cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Wavelet-based system identification for nonlinear control

Compactly supported orthogonal wavelets have certain properties that are useful for system identification and learning control. Drawing on the rich theory of wavelets, we propose a system identification scheme based on orthogonal wavelets. Better accuracy of estimation can be obtained by adding more terms to the wavelet based identifier, and these terms do not alter the coefficients of the existing terms. These terms can be selectively added depending upon the region of interest, for example we may require more terms in regions where the identified functions vary rapidly. We illustrate the concepts by applying the procedure to determine a speed-controller for an electric vehicle.
Medical device excise tax: implications for interventional radiologists.

The Affordable Care Act of 2010 represents the most sweeping health care reform in the past 50 years, extending health insurance coverage to 33 million uninsured Americans. The final bill included numerous changes in the tax code to help fund its central tenets, including one of the largest ever expansions of Medicaid and federal health insurance subsidies for low-income families. One such change is the Medical Device Excise Tax, a new 2.3% tax levied on the sale price of any medical device as defined by the Food and Drug Administration, which went into effect January 1, 2013 (1). Products subject to the tax include surgical drapes, catheters, wires, stents, and advanced imaging equipment, all of which interventional radiologists routinely use to do their work. Although the Medical Device Excise Tax is paid by the medical device manufacturer or importer, it may nonetheless have important implications for hospitals, interventional radiologists, and their patients. The medical device industry has been thriving in the United States, with estimated sales of as much as $116 billion per year and encompassing as many as 460 public and 1,247 venture capital–backed companies (1,2). It is estimated that the 10 largest medical device makers will pay 86% of the revenue collected from the Medical Device Excise Tax (2). The tax is projected to generate $29 billion over the next 10 years, and large companies such as Cook and Stryker are expected to shoulder additional tax burdens of as much as $30 million and $150 million per year, respectively (2–4). Companies with annual revenues of less than $5 million are exempt from the tax (5). However, as many small and startup medical device companies will not achieve profitability until they reach at least $100–$150 million in sales, this exemption threshold remains too low to protect these vulnerable companies (1). For example, based on 2009 revenues, NxStage would have paid an
Activation of adenosine A2B receptors enhances ciliary beat frequency in mouse lateral ventricle ependymal cells

Ependymal cells form a protective monolayer between the brain parenchyma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). They possess motile cilia important for directing the flow of CSF through the ventricular system. While ciliary beat frequency in airway epithelia has been extensively studied, fewer reports have looked at the mechanisms involved in regulating ciliary beat frequency in ependyma. Prior studies have demonstrated that ependymal cells express at least one purinergic receptor (P2X7). An understanding of the full range of purinergic receptors expressed by ependymal cells, however, is not yet complete. The objective of this study was to identify purinergic receptors which may be involved in regulating ciliary beat frequency in lateral ventricle ependymal cells. High-speed video analysis of ciliary movement in the presence and absence of purinergic agents was performed using differential interference contrast microscopy in slices of mouse brain (total number of animals = 67). Receptor identification by this pharmacological approach was corroborated by immunocytochemistry, calcium imaging experiments, and the use of two separate lines of knockout mice. Ciliary beat frequency was enhanced by application of a commonly used P2X7 agonist. Subsequent experiments, however, demonstrated that this enhancement was observed in both P2X7+/+ and P2X7-/- mice and was reduced by pre-incubation with an ecto-5'-nucleotidase inhibitor. This suggested that enhancement was primarily due to a metabolic breakdown product acting on another purinergic receptor subtype. Further studies revealed that ciliary beat frequency enhancement was also induced by adenosine receptor agonists, and pharmacological studies revealed that ciliary beat frequency enhancement was primarily due to A2B receptor activation. A2B expression by ependymal cells was subsequently confirmed using A2B-/-/β-galactosidase reporter gene knock-in mice. This study demonstrates that A2B receptor activation enhances ciliary beat frequency in lateral ventricle ependymal cells. Ependymal cell ciliary beat frequency regulation may play an important role in cerebral fluid balance and cerebrospinal fluid dynamics.
Tropical seagrass species tolerance to hypersalinity stress

The long-term sustainability of seagrasses in the subtropics and tropics depends on their ability to adapt to shifts in salinity regimes, particularlyinlightofpresentincreasesincoastalfreshwaterextractionsandfutureclimatechangescenarios.Althoughtherearemajorconcerns world-wideonincreasedsalinityincoastalestuaries,thereislittlequantitativeinformationonthespecificuppersalinitytoleranceoftropicaland subtropical seagrass species. We examined seagrass hypersalinity tolerance under two scenarios: (1) when salinity is raised rapidly simulating a pulsed event, such as exposure to brine effluent, and (2) when salinity is raised slowly, characteristic of field conditions in shallow evaporative basins; the first in hydroponics (Experiments I and II) and the second in large mesocosms using intactsediment cores from the field (Experiment III). The three tropical seagrass species investigated in this study were highly tolerant of hypersaline conditions with a slow rate of salinity increase (1 psu d 1 ). None of the three species elicited total shoot mortality across the range of salinities examined (35‐70 psu over 30 days exposures);representinginsituexposurerangesinFloridaBay,ashallowsemi-enclosedsubtropicallagoonwithrestrictedcirculation.Basedon stress indicators, shoot decline, growth rates, and PAM florescence, all three species were able to tolerate salinities up to 55 psu, with Thalassia testudinum(60 psu) and Halodule wrightii(65 psu) eliciting a slightly higher salinity threshold than Ruppia maritima(55 psu). However, when salinitywas pulsed,withouta slowosmotic adjustmentperiod,thresholdlevelsdropped20 psutoapproximately45 psufor T. testudinum.While we found these three seagrass species to be highly tolerant of high salinity, and conclude that hypersalinity probably does not solely cause seagrass dieoff events in Florida Bay, high salinity can modify carbon and O2 balance in the plant, potentially affecting the long-term health of the seagrass community. # 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Common scene definition framework for constructing virtual worlds

Developing VR applications is a challenging and rewarding endeavor, complicated by the variety and complexity of the available VR platforms. Furthermore, efficiencies realized in a specific platform may be lost if the application is migrated to a different platform. In this paper, we introduce and investigate the common scene definition framework (CSDF), a modeling representation consisting of a superset of capabilities taken from a collection of existing VR platforms. The purpose of CSDF is to serve a quick prototype framework for synthesizing an interactive virtual environment for a particular platform while attempting to optimize the translation to leverage strengths of the target platform. In an implementation independent fashion, the CSDF is envisioned to extensibly represent all geometry, appearance, interaction, and behavior for a VR application. Finally, an example is provided for demonstration of these basic ideas among the VRML 1.0, VRML97 and Java3D platforms.
Learning Curves for Stochastic Gradient Descent in Linear Feedforward Networks

Gradient-following learning methods can encounter problems of implementation in many applications, and stochastic variants are sometimes used to overcome these difficulties. We analyze three online training methods used with a linear perceptron: direct gradient descent, node perturbation, and weight perturbation. Learning speed is defined as the rate of exponential decay in the learning curves. When the scalar parameter that controls the size of weight updates is chosen to maximize learning speed, node perturbation is slower than direct gradient descent by a factor equal to the number of output units; weight perturbation is slower still by an additional factor equal to the number of input units. Parallel perturbation allows faster learning than sequential perturbation, by a factor that does not depend on network size. We also characterize how uncertainty in quantities used in the stochastic updates affects the learning curves. This study suggests that in practice, weight perturbation may be slow for large networks, and node perturbation can have performance comparable to that of direct gradient descent when there are few output units. However, these statements depend on the specifics of the learning problem, such as the input distribution and the target function, and are not universally applicable.
Isolation and Characterization of an Apoptosis-resistant Variant of Human Leukemia HL-60 Cells That Has Switched Expression from Bcl-2 to Bcl-XL

Abstract Human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells treated with 8-chloro-adenosine-3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate (8-Cl-cAMP) undergo growth arrest and subsequently die by apoptosis. We describe here the isolation of a variant of HL-60 cells, HCW-2, which was resistant to the cytotoxic effects of 8-Cl-cAMP, but still underwent growth arrest. Thus, HCW-2 cells appeared to be altered in their ability to undergo apoptosis. HCW-2 cells were also completely refractory to the apoptotic action of cycloheximide and staurosporine, two compounds which were very potent inducers of apoptosis in the parental HL-60 cells, suggesting that the resistance to apoptosis was not unique to 8-Cl-cAMP. Western blot analysis demonstrated that the parental HL-60 cells expressed both Bcl-2 and Bax, two factors known to be intimately involved in the control of apoptosis. Surprisingly, HCW-2 cells no longer expressed Bcl-2 protein and paradoxically contained Bax protein at a level that was approximately 50-fold higher than in HL-60 cells. However, Northern and Western analyses indicated that the apoptotic suppressor gene, bcl-x L , which is not expressed in the parental HL-60 cells, was expressed in HCW-2 cells. Thus, the Bcl-2-independent resistance of HCW-2 cells to apoptotic induction is discussed in terms of the expression of bcl-x L .
Flexible Aspect-Oriented Design Model Checking

An aspect-oriented design model is composed of a primary design model and an aspect model, each of which has a different origin and pursues different goals. How to ensure the correctness of the composition of a primary design model and an aspect model has become an important issue. In this paper, we validate an aspect-oriented design model using the UML profile extension mechanism. With this mechanism, engineers can utilize the ICER tool to find errors in an aspect-oriented design model using the instance-of relationship. Moreover, the profile extension mechanism also provides engineers with an ability to introduce their own validation of an aspect-oriented design model. This flexibility allows engineers to express the special requirements in a particular development environment. We also illustrate how ICER can find errors in a real aspect-oriented design model composed by the UML metamodel and a creation aspect model.
Effects of feeding dry glycerol on milk production, nutrients digestibility and blood components in primiparous Holstein dairy cows during the early postpartum period

The aim of this study was to evaluate the glucogenic property of glycerol supplementation in the dairy cow’s diet. Sixty primiparous cows (control, n=30, and glycerol supplemented, n=30) were used to measure milk yield and components, blood hormone and metabolite profiles, and body condition score. Feed intake and apparent total-tract digestibility were also measured using 10 primiparous cows (control, n=5, and glycerol supplemented, n=5). Dry glycerol was top dressed at 250 g/day/cow from parturition to 21 days postpartum. Average feed intake, milk yield and components were not affected by glycerol supplementation. Apparent total–tract digestibility of organic matter and neutral detergent fibre were not influenced by dry glycerol supplementation, but lipid digestibility was greater ( p =0.01) in cows fed glycerol. The serum concentration of glucose and insulin tended to be higher in dry glycerol-supplemented cows ( p =0.1; p =0.06, respectively). While, serum concentrations of nonesterified fatty acids and β -hydroxybutyrate were not affected. Supplemented cows had lower body condition loss during weeks 1 to 5 after calving ( p= 0.09). The glucogenic effect of glycerol did not affect milk yield during the first 3 weeks of lactation. However, daily milk yield during the 13 weeks recording period was higher in the glycerol-supplemented cows (28.5 vs . 30.3 kg, p< 0.001). Percentages of cows cycling at the planned breeding date was greater ( p =0.01) for cows fed dry glycerol. The results demonstrated that feeding dry glycerol as a glucogenic supply could be useful in saving body reserves and improving energy balance of primiparous Holstein dairy cows during the early postpartum period.
Death and Bereavement in Israel: Jewish, Muslim, and Christian Perspectives

The chapter presents a contextual picture of death and bereavement from the perspective of Jews, Muslims, and Christians in Israel. The role of biblical, historical, and political factors in contributing to death and bereavement among the various segments of the population is noted, while highlighting the intricacies of the cultural and religious traditions that promote resilience and healing. Culturally sensitive frameworks and interventions are recommended to promote the empowerment and integrity of Israel’s Jewish, Muslim, and Christian people.
The Gestalt Imperative: A Proposition for Understanding

With so many terms available to define the same thing, it would seem nearly irresponsible to introduce yet another term [complex situation] that appears to describe a phenomenological state such as a system. However, complex situation infers both a broader meaning and imposes a differing perspective. Complex in this context is dependent on understanding and reality rather than observer and knowledge, and Situation imposes a gestalt that cannot be characterized within a singular perspective that relegates paradox to a hierarchically imposed primacy where the “squeaky wheel” gets the attention. This also infers that complex situation has no monotonic definition or each attempt at a definition by a singular perspective is by default incomplete. Therefore the perennial derivations for system: complex systems, system of systems, federation of systems, stochastic, chaotic, dynamic etc.… are no longer a sufficient descriptor for complex situation. Ergo system and its genealogy lack the constitution to define complex situations. To wit, this paper provides the premise for a situation and describes the conditions that make it complex sufficiently for syncretic study by discipline(s) in the proposed field of complex situations.
Osmocapillary phase separation

Abstract A covalent network of polymer can imbibe a solvent to form a gel. In a cavity on the surface of the gel, capillary force may suck the solvent out of the gel to form a pure liquid phase. We show that such osmocapillary phase separation occurs when capillarity balances osmosis, and when the diffusion of solvent in the gel prevails over the condensation of solvent from the vapor. Osmocapillary phase separation can occur even when the gel is isolated from the vapor, or when the solvent is nonvolatile. We relate osmocapillary phase separation to phenomena of practical significance, including the wettability of gels, the transparency of gels, the liquid bridge at the tip of an atomic force microscope, the adhesion between a gel and another substance, the surface morphology of gels, and the production of tight oil.
Can there be a Bayesian explanationism? On the prospects of a productive partnership

In this paper, I consider the relationship between Inference to the Best Explanation (IBE) and Bayesianism, both of which are well-known accounts of the nature of scientific inference. In Sect. 2, I give a brief overview of Bayesianism and IBE. In Sect. 3, I argue that IBE in its most prominently defended forms is difficult to reconcile with Bayesianism because not all of the items that feature on popular lists of “explanatory virtues”—by means of which IBE ranks competing explanations—have confirmational import. Rather, some of the items that feature on these lists are “informational virtues”—properties that do not make a hypothesis \(\hbox {H}_{1}\) more probable than some competitor \(\hbox {H}_{2}\) given evidence E, but that, roughly-speaking, give that hypothesis greater informative content. In Sect. 4, I consider as a response to my argument a recent version of compatibilism which argues that IBE can provide further normative constraints on the objectively correct probability function. I argue that this response does not succeed, owing to the difficulty of defending with any generality such further normative constraints. Lastly, in Sect. 5, I propose that IBE should be regarded, not as a theory of scientific inference, but rather as a theory of when we ought to “accept” H, where the acceptability of H is fixed by the goals of science and concerns whether H is worthy of commitment as research program. In this way, IBE and Bayesianism, as I will show, can be made compatible, and thus the Bayesian and the proponent of IBE can be friends.
Borders and the roots of xenophobia in South Africa

AbstractResponses to migration are intricately linked to the demarcation of borders and hence separate citizenships. In South Africa, the racist roots of the connection between nationality and territory is especially significant for understanding anti-foreigner violence. Ameliorating xenophobia, in turn, requires destabilising this foundation, from the abstract world of social theory, through assumptions embedded within policymaking processes, down to public education. As a crucial step in that agenda, I bring the region's national narratives into sharper focus by concentrating on three constitutional transitions, each of which fundamentally altered territorial boundaries. (1) The establishment of the Union of South Africa in 1910 defined the core of its current borders, but those negotiations also left unresolved the liminal status of the neighbouring British protectorates. (2) A cascade of decolonisation into the early 1960s inscribed formal borders within the region, a process that also created new cit...
Impact to Underground Sources of Drinking Water and Domestic Wells from Production Well Stimulation and Completion Practices in the Pavillion, Wyoming, Field

A comprehensive analysis of all publicly available data and reports was conducted to evaluate impact to Underground Sources of Drinking Water (USDWs) as a result of acid stimulation and hydraulic fracturing in the Pavillion, WY, Field. Although injection of stimulation fluids into USDWs in the Pavillion Field was documented by EPA, potential impact to USDWs at the depths of stimulation as a result of this activity was not previously evaluated. Concentrations of major ions in produced water samples outside expected levels in the Wind River Formation, leakoff of stimulation fluids into formation media, and likely loss of zonal isolation during stimulation at several production wells, indicates that impact to USDWs has occurred. Detection of organic compounds used for well stimulation in samples from two monitoring wells installed by EPA, plus anomalies in major ion concentrations in water from one of these monitoring wells, provide additional evidence of impact to USDWs and indicate upward solute migration ...
Flight Times of Lygus hesperus

One hour after sunset and before sunrise, unbaited Truck-mounted traps collected more adult Lygus hesperus Knight than at any other time of day. Some flight occurred in the night, but none occurred in the daytime. Where traps were placed 2.5–9.5 feet above ground, flight was heaviest up to 8 feet, but some flight occurred at 9.5 feet, an indication that flight does occur above that height. Insects flying so high are likely to be carried long distances by high winds that frequently accompany evening storms in the summer in central Arizona.
Viability of Puccinia horiana Teliospores Under Various Environmental Conditions

Puccinia horiana Henn. is a quarantine-significant fungal pathogen and causal agent of chrysanthemum white rust (CWR). The pathogen and disease were first discovered in the United States in 1977 and quickly eradicated. During the early 1990s, CWR reemerged in several instances, but in each instance was declared eradicated. However, since approximately 2004 CWR has reappeared at an accelerated frequency. This has suggested that either P. horiana is entering the country more frequently from foreign locations or that P. horiana is now established in the field, implying that spores are capable of surviving winter conditions in plant debris or soil. As a result of the possibility that the pathogen has become established in the United States, we initiated several lines of research. The objectives of the study reported here were: (i) develop a better and more sensitive method to measure teliospore longevity; and (ii) determine if the pathogen is able to survive northeastern winters as viable teliospores. Results from the study showed that teliospores survived in the greenhouse a maximum of 28 days in dry soil and 7 days in moist soil. In a growth chamber simulating winter temperature conditions in the northeastern United States, teliospores survived a maximum of 35 days. It was concluded that P. horiana teliospores are not able to survive through typical northeastern U.S. winters.
REST VE/VCO2 AND ETCO2 ARE SUPERIOR TO EXERCISE GAS EXCHANGE PARAMETERS FOR THE PREDICTION OF PULMONARY VASCULAR DISEASE IN PULMONARY HYPERTENSION

Aim of study is to assess utility of ratio of minute ventilation to CO2 production (VE/VCO2), and end-tidal CO2 pressure (ETCO2) to predict intrinsic pulmonary vascular disease. We reviewed clinical, hemodynamic and CPET data of 21 patients evaluated for PH. All patients were divided into two
Variety of Types in Human Paratyphoid C Infections

White table covers findings from all parts of the world. In a limited area a smaller number of types is to be expected. In this country, seven paratyphoid C types have been identified from animals ;2 in human infections, however, until recently only one type has been reported (Salmonella cholera suis, specific and non-specific variety; other names: Bacillus suipestifer, American and European type.)3 Only lately 2 more types, Salmonella amersfoort and Salmonella oranienburg, have been found.4
Thermal conductivity in nanostructured films: from single cellulose nanocrystals to bulk films

We achieved a multiscale description of the thermal conductivity of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) from single CNCs (∼0.72-5.7 W m(-1) K(-1)) to their organized nanostructured films (∼0.22-0.53 W m(-1) K(-1)) using experimental evidence and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. The ratio of the approximate phonon mean free path (∼1.7-5.3 nm) to the lateral dimension of a single CNC (∼5-20 nm) suggested a contribution of crystal-crystal interfaces to polydisperse CNC film's heat transport. Based on this, we modeled the thermal conductivity of CNC films using MD-predicted single crystal and interface properties along with the degree of CNC alignment in the bulk films using Hermans order parameter. Film thermal conductivities were strongly correlated to the degree of CNC alignment and the direction of heat flow relative to the CNC chain axis. The low interfacial barrier to heat transport found for CNCs (∼9.4 to 12.6 m(2) K GW(-1)), and their versatile alignment capabilities offer unique opportunities in thermal conductivity control.
Photoactivated bioconjugation between ortho-azidophenols and anilines: a facile approach to biomolecular photopatterning.

Methods for the surface patterning of small molecules and biomolecules can yield useful platforms for drug screening, synthetic biology applications, diagnostics, and the immobilization of live cells. However, new techniques are needed to achieve the ease, feature sizes, reliability, and patterning speed necessary for widespread adoption. Herein, we report an easily accessible and operationally simple photoinitiated reaction that can achieve patterned bioconjugation in a highly chemoselective manner. The reaction involves the photolysis of 2-azidophenols to generate iminoquinone intermediates that couple rapidly to aniline groups. We demonstrate the broad functional group compatibility of this reaction for the modification of proteins, polymers, oligonucleotides, peptides, and small molecules. As a specific application, the reaction was adapted for the photolithographic patterning of azidophenol DNA on aniline glass substrates. The presence of the DNA was confirmed by the ability of the surface to capture...
Quality of life of 179 patients infected with HIV

Objective To know the quality of life( QOL) and it's influencing factors among patients infected with HIV with CD4+T lymphocyte counts( CD4 counts) ≤350 / mm3 in Zhuhai City,so as to provide targeted interventions for HIV / AIDS. Methods Patients infected with HIV,whose CD4 counts were below 350 / mm3 and who were followed up by Foshan Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention or medical institutions in Foshan from October 2013 to March 2014,were investigated by using WHO QOL HIV – BREF. Data of the patients including basic demographic information and related influencing factors were obtained from the " Information management system for the prevention and control of HIV / AIDS". Influencing factors of quality of life were analyzed by using multiple linear regression analysis method. Results A total of 179 cases were investigated. The average age was( 39. 56 ± 11. 65) years.Among all the cases,72. 07% were males; 33. 52% were aged 30-39 years; 51. 40% had educational background of junior high school; 51. 40% were married; 80. 45% were on the job; 50. 28% were HIVinfected and 49. 72% were patients with AIDS; 64. 25% were not residents registered in the city. Heterosexual contact was the main route of HIV transmission( 63. 69%). The average scores of the cases were lower than those of the general population in psychological domain( 13. 17 ± 2. 72),independence domain( 14. 12 ± 2. 75),and social relations domain( 12. 94 ± 2. 53)( P 0. 01 for all),but higher in spiritual pillar / religious faith domain( 14. 29 ± 3. 06)( P 0. 01). In multiple linear regression analysis,the related factors affecting the QOL were gender,education,local household registration,route of infection,receiving treatment of opportunistic infections,advertising materials,receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy,and access to condom use( P 0. 05 or P 0. 01). Especially the scores for HIV / AIDS patients infected through blood transfusion were lower in physical domain,independence domain and spiritual pillar /religious faith domain( partial regression coefficient:-4. 67,-4. 00,-7. 24). Conclusion The QOL of HIV / AIDS patients with CD4 counts ≤350 / mm3 was lower than that of the general population and influenced by many factors. Relevant measures for corresponding domians should be formulated to improve the QOL of persons living with HIV / AIDS.
A Preliminary Study on Callus Induction of Aloe barbadensis

The influence upon callus induction and its growth by the category and size of the explants, method of implanting, combination of plant growth regulators, and the effect of AgNO_3 and vitamin C was studied when the segments of stem, shoot, leaf and root of Aloe barbadensis were applied as explants, MS was adopted as elementary medium added with varied quantities of 2,4-D, NAA, KT and the different combinations of these plant growth regulators, and different contents of AgNO_3 and Vitamin C were added into the medium. It was indicated by the results that the best explants were 2 cm long stems, the best implanting method was the horizontal placement, the best combination of plant growth regulators was NAA 15 mg/L +2,4-D 4 mg/L +KT 0.1 mg/L, with which the callus induction rate reached to be 90%. It was also showed that the addition of 10 mg/L AgNO_3 could promote the growth of the callus, and 5 mg/L of vitamin C was helpful to inhibit callus browning in the culture process.
Changes in intracellular Mg adenosine triphosphate and ionized Mg2+ during blood storage: detection by 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

31P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy was used to measure changes in intra-erythrocyte Mg adenosine triphosphate (MgATP) and free Mg2+ during blood storage at 4 degrees C in standard citrate preservation media. The extent of Mg2+ complexation of ATP and the concentration of free Mg2+ were measured from the Mg2+-dependent chemical shift differences, at 22 degrees C, between the P beta and P alpha resonances of intracellular ATP. This difference changed from 721.0 +/- 1.4 Hz (mean +/- SE) on the day of collection to 741.0 +/- 3.4 Hz after three to seven days and 774.0 +/- 2.8 Hz after 11 to 40 days storage in either acid-citrate-dextrose (ACD) or citrate-phosphate- dextrose-adenine (CPDA-1). Changes in intracellular pH, detected from shifts in the intracellular Pi resonance, averaged 0.27 units after 11 to 40 days of storage. These data indicate a sizable decrease in the extent of Mg2+ complexation of ATP, and a decrease by a factor of 2.6 in free Mg2+, during the shelf-life of blood stored in ACD or CPDA-1.
In-Work Benefit, Labor Supply and Optimal Labor Income Taxation: The Fixed Cost of Living and Its Applications

This applied theoretical paper finds that in-work benefits recipients tend to increase labor income, regardless of the benefits’ structure. A theory, the fixed cost of living, is used to explain this finding. Several applications of this theory are given. First, a critical review shows why the empirical papers are inconsistent. Second, using wage income elasticity to calculate optimal marginal tax rate is misleading for low income earners. Finally, in-work benefits should be part of the optimal labor income taxation.
Simplified Lower Lid Tightening Without a Tarsal Strip

Lower lid laxity is a contributing factor in entropion and ectropion and in some of the lower lid retraction and suboptimal blepharoplasty. Full-thickness pentagonal eyelid resection is the conventional technique used to correct it. Though effective, it may result in occasional trichiasis, corneal abrasion, and unsightly scarring. The lateral tarsal strip technique is also very effective. However, to fashion a lateral tarsal strip and to create a periosteal strip or to drill a hole in the lateral orbital rim may seem daunting to an occasional operator. The author describes a simplified lower lid tightening technique which is easy to perform and is free of many of the known complications. It yields consistent and excellent result with transient lateral orbital rim tenderness as the only rare complication.
Kodierrichtlinien: sinnvoll, aber noch nicht ausgereift

Der Bundesverband der Pneumologen begrust die Kodierricht linien, die ab April in den Praxen umgesetzt werden sollen. Die neuen Richtlinien sind unerlasslich, damit kunftig ein Zusammenhang von Honorar und Aufwand arztlicher Leistungen moglich ist. Allerdings gibt es in einigen Punkten noch Nachbesserungs bedarf.
Brain MRI in Congenital Muscular Dystrophies

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in 21 patients with congenital muscular dystrophy (CMD) complicated by cerebral anomalies were analysed from data collected at several Departments of Child Neurology, The Netherlands: Free University Hospital, and Emma Children’s Hospital, Amsterdam; Sophia Children’s Hospital, Rotterdam; Leiden University Hospital; Groningen University Hospital; and St Radboud University Hospital, Nijmegen.
PET Studies of Infantile Spasms

Positron emission tomography (PET) was used to determine local cerebral metabolic rates for glucose in 44 infants with spasms at the Departments of Neurology and Pediatrics, Division of Nuclear Medicine and Biophysics and the Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, School of Medicine, CA.
Dust particle combustion models

At the microscopic level, a dust flame consists of a cloud of burning particles. Examining the physical and chemical processes involved in the combustion of a single particle can be considered the logical starting point for investigating the fundamental nature of a dust deflagration.
Mean echo power as a measure of flow reduction for bubble occlusion therapy

Ultrasound can be used to phase transition perfluorocarbon (PFC) droplets into gas bubbles, a process known as acoustic droplet vaporization (ADV). In vivo blood flow reductions can then be achieved using the ADV bubbles. An in situ ultrasonic measurement of this blood flow reduction is desirable. Since, in a simple model, initial flow reduction is proportional to the number of bubbles, and the mean echo power (MEP) in a B-mode image is related to the number of bubbles (off resonant scattering), it is hypothesized that the MEP can be used to estimate the relative flow reduction. To test this hypothesis, three canines were anesthetized and a laparotomy performed to externalize the left kidney and renal artery. An ultrasonic flow probe was placed on the renal artery. PFC droplets were injected intravenously and a focused 3.5 MHz single-element transducer was used to vaporize the PFC droplets, just downstream of the flow probe. The flow in the renal artery was recorded with the flowmeter as the vaporized droplets became lodged in the renal capillary beds. Simultaneously, B-mode cine loops were recorded. The cine loops were processed to determine the echogenicity, as measured by the MEP, in the kidney cortex. It was found that the MEP and renal arterial flow did not correlate quantitatively. However it was found that the MEP could be used to determine when the renal arterial flow had recovered to a steady state.
Zika Virus-What the Otolaryngologist Should Know: A Review.

Importance Initially discovered in 1947, Zika virus infection received little notoriety as a tropical disease until 2015 when an outbreak of microcephaly cases was reported in Brazil. Zika is a single-stranded RNA arbovirus of the Flaviviridae family. The primary source of infection in humans stems from Aedes aegypti mosquito bites but can also occur through sexual, blood, and perinatal transmission. With expectations that 3 to 4 million people across the Americas will be infected over the next year, the World Health Organization has declared this event a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Observations Although acute Zika virus infection is typically mild and self-limited, researchers have demonstrated serious neurologic complications associated with it such as microcephaly and Guillain-Barre syndrome. Otolaryngologists should be aware of head and neck manifestations which include conjunctivitis, retro-orbital pain, cephalgia, and odynophagia. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have developed specific molecular and serologic testing protocols and algorithms for follow-up care of suspected cases. Currently, the mainstay of management is conservative care while researchers attempt to develop a vaccine. Strategies to contain the Zika virus include vector control, travel restriction for women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant, and avoidance of mosquito bites in endemic regions of the world. Conclusions and Revelance The future outlook regarding the current Zika virus outbreak in the Americas remains uncertain. What is certain is our need to promptly and efficiently address research gaps in our understanding of clinical outcomes from infection and environmental factors that influence emergence meanwhile improving diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive measures against the disease.
Inferring the foraging ranges of social bees from sibling genotypes sampled across discrete locations

A knowledge of the distances regularly travelled by foraging bees is essential to understanding the movement of pollen across landscapes, and has implications for the conservation of both pollinators and plants. Unfortunately, the movements of bees are difficult to measure directly at ecologically relevant scales. A common strategy for quantifying the foraging ranges of social bees is to sample the genotypes of foragers across a landscape. Individual foragers can be assigned to colonies with polymorphic genetic markers, and the dispersion of siblings in space can be used to make inference about colony locations and foraging movements. Several previous studies have sampled sibling genotypes at discrete locations (for example, at regular points along a transect), rather than in continuous space. Restricting the collection of bees to discrete locations presents a number of considerations for sampling design and data analysis. In this paper, we develop a spatially-explicit, model-based framework for the simulation and estimation of foraging ranges. Using these tools, we simulated experiments to characterise the efficacy of different sampling strategies, and provide an example with actual data that demonstrates the advantages of our method over an approach based on regression.
Phosphatase-stable peptidomimetic prodrug inhibitors of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3

1306 Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (Stat3) transmits signals from IL-6 family cytokines, EGF, Src, etc., is constitutively activated in head and neck, breast, prostate, and other cancers, and is a target for cancer drug design. To develop small molecule inhibitors of Stat3, we have targeted the Stat3 SH2 domain with phosphopeptide-based inhibitors. Molecular modeling of a lead peptide, Ac-pTyr-Leu-Pro-Gln-NHBn, docked to the Stat3 SH2 domain [1] suggested additional modifications that would enhance binding affinity between the inhibitor and the protein. A series of peptidomimetics incorporating these modifications showed 2- to 3-fold increases in binding affinity with IC50 values ranging from 35 - 120 nM in fluorescence polarization assays. Several of these inhibitors were converted to phosphatase-stable, cell-permeable prodrugs by replacing the phosphate with the phosphonodifluoromethyl group and capping the phosphonate with pivaloyloxymethyl (POM) groups. One such compound, PM-252F, when added to MDA MB-468 and BT-20 breast cancer cells completely inhibited constitutive Stat3 phosphorylation at 100 nM and inhibited cell growth with an IC50 of 1-2 μM. PM-252F also inhibited proliferation of primary CLL cells by inducing apoptosis. Thus, we have successfully converted our lead phosphopeptide to a phosphatase-stable and cell-permeable small molecule inhibitor of Stat3. [1] Biopolymers, 2007, in press
Current and future trends in tuberculosis incidence in New York City: a dynamic modelling analysis

Summary Background After steady decline since the 1990s, tuberculosis incidence in New York City and throughout the USA has plateaued. We aimed to explore the major drivers of the flattening of tuberculosis incidence in New York City and to project the future trajectory of the tuberculosis epidemic in the absence of any additional intervention. Methods We developed a compartmental transmission model of tuberculosis in New York City. The model was parameterised with detailed epidemiological data and stratified by age and nativity (US-born vs foreign-born). We ran the model under five alternative scenarios representing different explanations for recent declines in tuberculosis incidence. We evaluated the relative likelihood of each scenario by comparing its output with available data. We used the most likely scenarios to explore potential mechanisms underlying the recent declines in tuberculosis in New York City and to describe the reasonable range of future epidemic trajectories. Our primary outcome was the projected rate of decline in tuberculosis incidence from 2015 to 2025. Model calibration yielded estimates of future disease incidence and reductions in incidence with 95% credible intervals (CrIs). Findings Demographic changes and declining tuberculosis transmission alone were insufficient to explain recent trends in tuberculosis incidence in New York City. Only scenarios that assumed contemporary changes in tuberculosis dynamics among foreign-born individuals—a declining rate of reactivation or a decrease in imported subclinical tuberculosis—could accurately describe the trajectory of disease incidence since 2007. In those scenarios, the projected decline in incidence from 2015 to 2025 varied from minimal (2·0% per year [95% CrI 0·4–3·5]) to similar to 2005 to 2009 trends (4·4% per year [2·5–6·4]). The primary factor differentiating optimistic from pessimistic projections was the degree to which improvements in tuberculosis dynamics among the foreign-born population continued into the coming decade. Interpretation Further progress towards elimination of tuberculosis in New York City requires additional focus on the foreign-born population. Without additional intervention in this group, tuberculosis incidence might not decline further. Funding None.
Abstract MP82: Associations of Positive Psychological Well-being on Changes in Allostatic Load: Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)

Background: Cumulative multi-system physiological dysregulation may represent an important pathway linking psychological well-being to cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk but this relationship is poorly understood. This study examines the cross-sectional associations of psychological well-being (positive affect and dispositional optimism) with allostatic load (AL), i.e., cumulative multi-system physiologic burden. Methods: We used data collected from approximately 4,000 adults aged 45-84 who participated in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) with initial baseline enrollment in 2000-2002. Positive affect was calculated by summing four positively-worded items included in the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale Revised. The Life Orientation Test-Revised was used to assess levels of dispositional optimism. A composite score for AL was derived from the following physiological components: wait-to-hip ratio, triglycerides, LDL and HDL cholesterol, glucose, systolic blood pressure, resting heart rate, and pulse pressure. Multiple linear regression was used to examine cross-sectional associations of positive affect and AL at baseline (2000-2002) and optimism and AL at the first follow-up visit (2002-2004). Results: In models adjusted for socio-demographic factors, psychological well-being was not significantly related to AL for the total sample. However, effect modification was evident by sex and race/ethnicity when examining the association of optimism and AL. Optimism was inversely associated with AL for Caucasian men, after adjustment for socio-demographic factors (Table 1), with a 1-unit increase in optimism associated with a 0.07 reduction in AL ( p = 0.03). Conclusion: The current study offers preliminary evidence for an inverse association between dispositional optimism and AL among Caucasian men. Prospective analyses to come.
A new heat transfer coefficient correlation for pure refrigerants and near-azeotropic refrigerant mixtures flow boiling within horizontal microfin tubes

Abstract A new correlation is presented to predict the heat transfer coefficients (HTCs) of pure refrigerants and near-azeotropic refrigerant mixtures undergoing flow boiling within horizontal microfin tubes. This is accomplished by first putting together a 2622-point experimental database from 25 sources. The data includes CO2, R12, R1234yf, R1234ze(E), R134a, R22, R32, R404A, and R410A, 2.1–14.85 mm fin root diameter tubes, −20 °C to 39.9 °C saturation temperatures, vapor qualities from 0 to 1, reduced pressures from 0.03 to 0.78, and heat and mass fluxes ranging from 1 to 58.7 kW/m2 and 25 to 820 kg/s m2, respectively. The entire database was randomly divided into two subsets, 90% of the data being used to develop the new correlation, with the remaining 10% used to validate it. The correlation was developed in two steps. Thirty-eight unique dimensionless parameters pertinent to flow boiling in microfin tubes were first selected. Multi-variable regression analysis was then applied to identify the most significant variables influencing the flow boiling Nusselt number. The new correlation was evaluated and compared with six extant correlations on an overall basis as well as for several bins of parameters. Overall evaluation for the entire database, for the 10% test data, and for points with experimental uncertainties less than ±17% shows that the new correlation is significantly better than any of the extant correlations. For these three overall assessments, the new correlation predicts 71.5–80.5% of the data within ±30% error bands, with a mean absolute deviation of 21.5 to 25.2%. Additionally, the distribution of the entire database and the performance of the new correlation was examined relative to refrigerant, and for various bins of fin root diameter, Dr, mass flux, G, all-liquid Reynolds number, Real, reduced pressure, PR, saturation temperature, Tsat, heat flux q, and vapor quality, x. In general, the new correlation shows reasonably good predictions, which are better than those of the existing correlations for most parameter bins, with MAD values generally smaller than 35%. Based on the bin analysis, parameter ranges in which one of the extant correlations gives better predictions than the new correlation are also identified. With these exceptions in mind, the new correlation can be used as a reasonably reliable predictive tool for a large variety of refrigerants under different operating conditions of practical interest.
La controversia de la inmigración internacional: desafíos para el Trabajo Social en EE. UU. y Chile

La imigracion internacional es uno de los procesos socio-demograficos de mayor trascendencia e impocto en el mundo contemporaneo. Sin embargo, a pasar de su importancia, ni los modelos teoricos utilizados en su estudio, ni las politicas publicas o leyes reguladoras logran explicar o eliminar estereotipos de rechazo y exclusion hacia los inmigrantes. Este articulo analiza la presencia de algunas actitudes y conductas negativas observadas en los Estados Unidos hacia la poblacion hispana y algunas expresiones similares en Chile, en relacion a inmigrantes provenientes del Peru. El estudio sugiere que este es un fenomeno universal el cual requiere una perspectiva teorica amplia que involucre el sistema social en su totalidad. El desafio que esto significa, tanto para las ciencias sociales como para los profesionales en el campo del trabajo social, implica investigaciones y actividades que permitan incoporar la migracion a las estrategias y tareas del desarrollo nacional.