cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Equilibrium signal intensity mapping, an MRI method for fast mapping of longitudinal relaxation rates and for image enhancement

Abstract Introduction Inhomogeneity of magnetic fields, both B0 and B1, has been a major challenge in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Field inhomogeneity leads to image artifacts and unreliability of signal intensity (SI) measurements. This work proposes and shows the feasibility of generating equilibrium signal intensity (SIEq) maps that can be utilized either to speed up relaxation-rate measurement or to enhance image quality and relaxation-rate-based weighting in various applications. Methods A 1.5-T MRI scanner was used. In canines (n=4), myocardial infarction was induced, and 48 h after the administration of 0.05 mmol kg−1 Gd(ABE-DTTA), a contrast agent with slow tissue kinetics, in vivo R1 mapping was carried out using an inversion recovery (IR)-prepared, fast gradient-echo sequence with varying inversion times (TIs). To test the SIEq mapping method without the confounding effects of motion and blood flow, we carried out ex vivo R1 mapping after the administration of 0.2 mmol kg−1 Gd(DTPA) using an IR-prepared, fast spin-echo sequence in another group of dogs (n=2). R1,full maps and SIEq maps were generated from the data from both sequences by three-parameter nonlinear curve fitting of the SI versus TI dependence. R1,full maps served as the reference standard. Raw IR images were then divided by the SIEq maps, yielding corrected SI maps (COSIMs). Additionally, R1 values were calculated from each single-TI image separately, using the SIEq value and a one-parameter curve-fitting procedure (R1,single). Voxelwise correlation analysis was carried out for the COSIMs and the R1,single maps, both versus the standard R1,full maps. Deviations of R1,single from R1,full were statistically evaluated. Results In vivo, COSIM versus R1,full showed significantly (P Conclusions Once the corresponding SIEq map is obtained from a control stack, R1 can be obtained accurately, using only a single IR image and without the need for a stack of TI-varied images. This approach could be applied in various dynamic MRI studies where short measurement time, once the dynamics has started, is of essence. When using this method with IR-prepared T1-weighted images, it is essential that the single TI be chosen such that the longitudinal relaxation in all voxels of interest would have passed τnull. SIEq maps are also useful in eliminating confounders from MR images to allow obtaining SI values that reflect more faithfully the relaxation parameter (R1) sought.
Design studies in software engineering courses

Several years ago, I was visiting the National Building Museum in Washington D.C. At the time of my visit, there was an exhibit spotlighting the architect Cesar Pelli, designer of, among other things, the Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, the World Financial Center in New York, and the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. But on this day, much of the exhibit was devoted to a more modest building, a small hutlike abode in a natural setting. There were perhaps a dozen variations, built from wood and standing several inches tall. This was labeled a "design study", and it raised in my mind the question of whether software engineering students could undertake such exercises as part of their training. Since that time, as part of an advanced software engineering course, Software Architecture and Design1, I have incorporated design studies as a learn-by-doing project element. By design study I mean a systematic exploration of a theme, including the construction of more than one solution to a problem and a comparison of the results.
Reaction of twenty cultivars of tall fescue to stem rust in controlled and field environments

Stem rust, caused by Puccinia graminis Pers.:Pers. subsp. graminicola Z. Urban, is a serious disease of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.). Reliance on field evaluation of resistance can be unreliable when climatic factors do not favor disease development. The objective of this study was to develop an effective controlled-environment screening procedure for stem rust resistance and to compare response to disease in controlled environments with disease responses in the field. Twenty cultivars of tall fescue were used to evaluate the infection responses to stem rust in 5- and 10-wk-old seedlings in controlled conditions and disease severity on the same plants grown in the field during three consecutive years [...]
Too Much of a Good Thing: Finding an IL1B Polymorphism That Increases Tuberculosis Susceptibility

Tuberculosis (TB) is a chronic bacterial disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) that kills ~1.4 million people every year. A portion of Mtb-infected people develop active disease, characterized by a progressive inflammatory pathology of the lung. Proinflammatory cytokines, such as
Examining the Longitudinal Relationship Between Change in Sleep and Obesity Risk in Adolescents

Evidence is building regarding the association between inadequate amounts of sleep and the risk of obesity, especially in younger children. Less is known about the relationship between change in sleep and change in weight during adolescence. The objective of this study was to examine the longitudinal relationship between change in sleep duration and change in body mass index (BMI) and percent body fat (PBF) in a cohort of adolescents. The cohort included 723 adolescents (mean age = 14.7 years at baseline) from Minnesota. Total sleep duration was assessed via self-report. BMI and PBF were objectively assessed. Covariates used in the multivariate analyses included energy intake as assessed through 24-hour recalls, activity levels as assessed by accelerometers, screen time/sedentary behavior, depression, and sociodemographic characteristics. For both males and females, average BMI and PBF increased slightly over the 2 years and average sleep duration decreased by about 30 minutes. The authors saw no statistically significant longitudinal relationships between change in total sleep and change in BMI or PBF over time in either girls or boys. The only longitudinal relationship that approached statistical significance was a positive association between sleep and PBF in females (p = .068). This research contributes to the literature as the only study to date to examine how change in sleep duration during adolescence may be related to a concomitant change in BMI and body fat. The findings of this study do not support the hypothesis that a decline in sleep duration during adolescence increases obesity risk.
An efficient and regular routing methodology for datapath designs using net regularity extraction

We present a new detailed routing methodology specifically designed for datapath layouts. In typical state-of-the-art microprocessor designs, datapaths comprise about 70% of the logic (excluding caches). However, most logic and layout synthesis research has targeted random-logic portions of the design. In general, techniques for random-logic placement and routing do not produce good results for datapath layouts. Although research on datapath placement and global routing has been reported, very little research has been reported in the area of detailed routing for datapaths. Our datapath routing methodology exploits the unique feature of datapaths, namely, their regularity. Datapaths typically comprise regular structures (or bit slices), which are replicated. The interconnections between these replicated bit slices are also typically very regular. Our datapath routing methodology utilizes new techniques to extract interconnect regularity among bit slices. We define a net cluster, which is collection of similarly structured nets present across different bit slices. We introduce two clustering schemes (footprint-driven clustering and instance-driven clustering) to extract such net clusters. Using these net clusters, we select one representative bit slice to perform a strap-based routing (which optimally finds the shortest path between two points if that path is available) on a member net of each net cluster. Then for each such net, we propagate its route to all other nets in its net cluster. Our algorithm is unique in that it performs the detailed routing on a single bit slice and infers the routing for all bit slices using the notion of net clusters. Since we only route a small fraction of nets present in the design, significant speedup is obtained. We demonstrate at least six times speedup for industrial 32- and 64-bit datapath designs. The regularity of the routes across the bit slices results in more predictable timing characteristics for the resulting layout.
Treatment of congenital tracheal stenosis by balloon-expandable metallic stents in paediatric intensive care unit

The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of balloon-expandable metallic stents in the treatment of children with congenital tracheal stenosis in whom conventional therapy has failed. From 2010 to 2011, balloon-expandable metallic stents were implanted into the trachea of eight infants aged 2–20 months in the paediatric intensive care unit. The infants had severe airway obstruction caused by congenital tracheal stenosis. Tracheal stents were placed after intraluminal balloon dilatation of the tracheal stenosis, inserted with balloon catheters and implanted into the desired position bronchoscopically. The stents were 12 to 29 mm long and 4 mm in diameter. Seven children were relieved of airway obstruction after this procedure. However, a child died due to severe sepsis after the placement of bronchial stents. No granulation tissue developed over the stents in any of the children. Stents have been in place for 1–6 months after insertion without any other complication. Balloon-expandable metallic stents are effective in relieving airway obstruction by congenital tracheal stenosis in children. This technique may provide an important remedy for congenital tracheal stenosis in children.
Quantitation of Enamel Demineralization Mechanisms II: Correlation of Synthetic Hydroxyapatite Initial Demineralization Rates in Acetate Buffer with Powdered Enamel

The initial demineralization rates of several synthetic hydroxyapatite samples and of powdered enamel in acetate buffers over a wide range of pH and buffer concentrations have been investigated. The results have been compared with the previously derived theory. Both the synthetic mineral results and the powdered enamel data compare well with theory. These findings provide considerable support to the idea that simultaneous theoretical studies and experimental studies with enamel and with synthetic minerals will lead to a clear understanding of many enamel reaction mechanisms.
Hippies, Feminists, and Neocons: Using The Big Lebowski to Find the Political in the Nonpolitical

Films used for political science instruction are typically political or historical and are selected to examine concepts developed by the filmmaker within the context of a curriculum. This approach may not be appropriate for introductory American government classes given students' weak foundation of political knowledge and lack of interest in politics. This article examines an alternative model of film use employing the seemingly nonpolitical film The Big Lebowski. Viewed early in the semester, the film highlights the ubiquitous presence of politics in society and government's relevance to everyday life. Clip montages of the movie characters were used to enhance discussion of the First Amendment, voter identification, social capital, and foreign policy throughout the semester.
Influence of surface roughness on the elastic-light scattering patterns of micron-sized aerosol particles

The relation between the surface roughness of aerosol particles and the appearance of island-like features in their angle-resolved elastic-light scattering patterns is investigated both experimentally and with numerical simulation. Elastic scattering patterns of polystyrene spheres, Bacillus subtilis spores and cells, and NaCl crystals are measured and statistical properties of the island-like intensity features in their patterns are presented. The island-like features for each class of particle are found to be similar; however, principal-component analysis applied to extracted features is able to differentiate between some of the particle classes. Numerically calculated scattering patterns of Chebyshev particles and aggregates of spheres are analyzed and show qualitative agreement with experimental results.
Pleiotropic Effects of the Trichloroethylene-Associated P81S VHL Mutation on Metabolism, Apoptosis, and ATM-Mediated DNA Damage Response

Epidemiological studies have linked exposure to trichloroethylene (TCE), an organic solvent classified as a group 1 carcinogen and recognized contaminant in groundwater, with increased incidences of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). A tumor-specific somatic C454T missense mutation in the von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor gene (VHL) has been linked with TCE-associated ccRCC cases (1,2). This mutation results in a single amino acid change from proline to serine at codon 81 of the VHL protein (P81S) and is observed in more than 39% of TCE-exposed individuals who developed ccRCC (1). The VHL tumor suppressor functions as a redox sensor, controlling stability of the hypoxia-inducible transcription factor family (HIFs). VHL forms a complex with Elongin B (TCEB2), Elongin C (TCEB1), Ringbox1 (RBX1), and Cullin2 (CUL2) to form an E3 ubiquitin ligase complex (VBC complex) (3). Under normal oxygen conditions, oxygen-dependent prolyl-hydroxylase (PHD) enzymes hydroxylate HIF proteins at two specific proline residues that are recognized by VHL, and the VBC complex then polyubiquitinates HIF for degradation by the 26S proteasome (4). Cancer-associated missense mutations in VHL disrupt its function in the E3 ubiquitin ligase complex, resulting in variable deregulation of HIF factors (5,6). Structural models of molecular interactions between VHL and TCEB1 showed codons 81 and 82 of VHL are direct TCEB1 binding sites, suggesting that the P81S mutation associated with TCE exposure could destabilize the VBC complex and result in HIF-mediated transcriptional activation of hypoxia response targets (7). The HIF family members (HIF1A and HIF2A) play a central role in metabolic reprogramming observed in human renal tumors, which is thought to provide a selective survival advantage in changing microenvironments by modifying energy use during periods of hypoxic and glycolytic stress (8). This diversification of energy sources through increased glycolysis (the Warburg Effect) (9), fatty acid oxidation (10,11), and glutaminolysis (12–14) can promote cell proliferation and, in some cases, resistance to chemotherapeutic-induced apoptosis (15). HIF activation and metabolic changes have also been implicated as a result of Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM) activation, a protein kinase involved in the response to DNA damage (16,17). Although HIF activation suggests a possible link between ATM-mediated DNA damage response and VHL, this has not been previously detected. In this study, the TCE-associated P81S VHL mutation was modeled and its activity compared with cells expressing normal VHL and the hotspot R167Q VHL mutant that was previously shown to dysregulate both HIF factors in graded fashion (5,6,18). The results show that the unique TCE-associated VHL mutation has pleiotropic effects that selectively influence the tumor behavior in a mutation-specific manner, providing a selective growth advantage through metabolic diversification, apoptosis suppression, and alteration of the DNA damage response.
Surface treatment of MWCNT array and its polymer composites for TIM application

The multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) surface chemistry changes by microwave and UV/ozone treatments were studied and the treatment effects on the thermal conductivity of their polymer nanocomposites were investigated. Contact angle measurements, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Raman spectra were used for the CNT surface characterization. The surface functionalization and the CNT purification/annealing should be balanced for improving the thermal transport property of the MWCNT/polymer nanocomposites.
Estrogen therapy in women undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting: effect on surgical complications.

Abstract Objective: To determine whether estrogen therapy at the time of coronary artery bypass grafting affects postoperative complications. Methods: Consecutive postmenopausal women who had coronary artery bypass grafting between 1992 and 1997 were identified and their medical records were reviewed. Outcome measures included mortality, perioperative cardiac morbidity, and early and late postoperative complications. Results: Estrogen therapy was noted in 13.9% of 734 women. Those using estrogen replacement were younger (63.9 ± 0.27 versus 68.8 ± 0.64 years) and had higher ejection fractions (2.8 ± 0.11 versus 3.1 ± 0.04) and fewer vessels bypassed. Mortality rates were 2.9% for estrogen users and 7.4% for nonusers (odds ratio [OR] 0.38; confidence interval [CI] 0.07, 1.21). Perioperative cardiac morbidity rates were 5.8% for estrogen users and 11% for nonusers (OR 0.52; CI 0.23, 1.7). Early complication rates were 0.98% for estrogen users and 1.11% for nonusers. Late inpatient complications were noted in 6.8% of treated women and 14.8% of those untreated (OR 0.42; CI 0.16, 0.96). Stepwise logistic regression confirmed age, New York Heart Association angina classification, and ejection fraction as significant variables for mortality, perioperative cardiac morbidity, and late complications. Estrogen therapy did not influence mortality, perioperative cardiac morbidity, or early or late complications. Conclusion: Age, ejection fraction, and New York Heart Association angina classification predicted mortality, perioperative cardiac morbidity, and late complications. Estrogen therapy at the time of admission for coronary artery bypass grafting did not influence surgical mortality, perioperative cardiac morbidity, or early or late complications.
Repeated injections of D-Amphetamine evoke rapid and dynamic changes in phase synchrony between the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus.

Repeated drug use evokes a number of persistent alterations in oscillatory power and synchrony. How synchronous activity in cortico-hippocampal circuits is progressively modified with repeated drug exposure, however, remains to be characterized. Drugs of abuse induce both short-term and long-term adaptations in cortical and hippocampal circuits and these changes are likely important for the expression of the altered behavioral and neurobiological phenotype associated with addiction. The present study explores how the initial (up to one hour) pharmacological response to D-Amphetamine (AMPH) is altered with repeated injections in the rat. The methods employed herein allow for the progressive changes in synchronized dynamics with repeated intermittent AMPH exposure to be characterized over short time scales (minutes). Specifically, we examined the temporal variations of phase-locking strength in delta and theta bands within the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and between PFC and hippocampus (HC) shortly after drug injection. After the first injection of AMPH synchrony increased within the PFC in the delta band, which was followed, by an increase in theta synchrony between the PFC and HC several minutes later. This relationship switched after repeated AMPH injections, where increases in theta synchrony between the PFC and HC preceded increases in delta synchrony in the PFC. The time-course of increases in synchronous activity were negatively correlated between the PFC delta and the PFC-HC theta. Collectively these data highlight the potential role of PFC-HC circuits in the development of addiction and outline dynamic changes in the time-course that cortico-hippocampal circuits become synchronized with repeated AMPH exposure.
Organic Material Soil Amendment Effects on Root Rot and Sugarcane Growth and Characterization of the Materials.

ABSTRACT Soil amendment with different organic materials was evaluated in greenhouse experiments for effects on root rot and growth of sugarcane. Materials included composts prepared from cotton gin trash, cottonwood bark, mixed hardwood bark, municipal solid waste, and municipal yard waste; municipal biosolids; and a sugar mill by-product, filterpress cake. Field soil, steam-treated field soil, and steam-treated soil infested with Pythium arrhenomanes were amended with nonsterile or steam-treated organic materials. A metalaxyl fungicide treatment was included for comparison. When added in nonsterile form, cotton gin trash compost, filterpress cake, and biosolids suppressed disease and increased plant growth in field soil and soil infested with P. arrhenomanes, but this ability was reduced after steam treatment. Bark composts were capable of suppressing root rot and increasing plant growth in field soil and Pythium-infested soil when added in either nonsterile or steam-treated forms. Plant growth in steam...
Simplified Micropore Filter Assay of Neutrophil Migration Using Whole Blood

A new method of micropore filter assay of neutrophil migration requiring only 0.1 ml of whole blood is described and compared with the standard separated polymorphonuclear neutrophil micropore filter assay. Whole blood was added to the upper compartment of a modified Boyden chemotactic chamber, and the neutrophils were allowed to migrate into a cellulose nitrate micropore filter. Acetic acid was used to remove erythrocytes and hemoglobin from the filter. Neutrophil chemotaxis was performed with cells from 19 neonates and 34 adults. The mean neonatal PMN migration was 40% of the adult value (48.1 _ 12.6 vs 96.8 o 16.8 Mm) with the whole blood assay and 39% of the adult value (44.7 o 10.1 vs 72.9 o 22.2 Mm) with the separated polymorphonuclear neutrophil assay. The whole blood micropore filter assay, a simple and reliable method of determining neutrophil migration, is especially useful in studying patients when there are difficulties in obtaining large blood samples, such as with neonates and young children.
Utilization of phoswich detectors for simultaneous, multiple radiation detection

A phoswich radiation detector is comprised of a phosphor sandwich in which several different phosphors are viewed by a common photomultiplier. By selecting the appropriate phosphors, this system can be used to simultaneously measure multiple radiation types (alpha, beta, gamma and/or neutron) with a single detector. Differentiation between the signals from the different phosphors is accomplished using digital pulse shape discrimination techniques. This method has been shown to result in accurate discrimination with highly reliable and versatile digital systems. This system also requires minimal component count (i.e., only the detector and a computer for signal processing). A variety of detectors of this type have been built and tested including: (1) a triple phoswich system for alpha/beta/gamma swipe counting, (2) two well-type detectors for measuring low levels of low energy photons in the presence of a high energy background, (3) a large area detector for measuring beta contamination in the presence of a photon background, and (4) another large area detector for measuring low energy photons from radioactive elements such as uranium in the presence of a photon background. An annular geometry, triple phoswich system optimized for measuring alpha/beta/gamma radiation in liquid waste processing streams is currently being designed.
PROSPECTS OF HORMONAL MECHANISMS IN COLD ADAPTATIONS OF ARCTIC PLANTS

No reports of hormones or hormonal mechanisms in arctic plants are found in the literature. Consequently, there is little to review in this regard. But the question of whether hormonal mechanisms might be expected to play a significant role in the adaptations of arctic plants to cold conditions should be considered, and the following review and discussion is directed toward this goal. Justification for investigating or not investigating hormonal mechanisms in arctic plants could then be made upon the basis of at least three lines of evidence from the literature. The first type of evidence is that suggesting that arctic habitats are cold in such a way that coordination in most temperate plants would be seriously disrupted. A second type of evidence would be in the relation between temperature and hormone activity or hormone activity and cold tolerance. And the last type of evidence would be to indicate that arctic plants might differ in their production of hormones under cold conditions when compared with the “norm,” i.e., primarily temperate plants.
Transcription Analysis of stx1, marA, and eaeA Genes in Escherichia coli O157:H7 Treated with Sodium Benzoate

Expression of the multiple antibiotic resistance (mar) operon causes increased antimicrobial resistance in bacterial pathogens. The activator of this operon, MarA, can alter expression of >60 genes in Escherichia coli K-12. However, data on the expression of virulence and resistance genes when foodborne pathogens are exposed to antimicrobial agents are lacking. This study was conducted to determine transcription of marA (mar activator), stx1 (Shiga toxin 1), and eaeA (intimin) genes of E. coli O157:H7 EDL933 as affected by sodium benzoate. E. coli O157:H7 was grown in Luria-Bertani broth containing 0 (control) and 1% sodium benzoate at 37 degrees C for 24 h, and total RNA was extracted. Primers were designed for hemX (209 bp; housekeeping gene), marA (261 bp), and eaeA (223 bp) genes; previously reported primers were used for stx1. Tenfold dilutions of RNA were used in a real-time one-step reverse transcriptase PCR to determine transcription levels. All experiments were conducted in triplicate, and product detection was validated by gel electrophoresis. For marA and stx1, real-time one-step reverse transcriptase PCR products were detected at a 1-log-greater dilution in sodium benzoate-treated cells than in control cells, although cell numbers for each were similar (7.28 and 7.57 log CFU/ml, respectively). This indicates a greater (albeit slight) level of their transcription in treated cells than in control cells. No difference in expression of eaeA was observed. HemX is a putative uroporphyrinogen III methylase. The hemX gene was expressed at the same level in control and treated cells, validating hemX as an appropriate housekeeping marker. These data indicate that stx1 and marA genes could play a role in pathogen virulence and survival when treated with sodium benzoate, whereas eaeA expression is not altered. Understanding adaptations of E. coli O157:H7 during antimicrobial exposure is essential to better understand and implement methods to inhibit or control survival of this pathogen in foods.
Method for determination of urinary pregnane-3-alpha, 17-alpha 20-alpha triol.

ConclusionsA method for determination of pregnanetriol is presented. The method seems to be reproducible with adequate recoveries and specificity. Recoveries average 78.5%. Specificity is assured by chromatographic purification, oxidation, and determination of pregnanetriol as ketogenic steroid. The spectrum of material from the florisil colurrm in sulfuric acid was authentic with the one obtained from pure pregnanetriol (Fig. 1). In the oxidized sample the Zimmermann color obtained was purple with distinct peak at 520 mμ (Fig. 2). The unoxidized sample showed brown color with the Zimmermann reagent and gave a linear absorption curve.
Numerical Simulation of Sudden-expansion Pipe Separated Flow

Boundary sudden-expansion flow is the common flow phenomenon in the pipeline transportation engineering.Pipeline design plays a vital role in energy-saving and lower cost of production.The laminar flow of a Newtonian fluid in sudden-expansion pipe is simulated using CFD software FLUENT,and the results are treated by the post-processing software Tecplot and Origin.Streamline charts of the sudden-expansion pipe separated flow are given in different Reynolds numbers and enlargement ratio,and the influence of Reynolds numbers and enlargement ratio to it are analyzed.The results reflect essential characteristic of sudden-expansion pipe flow and provide theoretical foundation and analytical method for solving the common problem in industrial production.
Febrile seizures. When is treatment justified

PreviewThe primary care physician may ponder the advisability of anticonvulsant prophylaxis for a child who has had a febrile seizure. Because of confusion regarding the prognosis for these children—particularly the possibility of subsequent epilepsy—Dr Kaplan reviews current knowledge on the subject in an effort to clarify what, if any, treatment should be given and when.
Morphological Diversity in the Digital Rays of Primate Hands

The primate hand consists of five rays: a pollex containing a metacarpal and two phalanges and four ulnar rays each containing a metacarpal and three phalanges. Morphology of these elements is related to a number of factors including behavior (such as locomotor mode and manipulatory capabilities) and phylogenetic relatedness. This chapter briefly reviews the evolutionary history of the primate hand, discusses the intrinsic proportions of bones within the rays, and emphasizes the general osteology and morphological diversity among primates and their close relatives. The functional and evolutionary consequences of anatomical specializations are reviewed. Where clear gaps in the literature exist, new preliminary descriptions and data are presented.
Hybrid Atrial Septal Defect Closure

Secundum atrial septal defect (ASD) is one of the most common congenital heart diseases (CHD) accounting for approximately 6–10 % of all CHD in children [1]. In general, the recommendation for elective ASD closure is after 4 years of age [2] as many of these defects have a high rate of spontaneous closure and these patients are largely asymptomatic in the first few years of life [3–6]. Occasionally, however, patients with ASD present in infancy with signs and symptoms of congestive heart failure [7], frequent respiratory infections [8], and failure to thrive [9]. This can necessitate earlier intervention.
Bipolar disorder in the digital age: new tools for the same illness.

“Nothing is more difficult than to ascertain the length of time that a maniacal patient can exist without sleep.”—Dr. Sutherland (Br J Psychiatry 7(37):1–19, 1861). Dr. Sutherland’s patient was suffering from an acute manic episode, which today is called bipolar illness. 150 years later, we continue to struggle with the same challenges in ascertaining accurate symptoms from patients. In era of new digital tools, the quantified self-movement, and precision medicine, we can ask the question: Can we advance understanding and treatment for bipolar illness beyond asking the same questions as in 1861?
SPORE DESTRUCTION WITH HOT CHEMICAL SOLUTIONS1

Nine chemical solutions commonly utilized for sanitizing and/or cleaning were used in studies on destruction of Bacillus subtilis spores in laboratory trials and, subsequently, in trials with a pilot-plant size UHT tubular sterilizer. The strengths of the chemical solutions were varied in an effort to determine the most efficient usage. The temperature of these solutions was maintained at approximately 93 C, and the time was limited to 30 min. In laboratory trials spores placed on strips of stainless steel were sterilized by nine chemicals. The concentration necessary for sterilization ranged from 50 ppm for an iodine compound to 12,150 ppm for an alkali compound. In pilot trials solutions of sodium dichloroisocyanurate and an acid sanitizer A, at 300 ppm and 1,500 ppm, respectively, were effective in sterilizing the UHT tubular sterilizer during 30 min. Chrome-plated nickel resisted corrosion by each of the nine chemical solutions at 93 C during 8 hr of testing. Types 303, 304, 316, and 410 stainless ste...
Use of non-invasive techniques to determine population size of the marine otter in two regions of Peru

The marine otter (Lontra felina) can be found on rocky shores from the northern coast of Peru (9°S) to the extreme south of Argentina (56°S). This species is currently classified as endangered but there is little information on population size because marine otters are very difficult to observe and count. Between June and August 2012 we collected 240 samples of marine otter feces from seven localities in Peru. All locations were visited four times. One-hundred and thirty-three samples (55%) were successfully amplified at five to seven microsatellite loci and a sex-linked marker. We identified a minimum of 80 individuals (41 males and 39 females) across all locations for a density estimate of 4.4 otters per km, a value about 2X higher than estimates based on previous visual counts. Estimates using the program CAPWIRE averaged 12.6 otters/km, a value six times higher than estimates based on previous visual counts, although confidence limits were large due to the low number of recaptures. There was a strong positive relationship between the number of fresh scats and the number of unique genotypes, suggesting scat counts might be used to estimate the minimum number of otters at a site. Non-invasive genotyping of marine otter feces and scat counts will be valuable tools for estimating population sizes and monitoring movements of this secretive species.
Patient, caregiver and clinician views on engagement in comparative effectiveness research.

Aim: Describe patient, caregiver and clinician views toward engagement as partners in health research. Materials & methods: Online surveys of patients and caregivers managing rare (n = 560 patients, n = 609 caregivers) or chronic conditions (n = 762 patients, n = 776 caregivers) and practicing clinicians (n = 638). Results: Over half of respondents were unfamiliar with the concept of partnering with researchers but most expressed interest in working in a research partnership. Potential facilitators endorsed were ensuring research is meaningful, applying results in an understandable way, and sharing results. Lack of time is a potential barrier. Clinicians were most interested in helping researchers decide on intervention comparisons and identifying implications for clinical practice. Conclusion: Patients, caregivers and clinicians are interested in research roles that emphasize usefulness and understandability of research.
Estimating the effective system dead time parameter for correlated neutron counting

Abstract Neutron time correlation analysis is one of the main technical nuclear safeguards techniques used to verify declarations of, or to independently assay, special nuclear materials. Quantitative information is generally extracted from the neutron-event pulse train, collected from moderated assemblies of 3 He proportional counters , in the form of correlated count rates that are derived from event-triggered coincidence gates. These count rates, most commonly referred to as singles, doubles and triples rates etc., when extracted using shift-register autocorrelation logic, are related to the reduced factorial moments of the time correlated clusters of neutrons emerging from the measurement items. Correcting these various rates for dead time losses has received considerable attention recently. The dead time losses for the higher moments in particular, and especially for large mass (high rate and highly multiplying) items, can be significant. Consequently, even in thoughtfully designed systems, accurate dead time treatments are needed if biased mass determinations are to be avoided. In support of this effort, in this paper we discuss a new approach to experimentally estimate the effective system dead time of neutron coincidence counting systems. It involves counting a random neutron source (e.g. AmLi is a good approximation to a source without correlated emission) and relating the second and higher moments of the neutron number distribution recorded in random triggered interrogation coincidence gates to the effective value of dead time parameter. We develop the theoretical basis of the method and apply it to the Oak Ridge Large Volume Active Well Coincidence Counter using sealed AmLi radionuclide neutron sources and standard multiplicity shift register electronics. The method is simple to apply compared to the predominant present approach which involves using a set of 252Cf sources of wide emission rate, it gives excellent precision in a conveniently short time, and it yields consistent results as a function of the order of the moment used to extract the dead time parameter. This latter observation is reassuring in that it suggests the assumptions underpinning the theoretical analysis are fit for practical application purposes. However, we found that the effective dead time parameter obtained is not constant, as might be expected for a parameter that in the dead time model is characteristic of the detector system, but rather, varies systematically with gate width.
Exploring the Threshold between Conflict Management and Joining in Biased Interventions

Recent research emphasizes the effectiveness of biased third parties and their use of leverage in resolving conflicts. However, scholars fail to explore systematically the conditions under which co...
Generalized radiative transfer theory for scattering by particles in an absorbing gas: Addressing both spatial and spectral integration in multi-angle remote sensing of optically thin aerosol layers

Abstract We demonstrate the computational advantage gained by introducing non-exponential transmission laws into radiative transfer theory for two specific situations. One is the problem of spatial integration over a large domain where the scattering particles cluster randomly in a medium uniformly filled with an absorbing gas, and only a probabilistic description of the variability is available. The increasingly important application here is passive atmospheric profiling using oxygen absorption in the visible/near-IR spectrum. The other scenario is spectral integration over a region where the absorption cross-section of a spatially uniform gas varies rapidly and widely and, moreover, there are scattering particles embedded in the gas that are distributed uniformly, or not. This comes up in many applications, O 2 A-band profiling being just one instance. We bring a common framework to solve these problems both efficiently and accurately that is grounded in the recently developed theory of Generalized Radiative Transfer (GRT). In GRT, the classic exponential law of transmission is replaced by one with a slower power-law decay that accounts for the unresolved spectral or spatial variability. Analytical results are derived in the single-scattering limit that applies to optically thin aerosol layers. In spectral integration, a modest gain in accuracy is obtained. As for spatial integration of near-monochromatic radiance, we find that, although both continuum and in-band radiances are affected by moderate levels of sub-pixel variability, only extreme variability will affect in-band/continuum ratios.
Combined SEM and reflected light petrography of organic matter in the New Albany Shale (Devonian-Mississippian) in the Illinois Basin: A perspective on organic pore development with thermal maturation

Abstract Organic-matter-hosted pores are an important aspect of pore systems in unconventional gas shale reservoirs. Along with thermal maturity, organic maceral type critically controls the development of secondary organic-matter-hosted pores. Three New Albany Shale samples (Devonian-Mississippian, kerogen type II sequence) having thermal maturities ranging from a vitrinite reflectance (Ro) of 0.55% to 1.42% were analyzed using a reflected light microscope and a field emission scanning electron microscope. Organic pores were examined in specific organic macerals and solid bitumen at different thermal maturities. Vitrinite and inertinite, derived from terrestrial woody materials, occur as discrete particles in this black shale. Within the resolution limits of the scanning electron microscope, these two macerals do not appear to display enhanced secondary pores associated with increases in thermal maturity. Cellular pores (0.2–10 μm) in inertinite were observed throughout the entire maturity range and were typically filled with authigenic quartz or solid bitumen. Because of thermal degradation, amorphous organic matter was not observed at maturities greater than Ro 0.80%. Alginite derived from Tasmanites cysts matures later than amorphous organic matter and is still present at Ro 0.80%; however, it is in the process of transforming to pre-oil bitumen and shows weak orange yellow fluorescence compared to strong greenish-yellow fluorescence in lower-maturity samples. At a maturity of Ro 1.42%, alginite could no longer be observed as a distinct phase because of its complete transformation to hydrocarbons and bitumen. Alginite began to develop secondary pores when it was in the process of transforming to pre-oil bitumen, which indicates that some liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons left the alginite during this part of the maturation process. Solid bitumen developed along the original amorphous organic matter networks and now occupies interparticle space between quartz, dolomite, K-feldspar, clay, and mica grains, as well as the cellular pores in inertinite particles. Solid bitumen becomes smaller and more porous with thermal maturation and, thus, becomes increasingly unidentifiable with the optical microscope. Solid bitumen-hosted pores (20–1000 nm) are the main organic pore type documented in the studied samples, and they are more common in shales within the gas window than those in the oil window. Secondary nanopores in the solid bitumen network play a significant role in hydrocarbon storage and migration.
Die Methode der Namensrelation

Die Methode der Namensrelation ist eine Alternativ-Methode der semantischen Analyse und gebrauchlicher als die Methode der Extension und Intension. Sie besteht darin, das Ausdrucke als Namen von (konkreten oder abstrakten) Wesenheiten in Ubereinstimmung mit den folgenden Prinzipien betrachtet werden (§ 24): 1. Jeder Name hat genau ein Nominatum (d. h. eine durch ihn benannte Entitat). 2. Jeder Satz spricht uber die Nominata der in ihm vorkommenden Namen. 3. Wenn ein in einem wahren Satz vorkommender Name durch einen anderen Namen mit demselben Nominatum ersetzt wird, bleibt der Satz wahr. Eine Prufung der Methode zeigt, das ihr Grundbegriff eine wesentliche Zweideutigkeit enthalt (§ 25) und das er zu einer unnotigen Verdoppelung von Ausdrucken in der Objektsprache fuhrt (§§ 26, 27). Der bedeutendste Nachteil der Methode besteht in der Tatsache, das das dritte der erwahnten Prinzipien, obwohl es ganz plausibel zu sein scheint, in gewissen Fallen zu einem Widerspruch fuhrt, wenn es ohne Einschrankung angewendet wird. Wir nennen diesen Widerspruch die Antinomie der Namensrelation (§ 31). Es ist nicht schwer, den Widerspruch auszuschalten. Von den Logikern sind verschiedene Wege dazu vorgeschlagen worden, aber alle haben gewisse Schattenseiten. Das Verfahren von Frege wird im einzelnen erortert (§§ 28–30). Sein hervorstechender Zug ist die Unterscheidung zwischen dem Nominatum und dem Sinn eines Ausdrucks.
The Balanced Cube

Sequential computers spend a large fraction of their time manipulating ordered sets of data. For these operations to be performed efficiently on a concurrent computer, a new data structure for ordered sets is required. Conventional ordered set data structures such as heaps, balanced trees, and B-trees [2] have a single root node through which all operations must pass. This root bottleneck limits the potential concurrency of tree structures, making them unable to take advantage of the power of concurrent computers. Their maximum throughput is O(1). This chapter presents a new data structure for implementing ordered sets, the balanced cube [21], which offers significantly improved concurrency.
Nature, Properties, and Distribution of Water

The water molecule is composed of two hydrogen atoms attached to an oxygen atom with a V-shape formation and an angle of 105° between the hydrogen atoms. It has a slightly negative charge at the oxygen end and a slight positive charge at the hydrogen end. This makes the water molecule polar, i.e., having poles like a magnet. This property makes water molecules attract each other, thus giving it unique properties such as rising in capillary tubes, plant roots, and blood vessels against gravity. Water has a high latent heat enabling it to absorb large quantities of heat before a rise in temperature; this enables the waters of the oceans to affect the earth’s temperature in a gradual manner. Water is an important solvent. Water forms about 71% of the earth’s surface, but most of it is saline. Freshwater which is required for domestic and industrial use, and for agriculture forms only about 2.5%. Water is distributed in the atmosphere as clouds; on the earth’s surface as oceans, seas, rivers, and lakes; and underground.
Compositional synthesis of optical imaging systems

This paper introduces a new systematic and complete compositional technique for conceptual design of optical imaging systems from behavioral specifications. There are two key ideas: (1) modeling the structure and behavior of optical components using affine transformations, and (2) using a systematic search algorithm integrated with a powerful algebraic constraint solver to compute three-dimensional layouts of optical components in the design. By embedding our tool in a constraint programming environment, we are able to automate the conceptual design of optical imaging systems – a step performed manually by human designers until now. We demonstrate the power of the method by recreating several designs for imaging systems of copiers.
Integrating Geographic Information Systems and Ecological Niche Modeling into Disease Ecology: A Case Study of Bacillus anthracis in the United States and Mexico

This chapter provides an overview of geographic information systems, spatial analysis and spatial statistics, and predictive ecological niche modeling as they apply to disease ecology. I provide a conceptual model of the epidemiology and outbreak ecology of anthrax and the landscape ecology of the pathogen Bacillus anthracis. I apply Anselin’s exploratory spatial data analysis process to these two components of the anthrax-transmission and spore-survival model. Spatial clustering statistics are reviewed in the context of outbreak epidemiology and potential mechanical vector transmission. I then provide a primer on ecological niche theory and apply ecological niche modeling to estimate the potential geographic distribution of B. anthracis on the landscape of the contiguous United States under current and future climate scenarios and to estimate the unknown distribution of B. anthracis in Mexico.
Supreme Court Sluggers: John Paul Stevens is No Stephen J. Field

Assessing the great length of John Paul Stevens’s service as a Supreme Court Justice (34 years, 6 months, 10 days) should involve more than just adding up time. By the calendar, he is in third place on the list of longest-serving members of the Court, just behind Stephen J. Field (34 years, 6 months, 11 days) and further behind William O. Douglas (36 years, 6 months, 26 days). An argument might be made, however, that Stevens’s length-of-service ranking should be higher – that he ought to be recognized as standing a little bit ahead of Field, and perhaps closer to Douglas as well. It is an argument that depends on what it means to “serve” on the Court. After all, it is “Service[]” that the Constitution expects of the “Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts.”
Effects of Low-level Millimeter Waves on Cellular and Subcellular Systems

Interactions of millimeter waves with living systems are believed to occur primarily on a subcellular or cellular level. Although most of the evidence that biological systems can be altered by low intensity electromagnetic fields is available primarily below 30 GHz, studies from the USSR and Eastern Europe (1,2) have indicated that above 30 GHz there are frequency dependent biological effects suggestive of resonance phenomena.