cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effects of phacoemulsification on intraocular pressure and ultrasound biomicroscopic image of filtering bleb in eyes with cataract and functioning filtering blebs.

To evaluate the effects of phacoemulsification on intraocular pressure (IOP) and ultrasound biomicroscope (UBM) images of filtering bleb in eyes with cataract and a previous functioning filtering bleb. The IOPs and UBM images of filtering bleb of 24 patients (27 eyes) who underwent phacoemulsification after successful trabeculectomy were recorded at each follow-up examination and at the 12 months after phacoemulsification, respectively. Preoperative IOP and two parameters of the UBM images, including visibility of a route under the scleral flap and reflectivity inside the bleb were evaluated for an association with postoperative success rate using Kaplan–Meier survival analysis. The mean IOP increased 5.50, 3.85, 3.11, 3.05, 2.79, and 2.58 mmHg after 1 day, 1 week, 1, 3, 6, and 12 months, and it was significantly higher than the preoperative IOP (P=0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, and 0.000 respectively). There was no statistically significant difference in visibility of the route under the scleral flap and reflectivity inside the bleb before and after phacoemulsification (P=0.398, 0.096). An IOP greater than 10 mmHg, a bleb with an invisible route under the scleral flap and stronger intrableb reflectivity before phacoemulsification were associated with postoperative antiglaucomatous failure (P=0.025, 0.000, and 0.000 respectively). Phacoemulsification significantly increased IOP, but had less effect on intrableb features in UBM image. Eyes with higher IOP, invisible route under scleral flap and stronger intrableb reflectivity in UBM image before phacoemulsification had greater postoperative antiglaucomatous failure.
Nanocomposites in context

This paper provides an overview of recent advances in nanocomposites research. The key research opportunities and challenges in the development of structural and functional nanocomposites are addressed in the context of traditional fiber composites. The state of knowledge in processing, characterization, and analysis/modeling of nanocomposites is presented with a particular emphasis on identifying fundamental structure/property relationships. Critical issues in nanocomposites research as well as promising techniques for processing precursors for macroscopic nanocomposites are discussed.
A simple upper-bound method for axisymmetric metal forming problems

Abstract An upper-bound method for axisymmetric metal-forming problems is developed. The method uses regions of constant axial velocity and radial velocity inversely proportional to radius to build up a kinematically admissable velocity field. A technique for constructing the velocity field and calculating the associated power dissipation is described. Applications to various forming problems are discussed.
A strain anomaly near the southern end of the San Andreas Fault, Imperial Valley, California

Repeated first-order leveling surveys conducted by the National Geodetic Survey (NGS) in 1972, 1974, 1976, 1978, and 1981 provide evidence of contemporary relative uplift near the junction of the San Andreas fault and the Brawley Seismic Zone. Uplift, which extends over a distance of about 5 km where crossed by the leveling line, apparently developed progressively between 1972 (possibly before) and 1978. Maximum relative uplift during this period reached 58 ± 4 mm. This spatially and temporally coherent pattern of uplift was interrupted between 1978 and 1981 possibly as a result of the 1979, M6.6 Imperial Valley earthquake. While the cause of the observed uplift is unknown, given the location, one interpretation is that it represents a zone of concentrated strain possibly associated with fault activity.
Counterintuitive influence of microscopic chirality on helical order in polymers

Studies of copolymers of chiral and achiral units forming a helical array correlate to statistical physical predictions of the influence of the chiral units on the helical sense taken by the array. In the absence of conflict among the chiral units for helical sense control, the sergeants and soldiers experiment, a larger chiral bias leads to increased control. However, when conflict exists among the chiral units for helical sense control, the majority rule experiment, a larger chiral bias leads to decreased control of the helical sense and therefore a smaller optical activity. Changing the achiral units in the majority rule experiment can change the nature of the statistical physics between statistical and thermal randomness. In general, the experiments quantitatively demonstrate that the effect of chirality is not an intrinsic property of the chiral moiety but rather depends on the molecular environment. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Decreased Expression of LFA-1 on Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes in Graft versus Host Disease

Abstract We have previously demonstrated an increase in lymphocyte function associated antigen-1 (LFA-1) expression in the native intestines of animals with graft versus host disease (GVHD) after small bowel transplantation (SBTx). The present study evaluated LFA-1 expression on peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) during GVHD. GVHD was created in LBNF 1 rats by heterotopic vascularized SBTx from Lewis donors and compared to sham-op controls and cyclosporine-treated SBTx rats (SBTx–CyA, 10 mg/kg/day). PBLs were harvested on Postop Day 13 when signs of severe GVHD were present and PBLs were stained for LFA-1, CD3 (T-cell marker), and CD45 (B cell marker) and analyzed on an Epics 5 flow cytometer. Mesenteric lymph node (MLN) lymphocytes from the native intestines were also harvested for each group and stained for LFA-1. There were significant decreases in LFA-1, CD3, and CD45 PBL expression in rats with GVHD. CyA treatment corrected the abnormal CD3 and CD45 ratios, but not LFA-1 expression. It is concluded that: (1) The proportion of PBLs expressing LFA-1 is depressed in animals with clinical GVHD consistent with their recruitment into the host's inflamed tissues. (2) CyA treatment corrects the abnormalities in T and B cell ratios but not the decreased expression of LFA-1 on PBLs and may relate to its known imperfect ability to treat GVHD.
Photocopying and copyright: attitudes to licensing

The present law of copyright concerning photocopying is summarised The licensing scheme proposed by the Copyright Licensing Agency is outlined and a case study is described to determine users' attitudes to such a licence. The educational sector has shown willingness to negotiate with the CLA for better terms but industrial organisations seem to prefer to wait until the law is changed They see negotiating with the CLA as implying recognition of their interpretation of the present law.Only Local Education Authorities have negotiated a tem porary CLA licence, and further assessment must await their evaluation of the one year trial.
The epidemiologic basis for population-wide cholesterol reduction in the primary prevention of coronary artery disease.

A number of recent epidemiologic observations support the need for new and broader strategies to reduce serum cholesterol levels on a populationwide basis. First, the limited data available suggest a halt in the declining incidence of coronary artery disease (CAD) in the United States since 1990, raising concerns about our current strategies to promote primary prevention of CAD. Data from the 1970s and 1980s support a key role for population-wide cholesterol lowering as a strategy to reduce CAD. Second, large and carefully performed surveys support no further reductions in serum cholesterol levels in the US population since 1990. Is this observation and that of stagnating declines of CAD incidence a coincidence? Interestingly, the lack of cholesterol level reduction occurred in the setting of increased use of prescription cholesterol-lowering drugs, suggesting that drug treatment of the highest-risk persons alone will not shift the population curve. Third, the treatment gap persists, with recent populationwide data suggesting that half of all people with hypercholesterolemia (≥200 mg/dL) are unaware of their condition, only half of those persons aware are treated, and only half of those treated are controlled. Finally, the moderate-risk population (10% to 20% risk of CAD over 10 years) is sizable in the ages recommended for over-the-counter statin use (≥45 years in men, ≥55 years in women). Risk reduction in this group, which contributes a significant portion of CAD cases, should be part of any program to reduce the population burden of CAD.
The Hyperspectral Imager for the Coastal Ocean (HICO) on the International Space Station

The HICO (Hyperspectral Imager for the Coastal Ocean) program is the first demonstration of environmental characterization of the coastal zone using a spaceborne maritime hyperspectral imager. HICO is sponsored by the Office of Naval Research as an Innovative Naval Prototype (INP), and will demonstrate coastal products including water clarity, bottom types, bathymetry and on-shore vegetation maps. As an INP, HICO will also demonstrate innovative ways to reduce the cost and schedule of this space mission by adapting proven aircraft imager architecture and using Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) components where possible.
The Onset of Chaos in a Two-Degree-of-Freedom Impacting System

The dynamic response of a two-degree-of-freedom impacting system is considered. The system consists of an inverted pendulum whith motion limiting stops attached to a sinusoidally excited mass-spring system. Two types of periodic response for this system are analyzed in detail; existence, stability, and bifurcations of these motions can be explicitly computed using a piecewise linear model
Antigen specific killing assay using CFSE labeled target cells.

Carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester (CFSE) can be used to easily and quickly label a cell population of interest for in vivo investigation. This labeling has classically been used to study proliferation and migration. In the method presented here, we have shortened the timeline after adoptive transfer to look at survival and killing of epitope specific CFSE labeled target cells4-6. The level of specific killing of a CD8 + T cell clone can indicate the quality of the response, as their quantity may be misleading. Specific CD8+ T cells can become functionally exhausted over time with a decline in cytokine production and killing7,8. Also, certain CD8 + T cell clones may not kill as well as others with differing TCR specificities9. For effective Cell Mediated Immunity (CMI), antigens must be identified that produce not only adequate numbers of responding T cells, but also functionally robust responding T cells. Here we assess the percent cell specific killing of two peptide specific T cell clones in BALB/c mice.
Leptin-induced satiation mediated by abdominal vagal afferents

Leptin is a hormone secreted into the systemic blood primarily by white adipose tissue. However, leptin also is synthesized and stored by cells in the gastric mucosa. Because gastric mucosal leptin is secreted in response to ingestion of a meal, we hypothesized that it might contribute to satiation (meal termination) by acting on gastrointestinal vagal afferent neurons. To test whether leptin is capable of acutely reducing short-term food intake, we measured consumption of a liquid meal (15% sucrose) following low-dose leptin administration via the celiac artery, which perfuses the upper gastrointestinal tract. Leptin (1, 3, 10 μg) was infused via a chronically implanted, nonocclusive celiac arterial catheter or via a jugular vein catheter with its tip in the right cardiac atrium. Fifteen percent sucrose intake was then measured for 30 min. We found that leptin dose dependently inhibited sucrose intake when infused through the celiac catheter but not when infused into the general circulation via a jugular catheter. Plasma leptin concentrations in the general circulation following celiac arterial or jugular leptin infusions were not significantly different. Celiac arterial leptin infusion did not reduce meal size in vagotomized or capsaicin-treated rats. Finally, we also found that reduction of meal size by celiac leptin infusion was markedly enhanced when coinfused with cholecystokinin, a gastrointestinal satiety peptide whose action depends on vagal afferent neurons. Our results support the hypothesis that leptin contributes to satiation by a mechanism dependent on gastrointestinal vagal afferent innervation of the upper gastrointestinal tract.
Wideband signal detection by employing differential sampling rates

A wideband electronic warfare digital receiver design is proposed. The design utilizes the frame-based FFT algorithm commonly implemented in traditional electronic warfare (EW) encoder design [1]. The frequency coverage in traditional digital receiver designs is limited to a single Nyquist zone due to the desire to eliminate aliasing effects from multiple Nyquist zones that generate frequency ambiguities. The proposed design is based on a two-channel structure that allows M Nyquist
Building a Better Similarity Trap with Statistically Improbable Features

One of the persistent topics in digital forensic research in recent years has been the problem of finding all things similar. Developed tools usually take on the form of similarity, or fuzzy hash. In this paper, we present a generic empirical study of the problem of finding common features in binary data. Specifically, we study the problem of false positives and demonstrate that similarity tools work only as well as the underlying data allows them to and, therefore, must be aware of the basic properties of the input. We propose a new feature selection algorithm, which is based on the notion of statistically improbable features. We also show that the proposed method, can be tuned to account for the type-specific distribution of false positives.
Patient perspectives on informed decision-making surrounding dialysis initiation

Background Careful patient–clinician shared decision-making about dialysis initiation has been promoted, but few studies have addressed patient perspectives on the extent of information provided and how decisions to start dialysis are made.
Echo-planar BOLD fMRI of mice on a narrow-bore 9.4 T magnet.

The feasibility of BOLD fMRI in association with electrical somatosensory stimulation on spontaneously breathing, isoflurane-anesthetized mice was investigated using spin-echo, echo-planar imaging (EPI) on a vertical narrow-bore 9.4 T magnet. Three experiments were performed to derive an optimal fMRI protocol. In Experiment 1 (n 9), spin-echo BOLD responses to 10% CO2 challenge under graded isoflurane (0.25– 1.25%) ranged from 10 2% to 3.5 0.9%; the optimal BOLD contrast-to-noise ratio peaked at 0.75% isoflurane. In Experiment 2 (n 6), hindpaw somatosensory stimulations using 1–7 mA under 0.75% isoflurane revealed the optimal BOLD response was at 6 mA. In Experiment 3 (n 5), BOLD responses to 4 and 6 mA stimulation under 0.75% and 1% isoflurane were evaluated in detail, confirming the optimal conditions in Experiment 2. These results demonstrated that BOLD fMRI using single-shot, spin-echo EPI in a mouse somatosensory stimulation model could be routinely performed on high-field, vertical, narrow-bore magnets. This protocol might prove useful for fMRI studies of transgenic mice. Magn Reson Med 52: 430 – 434, 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
PURIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF OVARIAN LH/hCG AND PROLACTIN RECEPTORS

We have purified the luteinizing hormone (LH)/human choriogonadotropin (hCG) receptor to homogeneity by sequential affinity column on wheat germ lectin-Sepharose and hCG-Sepharose. The method was designed to allow also the purification of lactogen receptor from the initial starting material. Comparable purification of lactogen receptor can be attained using Con A-Sepharose as initial step. The purified LH/hCG receptor was identified as a single protein of Mr = 75,000 on SDS gel electrophoresis. The lactogen receptor is composed of two dissimilar active subunits of Mr 88,000 and 40,000, the latter probably being an integral part of the larger form. Comparison of Mr's derived from SDS gels with those from fast performance liquid chromatography suggested that the native LH holoreceptor is present in a dimeric form, while the lactogen receptor seems to be composed of aggregates that could represent dimeric or trimeric forms of holoreceptor Mr 80,000. Cross-linking studies performed after binding of hCG (radiolabeled in the individual subunits) to the purified LH/hCG receptor indicated that the hCG alpha-subunit undergoes predominant interaction with the receptor molecule. The influence of the beta-subunit in this interaction seems to occur mainly through its association with the alpha-subunit, presumably by conferring specificity to the alpha-subunit for its interaction with the receptor. The alpha-subunit, which is identical within species, has an important role in the receptor binding interaction and biological activity of glycoprotein hormones.
Rural behavioral health services for children and adolescents: An ecological and community psychology analysis

While psychology has tended to focus on urban issues in research and practice, rural areas have undergone a series of changes in recent years that have increased the need for behavioral health services. A variety of social and economic factors has contributed both to the increasing needs and to the inability of the existing services to meet them. In this article, the authors survey the literature on rural behavioral health issues, focusing on children and adolescents, to highlight the status of knowledge and approaches to intervention. A conceptual rubric based on the social ecological perspective is used. First, what is known about rural behavioral health and health care for youth is described at the ontogenetic, micro-, meso-, and macrosystem levels. Strategies that have been proposed to address problems in rural behavioral health care are also presented at the different levels. General principles for future intervention and research are proposed that recognize the unique context of rural communities, use local knowledge and ideas, incorporate the efforts of informal systems of care using a strength-based approach, and identify and work toward solving the macrosystem issues that underlie rural health problems. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Fuzzy logic based set-point weight tuning of PID controllers

A methodology, based on fuzzy logic, for the tuning of proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controllers is presented. A fuzzy inference system is adopted to determine the value of the weight that multiplies the set-point for the proportional action, based on the current output error and its time derivative. In this way, both the overshoot and the rise time in set-point following can be reduced. The values of the proportional gain and the integral and derivative time constant are determined according to the well-known Ziegler-Nichols formula so that a good load disturbance attenuation is also assured. The methodology is shown to be effective for a large range of processes and is valuable for industrial settings since it is intuitive, it requires only a small extra computational effort, and it is robust with regard to parameter variations. The tuning of the parameters of the fuzzy module can be easily done by hand or by means of an autotuning procedure based on genetic algorithms.
Design and performance of a recessed thin film inductive transducer

An improved inductive transducer is achieved by placing the coil and the majority of the transducer body into a recessed alumina basecoat. Process advantages of a recessed over planar structure includes lower top pole topography, improved pole trim capability, and improved top pole composition uniformity. Coil and photoresist processing in a recessed cavity allows for multiple layers with lower resistance without increasing transducer Permalloy path length. Recessed trimmed design performance has increased efficiency with higher amplitude and a narrower pulse width along with improved overwrite compared to planar untrimmed transducers. The recessed basecoat design is explained, and compared to planar transducers using modeling and performance results.
The temporal course and clinical correlates of subjective impulsivity in bipolar disorder as revealed through ecological momentary assessment

Background Impulsivity is frequently linked with bipolar disorder and is associated with mania and negative outcomes. The temporal dynamics of subjective impulsivity are unclear, in particular whether impulsivity precedes or follows changes in positive or negative affect.
The Moral Hazard Problem with Privatizing Public Enforcement: The Case of Pharmaceutical Fraud

This Article takes a law and economics approach to exploring some of the costs that arise when governments rely on private enforcement to accomplish the goals of public law. The focus is on qui tam enforcement under the Civil False Claims Act, because of a remarkable body of empirical data that demonstrates the expansive role private relators are playing in enforcing Medicare and Medicaid fraud and abuse laws, especially within the pharmaceutical industry. This focus is enlightening because the government, as well as private enforcers has recently targeted this industry so that emerging legal trends in private enforcement are readily evident here. Professor Matthew applies the economic concept of moral hazard - a well-recognized theory positing that one takes greater risks and exercises less care when insured than when uninsured - to re-conceptualize the costs and benefits of private enforcement. These costs are most dramatic when, the government overwhelmingly cedes control of anti-fraud enforcement to private enforcers, thereby delegating its responsibility to protect the social good. This phenomenon is called the "privatization" of public enforcement. The analysis demonstrates a fundamental divergence between private and public incentives in False Claims Act prosecutions. The availability of private enforcers creates significant opportunities for public prosecutors to over-enforce. Moreover, the reduction in short term risk causes government prosecutors to reduce the care that typically controls their exercise of prosecutorial discretion. The explanatory power of the moral hazard analysis is borne out by a review of case law that demonstrates private enforcement patterns that significantly depart from the public goals of federal anti-fraud law. The article concludes by proposing legislative language that would reform the qui tam statute, and bring public and private enforcement goals into alignment.
Comparative study of fatigue and fracture in friction stir and electron beam welds of 24 mm thick titanium alloy Ti-6Al-4 V

In this study, friction stir welding of Ti-6Al-4 V was demonstrated in 24 mm thickness material. The microstructure and mechanical properties, fatigue, fracture toughness and crack growth of these thick section friction stir welds were evaluated and compared with electron beam welds produced in the same thickness material. It was found that the friction stir welds possessed a relatively coarse lamellar alpha transformed beta microstructure because of slow cooling from above the transus temperature of the material. The electron beam welds had a fine acicular alpha structure as a result of rapid solidification. The friction stir welds possessed better ductility, fatigue life, fracture toughness and crack growth resistance than the base meal or electron beam welds. Thus, even though friction stir welding is a relatively new process, the performance benefits it offers for the fabrication of heavy gage primary structure make it a more attractive option than the more well-established electron beam welding method.
The role of physicians in transitional justice: combatting the aftermath of mass rape in Bosnia-Herzegovina

Between 1992-1995, an estimated 20,000-50,000 women were raped during the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Twenty years later, victims of war rape continue to experience severe mental health disorders, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and multiple co-morbidities. A recent comprehensive study of rape survivors who have utilized non-governmental organization (NGO) services demonstrate alarming reports of chronic gynecologic problems. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the role of war-related sexual violence in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Specifically, it will examine the role of medical professionals in post-conflict societies, through documenting human rights abuses and providing clinical care for victims.
The Missouri and Kansas Zinc Miners' Association, 1899–1905

The origins of an American zinc-miners' trade association and its experiments with cooperative price controls illustrate several of the supply and demand problems of an industry characterized by many sellers and few buyers.
Normative Attitudes of Filipino Youth Compared with German and American Youth

for the Jewish-Italian differences in (5), which when corrected in (5a) and (5b) are no longer significant. Therefore, from the analysis of the relatively small number of cases at our disposal (corrected for differential distribution by socio-economic status), there is no basis for believing that Jewish socialization practices are any more effective than those of Italian families in causing sons to adopt occupational evaluations similar to those imputed by the son to his parents. If the socio-cultural aspect of this inquiry had been directed narrowly to a determination of whether there was a different emphasis on education among Jews in contrast with Italians, results that parallel the occupational evaluation material would have been obtained. It is commonplace to speak of emphasis on learning in Jewish culture. While in the larger study from which this paper is drawn attitude expressions toward education have been collected, the use of occupational preferences enabled us to explore perceived toleration by parents for low status positions of a character that could not have been inferred from responses about education. A clear instance of this difference was observed: The parents in an Italian family wanted their son to go to college and to be a doctor; however, at the same time they indicated that they would be satisfied if he became a white-collar worker in the post office. The matched Jewish family also wanted their boy to go to college and to be a doctor, but the occupation of "professor of languages in the university" was the only alternative they expressed themselves as being willing to accept. Our data indicate that Italian and Jewish boys generally guessed their parents would be satisfied if they achieved the highest positions; but it was predominantly Italian boys who also thought their parents would be pleased with less. It is a fair description of our data to say that the principal source of the difference demonstrated arises because the Italians were (or were perceived to be) more accepting of lower status occupations.
Polymorphisms of codon 72 of the TP53 gene in endometrial carcinoma of postmenopausal women.

INTRODUCTION The aim of this study was to detect TP53 Arg72Pro polymorphism in postmenopausal patients with endometrial cancer (EC), to evaluate the risk of EC connected with it, as well to check for possible relationships with staging, grading and some risk factors of this neoplasm. MATERIAL AND METHODS Endometrial samples from 152 women with EC and from 50 cancer-free ones were taken for genetic evaluation to detect TP53 codon 72 variability using PCR-RFLP technique. RESULTS The EC group was characterized by higher incidence of Arg/Arg genotype (OR=3.01) as well as lower incidence of Pro/Arg and the Pro allele (OR=0.33 and 0.48). There were no characteristic features linking EC grading and staging with the studied polymorphisms except for stage II with higher incidence of Arg/Arg (OR=4.25) and the Arg allele (OR=1.13), and grade 2 with higher incidence of Arg/Arg (OR=4.49) and lower incidence of the Pro allele (OR=0.22). Overweight and obese EC subgroups revealed higher incidence of Arg/Arg (OR=4.81 and 2.76) and lower incidence of the Pro allele (OR=0.21 and 0.36) compared to controls. The EC subgroup with arterial hypertension had higher incidence of Arg/Arg (OR=3.30) as well as lower incidence of Pro/Arg (OR=0.47) and the Pro allele (OR=0.37)--these differences were more pronounced than in the normotensive EC subgroup. CONCLUSION While Arg/Arg genotype is connected with increased and Pro/Arg and the Pro allele with decreased EC risk, we suppose that evaluation of TP53 codon 72 polymorphism may be of prognostic value, being useful for the prophylaxis of EC as well. Obesity and arterial hypertension seem to affect this polymorphism distribution.
Traumatized victims and mutilated bodies: Human rights and the ‘politics of immediation’ in the Rohingya crisis of Burma/Myanmar

In June of 2012, global media attention turned to the deadly violence erupting in Western Burma/Myanmar between the Rakhine Buddhists and the stateless Muslim Rohingya, widely identified as one of the world's most persecuted minorities. This study employs critical human rights theory and literature on the use of emotion in media to analyze the constructions of the Rohingya situation in The New York Times (NYT), Inter Press Service (IPS). and the largest and most active Rohingya Facebook site, the Rohingya Community page. The Facebook page engages in an obvious politics of immediation, in which social actors mobilize extreme, violent victim images to provoke global political activism. Surprisingly, the NYT employs a similarly straightforward delineation of the savage–victim–savior framework while the IPS coverage is far more complex. This suggests the utility of a concept we have called the corporate politics of immediation and raises important questions about mainstream conflict reporting.
Binaural Interference in Multiple Sclerosis: Case Study

A case report of a young, adult male with multiple sclerosis who demonstrates binaural interference is presented. Binaural interference was demonstrated on behavioral and physiologic measures during the active stage. Binaural interference was present, although reduced, during the stage of remission. During remission, binaural interference occurred despite the absence of interaural asymmetry in the audiometric configuration or suprathreshold speechrecognition score. A trial period of left ear amplification was introduced. A possible explanation for the improvement in soundfield suprathreshold speech-recognition score with amplification is the reduction of the binaural-interference effect with monaural amplification of the affected ear when there is bilateral normal-hearing sensitivity .
Using nightlight remote sensing imagery and Twitter data to study power outages

Hurricane Sandy made landfall in one of the most populated areas of the United States, and affected almost 8 million people. The event provides a unique opportunity to study power outages because of the data available and the large impact to a densely populated area. Satellite nightlight imagery of "before" and "after" the landfall of the hurricane is used to quantify the light dimming caused by power outages. Geolocated tweets filtered by keywords provide valuable information on human activity at a high temporal and spatial resolution during the event. Analysis of brightness change in the satellite data and the density of power related tweets points to a spatial relationship that identifies severely impacted areas with human presence. Classification of tweets through text analysis serves to further narrow the information search to find the most relevant and reliable content. Twitter data fused with satellite imagery identifies power outage information at a street-level resolution that is not achievable with satellite imagery alone.
The Quest for Rural Sustainability in Russia

Rural depopulation and the disappearance of villages in rural Russia occurred as part of the historical process of urbanization and industrialization. Rural depopulation also occurred for structural reasons having to do with village location, and for behavioral reasons whereby villagers react to primitive living conditions and poor economic prospects. Three possible strategies for addressing the problem of sustainable villages are considered. The government is attempting to improve rural living conditions, but rural depopulation is likely to continue. Characteristics of sustainable villages are outlined. Agro-tourism is analyzed for its potential to support sustainable villages.
Evaluation of Foliar Insecticides and the Addition of an Adjuvant for the Control of Cranberry Fruitworm and Sparganothis Fruitworm in Cranberry, 2015: Table 1

The objective of this experiment was to assess the efficacy of insecticides currently labeled for use on cranberry (Altacor, Delegate, Intrepid, Confirm), softer chemistry insecticides labeled on cranberry (Grandevo and Venerate), and insecticides not currently labeled on cranberry (cyclaniliprole, Fanfare, and Exirel). Selected insecticides were applied with and without the addition of the non-ionic adjuvant Apsa (spreader/activator) on first generation CFW and SFW eggs and early instar larvae. This experiment was conducted in a 4-yr-old cranberry planting on a commercial farm near Plainfield, WI. The trial consisted of 17 main effect treatments arranged in a complete randomized block design with 4 experimental replicates. Each …
The energy resolution of high-pressure xenon-filled proportional counters

The performance characteristics of xenon-filled proportional counters with different anode diameters have been measured for fill gas pressures from 1 to 10 atm. For 25 mu m anodes the resolution in pure xenon, for example, degrades from 7.5% at 1 atm to 9.4% at 10 atm, the corresponding figures for 12.5 mu m anodes being 7.1% and 9.1%, respectively. It is shown that these data are consistent with changes in the field in the avalanche region, which modify the energetics of the avalanche process, affect the partition of energy into ionization and excitation, and ultimately influence the statistics of the charge amplification process. >
Persistence of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus in Dried Casein1

Dried casein produced from pasteurized milk of dairy cows infected with foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) virus retained infectivity for cattle in one of seven tests for 42 days of storage at 25 C. Thus, infections FMD virus can persist after pasteurization of the milk at 72 C for 15 sec., acid precipitation and washing of casein, followed by drying of the casein in a hot air flow and conversion to sodium caseinate.
Root Cause Analysis: Parsing Complex Challenges in Academic Libraries

Abstract Root cause analysis (RCA) has been used in government, technology, health care, and other sectors for over 60 years. It assists organizations in identifying the original, most authentic cause or causes of an extremely complex problem. Depending on the nature of the problem, the organization can then make plans to mitigate the problem or avoid similar situations in the future. Scholarly library literature does not provide examples of any libraries using RCA. This article aims to present RCA as a strong and relevant addition to academic libraries' array of problem-solving tools. It outlines three models of RCA so that libraries may choose one that suits their needs. As academic libraries almost invariably exist in complex universes of stakeholders, funding, politics, and other factors, I believe that RCA is a natural fit for approaching their challenges efficiently.
Enzyme-targeted nanoparticles for delivery to ischemic skeletal muscle

The targeted delivery of enzyme-responsive nanoparticles to specific tissues can be a valuable, minimally invasive approach for imaging or drug delivery applications. In this study, we show for the first time enzyme-directed assembly of intravenously (IV) delivered nanoparticles in ischemic skeletal muscle, which has applications for drug delivery to damaged muscle of the type prevalent in peripheral artery disease (PAD). Specifically, micellar nanoparticles are cleavable by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), causing them to undergo a morphological switch and thus aggregate in tissues where these enzymes are upregulated, like ischemic muscle. Here, we demonstrated noninvasive in vivo imaging of these IV-injected nanoparticles through near-infrared dye labeling and in vivo imaging (IVIS) particle tracking in a rat hindlimb ischemia model. Polymer peptide amphiphilic nanoparticles were synthesized and optimized for both MMP cleavage efficiency and near-IR fluorescence. Nanoparticles were injected 4 days after unilateral hindlimb ischemia and were monitored over 28 days using IVIS imaging. Nanoparticles targeted to ischemic muscle over healthy muscle, and ex vivo biodistribution analysis at 7 and 28 days post-injection confirmed targeting to the ischemic muscle as well as off target accumulation in the liver and spleen. Ex vivo histology confirmed particle localization in ischemic but not healthy muscle. Altering the surface charge of the nanoparticles through addition of zwitterionic dye species resulted in improved targeting to the ischemic muscle. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate the targeted delivery and long term retention of nanoparticles using an enzyme-directed morphology switch. This has implications for noninvasive drug delivery vehicles for treating ischemic muscle, as no minimally invasive, non-surgical options currently exist.
Remote Sensing of the Ocean Waveheight Spectrum Using Synthetic-Aperture-Radar Images

Because synthetic aperture radars (SAR) can form images of large oceanic areas, they are well suited to studying wave generation, propagation and interaction with coasts and islands. Here we discuss problems in the detection and measurement of ocean waves from their SAR images, in particular the measurement of the wavenumber spectrum of ocean-wave-height fluctuations F(k,θ). Comparisons on a limited set of pitch-roll buoy and SEASAT SAR measurements during the 1978 JASIN experiment reveal that degradation of SAR resolution caused by wave orbital motion is a crucial factor in the detection of waves by SAR images. Thus waves with small slopes traveling perpendicular to the SAR flight path are more easily detected than waves with large slopes traveling along the flight path. Although the SAR estimates in this comparison were found to contain significant biases, they were in rough agreement with buoy measurements, provided the ocean wavelength was between about 120 and 400 m and the ocean wave direction was not approximately along the SAR flight path.
Design and Management of VFI Partitioned Networks-on-Chip

The design of many core systems-on-chip (SoCs) has become increasingly challenging due to high levels of integration, excessive energy consumption, and clock distribution problems. To deal with these issues, this chapter considers network-on-chip (NoC) architectures partitioned into several voltage-frequency islands (VFIs) and propose a design methodology for runtime energy management. The proposed approach minimizes the energy consumption subject to performance constraints. Then, we present efficient techniques for on-the-fly workload monitoring and management to ensure that the system can cope with variability in the workload and various technology-related parameters. Finally, the results and functional correctness are validated using an FPGA prototype for an NoC with multiple VFIs.
Psychomotor Epilepsy and Schizophrenia: A Common Anatomy?

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on psychomotor epilepsy and schizophrenia. The contrasting distribution of dopamine and norepinephrine terminals to striatum and cortex, and the relative influence of neuroleptic agents on these monoamines, on psychotic symptoms, and on convulsive threshold shows that the limbic striatum, which receives input from limbic cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus, serves a gating function for impulses arising in these structures similar to those that can obtain for caudate-putamen for pathways converging thereon from neocortex. Disturbance in this function, related to faulty production of, or inactivation of, local monamines in limbic striatum, can influence the threshold for transmission of peculiarly limbic affective, interpretative, and behavioral patterns transmitted by predominantly cholinergic pathways from cortical structures to final common paths in consciousness and behavior. The epileptogenic effect of neuroleptic agents is maximum in the weakest antipsychotic neuroleptics. Although both psychomotor seizures and schizophrenia share a similar clinical phenomenology of altered affect, distorted percepts, and stereotyped behaviors, which can originate in or be interpreted through limbic and temporal structures, the two disorders are derangements of separate anatomical and biochemical systems.
Is There a Concept of the Kingdom of God

The notion of a people of God, called to live under the rule of God, begins [with the Exodus], and with it the notion of the kingdom of God. —John Bright, The Kingdom of God
Sweat test for cystic fibrosis: Wearable sweat sensor vs. standard laboratory test.

Abstract Background Sweat chloride testing for diagnosis of cystic fibrosis (CF) involves sweat induction, collection and handling, and measurement in an analytical lab. We have developed a wearable sensor with an integrated salt bridge for real-time measurement of sweat chloride concentration. Here, in a proof-of-concept study, we compare the performance of the sensor to current clinical practice in CF patients and healthy subjects. Method Sweat was induced on both forearms of 10 individuals with CF and 10 healthy subjects using pilocarpine iontophoresis. A Macroduct sweat collection device was attached to one arm and sweat was collected for 30 min and then sent for laboratory analysis. A sensor was attached to the other arm and the chloride ion concentration monitored in real time for 30 min using a Bluetooth transceiver and smart phone app. Results Stable sweat chloride measurements were obtained within 15 min following sweat induction using the wearable sensor. We define the detection time as the time at which the standard deviation of the real-time chloride ion concentration remained below 2 mEq/L for 5 min. The sweat volume for sensor measurements at the detection time was 13.1 ± 11.4 μL (SD), in many cases lower than the minimum sweat volume of 15 μL for conventional testing. The mean difference between sweat chloride concentrations measured by the sensor and the conventional laboratory practice was 6.2 ± 9.5 mEq/L (SD), close to the arm-to-arm variation of about 3 mEq/L. The Pearson correlation coefficient between the two measurements was 0.97 highlighting the excellent agreement between the two methods. Conclusion A wearable sensor can be used to make real-time measurements of sweat chloride within 15 min following sweat induction, requiring a small sweat volume, and with excellent agreement to standard methods.
Constitutive response of precipitation hardened Ni-Ti-Hf shape memory alloys through micromechanical modeling

Shape memory alloys (SMAs) are unique materials with the ability to generate and recover moderate to large inelastic deformations. Due to their aforementioned ability, SMAs are suitable for applications in aerospace, oil and gas and automotive industries, where compact actuators with high actuation energy density are required. The current work presents a modeling framework that links the heat treatment of SMAs with their effective response and aims to accelerate the discovery of new high temperature SMAs with optimal performance. Thus a finite element based, multi-field micromechanical framework is developed to capture the constitutive response of precipitation hardened Ni-Ti-Hf SMAs. A representative volume element of precipitated polycrystalline SMAs is considered which contains randomly distributed non-overlapping precipitates, while periodic boundary and geometric conditions are maintained. The SMA matrix is assumed to behave isotropic as a result of random texture while the precipitates are considered as linear elastic solids. The effect of the lattice mismatch between the precipitates and the matrix, and the effect of the Ni and Hf depletion during precipitation on the thermo-mechanical response of the material are taken into consideration. The Fickian diffusion law is used to predict the Ni and Hf concentration field in the vicinity of the precipitates, which results in substantial SMA transformation temperature shifts. Finally, the predictive capability of the developed framework is assessed through correlations with experimental results.
Hemimegalencephaly with Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndrome

Hemimegalencephaly is known to occur in Proteus syndrome, but has not been reported, to our knowledge, in the other PTEN mutation-related syndrome of Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba. Here, we report a patient with Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndrome who also had hemimegalencephaly and in whom the hemimegalencephaly was evident well before presentation of the characteristic manifestations of Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndrome. An 11-year-old boy developed drug-resistant focal seizures on the fifth day of life. MRI revealed left hemimegalencephaly. He later showed macrocephaly, developmental delay, athetotic quadriplegic cerebral palsy, and neuromuscular scoliosis. Freckling of the penis, which is characteristic of Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndrome, was not present at birth but was observed at 9 years of age. Gene analysis revealed a c.510 T>G PTEN mutation. This patient and his other affected family members, his father and two siblings, were started on the tumour screening procedures recommended for patients with PTEN mutations. This case highlights the importance of early screening for PTEN mutations in cases of hemimegalencephaly not otherwise explained by another disorder, even in the absence of signs of Proteus syndrome or the full manifestations of Bannayan-Riley Ruvalcaba syndrome.
The Collaborative Improvement and Innovation Network (CoIIN) to Reduce Infant Mortality: An Outcome Evaluation From the US South, 2011 to 2014

Objectives. To evaluate the impact of the Southern Public Health Regions’ (Regions IV and IV) Collaborative Improvement and Innovation Network (CoIIN) to Reduce Infant Mortality, supported by the US Health Resources and Services Administration.Methods. We examined pre–post change (2011–2014) for CoIIN strategies with available outcome data from vital records (early elective delivery, smoking) and the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (safe sleep) as well as preterm birth and infant mortality for Regions IV and VI relative to all other regions.Results. For most outcomes, CoIIN improvements were greater in Regions IV and VI than in other regions. For example, early elective delivery decreased by 22% versus 14% in other regions, smoking cessation during pregnancy increased by 7% versus 2%, and back sleep position increased by 5% versus 2%. Preterm birth decreased by 4%, twice that observed in other regions, but infant mortality reductions did not differ significantly.Conclusions. The CoIIN approach...
Introduction to Environmental Modeling

This textbook presents an understanding of how basic physical descriptions can be translated into mathematical analogues that provide an opportunity to investigate environmental processes. Examples come from a range of hydrologic, atmospheric, and geophysical problems. The emphasis is on simple examples and calculations that add to understanding. The book provides a sense for the meaning of mathematical expressions, a physical feel for their relations to processes, and confidence in working with mathematical solutions. The goal of this book, in essence, is to present the timeless basic physical and mathematical principles and philosophy of environmental modeling, often to students who need to be taught how to think in a different way than they would for more narrowly-defined engineering or physics problems. Minimum prerequisites for the student reader include a knowledge of calculus through differential equations, but the book provides the mathematical and physical tools needed as the occasion arises.