cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Distribution and Density of Clostridium difficile Toxin Receptors on the Intestinal Mucosa of Neonatal Pigs

Clostridium difficile is an enteric pathogen affecting a variety of mammals, but it has only recently been diagnosed as a cause of neonatal typhlocolitis in pigs. The most important virulence factors of C. difficile are 2 large exotoxins, toxin A (TcdA) and toxin B (TcdB). TcdA is a potent enterotoxin with effects on host tissues that are dependent upon receptor-mediated endocytosis of the intact toxin. TcdB is an effective cytotoxin, but it apparently does not bind receptors on intact mucosal epithelium. TcdB is much less toxic in vivo unless there is underlying damage to the mucosa, and it is not essential for the virulence of C. difficile. One hypothesis to explain the resistance of most species as neonates (e.g., humans and hamsters) is that they may lack significant numbers of TcdA receptors. The susceptibility of neonatal pigs suggests cells of the gastrointestinal mucosa express sufficient numbers of toxin receptors for lesion development. Immunohistochemical (IHC) assays documented specific binding of TcdA, but not TcdB, to the epithelium of the small and large intestine. The carbohydrate Galalpha1-3beta1-4GlcNAc-R has been described as an important receptor for TcdA. However, IHC indicated a distribution on cell surfaces much different from that of TcdA binding, suggesting a specific interaction of toxin with an alternative receptor.
4.25 Gb/s laser driver: design challenges and EDA tool limitations

This paper describes the design methodology, simulation, and tools used to design a 4.25 Gb/s high output swing laser driver (LD) and the electrical to optical interface from the LD to the laser diode. The quality of the optical output of a fiber optic communication channel is mainly determined by the LD and the electrical interface from the LD to the laser diode. Of particular importance in the interface is how well the LD overcomes the impact of the parasitic, resistive, capacitive, and inductive elements associated with the bondpad, bondwires, package, PCB transmission lines, passive components, and laser diode and its bondwires. The EDA tools used to model the electrical parasitics focus on RF and microwave applications and provide high frequency S-parameter models. This environment requires a stable time domain model of the electrical to optical interface. The presented LD integrated circuit operates from 155 Mb/s to 4.25 Gb/s with rise and fall times of 70 ps or less and a wide output voltage range, and a modulation current range of 5 mA to 85 mA.
List of Stored-Product Insects Found in Imported Foods Entering United States at Southern California Ports

Of 902 samples of food offered for entry into the United States at southern California ports over a one-year period 100 were infested with stored-product insects. The 37 species of insects that were found are listed along with the countries of origin and foods infested.
Pelomyxa palustris Greeff. I. Cultivation and general observations

SUMMARY. A rich source of supply of Pelomyxa palustris has recently been found. The findings and views of previous investigators on the geographical and seasonal distribution, longevity in the laboratory and reproduction of this organism are reviewed and discussed. Clone and mass cultures were successfully obtained in Carrel flasks with Spirogyra as food. Feeding is an extremely slow process so that this Pelomyxa is incapable of capturing and ingesting actively motile organisms under ordinary circumstances. Multiplication is solely by simple or multiple plasmotomy.
Beam diffusion measurements at RHIC

During a store, particles from the beam core continually diffuse outwards into the halo through a variety of mechanisms. Understanding the diffusion rate as a function of particle amplitude can help discover which processes are important to halo growth. A collimator can be used to measure the amplitude growth rate as a function of the particle amplitude. In this paper we present results of diffusion measurements performed at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) with fully stripped gold ions, deuterons, and protons. We compare these results with measurements from previous years, and simulations, and discuss any factors that relate to beam growth in RHIC.
A Multiclass Model Observer for Multislice-Multiview Images

A human-model observer for tumor detection-localization studies featuring multislice-multiview (or volumetric) image displays has been introduced. This volumetric observer, an extension of multiclass linear observers previously tested with single-slice and multislice displays, produces rating and localization data by integrating perception measurements from the different image views. A channelized NPW (CNPW) version of the observer was evaluated against humans for a background-known-exactly (BKE) detection task involving localization of Tc-99m Neotect lesions in simulated SPECT lung images. An LROC study evaluated two RBI reconstruction strategies that used different combinations of corrections for attenuation, scatter, and distance-dependent system resolution, and coronal, sagittal, and transverse slices were presented to the observers. Model-observer ranking of these strategies did not match that of the humans. Follow-up studies exploring several possible remedies for the model observer, including strategy-specific search regions and an internal-noise mechanism, showed little change. Future work will examine variations from the BKE assumption as a means of reconciling the rankings.
Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ac and Cry1Fa δ-endotoxin binding to a novel 110 kDa aminopeptidase in Heliothis virescens is not N-acetylgalactosamine mediated

We determined that Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ac and Cry1Fa δ-endotoxins recognize the same 110, 120 and 170 kDa aminopeptidase N (APN) molecules in brush border membrane vesicles (BBMV) from Heliothis virescens. The 110 kDa protein, not previously identified as an APN, contained a variant APN consensus sequence identical to that found in Helicoverpa punctigeraAPN 2. PCR amplification of H. virescens cDNA based on this sequence and a conserved APN motif yielded a 0.9 kb product that has 89% sequence homology with H. punctigera APN 2. Western blots revealed that the 110 kDa molecule was not recognized by soybean agglutinin, indicating the absence of GalNAc. A 125 I labeled-Cry1Ac domain III mutant ( 509 QNR 511 -AAA) that has an altered GalNAc binding pocket (Lee et al., Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 65 (1999) 4513) showed abolished binding to the 120 APN, reduced binding to the 170 kDa APN, and enhanced binding to the 110 kDa APN. Periodate treated H. virescens BBMV blots were also probed with 125 I labeled-Cry1Ac and 509 QNR 511 -AAA toxins. Both toxins still recognized the 110 kDa APN and a 210 kDa molecule which may be a cadherin-like protein. Additionally, 125 I- 509 QNR 511 -AAA recognized periodate treated 170 kDa APN. Results indicate that the 110 kDa APN is distinct from other Cry1 toxin binding APNs and may be the first described Cry1Ac
Effect of Turbulator Width and Spacing on the Thermal Performance of Angled Ribs in a Rectangular Channel (AR = 3:1)

The thermal performance is measured in a rectangular channel (AR = 3:1) with rib turbulators oriented at 45° to the mainstream flow. Ribs are placed on one of the wide walls, while heat transfer coefficients are also measured on a single smooth, narrow wall. The heat transfer enhancement is combined with the frictional losses to evaluate the benefit of turbulator width. Square ribs (w/e = 1) with a rib pitch–to–height (P/e) ratio of 8 serves as the baseline configuration. The rib width, w, is varied while the rib height, e, remains constant. Rib aspect ratios (w/e) of 1, 2, 3, and 4 are considered. In addition, the distance between the ribs is varied to consider the combined effect of rib width and rib spacing. As the width of the ribs is changing, the physical distance between the ribs, l , is varied, and four rib spacings are considered (l /e = 2.6, 6.6 [baseline corresponding to P/e = 8], 10.6, and 14.6). The thermal performance is measured in the 3:1 channel at Reynolds numbers of 10000, 30000, 50000, and 70000. Results indicate increasing the rib width is effective to increase the thermal performance of a cooling passage. However, the rib width and spacing must be varied in conjunction with one another to optimize the thermal performance.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
The Impact of Medical Interpreter Services on the Quality of Health Care: A Systematic Review:

Twenty-one million Americans are limited in English proficiency (LEP), but little is known about the effect of medical interpreter services on health care quality. A systematic literature review was conducted on the impact of interpreter services on quality of care. Five database searches yielded 2,640 citations and a final database of 36 articles, after applying exclusion criteria. Multiple studies document that quality of care is compromised when LEP patients need but do not get interpreters. LEP patients’ quality of care is inferior, and more interpreter errors occur with untrained ad hoc interpreters. Inadequate interpreter services can have serious consequences for patients with mental disorders. Trained professional interpreters and bilingual health care providers positively affect LEP patients’ satisfaction, quality of care, and outcomes. Evidence suggests that optimal communication, patient satisfaction, and outcomes and the fewest interpreter errors occur when LEP patients have access to trained professional interpreters or bilingual providers.
Social Change and Ethnic Nationalism: An Historical Analysis of the Separatist Movement in Quebec

Linguistic conflict between French and English-speaking Canadians has been an enduring feature of Canadian society since the British conquest of New France (Quebec) in 1759. This conflict has taken a variety of forms and revolved around a number of issues in the past two hundred years, ranging from the question of religious and linguistic civil rights to economic inequality and economic dominance. The latest and most significant manifestation of English-French conflict has been the emergence in the mid-1960s of a viable movement for political independence for the predominantly French-speaking province of Quebec.
Sequence selectivity of macrolide-induced translational attenuation

The prevailing “plug-in-the-bottle” model suggests that macrolide antibiotics inhibit translation by binding inside the ribosome tunnel and indiscriminately arresting the elongation of every nascent polypeptide after the synthesis of six to eight amino acids. To test this model, we performed a genome-wide analysis of translation in azithromycin-treated Staphylococcus aureus. In contrast to earlier predictions, we found that the macrolide does not preferentially induce ribosome stalling near the 5′ end of mRNAs, but rather acts at specific stalling sites that are scattered throughout the entire coding region. These sites are highly enriched in prolines and charged residues and are strikingly similar to other ligand-independent ribosome stalling motifs. Interestingly, the addition of structurally related macrolides had dramatically different effects on stalling efficiency. Our data suggest that ribosome stalling can occur at a surprisingly large number of low-complexity motifs in a fashion that depends only on a few arrest-inducing residues and the presence of a small molecule inducer.
Brazil and the Politics of the Climate Change Negotiations

This article describes Brazil's role in the negotiations of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Brazil has a large stake in the climate change issue because some of its national economic, social, and security interests are contingent on the growth of its energy sector and development of the Amazon region. Section one provides an overview of the ongoing climate change negotiations. Section two provides background on Brazil's greenhouse gas emissions, which stem primarily from deforestation of the Amazon. Section three describes Brazil's interests and negotiating positions with respect to three key issues: (a) emissions-reduction responsibilities; (b) protocol mechanisms; and (c) land-use change and forestry. The concluding section will then assess Brazil's contributions in terms of both achieving an accord that will slow global warming and promoting Brazilian national interests.
Immunotherapy-induced Leukoderma from Treatment of Melanoma with IL-2: A Case Report and a Review of the Literature

Melanoma-associated leukoderma (MAL) is a relatively uncommon phenomenon in the literature that can present (1) before melanoma detection, (2) after detection and before treatment, and (3) after treatment with immunotherapeutic agents. We report a case of MAL in an 83-year-old man after treatment with high dose IL-2 for metastatic melanoma and further describe the literature of the underlying mechanisms behind it that involve the immune system. Cytotoxic CD8+ T cells are thought the mediate the process at a cellular level. Self-antigens (e.g. MART-1/2, gp100, tyrosinase) have been presented on the surface of both normal and malignant melanocytes and mediate the development of MAL after cytotoxic CD8+ T cells attack both cell types. Autoimmune manifestations have a positive effect on tumor immunity, with patients at stage III and stage IV melanoma showing a better prognosis after leukoderma development. In addition, immunotherapy induced leukoderma has been associated with a higher therapeutic response rate. Recently, newer immuno-therapeutic drugs, such as vemurafenib and ipilimumab, have been associated with leukoderma as a side effect.
Cardioprotection with κ-opioid receptor stimulation is associated with a slowing of cross-bridge cycling

Opioid and α-adrenergic receptor activation protect the heart from ischemic damage. One possible intracellular mechanism to explain this is that an improvement in ATP availability contributes to ca...
Flap lift and photorefractive keratectomy enhancements after primary laser in situ keratomileusis using a wavefront-guided ablation profile: Refractive and visual outcomes.

Purpose To analyze results of wavefront-guided laser vision correction retreatments performed either by lifting the original flap or by surface ablation over the flap. Setting Optical Express, Glasgow, United Kingdom. Design Retrospective case series. Methods This retrospective study included patients grouped according to whether they had flap lift enhancement or photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) performed over the LASIK flap. All retreatment procedures were performed with the Visx Star S4 IR excimer laser with wavefront-guided ablation profile derived from the iDesign aberrometer. Visual acuities, refractive outcomes, vector analysis of refractive cylinder and complications were analyzed in this study. The results of the last available clinical visit are presented. Results This retrospective study included 290 eyes of 202 patients divided into 2 groups: 119 eyes that had flap lift enhancement (Group A), and 171 eyes in which photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) was performed over the LASIK flap (Group B). The mean follow-up was 4.0 ± 1.9 months in Group A and 4.2 ± 1.6 in Group B. The mean postoperative manifest spherical equivalent was −0.01 ± 0.35 D and +0.06 ± 0.39 D in Groups A and B, respectively. The percentage of eyes with postenhancement UDVA 20/20 or better was 87.4% in Group A and 79.5 % in Group B ( P = .09). In Group A, 22 eyes (18.5%) developed epithelial ingrowth, of which surgical intervention was required in 2 eyes (1.7%). Grade 1 or less haze was noted in 9 (5.3%) eyes in Group B, and resolved in all cases within the first 6 postoperative months. Conclusion Both retreatment techniques were considered to be effective, predictable, and safe. Financial Disclosure Steven C Schallhorn MD is a consultant to Abbott Medical Optics and Zeiss, and Global Medical Director for Optical Express. None of the other authors have a financial or proprietary interest in the products and materials presented in this paper.
Effect of dietary vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) on colon carcinogenesis induced by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine in male Fischer 344 rats

This study examined the effect of increasing dietary vitamin D on chemically induced colon carcinogenesis. Male Fischer 344 rats were first injected with 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (200 mg/kg) and then fed one of five dietary levels of vitamin D as cholecalciferol (250, 1,000, 2,000, 4,000, and 10,000 IU/kg diet) for nine months. Dietary vitamin D3 had no effect on weight gain. Plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 levels were similar for the 1,000 and 2,000 IU/kg groups but varied in a dose-related manner for the other groups. Vitamin D did not significantly alter the tumor incidence in either the distal or the proximal colon. No significant differences in the labeling index were found in either the proximal or the distal colon. Within the distal colon, the proliferative zone increased in a dose-related manner. Distribution of labeled cells within the crypt compartments was not affected by dietary vitamin D. Bone and serum minerals in general were unaffected by dietary vitamin D. This study shows that, at this level of dietary calcium, vitamin D did not affect 1,2-dimethylhydrazine-induced colon carcinogenesis.
A (Relatively) Simple Method to Visualize Single Molecules

Fluorescence microscopy can be used to study certain single molecules in solution or attached to a surface. Two conflicting challenges to overcome are: (1) to image freely moving molecules for long times and (2) to image immobilized single molecules when there is a highly fluorescent background. The fact that these two goals are inversely related is illustrated by epifluorescence, which is good for observing freely diffusing molecules but poor for detecting single molecules, whereas the reverse is true for zero-mode waveguides. Plus, these and other techniques require elaborate (read: expensive) equipment with computerized controls. Sabrina Leslie, Alexander Fields, and Adam Cohen have developed an ingenious (relatively) simple technique that can image freely moving single molecules.
Secondary Aortoesophageal Fistula Associated With Aneurysmal Graft Infection by Coxiella burnetii

Aortoesophageal fistula is a rare and serious condition that carries a high mortality rate. We present a case of overt gastrointestinal bleeding from an aortoesophageal fistula in a patient with chronic infection of an endovascular prosthesis with Coxiella burnetii.
Mechanism of emotion regulation on TMT decision-making process:Based on quasi-experimental field study

In recent years,researchers are paying much more attention to the impact of emotion on human cognitive process,especially the effects of emotion on the decision-making process. The study aims to sort out the relevant theories of emotion and decision-making,then,based on psychological cognition and Top Management Team( TMT) theories,build a research model to discover the influence mechanism of emotion regulation on TMT decision-making process. The quasi-experiment method was employed to simulate the reality and test the research model. This article provides referential research ideas and experimental methods for future studies.
Fast Prediction Method for Multi-Machine System Transient Instability Based on Wide Area Trajectory Information

The construction of wide area dynamic information system and development of synchronous phasor measuring technology provide material base for real-time monitoring and prediction of power system transient stability.The correctness and effectiveness of control measures can be noticeably improved by means of adopting wide area dynamic trajectory information to coordinate and decide the implemention of emergency control for whole power network.Based on the geometric features of trajectory a method to identify transient instability of multi-machine system is proposed,and the correctness of the proposed method is verified by transient energy function of structure preserving model.Results of calculation examples show that the proposed method is more reliable while less calculation amount is needed;the proposed method possesses stronger robustness for parameters of system model,so it could be applied as the start-up criterion of power system transient stability emergency control based on new generation of wider-area measurement system(WAMS).
On the Popularization of Broadcasting and TV in the Rural Area

People in the rural area urgently request that all the families can receive broadcasting and TV programs. The popularization of broadcasting and TV in the rural area is a great project of political and economical significance. In order to fulfill the project, we should plan scientifically and gather social capital by employing market economy methods. Moreover, the function of the rural broadcasting and TV station should be transformed.
An Assessment of the Asphalt Shingle Roofing Process for Residential Buildings

Abstract Asphalt shingle roofing is performed by specialty contractors in the construction industry with the roofing crew performing tasks in different areas on the roof simultaneously. While asphalt shingle roofing materials have improved, the roofing construction process has not changed significantly over the past 70 years. This paper describes the process, factors that affect the productivity of the workers, and methods for calculating productivity in terms of man-hours worked and cost per unit output. Safety is also a concern in roofing. While falls from roofs are a major cause of injuries on the construction job site, other injuries common to roofers include sprains and strains to the back, knees and ankles. The trend of constructing steep roofs, common in Texas high end residential homes, are implicated in these injuries. Safety plans and worker safety climate are low priorities for financially strapped construction companies. Designing out the hazard would be more effective than Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in preventing accidents in the roofing industry. The paper concludes that research and development are needed to improve roofing construction methods to provide a safe and healthy environment for the worker and reduce costs of construction.
Every Dollar Counts: In Defense of the Education Department's "Supplement Not Supplant" Proposal

Evidence compellingly demonstrates — as Congress famously recognized in Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) — that, in order to succeed in school, low-income children require more educational resources than other students. Yet, a half century later, many school districts continue to spend dramatically less on their high-poverty schools than on those more privileged. Districts do this by permitting their most experienced and highly salaried teachers to opt into schools with more privileged students, then failing to count teacher salaries in school funding comparisons, disguising the fact that Title I schools with less experienced, lower salaried teachers spend less on instruction than schools with more advantaged populations.To remedy this, the Department recently proposed a regulation requiring districts to account for all aspects of local funding in demonstrating compliance with the longstanding requirement that they use Title I funds to supplement and not to supplant local funds. Not surprisingly, the regulation has met stiff resistance from actors with partisan interests in maintaining the status quo. More troubling, the non-partisan Congressional Research Service (“CRS”) has added a seemingly show-stopping legal objection: that the proposed regulation so clearly contravenes the ESEA that it might not deserve Chevron deference.This paper argues that the CRS Report is clearly wrong. The Education Department has crafted a reasonable regulation that adopts a long-established and well-respected strategy for identifying actions taken pursuant to an unlawful motive. Although partisans may object to making districts choose between using dollars currently spent on more privileged children to more adequately fund low-income schools, or forsaking federal dollars, that is the choice to which the law in existence for decades puts districts.
Methods of Non-a-Amino Acid Synthesis

Functional Group Exchanges Reactions with Ammonia, Amines, or Amine Surrogates Conversion of Carbonyl Compounds to Amines Refunctionalization to Generate Carboxyl Groups Refunctionalization of Amino Acids Specialized Methods Cyclic Precursors From Lactams or Imides From Ketones From Lactones and Anhydrides From Heterocycles Diels-Alder Strategies Conjugate Addition Reactions Ammonia and Amine Nucleophiles Carbon Nucleophiles Enolate Anion and Related Reactions Acid, Ester, and Malonate Enolate Anion Reactions Nitrile Enolate Anions Nitroalkane Enolate Anions Mukaiyama Type Condensations Condensation Reactions Involving Organozinc Intermediates Ylid Reactions Diastereoselective and Enantioselective Syntheses alpha-Amino Acid Templates Non-alpha-Amino Acid Templates Synthesis From Other Starting Materials Transformations Using Carbohydrates as Chiral Templates Enzymatic Transformations Biologically Important Amino Acids Peptides and Proteins ss-Alanine and Aminopropanoic Acid Compounds GABA and Related Compounds GABOB and Carnitine DAVA (Ava) and Ahx Statine and Related Compounds Other Biologically Important Amino Acid Derivatives Non-alpha-Amino Acids in Catalysis Aminocyclic and Heterocyclic Amino Acids Aminocycloalkylcarboxylic Acids From Cyclic Precursors From Aromatic Precursors From Cyclic Ketones Cycloaddition Strategies Heteroatom Cyclic Amino Acids Index
Polynomial decay to equilibrium for the Becker-Döring equations

This paper studies rates of decay to equilibrium for the Becker-Doring equations with subcritical initial data. In particular, polynomial rates of decay are established when initial perturbations of equilibrium have polynomial moments. This is proved by using new dissipation estimates in polynomially weighted ` spaces, operator decomposition techniques from kinetic theory, and interpolation estimates from the study of travelling waves.
Incidence Rates of Pediatric Pseudotumor Cerebri

Twenty nine cases of pseudotumor cerebri were identified in a retrospective study of records of 205,765 children aged 2-15 years presenting between 1979 and 1994 at the IWK Grace Health Centre, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada.
Restriction of Hecke Eigenforms to Horocycles

We prove a sharp upper bound on the L2-norm of Hecke eigenforms restricted to a horocycle, as the weight tends to infinity.
Adsorption, Assembly, and Oligomerization of Aspartic Acid on Pd(111)

The surface chemistry of l-aspartic acid is studied on Pd(111) in ultrahigh vacuum using reflection absorption infrared spectroscopy (RAIRS) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) as a function of sample temperature and coverage. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations are carried out to supplement the experimental results. At low temperatures, the dominant surface species was found to be monoaspartate species at all the experimental coverages. The monoaspartate species undergo extensive intermolecular hydrogen-bonding interactions and form extended two-dimensional ordered structures, forming either a honeycomb pattern or linear-row structures. At room temperature, aspartic acid undergoes a self-polymerization reaction to form oligosuccinimide networks, although some individual monoaspartate species are also observed.
Diel Shifts in Microhabitat Selection of Steelhead and Coho Salmon Fry

AbstractDiel shifts in habitat selection of newly emerged steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss and Coho Salmon O. kisutch fry were investigated in three northern California coastal watersheds. Steelhead and Coho Salmon fry occupied shallow water near stream margins during both day and night; however, the proportion of fry within 0.5 m of the stream margin increased from 6% during the day to 44% at night. Similarly, the proportion of fry in 10 cm of water or less increased from 26% during the day to 76% at night. Reductions in depth and distance to stream margins were significant at all sites, suggesting that these behaviors are common attributes for steelhead and Coho Salmon fry in this region. These results also suggest that newly emerged fry are potentially vulnerable to becoming stranded due to reductions in stream stage and water surface area, particularly at night. Although our observations were undertaken to better understand the risks to salmonids from vineyard water use for frost protection, the results ...
Application of the Advanced Distillation Curve Method to the Comparison of Diesel Fuel Oxygenates: 2,5,7,10-Tetraoxaundecane, 2,4,7,9-Tetraoxadecane, and Ethanol/Fatty Acid Methyl Ester Mixtures

Although they are among the most efficient engine types, compression-ignition engines have difficulties achieving acceptable particulate emission and NOx formation. Indeed, catalytic after-treatment of diesel exhaust has become common, and current efforts to reformulate diesel fuels have concentrated on the incorporation of oxygenates into the fuel. One of the best ways to characterize changes to a fuel upon the addition of oxygenates is to examine the volatility of the fuel mixture. In this work, we present the volatility, as measured by the advanced distillation curve method, of a prototype diesel fuel with novel diesel fuel oxygenates: 2,5,7,10-tetraoxaundecane (TOU), 2,4,7,9-tetraoxadecane (TOD), and ethanol/fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) mixtures. We present the results for the initial boiling behavior and the distillation curve temperatures and track the oxygenates throughout the distillations. These diesel fuel blends have several interesting thermodynamic properties that have not been seen in our ...
Structural and electrical characterization of silicon supersaturated with gold by pulsed laser melting of nanometer-thick gold films

Raman spectroscopy and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry reveal that the thickness of a gold film deposited on silicon influences resolidification after pulsed-laser melting, giving rise to surface morphologies not observed with ion-implanted and laser-melted silicon. As film thickness approaches 5nm, these morphologies dominate the electrical behavior.
Voltage domain correction technique for timing skew errors in time interleaved ADCs

A voltage domain correction technique is proposed to mitigate the timing skew errors in time interleaved (TI) analog to digital converters (ADCs). The proposed technique exploits the fact that any timing skew in the sampling edge of a clock results in a corresponding error in sampled voltage that propagates through the ADC. The technique intends to cancel this voltage error by applying a correction voltage at the input sampling network in a TI-ADC. The effectiveness of the technique is demonstrated by using behavioral models of a 14-bit 500MS/s 2 channel TI-pipelined-ADC.
ARE WORKERS WILLING TO PAY TO JOIN A BETTER TEAM

Using data from the Major League Baseball free‐agent market, this study is the first to show that the productivity expected of the team a worker will join produces a significant, negative compensating wage differential. The younger workers in the sample drive this result, trading 25% of their wages to join teams with an expected productivity one standard deviation higher. This investment can be recouped if a reasonable increase in human capital occurs. These results are robust to contract length‐wage simultaneity and indicate that investment in human capital motivates the observed tradeoff, suggesting a new pathway through which human capital accumulation can affect wages. Reliable measures of workers' own past productivity and the productivity expected of a worker's future team provide key advantages to identifying these effects. (JEL J31, J24, M54)
Shortened-Duration Tacrolimus after Nonmyeloablative, HLA-Haploidentical Bone Marrow Transplantation

Abstract With post-transplantation cyclophosphamide (PTCy) as graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis, nonmyeloablative HLA-haploidentical (NMA haplo) and HLA-matched blood or marrow transplantation (BMT) have comparable outcomes. Early discontinuation of immunosuppression may reduce the risk of relapse and improve immune reconstitution, but may increase the risk of GVHD. We conducted a prospective trial of NMA haplo BMT for patients with hematologic malignancies (median age, 61 years), evaluating the safety of early discontinuation of tacrolimus. All patients received T cell-replete bone marrow followed by high-dose PTCy, mycophenolate mofetil, and tacrolimus. Tacrolimus was prespecified to stop without taper at day +90, +60, or +120, contingent on having ≥5% donor T cells, no relapse, and no grade II-IV acute or significant chronic GVHD. Safety stopping rules were based on ≥5% graft failure, ≥10% nonrelapse mortality (NRM), or a ≥20% combined incidence of severe acute and chronic GVHD from the tacrolimus stop date through day +180. Of the 47 patients in the day +90 arm, 23 (49%) stopped tacrolimus as planned. Of the 55 patients in the day +60 arm, 38 (69%) stopped as planned. Safety stopping criteria were not met. In both arms, at day +180, the probability of grade II-IV acute GVHD was
Are Client Satisfaction Surveys Useful? Evidence from Matched Facility and Household Data in Madagascar

Client satisfaction surveys in developing countries are increasingly being promoted as a means of understanding health care quality and the demand for these services. However, concerns have been raised about the reliability of responses in such surveys: for example, 'courtesy bias' may lead clients, especially if interviewed upon exiting clinics, to provide misleadingly favorable responses. This study uses unique data from Madagascar to investigate these and other issues. Identical questions about satisfaction with local health care centers were asked in user exit surveys and in a population based household survey; the latter would be less contaminated by courtesy bias as well as changes in provider behavior in response to being observed. We find strong evidence that reported satisfaction is biased upward in exit surveys for subjective questions regarding (for example) treatment by staff and consultation quality, but is not biased for relatively objective questions about facility condition and supplies. The surveys do provide useful information on the determinants of consumer satisfaction with various dimensions of provider quality. Still, to obtain reliable estimates of consumer perceptions of health service quality, household based sampling appears to be far superior to the simpler exit survey method.
Performance Excellence: The Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award Criteria

The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA) recognizes U.S. companies that excel in quality management practices and performance excellence. The Baldrige Award does not exist simply to recognize product excellence, nor does it exist for the purpose of “winning.” Its principal focus is on promoting high-performance management practices throughout the economy that lead to customer satisfaction and business results. The award promotes the awareness of quality as an increasingly important element in competitiveness, an understanding of the requirements for performance excellence, and sharing of information on successful quality management practices and the benefits derived from implementation of these strategies. Up to two companies can receive a Baldrige Award in each of the categories of manufacturing, small business, and service. In 1995, pilot programs in education and health care were instituted. See Table 2 for a list of award winners. This article describes the following award winners: ADAC Laboratories; Trident Precision Machining; and others.
The Significance of Incidental Findings on Computed Tomography of the Chest.

Abstract Background Computed tomography (CT) of the chest has replaced lung scans and pulmonary angiography as the criterion standard for the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE). Most of these examinations are negative for PE, but they frequently have incidental findings that may require further evaluation. Objective In order to examine common incidental findings and their possible clinical ramifications and required workup, we reviewed data from relevant studies in which chest CTs were performed and incidental findings discovered. Discussion The most common incidental findings on chest CT are pulmonary nodules and lymph nodes. Nodules are significantly more commonly found in smokers and are also more likely to be malignant in smokers. The recently updated 2017 Fleischner Society recommendations provide guidance to clinicians in deciding which nodules should be further evaluated. Enlarged lymph nodes similarly represent potential malignancy and most will need further evaluation with positron emission tomography scans or by transbronchial needle aspiration. Conclusions Enlarged lymph nodes and pulmonary nodules are both common incidental findings on chest CT. Each represents the potential for malignancy, and under certain conditions requires additional workup and further evaluation. The majority will be benign, even in high-risk populations. However, because of the increasing prevalence of the chest CT and the frequency with which incidental findings will be seen, it is important that the emergency physician be aware of common features and recommended subsequent evaluation.
Design and Evaluation of Haptic Constraints for Laparoscopic Instrument Handling

Learning and mastering laparoscopic skills is an involved and complicated process, especially in the case of pediatric surgery due to extremely fragile tissues and small spaces. Given these constraints, precise, controlled, and gentle laparoscopic tool motions are essential. Proper handling and ergonomics of laparoscopic tool handling are often overlooked when training novice surgeons. Novice surgeons tend to overgrip the tool, which may lead to applying excessive amounts of force and potential surgical complications. We have developed two constraint mechanisms to enable proper tool handling: one mechanism is a passive kinematic constraint which physically prevents the user from over-gripping the tool. The second mechanism operates under dynamic resistive control. An elastic silicone membrane, secured by a hard plastic clip to the finger loop of the laparoscopic tool, actively resists the user's overgrip. These constraint devices were tested in a series of human subject studies with novice learners. The resulting data shows a both a significant reduction in over-grip and overall task completion time when using the passive constraint. The left index, right middle, and right ring fingers are shown to have the least amount of over-grip, as well as the lowest time of non-contact with the tool, indicating the importance of these fingers for laparoscopic tool control.
Texture Analysis of Imaging: What Radiologists Need to Know

OBJECTIVE. Radiologic texture is the variation in image intensities within an image and is an important part of radiomics. The objective of this article is to discuss some parameters that affect th...
Vortex-induced vibration of a linearly sprung cylinder with an internal rotational nonlinear energy sink in turbulent flow

We computationally investigate flow past a three-dimensional linearly sprung cylinder undergoing vortex-induced vibration (VIV) transverse to the free stream and equipped with an internal dissipative rotational nonlinear energy sink (NES). The rotational NES consists of a line mass allowed to rotate at constant radius about the cylinder axis, with linearly damped rotational motion. We consider a value of the Reynolds number ($$\textit{Re}=10{,}000$$, based on the cylinder diameter and free-stream velocity) at which flow past a linearly sprung cylinder with no NES is three-dimensional and fully turbulent. For this $$\textit{Re}$$ value, we show that the rotational NES is capable of passively harnessing a substantial amount of kinetic energy from the rectilinear motion of the cylinder, leading to a significant suppression of cylinder oscillation and a nearly twofold reduction in drag. The results presented herein are of practical significance since they demonstrate a novel passive mechanism for VIV suppression and drag reduction in a high-$$\textit{Re}$$ bluff body flow, and lay down the groundwork for designing nonlinear energy sinks with a view to enhancing the performance of VIV-induced power generation in marine currents.
Androgen receptor immunohistochemistry in salivary duct carcinoma: a retrospective study of 188 cases focusing on tumoral heterogeneity and temporal concordance

Salivary duct carcinoma (SDC) is a high-grade salivary gland carcinoma that is associated with frequent metastasis and poor outcome. Androgen receptor (AR) immunoexpression in SDC is reported in 69% to 100% of SDC. Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) has shown a response rate of 18% to 42% in SDC. Therefore, AR immunoexpression may serve as a diagnostic and predictive marker for ADT response in SDC. We investigated AR immunopositivity and staining pattern in a large retrospective cohort of 188 SDCs from 163 patients, including 22 paired primary and metastatic SDCs from the same patients, focusing specifically on staining heterogeneity and concordance. A control cohort of 61 non-SDC salivary gland carcinomas was also included. AR immunopositivity defined as ≥1% of tumor cell nuclear staining was found in 94% (177/188) of SDCs, including 95% of primary tumors, 100% of regional metastases, and 90% of distant metastases. Most of the cases (75%, 86/114) showed homogeneous and diffuse AR positivity. However, a subset (25%) exhibited focal or heterogeneous AR staining pattern. Although most metastases (21/22, 95%) had concordant AR expression with the primary tumors, one treatment-naive tumor (5%) had complete loss of AR immunoexpression in the metastasis without detectable molecular alterations in AR or AR co-regulators. AR positive staining in non-SDC salivary carcinomas was infrequent (15%, 9/61), and mostly heterogeneous or focal. AR immunoexpression is highly prevalent in SDC, in both primary (94%) and metastatic tumors (93%). The cumulative AR immunopositivity rate in SDC is 90% based on data from the current study and previous literature. A small subset may show intratumoral AR heterogeneity and discordant AR expression in metastasis. AR immunoexpression may be seen in non-SDC salivary gland carcinomas but it is uncommon and usually focal.
TOPOGRAPHIC ORGANIZATION: A VIEW BASED ON STRIPED FROG TECTA

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of the topographic organization. Topographic organization is a property common to many of the long axon projections within the central nervous system (CNS). Such organization arises early in development as the synaptic terminals of young neurons re-establish, in distant target zones, the relative ordering of their somas in the pre-synaptic group. According to the presumed contributions of pre- versus post-synaptic elements, all can be grouped into one of the following three categories—retinal to tectal point-to-point matching, tectal polarity and retinal fiber sorting, and spatially homogeneous tecta and retinal fiber sorting. In retinal to tectal point-to-point matching, which is chronologically the oldest group, theories postulate that binding interactions must occur between macromolecules on the surfaces of retinal terminals and tectal cells. Models within tectal polarity and retinal fiber sorting postulates that uninnervated tectum does not contain a set of markers that convey unique identities to tectal cells in different positions. Theories in spatially homogeneous tecta and retinal fiber sorting category propose a less constructive role for the post-synaptic tissue. They suggest that the uninnervated optic tectum contains neither position nor polarity information.
Fine scale assemblage structure of benthic invertebrate megafauna on the North Pacific seamount Mokumanamana

Changes in benthic megafaunal assemblage structure have been found across gradients of environmental variables for many deep-sea habitats, but patterns remain under-investigated on seamounts. To assess the extent of variability in benthic communities at the scale of within a single seamount, and to assess environmental drivers of assemblage changes, Mokumanamana, also known as Necker Island, a seamount in the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument with no known history of human impacts, was surveyed. Replicate 1 km transects were conducted along depth contours at 50 m depth intervals from 200 – 700 m on three sides of Mokumanamana using the AUV Sentry. Megafaunal abundance and substrate parameters were obtained from 26,119 total images. The dominant megafaunal taxa were sponges, corallimorpharians, cup corals, and benthic ctenophores. Sea pens and alcyonacean octocorals were also abundant. Overall, abundance and diversity of megafauna increased with depth. Beta-diversity through species substitution with depth was very high. Beta-diversity was also high between the sides and likewise defined almost exclusively by species substitution. Crossed ANOSIM by depth and side showed community structure differed on Mokumanamana for both factors. NMDS and cluster analyses of Mokumanamana show nine assemblages that were defined by depth and reflect differences between sides of the seamount. Environmental modeling with DISTLM indicates sediment, oxygen, substrate variability and roughness, POC, and surface currents are correlated with these assemblage differences. These results suggest that microhabitats on seamounts can promote unique assemblages along depth gradients as well as on different sides of a feature, and this diversity may be easily overlooked without fine-scale sampling. These findings have implications for management and conservation of seamounts as well as future ecological studies of seamounts, as seamounts are generally sampled on much coarser spatial scales.
STRUCTURE AND EVOLUTION OF GLUTAMATE DEHYDROGENASES

Abstract Prokaryotes usually possess only one type of glutamate dehydrogenase which is specific for NADP. The liver enzyme of vertebrates functions with either NADP or NAD and its activity is modulated allosterically – ADP and GDP acting as positive effectors and ATP and GTP as negative effectors. In Neurospora crassa there is a coordinate induction-repression system that regulates the biosynthesis of two individual glutamate dehydrogenases – one, specific for NADP, is maximally produced in media lacking a source of organic nitrogen, and the other, specific for NAD, is maximally produced in the presence of glutamate or certain other amino acids. The vertebrate enzymes are hexameric with approximately 500 residues per subunit polypeptide chain. The hexameric NADP-specific enzyme of Neurospora manifests considerable homology to the vertebrate enzymes, particularly in the NH 2 -terminal portion of the molecule, whereas the NAD-specific enzyme of Neurospora is tetrameric with each subunit containing more than 1000 residues. The homology of the NAD enzyme to the others is limited to the neighborhood of certain functional residues. Comparison of the glutamate dehydrogenases shows in the sequences large gaps or additions involving many residues. The origin of the large gaps or additions, which also occur in other homologous proteins, appears to reside in the nature of eukaryotic DNA which contains long non-coding regions between the coding regions. The RNA transcript of eukaryotic DNA is processed to join the coding regions producing a messenger RNA which is translated into the polypeptide sequence. Addition of interior amino acid sequences of a protein would appear to involve incorporation of non-coding DNA into the mRNA and deletion to involve addition of part of a coding region to a non-coding segment. This appears to be the simplest way of explaining the great diversity of sequences which appeared during the evolution of many homologous, eukaryotic proteins, such as the glutamate dehydrogenases.