cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Understanding the microbiological, organic and inorganic contaminant removal capacity of ceramic water filters doped with different silver nanoparticles

Pathogen removal efficacy of ceramic water filters (CWF) impregnated with silver nanoparticles (nAg) has been well studied, however scarce information is available about the impact of nAg surface functionalization and removal of inorganic and organic pollutants. In this study, we examined the effect of nAg functionalized with casein, maltose and phyto-extracts on the microbiological (Escherichia coli), organic (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, PAH) and inorganic (heavy metals) simultaneous removal using disks manufactured in the laboratory. Results showed that the mass of nAg retained on each disk varied depending on the nanoparticles used (casein-nAg: 80%, maltose-nAg: 93%, and rosemary-nAg: 95%). Untreated CWF disks had a bacterial mass rejection (Rmass) of 95.97%, while nAg impregnated showed values above 99%. Bacteria log removal values (LRV) varied with the type of nanoparticle applied to the disks, rosemary-nAg impregnated disks attained the highest value among all the nAgs tested. In terms of lead removal, non-impregnated Red Art disks had a Rmass of 61%, while the nAg impregnated filters removed 74%, 72%, and 69%, for disks impregnated with casein-nAg, rosemary-nAg, and maltose-nAg, respectively. PAH removal was most effective in unmodified clay (72%), while modified disks had removal of 72% for casein-nAg, 67% for rosemary-nAg, and 69% for maltose-nAg. Mass removal rates of fluorene were determined at 73.38% for unmodified disks, while 74% for casein-nAg, 69% in rosemary-nAg, and 72% in maltose-nAg modified disks. nAg treated disks exhibited no statistical difference in PAH removal when compared to untreated. Application of nAg reduced the amount of culturable bacteria extracted from the surface an interior of the disks compared with unmodified disks. Results show that nAg impregnation increased the removal rates of E. coli and lead in the disks and that nAg average size and size distribution is an important factor in the removal rate of bacteria and lead in CWF.
Cedric Price: Radical Pragmatist, in Pursuit of Lightness

From the time he formed his practice in 1960, Cedric Price was a persistent critic of normative architecture. He was less interested in buildings—Price deemed them fixed, static, inflexible, and ob...
Growth and Decay

In the final chapter, we look at the growth of human and animal populations and at radioactive decay. These two are closely related. Both involve the limiting case of compounding, where the process is continuous. Exponential functions, exponential growth, and natural logarithms are discussed. The change in the cost of living is covered, as an extension of exponential growth.
Standardizing Second-Trimester Medical Termination: Effects on Clinical Outcomes.

Objective The objective of this study was to evaluate length of induction and postdelivery complications before and after implementation of a standardized approach to second-trimester medical termination of pregnancy. Study Design This was a retrospective cohort study of all women undergoing medical termination of pregnancy between 130/7 and 266/7 weeks of gestation at a single, academic institution from July 1, 2012, through June 30, 2015. The primary outcome was the time from the start of induction of labor to delivery of the fetus. Postdelivery complications including the need for dilation and curettage (D&C), blood transfusion, and readmission to the hospital were secondary outcomes of interest. Results A total of 62 women met inclusion criteria; 38 before and 24 after the intervention. There were no differences in measured baseline characteristics (p > 0.05). There was a significant decrease in induction time after the intervention (12.3 compared with 8.6 hours, p = 0.031). There was no significant difference in rates of D&C or other measured complications (p > 0.05). Conclusion Implementation of a standardized clinical guideline for second-trimester medical termination was associated with a decrease in length of induction. There was no significant difference in need for DC however, we were underpowered for these secondary outcomes.
New Approaches to Old Problems: Project in Four Central and Eastern European Countries

This case study of Partners for Democratic Change's Local Ethnic Conciliation Program in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia examines: different social psychological processes and perspectives for resolving ethnic minority-majority conflicts; the adaptation of a western conflict resolution model in Central and Eastern Europe; challenges and opportunities for strategic organic development of citizen-based initiatives; and the role of conflict resolution efforts in social change and civil society development in these Central and Eastern European countries. The study suggests a theory-based framework for evaluating interventions into ethnic conflicts and offers recommendations for future applied research and project development.
Can pale, soft, exudative pork be prevented by postmortem sodium bicarbonate injection?

Previous attempts at eliminating the problem of PSE pork by genetic selection or rapid postmortem cooling have been only partially successful. A new approach, namely, postmortem injection of sodium bicarbonate (SBC), was tested on halothane-positive gilts. Sixteen pigs were used to establish a suitable SBC concentration. At approximately 15 min after death, the longissimus of one side of the carcass was injected with 10% (by weight) of .2 to .4 M SBC solutions containing .7% NaCl (wt/vol). All concentrations resulted in a higher ultimate pH, improved muscle color, and reduced drip loss. In a second experiment, with 23 pigs, .3 M SBC was injected into the longissimus and the biceps femoris at either 15 min or 24 h after death and with or without inclusion of .7% NaCl (wt/vol). Compared with controls, the 15-min SBC + NaCl injected samples had darker color (L* of 47 vs 53 in controls), higher ultimate pH (5.6 vs 5.3), lower drip loss (5% vs 10%), and increased protein solubility (140 vs 115 mg/g). Injection at 24 h reduced drip loss (from 10% to 5.7%) but did not correct the color defect. The SBC alone and SBC + NaCl treatments had essentially the same effects in reducing drip loss, increasing ultimate pH, and improving color; but the SBC-NaCl injected samples had improved juiciness and flavor compared with SBC. Early postmortem sodium bicarbonate injection seems to prevent the development of PSE pork when injected into carcasses of halothane-sensitive pigs.
Caffeine and the Methylxanthines

Caffeine is the world’s most popular drug and is taken regularly in coffee, tea, cocoa, cola drinks, chocolate, and over-the-counter medicines.
Shooting a metastable object: targeting as trigger for the actor-network in the open-world videogames

Targeting is the most basic skill a gamer needs to master to survive from enemies, solve puzzles, and unfold a story in videogames. Before this simple gamer action happens, most game objects distri...
Left Ventricular Aneurysm Presenting as Bidirectional Ventricular Tachycardia

Background: Bidirectional ventricular tachycardia is a rare form of ventricular arrhythmia, characterized by a changing of the mean QRS axis of 180 degrees. Digitalis toxicity is the most common cause of bidirectional ventricular tachycardia; other causes include myocarditis, aconite toxicity, metastatic cardiac tumor, myocardial infarction, and cardiac channelopathies. Case Report: A 73-year-old male with hypertension and a pacemaker implanted for sick sinus syndrome presented with a complaint of substernal chest pressure for several days. He also stated he had had an episode of near syncope. The patient9s physical examination was unremarkable; however, electrocardiogram demonstrated sustained bidirectional ventricular tachycardia. Echocardiogram showed severe anterior wall hypokinesis and an estimated ejection fraction of 35%, as well as an apical ventricular aneurysm. Electrophysiology study showed that the apical ventricular aneurysm was the site of the bidirectional arrhythmia. The patient was successfully treated with ventricular tachycardia ablation. Conclusion: This case is a unique example of a patient with bidirectional ventricular tachycardia originating from an apical left ventricular aneurysm that was treated successfully by ablation.
Princesa : The Textual Space Between Translation And Divergence

This article examines Princesa , a testimonial text in which Fernanda Farias de Albuquerque, a Brazilian transvestite who emigrated to Italy in the early 1990s, narrates her life, from her childhood and adolescence in Brazil and through her trip to Europe. In the Roman prison of Rebibbia, Fernanda meets Maurizio Jannelli, a former member of the Italian Red Brigades sentenced to life for crimes related to the fighting of the seventies, and Giovanni Tamponi, a Sardinian shepherd imprisoned for various armed robberies. Fernanda, Maurizio and Giovanni will give life to this peculiar and hybrid text, Princesa , considered one of the first examples of the so called “Italian literature of migration”.
Flourish Index and Secure Flourish Index – Validation in workplace settings

Psychometric properties of the Flourish Index (FI) and Secure Flourish Index (SFI) were examined in the workplace setting. Psychometric properties for two instruments were already assessed on a com...
Global incidence comparisons and trends in ovarian germ cell tumors by geographic region in girls, adolescents and young women: 1988-2012.

Abstract Objective Ovarian germ cell tumors (OGCT) are the primary ovarian malignancy affecting girls and young women. Globally, incidence rates and trends for OGCTs have not been compared in the literature and their etiology is not well described. Comparisons of incidence globally could inform etiologic hypotheses. The aim of this analysis was to evaluate geographic variation in OGCT incidence and to identify trends in incidence rates. Methods Data were extracted from Cancer Incidence in 5 Continents (CI5) from 1988 to 2012. Rates of OGCT in women and girls were calculated for ages 0–9, 10–19, and 20–39 years and standardized to the 2000–2025 average world population. Data were aggregated within subregions corresponding to the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD) geoscheme. Incidence rates were compared in subregions and average annual percent change (AAPC) was estimated using Poisson regression. Results Overall, the highest incidence rates were observed in 10–19-year-olds. Incidence was generally the highest in Eastern Asia, Central America and North America. While incidence was variable by geographic region, less variation was observed in 0–9-year-olds as compared to adolescents and young adults. Significant increases in incidence were seen in some regions (Eastern Asia, Oceania, Western Europe, Southern Europe, and North America) and in countries with a high or very high human development index for one or more age groups. Conclusions Evaluating 25 years of OGCT incidence data, the highest incidence rates and largest increases in incidence were seen in Eastern Asia. Future studies should focus on etiologic features that may account for geographic variation and increases in incidence of OGCT.
Increased resonant frequency of microslit filtered contrast agents

Imaging using ultrasound contrast agents is highly dependent on the resonant frequency of the population. According to the Marmottant model, modern lipid coated agents have three regimes of resonant frequencies corresponding to the three regimes of bubble dynamics, the buckled, elastic, and ruptured states. The transition from buckled to elastic regime corresponds to the largest change in resonant frequency due to the addition of a second term inversely proportional to the bubbles’ radius. For a 1.75 μm bubble, this corresponds to a change from approximately 1.7 MHz, to approximately 5 MHz, leading to higher image resolution, and better separation between the fundamental and subharmonic components. Here we present a novel ultrathin silicon nitride membrane for this purpose. The membrane itself contains thousands of 1.75 × 50 μm slits and is housed in a centrifuge device. While the exact mechanism is unknown, bubbles that are forced across the membrane during centrifugation show a higher resonant frequency than their strictly size isolated counterparts. In addition, the centrifuged agent also had a lower subharmonic threshold compared to native and size isolated agents, independent of concentration. The possibility of tuning the device to precise frequencies for optimized imaging is also examined.Imaging using ultrasound contrast agents is highly dependent on the resonant frequency of the population. According to the Marmottant model, modern lipid coated agents have three regimes of resonant frequencies corresponding to the three regimes of bubble dynamics, the buckled, elastic, and ruptured states. The transition from buckled to elastic regime corresponds to the largest change in resonant frequency due to the addition of a second term inversely proportional to the bubbles’ radius. For a 1.75 μm bubble, this corresponds to a change from approximately 1.7 MHz, to approximately 5 MHz, leading to higher image resolution, and better separation between the fundamental and subharmonic components. Here we present a novel ultrathin silicon nitride membrane for this purpose. The membrane itself contains thousands of 1.75 × 50 μm slits and is housed in a centrifuge device. While the exact mechanism is unknown, bubbles that are forced across the membrane during centrifugation show a higher resonant frequency...
Quantitation of amino sugar stereoisomer and muramic acid biomarkers by hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

Abstract A rapid separation and quantitation of the stereoisomer amino sugars glucosamine, galactosamine, and mannosamine, along with muramic acid, is needed. These compounds, when their quantities are accurate, can be used to understand the origin and fate of natural organic matter (NOM) in the environment. These target molecules are biomarkers of fungi and bacteria and allow the deconvolution of microbial transformations and degradation of NOM in a wide variety of environmental matrices. Analytical methods applied to this suite of biomarkers are needed to understand carbon and nitrogen biogeochemistry with a changing global climate. Traditional separations of these analytes by gas chromatography require sample derivatization, as does reverse phase liquid chromatography. In contrast, ion chromatography can separate the analytes directly, but requires a separate analytical method to quantify muramic acid. In this work we present a direct analysis of all these molecules using hydrophilic liquid interaction chromatography. Solvent composition, buffer strength, pH, flow rate, and column temperature were optimized. The method can separate these four compounds and the biopolymeric precursor molecule N-acetylglucosamine in a single run in under 8 min with equivalent resolution to the best previously reported separations that did not require derivatization prior to analysis. Detection of the analytes was performed by both tandem and time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The method was assessed for its quantitative capabilities through i) peak area assignment, ii) check standards with ratios of the target analytes likely to be present in real samples, iii) an injection internal standard, and iv) quantitative analysis of real soil hydrolysates by external calibration and standard addition approaches. Across their expected analytical ranges the response for each analyte was highly linear with good accuracy (
Measuring good governance: piloting an instrument for evaluating good governance principles

As federal, state, and local governments and agencies respond to calls to make decisions and implement programs according to tenets of ‘good governance’, a need exists to develop methods for system...
Are You Ready to Be a Leader? The Ontology of Leadership

This chapter is our first attempt to introduce the ontological basis of being a leader in the setting of training surgeons; the distinctions shared here and the resemblances between teaching how to become a surgeon and how to allow young individuals discover by themselves what it takes to be a leader may not necessarily apply to all circumstances. Whenever possible we will continue to move freely between these two parallels not with the intention of confusing the reader, but certainly with the idea of taking advantage of the fact that most of us who stand on the left side of the operating room table while we let someone younger and less experienced operate under our responsibility are in a unique position to distinguish what it means to perform as our “natural self-expression”.
Mono-Duality in Static Systems

The governing equations of equilibrium in nonlinear systems are amazingly beautiful. Their structure is repeated throughout the field equations of mathematical physics and of discrete systems of networks. By introducing abstract notations, we are able to see unifying structures in the different theories. Through pure mathematical analysis, the intrinsic inner beauty in physical nature can be revealed.
ScatterMIMO: enabling virtual MIMO with smart surfaces

In the last decade, the bandwidth expansion and MIMO spatial multiplexing have promised to increase data throughput by orders of magnitude. However, we are yet to enjoy such improvement in real-world environments, as they lack rich scattering and preclude effective MIMO spatial multiplexing. In this paper, we present ScatterMIMO, which uses smart surface to increase the scattering in the environment, to provide MIMO spatial multiplexing gain. Specifically, smart surface pairs up with a wireless transmitter device say an active AP and re-radiates the same amount of power as any active access point (AP), thereby creating virtual passive APs. ScatterMIMO avoids the synchronization, interference, and power requirements of conventional distributed MIMO systems by leveraging virtual passive APs, allowing its smart surface to provide spatial multiplexing gain, which can be deployed at a very low cost. We show that with optimal placement, these virtual APs can provide signals to their clients with power comparable to real active APs, and can increase the coverage of an AP. Furthermore, we design algorithms to optimize ScatterMIMO's smart surface for each client with minimal measurement overhead and to overcome random per-packet phase offsets during the measurement. Our evaluations show that with commercial off-the-shelf MIMO WiFi (11ac) AP and unmodified clients, ScatterMIMO provides a median throughput improvement of 2 X over the active AP alone.
A Statistical Study of Intra-Domain and Trans-Domain Polymathy among Nobel Laureates

Polymathy may be defined as the productive pursuit of multiple endeavors, simultaneously or serially, across a lifetime. As such, polymathic breadth of interest across knowledge domains characteriz...
Novos Desenvolvimento no Direito Internacional dos Direitos Humanos: Suas Fontes, História e Instituições

NOVOS DESENVOLVIMENTOS NO DIREITO INTERNACIONAL DOS DIREITOS HUMANOS: SUAS FONTES, HISTORIA E INSTITUICOES NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS LAW: ITS SOURCES, HISTORY AND INSTITUTIONS Brian D. Lepard * RESUMO: Este artigo revisa as bases do direito internacional sobre os direitos humanos e as instituicoes que tentam implementa-lo. Ele apresenta as fontes principais do direito internacional geral, incluso do direito internacional dos direitos humanos. Posteriormente, ele reve a evolucao do direito internacional sobre os direitos humanos e os processos pelos quais este direito e criado, interpretado, aplicado, implementado, e as vezes feito cumprir. O artigo explora tambem as instituicoes internacionais que visam a promocao do direito internacional dos direitos humanos. Tomando em conta esta revisao, ele considera o futuro incerto do direito internacional dos direitos humanos e das instituicoes que o promovem a luz de desenvolvimentos politicos e sociais contemporâneos que criam muitos desafios, incluindo o populismo e o nacionalismo. O artigo avalia em particular o funcionamento e o futuro do Conselho dos Direitos Humanos das Nacoes Unidas. Finalmente, ele propoe uma nova abordagem a estes problemas e discute o potencial de um principio etico de “unidade em diversidade” para iluminar o caminho a seguir. PALAVRAS-CHAVE : Direitos Humanos, Direito Internacional, Nacoes Unidas, Conselho dos Direitos Humanos ABSTRACT: This article reviews the bases of international human rights law and the institutions that attempt to implement it. It presents the principal sources of general international law, including international human rights law. Next, it reviews the evolution of international human rights law and the processes by which this law is created, interpreted, applied, implemented, and sometimes enforced. The article also explores the international institutions that pursue the promotion of international human rights law. Taking this review into account, it considers the uncertain future of international human rights law and the institutions that promote it in light of contemporary political and social developments that create many challenges, including populism and nationalism. The article assesses in particular the functioning and future of the United Nations Human Rights Council. Finally, it proposes a new approach to these problems and discusses the potential of an ethical principle of “unity in diversity” to illuminate the way forward. KEYWORDS: Human Rights, International Law, United Nations, Human Rights Council SUMARIO : Introducao. 1 Um panorama geral das fontes do Direito Internacional dos Direitos Humanos 2 Um panorama geral da historia do Direito Internacional dos Direitos Humanos 3 Instituicoes internacionais que visam a promocao do Direito Internacional dos Direitos Humanos 4 O futuro incerto do Direito Internacional dos Direitos Humanos e das instituicoes que o promovem Conclusao Referencias. * Harold W. Conroy Distinguished Professor of Law, University of Nebraska College of Law.
Testing Alternative Regression Frameworks for Predictive Modeling of Healthcare Costs

Predictive models of healthcare costs have become mainstream in much healthcare actuarial work. The Affordable Care Act requires the use of predictive modeling-based risk-adjuster models to transfer revenue between different health exchange participants. While the predictive accuracy of these models has been investigated in a number of studies, the accuracy and use of models for applications other than risk adjustment has not been the subject of much investigation. We investigate predictive modeling of future healthcare costs using a number of different statistical techniques. Our analysis was performed based on a dataset of 30,000 insureds containing claims information from two contiguous years. The dataset contains over a hundred covariates for each insured, including detailed breakdown of past costs and causes encoded via coexisting condition (CC) flags. We discuss statistical models for the relationship between next-year costs and medical and cost information to predict the mean and quantiles of future cost, ranking risks and identifying most predictive covariates. A comparison of multiple models is presented, including (in addition to the traditional linear regression model underlying risk adjusters) Lasso GLM, multivariate adaptive regression splines, random forests, decision trees, and boosted trees. A detailed performance analysis shows that the traditional regression approach does not perform well and that more accurate models are possible.
Effects of glutamine for prevention of radiation-induced esophagitis: a double-blind placebo-controlled trial

Purpose Acute radiation-induced esophagitis (ARIE) leads to treatment delays, decreased quality of life (QOL), and secondary adverse events such as weight loss. Grade 3 ARIE occurs in 15%–30% of patients undergoing radiotherapy to the esophagus, leading to disruption or discontinuation of treatment. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of glutamine, a common nutritional supplement, on ARIE in patients with thoracic malignancies. Patients and methods This double-blind, placebo-controlled trial enrolled patients with advanced thoracic malignancies receiving concurrent chemotherapy/radiotherapy or radiotherapy alone, with radiation doses to the esophagus ≥45 Gy. Patients were randomized (1:1) to receive 4 g of glutamine or glycine placebo twice daily. The primary objective was to determine whether glutamine decreases the severity of ARIE in these patients. Secondary objectives included assessment of the effects of glutamine on other measures of ARIE, weight, symptom burden measure assessed by the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory (MDASI-HN) questionnaire and the toxicity profile of glutamine. Results At the time of interim analysis, 53 patients were enrolled: 27 in the glutamine arm and 26 in the placebo arm. There was no difference in the incidence of esophagitis in the first 6 weeks of radiotherapy between the glutamine and placebo arms (74% versus 68%; P = 1.00). There were no significant differences between the two arms for time to onset of esophagitis. The duration of ARIE was shorter (6.3 versus 7.1 weeks; P = 0.54) and median weight loss was lower (0.9 kg versus 2.8 kg; p = 0.83) in the glutamine arm versus the placebo arm. The groups differ significantly in core symptom severity (2.1 vs 1.5, p < .03) but not in head and neck specific symptom severity (1.2 vs 1.1, p < .60) nor in symptom interference (2.1 vs 1.7, p < .22). There was no grade 3 or higher adverse event at least possibly related to glutamine. The study was terminated for futility following interim analysis. Conclusion Oral glutamine was not associated with significant improvement in severity of ARIE, weight loss, head and neck specific symptoms or symptom interference compared with placebo in patients with advanced thoracic malignancies receiving radiotherapy to the esophagus. Clinical trial information. NCT01952847, and date of registration is September 30, 2013.
Unifying Lower Bounds on Prediction Dimension of Consistent Convex Surrogates.

Given a prediction task, understanding when one can and cannot design a consistent convex surrogate loss, particularly a low-dimensional one, is an important and active area of machine learning research. The prediction task may be given as a target loss, as in classification and structured prediction, or simply as a (conditional) statistic of the data, as in risk measure estimation. These two scenarios typically involve different techniques for designing and analyzing surrogate losses. We unify these settings using tools from property elicitation, and give a general lower bound on prediction dimension. Our lower bound tightens existing results in the case of discrete predictions, showing that previous calibration-based bounds can largely be recovered via property elicitation. For continuous estimation, our lower bound resolves on open problem on estimating measures of risk and uncertainty.
“I Know They Meant Well…”: Helpful and Hurtful Memorable Messages During Mourning

This study explores 112 helpful and hurtful memorable messages identified by the bereaved when receiving condolences after a loss. An online open-ended qualitative questionnaire revealed that the m...
Imposter phenomenon in radiology: incidence, intervention, and impact on wellness.

Abstract Purpose Imposter phenomenon refers to feelings of inadequacy due to inability to internalize evident success. While high achievers such as physicians have been known to exhibit imposter phenomenon, there is limited literature specific to radiologists. Our purpose was to (1) investigate imposter phenomenon in radiologists and assess correlation with burnout, and (2) pilot an intervention aimed at addressing imposter phenomenon through improvisational theater techniques. Methods Part 1 - Clinical radiology faculty at a single large academic medical center completed an anonymous survey with questions related to demographics, burnout (derived from the validated Mini-Z assessment tool), and imposter phenomenon. Part 2 - A one-hour interactive workshop on imposter phenomenon was organized for the radiology department at the same institution. The workshop included the Clance Imposter Phenomenon Scale (CIPS). A post-workshop survey rating was also performed. Results Part 1 - Of 30 clinical radiology faculty who participated in the survey, 83% reported feelings of imposter phenomenon during their career. There was significant (p = 0.024) correlation between imposter phenomenon and burnout. Part 2 - Of 21 members of the Department of Radiology who completed the CIPS in the interactive workshop, 71% exhibited frequent or intense symptoms of imposter phenomenon. On the post-workshop survey asking participants to rate the workshop, the mean score was 4.4 and the mode score was 5 on a scale of 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent). Conclusion Imposter phenomenon affects radiologists and is correlated with burnout. Innovative interventions to address imposter phenomenon such as workshops utilizing medical improvisational techniques are well-received.
Inorganic Nutrients: Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Other Nutrients

Compounds of nitrogen, and especially those of phosphorus, are major cellular components of organisms. Since the availability of these ele­ments may be less than the biological demand, environmental sources can regulate or limit the productivity of organisms in freshwater ecosys­tems. Other elements such as iron and sulfur are essential cellular constituents but are required in relatively low concentrations in relation to availability in fresh waters. The major basic cations, calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potas­sium, usually are required in very low quantities, but their concentrations in fresh water can influence the osmoregulation of organisms.
3D CNT-graphene networks and their application in supercapacitors

We present direct synthesis of graphene on vertically aligned carbon nanotube (VACNT) forest to form 3D CNT-graphene network by mean of chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The multi-dimensional material assemble process is achieved by a first CVD process to construct CNT forest; the electroplating process to deposit an uniform metal film around individual CNTs; and a second CVD process for the synthesis of graphene. The large surface areas of VACNTs and high electrochemical reactions sites from graphene and metal particles (as pseudocapacitors materials) are utilized to enhance the electrochemical capacitance of the system.
A deficiency in haem oxygenase-1 induces foetal growth restriction by placental vasculature defects.

UNLABELLED Haem oxygenase-1 (HO-1), the rate-limiting enzyme in haem degradation, plays a role in angiogenesis and vasculogenesis and is highly expressed in the placenta. Deficiencies in HO-1 are associated with several pregnancy disorders, such as recurrent miscarriages and pre-eclampsia. The unique combination of tissue protective, smooth muscle relaxing and angiogenesis regulatory properties makes HO-1 a key player in the maintenance of a healthy pregnancy through a direct effect on placental structural and vascular development, thus affecting foetal development. CONCLUSION Therefore, we conclude that HO-1 plays an important role in placental vasculature development and a deficiency in HO-1 may contribute to pregnancy complications, such as pre-eclampsia, spontaneous abortions and premature births.
Automatic Abstraction for Verification of Timed Circuits and Systems

This paper presents a new approach for verification of asynchronous circuits by using automatic abstraction. It attacks the state explosion problem by avoiding the generation of a flat state space for the whole design. Instead, it breaks the design into blocks and conducts verification on each of them. Using this approach, the speed of verification improves dramatically.
Autoradiographic analysis of regional cell wall growth of yeasts.

Summary The rate of incorporation of 6-3H-glucose into an alkali-insoluble polysaccharide of the yeast cell wall has been measured. The budding yeast, Pichia farinosa, incorporated primarily at the distal end of the bud, and the rate of incorporation at the end was a linear function of bud length (i.e., was exponential with time). This tip-growth of the bud was comparable with the primary end growth of the fission yeast, Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Only 16.4 per cent of the adults were labeled. An analysis of their labeling pattern indicated that about 12 per cent of the adults were labeled by a turnover mechanism, and the remainder of the labeled adults were in the process of initiating new buds.
Resource allocation for code development in partitioned models

Purpose – Physical phenomena interact with each other in ways that one cannot be analyzed without considering the other. To account for such interactions between multiple phenomena, partitioning has become a widely implemented computational approach. Partitioned analysis involves the exchange of inputs and outputs from constituent models (partitions) via iterative coupling operations, through which the individually developed constituent models are allowed to affect each other’s inputs and outputs. Partitioning, whether multi-scale or multi-physics in nature, is a powerful technique that can yield coupled models that can predict the behavior of a system more complex than the individual constituents themselves. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – Although partitioned analysis has been a key mechanism in developing more realistic predictive models over the last decade, its iterative coupling operations may lead to the propagation and accumulation of uncertainties and errors ...
Point-of-Care Ultrasound Diagnosis of Deep Space Hand Infection.

Abstract Background Point-of-care ultrasound is emerging as an important imaging modality for characterizing soft-tissue infections and provides advantages over physical examination and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Case Report A 30-year-old man presented to the emergency department with extensive left upper extremity cellulitis. Magnetic resonance imaging of the left arm was preliminarily interpreted as soft-tissue swelling without evidence of deep-space infection. Point-of-care ultrasound revealed pockets of fluid with sonographic fluctuance tracking along the tendon sheath that were concerning for deep abscesses. Based on the ultrasound findings, the patient was taken emergently to the operating room, where multiple left hand and wrist loculated deep-space abscesses were decompressed. Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This? This case report highlights the significant advantages and easy-to-learn findings present in point-of-care ultrasound of musculoskeletal infections.
Capacitive Sensing of Intercalated H2O Molecules Using Graphene.

Understanding the interactions of ambient molecules with graphene and adjacent dielectrics is of fundamental importance for a range of graphene-based devices, particularly sensors, where such interactions could influence the operation of the device. It is well-known that water can be trapped underneath graphene and its host substrate; however, the electrical effect of water beneath graphene and the dynamics of how the interfacial water changes with different ambient conditions has not been quantified. Here, using a metal-oxide-graphene variable-capacitor (varactor) structure, we show that graphene can be used to capacitively sense the intercalation of water between graphene and HfO2 and that this process is reversible on a fast time scale. Atomic force microscopy is used to confirm the intercalation and quantify the displacement of graphene as a function of humidity. Density functional theory simulations are used to quantify the displacement of graphene induced by intercalated water and also explain the o...
Clusters and Regional Development: Critical Reflections and Explorations by Bjørn Asheim, Philip Cooke, and Ron Martin

Bjorn Asheim, Philip Cooke, and Ron Martin, Clusters and Regional Development: Critical Reflections and Explorations (New York: Routledge, 2006).Industrial cluster-based analyses and economic devel...
Accuracy of atmospheric drag models at low satellite altitudes

Abstract Errors in empirical density models result in significant uncertainties in prediction of orbital debris motions in the low-earth environment. A comprehensive evaluation of several currently-used empirical models has been made using density data obtained 150–250 km from AFGL satellite accelerometer experiments during the period 1974–1982. These data, obtained over a wide range of solar and geomagnetic conditions, have resulted in assessment of the present status and improvement prospects of our capability to specify and forecast neutral atmospheric variability. Comparison of data-to-model mean values and standard deviations show that model accuracies have remained essentially constant during the past two decades. Mean values are typically given within ± 10% and standard deviations are approximately ± 15%. Use of more realistic indicators of solar and geomagnetic activity, comprehensive measurement programs and continued development of thermospheric general circulation models are recommended to improve atmospheric variability representations.
Impact of influenza virus escape-mutations on influenza detection by the rapid influenza diagnostic test†

During the influenza pandemic of 2009-2010, rapid influenza diagnostic tests (RIDTs) were used to detect influenza viral infections because they are quick and simple to use. However, retrospective studies showed that RIDTs performed poorly when used to diagnose pandemic viral infections. Determining how amino acid sequence changes in pandemic or epidemic influenza viral antigens impact clinical value of RIDTs has not been possible, because the viral epitopes recognized by RIDTs have been not mapped. In this study, the effect of escape-variations or mutations in influenza viral antigens upon the sensitivity and specificity of an RIDT was investigated by characterizing the immunological properties of the antibodies used in the RIDT. Escape-mutants were generated by cultivating A/Korea/01/2009 in the presence of an excess of the same antibodies used in the RIDT. Escape-mutants not recognized by the RIDT were selected. Epitopes recognized by the RIDT were mapped by comparing the sequence and immunological analysis of the escape-variants and wild-type isolates. The RIDT antibodies recognized epitopes on the Sa antigenic site and in the F subdomain in hemagglutinin. Variants bearing mutations in these epitopes were not detected by the RIDT. The frequency of escape-variants emerging since the 2009-2010 pandemic was calculated as 1.27% using in silico surveillance of influenza sequence databases. These results suggest that mapping the relevant epitopes of RIDTs and making such information available to clinics would be helpful for determining whether RIDTs match newly emergent strains and subtypes prior to retrospective re-evaluation of the RIDTs using clinical specimens.
Finite-difference boundary-value method for determination of resonance widths in atomic collisions☆

Abstract A new quantum mechanical procedure, using the finite-difference boundary-value method and an equation derived by Hazi and Taylor for the stabilization method, is proposed for finding the widths or lifetimes of resonance states in atomic collisions. Numerical illustrations are presented.
Survivorship and clinical outcome of modular endoprosthetic reconstruction for neoplastic disease of the lower limb

We reviewed retrospectively the results in 211 consecutive patients who had undergone limb salvage for bone neoplasia with endoprosthetic reconstruction of the proximal femur (96), distal femur (78), proximal tibia (30) and total femur (7). Their mean age was 50 years (11 to 86) and the mean follow-up period was 37.3 months (1 to 204). A total of 35 (16.6%) prostheses failed. Overall, implant survival was 78% (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.29 to 0.54) at five years, 60% (95% CI 0.93 to 2.35) at ten years and 60% (95% CI 1.27 to 3.88) at 15 years. Survivorship of the limb was 97.6% (95% CI 1.73 to 3.35) at ten years. The gender, age, diagnosis and location of the tumour were not prognostic variables for failure. Modular endoprosthetic replacement in the lower limb is a durable long-term reconstructive option, with the implants generally outlasting the patient.
Symmetry and composite particles

The description of systems with internal structure evident only in the presence of operators other thanP u andM uv defined on the spaceS of the relativistic states is explored. The assumption is made that there must be dennedone operator of this kind, namely µ≡limP 0 /c. The individual particle variables of a composite are eliminated and a special kind of ‘composite particle representation’ is introduced. The nonrelativistic composite (an isolated molecule) is described by a single value of the Galilei invariantμ and many values of the other two Casimir operatorsC 1 andC 2, and it is this direct sum structure which is sought as the contracted limit of a relativistic composite particle with all its bound state levels. The internal energy operatorh 0 arises as the contraction of (M−μ)c 2, and the correct nonrelativistic Hamiltonian of the composite is shown to be given byH=H 0+P 2/2μ. As an application of these ideas, our previous results (compare Fleischman & Roman, 1967) concerning the nonrelativistic limit of theSU 3 commutator structure are rederived in a simple manner. Throughout the paper, comparison is made with, and ramificational remarks are proferred on the extensive related literature.
Nutrient intake in women with primary and secondary Sjögren's syndrome.

Objective: Recently, it has been proposed that dietary factors may contribute to the etiology and progression of Sjogren's syndrome, and that nutritional intervention may modify the severity of pathological abnormalities. The objective of this study was to determine whether the nutrient intake of women with primary (1°SS) or secondary (2°SS; ie with systemic lupus erythematosus (2°SS/SLE) or rheumatoid arthritis (2°SS/RA) Sjogren's syndrome is significantly different than that of age- and gender-matched controls. Design: Women with Sjogren's syndrome were asked to complete the 97 General Purpose Semi-Quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire, which consists of a list of 147 separate food items that represent the major sources of multiple nutrients. Nutritional data were evaluated in terms of absolute and energy-adjusted nutrient amounts and analyzed by ANOVA. Results: Our results showed: (a) greater intake of energy, glutamate, carbohydrates, lactose, phosphorus, caffeine and unsupplemental thiamin and riboflavin in 1°SS, as well as supplemental calcium in 2°SS/SLE, compared with controls; (b) greater nutrient intake of energy, protein, glutamate, methionine, tryptophan, carbohydrates, lactose, supplemental calcium and phosphorus, sodium, caffeine and unsupplemental calcium, riboflavin and thiamin in 2°SS/RA, relative to 1°SS and/or 2°SS/SLE; (c) higher energy-adjusted values for supplemental calcium in 2°SS/SLE, and for vitamin A and supplemental iron and zinc in 2°SS/RA, compared with other groups; and (d) higher energy-adjusted intake of supplemental calcium, and a lower energy-adjusted intake of unsupplemental vitamin C, polyunsaturated fat, linoleic acid, omega-3 fatty acid, and specific other unsaturated fatty acids, in the Sjogren's syndrome group as a whole, relative to controls. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that nutrient intake is altered in Sjogren's syndrome. Sponsorship: This research was supported by a grant from Allergan Inc.
On the disappearance of a small sunspot group

The small sunspot group associated with Hale active region 17694 was observed jointly by the Mount Wilson and the Big Bear Solar Observatories, through the time of sunspot disappearance. The magnetic flux from the region was seen to decrease by about 10% per day during the observing interval. This was accompanied by fragmentation of the dominant spot as a supergranule network formed. No evidence for spreading or diffusion of the active region field was found.
How Light Reaches the Eye and Its Components

The human eye is exquisitely sensitive to light (i.e., visible radiant energy), and when dark-adapted, the retina can detect a few photons of blue-green light. It is therefore not at all surprising that ocular tissues are also more vulnerable to ultraviolet (UV) and light damage than the skin. For this reason, humans have evolved with certain anatomical, physiological, and behavioral traits that protect this critical organ from the UV damage that would otherwise be certain from the intense bath of overhead solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) when we are outdoors during daylight. For example, the UV exposure threshold dose for photokeratitis ("welders' flash" or "snow blindness")--if measured as falling on a horizontal ground surface--would be reached in less than 10 minutes around midday in the summer sun. There are three critical ocular structures that could be affected by UV exposure: the cornea, the lens, and the retina. The cornea transmits radiant energy only at 295 nm and above. The crystalline lens absorbs almost all incident energy to wavelengths of nearly 400 nm. In youth, a very small amount of UV-A reaches the retina, but the lens becomes more absorbing with age. Thus there are intraocular filters that effectively filter different parts of the UV spectrum and allow only of the order of 1% or less to actually reach the retina. Nevertheless, this small fraction of energy--if phototoxic--could still be of concern. Finally, oblique rays entering the eye from the temporal side, can actually reach the equatorial (germinative) area of the lens.
Effects of amantadine on the dynamics of membrane-bound influenza A M2 transmembrane peptide studied by NMR relaxation

The molecular motions of membrane proteins in liquid-crystalline lipid bilayers lie at the interface between motions in isotropic liquids and in solids. Specifically, membrane proteins can undergo whole-body uniaxial diffusion on the microsecond time scale. In this work, we investigate the 1H rotating-frame spin-lattice relaxation (T 1ρ) caused by the uniaxial diffusion of the influenza A M2 transmembrane peptide (M2TMP), which forms a tetrameric proton channel in lipid bilayers. This uniaxial diffusion was proved before by 2H, 15N and 13C NMR lineshapes of M2TMP in DLPC bilayers. When bound to an inhibitor, amantadine, the protein exhibits significantly narrower linewidths at physiological temperature. We now investigate the origin of this line narrowing through temperature-dependent 1H T 1ρ relaxation times in the absence and presence of amantadine. Analysis of the temperature dependence indicates that amantadine decreases the correlation time of motion from 2.8 ± 0.9 μs for the apo peptide to 0.89 ± 0.41 μs for the bound peptide at 313 K. Thus the line narrowing of the bound peptide is due to better avoidance of the NMR time scale and suppression of intermediate time scale broadening. The faster diffusion of the bound peptide is due to the higher attempt rate of motion, suggesting that amantadine creates better-packed and more cohesive helical bundles. Analysis of the temperature dependence of $$ { \ln }\left( {T_{1\rho }^{ - 1} } \right) $$ indicates that the activation energy of motion increased from 14.0 ± 4.0 kJ/mol for the apo peptide to 23.3 ± 6.2 kJ/mol for the bound peptide. This higher activation energy indicates that excess amantadine outside the protein channel in the lipid bilayer increases the membrane viscosity. Thus, the protein-bound amantadine speeds up the diffusion of the helical bundles while the excess amantadine in the bilayer increases the membrane viscosity.