes. A direct comparison of the fouling propensity of the PVDF membrane to the four fouling media was made. The fouling propensity was evaluated based on threshold flux values and the extent of transmembrane pressure (TMP) increase during constant permeate flux fouling experiments. In this study, the zeta potential of various fouling media correlated with their fouling propensities. The higher the zeta potential, the lower the fouling propensity. The fouling propensity followed the order of: latex beads
Stochastic Optimization Dispatching of Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles in Coordination with Renewable Generation in Distribution Systems

The rapid development of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles(PHEVs) and renewable generation brings new challenges to the secure and economic operation of power systems.A stochastic optimization based dispatching model,capable of accommodating uncertain outputs of PHEVs and renewable generation,is developed.The probability distributions of energy consumption and charging/discharging behaviors of PHEVs are first studied.The probability distributions of the wind and photovoltaic generation outputs are derived assuming that the wind speed follows the Rayleigh distribution and solar irradiance follows the Beta distribution.The mathematical expectations,second order expectations and variances of the power outputs of wind and photovoltaic generation are derived analytically.On this basis,a stochastic optimization dispatching model with the objective of reducing the fluctuations of renewable generation outputs is finally established.The well-established cross-entropy method is employed to solve this optimization problem.The feasibility and efficiency of the dispatching model and the cross-entropy method are demonstrated by a 33-bus distribution system.
Design and control of a fault tolerant soft switching DC-DC converter for high power high voltage applications

DC-DC converters are essential in high power high voltage applications such as HVDC transmission systems. Fault tolerant capability in such applications is highly desired since the cost of shutdown can be high. This paper presents a novel isolated DC-DC converter that can achieve soft switching for all active switches. The converter has an input-parallel-output-series (IPOS) topology, which increases the voltage transfer ratio and provides benefits of modularity, including online redundancy, interleaving capability, etc. The proposed converter offers two levels of fault tolerance: leg-level and module-level. It is also possible to retain soft switching after fault occurrence. The operation principle, design considerations, control strategy, and fault detection and reconfiguration are investigated in this paper. Experimental result verifies the expected normal operation and operation under fault of the proposed converter.
Preservation of Ejaculation Through a Modified Retroperitoneal Lymph Node Dissection in Low Stage Testis Cancer

AbstractWe studied ejaculatory function in 47 patients who underwent modified retroperitoneal lymph node dissection for nonseminomatous germ cell tumors of the testis from 1983 to 1989. Our goal was to assess the effectiveness of a modified node dissection in preserving ejaculatory function while eliminating the risk of retroperitoneal recurrence. There were 13 left and 34 right tumors. Of the patients 45 had clinical stage A cancer, and 2 had clinical stage B2 disease and received preoperative chemotherapy. The template method of dissection was used, which spares the preaortic area below the inferior mesenteric artery, including the sacral promontory. Average operating time was 3hours 40 minutes. There was no operative mortality. Spontaneous recovery of ejaculation occurred in 38 patients (81%), more commonly with right (88%) than with left dissections (62%). The mean interval to recovery of ejaculation was 5 months (92% within 12 months). Five patients (10%) had recurrence, with a mean followup of 28 mo...
UTILIZING DEBT AS A TAX BENEFIT: THE CAPITALIZATION OF U.S. CORPORATIONS AND OWNER SOPHISTICATION

In the United States, income earned by entities operating in corporate form is taxed twice: once at the corporate level when earned and again at the shareholder level when distributed in the form of a dividend. As a result, shareholders have long sought to mitigate the effect of this double taxation. Using data from the U.S. Federal Reserve’s Survey of Small Business Finances for 2003, this study explores the extent to which shareholders of U.S. corporations make use of debt financing to reduce overall tax expense. By looking at firm owners with varying degrees of sophistication operating businesses in both corporate and pass-through form, we demonstrate that more sophisticated owners, particularly those with graduate degrees, make use of this tax planning method more often than others.
Affect, emotion dysregulation and sleep quality among low-income women.

Abstract Objectives To examine the underlying mechanisms through which steady-state emotions, specifically affect and emotion regulation, influence sleep quality among young adult low-income women. Design Cross-sectional. Setting Stress and Health Study (2006-2012) in southeast Texas. Participants A subgroup (n = 392) of racially and ethnically diverse young adult women ages 18-31. Measurements Participants provided measures of positive and negative affect, difficulties in emotion regulation, and sleep quality. Structural equation models were designed to identify differential mediating roles of emotion dysregulation in the association between both positive and negative affect and sleep quality. Results The relationship between positive affect and improved sleep quality operated completely through domains of emotion regulation ( β = −0.054; 95% confidence interval [CI], −0.08 to −0.03), whereas the adverse effects of negative affect exhibited both direct ( β = 0.142; 95% CI, 0.06-0.23) and indirect ( β = 0.124; 95% CI, 0.08-0.16) effects on poor sleep. Negative affect was associated with poor sleep quality via 2 pathways—it directly influenced sleep quality, and it indirectly influenced sleep quality among women experiencing difficulties in emotion regulation. Conclusions Therapies targeting improvement and maintenance of healthy emotion regulation domains, while delineating the positive affect state from the negative affect state, may lessen the burden of poor sleep quality among low-income women.
Comparison of functional residual capacity (FRC) from two multiple breath washout (MBW) systems and body plethysmography

Background: FRC is the volume of air left in lungs after a passive expiration, being influenced by lung compliance, also gas trapping and airway obstruction. Gold standard FRC is obtained using body plethysmography (FRC PLETH ) which captures all of the gas in the thorax. FRC from gas dilution methods (MBW) may be limited to communicating lung units so may be lower than FRC PLETH particularly in disease states. Debate within the field on the ideal MBW method is pertinent so accurate measures of FRC is vital. Methods: MBW trials with N 2 (FRC N2 ) (Exhalyzer D, Ecomedics AG) and SF 6 (FRC SF6 ) (Innocor TM Innovision) were performed on the same day, FRC PLETH was taken from the closest test from 11 Healthy Controls (HC) and 24 CF. Results: FRC was similar in HC with all measuring systems (FRC SF6 2.87 ± 0.48, FRC N2 3.09 ± 0.6, FRC PLETH 2.93 ± 0.49(NS)). However, in CF patients (FEV1% 76.1% ±17.18) FRC N2 was higher than FRC SF6 (p= N2 was similar to FRC PLETH p= >0.05; FRC SF6 was lower than FRC PLETH p= N2 2.41 ± 0.96, FRC SF6 1.89 ± 0.67, FRC PLETH 2.54 ± 0.85 (p= Conclusions: In HC FRC measurements are similar between devices, previous data suggest FRC PLETH should be higher than FRC from MBW but that was not the case here. In CF FRC PLETH is higher than FRC SF6 but not for FRC N2 . Thus, the FRC N2 may be giving a more accurate reflection of FRC than FRC SF6 ; we suggest using N 2 as a washout gas may enable contribution from poorly ventilated areas of lung not obtainable for the larger molecule SF 6 . More investigation is required, particularly where debate amongst MBW techniques is rife.
On the Origin of C4H and CH3OH in Protostellar Envelopes

The formation pathways of different types of organic molecules in protostellar envelopes and other regions of star formation are subjects of intense current interest. We present here observations of C4H and CH3OH, tracing two distinct groups of interstellar organic molecules, toward 16 protostars in the Ophiuchus and Corona Australis molecular clouds. Together with observations in the literature, we present C4H and CH3OH data from single-dish observations of 40 embedded protostars. We nd no correlation between the C4H and CH3OH column densities in this large sample. Based on this lack of correlation, a difference in line proles between C4H and CH3OH, and previous interferometric observations of similar sources, we propose that the emission from these two molecules is spatially separated, with the CH3OH tracing gas that has been transiently heated to high (approx. 70-100 K) temperatures and the C4H tracing the cooler large-scale envelope where CH4 molecules have been liberated from ices. These results provide insight in the differentiation between hot corino and warm carbon-chain chemistry in embedded protostars.
Improving the Safety and Security of Those Engaged in Global Health Traveling Abroad.

We need to improve the safety and security of global health students, faculty, residents, and workers who travel abroad, particularly those affiliated with smaller organizations or educational programs that lack resources and protocols. We offer a checklist covering 6 core elements: (1) institutional commitment, (2) trainee and faculty participation, (3) safety and security assessment and analysis, (4) risk and hazard prevention, (5) safety training, and (6) program evaluation.
María Rostworowski Tovar de Diez Canseco (1915–2016)

Maria Rostworowski, the celebrated Peruvian-Polish historian, died at age 100 on 6 March 2016. She is survived by her daughter, Christina, and her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Rostworowsk...
An overview of current and potential applications of thermal remote sensing in precision agriculture

Abstract Precision agriculture (PA) utilizes tools and technologies to identify in-field soil and crop variability for improving farming practices and optimizing agronomic inputs. Traditionally, optical remote sensing (RS) that utilizes visible light and infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum has been used as an integral part of PA for crop and soil monitoring. Optical RS, however, is slow in differentiating stress levels in crops until visual symptoms become noticeable. Surface temperature is considered to be a rapid response variable that can indicate crop stresses prior to their visual symptoms. By measuring estimates of surface temperature, thermal RS has been found to be a promising tool for PA. Compared to optical RS, applications of thermal RS for PA have been limited. Until recently (i.e., before the advancement of low cost RS platforms such as unmanned aerial systems (UAVs)), the availability of high resolution thermal images was limited due to high acquisition costs. Given recent developments in UAVs, thermal images with high spatial and temporal resolutions have become available at a low cost, which has increased opportunities to understand in-field variability of crop and soil conditions useful for various agronomic decision-making. Before thermal RS is adopted as a routine tool for crop and environmental monitoring, there is a need to understand its current and potential applications as well as issues and concerns. This review focuses on current and potential applications of thermal RS in PA as well as some concerns relating to its application. The application areas of thermal RS in agriculture discussed here include irrigation scheduling, drought monitoring, crop disease detection, and mapping of soil properties, residues and tillage, field tiles, and crop maturity and yield. Some of the issues related to its application include spatial and temporal resolution, atmospheric conditions, and crop growth stages.
Multiple computer-automated structure evaluation model of the plasma protein binding affinity of diverse drugs

A drug protein binding model was constructed on the basis of protein-affinity data for154 drugs. The Multiple Computer-Automated Structure Evaluation program (M-CASE) was used for the construction of the model, which separates the total data set into groups of drugs with common structural features. For each of these groups, a multiparameter Quantitative Structure–Activity Relationship (QSAR) was obtained. The most general structural fragment for all investigated drugs is a part of the phenyl ring. The lipophilicity represented by the octanol–water partition coefficient was also found to be a significant parameter for each local QSAR. The model was shown to be able to predict correctly the percentage of drug bound in plasma for ∼80% of compounds with an average error of only ∼14%.
Perioperative bleeding and blood transfusion are major risk factors for venous thromboembolism following bariatric surgery.

Morbidly obese patients are at increased risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE) after bariatric surgery. Perioperative chemoprophylaxis is used routinely with bariatric surgery to decrease the risk of VTE. When bleeding occurs, routine chemoprophylaxis is often withheld due to concerns about inciting another bleeding event. We sought to evaluate the relationship between perioperative bleeding and postoperative VTE in bariatric surgery. The American College of Surgeons-National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) dataset between 2012 and 2014 was queried to identify patients who underwent bariatric surgery. Gastric bypass (n = 28,145), sleeve gastrectomy (n = 30,080), bariatric revision (n = 324), and biliopancreatic diversion procedures (n = 492) were included. Univariate and multivariate regressions were used to determine perioperative factors predictive of postoperative VTE within 30 days in patients who experience a bleeding complication necessitating transfusion. The rate of bleeding necessitating transfusion was 1.3%. Bleeding was significantly more likely to occur in gastric bypass compared to sleeve gastrectomy (1.6 vs. 1.0%) (p < 0.0001). For all surgeries, increased age, length of stay, operative time, and comorbidities including hypertension, dyspnea with moderate exertion, partially dependent functional status, bleeding disorder, transfusion prior to surgery, ASA class III/IV, and metabolic syndrome increased the perioperative bleeding risk (p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed that the rate of VTE was significantly higher after blood transfusion [Odds Ratio (OR) = 4.7; 95% CI 2.9–7.9; p < 0.0001). Predictive risk factors for VTE after transfusion included previous bleeding disorder, ASA class III or IV, and COPD (p < 0.05). Bariatric surgery patients who receive postoperative blood transfusion are at a significantly increased risk for VTE. The etiology of VTE in those who are transfused is likely multifactorial and possibly related to withholding chemoprophylaxis and the potential of a hypercoagulable state induced by the transfusion. In those who bleed, consideration should be given to reinitiating chemoprophylaxis when safe, extending treatment after discharge, and screening ultrasound.
Object identification from parallel light stripes

In this paper, an algorithm for identifying an object from a set of known objects is presented and justified. The novelty of this algorithm, called Mask, for object identification is in its use of three-dimensional data which has been obtained from projection of parallel laser light planes. The knowledge that laser light planes are parallel to each other allows automatic discovery of two constraints from the three-dimensional data. The first constraint is based on colinearity between various points and the second constraint on coplanarity between various segments of the three-dimensional data. These automatically derived constraints, then, are used by Mask in a tree search algorithm for object identification. Mask has been implemented in Prolog and sample applications to various objects are presented.
Target Visualization at the National Ignition Facility

As the National Ignition Facility continues its campaign to achieve ignition, new methods and tools will be required to measure the quality of the targets used to achieve this goal. Techniques have been developed to measure target surface features using a phase-shifting diffraction interferometer and Leica Microsystems confocal microscope. Using these techniques we are able to produce a detailed view of the shell surface, which in turn allows us to refine target manufacturing and cleaning processes. However, the volume of data produced limits the methods by which this data can be effectively viewed by a user. This paper introduces an image-based visualization system for data exploration of target shells at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. It aims to combine multiple image sets into a single visualization to provide a method of navigating the data in ways that are not possible with existing tools.
Immigrant Out-Groups and Voting against Free Trade

Resistance to trade and demands for protectionist policy can derive from social as well as economic factors. A sense of cultural threat surrounding immigrants, especially immigrants visibly from gr...