cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Engineering Stratigraphic Columns

A dilemma in engineering geologic mapping is how to provide the greatest amount of useful information in the smallest space and in the most visually logical format. Stratigraphic columns, traditionally used to show strictly geologic information, may be adopted to address engineering and hazard identification concerns. Columns can be constructed to show fracture density, rock mass rating, resistance to weathering, soil development, water flow, and other useful parameters for rock cuts, tunnels, foundations, and aggregate potential. Each column summarizes the anticipated engineering behavior of a given vertical section of the local bedrock, and this behavior may be extrapolated, with due care, to other locales where the same section of rock is present. We have used engineering stratigraphic columns for several years as teaching tools (Santi and Gregg, 1999), but they can also serve as concise local or regional reference tools for engineering geologists, much as traditional geologists reference standard stratigraphic columns. Standard stratigraphic columns typically correlate the width of the column to the grain size of each unit, as shown on the example in Figure 1a, or to the resistance to weathering of each unit. A variety of geologic, sedimentological, and genetic information may be displayed, including bedding, nodules, minor mineralogical components, fossils, bioturbation, and other sedimentary structures. If included, the descriptive text adjacent to the column usually details formation name; lithology; range in formation thickness; rock type; minor beds; and information on fossils, color, and sedimentary structures. Standard columns emphasize vertical changes in the rock sequence, at the expense of recognizing lateral variations (Tucker, 1996). They also focus on rock descriptions and ignore soil units. Figure 1. (a) Example stratigraphic column of the Roubidoux Sandstone–Gasconade Dolomite contact near Rolla, MO (prepared by the authors). (b) Example engineering stratigraphic column Very little work has been done on the use …
numerical investigation of free convection between two vertical coaxial cylinders

Free convection between two vertical coaxial cylinders was studied by solving the governing transport equations as an initial-value problem. The coupled, nonlinear, partial differential equations were converted into a set of difference equations by use of an alternating-direction implicit finite-difference numerical scheme. Twenty-four different combinations of Prandtl and Grashof numbers, and height to annular spacing ratios were used to characterize the problem. The results are presented primarily in the form of contour maps for the steady-state isotherms and streamlines. For Rayleigh numbers greater than 5 × 103, a fully developed boundary-layer flow was found to exist in the cavity. The interior region of the annulus was found to be thermally stratified and to possess a nearly uniform vertical temperature gradient, with a unicellular flow pattern being generated. With Rayleigh numbers of 5 × 104 and greater, it was found that the flow patterns could not be properly described with a grid spacing of 1/10. The variation of the steady-state mean Nusselt number with Prandtl and Rayleigh numbers and with geometric ratios was also investigated.
On self-routing in Benes and shuffle-exchange networks

The authors present self-routing algorithms for realizing the class of linear permutations in various multistage networks such as Benes and 2n-stage shuffle-exchange. Linear permutations are useful in providing fast access of data arrays. In the first half of the network, switches are set by comparing the destination tags at their inputs, and, in the second half, switches are set using the Omega self-routing algorithm. It is shown that the comparison operations can be implemented in bit-serial networks without loss of time. In contrast, with the well-known Benes network self-routing algorithm of D. Nassimi and S. Sahni (1981), switches are set by giving priority to the destination tag at the upper input to them. The algorithms presented are useful in providing fast access of various data patterns using interconnection networks cheaper than crossbars. >
A novel continuum robotic cable aimed at applications in space

We introduce a new class of long and thin continuum robots intended for use in space applications. This ‘cable’ robot is a next-generation version of the current state of the art (NASA’s ‘Tendril’). The article describes the key practical limitations of the mechanical design of ‘Tendril’. We introduce the design specifics of our novel concept for a next-generation device with significantly enhanced performance. Equipped with a light and compact motor-encoder actuation mechanism, the new design has improved compliance and possesses a concentric backbone arrangement which is tendon-actuated and spring-loaded. A new forward kinematic model is developed extending the established models for constant-curvature continuum robots, to account for the new design feature of controllable compression (in the hardware). The model is validated by performing experiments with a three-section prototype of the design. The new model is found to be effective as a baseline to predict the performance of such long and thin contin...
The Kinetics of Early Inflammatory Events During Experimental Pneumonia Due to Legionella pneumophila in Guinea Pigs

An animal model of Legionella pneumophila pneumonia was developed to study aerosol infection, pathogenesis, and pulmonary host defense mechanisms. Guinea pigs were exposed in an inhalation facility that limited the aerosol of L pneumophila to the snout. Bronchoalveolar lavage was used to sample airspace cells, secretions, and bacteria during developing infection in 79 exposed animals and 13 uninfected controls. An influx of polymorphonuclear neutrophils followed exponential bacterial growth during the initial three days of infection and coincided with limitation of the increase in bacteria recovered. A macrophage influx occurred at three to five days. Bacteria were eliminated from the lung by 11 days after exposure. Albumin in lavage fluid peaked at two days. Most viable L pneumophila organisms were associated with alveolar macrophages, whereas most of the bacteria associated with polymorphonuclear neutrophils were nonviable. Recruited, and possibly immune, defenses appear to be required for successful resolution of legionella pneumonia.
Numerical study of the effect of inlet constriction on bubble growth during flow boiling in microchannels

Flow boiling through microchannels is characterized by nucleation of vapor bubbles on the channel walls and their rapid growth as they fill the entire channel cross-section. In parallel microchannels connected through a common header, formation of vapor bubbles often results in flow maldistribution that leads to reversed flow in certain channels. The reversed flow is detrimental to the heat transfer and leads to early CHF condition. One way of eliminating the reversed flow is to incorporate flow restrictions at the channel inlet. In the present numerical study, a nucleating vapor bubble placed near the restricted end of a microchannel is numerically simulated. The complete Navier-Stokes equations along with continuity and energy equations are solved using the SIMPLER method. The liquid-vapor interface is captured using the level set technique. The results show that with no restriction the bubble moves towards the nearest channel outlet, whereas in the presence of a restriction, the bubble moves towards the distant but unrestricted end. It is proposed that channels with increasing cross-sectional area may be used to promote unidirectional growth of the vapor plugs and prevent reversed flow.
Semipresidentialism and the Perils of Power-Sharing in Neopatrimonial States:

The debate about whether “pure presidential” regimes or “pure parliamentary” regimes are better suited to democracy has elicited a substantial scholarly literature. Yet few studies address the impact of semipresidentialism on the prospects for democratic stability. This article posits that executive power-sharing or “cohabitation” under semipresidential systems leads to a high risk of authoritarian reversal in neopatrimonial states. The article develops this theory through an examination of transitions in Niger, the Republic of Congo (Brazzaville), Burundi, Mali, and the Central African Republic (CAR) then tests it on the 18 other semipresidential countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
A hybrid receding horizon control method for path planning in uncertain environments

For an autonomous vehicle navigating in a static environment for which an a priori map is inaccurate, we propose a hybrid receding horizon control method to determine optimal routes when new obstacles are detected. The hybrid method uses the level sets of the solution to either a global or local Eikonal equation in the formulation of the receding horizon control problem. Whenever an obstacle is detected along the path of the autonomous vehicle, a solution to a local Eikonal equation is used to determine whether a new, global Eikonal equation must be solved for use in the receding horizon optimization problem. The decision to select a new level set solution is made based on certain matching conditions that guarantee the optimality of the path. The selection of a global or local solution to the Eikonal equation induces a hybrid system structure in the control formulation. We rigorously prove sufficient conditions that guarantees that the vehicle will converge to the goal as long as the goal is accessible. In the end, simulation results are discussed.
Critical class oriented active learning for hyperspectral image classification

In order to focus on the hard classes in a multi-class classification task, a critical class oriented query strategy is proposed, which combines the concepts of “guided learning” and “active learning”. In conjunction with the SVM classifier, hard pair classes are first identified based on the instability of the classification hyperplane, whereby category level guidance for which class should be queried next is sought and then provided to the active query system. Samples with higher possibility of belonging to these classes as evaluated by the current learner are queried first. Two methods are proposed. The first method (SVM-CC) simply conducts category level query. The second method (SVM-CC MS ) further incorporates the uncertainty measurement based on the idea of margin sampling, so as to directly focus on the most informative samples from the identified “trouble classes”. Experiments are conducted on AVIRIS and Hyperion data. Results are compared to Random Sampling and the state-of-the-art active learning method SVM based simple margin sampling SVM MS . Superior performance is obtained, whereas hard classes are successfully identified first.
Vegetative Apical Meristems.

A fascinating aspect of plant biology is that a small cell group is the origin of shoot systems as varied as redwood trees or Arabidopsis. The first recognition that shoot systems originate from small groups of cells was by Kaspar Wolff in 1759 (cited in Cutter, 1965). These small groups of cells are known as shoot apical meristems. Because the shoot apical meristem is the origin of the shoot, it can be described to "make" the shoot. The apical meristem "makes" the shoot through four functions: initiating new organs, initiating new tissues, communicating signals to the rest of the plant, and maintaining itself as a formative region. How these functions are integrated within the apical meristem to produce the shoot has been the question of many studies and provides continual intrigue. Many recent studies have focused on processes in floral meristems (e.g., Coen and Meyerowitz, 1991). Yet, before the floral (and inflorescence) meristem forms, the vegetative api? cal meristem is the shoot's source of cells. This earlier state
A Collective Effort to Improve Sociology Students’ Writing Skills:

Nationwide, academic sociologists at all types of higher education institutions face the challenge of working to improve students’ writing skills. In this article, we describe a collective effort b...
Improved circuits for microchip identification using SRAM mismatch

Integrated circuit authentication requires identification using un-clonable digital fingerprints. SRAM power-up state is one such fingerprinting method. In this paper we present a new, more robust hardware technique for generating secret keys and unique serial numbers using SRAM cells' inherent mismatch due to process variations in the constituent transistors. The improved method can be used in operation and is amenable to devices using power-up BIST. It is experimentally demonstrated and analyzed on a 90 nm test chip.
Alternative dosing schedules and administration updates for Ixabepilone

Ixabepilone 40 mg/m(2) (every 3 weeks) is approved for use in metastatic breast cancer as monotherapy as early as third line and in combination with capecitabine as early as first line in tumors that are resistant or refractory to anthracyclines and taxanes. This article seeks to familiarize oncology pharmacists with the options at their disposal to aid in management of ixabepilone therapy. Toxicity with ixabepilone is reversible and responsive to dose reduction or delay, and the 40 mg/m(2) dose may be reduced to 32 mg/m(2) and subsequently to 25 mg/m(2) should toxicities arise. However, available clinical data cannot support beginning ixabepilone therapy at a reduced dose to mitigate toxicity. Because ixabepilone's mechanism of action and adverse event profile resemble those of the taxanes, it has been postulated that weekly administration of ixabepilone (15-20 mg/m(2) weekly for 3 weeks with a 1 week break) may provide similar advantages to those seen with weekly metronomic paclitaxel administration. Within the last year, preliminary data has emerged that begins to answer questions regarding the use of weekly ixabepilone. The regimen appears to be effective and well-tolerated in metastatic breast cancer and other tumor types, although data from definitive head-to-head studies with the approved regimen are not yet available. Moreover, a recent label change now incorporates alternative infusion liquids to Lactated Ringer's Solution into the approved dilution protocol for ixabepilone, and similarities and differences from taxane administration are discussed. It is hoped that the influx of new data regarding dosing, scheduling, and administration options for ixabepilone will continue to increase the pharmacist's ability to optimize treatment outcomes for breast cancer patients.
CpGassoc: an R function for analysis of DNA methylation microarray data

Summary: With the increasing availability of high-density methylation microarrays, there has been growing interest in analysis of DNA methylation data. We have developed CpGassoc, an R package that can efficiently perform the statistical analysis needed for increasingly large methylation datasets. CpGassoc is a modular, expandable package with functions to perform rapid analyses of DNA methylation data via fixed or mixed effects models, to perform basic quality control, to carry out permutation tests, and to display results via an array of publication-quality plots. Availability and implementation: CpGassoc is implemented in R and is freely available at http://genetics.emory.edu/conneely; we are in the process of submitting it to CRAN. Contact: ude.yrome@ifrabtr
Integral Membrane Proteins of the Nuclear Envelope Are Dispersed throughout the Endoplasmic Reticulum during Mitosis

We have analyzed the fate of several integral membrane proteins of the nuclear envelope during mitosis in cultured mammalian cells to determine whether nuclear membrane proteins are present in a vesicle population distinct from bulk ER membranes after mitotic nuclear envelope disassembly or are dispersed throughout the ER. Using immunofluorescence staining and confocal microscopy, we compared the localization of two inner nuclear membrane proteins (laminaassociated polypeptides 1 and 2 [LAP1 and LAP2]) and a nuclear pore membrane protein (gp210) to the distribution of bulk ER membranes, which was determined with lipid dyes (DiOC6 and R6) and polyclonal antibodies. We found that at the resolution of this technique, the three nuclear envelope markers become completely dispersed throughout ER membranes during mitosis. In agreement with these results, we detected LAP1 in most membranes containing ER markers by immunogold electron microscopy of metaphase cells. Together, these findings indicate that nuclear membranes lose their identity as a subcompartment of the ER during mitosis. We found that nuclear lamins begin to reassemble around chromosomes at the end of mitosis at the same time as LAP1 and LAP2 and propose that reassembly of the nuclear envelope at the end of mitosis involves sorting of integral membrane proteins to chromosome surfaces by binding interactions with lamins and chromatin.
The ASCA National Model, Accountability, and Establishing Causal Links between School Counselors' Activities and Student Outcomes: A Reply to Sink

Sink takes exception to two of the assertions made in the article "School Counselors, Comprehensive School Counseling Programs, and Academic Achievement: Are School Counselors Promising More Than They Can Deliver?" In this article, the authors respond to Sink's concerns and reassert their contentions that the focus of research dealing with school counseling should be on establishing causal links between school counselors' interventions and outcomes rather than school counseling programs.
Male mate preference and size‐assortative pairing in the convict cichlid

Male convict cichlids Cichlasoma nigrofasciatum presented three females simultaneously were found to prefer larger females, even if a female's size exceeded their own. This indicates that some mechanism other than male choice, such as female choice or intrasexual competition, must contribute to male-larger assortative pairing in convict cichlids. Despite a preference for larger females, males continued to consort with smaller females when available, and a females attractiveness was a function of her size relative to other females.
Composition and Activity of an Autotrophic Fe(II)-Oxidizing, Nitrate-Reducing Enrichment Culture

16S rRNA gene libraries from the lithoautotrophic Fe(II)-oxidizing, nitrate-reducing enrichment culture described by Straub et al. (K. L. Straub, M. Benz, B. Schink, and F. Widdel, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 62:1458-1460, 1996) were dominated by a phylotype related (95% 16S rRNA gene homology) to the autotrophic Fe(II) oxidizer Sideroxydans lithotrophicus. The libraries also contained phylotypes related to known heterotrophic nitrate reducers Comamonas badia, Parvibaculum lavamentivorans, and Rhodanobacter thiooxidans. The three heterotrophs were isolated and found to be capable of only partial (12 to 24%) Fe(II) oxidation, suggesting that the Sideroxydans species has primary responsibility for Fe(II) oxidation in the enrichment culture.
Introduction to the Thematic Section

The papers in this thematic section were originally presented in two venues. Approximately half of the contributions were delivered first in a session at the Annual Meeting of the Central States Anthropological Society in Indianapolis, Indiana in March, 1995. The full complement of presentations took place at the 94th Annual Meeting of the American Anthropological Association in Washington, D.C., in November, 1995. Two participants in the Washington symposium chose not to include their papers in this section. A number of the papers have thus benefitted from several stages of discussion and criticism. While anthropologists (and especially archaeologists) dominated both panels, the disciplinary breadth represented by the various members contributed to an invigorating discussion which we now bring to the pages of this journal. In this attempt to reach a broad audience, however, we realize there is the problem of disciplinary specificity, i.e., the particular approaches and data with which scholars deal may not be easily comprehensible to those in other fields. For the current collection, this issue is especially acute for prehistorians, whose focus on the material record and a specialized archaeological terminology may confound some readers. The archaeologists have made efforts to minimize the use of esoteric jargon. In addition, chronological periods are clearly defined in order to fix the temporal setting. While some readers may already be very familiar with the periods in question, we thought it best to err on the side of caution.
Vieta’s product for pi from the Archimedean algorithm

In this paper we show how to derive Vieta’s famous product of nested radicals for π [1] from the Archimedean iterative algorithm for π, [2, 3]. Only simple algebraic manipulations are needed. The Archimedean iterative algorithm for calculating π uses a method involving the two equations: and In using this algorithm, we start with a circle of diameter 1. Imagine two regular polygons each with the same number of sides, circumscribed and inscribed to this circle. The larger one has perimeter a 0, the smaller has perimeter b 0. Since the perimeter of the circle is π we have b 0 < π < a 0. Now consider regular polygons with twice the number of sides that circumscribe and inscribe the circle and call their perimeters a 1 and b 1 respectively. These can be calculated from (1) and (2). Continuing in this way we generate the perimeters of inscribed and circumscribed regular polygons, and in each case the number of sides is twice the sides of the previous polygon. Clearly the sequence {an } approaches π from above and {bn } approaches π from below.
Progress toward submicron hard x-ray imaging using elliptically bent mirrors

Of the many methods used to focus x-rays, the se of mirrors with an elliptical curvature shows the most promise of providing a sub-micron white light focus. Our group has been developing he techniques of controlled bending of mirror substrates in order to produce the desired elliptical shape. We have been successful in producing surfaces with the required microradian slope error tolerances. Details of the bending techniques used, results from laboratory slope error measurements using a Long Trace Profiler and data from the measurement of focus shape using knife edge and imaging methods using x-rays in the 5 - 12 KeV energy range are presented. The development of a white light focusing opens many possibilities in diffraction and spectroscopic studies.
Seeking Cultural Relevance

This study identifies the prevalence of culturally oriented writing techniques found in international news coverage of major American newspapers, through a concept explication and content analysis. These techniques, which I call “culture peg” and “culture link,” are content and thematic choices in international coverage that journalists make to enhance the material's appeal to their home audience. They are, in essence, cultural meaning-making processes that render foreign stories relevant to the home audience which might not otherwise be interested in international news. A content analysis revealed that these cultural strategies, deployed in both text and photographs, were employed in 72 percent of international news articles in the New York Times. Excessive use of such methods might skew the understanding of foreign cultures/societies for the readership. Theoretical and methodological implications of the study are discussed.
EVOLUTIONARY RELATIONSHIPS IN THE OUTCROSSING DIPLOID ANNUAL SPECIES OF STEPHANOMERIA (COMPOSITAE).

The annual taxa of the western North American genus Stephanomeria (Compositae) provide excellent material for the comparative study of genetic differentiation and speciation in plants. They are a closely related assemblage, have broad and narrow distributions, occupy numerous habitats, and, in their center of variability in California, they are actively differentiating in response to sharp ecological gradients as well as the activities of man. They have long been known for their complex morphological intergradation (Ferris, 19660), which has stymied taxonomic efforts to separate the taxa. They exhibit a remarkable array of different evolutionary strategies involving changes in breeding system, polyploidy, hybridization, adaptation to particular substrates, and aggressive colonization of disturbed roadside habitats. As a result of the studies reported herein, the annual Stephanomerias are now known to include nine diploid (2n = 16) and two allotetraploid (2n = 32) taxa. Tetraploid chromosome numbers were first reported in Stephanomeria by Stebbins et al. (1953). They constitute both a polyploid complex and an homogamic complex in which the same divergent diploid species are connected by morphologically intermediate tetraploid and diploid species. Seven of the diploid taxa have a sporophytic selfincompatibility system and are consequently obligate outcrossers. The other two diploids and both tetraploids are selfcompatible and self-pollinating in the greenhouse. Their morphological, cyto-
Clinical trials to clinical use: using vision as a model for multiple sclerosis and beyond.

Abstract:Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has made possible the structure–function correlations that uniquely characterize the afferent visual pathway as a model for understanding multiple sclerosis (MS) and for developing new treatments. During the past decade, OCT measures of retinal nerve fiber
SPECIATION IN NORTH AMERICAN FIELD CRICKETS: EVIDENCE FROM ELECTROPHORETIC COMPARISONS.

Understanding the dynamics of the speciation process is of central importance to the study of evolution. It is of particular interest to know what changes (physiological, developmental, behavioral, ecological, chromosomal) are directly associated with the evolution of reproductive isolation, how rapidly and under what circumstances (allopatry, sympatry, etc.) such changes occur, and the relative importance of selection and stochastic factors in producing these changes. A widely accepted model of geographic speciation (Mayr, 1963a; Dobzhansky, 1970) suggests that new species arise in isolated populations through the gradual accumulation of genetic differences. It has become increasingly clear that speciation events do not always conform to this pattern (Bush, 1975b; White, 1978). Alternative models of speciation have been developed to explain observed relationships among closely related species. These include models of sympatric speciation with temporal isolation, habitat isolation, host race formation, or some combination of these (or other) factors acting to restrict gene flow (Alexander and Bigelow, 1960; Bush, 1974, 1975a; Tauber and Tauber, 1977a, b; Tauber et al., 1977). Studies of field crickets (Orthoptera: Gryllidae) have emphasized the importance of life cycle evolution in the speciation process (Bigelow, 1962; Masaki, 1965; Alexander, 1968; Harrison, 1978). From observations of closely related species of Gryllus in eastern North America, Alexander and Bigelow (1960) argued that seasonal isolation of breeding adults can provide an effective barrier to gene flow and eventually lead to speciation without geographic isolation. Here I report the results of an electrophoretic survey of genetic variation in seven species of Gryllus from North America. Relationships based on biochemical characters are significantly different from those previously established on the basis of morphology, song, distribution, and habitat. These observations provide a new framework for constructing models of speciation in the genus Gryllus.
Mothers with borderline personality and their young children: Adult Attachment Interviews, mother-child interactions, and children's narrative representations

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) involves disruptions in attachment, self, and self-regulation, domains conceptually similar to developmental tasks of early childhood. Because offspring of mothers with BPD are at elevated risk of developing BPD themselves (White, Gunderson, Zanarini, & Hudson, 2003), studying them may inform precursors to BPD. We sampled 31 children age 4-7 whose mothers have BPD and 31 normative comparisons. We examined relationships between mothers' Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) representations (George, Kaplan, & Main, 1984), mothers' observed parenting, and children's narrative representations. Replicating previous studies, mothers with BPD were more likely to be classified as preoccupied and unresolved on the AAI. In a larger sample, which included the current one, we also replicated two underlying AAI dimensions found in normative samples (Roisman, Fraley, & Belsky, 2007; Whipple, Bernier, & Mageau, 2011). Controlling for current mood, anxiety, and other personality disorders, mothers with BPD were significantly higher than were comparisons on the preoccupied/unresolved, but not the dismissive, dimension. Children's narrative representations relevant to disruptions in attachment (fear of abandonment and role reversal), self (incongruent child and self/fantasy confusion), and self-regulation (destruction of objects) were significantly correlated with the preoccupied/unresolved, but not the dismissive, dimension. Furthermore, mothers' parenting significantly mediated the relationship between the preoccupied/unresolved dimension and their children's narrative representations of fear of abandonment.
Financial Globalization & Institutions in Developing Countries

A recent consensus in the relevant literature finds the main benefit of financial globalization to be its collateral effects. In the last two decades it has also been realized traditional Solow factors of physical capital, labor in efficiency units, and technology are “proximate” causes of growth: they depend on “fundamentals” in which institutions play a central role. We examine whether a country with greater openness to portfolio investment has better quality relevant institutions. The premise is relevant institutions cannot remain completely local when globalization has occurred. Two country-level institutional indicators – developed by the World Bank’s Doing Business team – that became available in 2010 are used. The sample consists of all developing countries for which both portfolio and institutional data are available. We find countries with greater financial globalization have institutions of higher quality. This conclusion is robust to using i) a different sample,ii) alternative dependent variables, iii) alternative or additional control variable and an additional regressor, iv) different techniques to examine endogeneity, and v) is supported by a natural experiment.
Pathogentic bacteria of blood culture:their distribution and resistance

Objective:To investigate the distribution and changing pattern of susceptibility of blood culture isolates in Wenling hospitals from 2005 through 2007.Methods:Blood culture of patients in our hospital was performed by BECTEC 9120 and the isolated bacteria were identified by API identified tests(API Inc,France).In addition antibiotics sensitivity test by Kirby-Bauer(K-B) as evaluated.Results:A total of 242 strains were isolated.Gram positive cocci and Gram negative bacilli accounted for 72.3% and 27.7%,respectively.The most frequent isolates were coagulase negative Staphylococcus(CNS,59.5%),Escherichia coli(16.1%),Klebsiella spp(4.5%),Staphylococcus aureus(7.9%) and Enterococcus spp(2.5%).No strains resistant to Vancomycix were found in staphylococci and enterococci.Gram negative bacilli were highly susceptible to carbapenem.Conclusion:Gram positive cocci play an important role in blood stream infections,especially CNS,and Gram positive cocci have been remarkablly increased from 2005 through 2007.Resistances to the first line antibiotics is common among all blood isolates.
波動-平均流相互作用のEliassen-Palm解析についての理論的解釈;波動-平均流相互作用のEliassen-Palm解析についての理論的解釈;Theoretical Interpretations of the Eliassen-Palm Diagnostics of Wave-Mean Flow Interaction

Etude, a l'aide d'un modele analytique simple, d'une violation des conditions necessaires et suffisantes etablies ici, en l'absence de l'amortissement moyen, pour la divergence du flux d'Eliassen-Palm. Cette violation due a l'effet de la limite inferieure, peut expliquer pourquoi certaines etudes de diagnostic d'observations trouvent que des tourbillons transitoires accelerent un courant d'Ouest dans la troposphere superieure, temperee, en l'absence d'un amortissement moyen, alors que la divergence transitoire du flux d'Eliassen-Palm soit ici d'Est. Il est suggere que le courant d'Ouest, dans la haute troposphere, peut etre soit renforce, soit reduit par ces tourbillons, suivant le degre d'amortissement moyen et d'echauffement radiatif
Integral of Real-Valued Functions

A real-valued function \(f: X\! \rightarrow \mathbb{R}\) on X can be expressed as \(f = f^{+} - f^{-}\!\), where the nonnegative functions \(f^{+}: X\! \rightarrow \mathbb{R}\) and \(f^{-}: X\! \rightarrow \mathbb{R}\) are the positive and negative parts of f. If f is measurable, then so are f+ and f− (Proposition 1.6). Integration of measurable real-valued functions, leading to real-valued integrals, are considered by using the above decomposition.
Probing Selenoprotein Translation by Ribosome Profiling

Selenoproteins with known functions are oxidoreductase enzymes that serve roles in maintaining cellular redox balance, reproductive health, thyroid hormone metabolism, development, and immune functions. Unique to selenoprotein biosynthesis is the requirement during translation to redefine an in-frame UGA codon to encode for selenocysteine rather than terminate translation. This non-canonical translation event is a bottleneck in selenoprotein synthesis and subject to gene-specific regulation. Here, the application of ribosome profiling, which involves deep sequencing of ribosome protected mRNA fragments, to examine mechanisms of selenoprotein biosynthesis will be discussed. The ability of this technique to quantify ribosome abundance and position, at codon resolution, on selenoprotein mRNAs has provided important insight into long-standing questions regarding the efficiency and regulation of selenocysteine incorporation as well as provoking new questions for future investigations.
Saturation of Alfvén modes in tokamaks

Growth of Alfven modes driven unstable by a distribution of high energy particles up to saturation is investigated with a guiding center code, using numerical eigenfunctions produced by linear theory and a numerical high energy particle distribution, in order to make detailed comparison with experiment and with models for saturation amplitudes and the modification of beam profiles. Two innovations are introduced. First, a very noise free means of obtaining the mode-particle energy and momentum transfer is introduced, and secondly, a spline representation of the actual beam particle distribution is used.
Gender, interest, and prior experience shape opportunities to learn programming in robotics competitions

Robotics competitions are increasingly popular and potentially provide an on-ramp to computer science, which is currently highly gender imbalanced. However, within competitive robotics teams, student participation in programming is not universal. This study gathered surveys from over 500 elementary, middle, and high school robotics competition participants to examine (1) whether programming involvement in these competitions is associated with motivation to pursue additional programming experiences and (2) whether opportunities to learn programming varied by gender, age, and competition type. Results showed a significant association of students’ programming involvement with their motivation to learn more programming. Interestingly, in the youngest groups/entry-level competitions, girls were heavily involved in programming. Unfortunately, in older/more advanced competitions, girls were generally less involved in programming, even after controlling for prior programming experience. These gendered effects were substantially explained by programming interest. While robotics competition experiences may motivate students to learn more programming, gender gaps in programming involvement persist in these learning environments and appear to widen as students grow older and enter more advanced competitions. Therefore, addressing gender imbalances in programming will likely require greater attention to particular curricular and pedagogical characteristics of robotics competitions that support girls’ interest and involvement in programming.
Association Between Programmed Death Ligand 1 Expression in Patients With Basal Cell Carcinomas and the Number of Treatment Modalities.

Importance Response to programmed death 1 (PD-1) inhibitors has been associated with programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression levels in several cancers, but PD-L1 expression and its clinical significance in basal cell carcinoma (BCC) are unknown to date. Objective To assess PD-L1 expression in treatment-naive and treated BCCs. Design, Setting, and Participants This investigation was a cross-sectional study at a single academic tertiary referral center. Immunohistochemical staining on formalin-fixed BCCs from a dermatology clinic were examined in masked fashion by a dermatopathologist and a dermatologist. The study dates were March 31, 2014, to June 7, 2016. Exposures Treated BCCs (including those recurrent after surgery, radiotherapy, systemic chemotherapy, or topical chemotherapy) vs treatment-naive BCCs. Main Outcomes and Measures Percentage of tumor cells and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) with PD-L1 expression, intensities of expression, and association with treatment modalities. Results Among 138 BCCs from 62 patients (43 males and 19 females; mean [SD] age at biopsy, 61.6 [13.7] years), 89.9% (124 of 138) were positive for PD-L1 expression in tumor cells, and 94.9% (131 of 138) were positive for PD-L1 expression in TILs, defined as greater than 5% positive immunohistochemical staining in the respective cell populations. The PD-L1 immunohistochemical staining intensity of 78 treated BCCs compared with 60 treatment-naive BCCs was significantly different in tumor cells (32% vs 7%, P = .003) and TILs (47% vs 18%, P = .008) after adjusting for the age at diagnosis. In a multivariable model adjusting for age, sex, and BCC location, PD-L1 staining intensity in tumor cells increased with the number of distinct prior treatment modalities (median, 0.12; interquartile range, 0.03-0.20; P = .007). Conclusions and Relevance Our data suggest that PD-1 immunotherapy may have activity against BCCs, including in those that have been previously treated. This hypothesis needs to be tested in future clinical trials.
Yellow perch ( Perca flavescens ) mercury unaffected by wildland fires in northern Minnesota

Wildland fire can alter mercury (Hg) cycling on land and in adjacent aquatic environments. In addition to enhancing local atmospheric Hg redeposition, fire can influence terrestrial movement of Hg and other elements into lakes via runoff from burned upland soil. However, the impact of fire on water quality and the accumulation of Hg in fish remain equivocal. We investigated the effects of fire-specifically, a low-severity prescribed fire and moderate-severity wildfire-on young-of-the-year yellow perch () and lake chemistry in a small remote watershed in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northeastern Minnesota. We used a paired watershed approach: the fire-affected watershed was compared with an adjacent, unimpacted (reference) watershed. Prior to fire, upland organic horizons in the two study watersheds contained 1549 μg Hg m on average. Despite a 19% decrease in upland organic horizon Hg stocks due to the moderate severity wildfire fire, fish Hg accumulation and lake productivity were not affected by fire in subsequent years. Instead, climate and lake water levels were the strongest predictors of lake chemistry and fish responses in our study lakes over 9 yr. Our results suggest that low- to moderate-severity wildland fire does not alter lake productivity or Hg accumulation in young-of-the-year yellow perch in these small, shallow lakes in the northern deciduous and boreal forest region.
Commensal bacteria (ab)use CD8+ T cells to induce insulin resistance.

Type I interferon–dependent expansion of intrahepatic CD8+ T cells promotes systemic insulin resistance in obesity.
Localized random projections for space-time adaptive processing

High-dimensional multi-sensor radar data suffers from the well known curse of dimensionality. For example, in radar space time adaptive processing (STAP), training data from neighboring range cells is limited, since the statistical properties vary significantly over range and azimuth. Therefore, precluding straightforward implementation of standard detectors, for example, the whitening minimum variance distortionless response filter. Using random projections, we can reduce the dimension of the radar problem by random sampling, i.e. by projecting the data into a random d-dimensional subspace. The Johnson-Lindenstrauss (JL) theorem provides theoretical guarantees which explicitly states that the low dimensional data after random projections is only very slightly perturbed when compared to the data from the original problem in an l 2 norm sense. Random projections offers significant computational savings permitting possible real time solutions, however, at the cost of reducing the clairvoyant SINR for radar STAP. To alleviate this issue of SINR loss, we use localized random projections where the random projection matrix incorporates the look angle information, thereby minimizing the noise and interference effects from other angles, and increasing the SINR. We show that the resulting detector is CFAR, and the transformation matrix satisfies all the necessary conditions for the the JL theorem to hold.
Multi-object spring level sets (MUSCLE)

A new data structure is presented for geometrically modeling multi-objects. The model can exhibit elastic and fluid-like behavior to enable interpretability between tasks that require both deformable registration and active contour segmentation. The data structure consists of a label mask, distance field, and springls (a constellation of disconnected triangles). The representation has sub-voxel precision, is parametric, re-meshes, tracks point correspondences, and guarantees no self-intersections, air-gaps, or overlaps between adjacent structures. In this work, we show how to apply existing registration algorithms and active contour segmentation to the data structure; and as a demonstration, the data structure is used to segment cortical and subcortical structures (74 total) in the human brain.
Surgical Management of Medically Refractory Tietze Syndrome

Tietze syndrome is a rare and benign cause of chest pain that may be confused with life-threatening conditions. Characteristic findings are painful, localized inflammation of the costosternal, sternoclavicular, or costochondral joints typically of the second and third ribs. We present a patient with severe, medically refractory symptoms consistent with Tietze syndrome. Although surgical management is not the typical treatment course, symptomatic control was eventually achieved with complete resection of the involved cartilage and adjacent rib. We propose surgical management in patients with debilitating cases of Tietze syndrome that are resistant to conservative therapies.
The current role of skeletal survay in children with suspected skeletal dysplasia

The purpose of this mini review is to emphasize the importance of skeletal survey, its position in the diagnostic algorithm of skeletal dysplasia (SD), and the importance of its systematic analysis. Skeletal survey, the series of plain radiographic bone imaging, is still the first line imaging method in children with suspected SD, despite fast developing gene and biochemical methods. SDs are a genetically heterogeneous group of disorders affecting skeletal development, with a wide clinical spectrum. The diagnosis of a SD is usually based on a combination of clinical, radiological, morphological, and lately biochemical and molecular studies, which enable more extensive insight into the genes controlling normal skeletal development and lead to more adequate genetic counselling. Standardised imaging protocols of skeletal survey help radiologists to plan and optimize an appropriate imaging series, reduce radiation dose from unnecessary exposure, and facilitate earlier diagnosis. Since 1970 the International Nomenclature of Constitutional Diseases of Bones has been developed and updated at regular intervals (last reclassification in 2015). Reclassifications are based on new insights into gene and/or protein, molecular defects. A multidisciplinary approach is necessary due to the considerable heterogeneity. An accurate diagnosis is essential for proper management of the affected individual and for genetic counselling. Various endocrine and metabolic diseases affecting bones should be considered in differential diagnosis. Conclusion – A systemic approach to skeletal survey imaging analysis in children with suspected SD is crucial to avoid missing important details regarding the morphological or structural features of the bones, which may lead to a false diagnosis of SD.
Veterans Affairs Continuity Clinics

Many Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals are also aligned with medical schools, which present an opportunity to integrate its internal medicine residents into a primary care continuity clinic. The ambulatory care model used in the VA is the Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT), a variant of the patient-centered medical home. This chapter offers support for the delivery of a high-quality clinical experience to residents as well as veterans, with discussion of utilizing PACT resources and modifying resident schedules to obtain equitable gender and case mix.
Genetic Deletion of IL-19 (Interleukin-19) Exacerbates Atherogenesis in Il19-/-×Ldlr-/- Double Knockout Mice by Dysregulation of mRNA Stability Protein HuR (Human Antigen R).

Objective— To test the hypothesis that loss of IL (interleukin)-19 exacerbates atherosclerosis. Approach and Results— Il19 −/− mice were crossed into Ldlr −/− (low-density lipoprotein receptor knock out) mice. Double knockout (dKO) mice had increased plaque burden in aortic arch and root compared with Ldlr −/− controls after 14 weeks of high-fat diet (HFD). dKO mice injected with 10 ng/g per day rmIL-19 had significantly less plaque compared with controls. qRT-PCR and Western blot analysis revealed dKO mice had increased systemic and intraplaque polarization of T cells and macrophages to proinflammatory T h 1 and M1 phenotypes, and also significantly increased TNF (tumor necrosis factor)-α expression in spleen and aortic arch compared with Ldlr −/− controls. Bone marrow transplantation suggests that immune cells participate in IL-19 protection. Bone marrow-derived macrophages and vascular smooth muscle cells isolated from dKO mice had a significantly greater expression of inflammatory cytokine mRNA and protein compared with controls. Spleen and aortic arch from dKO mice had significantly increased expression of the mRNA stability protein HuR (human antigen R). Bone marrow-derived macrophage and vascular smooth muscle cell isolated from dKO mice also had greater HuR abundance. HuR stabilizes proinflammatory transcripts by binding AU-rich elements in the 3′ untranslated region. Cytokine and HuR mRNA stability were increased in dKO bone marrow-derived macrophage and vascular smooth muscle cell, which was rescued by addition of IL-19 to these cells. IL-19–induced expression of miR133a, which targets and reduced HuR abundance; miR133a levels were lower in dKO mice compared with controls. Conclusions— These data indicate that IL-19 is an atheroprotective cytokine which decreases the abundance of HuR, leading to reduced inflammatory mRNA stability.