cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Novel Visualization of Clostridium difficile Infections in Intensive Care Units

Background Accurate and timely surveillance and diagnosis of health care facility onset Clostridium difficile infection (HO-CDI) is vital to controlling infections within the hospital, but there are limited tools to assist with timely outbreak investigations. Objectives The objective of this study was to integrate spatiotemporal factors with HO-CDI cases and to develop a map-based dashboard to support infection preventionists (IPs) in performing surveillance and outbreak investigations for HO-CDI. Methods Clinical laboratory results and Admit-Transfer-Discharge data for admitted patients over 2 years were extracted from the information warehouse of a large academic medical center (AMC) and processed according to the Center for Disease Control National Healthcare Safety Network definitions to classify CDI cases by onset date. Results were validated against the internal infection surveillance database maintained by IPs in Clinical Epidemiology of this AMC. Hospital floor plans were combined with HO-CDI case data, to create a dashboard of intensive care units. Usability testing was performed with a think-aloud session and a survey. Results The simple classification algorithm identified all 265 HO-CDI cases from January 1, 2015 to November 30, 2015 with a positive predictive value (PPV) of 96.3%. When applied to data from 2014, the PPV was 94.6%. All users “strongly agreed” that the dashboard would be a positive addition to Clinical Epidemiology and would enable them to present hospital-acquired infection information to others more efficiently. Conclusion The CDI dashboard demonstrates the feasibility of mapping clinical data to hospital patient care units for more efficient surveillance and potential outbreak investigations.
An Efficient Method to Dimensionally Reduce Aperiodic Inhomogeneous 3-D Structures to 1-D Beam-Like Structures

1-D beam representations of aircraft are often used to simulate complex dynamic maneuvers as they have fewer degrees of freedom, hence, are computationally tractable. In this work, a method to dimensionally reduce complex aperiodic inhomogeneous structures such as aircraft wings using the Variational Asymptotic Method (VAM) is explored. The method relies on creating an equivalent structure which is stiffness neutral to that of the original structure, for the purpose of structural analysis. This is achieved by treating it as a stiffness matching optimization problem. Gradients required for the optimization are obtained using automatic differentiation. The method is illustrated on simple toy problems.
Safety of gadoterate meglumine in children younger than 2 years of age.

Few studies on the safety of gadolinium-based contrast agents have been performed in children with even fewer focusing on children younger than 2 years of age. To assess the safety of gadoterate meglumine (Dotarem) in patients younger than 2 years of age by evaluating adverse events following contrast administration. Pediatric patients younger than 2 years of age undergoing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with and without contrast were prospectively enrolled and received a weight-based intravenous dose of gadoterate meglumine (0.1 mmol/kg). The occurrence of adverse events was assessed at the time of injection, 2 h after MRI, and by phone contact using a standard questionnaire 24 h after MRI. Adverse events were documented including the time of onset, duration of symptoms, intensity, causality and subsequent outcome. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize patient information. One hundred fifty exams were completed in 150 patients (median age: 12.1 months, age range: 0.25–23 months; males: 56%). Almost all patients (97.3%) received sedation/anesthesia before and during MRI. Thirty-four adverse events were reported in 23 patients overall (15.3%; male: 73.9%; median age: 11 months, age range: 3–23 months). Within the initial 2 h after the injection, there was one report of transient flushing/warmth and one report of vomiting, the latter of which was related to drinking formula too soon after anesthesia. Twenty-two patients (14.7%), who had all received sedation/anesthesia, experienced minor adverse events within 24 h, most physiological. Fourteen patients (9.3%) reported emesis, eight (5.3%) reported transient flushing/warmth, seven (4.7%) reported nausea, one (0.7%) reported altered taste and one (0.7%) reported dizziness. No patient experienced anaphylaxis. Two patients (1.3%) reported allergic-like reactions, which consisted of wheezing or sneezing. No patient experienced adverse events directly related to gadoterate meglumine. Only two adverse events were reported to have occurred in the initial 2 h after the exam, while the rest were reported on the 24-h follow-up call. The higher reported rate of adverse events in this study may be related to concomitant sedation/anesthesia as well as to overreporting from parents on the 24-h follow-up questionnaire. The study confirms a good safety profile for gadoterate meglumine in this very sensitive population.
Predictive Analytics in Future Power Systems: A Panorama and State-Of-The-Art of Deep Learning Applications

The challenges surrounding the optimal operation of power systems are growing in various dimensions, due in part to increasingly distributed energy resources and a progression towards large-scale transportation electrification. Currently, the increasing uncertainties associated with both renewable energy generation and demand are largely being managed by increasing operational reserves—potentially at the cost of suboptimal economic conditions—in order to maintain the reliability of the system. This chapter looks at the big picture role of forecasting in power systems from generation to consumption and provides a comprehensive review of traditional approaches for forecasting generation and load in various contexts. This chapter then takes a deep dive into the state-of-the-art machine learning and deep learning approaches for power systems forecasting. Furthermore, a case study of multi-time-horizon solar irradiance forecasting using deep learning is discussed in detail. Smart grids form the backbone of the future interdependent networks. For addressing the challenges associated with the operations of smart grid, development and wide adoption of machine learning and deep learning algorithms capable of producing better forecasting accuracies is urgently needed. Along with exploring the implementation and benefits of these approaches, this chapter also considers the strengths and limitations of deep learning algorithms for power systems forecasting applications. This chapter, thus, provides a panoramic view of state-of-the-art of predictive analytics in power systems in the context of future smart grid operations.
The Effect of High Protein and Mobility-Based Rehabilitation on Clinical Outcomes in Survivors of Critical Illness

BACKGROUND: Protein supplementation and mobility-based rehabilitation programs (MRP) individually improve functional outcomes in survivors of critical illness. We hypothesized that combining MRP therapy with high protein supplementation is associated with greater weaning success from prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV) and increased discharge home in this population. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis assessing the effects of an MRP on a cohort of survivors of critical illness. All received usual care (UC) rehabilitation. The MRP group received 3 additional MRP sessions each week for a maximum of 8 weeks. Subjects were prescribed nutrition and classified as receiving high protein (HPRO) or low protein (LPRO), based on a recommended 1.0 g/kg/d, and then the subjects were categorized into 4 groups: MRP+HPRO, MRP+LPRO, UC+HPRO, and UC+LPRO. RESULTS: A total of 32 subjects were enrolled. The MRP+HPRO group had greater weaning success (90% vs 38%, P = .045) and a higher rate of discharge home (70% vs 13%, P = .037) compared to UC+LPRO group. The MRP+HPRO group had a higher, nonsignificant rate of discharge home compared to the MRP+LPRO (70% vs 20%, P = .10). CONCLUSIONS: Combining high protein with mobility-based rehabilitation was associated with increased rates of discharge home and ventilator weaning success in survivors of critical illness. Further studies are needed to evaluate the role of combined exercise and nutrition interventions in this population.
Microscale Structure to Property Prediction for Additively Manufactured IN625 through Advanced Material Model Parameter Identification

Challenge 4 of the Air Force Research Laboratory additive manufacturing modeling challenge series asks the participants to predict the grain-average elastic strain tensors of a few specific challenge grains during tensile loading, based on experimental data and extensive characterization of an IN625 test specimen. In this article, we present our strategy and computational methods for tackling this problem. During the competition stage, a characterized microstructural image from the experiment was directly used to predict the mechanical responses of certain challenge grains with a genetic algorithm-based material model identification method. Later, in the post-competition stage, a proper generalized decomposition (PGD)-based reduced order method is introduced for improved material model calibration. This data-driven reduced order method is efficient and can be used to identify complex material model parameters in the broad field of mechanics and materials science. The results in terms of absolute error have been reported for the original prediction and re-calibrated material model. The predictions show that the overall method is capable of handling large-scale computational problems for local response identification. The re-calibrated results and speed-up show promise for using PGD for material model calibration.
Case 35: A Pharyngeal Mass

Today you are scheduled to anesthetize a 3-year-old boy for pharyngoscopy and biopsy of a pharyngeal mass. The mother tells you the child has been healthy until this time. The present complaint is that he has become more breathless than normal, especially on exertion. On exam you note that his mouth opening is adequate, with good view of the uvula. His chest is clear and vital signs are normal except that the child is obviously somewhat distressed breathing even at rest. The A-P chest X-ray is normal and the lateral X-ray of the neck shows a large supraglottic soft-tissue mass. The mass projects from the posterior pharyngeal wall into the larynx which is narrowed by approximately 85%.
RIF RuleML Rosetta Ring: Round-Tripping the Dlex Subset of Datalog RuleML and RIF-Core

The RIF RuleML overlap area is of broad interest for Web rule interchange. Its kernel, Dlex, is defined syntactically and semantically as the common sublanguage of Datalog RuleML and RIF-Core restricted to positional arguments and non-conjunctive rule conclusions, and allowing equality plus externals in rule premises (only). Semantics-preserving mappings are then defined between the Dlex subset of the RIF Presentation Syntax and RIF/XML, RIF/XML and RuleML/XML, as well as RuleML/XML and the Prolog-like RuleML/POSL. These mappings are the basis for RIF RuleML feature comparison and translation. The slightly augmented mappings can be composed into a (`Rosetta') ring for round-tripping between all pairs of Dlex representations.
Demonstration of a laser-based ultrasonic inspection system for industrial applications

Summary form only given. We have fabricated an automated, computer-controlled prototype laser-based ultrasound system, enabling inspection of real-world workpieces, including weld-joint dimensioning of rough-cut components using neural network classification, detection of inclusions in aluminum billets, hardness, and remote temperature and thickness measurements. Our system, called Compensated Laser Ultrasonic Evaluation, or CLUE, employs various forms of all-optical wavefront compensation, including nonlinear optical phase conjugation and nonsteady-state photoinduced emf.
Using Market Prices to Regulate the Costs of a Utility‘s Inputs

This paper analyzes the problem of determining allowable cost of a utility‘s inputs when the price of these inputs may be highly volatile and when hedging and long-term contracting are the norm in the supply of these inputs. In such an environment, benchmarks based upon the observable market price of an input are natural regulatory mechanisms to consider. This paper studies such incentive-based regulation. The first section uses contingent claims analysis to investigate a representative contract currently in place. The analysis indicates that this regulation may impose an important monitoring role on the regulator in order to prevent the utility from taking extremely risky positions in fuel markets. Further investigation of benchmark-based regulation is undertaken in a principal-agent framework in which the utility has the dual role of choosing a fuel portfolio and undertaking expenditures to reduce fuel costs. In this setting, it is shown that benchmark-based compensation is, at best, ineffective. Within the same setting, contracts based upon cost sharing are studied and found to be superior at obtaining a tradeoff between risks and cost reduction.
Riboflavin Production during Growth of Micrococcus luteus on Pyridine

Micrococcus luteus produced 29 μM riboflavin during growth on 6.5 mM pyridine but not during growth on other substrates. On the basis of the results of radiolabelling studies, riboflavin was not directly synthesized from pyridine. Pyridine may interfere with riboflavin biosynthesis or elicit a general stress response in M. luteus.
False Increases of Troponin I Attributable to Incomplete Separation of Serum

In the process of establishing a troponin I assay in our laboratory, we found limited data on reference intervals for plasma. Because our laboratory relies heavily on plasma rather than serum to expedite analysis (1), we undertook a parallel study of serum and plasma troponin I concentrations with the Abbott AxSYMTM assay. To our surprise, we found several discordant results (Table 1⇓ ). Reanalysis of the samples reproduced … aAddress correspondence to this author at: Abbott Laboratories, 200 Abbott Park Rd., Building AP31, Department 9JW, Abbott Park, IL 60064.
Juror decision-making in a mock sexually violent predator trial: gender differences in the impact of divergent types of expert testimony.

Despite widespread use of mental health testimony in cases where violence risk is at issue, relatively little is known about the impact of such information on juror decision-making. This study addressed the effects of testimony based on three types of risk assessment instrument or method (clinical opinion, actuarial assessment, and ratings of psychopathy) to examine whether they would have differential impact on jurors' perceptions of the defendant. In a mock sexually violent predator civil commitment trial, 172 undergraduates were presented a case summary that included prosecution and defense expert testimony related to violence risk based on one of the three methods noted above. Consistent with earlier research, the hypothesis that a defendant described as a “high risk psychopath” by the prosecution would be judged more severely than a defendant judged as “high risk” based on other evaluation procedures was supported, but only among female jurors. Unlike prior studies, little support was found for the hypothesis that clinical opinion testimony would be more influential than actuarially based testimony for either gender. Mechanisms that may underlie the observed gender differences are discussed, as are the potential implications of these findings for civil commitment proceedings. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Highly conductive VO2 treated with hydrogen for supercapacitors.

Reduction of VO2 resistance by nearly 3 orders of magnitude through H2 treatment was reported for supercapacitor application. A specific discharge capacitance of 300 F g−1 and a specific energy density of 17 W h kg−1 at a rate of 1 A g−1 are demonstrated with long-term cycling stability, which is 4 times higher than untreated samples.
Genetic control by the W locus of susceptibility to (Friend) spleen focus-forming virus.

CERTAIN strains of Friend leukaemia virus induce hyper-volemic polycythaemia1 and macroscopic foci of proliferating haemopoietic cells2 in the spleens of susceptible mice. Among several strains of Friend virus studied, the viral component which initiates spleen focus formation (SFFV) and that which induces polycythaemia (FV-P) were found to be closely associated; thus both host responses are considered to be elicited by the same virus3. The erythropoiesis induced by this virus is independent of erythropoietin because this substance could not be detected in plasma or urine of mice at any time after infection, and administration of rabbit anti-erythro-poietin serum did not alter susceptibility to SFFV (ref 4). Resumption of erythropoiesis and formation of spleen foci can be induced by this virus in plethorized mice3,5, and so the virus presumably interacts with very primitive haemopoietic cells, perhaps colony-forming or erythro-poietin-sensitive cells.
Interaction between Intraseasonal Oscillations of the Midlatitude Flow and Tropical Convection during 1979 Northern Summer: The Pacific Ocean

Abstract It has been inferred and illustrated by many studies in terms of outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) and velocity potential (χ) that energy is input into the intraseasonal oscillation through tropical cumulus convection, especially over the monsoon region. The existence of this low-frequency oscillation of regional extratropical oscillation has been observed by other studies. Previous findings lead us to speculate upon a hemispheric interaction between tropical cumulus convection and extratropical circulation in terms of an intraseasonal time scale. This study demonstrates that during the 1979 summer a coherent intraseasonal oscillation existed between cumulus convection and divergent circulation over the equatorial western Pacific and mid-Pacific troughs. Moreover, the intraseasonal oscillations of streamfunction (ψ) associated with these troughs, the tropical OLR, and the tropical ψ field exhibit coherent eastward propagations. Based upon these two coherent relations it is hypothesized that a tro...
Effect of Loading Rate on the Properties of Asphalt Concrete Using Three-Point Bending Test

This study investigates the effect of loading rate on Asphalt Concrete (AC) in the laboratory using Three-Point Bending test. As a first step, beam samples were prepared using kneading compactor and final shape of the sample was obtained by laboratory saw. The samples were then subjected to bending loading at different deformation rates at room temperature of 20 °C. The initial stiffness, failure stress (tensile strength) and failure strain were monitored. Results show that the stiffness and the failure stress-strain increase with the increase in loading rate. The findings of the study are expected to be useful to understand the performance of AC due to slow loading such as slow cooling.
Late results of systemic atrioventricular valve replacement in corrected transposition

From December 1964 to October 1993, 40 patients (aged 5 months to 70 years, mean 21.8 years, median 13.6 years) with corrected transposition and systemic atrioventricular valve insufficiency underwent replacement (n = 39) or repair (n = 1) of the systemic atrioventricular valve. Thirty-nine patients had situs solitus and 1 had situs inversus. Associated anomalies included Ebstein's malformation of the systemic atrioventricular valve (n = 22), ventricular septal defect (n = 19), and pulmonary stenosis (n = 14). Preoperatively, 16 patients (40.0%) had complete heart block and 27 patients (67.5%) were in New York Heart Association functional classes III and IV. The early mortality was 10.0% (n = 4) and 8 patients died subsequently. The principal cause of death in all 12 patients was systemic ventricular failure. Overall survival including early mortality was 78.0% at 5 years and 60.7% at 10 years; survival excluding early mortality was 86.7% at 5 years and 67.5% at 10 years. Survivorship correlated with preoperative systemic ventricular ejection fraction of 44% or more (p < 0.001) and later interval of operation (9 deaths in 15 patients before 1981 versus 3 deaths in 25 patients subsequently) (p = 0.06). There were no cases of surgically induced complete heart block. Two patients underwent late reoperations related to the systemic atrioventricular valve prosthesis. Follow-up extended to 26.0 years (median 4.7 years). At last follow-up, 18 of the 28 survivors were in New York Heart Association functional class I, 9 were in class II, and 1 was in class III. We conclude that the results of systemic atrioventricular valve replacement in corrected transposition have improved significantly during the past decade. To preserve systemic ventricular function, we suggest operation be considered at the earliest sign of progressive ventricular dysfunction as assessed by serial clinical evaluation and echocardiography.
A course in computer-aided aerospace design

Abstract This paper describes a new sophomore course being offered at Purdue University in the area of aerospace design. While the course and the examples used in this presentation deal with aerospace engineering, the overall structure is presented as being applicable in other engineering areas as well. The basic idea is that, with time, more of the design processes will involve the use of a computer and this necessarily will force the design process towards a higher degree of organization. The course is a simple illustrative example within this viewpoint. The basic modules of aerospace engineering of flight mechanics, aerodynamics, structures, propulsion, weights, air transportation, stability and control, and performance are used to formulate a set of constraints, which, in the particular example, are positive static stability, trim, structural integrity, and range. A (paper) aircraft is defined as an element of the set of feasible values of design parameters (geometry, altitude, speed). Then, given the subset of aircraft which satisfies all the constraints, the aircraft, with the optimum index of performance, is defined to be the best aircraft.
The experience of cognitive dissonance in important and trivial domains: A Construal-Level Theory approach

Abstract Although the role of issue-importance has been central to theorizing about dissonance, its impact on dissonance-related shifts in attitude is not clear. Drawing on recent distinctions between high-level construals, which capture an object's gist and lead people to focus on their more‐important concerns, and low-level construals, which emphasize secondary issues, the current paper explores the role of construal-level in moderating the effect of importance on dissonance-induced attitude change. Adopting a widely used induced‐compliance paradigm, participants in a high or low-level construal mindset wrote counter‐attitudinal essays about instituting a senior comprehensive exam under conditions of high or low choice. As expected, participants in a high-level construal mindset more strongly favored comprehensive exams under high choice than low‐choice conditions, but only when the issue was personally important. Participants in a low-level construal mindset showed a choice effect when the issue was unimportant. Implications and future directions are discussed.
Urge-to-Cough: What Can It Teach Us About Cough?

The Urge-to-Cough is a component of the brain motivation system that mediates cognitive responses to cough stimuli. There are six stages to the cough motivation-to-action system: (1) stimulus, the trigger for the neural event; (2) urge, the physical need to respond to the stimulus; (3) desire, translation of urge into a central neural targeted goal; (4) action, physical response that satisfies the urge-desire; (5) evidence, feedback to the neural system on the action; (6) reward, sensory system that determines if the urge was satisfied. Urge-to-Cough is related to three fundamental types of cough: (1) reflex cough, (2) voluntary cough, and (3) behavioral cough. Urge-to-Cough with reflex cough can be studied by measuring the sensations elicited by a cough stimulus. Neural processes with voluntary cough can be studied using magnitude production cognitive psychometric methods. Results of these studies have shown if the subjects can reliably estimate their Urge-to-Cough, the urge increases with increasing cough stimulus, there is a correlation between the Urge-to-Cough and cough intensity, there is a threshold for eliciting the sensation of the urge that precedes the motor cough behavior, subjects can voluntarily produce coughs of varying magnitudes, the motor cough pattern is directly related to the perceived magnitude of a cough, volitional triggers of a cough are directly related to the reflex cough pattern, and neural triggers of cough initiate a stereotypic motor output. Understanding the Urge-to-Cough motivation-to-action system opens new strategies for research on central neural cough mechanisms.
Stroke: morale, family functioning, health status, and functional capacity.

Abstract Twenty-two stroke patients and their spouses were studied. All patients were living at home and had had a stroke at least one year previously. Of the 22 patients 14 were men and eight were women. Couples were assessed on the variables of morale, family functioning, health status, and patient functional capacity. For all variables, patient-spouse and husband-wife differences were tested. Couples from a previously studied random community sample were matched to the stroke couples on age and socioeconomic status (SES). Identical morale, family functioning, and health status data collected on these couples were compared to the stroke data. The results included the following: Stroke patients and their spouses were healthy on all variables. Members of the couple did not differ on most variables whether compared as husband-wife or patient-spouse. Wives from the two samples did not differ on any variable. Husbands from the stroke sample differed from the matched husbands on only one health variable—the number of doctor visits made in the past six months.
Testosterone therapy in women : its role in the management of hypoactive sexual desire disorder

Disorders of sexual dysfunction occur in nearly half of women during their life, and hypoactive sexual desire disorder accounts for most of those complaints. Although the relationship between low endogenous testosterone levels and sexual desire disorders in women has not been empirically established, clinical trials have shown that exogenous testosterone therapy improves arousability, sexual desire and fantasy, frequency of sexual activity and orgasm, and satisfaction and pleasure from the sexual act. Its therapeutic role in bone mineral density, fatigue, well-being and hot flashes requires more study before specific recommendations can be made. Potential adverse effects of testosterone therapy include hirsutism, acne and deepening of the voice along with changes in lipid profiles. While less well understood, concern after increased risks for breast cancer and cardiovascular events has been raised about this therapy. Testosterone therapy is available in various formulations; the most commonly used are oral and transdermal, including patches, gels, creams and ointments.
Binding Mode Characterization of NBD Series CD4-Mimetic HIV-1 Entry Inhibitors by X-Ray Structure and Resistance Study

ABSTRACT We previously identified two small-molecule CD4 mimetics—NBD-556 and NBD-557—and synthesized a series of NBD compounds that resulted in improved neutralization activity in a single-cycle HIV-1 infectivity assay. For the current investigation, we selected several of the most active compounds and assessed their antiviral activity on a panel of 53 reference HIV-1 Env pseudoviruses representing diverse clades of clinical isolates. The selected compounds inhibited tested clades with low-micromolar potencies. Mechanism studies indicated that they act as CD4 agonists, a potentially unfavorable therapeutic trait, in that they can bind to the gp120 envelope glycoprotein and initiate a similar physiological response as CD4. However, one of the compounds, NBD-09027, exhibited reduced agonist properties, in both functional and biophysical studies. To understand the binding mode of these inhibitors, we first generated HIV-1-resistant mutants, assessed their behavior with NBD compounds, and determined the X-ray structures of two inhibitors, NBD-09027 and NBD-10007, in complex with the HIV-1 gp120 core at ∼2-A resolution. Both studies confirmed that the NBD compounds bind similarly to NBD-556 and NBD-557 by inserting their hydrophobic groups into the Phe43 cavity of gp120. The basic nitrogen of the piperidine ring is located in close proximity to D368 of gp120 but it does not form any H-bond or salt bridge, a likely explanation for their nonoptimal antagonist properties. The results reveal the structural and biological character of the NBD series of CD4 mimetics and identify ways to reduce their agonist properties and convert them to antagonists.
Kinks and bound states in the Gross-Neveu model.

We investigate static space-dependent [sigma]([ital x])=[l angle][bar [psi]][psi][r angle] saddle point configurations in the two-dimensional Gross-Neveu model in the large [ital N] limit. We solve the saddle point condition for [sigma]([ital x]) explicitly by employing supersymmetric quantum mechanics and using simple properties of the diagonal resolvent of one-dimensional Schroedinger operators rather than inverse scattering techniques. The resulting solutions in the sector of unbroken supersymmetry are the Callan-Coleman-Gross-Zee kink configurations. We thus provide a direct and clean construction of these kinks. In the sector of broken supersymmetry we derive the DHN saddle point configurations. Our method of finding such nontrivial static configurations may be applied also in other two-dimensional field theories.
Selective Fischer–Tropsch synthesis over an Al2O3 supported cobalt catalyst in supercritical hexane

Abstract Supercritical fluids (SCFs) offer several advantages as reaction media for catalytic reactions. These advantages include the ability to manipulate the reaction environment through simple changes in pressure to enhance solubility of reactants and products, to eliminate interphase transport limitations, and to integrate reaction and separation unit operations. Benefits derived from the SCF-phase Fischer–Tropsch synthesis (SCF-FTS) involve the gas-like diffusivities and liquid-like solubilities, which together combine the desirable features of the gas- and liquid-phase FT synthesis routes. In this paper, FT synthesis under SCF hexane conditions is examined in a continuous, high-pressure reactor by employing a traditional Co catalyst (15% Co–0.5% Pt/Al 2 O 3 ). Steady-state operation was quickly achieved under SCF conditions and the SCF-FT process has a marked effect on the hydrocarbon product distribution with a shift to higher carbon number products owing to enhanced heat and mass transfer from the catalyst surface. In addition, an obvious difference in the olefin content was observed where the 1-olefin content in the SCF phase was always higher than in the gas phase. Based on the experimental observations, a mechanistic explanation is provided for the difference of the reaction behavior under supercritical and gas-phase environments. Enhanced olefins readsorption and increased availability of active sites in the supercritical state contribute to the increased olefin selectivity and chain growth probability in the supercritical phase. In addition, the effect of pressure tuning in the supercritical phase reaction was investigated as well as the effect of the supercritical medium on heat transfer and temperature distribution within the reactor.
Accelerated generation of free radicals by iron oxide nanoparticles in the presence of an alternating magnetic field

The surfaces of iron oxide nanoparticles are capable of catalytically generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) through the Fenton and Haber–Weiss reactions. Fenton chemistry has been shown to be temperature dependent with an increase in activity up to 40 °C and then a decrease above this temperature as the hydrogen peroxide degrades into oxygen and water which limits the reaction. When exposed to an alternating magnetic field (AMF), iron oxide nanoparticles absorb the energy from the magnetic field and convert it into heat. In this study, we observed an increase in the degradation of methylene blue when a suspension of magnetite nanoparticles (Fe3O4) was exposed to an AMF indicating there was an increase in the ROS generation in response to the AMF. The increase in ROS generation compared to the Arrhenius prediction was both time and concentration dependent; in which we observed a decrease in ROS enhancement with increased time of exposure and concentration. We postulate that the decrease is due to agglomeration in the presence of the field. As the nanoparticles agglomerate, there is a decrease in surface area per mass limiting the reaction rate.
Edema after femoropopliteal bypass surgery: lymphatic and venous theories of causation.

Abstract Edema of a lower extremity after femoropopliteal bypass surgery is a common problem. To study the causes of this phenomenon we evaluated 72 patients before and after surgery with noninvasive venous testing and venography. We also obtained postoperative lymphangiograms of a sample of 16 patients, eight with and eight without postoperative edema. Patients were sequentially assigned to one of four treatment groups: group A, a lymphatic-preserving inguinal dissection with conventional popliteal dissection; group B, a lymphatic-preserving popliteal dissection with conventional inguinal dissection; group C, lymphatic-preserving inguinal and popliteal dissections; group D, conventional inguinal and popliteal dissections. Twenty-nine (40%) of the 72 patients had postoperative edema. A similar proportion of patients with edema had deep venous thrombosis as patients without edema (3/29 [10%] vs 3/43 [7%], respectively). Patients in group D showed the highest incidence of edema, 17/20 or 85%, a rate significantly higher than the rates in the other three groups ( p
Numerical integration errors in calculated tropospheric photodissociation rate coefficients

Tropospheric photodissociation rate coefficients (J values) were calculated for NO2, O3, HNO2, CH2O, and CH3CHO using high spectral resolution (0.1 mm wavelength increments), and compared to the J values obtained with numerically degraded resolution (Δλ=1, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 nm, and several commonly used nonuniform grids). Depending on the molecule, substantial errors can be introduced by the larger increments. Thus for Δλ=10 nm, errors are less than 1% for NO2, less than 2% for HNO2, +6.5% to -16% for CH2O, -6.9% to +24% for CH3CHO, and -24% to +110% for O3. The errors for CH2O arise from the fine structure of its absorption spectrum, and are prevalently negative (underestimate of J). The errors for O3, and to a lesser extent for CH3CHO, arise mainly from under-resolving the overlap of the molecular action spectrum and the tropospheric actinic flux in the wavelength region of stratospheric ozone attenuation. The sign of those errors depends on whether the actinic flux is averaged onto the grid before or after the radiative transfer calculation. In all cases studied, grids with Δλ≤2 nm produced errors no larger than 5%.
Age-dependent dysregulation of brain amyloid precursor protein in the Ts65Dn Down syndrome mouse model.

Individuals with Down syndrome develop β-amyloid deposition characteristic of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in mid-life, presumably because of an extra copy of the chromosome 21-located amyloid precursor protein (App) gene. App mRNA and APP metabolite levels were assessed in the brains of Ts65Dn mice, a mouse model of Down syndrome, using quantitative PCR, western blot analysis, immunoprecipitation, and ELISAs. In spite of the additional App gene copy, App mRNA, APP holoprotein, and all APP metabolite levels in the brains of 4-month-old trisomic mice were not increased compared with the levels seen in diploid littermate controls. However starting at 10 months of age, brain APP levels were increased proportional to the App gene dosage imbalance reflecting increased App message levels in Ts65Dn mice. Similar to APP levels, soluble amino-terminal fragments of APP (sAPPα and sAPPβ) were increased in Ts65Dn mice compared with diploid mice at 12 months but not at 4 months of age. Brain levels of both Aβ40 and Aβ42 were not increased in Ts65Dn mice compared with diploid mice at all ages examined. Therefore, multiple mechanisms contribute to the regulation towards diploid levels of APP metabolites in the Ts65Dn mouse brain.
A perspective on quality of experience and quality of service parameters in IPTV

This presentation will address the perceived quality of video services and the key challenges that impact IPTV performance. We will explain how to measure the many factors that influence IPTV Quality of Experience (QoE) in Triple Play networks including: ▪ Quantification of the quality of streamed video and audio content; ▪ Automated testing of channel zapping time; ▪ Challenges of reliability. We discuss and assess techniques for evaluating the performance of IPTV and Triple Play devices such as DSLAMs, B-RASs, service / edge routers, firewalls and others.
An Analytical Elastic-Plastic Contact Model

This paper presents a new formulation for elastic-plastic contact in the normal direction between two round surfaces that is solely based on material properties and contact geometries. The problem is formulated as three separate domains: the elastic regime, mixed elastic-plastic behavior, and unconstrained (fully plastic) flow. Solutions for the force-displacement relationship in the elastic regime follow from Hertz’s classical solution. In the fully plastic regime, two assumptions are made: that there is a uniform pressure distribution and that there is conservation of volume. The force-displacement relationship in the intermediate, mixed elastic-plastic regime is approximated by enforcing continuity between the elastic and fully plastic regimes. Transitions between the three regimes are determined based on empirical quantities: the von Mises yield criterion is used to determine the initiation of mixed elastic-plastic deformation, and Brinell’s hardness for the onset of unconstrained flow. Unloading from each of these three regimes is modeled as an elastic process with different radii of curvature based on the regime in which the maximum force occurred. Simulation results explore the relationship between the impact velocity and coefficient of restitution. Further comparisons are made between the model, experimental results found in the literature, and other existing elastic-plastic models.© 2011 ASME
MARKOV MODELS OF LITERARY STYLE FOR AUTHORSHIP IDENTIFICATION

The author introduces a statistical model of literary style that allows for the authorship question to be examined. This model uses Markov modeling to examine underlying patterns in pieces of literature. Different methods for comparing these models are examined. The methods are then applied to an experiment involving the authorship of 16th century sonnets. Finally suggestions for improving on this technique are discussed.
Increased Renal Echogenicity: A Sonographic Sign for Differentiating Between Obstructive and Nonobstructive Etiologies of in Utero Bladder Distension

AbstractPurpose: The combination of in utero bladder distension and bilateral hydroureteronephrosis in male fetuses may result from a number of pathological processes. The prenatal and postnatal treatment of patients with an enlarged bladder is dictated by the specific etiology leading to these changes. We propose specific ultrasonographic criteria for differentiating between obstructive and nonobstructive etiologies in these fetuses.Materials and Methods: We reviewed the medical records and prenatal imaging studies of 18 cases of marked in utero bladder distension in which a diagnosis of posterior urethral valves, the megacystis-megaureter association or the prune-belly syndrome was confirmed postnatally. Amniotic fluid volume and renal echogenicity were assessed before knowledge of the specific diagnosis. Oligohydramnios was graded as mild, moderate or severe. Increased renal echogenicity was defined as greater echogenicity of the renal cortex and/or medulla than of adjacent liver tissue. Postnatal imag...
SU‐E‐T‐647: Quality of Prostate IMRT Plans Generated Using Biological versus Dose‐Volume Constraints

Purpose: To compare plan quality between fixed‐gantry IMRT plans generated by a treatment planning system (TPS) based on biological constraints (Monaco, Elekta CMS) and rotational IMRT plans produced by a TPS based on dose‐volume constraints (TomoTherapy) for prostate irradiation. Methods: Five previously treated TomoTherapy (Ver. 3.1.4.7) plans with a prescription dose of 7560 cGy in 42 fractions to prostate PTV were selected. TomoTherapy plans were generated using 2.5 cm field width, a typical pitch of 0.43, and a mean modulation factor of 2.20. Monaco (Ver. 2.03) plans were generated for these five cases using 9 equispaced beams, 2 mm grid spacing, 2 mm beamlet width, and a Monte Carlo algorithm for final dose calculation with 3% variance. Because greater PTV dose heterogeneity was anticipated, Monaco plans that did not meet a “ 110% of the prescribed dose” criterion were rejected. Two sets of Monaco plans were generated for 58‐ and 160‐leaf Siemens MLC beam models. Various plan quality metrics were compared by the paired t‐test. Results: In all five cases, it was possible to obtain Monaco plans that met the PTV dose homogeneity criterion and equaled or exceeded the TomoTherapy plans in terms of rectal and bladder sparing. A small, but statistically significant, improvement in rectal V45 (−1.3%) and V70 (−2.4%) and in bladder V45 (−3.7%) was observed in Monaco 58‐leaf MLC plans compared to the TomoTherapy plans. In Monaco 160‐leaf MLC plans, a trend toward further improvement in critical structure sparing and PTV dose homogeneity was observed. Conclusions: Fixed‐gantry IMRT prostate plans generated by the Monaco TPS have identical or slightly improved critical structure sparing in comparison with the TomoTherapy plans, but are characterized by greater, albeit clinically acceptable, heterogeneity in target volumes.
The Roles of Beaconing and Dead Reckoning in Human Virtual Navigation

Abstract Beaconing is a process in which the distance between a visual landmark and current position is reduced in order to return to a location. In contrast, dead reckoning is a process in which vestibular, kinesthetic and/or optic flow cues are utilized to update speed of movement, elapsed time of movement, and direction of movement to return to a location. In the present experiment, human participants engaged in a virtual triangle-completion task devoid of vestibular cues in which they navigated two legs of an outbound path before homing (returning to the origin). However, our task was modified such that a landmark array was placed at the origin, allowing both beaconing and dead reckoning to be utilized to home. During the second leg of the outbound path, we manipulated aspects of the landmark array to determine the extent to which beaconing and dead reckoning influenced homing. Specifically, during probe trials, the landmark array either remained the same, shifted 3 or 6 meters east/west, or north/south, or was removed. We analyzed homing performance to determine the influence of landmark shifts on search behavior. Results suggested that participants were able to home with equal accuracy in both the presence and the absence of the landmark array. Array shifts that put beaconing and dead reckoning in conflict resulted in an averaging of the two sources of information for the determination of heading but a mixture of strategies for path length.
Fibromodulin-Deficiency Alters Temporospatial Expression Patterns of Transforming Growth Factor-β Ligands and Receptors during Adult Mouse Skin Wound Healing

Fibromodulin (FMOD) is a small leucine-rich proteoglycan required for scarless fetal cutaneous wound repair. Interestingly, increased FMOD levels have been correlated with decreased transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 expression in multiple fetal and adult rodent models. Our previous studies demonstrated that FMOD-deficiency in adult animals results in delayed wound closure and increased scar size accompanied by loose package collagen fiber networks with increased fibril diameter. In addition, we found that FMOD modulates in vitro expression and activities of TGF-β ligands in an isoform-specific manner. In this study, temporospatial expression profiles of TGF-β ligands and receptors in FMOD-null and wild-type (WT) mice were compared by immunohistochemical staining and quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction using a full-thickness, primary intention wound closure model. During the inflammatory stage, elevated inflammatory infiltration accompanied by increased type I TGF-β receptor levels in individual inflammatory cells was observed in FMOD-null wounds. This increased inflammation was correlated with accelerated epithelial migration during the proliferative stage. On the other hand, significantly more robust expression of TGF-β3 and TGF-β receptors in FMOD-null wounds during the proliferative stage was associated with delayed dermal cell migration and proliferation, which led to postponed granulation tissue formation and wound closure and increased scar size. Compared with WT controls, expression of TGF-β ligands and receptors by FMOD-null dermal cells was markedly reduced during the remodeling stage, which may have contributed to the declined collagen synthesis capability and unordinary collagen architecture. Taken together, this study demonstrates that a single missing gene, FMOD, leads to conspicuous alternations in TGF-β ligand and receptor expression at all stages of wound repair in various cell types. Therefore, FMOD critically coordinates temporospatial distribution of TGF-β ligands and receptors in vivo, suggesting that FMOD modulates TGF-β bioactivity in a complex way beyond simple physical binding to promote proper wound healing.
A Bridge Between Communities: Video-making using principles of community-based participatory research.

Health educators can play a critical role in bringing together the partners and resources to successfully make videos using principles of community-based participatory research (CBPR). This article...
Heckman–Opdam's Jacobi polynomials for the BCn root system and generalized spherical functions

Abstract We prove that the radial part of the Laplacian on the space of generalized spherical functions on the symmetric space GL ( m + n )/ GL ( m )× GL ( n ) is the Sutherland differential operator for the root system BC n and the radial parts of the differential operators corresponding to the higher Casimirs yield the integrals of the quantum Calogero–Moser system. It allows us to give a representation theoretical construction for the three parameter family of Heckman–Opdam's Jacobi polynomials for the BC n root system.
Associations of lithium alkyl dicarbonates through O...Li...O interactions

Associations of several lithium alkyl (vinylene, divinylene, ethylene, and propylene) dicarbonates, resulting from the reductive decomposition of organic carbonates and playing a crucial role on the formation of a solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) in rechargeable Li-ion batteries, have been extensively investigated with density functional theory methods. Lithium alkyl dicarbonates can associate through intermolecular O···Li···O interactions. For their dimers, the cagelike isomer is the most stable structure. Closed pseudoplanar structures turn out to be the global minima for trimers as well as for tetramers. O···Li···O interactions have been characterized with atoms-in-molecules (AIM) and natural bond order (NBO) analysis, and it is found that Li···O behave as ionic interactions. It has also been found that the partial charges of Li ions are decreased in the range of 0.004e to 0.035e when O···Li···O interactions occur or when a Li atom is being shared by more adjacent oxygen atoms, whereas the overall NB...