cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Microstructural Study of the Hot Corrosion of a Calcium Aluminosilicate Glass‐Ceramic and a Si‐C‐O‐Fiber‐Reinforced Calcium Aluminosilicate Matrix Composite via Sodium Sulfate in Air and Argon at 900°C

The hot corrosion of a calcium aluminosilicate (CAS) glass-ceramic and a composite of CAS matrix that has been reinforced with Si-C-O (Nicalon) fiber has been investigated by X-ray diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Samples of the monolithic CAS and the Si-C-O-CAS composite were subjected to corrosion using liquid sodium sulfate at 900°C for 50 h in air and argon environments. The monolithic and composite samples both were corroded by sodium sulfate, and corrosion damage in the composites was more severe than in the monolithic CAS, irrespective of the gaseous environment. The increased corrosion damage in the composites was due to the presence of Si-C-O fibers, which changes the mechanism of corrosion. The corrosion products in monolithic CAS were different from those in the composites; this disparity was also due to the presence of the fibers in the composite. The corrosion zones in all the samples were severely cracked, and the cracks extended into the unaffected regions of the samples. Mechanisms of hot corrosion have been proposed and discussed for both the monolithic and composite samples.
Diesel Truck Idling Emissions: Measurements at PM2.5 Hot Spot

The University of Tennessee and Oak Ridge National Laboratory conducted a 5-month-long air monitoring study at the Watt Road interchange on I-40 in Knoxville, Tennessee, where 20,000 heavy-duty trucks travel the Interstate each day. In addition, three large truck stops are situated at this interchange, where as many as 400 trucks idle engines at night. As a result, high levels of PM2.5 have been measured near the interchange, often exceeding National Ambient Air Quality Standards. This paper presents the results of the air monitoring study, illustrating average hourly patterns of PM2.5 resulting from diesel truck emissions on the Interstate and at the truck stops. Most of the PM2.5 concentrations detected occurred during the night, when the largest contribution of emissions was from idling trucks rather than trucks on the Interstate. A nearby background air monitoring site was used to identify the contribution of regional PM2.5 emissions, which were also a significant factor in the concentrations measured...
Building Regional Economic Growth and Innovation Capacity.

This chapter provides a case study on how thirteen institutions of higher education, ten of which are community colleges, created a blueprint for successful regional collaboration on critical education and economic challenges.
On the bifurcation structure of axisymmetric vortex breakdown in a constricted pipe

The bifurcation structure is presented for an axisymmetric swirling flow in a constricted pipe, using the pipe geometry of Beran and Culick [J. Fluid Mech. 242, 491 (1992)]. The flow considered has been restricted to a two‐dimensional parameter space comprising the Reynolds number Re and the relative swirl V0 of the incoming swirling flow. The bifurcation diagram is constructed by solving the time‐dependent axisymmetric Navier–Stokes equations. The stability of the steady results presented by Beran and Culick, obtained from a steady axisymmetric Navier–Stokes code, has been confirmed. Further, the steady solution branch has also been extended to much larger V0 values. At larger V0, a stable unsteady solution branch has been identified. This unsteady branch coexists with the previously found stable steady solution branch and originates via a turning point bifurcation. The bifurcation diagram is of the type described by Benjamin [Proc. R. Soc. London Ser. A 359, 1 (1978)] as the canonical unfolding of a pitchfork bifurcation. This type of bifurcation structure in the two‐dimensional parameter space (Re,V0), suggests the possibility of hysteresis behavior over some part of parameter space, and this is observed in the present study. The implications of this on the theoretical description of vortex breakdown and the search for a criterion for its onset are discussed.
Imaging to optimize liver tumor ablation

Surgical resection remains the ideal treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma and metastasis to the liver. Many alternatives are available for treatment of nonsurgical candidates. Regardless of treatment, optimizing imaging in the pretreatment, treatment and post-treatment settings is critical in order to lower the rates of local tumor progression and maximize the effectiveness of treatment that may result in prolonged survival. This article summarizes some basic imaging techniques of primary and metastatic liver tumors with a focus on how to optimize their treatment with ablation.
Applications of the line-of-response probability density function resolution model in PET list mode reconstruction

Resolution degradation in PET image reconstruction can be caused by inaccurate modeling of the physical factors in the acquisition process. Resolution modeling (RM) is a common technique that takes into account the resolution degrading factors in the system matrix. Our previous work has introduced a probability density function (PDF) method of deriving the resolution kernels from Monte Carlo simulation and parameterizing the LORs to reduce the number of kernels needed for image reconstruction. In addition, LOR-PDF allows different PDFs to be applied to LORs from different crystal layer pairs of the HRRT. In this study, a thorough test was performed with this new model (LOR-PDF) applied to two PET scanners—the HRRT and Focus-220. A more uniform resolution distribution was observed in point source reconstructions by replacing the spatially-invariant kernels with the spatially-variant LOR-PDF. Specifically, from the center to the edge of radial field of view (FOV) of the HRRT, the measured in-plane FWHMs of point sources in a warm background varied slightly from 1.7 mm to 1.9 mm in LOR-PDF reconstructions. In Minihot and contrast phantom reconstructions, LOR-PDF resulted in up to 9% higher contrast at any given noise level than image-space resolution model. LOR-PDF also has the advantage in performing crystal-layer-dependent resolution modeling. The contrast improvement by using LOR-PDF was verified statistically by replicate reconstructions. In addition, [11C]AFM rats imaged on the HRRT and [11C]PHNO rats imaged on the Focus-220 were utilized to demonstrated the advantage of the new model. Higher contrast between high-uptake regions of only a few millimeter diameter and the background was observed in LOR-PDF reconstruction than in other methods.
A Glimmer Into the Understanding of Family

This column is concerned with research and the family. An interview with both Sharon Falkenstern, who ascribes to health as expanding consciousness, and Steven Baumann, whose work is underpinned by the humanbecoming school of thought, is presented. Finally, insights into research and the family will be brought to light.
Adolescents’ Motivations for Viewing Graphic Horror

This study identifies four motivations adolescents report for viewing graphic horror films: gore watching, thrill watching, independent watching, and problem watching. On the basis of a uses and gratifications model of media effects, it is argued that viewing motivations are predictors of responses to graphic horror. This study also seeks to extend Zillmann's excitation-transfer model of media effects to predict under what conditions viewing-generated arousal is transferred to positive or negative affect. The dispositional characteristics of fearfulness, empathy, and sensation seeking are found to be related to different viewing motivations, providing a viewing-related personality profile for the four different types of adolescent viewers. The four viewing motivations are found to be related to viewers’cognitive and affective responses to horror films, as well as viewers’tendency to identify with either the killers or victims in these films. Directions for future research addressing the role of viewing motivations in the relationship between violent media, cognitive and affective responses, and subsequent behavioral aggression are discussed.
Transmit Antenna Selection Based on Link-layer Channel Probing

In this paper, we propose transmit antenna selection based on receiver feedback of channel information obtained via link-layer probing. Furthermore, we report the performance gain of the proposed antenna selection scheme in an experimental multi-antenna 802.11 network. We built a low-altitude Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) testbed using commodity dual-antenna 802.11 hardware and performed field experiments to collect traces of link performance using antennas of various types and orientations. Based on the collected traces, we demonstrate that transmit antenna selection can achieve a significant amount of gain using a link-layer channel probing protocol at a relatively low probing rate. The largest improvement we observed with joint transmit/receive antenna selection in 2x2 systems was 32%, about twice as much as that of receive-only antenna selection in 1x2 systems, which achieved 17%. Moreover, a similar improvement is obtained with probing intervals up to about 200 milliseconds, which is infrequently enough to consume only a small fraction of the available 802.11 channel capacity. Since these results require only a low implementation and operational cost, we conclude that transmit antenna selection is a worthwhile technique to use with the kind of multi-antenna mobile ad-hoc networks we examined.
Early lymphocyte recovery as a prognostic indicator for high-risk Ewing sarcoma

BackgroundIncreasing evidence suggests that lymphocyte recovery plays a major part in tumor control. Facilitating immune reconstitution might be a novel direction of cancer therapy. The purpose of this study was to determine if early lymphocyte recovery is an independent prognostic indicator for hig
Cellular versus acellular matrix devices in treatment of diabetic foot ulcers: study protocol for a comparative efficacy randomized controlled trial

Background: Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) represent a significant source of morbidity and an enormous financial burden. Standard care for DFUs involves systemic glucose control, ensuring adequate perfusion, debridement of nonviable tissue, off-loading, control of infection, local wound care and patient education, all administered by a multidisciplinary team. Unfortunately, even with the best standard of care (SOC) available, only 24% or 30% of DFUs will heal at weeks 12 or 20, respectively. The extracellular matrix (ECM) in DFUs is abnormal and its impairment has been proposed as a key target for new therapeutic devices. These devices intend to replace the aberrant ECM by implanting a matrix, either devoid of cells or enhanced with fibroblasts, keratinocytes or both as well as various growth factors. These new bioengineered skin substitutes are proposed to encourage angiogenesis and in-growth of new tissue, and to utilize living cells to generate cytokines needed for wound repair. To date, the efficacy of bioengineered ECM containing live cellular elements for improving healing above that of a SOC control group has not been compared with the efficacy of an ECM devoid of cells relative to the same SOC. Our hypothesis is that there is no difference in the improved healing effected by either of these two product types relative to SOC. Methods/Design: To test this hypothesis we propose a randomized, single-blind, clinical trial with three arms: SOC, SOC plus Dermagraft W (bioengineered ECM containing living fibroblasts) and SOC plus Oasis W (ECM devoid of living cells) in patients with nonhealing DFUs. The primary outcome is the percentage of subjects that achieved complete wound closure by week 12. Discussion: If our hypothesis is correct, then immense cost savings could be realized by using the orders-of-magnitude less expensive acellular ECM device without compromising patient health outcomes. The article describes the protocol proposed to test our hypothesis.
Leaf Nitrogen Content, Photosynthesis and Radiation Use Efficiency in Peanut'

Abstract It has been hypothesized that a close correlation exists between specific leaf nitrogen content (SLN, g N m-2 leaf area) and leaf carbon exchange rate (CER), and crop radiation use efficiency (RUE). This association has not been investigated previously in peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) so the objective of this research was to obtain such data under greenhouse and field conditions. In the greenhouse study differing nitrogen fertilizer treatments for a non-nodulated cultivar resulted in leaves with a wide range of SLN and CER. A strong, positive association between SLN and CER was found. In the field little variation in either SLN or CER was observed through much of the growing season in four commercial cultivars. Consistent with the observation of stability in SLN and CER, RUE based on total, intercepted solar radiation was found to be constant at 1.00 g MJ-1 through the growing season. However, the observed RUE was 29% greater than a theoretical RUE calculated assuming a uniform distribution of SLN...
Assessing and modeling direct hydrogen and gasoline reforming fuel cell vehicles and their cold-start performance

This paper analyzes fuel economy benefits of direct hydrogen and gasoline reformer fuel cell vehicles, with special focus on cold-start impacts on these fuel cell based vehicles. Comparing several existing influential studies reveals that the most probable estimates from these studies differ greatly on the implied benefits of both types of fuel cell vehicles at the tank-to-wheel level (vehicle-powertrain efficiency and/or specific power), leading to great uncertainties in estimating well-to-wheel fuel energy and/or greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction potentials. This paper first addresses methodological issues to influence the outcome of these analyses. With one exception, we find that these studies consistently ignore cold-start and warm-up issues, which play important roles in determining both energy penalties and start-up time of fuel cell vehicles. To better understand cold-start and warm-up behavior, this paper examines approaches and results based on two available U.S. Department of Energy and USCAR funded National Laboratory vehicle simulation models -PSAT and ADVISOR. Our analysis reveals that the predicted cold-start effects are influenced by assumed choices concerning trade-offs between maximizing warm-up rate vs. minimizing wasteful energy during cold-starts, time to achievement of full power capability, and different modeling approaches. It appears that different cold-start warm-up strategies could result in a wide range of (1) vehicle performance capabilities as a function of time from start-up and (2) associated cold-start net energy penalties.
All Businesses are Media Business: The Impact of Social Media on the Healthcare Market

A healthcare market related article in a book of social media in media markets may not fit into context at first hand. Contrariwise especially in the healthcare market one can observe the changing and partly disrupting impact of social media quite exemplary. We can see that for the information monopoly feature of the physician as the partriarchal controller of medical knowledge in opposite to the passive therapy receiving patient is slowly breaking open through online connected patients and their free access to health information using the internet to manage their medical conditions.
Hypoglycemic potency in man of a new sulfonylurea derivative (chlorpropamide).

Summary and ConclusionsA single oral dose of 1 g of chlorpropamide produced a significant hypoglycemic effect in normal subjects at 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 12 and 18 hours after administration by mouth. At each of these hours the hypoglycemic effect produced was greater than that produced in these subjects by an identical dose of tolbutamide.
Aliphatic diazo compounds—VII

Abstract The formation of azines in the reaction of diazoethane with α-diazo- p -nitroacetophenone and α-diazo- p -nitropropiophenone has been confirmed by the elucidation of the nature of certain of their further reaction products.
Regulated and Unregulated Emissions From a Stoichiometric 250kW Natural Gas Engine

The emissions profile from a natural gas (NG) stationary power, stoichiometric, engine have been measured. Of particular interest are the unregulated emissions (especially formaldehyde) from this engine class. A relatively small 250 kW Caterpillar G3406 engine without a catalyst was used as the test platform with the emissions being characterized as a function of applied load and external conditions. In addition, multiple formaldehyde measurement techniques have been used and are compared. This paper presents the formaldehyde results, comparison of formaldehyde with various other parameters, a comparison of the different measurement techniques, and measurement of other toxic emissions from this engine.© 2004 ASME
Diabrotica longicornis barberi (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae): Cold Hardiness of Eggs

Eggs of Diabrotica longicornis barberi, the northern corn rootworm, field conditioned by exposure to normal descending fall and winter temperatures, were subjected to 0, −5, −7.5, and −10°C for 7, 14, 21, 35, and 42 days, respectively, in the laboratory. Hatch of eggs occurred in all treatments after incubation at 25°C. It is concluded that eggs of the northern corn rootworm have greater cold hardiness than those of the western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, which had 3.3% hatch after 21 days at -10°C.
The Civil Rights Movement and the Logic of Social Change: Federal Responses to Civil Rights Mobilization

In spectacular fashion, Lyndon Johnson signed the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964, a decade after the Supreme Court in Brown v. Board of Education had declared segregation unconstitutional and after hundreds of civil rights protests had awakened the nation to the profound injustices in the Jim Crow South. The civil rights movement had won a sweeping victory and, the following year, achieved another success in the Voting Rights Act. Other major acts followed. Studies of the outcomes of political movements in general and the civil rights movement in particular offer different explanations for these events, though most concentrate on disruption costs in the form of movement events, public opinion, and mass attentiveness as well as contextual political opportunities (such as the partisan composition in Congress). Research specifically on the civil rights movement has documented a “critical dynamic” in which segregationist violence elevated national attentiveness that, in turn, prompted supportive federal intervention. This research explains movement outcomes based on the convergence of supportive public opinion and issue salience stemming from the movement's effective provocation of dramatic events. These studies are informative, their arguments compelling, and therefore my intent is not to displace them. Yet, despite their many virtues, certain aspects of the civil rights struggle merit closer scrutiny. Perhaps due to an emphasis on protests and dramatic episodes of violence, the full range of disruption costs is seldom sufficiently addressed, particularly the place of conventional political leverage in winning policy gains.
Fibroblasts isolated after fibrotic lung injury induce apoptosis of alveolar epithelial cells in vitro

Primary lung fibroblasts were isolated from patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (HIPF), from normal human lung tissue (NH), from rats treated with 75% oxygen and paraquat (PA), and from normal adult rats (NR). Serum-free media conditioned by each fibroblast strain were tested on the human A549 cell line (HIPF and NH media) or on primary alveolar epithelial cells (AEC) isolated from normal adult rats (PA or NR media). Over 20-h incubation, HIPF- or PA-conditioned media induced DNA fragmentation and significant decreases in total recoverable DNA and cell number of A549 or AEC, respectively; NH or NR media had no significant effect relative to serum-free unconditioned media. Apoptosis of A549 and AEC was detected by altered nuclear morphology and was confirmed by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated bio-dUTP nick end labeling. The endonuclease inhibitors 10 microM aurintricarboxylic acid and 50 microM zinc inhibited HIPF-induced apoptosis of A549 cells by 68 and 71%, respectively. Both apoptosis and necrosis were induced by HIPF and PA media in a concentration-dependent manner. These results suggest that altered fibroblasts emerging during fibrotic lung injury release a soluble factor(s) capable of inducing cell death and net loss of AEC.
2-CHLORODEOXYADENOSINE ADMINISTRATION TO PATIENTS WITH THE MYELOID BLAST PHASE OF CHRONIC MYELOGENOUS LEUKEMIA

Three patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) in myeloid blast phase received 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine (2-CdA) at 0.7 mg/kg per course over 5 days every 2-4 weeks for 7, 2 and 5 courses. Each patient had a decrement in their white blood cell count, and in the absolute number and percentage of circulating immature cells following 2-CdA administration. Two patients achieved hematologic responses of 14 and 3 months and survived 19 and 6 months, respectively, while the non-responder died 2 months later. 2-CdA-induced anemia and thrombocytopenia, generally mild and reversible, were observed in all patients. Given the dismal results and considerable toxicities that follow multiagent induction chemotherapy for CML in myeloid blast phase, 2-CdA therapy may represent a reasonable therapeutic alternative, although confirmation is required in larger numbers of patients.
Mutant Construction and Integration Vector-Mediated Gene Complementation in Listeria monocytogenes

Genes that play a role in stress response mechanisms and other phenotypes of Listeria monocytogenes can be identified by construction and screening of mutant libraries. In this chapter, we describe the construction and screening of mutant libraries of L. monocytogenes using the plasmid pMC38, carrying a mariner-based transposon system (TC1/mariner) and constructed by Cao et al. (Appl Environ Microbiol 73:2758-2761, 2007). Following screening of mutant libraries, putative mutants are identified and the transposon is localized, leading to identification of the genes responsible for the phenotype of interest. To confirm the role of the transposon-harboring gene in the relevant phenotype, transposon mutants are genetically complemented with the wild-type gene using the site-specific temperature-sensitive integration vector pPL2, constructed by Lauer et al. (J Bacteriol 184:4177-4186, 2002).
Relationships of Participation in Study Abroad Programs and Persistence, Degree Attainment, and Time-to-Degree of Undergraduate Students in the U.S.

The purpose of this study was to assess the predictive effect of participation in study abroad and earned credits abroad on persistence degree attainment, and time-to-degree of undergraduate students. The analysis was based on the Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study (BPS) and the Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study (B&B), which are national data sets maintained by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) of the U.S. Department of Education. The analysis accounted for student characteristics, academic preparation, social integration, and academic integration. The findings revealed that participation in study abroad and earned credits abroad positively affected persistence and degree completion of undergraduate students in the U.S., and are associated with shorter time-to-degree.
An Approach to Student Teaching

(1965). An Approach to Student Teaching. Journal of Health, Physical Education, Recreation: Vol. 36, No. 7, pp. 67-68.
A 14-bit 2.5GS/s and 5GS/s RF sampling ADC with background calibration and dither

We describe a 14-bit 2.5GS/s non-interleaved pipelined ADC that relies on correlation-based background calibrations to correct the inter-stage gain, settling (dynamic), kick-back and memory errors. A new technique is employed to inject a large dither signal on the input to dither the non-linear kick-back on the ADC driver, and another large dither signal is injected to dither any residual non-linearity in the pipeline. In order to correct the effect of aging on the comparators, a new background calibration technique is employed to correct the comparator offsets. The ADC is fabricated as a dual in a 28nm CMOS process. An optional interleaved mode is provided, where the two ADCs on chip are time-interleaved to obtain a single 14-bit 5GS/s ADC. Background calibration of offset and gain mismatch and fixed calibration of timing mismatch between the two channels are implemented on chip.
Oncologists and Death

Oncologists face a disease in which many of their patients die and the treatments are often futile. The attributes that make a good oncologist are not known, but they often include empathy and compassion. However, there are no accepted definitions of these abstract terms. Therefore, they are difficult to measure and difficult to teach. Many oncologists suffer from burnout, another abstract and even less well-defined term, but overall oncologists have high satisfaction with their careers.
The Human Right to Safe Exit: University Evacuation Policy and Mobility Impairment

ABSTRACTThe case of Gustafson v. Regents of the University of California suggests that students with mobility impairments may face great peril when needing to evacuate multi-level university buildings, yet this problem is rarely considered in the research literature. To address this gap, the extent of this problem was assessed in a sample of 210 universities that house MSW programs. Documents representing university evacuation policy were obtained from university websites and analyzed with respect to three domains of disability rights. Results indicate that the failure to adequately respect these rights was widespread within the sample. To support the advocacy efforts of those seeking to change university policy, model language was extracted from university documents and presented as a goal.
Analysis of various classification techniques for computer aided detection system of pulmonary nodules in CT

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States. It usually exhibits its presence with the formation of pulmonary nodules. Nodules are round or oval-shaped growth present in the lung. Computed Tomography (CT) scans are used by radiologists to detect such nodules. Computer Aided Detection (CAD) of such nodules would aid in providing a second opinion to the radiologists and would be of valuable help in lung cancer screening. In this research, we study various feature selection methods for the CAD system framework proposed in FlyerScan. Algorithmic steps of FlyerScan include (i) local contrast enhancement (ii) automated anatomical segmentation (iii) detection of potential nodule candidates (iv) feature computation & selection and (v) candidate classification. In this paper, we study the performance of the FlyerScan by implementing various classification methods such as linear, quadratic and Fischer linear discriminant classifier. This algorithm is implemented using a publicly available Lung Image Database Consortium — Image Database Resource Initiative (LIDC-IDRI) dataset. 107 cases from LIDC-IDRI are handpicked in particular for this paper and performance of the CAD system is studied based on 5 example cases of Automatic Nodule Detection (ANODE09) database. This research will aid in improving the nodule detection rate in CT scans, thereby enhancing a patient's chance of survival.
Using Deterrence Theory to Promote Prosecutorial Accountability

Prosecutors — the most powerful actors in the American criminal justice system — largely avoid accountability for misconduct. To promote fairer processes and results, prosecutors must be held to account for violations of defendants’ due process and fair trial rights and the related ethical rules that help protect those rights. An important thread of scholarly work makes clear the need for effective methods of ensuring prosecutorial accountability. Yet, empirical evidence consistently suggests that prosecutors almost universally evade accountability for infringing upon defendants’ rights. No method seems to address the problem effectually, whether it be internal or external professional discipline, criminal liability, civil liability, electoral accountability, or an even broader conception of accountability — case-specific remedies provided to criminal defendants who fell victim to prosecutorial misconduct. While many have concluded that these modes of accountability have not been up to the task, it appears that few critiques explicitly draw on a reservoir of powerful explanatory and potentially curative tools hidden in plain sight: deterrence theory. The central theory underlying our criminal justice system’s methods of punishing lawbreakers provides crucial insights into how we might also promote prosecutorial accountability. This Article draws upon the deterrence theory of criminal justice to demonstrate ways in which current approaches to prosecutorial accountability fail to fulfill the key deterrent values of certainty and swiftness (celerity). In both design and operation, current approaches overlook the central importance of ensuring potential wrongdoers are on notice about sanctions for ethical and legal breaches, and instead deal with misconduct after-the-fact in an ad hoc manner. Evaluating existing modes of accountability from a deterrence perspective proves useful in three ways. First, it provides a theoretical account of the status quo’s failure to hold prosecutors accountable. Regimes of prosecutorial accountability remain somewhat undertheorized, and their numerosity, design, and construction have resulted in both confusion and a disquieting accountability deficit. Deterrence is a useful perspective from which to understand the system’s breakdown and identify paths to correct the course. Second, deterrence principles provide helpful language to describe modes of accountability and bridge the gaps between them. Someone studying the professional disciplinary regime, for example, may not be able to easily draw upon what happens in the electoral accountability regime. Deterrence can help fill the void. Third, deterrence offers a normative framework that can advance the discourse about solutions to address the system’s failure.
The effect of flash-freezing temperature on stallion sperm DNA structure.

The effect of flash-freezing storage temperature on stallion sperm DNA has not been evaluated. Commonly, sperm are flash-frozen at various temperatures to preserve sperm DNA prior to analysis. It is unclear whether the temperature at which sperm are frozen and stored may affect the results of DNA assays. In this study, the neutral comet assay was used to evaluate the effect of flash-freezing storage temperature (freezer [-60 °C], dry ice [-78.5 °C], liquid nitrogen [-196 °C]) compared to fresh sperm DNA structure. In addition, intra- and inter-assay and intra- and inter-stallion variabilities were determined. All comet tail measures were higher following any flash-freezing method, as compared to fresh sperm DNA (P 0.05). For most comet variables, intra- and inter-assay variabilities were 0.05). While significant differences in the structure of the sperm DNA were identified in the flash-frozen as compared to the fresh sperm DNA with the neutral comet assay, it cannot be assumed that these changes are fertility limiting.
A 9-day-old with weight loss and diarrhea

A 9-day-old infant girl presented with diarrhea and weight loss of 19% since birth. She was born via spontaneous vaginal delivery at 39 weeks’ gestation to a mother positive for group B Streptococcus who received adequate intrapartum prophylaxis. The infant was formula-fed every 2 to 3 hours with no reported issues with feeding or swallowing. The infant had nonmucoid watery stools ∼5 to 15 times per day. Her family history was significant for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in several of her family members. Her initial vital signs and physical examination were normal. Laboratory data on hospital admission showed a normal complete blood cell count, but her chemistry analysis revealed significant hypernatremia, hyperkalemia, metabolic acidosis, and acute kidney injury. Her hypernatremia was resistant to fluid management. In this article, we discuss the infant’s hospital course, our clinical thought process, and how we arrived at our final diagnosis.
An Aid to Luther's Marginal Comments on Johannes Tauler's Sermons

In his early years, Martin Luther read and critically annotated the sermons of the German mystical theologian, Johannes Tauler O.P. (*1360). This occurred between early 1515 and mid-1516—a crucial if not the most critical period in the development of the young Luther. The copy of Tauler's sermons used by Luther was the personal copy of his friend Johannes Lang. It was published by Hannsen Otmar in Augsburg in 1508.
The Differential Representation of Latina and Black Female Victims in Front-Page News Stories: A Qualitative Document Analysis

Critical race feminists posit that perceptions of White and minority females differ, which suggests that media representations will vary among female crime victims. To explore this proposition, we ...
1-Azido-2-Nitro-2-Azapropane (ANAP)

Thermodynamic and explosive properties of 1-azido-2-nitro-2-azapropane (ANAP) have been determined in a combined computational ab initio and EXPLO5 (Becker—Kistiakowsky—Wilson equation of state, BKW EOS) study. The enthalpy of formation of ANAP in the liquid phase, heat of detonation, detonation pressure and detonation velocity of ANAP were calculated. ANAP compounds were characterized using vibrational (IR and Raman) and multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis and low-temperature single crystal X-ray diffraction. ANAP represents a covalently bound liquid energetic material which contains both a nitramine unit and an azide group in the molecule.
Spatial-aware source estimation in building downwash environments

Abstract This paper introduces a concept called ”spatial-aware” source-term estimation (STE), which utilizes the acquired knowledge of how the forward model (FM) predictions compare against observations spatially to enhance the overall quality of source estimation. We evaluated the effectiveness of the proposed method against a wind tunnel experiment simulating low-stack plume dispersion in a building downwash environment with known source locations and varying building aspect ratios and building angles relative to wind direction, selected to achieve the balance of physical complexity and environmental controllability. Specifically, we adopted AERMOD as the FM, constructed spatially-resolved error models by comparing the FM predictions against measured concentrations for one configuration, referred to as the training case. Then the error models were applied to the rest of the configurations, referred to as test cases, for estimating emission rates. The results show that the spatial-aware STE can improve the estimation results, due to closer agreement between the error models and error distribution in terms of shapes and/or magnitudes. For example, using the vertical measurements around the H / W = 1/2 building with wind direction perpendicular to the building as the training case and applying the spatially-resolved error models, the estimated emission rates for all test cases with same building aspect ratio differ from the true emission rate by less than 30%, compared to 63.2%–236% without applying any error models. We argue that parallel efforts, i.e., improving the accuracy of FMs and quantifying the FM performance are needed to further advance the science and applications of source estimation.
Assessment of professional skills for students in computing and engineering programs

Instruction and assessment of students' professional skills can be accomplished in senior project courses. Common learning modules for instruction of essential professional skills and rubrics for assessing the attainment of those skills can be used by both engineering and computing programs. This paper proposes a process by which faculty develop program learning outcomes based on the mission of the university, then develop learning and demonstration activities to determine the degree to which those outcomes are obtained. It further describes a process which uses portfolio assessment and a senior presentation and interview day to provide faculty with opportunity to assess student behaviors and capabilities.
Glycogen inPhysarum polycephalum

Verschiedene biochemische und elektronenoptische Techniken wurden dazu benutzt, eine partikulare Speicherform fur Glukose inPhysarum polycephalum zu identifizieren. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass es sich um Glykogen handelt.
Feedback with conditional measurements in cavity QED

Control of a quantum system with feedback is a fundamental problem in quantum coherence. We are studying the use of a passive feedback system triggered by photon detections from a cavity QED system to cancel the decay in a conditional intensity [g(2)(τ] measurement.
Volume Retention, Metabolism, and Cellular Composition of Human Fat Xenografts

Background To optimize the take of transferred fat, better understanding of fat graft morphology and growth properties in vivo is critical. We aim to evaluate survival, volume retention, metabolism, and cellular composition of various aliquots of human fat xenografts. Methods Twenty athymic nude mice were injected subcutaneously in opposing flanks with 0.1 ml (small) and 1.0 ml (large) aliquots of human fat graft. Volume (ultrasound) of fat aliquots was measured at baseline, 1, 3, and 12 weeks after implantation. Tissue metabolism (18F-FDG), Hematoxylin and Eosin, special stains, and immunohistochemical analysis were performed at 3 and 12 weeks to determine graft viability, cell origin, and proliferative activity. Results Only 1 of 10 small grafts were detected after 12 weeks by ultrasound and 5 of 10 were found at necropsy. Volume of large grafts decreased significantly from baseline at 3 (827 ± 195 mm3 versus 953 ± 122 mm3; P = 0.004) and 12 weeks (515 ± 163 mm3 versus 953 ± 122 mm3; P = 0.0001). Metabolism increased with time in small (0.6 ± 0.4%ID/g versus 2.0 ± 1.1%ID/g, P = 0.01) and large grafts (0.4 ± 0.3%ID/g versus 1.4 ± 0.9 %ID/g; P = 0.005). Large grafts viability decreased between 3 and 12 weeks (72 ± 20% versus 31 ± 30%; P = 0.012) although small graft viability remained unchanged. Viable and proliferating human and mouse adipocytes and chimeric blood vessels were seen within grafts at both time points. Conclusions Larger graft aliquot was associated with better volume retention by ultrasound but lower viability by histology. Graft metabolism increased with time irrespective of aliquot size potentially due to regenerative processes of both donor and recipient origin.
A novel diagnostic approach for Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia using fine-needle aspiration, electromagnetic navigational bronchoscopy and rapid on-site evaluation

Cavitary lung lesions are common in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infections. Both atypical infections and thoracic malignancies can manifest as a cavitary pulmonary lesion. Standard bronchoscopy is commonly used to evaluate these abnormalities but is limited in its ability to fully assess for cancer and infection. Bronchoalveolar lavage samples are likely to aid in the diagnosis of infection but are less useful in the evaluation of malignancy. In addition, many of these pulmonary lesions are located in the periphery of the lung and are not accessible for tissue sampling by standard bronchoscopy. We present a unique presentation of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia and discuss the utility of electromagnetic navigational bronchoscopy in the evaluation of immunocompromised patients with peripheral cavitary lung lesion.
Distinctive Cellular Response to Aluminum Based Adjuvants

Aluminum-based adjuvants (ABAs) are used in human vaccines to enhance the magnitude of protective immune responses elicited against specific pathogens. One hypothesis is that stress signals released by aluminum-exposed necrotic cells play a role in modulating an immune response that contributes to the adjuvant's effectiveness. We hypothesized that aluminum adjuvant-induced necrosis would be similar irrespective of cellular origin or composition of the adjuvant. To test this hypothesis, human macrophages derived from peripheral monocytic cell line (THP-1) and cells derived from the human brain (primary astrocytes) were evaluated. Three commercially available formulations of ABAs (Alhydrogel, Imject alum, and Adju-Phos) were examined. Alum was also used as a reference. Cell viability, reactive oxygen species formation, and production of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were quantified. Cells were exposed to different concentrations (10-100 μg/mL) of the adjuvants for 24 h or 72 h. The two FDA approved adjuvants (Alhydrogel and Adju-Phos) decreased cell viability in both cell types. At the 72 h time point, the decrease in viability was accompanied with increased ROS formation. The size of the aluminum agglomerates was not relatable to the changes observed. After exposure to ABAs, astrocytes and macrophages presented a distinct profile of cytokine secretion which may relate to the function and unique characteristics of each cell type. These variations indicate that aluminum adjuvants may have differing capability of activating cells of different origin and thus their utility in specific vaccine design should be carefully assessed for optimum efficacy.
Impact of cancer center accreditation on outcomes of patients undergoing resection for hepatocellular carcinoma: A SEER-Medicare analysis.

Abstract Background We sought to assess variations in outcomes among patients undergoing resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) at centers with varied accreditation status. Methods Patients undergoing resection for HCC from 2004 to 2016 were identified from the linked SEER-Medicare database. Short- and long-term outcomes as well as expenditures associated with receipt of surgery were examined based on cancer center accreditation. Results Among 1390 patients, 46.1% (n = 641) were treated at unaccredited centers, 39.3% (n = 546) at CoC-accredited and 14.6% (n = 203) at NCI-designated centers. Patients undergoing resection of HCC at NCI-designated hospitals had lower odds of complications (OR = 0.66, 95%CI: 0.45–0.98) and 90-day mortality (OR = 0.31, 95%CI: 0.11–0.85) after major liver resection compared with individuals treated at CoC-accredited centers. Receipt of surgery at NCI-designated hospitals (ref: CoC-accredited; HR = 0.81, 95%CI: 0.66–0.99) was an independent predictor of improved survival. Medicare payments for liver resection were comparable at different accreditation status centers (NCI: $21,760 vs CoC: $24,059 vs unaccredited: $24,724, p = 0.18). Conclusion Patients undergoing resection of HCC at NCI-designated hospitals had improved outcomes for the same level of Medicare expenditure compared with patients treated at CoC-accredited centers.
The life of the parties: Party activists and the 2016 presidential election:

Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump secured their respective party’s 2016 nominations only after raucous, spirited debates among delegates at the start of each party convention. Groups and their prefe...
Multi-Polarization Superposition Beamforming with XPD-Aware Transmit Power Allocation

The 5th generation (5G) new radio (NR) access technology and the future wireless communication require extremely high data rate and spectrum efficiency. Energy-efficient transmission/reception schemes are also regarded as an important component in 5G and beyond-5G communication systems. Based on this motivation, the polarization domain has attracted substantial attention; however, is not as fully utilized in a systematic manner as conventional time, frequency, and spatial domains. This paper is the first to propose multi-polarization superposition beamforming (MPS-Beamforming) with cross-polarization discrimination (XPD)-aware transmit power allocation utilizing the 5G antenna panel structure. The detailed mathematical derivation along with comprehensive simulation results are provided. Both the theoretical analysis and simulation results exhibit that the proposed scheme of MPS-Beamforming is significantly beneficial to the improvement of the performance in terms of the symbol error rate (SER) and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) at the user equipment (UE). For instance, one of the simulation results in a practical scenario exhibits 7.5 dB SNR gain for 7 × 10−3 SER.
Fault-tolerant detectors for distinguishing sets in cubic graphs

Abstract Assume that G models a facility with a possible “intruder” (or a multiprocessor network with a possible malfunctioning processor). We consider placing (the minimum number of) detectors at vertices in G to precisely determine the location of the intruder. Various distinguishing set parameters have been defined based on the functionality of the detector. We characterize several types of fault-tolerant detectors identified for the open-locating-dominating sets and determine the bounds on the minimum size of these sets for cubic graphs.
Minding Children in the Study of Liturgy

Recent interest in philosophy of religion on religious practice more generally, and liturgical rituals in particular, opens up new avenues for thinking about the religious lives of young children. In this article I consider what it means to say that young children are part of a worshipping assembly, and in what ways they might count as exemplary religious practitioners. There is very little discussion of the religious experiences and practices of children in the philosophy of religion, and I argue that this lacuna should be addressed. Taking cues from Nicholas Wolterstorff and Terence Cuneo's work on the philosophy of liturgy, I make the case that young children can and do participate fully in the liturgical rituals of Christian communities. I draw on the work of religious educators Sofia Cavaletti and Jerome Berryman to illustrate what the religious world of the child looks like, and to make the case that there are respects in which children are at an advantage over adults in participating in the liturgical life of the church.
Isolating Red Giants in M31's Outer Spheroid: The Metallicity Gradient

The aim of our project is to measure the metallicity gradient in the spheroid of the Andromeda galaxy (M31). Deep KPNO 4-m UBRI images of a 15′ × 15′ field in the outer spheroid of M31 are being used to isolate a sample of red giant branch (RGB) stars. These stars are distinguished from the more numerous distant field galaxies on the basis of broadband colors and image morphology. The color technique uses UBRI photometry for isolating faint stars while rejecting 97% of the background galaxies (Gould et al. 1992). This yields a sample of candidate RGB stars in M31’s spheroid, located about 20 kpc from its center (in projection). The shape of the M31 RGB will be compared to those of Galactic globular clusters spanning a wide range of (known) metallicities. The metallicity of the M31 outer spheroid will be derived by interpolation. Combined with the metallicity measurement at 8.6 kpc in M31’s spheroid (Pritchet & van den Bergh 1988), our new measurement will permit determination of the metallicity gradient of M31. This quantity is important for understanding galactic evolution as it provides a means to distinguish between the dissipational collapse model (Larson 1974) and the accretion model (Searle & Zinn 1978).