cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Left ventricular mass increases during cardiac allograft vascular rejection

Objectives. This study evaluated whether left ventricular mass increases during cellular or vascular (humoral) cardiac allograft rejection. Background. An increase in left ventricular mass during cellular cardiac allograft rejection has been described by other investigators, although controversy has existed over the validity of these findings. Left ventricular mass changes have not been evaluated in the setting of vascular (humoral) cardiac allograft rejection. Methods. To determine the effect of allograft rejection on left ventricular mass, we retrospectively reviewed endomyocardial biopsy results and corresponding echocardiograms in 41 cardiac transplant recipients undergoing treatment for allograft rejection. Left ventricular mass was assessed by two-dimensional echocardiography using the method of Schiller. Maintenance immunosuppression included cyclosporine in all patients. Results. Although significant changes in left ventricular wall thickness, mass and dimensions were not observed in patients experiencing moderate or severe cellular allograft rejection (International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation grades III and IV, n = 27), marked changes were noted in patients with vascular (humoral) rejection (n = 14). Patients with vascular rejection demonstrated an echocardiographic mean (±SEM) increase in left ventricular wall mass (from 109 ± 17 to 151 ± 17g), and left ventricular wall thickness (from 1.3 ± 0.1 to 1.6 ± 0.1cm) during the rejection episode. Additionally, vascular rejection was associated with a trend toward an increase in left ventricular systolic dimension (from 2.6 ± 0.1 to 3.0 ± 0.2 cm) and a decrease in left ventricular fractional shortening and increased incidence of hemodynamic compromise with rejection (50% for vascular vs. 11% for cellular rejection). Conclusions. Left ventricular mass increases during episodes of vascular (humoral) rejection, but there is no significant change in left ventricular mass during cellular cardiac allograft rejection.
Parameter identification for spatial xenon transient analysis and control

Abstract The real-time, on-line control of xenon-induced spatial flux oscillations in a large PWR requires the use of fairly simple models of the process for minicomputer implementation. Model simplification requires that the analyst reduce the physical phenomena to mathematical terms with coarser approximations and greater inaccuracies. In order to make a model's behavior fit that of a reactor as closely as possible, the estimation of parameters in the model requires special care. Three parameters were chosen for identification: the diffusion coefficient, D; the power reactivity coefficient, αF; and the microscopic 135Xe cross section, σx. The method of maximum likelihood was used to obtain estimates of these parameters by comparing calculated results with actual plant data. Numerical values of these parameters are presented.
Does relationship quality matter? Perceived mutual reciprocity as a moderator between perceived parental approval of drinking and college alcohol use

AbstractAlcohol misuse among young adult college students remains a major public health problem in USA. Although much effort has been made to identify factors associated with problem drinking among college students, there is a lack of research investigating the role parents may have on college student drinking. Recent evidence indicates that parents matter when it comes to adolescent drinking, both before and after their children go to college. In this study, the authors examined mutual reciprocity as a moderator variable between perceived parental approval of drinking and negative consequences of alcohol use. Contrary to the hypothesized results, our findings indicate that mutual reciprocity does not moderate the relationship between perceived parental approval and negative alcohol-related consequences.
A general discrete-time dynamic programming model for the opportunistic replacement policy and its application to ball-bearing systems

Abstract A general discrete-time, stochastic, dynamic-programming model of opportunistic corrective and preventive replacement policy is presented for multi-component systems with a different life distribution for each component. An approach to optimize the corrective and preventive maintenance policy is proposed, which is based on the introduction of the ‘oldest age’ concept and an ‘array dimensionality reduction technique’. The application of this policy to ball-bearing systems has resulted in considerable savings, as this paper demonstrates.
Three simple ways to detect antibody—Antigen complex on flat surfaces

Abstract Three simple ways of demonstrating the presence of antibody that has been adsorbed upon flat antigen covered surfaces are described. They are: (1) exposure to condensing water vapor to show increased wettability, (2) staining with Coomassie Brilliant Blue R and (3) observation of changing interference color on anodized tantalum. By premixing known and unknown amounts of antigen with antiserum and then observing interactions with antigen that has been preadsorbed on flat surfaces, crude but rapid immunoassays can be carried out.
Secretagogues govern GH secretory-burst waveform and mass in healthy eugonadal and short-term hypogonadal men.

Background: GH pulses are putatively initiated by hypothalamic GH-releasing hormone (GHRH), amplified by GH-releasing peptide (GHRP), and inhibited by somatostatin (SS). Objective: To ascertain how secretagogues control the waveform (time evolution of release rates) as well as the mass of secretory bursts. Design: We quantified the shape of GH secretory bursts evoked by continuous combined i.v. infusion of maximally effective doses of GHRH and GHRP-2, and by bolus injection of each peptide after delivering L-arginine to restrain hypothalamic SS release in 12 healthy young men. Methods: A mathematically verified and experimentally validated variable-waveform deconvolution model was applied to intensively sampled GH time series. Results: The secretory-burst mode (time from burst onset to maximal secretion) was 19G0.69 min during saline infusion, and fell to a) 10.4G3.0 min during constant dual stimulation with GHRH/GHRP-2 (P!0.01), b) 14.6G1.8 min after L-arginine/GHRH (P!0.025), and c) 15.0G 1.0 min after L-arginine/GHRH (P!0.01). Secretagogues augmented the mass of GH secreted in pulses by 44-, 42-, and 16-fold respectively, over saline (2.2G0.81 mg/l per h; P!0.001 for each). Pulse number and variability were unaffected. Applying the same methodology to ten other young men with acute leuprolide-induced hypogonadism yielded comparable waveform and mass estimates. Conclusion: The present analyses in men demonstrate that peptidyl secretagogues modulate not only the magnitude but also the time course of the GH-release process in vivo independently of the shortterm sex-steroid milieu.
The Spectral Resolution for Linear Hamiltonian Systems with Two Singular Points

We have reached an interesting point. The next goal is to find out exactly what the abstract spectral resolution, derived for arbitrary self-adjoint operators in a Hilbert space, looks like when applied to the self-adjoint linear Hamiltonian systems of Hinton and Shaw. Remarkably we can find detailed formulas for the spectral measure and the Hilbert space it generates, far more than is possible for the setting employed by Niessen.
High gain quasi-Yagi planar antenna evaluation in platform material environment for 60 GHz wireless applications

This paper presents the effect of platform materials on antennas designed for mobile platform integration at 60GHz. A four-element quasi-Yagi antenna array with small size is developed on liquid crystal polymer (LCP) material demonstrating 11.5 dBi peak gain in free space. An experimental study on the placement of the fabricated quasi-Yagi planar antenna array on laptop chassis material environments is performed in this work. The radiation characteristics of the antenna under test (AUT) are measured for different AUT positions in the laptop chassis material environment. Depending on the proximity of the platform material and AUT location, nulls may appear in the radiation patterns, the peak gain direction of the AUT shifts from the free space case by +30°, and the peak gain level decreases by about 2.5 dB in the worst case.
Double-helix 3D photo-activation localization microscopy with a phase mask for efficient photon collection

We demonstrate 3D photo-activation localization microscopy of 4μm thick samples with efficient photon collection using a phase mask fabricated by gray-level lithography. The performance limits of the system in the presence of noise are analyzed.
Recent Advances in Titration Calorimetry

Calorimeters applicable for the measurement of thermodynamic parameters by the continuous titration technique have existed for about fifteen years. During this time, problems associated with the components of the calorimeter (i.e. constant temperature bath, constant rate buret, reaction vessel, temperature sensing circuit, and data analysis procedure) have gradually been solved so that the continuous titration method now gives results comparable in accuracy to those obtained in conventional solution calorimeters. Inexpensive research quality titration calorimeters have become available commercially in the last few years.
Mammalian Cell Interactions with Nanophase Materials

Adhesion of differentiated mammalian cells from various hard and soft tissues, including adult mesenchymal stem cells is different on nanophase than on microphase/conventional ceramics (such as alumina, titania and hydroxylapatite) as well as on composites of these ceramics with either poly(L-lactic) acid or poly(methyl) methacrylate. Most importantly, nanophase materials promote selective interactions, for example, of osteoblasts but not of fibroblasts. The type, amount and conformation of adsorbed proteins (such as fibronectin, collagen and vitronectin) are key aspects of the underlying mechanism(s) of subsequent cell interactions with nanophase materials. These cellular/molecular results provide evidence that nanophase biomaterials have the potential for improving the efficacy of implants and for promoting neotissue formation pertinent to tissue engineering, regenerative medicine and other clinical applications.
The pathogenesis of low pathogenicity H7 avian influenza viruses in chickens, ducks and turkeys

Background Avian influenza (AI) viruses infect numerous avian species, and low pathogenicity (LP) AI viruses of the H7 subtype are typically reported to produce mild or subclinical infections in both wild aquatic birds and domestic poultry. However relatively little work has been done to compare LPAI viruses from different avian species for their ability to cause disease in domestic poultry under the same conditions. In this study twelve H7 LPAI virus isolates from North America were each evaluated for their comparative pathogenesis in chickens, ducks, and turkeys.
Antenatal identification of major depressive disorder: a cohort study

Objective The purpose of this study was to estimate the frequency of identification of major depressive disorder by providers during prenatal care. Study Design A cohort of pregnant women who were participating in a randomized controlled trial and who had received a diagnosis of major depressive disorder was examined. Women were included in the current study if prenatal clinic records were available and legible. Results Clinical depression was noted in 56% of prenatal charts and on 24% of problem lists. Physicians and certified nurse midwives noted depression equally ( P = .935); physicians more frequently noted mental health referral (23% vs 0%; P = .01), and midwives more frequently included depression on the problem list ( P = .01). Recent medication use, which was stopped before conception or study participation, predicted notation of depression in the chart ( P = .001). Conclusion Depression frequently is missed during pregnancy and, when identified, is underacknowledged as a problem. Women who have not recently used antidepressant medication are more likely to be missed. Better screening and acknowledgment are needed.
Associations of adult physical activity with perceived safety and police-recorded crime: the Multi-ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

Background Due to the inconsistent findings of prior studies, we explored the association of perceived safety and police-recorded crime measures with physical activity.
Late complications following treatment for severe aplastic anemia (SAA) with high-dose cyclophosphamide (Cy): follow-up of a randomized trial

High-dose cyclophosphamide (Cy) has been promoted as curative therapy for severe aplastic anemia (SAA). However, our randomized trial comparing antithymocyte globulin (ATG) and Cy was terminated early because of excess morbidity/early mortality in the Cy arm. We now report analysis of secondary endpoints at a median of 38 months. Relapse occurred in 6 (46%) of 13 responders in the ATG arm versus 2 (25%) of 8 in the Cy arm (P =.38). Five (31%) of 16 patients in the ATG arm and 4 (27%) of 15 patients in the Cy arm had evidence of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) at diagnosis, with no substantial change in the overall percentage of glycophosphatidyl inositol (GPI)-anchored protein-deficient neutrophils over extended follow-up in individual patients in either arm. Bone marrow cytogenetic abnormalities have been observed among surviving patients in both arms (2 of 14 ATG versus 1 of 12 Cy, P =.70). High-dose Cy does not prevent relapse or clonal evolution in SAA.
A Pure Nash Equilibrium-Based Game Theoretical Method for Data Replication across Multiple Servers

This paper proposes a non-cooperative game based technique to replicate data objects across a distributed system of multiple servers in order to reduce user perceived Web access delays. In the proposed technique computational agents represent servers and compete with each other to optimize the performance of their servers. The optimality of a non-cooperative game is typically described by Nash equilibrium, which is based on spontaneous and non-deterministic strategies. However, Nash equilibrium may or may not guarantee system-wide performance. Furthermore, there can be multiple Nash equilibria, making it difficult to decide which one is the best. In contrast, the proposed technique uses the notion of pure Nash equilibrium, which if achieved, guarantees stable optimal performance. In the proposed technique, agents use deterministic strategies that work in conjunction with their self-interested nature but ensure system-wide performance enhancement. In general, the existence of a pure Nash equilibrium is hard to achieve, but we prove the existence of such equilibrium in the proposed technique. The proposed technique is also experimentally compared against some well-known conventional replica allocation methods, such as branch and bound, greedy, and genetic algorithms.
Atrial natriuretic peptide levels and plasma volume contraction in acute alveolar hypoxia

Albert, T. S. E., V. L. Tucker, and E. M. Renkin.Atrial natriuretic peptide levels and plasma volume contraction in acute alveolar hypoxia. J. Appl. Physiol. 82(1): 102–110, 1997.—Arterial oxygen t...
The Movement of Services Out of the Hospital

Certificate of Need (CON) laws have been used in the United States since the 1960s to restrict the availability of new and expensive technology in the health system. However, as medical technology is used in non-institutional settings, the value of such a regulatory system is called into question. This article examines changes occurring in the health system in the United States and OECD countries such as the movement of technology out of the hospital, the push by manufacturers of medical equipment to have greater sales and expand their markets, the internecine fights between different specialties, and other issues that have served to lead to an out-migration of services from hospitals to physician's offices, clinics and group practices, and specialty hospitals. The future of CON as a form of regulation is discussed.
Optimal integration of visual speed across different spatiotemporal frequency channels

How do humans perceive the speed of a coherent motion stimulus that contains motion energy in multiple spatiotemporal frequency bands? Here we tested the idea that perceived speed is the result of an integration process that optimally combines speed information across independent spatiotemporal frequency channels. We formalized this hypothesis with a Bayesian observer model that combines the likelihood functions provided by the individual channel responses (cues). We experimentally validated the model with a 2AFC speed discrimination experiment that measured subjects' perceived speed of drifting sinusoidal gratings with different contrasts and spatial frequencies, and of various combinations of these single gratings. We found that the perceived speeds of the combined stimuli are independent of the relative phase of the underlying grating components. The results also show that the discrimination thresholds are smaller for the combined stimuli than for the individual grating components, supporting the cue combination hypothesis. The proposed Bayesian model fits the data well, accounting for the full psychometric functions of both simple and combined stimuli. Fits are improved if we assume that the channel responses are subject to divisive normalization. Our results provide an important step toward a more complete model of visual motion perception that can predict perceived speeds for coherent motion stimuli of arbitrary spatial structure.
Drug Court: An Effective Alternative to Incarceration

The findings suggest that exposure to drug court components is clearly linked to lower rates of recidivism. This has important implications for social policies aimed at reducing recidivism. Additionally, the methodology employed here illuminates the importance of identifying and utilizing proper group comparisons in studies of recidivism. The results further identify a hard-core group of drug offenders as the next frontier in evaluation research.
Dual band cavity-backed quarter-wave patch antenna

A light-weight, low cost, dual band patch antenna for use in a vehicle satellite communication system has been designed in accordance with a set of mechanical and electrical specifications. The initial design was based on a transmission line model of a quarter-wavelength flat element, which is connected to the ground plane by a perfectly conducting wall on one of its sides. The design was further refined by employing antenna modeling software based on the finite difference time domain (FDTD) method. To cover both the receive and transmit frequency bands, the matching network was designed by using a gradient optimization method, which used random initial guesses to minimize the VSWR of the antenna-matching network system.
Water-soluble organic components in aerosols associated with savanna fires in southern Africa: Identification, evolution, and distribution

[1] During the SAFARI 2000 field campaign, both smoke aerosols from savanna fires and haze aerosols in the boundary layer and in the free troposphere were collected from an aircraft in southern Africa. These aerosol samples were analyzed for their water-soluble chemical components, particularly the organic species. A novel technique, electrospray ionization-ion trap mass spectrometry, was used concurrently with an ion chromatography system to analyze for carbohydrate species. Seven carbohydrates, seven organic acids, five metallic elements, and three inorganic anions were identified and quantified. On the average, these 22 species comprised 36% and 27% of the total aerosol mass in haze and smoke aerosols, respectively. For the smoke aerosols, levoglucosan was the most abundant carbohydrate species, while gluconic acid was tentatively identified as the most abundant organic acid. The mass abundance and possible source of each class of identified species are discussed, along with their possible formation pathways. The combustion phase of a fire had an impact on the chemical composition of the emitted aerosols. Secondary formation of sulfate, nitrate, levoglucosan, and several organic acids occurred during the initial aging of smoke aerosols. It is likely that under certain conditions, some carbohydrate species in smoke aerosols, such as levoglucosan, were converted to organic acids during upward transport.
Observations of the Internal Tide in Monterey Canyon

Data from two shipboard experiments in 1994, designed to observe the semidiurnal internal tide in Monterey Canyon, reveal semidiurnal currents of about 20 cm s21, which is an order of magnitude larger than the estimated barotropic tidal currents. The kinetic and potential energy (evidenced by isopycnal displacements of about 50 m) was greatest along paths following the characteristics calculated from linear theory. These energy ray paths are oriented nearly parallel to the canyon floor and may originate from large bathymetric features beyond the mouth of Monterey Bay. Energy propagated shoreward during the April experiment (ITEX1), whereas a standing wave, that is, an internal seiche, was observed in October (ITEX2). The difference is attributed to changes in stratification between the two experiments. Higher energy levels were present during ITEX1, which took place near the spring phase of the fortnightly (14.8 days) cycle in sea level, while ITEX2 occurred close to the neap phase. Further evidence of phase-locking between the surface and internal tides comes from monthlong current and temperature records obtained near the canyon head in 1991. The measured ratio of kinetic to potential energy during both ITEX1 and ITEX2 was only half that predicted by linear theory for freely propagating internal waves, probably a result of the constraining effects of topography. Internal tidal energy dissipation rate estimates for ITEX1 range from 1.3 3 1024 to 2.3 3 1023 Wm 23, depending on assumptions made about the effect of canyon shape on dissipation. Cross-canyon measurements made during ITEX2 reveal vertical transport of denser water from within the canyon up onto the adjacent continental shelf.
Expression and function of galectin-3, a β-galactoside-binding protein in activated T lymphocytes

A soluble beta-galactoside-binding lectin, galectin-3 has been shown to be involved in cell adhesion and activation of immune cells. Although galectin-3 is known to be expressed in various types of cells, it has not been shown whether galectin-3 is expressed in T lymphocytes. We present evidence here that galectin-3 is expressed in activated murine T lymphocytes including CD4+ and CD8+ T cells but not in resting T cells. Galectin-3 expression was induced by anti-CD3 mAb or mitogen and enhanced by common gamma-chain signaling cytokines, IL-2, IL-4, and IL-7, in activated T lymphocytes, whereas the inflammatory cytokines including TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma did not. Galectin-3 expression and proliferation were down-regulated by withdrawal of IL-2 and gamma irradiation. Antisense but not sense phosphorothioated oligonucleotides for galectin-3 inhibited galectin-3 expression and blocked proliferation of T cells significantly. This study suggests that up-regulation of galectin-3 plays an important role in proliferation of activated T lymphocytes.
Infrared photodissociation spectroscopy of copper carbonyl cations.

Copper carbonyl cations of the form Cu(CO)n+ (n = 1–8) are produced in a molecular beam via laser vaporization in a pulsed nozzle source. Mass-selected infrared photodissociation spectroscopy in the carbonyl stretching region is used to study these ions and their argon “tagged” analogues. The geometries and electronic states of these complexes are determined by the number of infrared-active bands, their frequency positions, and their relative intensities compared to the predictions of theory. Cu(CO)4+ has a completed coordination sphere, consistent with its expected 18-electron stability. It also has a tetrahedral structure similar to that of its neutral isoelectronic analog Ni(CO)4. The carbonyl stretch in Cu(CO)4+ (2198 cm–1) is blue-shifted with respect to the free CO vibration (2143 cm–1), providing evidence that this is a “non-classical” metal carbonyl.
PL05.1 PrEP & Treatment as Prevention For HIV: Finding the Balance

Antiretroviral-based HIV-1 prevention strategies - including antiretroviral treatment (ART) to reduce the infectiousness of HIV-1 infected persons and antiretroviral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for uninfected persons to prevent HIV-1 acquisition - are promising new approaches for decreasing HIV-1 spread. The past two years have seen significant new advances in knowledge regarding ART and PrEP for HIV-1 prevention, including definitive demonstration in randomised trials that both ART and PrEP reduce HIV-1 risk and the development of normative guidance for prescribing these HIV-1 prevention strategies. Adherence is key to efficacy of antiretrovirals for HIV-1 prevention, both as ART and PrEP. There are numerous parallels in the challenges and opportunities ahead for ART and PrEP, including how to target to realise maximum population benefits, whether HIV-1 infected persons at earlier stages of infection would accept ART to reduce their risk for transmitting HIV-1 and highest-risk HIV-1 negative persons would use PrEP, whether high adherence could be sustained to achieve high effectiveness, and how to integrate these strategies into HIV-1 prevention programmes. Delivering these strategies in order to achieve population-level benefits is the next step, balancing costs, optimism, and realistic appreciation of the challenges ahead.
Back Channel Diplomacy: Implications for Practice and Theory

Leaders recognize the vast power of a mobilized constituency, and themselves try to shape it, manipulate it to reduce their own scope for concessions, empower themselves to be 'powerless' in the face of cries for flexibility from their international adversaries and internal political opposition. The mutual dependence between leader/negotiator and public/constituency is well known. And yet it can work against the interests of the negotiator. Rubin & Brown noted a marked tendency for negotiators to make moves damaging to the negotiator's and constituents' interests, ironically, because of the audience effect. Walton & McKersie observed that in labor management negotiations, principal negotiators would sometimes deliberately resort to secrecy to keep their own side in the dark about concessions. Between the negative effects of publicity and the positive advantages of bargaining in the shadows, it is a wonder that more negotiations are not conducted in this manner. This paper discusses a negotiation strategy that arises from the audience effect: Back Channel Diplomacy (BCD), using the Palestinian-Israeli negotiation cases as data. BCD has been largely ignored in the negotiation literature. Analysts look - legitimately - to factors such as political will of leadership, internal opposition, international obstruction and the structural injustices of the Israeli occupation to explain the lack of progress toward a just settlement of the Palestine-Israel conflict. This study, in contrast, looks to the diplomatic methods themselves that the parties employ, as a supplementary variable that mitigates or exacerbates the effects of the other factors.
Discussion About Observed Strain and Stress State of Concrete

The relationship between the total strain and the temperature of concrete and that between the stress-strain and the stress of concrete are discussed.It is stressed that the variation of the total strain with the temperature depends on the structural types and the constraint conditions.It is clarified that the relationship between the strain and the stress of concrete is different from that of linear elastic materials.They cannot be simply compared with each other.
Impact of Friction Stir Welding (FSW) Process Parameters on Thermal Modeling and Heat Generation of Aluminum Alloy Joints

Friction stir welding (FSW) is a solid-state joining process, where joint properties largely depend on the amount of heat generation during the welding process. The objective of this paper was to develop a numerical thermomechanical model for FSW of aluminum–copper alloy AA2219 and analyze heat generation during the welding process. The thermomechanical model has been developed utilizing ANSYS® APDL. The model was verified by comparing simulated temperature profile of three different weld schedules (i.e., different combinations of weld parameters in real weld situations) from simulation with experimental results. Furthermore, the verified model was used to analyze the effect of different weld parameters on heat generation. Among all the weld parameters, the effect of rotational speed on heat generation is the highest.
Optical resonances in rotating dielectric microcavities of deformed shape

We investigate numerically rotation-induced changes of optical resonances in wavelength-scale dielectric cavities that are deformed from a circle. The relative change in the quality factor due to rotation is usually larger than that of the resonant frequency, even though both exhibit a threshold behavior, i.e., they barely change at low rotation speed. This threshold is increased at large deformation, which lowers the sensitivity to rotation. Presence of wave chaos can further increase the threshold for rotation-induced changes in resonant frequencies. Unlike the resonant frequency and quality factor, the change in far-field emission pattern by rotation does not display a threshold behavior, thus having a higher sensitivity at low rotation speed. The threshold behavior can be eliminated by designing the cavity shape with special symmetry, and the response of the far-field emission to rotation is also enhanced.
The Multiple Mini-Interview as an Admission Tool for a PharmD Program Satellite Campus

Objective. To assess the multiple mini-interview (MMI) as an admission tool for a satellite campus. Methods. In 2013, the MMI was implemented as part of a new admissions model at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy. From fall 2013 to spring 2015, 73 candidates were interviewed by 15 raters on the satellite campus in Asheville, North Carolina. A many-facet Rasch measurement (MFRM) with three facets was used to determine the variance in candidate ratings attributable to rater severity, candidate ability, and station difficulty. Candidates were surveyed to explore their perceptions of the MMI. Results. Rasch measures accounted for 48.3% of total variance in candidate scores. Rater severity accounted for 9.1% of the variance, and candidate ability accounted for 36.2% of the variance. Eighty percent of survey respondents (strongly) agreed that interviewers got to know them based on questions they answered.Conclusion. This study suggests that the MMI is a useful and valid tool for candidate selection at a satellite campus.
Management of Process Solids, Sludges, and Residuals

Solids, sludges, and residuals are generated during decentralized wastewater system operations. These materials need to be properly handled, appropriately treated and safely disposed of or beneficially used. This chapter describes the different types of solids, sludges, and residuals that are often generated in decentralized systems and highlights options for treatment and disposal or use.
Reply to: 'Comment on Visual acuity and its predictors after surgery for bilateral cataracts in children'.

Reply to: ‘Comment on Visual acuity and its predictors after surgery for bilateral cataracts in children’
Electric field distribution and current emission in a miniaturized geometrical diode

We study the electric field distribution and current emission in a miniaturized geometrical diode. Using Schwarz-Christoffel transformation, we calculate exactly the electric field inside a finite vacuum cathode-anode (A-K) gap with a single trapezoid protrusion on one of the electrode surfaces. It is found that there is a strong field enhancement on both electrodes near the protrusion, when the ratio of the A-K gap distance to the protrusion height d/h<2. The calculations are spot checked against COMSOL simulations. We calculate the effective field enhancement factor for the field emission current, by integrating the local Fowler-Nordheim current density along the electrode surfaces. We systematically examine the electric field enhancement and the current rectification of the miniaturized geometrical diode for various geometric dimensions and applied electric fields.
Matters of care: speculative ethics in more than human worlds

“Nothing holds together without relations of care” (67). This is just one of the timely claims forwarded by Maria Puig de la Bellacasa's path-clearing, speculative study of care in more than human ...
Ionic activities in identifiable Aplysia neurons.

This paper reports the values of K+, Na+ and Cl- activities measured with ion-selective microelectrodes in certain identifiable neurons in the abdominal ganglion of Aplysia californica (nomenclature according to Frazier, et al., 1967). These measurements allow calculation of the equilibria potentials of the three ions thought to be most important in regulating intracellular voltage. The ion-selective microelectrode technique makes such measurements possible in small cells; moreover these values can be compared amongst neurons which are anatomically and functionally distinct.
“Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice”: religion and life satisfaction among emerging adults in the United States

Although previous research suggests that religion contributes to greater life satisfaction, there is still disagreement about what aspects of religion predict greater life satisfaction. Despite a g...
Hemolytic capacity, properties, and activation requirements of cobra venom factor-treated chicken serum.

In contrast to the depletion of complement (C’) activity which occurs following the addition of cobra venom factor (CoVF) to mammalian serum, we have found that CoVF-treated chicken serum retains its lytic potential. We report herein some of the lytic and physiochemical properties of CoVF-treated chicken serum, and compare its activity to that of similarly treated turtle and bullfrog sera.
Cultural Theory and National Security: The Role of Cultural Orientations in Americans' Preferences for Security and Nuclear Deterrence

Taking positions on national security issues, ranging from nuclear war to terrorism, necessarily engages values. Perceived security threats and the preferred means for dealing with them are in part derived from people’s preferences for how basic social relationships should be structured and maintained. This paper focuses on the ways in which fundamental world-views, following Mary Douglas’ and Aaron Wildavsky’s conception of cultural theory (CT), shape perceived risks in the international arena, including preferred responses to terrorist threats and preferences for US nuclear deterrence capabilities. Of particular interest is how CT measures perform when compared to more traditional political variables, such as political ideology or partisanship. The data for this analysis are taken from a set of nationwide US public surveys (telephone and Internet based) with common sets of questions taken in 1995, 2008, and 2009. Overall the dataset includes over 6,167 individual interviews. The data permit analysis of the ways in which measures of CT orientations (hierarchy, egalitarianism, and individualism), political ideology and partisanship shape perceptions of perceived risks (and benefits) and an array of policy preferences in the international arena. We find that the CT measures perform quite well in comparison to more traditional partisan and ideological measures. Of particular interest is our finding that, depending on the nature of the issue, individualists align sometimes with hierarchs and at other time with egalitarians. CT thus provides a substantially more nuanced depiction of the coalitions that can be expected to support and oppose important security policy initiatives.
Facility-level analysis of robot utilization across disciplines in the National Cancer Database

To evaluate trends in contemporary robotic surgery across multiple organ sites as they relate to robotic prostatectomy volume. We queried the National Cancer Database for patients who underwent surgery from 2010 to 2013 for prostate, kidney, bladder, corpus uteri, uterus, cervix, colon, sigmoid, rectum, lung and bronchus. The trend between volumes of robotic surgery for each organ site was analyzed using the Cochran–Armitage test. Multivariable models were then created to determine independent predictors of robotic surgery within each organ site by calculating the odds ratio with 95% CI. Among the 566,399 surgical cases analyzed, 35.1% were performed using robot assistance. Institutions whose robotic prostatectomy volume was in the top 75 percentile compared to the bottom 25 percentile performed a larger percentage of robotic surgery on the following sites: kidney 32.6 vs. 28.8%, bladder 23.6 vs. 18.6%, uterus 52.5 vs. 47.7%, cervix 43.5 vs. 39.2%, colon 3.2 vs. 2.9%, rectum 10.7 vs. 8.9%, and lung 7.3 vs. 6.8% (all p < 0.0001). It appears that increased trends toward robotic surgery in urology have lead to increased robotic utilization within other surgical fields. Future analysis in benign utilizations of robotic surgery as well as outcome data comparing robotic to open approaches are needed to better understand the ever-evolving nature of minimally invasive surgery within the United States.
Pathology and Pathogenesis of Chagas Heart Disease

Chagas heart disease is an inflammatory cardiomyopathy that develops in approximately one-third of people infected with the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. One way T. cruzi is transmitted to people is through contact with infected kissing bugs, which are found in much of the Western Hemisphere, including in vast areas of the United States. The epidemiology of T. cruzi and Chagas heart disease and the varied mechanisms leading to myocyte destruction, mononuclear cell infiltration, fibrosis, and edema in the heart have been extensively studied by hundreds of scientists for more than 100 years. Despite this wealth of knowledge, it is still impossible to predict what will happen in an individual infected with T. cruzi because of the tremendous variability in clonal parasite virulence and human susceptibility to infection and the lack of definitive molecular predictors of outcome from either side of the host-parasite equation. Further, while several distinct mechanisms of pathogenesis have been studied in isolation, it is certain that multiple coincident mechanisms combine to determine the ultimate outcome. For these reasons, Chagas disease is best considered a collection of related but distinct illnesses. This review highlights the pathology and pathogenesis of the most common adverse sequela of T. cruzi infection-Chagas heart disease-and concludes with a discussion of key unanswered questions and a view to the future.
The effect of hypophysectomy on the gastrointestinal tract. A review of the literature.

After hypophysectomy, morphologic and physiologic changes occur in the digestive system of animals and probably of man. These changes appear to be a function of declining activity caused by the loss of various stimulating and regulatory substances secreted by the anterior pituitary. However, while a review of the literature seems to indicate an essential role for the hypophysis in various normal digestive tract functions, few data are available to indicate the extent of these actions, whether these are direct actions or operate through other endocrine systems.
Motion-Communication Co-Optimization With Cooperative Load Transfer in Mobile Robotics: An Optimal Control Perspective

This paper considers the co-optimization of motion and communication in mobile robotic networks operating under energy constraints. More specifically, we consider a team of robots tasked with collectively transmitting a given amount of data to a remote station, while operating in realistic communication environments that experience path loss, shadowing, and multipath fading. We are interested in designing the load distribution, paths, and transmission power/rate schedules of the robots in a way that minimizes the total energy required for motion and communication. We use realistic models to quantify the motion and transmission power. We then show how this multiagent problem can be efficiently solved using an optimal control framework and mathematically characterize properties of the optimal solution. We further extend the problem to an online adaptation setting, where the robots need to keep adjusting their communication and motion decisions (e.g., paths, loads to transfer, and transmission rates/power) as more information on the channel quality becomes available during the operation. We show how this problem can be effectively solved in a distributed manner and prove that this online distributed approach provides performance guarantees. Extensive simulations with real channel parameters demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed approach and validate the theoretical results.
CD33 expression on natural killer cells is a potential confounder for residual disease detection in acute myeloid leukemia by flow cytometry

Detection of minimal/measurable residual disease (MRD) in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is important for guiding patient-specific clinical management. Natural killer (NK) cells can express various markers not typically associated with NK lineage, potentially confounding the detection of MRD by flow cytometry. We have observed CD33 expression on NK cells when evaluating for AML MRD in routine clinical practice in multiple patient samples. To characterize CD33 expression on NK cells, 40 peripheral blood or bone marrow samples with NK cells present at >5% of lymphocytes were selected for further assessment of NK cell phenotype and CD33 expression. Seven of the 40 samples (17.5%) were found to have CD33 expression on at least 5% of the NK cells. The CD33-positive NK cell population accounted for an average of 11.4% of NK cells (median 11.9%, range 8.0-15.3%) and 2.2% of total white cells (median 1.1%, range 0.1-10.1%). This NK cell subset expressed bright CD2, bright CD56, and dim CD16. On average, CD33 expression on NK cells was dimmer than on monocytes (mean median fluorescence intensity ratio 0.4; range 0.1-1.0). This study characterizes expression of CD33 on NK cells. Recognition of this pattern of antigen expression is critical in evaluating samples for MRD in patients with myeloid neoplasms, particularly AML.
Interplay between chemical and physical aging in diethanolamine cured diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A (DGEBA) epoxy

Abstract Thermomechanical properties during isothermal aging of diethanolamine (DEA) cured diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A (DGEBA) were tracked using uniaxial compression and differential scanning calorimetry. The epoxy was cured at 70 °C for 24 h, following standard procedure, and then aged at one of four temperatures, T: 55 °C, 65 °C, 76 °C or 105 °C. The initial glass transition of cured DGEBA/DEA was 70 °C and increased proportionally with the logarithm of time indicating that additional crosslinks had formed. Similarly, the yield stress, σy, increased, by up to 80%, proportionally with the logarithm of aging time until approximately 600 h. After that time period, the increase in σy slows significantly. Aging also narrowed the yield peak and increased the post-yield flow stress. The changes in σy due to physical aging were separated from those due to chemical aging by testing samples combining both physical and chemical aging and comparing the results to those from (only) chemically aged samples. The proposed method for separating out the physical contributions can be used to predict the mechanical changes due to physical aging in slowly chemically evolving materials. The aging data are also utilized along with data on σy as a function of strain rate for unaged material to generate a tentative expression for σy as a function of strain rate, aging time and temperature. The derivation of this expression requires only the common assumption that the rate of change of σy/T with respect to log(strain rate) is independent of temperature and of aging time.
Development and Characterization of Membranes with PVA Containing Silver Particles: A Study of the Addition and Stability

Developing technologies for the reduction of biofouling and enhancement of membrane functionality and durability are challenging but critical for the advancement of water purification processes. Silver (Ag) is often used in the process of purification due to its anti-fouling properties; however, the leaching of this metal from a filtration membrane significantly reduces its effectiveness. Our study was designed to integrate the positive characteristics of poly vinyl alcohol (PVA) with the controlled incorporation of nano-scale silver ions across the membrane. This approach was designed with three goals in mind: (1) to improve antifouling activity; (2) to prevent leaching of the metal; and (3) to extend the durability of the functionalized membrane. The fabrication method we used was a modified version of manual coating in combination with sufficient pressure to ensure impregnation and proper blending of PVA with cellulose acetate. We then used the spin coater to enhance the cross-linking reaction, which improved membrane durability. Our results indicate that PVA acts as a reducing agent of Ag+ to Ag0 using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis and demonstrate that the metal retention was increased by more than 90% using PVA in combination with ultraviolet-photo-irradiated Ag+ reduced to Ag0. The Ag+ ions have sp hybrid orbitals, which accept lone pairs of electrons from a hydroxyl oxygen atom, and the covalent binding of silver to the hydroxyl groups of PVA enhanced retention. In fact, membranes with reduced Ag displayed a more effective attachment of Ag and a more efficient eradication of E. coli growth. Compared to pristine membranes, bovine serum albumin (BSA) flux increased by 8% after the initial addition of Ag and by 17% following ultraviolet irradiation and reduction of Ag, whereas BSA rejection increased by 10% and 11%, respectively. The implementation of this hybrid method for modifying commercial membranes could lead to significant savings due to increased metal retention and membrane effectiveness. These enhancements would ultimately increase the membrane’s longevity and reduce the cost/benefit ratio.
Generation of excited species in a streamer discharge

At or near atmospheric pressure, most transient discharges, particularly in molecular gases or gas mixture containing molecular gases, result in a space charge dominated transport called a streamer discharge. The excited species generation in such discharges forms the basis for plasma chemistry in most technological applications. In this paper, we simulate the propagation of streamers in atmospheric pressure N2 to understand the energy partitioning in the formation of various excited species and compare the results to a uniform Townsend discharge. The model is fully two-dimensional with azimuthal symmetry. The results show a significantly larger fraction of the energy goes into vibrational excitation of the N2 ground state in a streamer-type discharge in comparison to a Townsend discharge. For lower applied voltages, the anode-directed (negative) steamer is slightly more efficient in channeling energy for excited species production in comparison to a cathode-directed (positive) streamer. Near 70% overvoltage, both types of streamers show very similar energy partitioning, but quite different from a Townsend discharge.