cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Distance-dose curve for a miniature x-ray tube for stereotactic radiosurgery using an optimized aperture with a parallel-plate ionization chamber.

A recently developed miniature x-ray tube operating at 40 kV has been used in a randomized trial for the treatment of small intracranial lesions. The diameter of these lesions ranges from 10 to 30 mm. A thin window parallel-plate ionization chamber was used to calibrate the output of the x-ray tube, modified by the addition of a thin platinum aperture to reduce the charge collecting area of the chamber. The effect of such an aperture on the measurement of dose versus distance from the x-ray tube in a phantom has been examined as a function of aperture diameter. Aperture diameters were varied between 0 and 5 mm and dose measurements were made for distances between the x-ray source and the front surface of the chamber of 5–30 mm in water. The ratio of doses measured with and without an aperture, when normalized to unity at a distance of 10 mm, differs significantly from unity, for distances between 7.5 and 15 mm, for aperture diameters <1.5 mm and differs from unity, but less significantly, for apertures ⩾3 mm. For intermediate diameters, however, this dose dependence is minimized, indicating an aperture diameter that provides a similar distance–dose curve as the measurement taken without an aperture over this range of distances. This diameter was found to be between 2 and 2.5 mm with a dose variation of less than ±1%. For distances <7.5 mm, measurements made with a 1.5-mm-diam aperture agree better with those taken with a 1.7-mm-diam chamber compared with a 5.2-mm-diam chamber.
Problems with Some Current Water Models for Close Pair Interactions That Are Not Near the Minimum Energy.

The ability of an empirical, polarizable model of water to predict a thermal ensemble of molecular configurations at ambient conditions was examined using first-principle quantum mechanics. The empirical model of water selected for this evaluation was the TTM2-F model. The quantum mechanical methodology selected was the second-order Moller-Plesset model (MP2). Only pairwise interaction energies were considered. Significant deviations from the empirical model were found. Similar results were found for ad-hoc comparisons with several other common water models including the TIP3P, TIP4P, TIP4P-FQ, TIP5P, TTM2.1-F, TTM2.2-F, TTM3-F, and POL5/QZ potential models. Our results show that spatially close dimer configurations with interaction energies notably above the potential well minimum (but are still thermally accessible at ambient conditions) are the source of the largest deviations. To assist others in future water model parametrizations we report the MP2 near complete basis set limit energies for 840 water dimer configurations sampled from an approximate thermal ensemble at ambient conditions.
Electric power transmission network design for wind generation in the Western United States: Algorithms, methodology, and analysis

The current electric power grid is a result of incremental growth over the past 100 years under assumptions that a grid provides reliable and controllable generation of energy cheaply and with limited environmental impact. Moving into the twenty-first century, many of these assumptions will no longer hold; the existing grid is ill-equipped to handle the new requirements that it is being subjected to. This paper presents a novel hybridization algorithm to upgrade the existing electric power network to feasibly achieve future renewable energy generation goals. The algorithm was integrated with state-of-the-art electric power analysis approaches to produce feasible transmission networks to accommodate 20% wind power by 2030 goals.
Influence of high-frequency components on fatigue of welded joints

Abstract Experimental results from welded steel specimens have been presented to determine the effect on fatigue life of various characteristics of the power spectral density (PSD) of the loading process. Particularly emphasized is the effect of high-frequency components in the PSD of the stress or strain in joints. The experimental results indicate that the addition of a high-frequency component can reduce the fatigue life substantially. Comparisons have been made between the experimental results and commonly used analytical procedures such as the Rayleigh approximation, rainflow analysis and the peak counting method. The experimental results are generally higher than the analytical predictions.
A Measure of the Quality of Educational Leadership Programs for Social Justice Integrating LGBTIQ Identities Into Principal Preparation

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate how aspiring principals in the United States are prepared for social justice leadership, by focusing particular attention on equitable leadershi...
CT Features with Pathologic Correlation of Acute Gastrointestinal Graft-Versus-Host Disease After Bone Marrow Transplantation in Adults

OBJECTIVE. This study was conducted to describe the CT features of acute gastrointestinal graft-versus-host disease in adults and to correlate these findings with the pathologic grades of disease severity.MATERIALS AND METHODS. Patients (n = 22) with a history of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation and pathologically confirmed acute gastrointestinal graft-versus-host disease underwent contrast-enhanced (n = 13) and unenhanced (n = 9) CT. CT scans were retrospectively evaluated for intestinal and extraintestinal abnormalities by two radiologists who were unaware of the biopsy results. The CT findings were correlated with the pathologic grade of disease severity using the Pearson's correlation coefficient and the two-tailed nonparametric Spearman's rank correlation coefficient.RESULTS. CT features included small-bowel wall thickening (22/22), engorgement of the vasa recta adjacent to affected bowel segments (20/22), stranding of the mesenteric fat (16/22), large-bowel wall thickening (13/22), bowel dilat...
Salmonella in fresh and smoked pork sausage.

Reported epidemiological studies have directed attention to edible meat products, particularly pork, as one of the sources for salmonella infections in man. Moreover, these organisms have been isolated from meats, including sausage, purchased on the open market.'-4 Our attention was focused on this problem by the ready isolation of salmonellae from pork and beef livers purchased from local abattoirs for dog food. Apparently this contaminated meat explained the epidemic of salmonellosis
The role of small-field tritanopia in two measures of colour vision.

The present work extends the findings of previous efforts examining the comparability of current colour-screening tests. Several popular tests are shown to differ greatly in the performance exhibited by colour-normal observers as well as in their differential sensitivity to experimental manipulations of viewing duration and viewing distance. Those tests designed to identify yellow-blue dichromacy are especially sensitive to the manipulation of viewing distance, which is interpreted as reflecting ‘small-field tritanopia’ and the asymmetry in retinal density of the three cone types. These findings are discussed in terms of factors that influence the comparability of current colour-screening devices and the particular need for close adherence to standardized conditions with such instruments.
Three-dimensional structure influences on the strong-motion wavefield of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake

Abstract The accurate calculation of ground motions for future large earthquakes depends on detailed knowledge of three-dimensional (3D) geologic structure and the earthquake source process, as well as sufficient computational resources. In this article we describe the results of finite-difference simulations for the 1989 Loma Prieta, CA, earthquake, with a 3D seismic velocity model for the San Francisco Bay region and a heterogeneous slip model of the source. Additionally, we explore the sensitivity of the synthetics to the major geologic structures in the velocity model. The San Francisco Bay region (particularly the Loma Prieta region) is a unique area for the study of 3D wave propagation because of the pronounced lateral velocity contrasts across the strike-slip faults of the region. Understanding the effects of such long wavelength structure is doubly important when considering a source located close to such a contrast. Our simulations show that the lateral velocity contrast across the San Andreas Fault (SAF) would be expected to substantially affect the propagation of elastic waves radiated from a source in the Loma Prieta region. Indeed, we find that the refraction of energy by the SAF serves to reduce ground motions at stations located along the San Francisco Peninsula, and the Quaternary and Tertiary alluvial basins of the San Francisco Bay region are found to amplify and extend the duration of ground motions in Santa Clara Valley, Livermore Valley, and San Pablo Bay. We find that the 3D model as currently defined accurately describes the spatial variation of peak ground velocity for frequencies less than 0.5 Hz, which suggests that this model may be used to estimate ground motions for future earthquake scenarios.
XANES Analysis of BCC/FCC Two-Phase Binary Alloys

A critical factor in the characterization of two-phase binary alloy systems is the determination of the phase fractions and compositions of the two coexisting solid solutions for any given overall composition of the two-phase mixture. In some systems, for example nanocrystalline alloys formed by high-energy ball-milling, these parameters are difficult to attain by traditional techniques like x-ray diffraction. A new technique has been developed to obtain these quantities indirectly from x-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) data collected at the two relevant absorption edges, with the formulation of this technique presented here in detail. The technique has been tested using Fe-Ni fcc and bcc standards and the results indicate that the method is accurate to within 5%. This method has been applied to two-phase (f.c.c. and b.c.c.) binary alloys formed by ball-milling of Cu100-xFex(x = 50–80).
Influence of soil redox potential on nitrogen uptake and growth of wetland Oak seedlings

Abstract A study was conducted to determine ammonium nitrogen uptake by cherrybark oak and overcup oak as affected by soil redox conditions. Seedlings of the two species were grown in laboratory microcosms for 60 days in soil suspensions incubated at three separate Eh levels (+560, +340, and + 175 mV). In both species, uptake of added 15N labeled nitrogen (N) (NH4Cl) and photosynthesis activity decreased with decreasing soil redox potentials. Net photosynthesis in cherrybark oak decreased by 72.9 and 100% in response to the +340 and + 175 mV treatments as compared to control plants, respectively. Similarly, net photosynthetic rates were reduced by 53.7 and 65.8% in overcup oak under + 340 and + 175 mV treatments, respectively. A significant correlation between net photosynthesis and leaf 15N content was found in cherrybark oak (r=0.866, P=0.01) but not in overcup oak (r=0.648, p>0.05). However, in overcup oak, the correlation between net photosynthesis and total leaf N content was significant (r=0.911, P=...
On Resource Placement in Gaussian and EJ Interconnection Networks

In a multiprocessor system, a limited number of resources need to be uniformly distributed so that all processor nodes can have equal access to these resources. This is referred to as the resource placement problem. In a perfect t--placement each nonresource node is at a distance of t or less from exactly one resource node. Here, we first find all perfect t-placements in the infinite square and triangular grids. That information is then used to show that translates of earlier sets are the only perfect t-placements in Gaussian and EJ interconnection networks.
Processes and rates of formation of Holocene alluvial terraces in Harris Wash, Escalante River basin, south-central Utah

Harris Wash, a tributary of the Escalante River in south-central Utah, has two well-preserved alluvial terraces of compound origin in its lower reaches. The alluvial stratigraphy of the deposits that compose these terraces reflects the complex processes of canyon filling and erosion. The compound terraces were formed by general aggradation of the valley, by deposition from large floods that also resulted in alluvial-fill incision, and by aggradation of flood-plain surfaces during periods of base-level stability. The alluvial chronology indicates that Harris Wash was aggrading for most of the Holocene and that only two late Holocene periods of rapid incision, between 2500 and 1900 yr B.P. and between 1000 and 300 yr B.P., are evident from the terrace stratigraphy. Rapid aggradation of flood plains during the past 150 yr produced historic flood-plain deposits 5 m above the elevation of the stream. The historic flood-plain deposits and other similar deposits in other Escalante River tributaries are attributed to increased runoff and erosion related to land-use changes in the basin during this time interval. Older alluvial deposits in Harris Wash cannot be correlated with alluvial sequences in other western tributaries of the Escalante River basin. In these drainages, valley aggradation and incision are apparently more sensitive to intrabasin processes of sediment production and storage and less dependent on regional factors such as climate change.
Women among Women: Anthropological Perspectives on Female Age Hierarchies

Women among Women: Anthropological Perspectives on Female Age Hierarchies. Jeanette Dickerson-Putman and Judith K. Brown. eds. Champaign: University of Illinois Press, 1998.148 pp.
Psychopharmacologic Strategies and Associated Challenges in the Long-Term Treatment of Schizophrenia

The comprehensive treatment of persons who have been diagnosed with schizophrenia requires the application of an effective and tolerable pharmacologic treatment regimen in conjunction with psychosocial interventions. The mainstay of pharmacologic treatment of persons diagnosed with schizophrenia is antipsychotic medication. The most commonly prescribed are the atypical or second-generation antipsychotic medications that have efficacy that matches, or in many cases is superior to that of conventional antipsychotics. In practice, however, medication adherence, as much as medication efficacy, is the key to improving patient outcomes.J Am Psychiatr Nurses Assoc, 2007; 13(S5), S6.-S15. DOI: 10.1177/1078390307304078
Fluorescent chemosensor for reactive organohalides in micellar solution with an example of autocatalysis

N-Alkylation of a fluorescent macrocyclic amine in aqueous micellar solution produces enhanced emission; the reaction with chloromethyl methyl ether exhibits autocatalysis.
The effects of lacosamide on depression and anxiety in patients with epilepsy

Depression and anxiety are common in patients with epilepsy. Moreover, some antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) have mood stabilizing and anxiolytic effects, while others may worsen psychiatric symptoms. The effects of lacosamide, a third generation AED approved for the treatment of focal onset seizures, on depressive and anxiety symptoms are unknown. We evaluated changes in depression and anxiety following the initiation of lacosamide. We compared patients' scores on the Neurological Disorders Depression Inventory for Epilepsy (NDDI-E, n = 91) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7, n = 20) scales prior to and following lacosamide treatment. Following the initiation of lacosamide, there were no significant changes in NDDI-E scores when all patients were analyzed aggregately (baseline: 12.14 ± 4.64 vs post-treatment: 11.91 ± 4.14, p = 0.51). Similarly, the mean GAD-7 scores at baseline (4.10 ± 4.52) and after treatment (4.75 ± 5.51) did not differ (p = 0.23). In the 25 patients with initial NDDI-E scores of >15, lacosamide was associated with a significant decrease in depressive symptoms (baseline: 17.60 ± 1.63 vs post-treatment: 14.64 ± 2.78, p < 0.001). NDDI-E and GAD-7 scores pre- and post-lacosamide initiation were not significantly affected by a history of mood disorders, concomitant psychiatric medications, or concomitant AEDs with mood-stabilizing effects.
International issues: of saints and sickness: a neurology elective in India.

Standing at the top of Humayun's Tomb (figure 1), I had a wonderful view over Delhi. It was the end of February. Spring had suddenly struck and the thermometer climbed. Kites in the hundreds rode the thermals and green parrots filled the air with their screeches. Figure 1 Humayun's tomb It was a peaceful scene of a building on which the Taj Mahal was modeled and is the final resting place of the 16th century Moghul ruler Humayun, who fell to his death while descending the steps of his library. It was the perfect place to stand back, think about a fascinating month, and distance myself from a sense of being overwhelmed by sheer numbers of people, impressions, and contrasts. A resident, halfway through my 3-year neurology residency, I had come to India to spend an elective rotation in neurology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi, known to the locals as AIIMS (figure 2). It is considered to be one of India's finest government medical institutions, serving not only the citizens of a multi-million bustling metropolis but also those in search of a cure from all over India. Figure 2 Neurology inpatient ward at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences Battling through the dust and traffic on my 1-hour drive to the hospital in the morning, I pass a daily repeating scene: small Suzuki Marutis jostling for space with motor scooters, cycle rickshaws, cyclists, pedestrians, and the occasional tractor or elephant; cows munching on rubbish in the middle of the road, the barber shaving a man at his roadside stand, throngs of small uniformed children on their way to school. A cyclist with a monkey perched calmly on the cycle rack, a man with a red turban on a scooter, a young lady balancing herself …
Atypical hemispheric asymmetry in the arcuate fasciculus of completely nonverbal children with autism

Despite the fact that as many as 25% of the children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders are nonverbal, surprisingly little research has been conducted on this population. In particular, the mechanisms that underlie their absence of speech remain unknown. Using diffusion tensor imaging, we compared the structure of a language-related white matter tract (the arcuate fasciculus, AF) in five completely nonverbal children with autism to that of typically developing children. We found that, as a group, the nonverbal children did not show the expected left–right AF asymmetry—rather, four of the five nonverbal children actually showed the reversed pattern. It is possible that this unusual pattern of asymmetry may underlie some of the severe language deficits commonly found in autism, particularly in children whose speech fails to develop. Furthermore, novel interventions (such as auditory-motor mapping training) designed to engage brain regions that are connected via the AF may have important clinical potential for facilitating expressive language in nonverbal children with autism.
Cognitive requirements for agent-based learning environments

While there has been a significant amount of research on technical issues regarding the development of agent-based learning environments, there is less information regarding cognitive requirements for these environments. The management of control is a prime issue with agent-based computer environments given the relative independence and autonomy of the agent from other system components. The author discusses four dimensions of control that should be considered in designing agent-based learning environments. The first dimension of control involves instantiating the instructional purpose of the environment on a constructivist (high learner control) to instructivist (high program/agent control) continuum. The second dimension entails managing feedback, and several issues need to be considered: type, timing, amount, explicitness, and learner control of agent feedback. Third, agent vs learner control is further defined through the desired relationship of the learner to agent(s) (e.g., agent as learning companion, agent as mentor, multiple pedagogical agents, agent as personal assistant, or agent as resource). Fourth, to be instructionally effective, the agent(s) must assert enough control so that the learner develops confidence in the agent(s) in terms of believability, competence, and trust. Overall, an array of possible permutations of system versus learner control must be carefully considered.
Characterization of Inorganic Biocarriers That Moderate System Upsets during Fixed-Film Biotreatment Processes

Inorganic matrices were developed for fixed-film bioreactors affording protection to microorganisms and preventing loss of bioreactor productivity during system upsets. These biocarriers, designated Type-Z, contain ion-exchange properties and possess high porosity and a high level of surface area, which provide a suitable medium for microbial colonization. Viable cell populations of 10/g were attainable, and scanning electron micrographs revealed extensive external colonization and moderate internal colonization with aerobic microorganisms. Laboratory-scale bioreactors were established with various biocarriers and colonized with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and comparative studies were performed. The data indicated that bioreactors containing the Type-Z biocarriers were more proficient at removing phenol (1,000 ppm) than bioreactors established with Flexirings (plastic) and Celite R635 (diatomaceous earth) biocarriers. More significantly, these biocarriers were shown to moderate system upsets that affect operation of full-scale biotreatment processes. For example, subjecting the Type-Z bioreactor to an influent phenol feed at pH 2 for periods of 24 h did not decrease the effluent pH or reactor performance. In contrast, bioreactors containing either Celite or Flexirings demonstrated an effluent pH drop to approximately 2.5 and a reduction in reactor performance by 75 to 82%. The Celite reactor recovered after 5 days, whereas the bioreactors containing Flexirings did not recover. Similar advantages were noted during either nutrient or oxygen deprivation experiments as well as alkali and organic system shocks. The available data suggest that Type-Z biocarriers represent an immobilization medium that provides an amenable environment for microbial growth and has the potential for improving the reliability of fixed-film biotreatment processes.
Novel Delivery of Pancreatic Islet Cells to Treat Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus

Immune protective devices containing pancreatic islets are designed to treat insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus by providing glycaemic control without immunosuppression. The immune protection is achieved by separating allogeneic or xenogeneic islets from the host by semipermeable membranes that allow only small molecules such as glucose, insulin and nutrients to pass through. Lymphocytes and immunoglobulins are excluded by the membrane and unable to cause rejection of the islets. Three types of immune protective devices, i.e. microcapsules, diffusion chambers and perfusion devices (vascularised artificial pancreas), have been studied. Microcapsules injected into the abdominal cavity in a large quantity achieved glycaemic control, but required a small amount of immunosuppression to prevent fibrosis around the capsules. A clinical attempt to use microcapsulated human islets in a diabetic patient who has maintained functional kidney allografts has been reported. Intra-abdominal placement of diffusion chambers containing allogeneic islets achieved excellent glycaemic control without immunosuppression in diabetic dogs. However, their use was limited by the eventual breakage of tubular chambers. We have extensively used the vascularised artificial pancreas for treatment of experimental diabetes mellitus. Excellent biocompatibility of the device was evidenced by the extraordinary longevity of the patency of the device in healthy dogs. Long term control of severe diabetes mellitus was achieved in totally pancreatectomised dogs without immunosuppression by devices seeded with allogeneic (canine) and xenogeneic (porcine) islets. The vascularised artificial pancreas could be an excellent alternative to Diabetes Control and Complication Trial (DCCT)-type intensive insulin therapy or pancreatic transplantation by providing tight glycaemic control with minimal exogenous insulin therapy without immunosuppression.
Patulin in homogenized fruit's and tomato products

Abstract Patulin is a mycotoxin produced by microscopic fungi belonging to the Penicillium and Aspergillus genera. The natural occurrence of patulin in baby food products marketed in Italy is frequently detectable in moldy fruits and their derivatives. The EC Regulation 1881/06 has limited the presence of patulin in baby food to 10 μg/kg or 10 μg/L on the basis of a Provisional Maximum Tolerable Daily Intake (PMTDI) of 0.4 μg/kg BW set by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). A total of 80 homogenized baby foods were analyzed to evaluate the exposure of babies to patulin through the consumption of these products. The experimental tests have revealed significant differences between the products from organic production and those in traditional production in all the categories analyzed. The tomato concentrates showed an average of patulin concentration of 7.15 ng/ml of product; the tomato sauce of 4.05 ng/ml; the tomato sauce to the baby foods of 5.23 ng/ml; the homogenized apple of 0.85 ng/ml; the homogenized pear of 0.79 ng/ml. The tomato sauce conventional vs organic crops showed an average of 5.75 vs 3.49 ng/ml, respectively; the homogenized pear conventional vs organic ones of 0.72 vs 0.76 ng/ml, respectively; the homogenized apple conventional vs organic ones of 1.92 vs 0.13 ng/ml, respectively. The low incidence of the patulin level in Italian products is a clear parameter to establish the quality of the fruits and their derived products.
Civil Service Reform and the Scope of Bargaining in Federal Labor Relations

The passage of Title VII of the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 was marked by a series of legislative compromises designed to win union and Congressional support. These compromises produced marked ambiguities which have led to results not entirely expected by labor or management.
RAPID ORIGIN OF SEXUAL ISOLATION AND CHARACTER DIVERGENCE IN A CLINE.

The recent revival of interest in modes of speciation without geographic isolation (reviewed by Bush, 1975; Endler, 1977; White, 1978) makes it appropriate to reinvestigate mechanisms for clinal speciation first outlined in genetic terms by Fisher (1930, Ch. 6). He noted that following adaptive divergence of geographical or ecological races, if hybrids are at a disadvantage, genetic variation in mating preferences (and/or habitat preferences) could lead to the evolution of a decreased frequency of hybridization. This mechanism for the evolution of sexual isolation was popularized by Dobzhansky (1940, 1951, 197 0 , Ch. 11) who believed it could occur only after secondary contact between races which had become partially reproductively isolated by postmating mechanisms (see also Sturtevant, 1938; Muller, 1940; Sibley, 1961; Mayr, 1963, p. 525-526, 548-559). Fisher (1915, 1930) also described a process of "runaway" sexual selection which can produce exponentially increasing rates of evolution in male secondary sexual characters and female mating preferences. As argued below, the latter mechanism is potentially much more powerful for initiating sexual isolation and character divergence along a cline than is selection against hybridization. Population genetic models have shown that when hybrids between geographic races are at a substantial disadvantage a narrow hybrid zone will evolve, followed perhaps by formation of reversed clines (i.e., reproductive character displacement) around the contact zone, and slow or limited diffusion of the genetic differences to remote regions by migration (Crosby, 1970; Endler, 1977; Caisse and Antonovics, 1978). However, if populations in the contact zone have comparatively low mean fitness, in part due to hybrid disadvantage, and if there is a net immigration from surrounding regions, gene flow may prevent the evolution of sexual isolation or may limit it to the contact zone (Littlejohn, 1969; Hall, 1973). Hybrid zones of apparent long standing are known in various animal taxa where neither widespread sexual isolation nor localized reproductive character displacement has occurred (Mayr, 1963, p. 548-550; Bigelow, 1965; White, 1978, Ch. 6). In contrast with the localized origin and slow or restricted spread of sexual isola-
DSMC Modeling of Nonequilibrium Electronic Excitation and Emission for Hypersonic Sensor Applications

Numerical procedures based on the direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method are presented for determination of electronic energy distributions and gas emission in nonionized hypersonic flows, with intended application to shock layer emission analysis for a hypersonic remote sensing platform. The proposed modeling approach enables utilization of experimental state-to-state transition rates, and differs from earlier approaches by greatly reducing the dependence on excited state populations for statistical scatter in computed energy distributions. Calculations are performed for a simple homogeneous relaxation problem, and for a low Knudsen number Mach 10 flow of reacting air around a blunted wedge. The latter flow approximately represents leading edge conditions for a hypersonic sensing platform, and results from this simulation are employed to compare gas emission with expected signal intensity along a notional signal path. Particularly strong emission from freestream species is found in the region of continuum breakdown around the bow shock, and it is estimated that gas emission should have a very small but potentially non-negligible influence on signal reception for a passive sensing system.
Etiological characteristics of viral diarrhea in Guangdong Province,2012

Objective To understand the pathogen characters and change variation trend of viral diarrhea in Guangdong Province and to provide reference for prevention and control of viral diarrhea. Methods Twenty-three sentinel hospitals were collected from 11 cities in Guangdong Province. Every sentinel hospital collected at least 3 stool samples of diarrhea outpatients aged 5 and below and above 5 years,respectively,for rotavirus and norovirus detection. Results A total of 4 644 specimens of diarrhea cases were collected from 23 sentinel hospitals in 2012 in Guangdong Province. Positive rates of rotavirus and norovirus were 13. 94%( 645 /4 627) and 22. 14%( 1 028 /4 644),respectively. The rotavirus-positive rate of cases aged 5 and below( 18. 60%) was significantly higher than that above 5 years( 8. 95%)( P 0. 01). The norovirus-positive rates had no significant difference between cases aged 5 and below( 21. 88%) and those above 5 years( 22. 41%)( P 0. 05). The highest rotavirus-positive rate( 41. 50%,105/253) presented in January. The highest norovirus-positive rate( 40. 15%,218/543) was in October. Of 226 specimens randomly selected from 1 028 norovirus-positive ones for gene sequenced, 203 belonged to GII genotype and 23 belong to GI genotype. Among 203 GII genotype strains,172 were GII-4 genotype( 87 as GII. 4 Sydney 2012 genotype,78 as GII. 4 2006 b genotype,4 as GII. 4 2010 gonotype,and 3 as unsubtyped). Conclusion The dominant virus of viral diarrhea was norovirus in Guangdong Province in 2012 and relevant to the emergence of GII-4 Sydney 2012 strain.
Post-Prostatectomy Urinary Incontinence: Response to Behavioral Training

AbstractUrinary incontinence after prostatectomy can be psychologically and socially disabling. We reviewed our experience with 27 patients who were incontinent between 5 and 198 months after either radical retropubic, total perineal or transurethral prostatectomy. These patients were entered into our bladder behavior clinic, which was administered by nursing staff with physician supervision. Patients were strongly encouraged to discontinue the incontinence devices, and were then evaluated for the type and extent of incontinence. Perineal exercises were demonstrated in detail, tested for their correct use via simultaneous rectal and abdominal examination, and applied to the pattern of incontinence. Patients were evaluated frequently for compliance and their progress was followed with instruction repeated as needed. Pharmaceutical agents were not used.Among the 24 patients evaluable over-all improvement in the number of incontinent episodes was 56.6% (p <0.001). Two patients (8.3%) achieved total continenc...
Complications of arthroscopic meniscal repair.

Arthroscopic meniscal repair is a well-documented treatment option for the injured knee. The potential for complications is also well known. Precautionary techniques should be used to minimize the likelihood of complications. Appropriate preventive steps combined with educating patients regarding the possible risks will prove beneficial.
Erratum to: Multiplex detection of food allergens and gluten

The online version of the original article can be found at http://dx.doi.org/ 10.1007/s00216-015-8645-y .
Ischemic Heart Disease in New-Onset Heart Failure, or Finding Waldo: Where's Waldo?

Parents with young children might cherish memories of reading with their preschoolers the clever books by British author and illustrator, Martin Handford. The Where’s Waldo? series (“Wally,” outside of Canada and the United States) was first published in 1987 [(1)][1]. These lavishly
E. Douglas Bomberger, MacDowell

An acute need for a modern documentary biography of Edward MacDowell (1860–1908) has been longstanding, despite his widespread recognition as the nineteenth century’s foremost American-born compose...
A Status Report on Internet Measurement

It is an oft-stated goal that policy-making be evidence-based. In the context of the Internet, evidence can take many forms. One important source is measurements of the technical character of the network. A vigorous community of academic and other third-party researchers carry out measurements on the Internet, but this community is not well-connected to the Internet policy community. In this paper we undertake a bridge-building effort between these two communities, drawing on a review of several recent technical conferences and workshops on Internet measurement. We summarize three related areas: research questions the measurement community is pursuing, the range of research methods used and key research results. While network neutrality seems still to be a major focus of the policy community, it never became a central focus of Internet measurement research, for several reasons. Most importantly, it is not an area amenable to rigorous scientific inquiry, since terminology is itself not rigorous, e.g., "reasonable network management." More practically, current discrimination is more likely to have an economic rather than a technical form, e.g., zero rating or discriminatory pricing of interconnection; evaluating these types of discrimination requires different sorts of data and analysis. The technical measurement community has a broader range of interests. This paper will review several measurement projects published this year, including: the extent to which end-to-end encryption is being subverted by manipulation of the Certificate Authority system (for both malicious and arguably benign purposes); utilization of the IPv4 address space and migration to IPv6; the nature of network outages; the utilization and implications of Facebook's Free Basics service, the prevalence of ad-blockers; the prevalence of Carrier-grade NATs; how applications evade firewall blocking; and DNS and BGP behavior. We will also report on measurement efforts looking at specific aspects of "reasonable network management": treatment of traffic in mobile networks and measurement of interconnection links between ISPs. These studies targeted a technical audience. Although sometimes they identify policy implications of their results, it is mostly left as an exercise for the reader. We will attempt to bring out some of those issues. Another interesting aspect of our meta-analysis is the wide range of measurement methods, including: active probing (sending specific packets and observing results); instrumentation of applications (both at client and server); exploiting data initially gathered for other purposes; connecting to network control mechanisms such as routing protocols; and the creative use of ads placed on web sites to trigger remote probing. Our goal with this paper is to inform the policy community of the diverse work being done by the technical measurement community, and to stimulate interest in new sorts of collaboration between technology and policy researchers.
An approach to enhance selective catalytic reduction system

An approach to to implement the selective catalytic reduction system is presented. We utilize a raspberry pi controller to calculate the injection rate of diesel exhaust fluid. The system uses an arduino to collect engine exhaust data, and communicate the data to the controller using a control network. The control network is established using a user datagram protocol. The control network enables communication between the sensing and actuation of the system.
Nail histology processing techniques: What is happening around the world.

In this issue of the Journal of Cutaneous Pathology[1], Wlodek et al present data from an international survey of members of the Council for Nail disorders and the European Nail Society regarding nail histology processing techniques. This is an important contribution to the nail pathology literature as few existing publications address the topics investigated by the survey.
Utilization patterns of systemic corticosteroid use for chronic rhinosinusitis

Objective: We sought to characterize the utilization pattern and factors associated with use of systemic corticosteroids for CRS.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 236 participants with CRS who were prospectively recruited. Participants reported the number of CRS-related oral corticosteroid courses taken in the last year. Baseline CRS symptomatology was measured using the 22-item Sinonasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) and SNOT-22 sleep, nasal, otologic/facial pain and emotional subdomain scores. Clinical and demographic characteristics were also collected. Association was determined between patient characteristics and oral corticosteroid use in the last year for CRS.Results: Sleep (p = .026), nasal (p < .001) and otologic/facial pain (p = .022) SNOT-22 subdomain scores, and nasal polyps (p = .007) were associated with CRS-related oral corticosteroid use. In study participants without polyps, past CRS-related oral corticosteroid use was associated with sleep (adjusted OR = 1.56, 95%CI: 1.01–2.4...
The Tactics Used

The two sides in the debate over the Iran nuclear agreement used a broad range of tactics to get their message across as they tried to sway public opinion and pressure wavering congressmen and senators. All the traditional methods were used—television ads, petitions, demonstrations, and so on—but technology and social media have opened up new ways to conduct these campaigns and bring the like-minded together to try to influence the policymaking process. Supporters of the deal were accused of creating an echo chamber at the direction of the White House to repeat and amplify arguments in favor of it. In reality, both sides had their own echo chambers and used friendly media and politicians to attempt to make their point of view the dominate one.
Copyright blocks a news-monitoring technology

An evolving technological landscape has made application of copyright law increasingly difficult.
Abstract WP108: Interrogating the Role of Contralesional Cortex Activation in Stroke Recovery

Background: Functional neuroimaging studies have reported increased activation in the contralesional primary motor cortex (cM1) in both experimental and clinical settings of stroke. However, the ce...
Scaling of Statically Derived Osteocyte Lacunae in Extant Birds: Implications for Palaeophysiological Reconstruction

Osteocytes are mature versions of osteoblasts, bone-forming cells that develop in two ways: via ‘static’ osteogenesis, differentiating and ossifying tissue in situ to form a scaffold upon which oth...
Quantifying reductions in soaking in aqueous ammonia pretreatment severity and enzymatic hydrolysis conditions for corn stover pellets

Abstract The benefits of using pelleted corn stover compared to loose corn stover with low severity soaking in aqueous ammonia pretreatment and reduced enzyme loadings were studied. Loose and pelleted corn stover were treated with the same set of pretreatment and hydrolysis conditions. A range of low to high severity pretreatment conditions and enzyme loadings were tested to determine conditions to achieve 90% glucose yields. Glucose yields from pelleted biomass reached 90% with reduced pretreatment severities, enzyme loadings, hydrolysis time, or various combinations of these. At the highest enzyme loadings, use of pelleted corn stover enabled reductions in hydrolysis time up to 58%. It also allowed 80% reduction in enzyme loading at higher pretreatment conditions. At moderate pretreatment levels, either enzyme loadings can be reduced by 40% or hydrolysis time by up to 48%. Using pelleted biomass as a biorefinery feedstock allows flexibility in production with different processing options.
Is There A Role for Electronic Cigarettes in Tobacco Cessation

Work in the authors' laboratories is supported in part by a grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (HL 120163).
Gen Z: Exploring Service Learning Projects in Managerial Accounting

Service learning projects capitalize on the unique characteristics of Gen Z students and meet the requirements of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants’ (AICPA) core competencies. This project not only increased students’ soft skills, making them more marketable to future employers, but also made a difference in the lives of the people served. Participants mastered managerial accounting topics through hands-on experiences that are often considered complex to grasp, which instilled inspiration and creativity. The findings of this paper may be useful to educators to increase student interest, as well as develop the AICPA’s core competencies in future accountants.
On a Deterministic Approximation of Inventory Systems with Sequential Probabilistic Service Level Constraints

Service level constraint is often used as a metric to directly control the quality of service (e.g., managing the probability of stock-out) in practice. Many inventory problems with service level constraints are often difficult to solve and are typically approximated by deterministic formulations. This raises an important question regarding the quality of such an approach. To shed light on this question, in this paper, we consider two simplified yet fundamental inventory models (with backorder and lost-sales) with independent demands, positive lead times and sequential probabilistic service level constraints, and study the performance of a natural order-up-to policy whose parameters can be calculated using the optimal solution of a deterministic approximation of the backorder inventory system. We show that it is asymptotically optimal for both the backorder and lost-sales systems in the setting with a high service level requirement, with a stronger performance bound for the backorder system. Our analysis for the lost-sales system involves a construction of an alternative backorder system whose expected total cost can be related to that of the analogous lost-sales system. Overall, our result contributes to the growing body of inventory literature that suggests the near-optimality of simple heuristic policies. Moreover, it also gives credence to the use of deterministic approximation for solving complex inventory problems in practice, at least for applications where the targeted service level is sufficiently high.
Review of Human–Machine Interfaces for Small Unmanned Systems With Robotic Manipulators

This article reviews the human–machine interaction (HMI) technologies used for telemanipulation by small unmanned systems (SUS) with remote manipulators. SUS, including land, air, and sea vehicles, can perform a wide range of reconnaissance and manipulation tasks with varying levels of autonomy. SUS operations involving physical interactions with the environment require some level of operator involvement, ranging from direct control to goal-oriented supervision. Telemanipulation remains a challenging task for all levels of human interaction because the operator and the vehicle are not colocated, and operators require HMI technologies that facilitate manipulation from a remote location. This article surveys the human operator interfacing for over 70 teleoperated systems, summarizes the effects of physical and visual interface factors on user performance, and discusses these findings in the context of telemanipulating SUS. This article is of importance to SUS researchers and practitioners who will directly benefit from HMI implementations that improve telemanipulation performance.
Introduction to Salomon Maimon’s “On the First Grounds of Natural Right” (1795)

In what follows we introduce and present a translation of Salomon Maimon’s “On the First Grounds of Natural Right” (1795). To begin, we briefly discuss textual issues surrounding the essay. We then...
Cognitive neuropsychology and the problem of selective attention

Cognitive psychologists focus on internal mental operations controlling access to consciousness, memory and responding. They are concerned with the way in which central intentions come to affect sensory and memorial processing. The problem of selective attention to visually presented stimuli provides an important model for integrating this approach with an understanding of underlying neural systems. Studies of humans and alert monkeys show that they can attend selectively to eccentric visual locations while maintaining fixation. The occurrence of a target eccentric to fixation induces a disengagement from the current attentional focus, a movement of attention and an engagement of the target. It has been shown that damage to the parietal lobe affects the ability to disengage, while midbrain injury affects the move component. Each hemisphere appears biased toward processing contralateral targets. In order for the posterior visual selection system to operate it must have access to another more general selective attention system not dedicated to visual spatial information. Thus attentional selectivity requires a multilevel hierarchical system with each level viewed as a network of component mental operations. At one level the component operations are dedicated to particular cognitive systems (e.g., visual-spatial) but at higher levels they seem to be general across different cognitive systems (e.g., visual-spatial and language).
Structure and Mechanical Adaptability of a Modern Elasmoid Fish Scale from the Common Carp

Summary The carp (Cyprinus carpio) has typical elasmoid scales commonly found on teleosts. They provide protection while retaining flexibility and maneuverability of the fish. The exterior surface of the scale consists of an ultrathin discontinuous mineral layer on top of mineralized woven collagen fibrils. The underlying foundation is composed of two collagenous components. The major one consists of a single-twisted “Bouligand” structure with a twisting angle of 36°. A secondary “sheet-like” structure, formed by thinner collagen fibrils oriented along the thickness direction, acts to increase the integrity of the scale. Here, we identify the deformation and failure mechanisms of the carp scale, revealing slight tensile anisotropy. Using in situ small-angle X-ray scattering during tensile testing, the toughening mechanisms of the scale, including the adaptive structural reorientation of lamellae as well as fibrillar sliding and elastic deformation, are quantified and compared with those of other fish scales.