cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Numerical and experimental comparison of bistable and monostable vibration energy harvesters under broadband random excitation

In this paper, numerical and experimental investigations of broadband random vibrational energy harvesting using monostable and bistable piezoelectric cantilevers are presented along with relative performance comparisons. Simulations and experiments reveal that a linear-monostable energy harvester can outperform its bistable counterpart for very low and relatively high random excitation levels. The bistable configuration generates more power only for a limited excitation intensity range slightly above the threshold of interwell oscillations. Under broadband stochastic excitation, a bistable energy harvester can potentially be preferred only if it is designed to operate at a known excitation intensity, otherwise using a monostable harvester is more robust and practical.
Removal and Remand -- Beyond the Supplements (2015)

This is a compilation of case descriptions and citations to law review articles that complements the contents of the 2015 Pocket Parts to volumes 14B and C of the Wright & Miller treatise on Federal Practice and Procedure. It was put together by the author of those Pocket Parts. The cases described here either are not included at all in the 2015 volume 14B and C Pocket Parts or are cited there for different propositions than are reflected in this electronic publication. The cases that are included in this electronic compilation came to my attention between mid-October, 2013, and mid-October, 2014. This electronic compilation was prompted by the publisher’s decision to make the treatise more selective in describing new case developments, as the number of cases in this and many other areas of federal practice and procedure exploded.Also online is a "Beyond the Supplements," which complemented the 2014 Pocket Parts to volumes 14B and C of the Wright & Miller treatise: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2401049.
Direct Power Control Strategy of Railway Static Power Conditioner Based on Modular Multilevel Converter

To solve problem of negative sequence components and to compensate reactive power and eliminate harmonics, back-to-back connection structure of railway static power conditioner(RPC) connected to traction network directly with two single-phase modular multilevel converters(MMC) is designed. Compared with traditional RPC, MMC-RPC eliminates step-down transformer to increase DC voltage and reduce DC current. A direct power control strategy(DPC) without angular frequency and inductance parameters using mathematical model of single-phase system voltage and power is proposed according to analysis of railway power supply. Taking V/v traction as example, a simulation model is constructed in MATLAB/Simulink. The results show that the proposed strategy is effective.
Criminality, narrative and the expert witness in American biohistory

This article considers forensic anthropologists’ roles in negotiating the concept of criminality in biohistorical cases, those investigations of the famous and infamous dead that are driven by publ...
Results of the 2008 National Resident Matching Program: family medicine

The results of the 2008 National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) reflect a currently stable level of student interest in family medicine residency training in the United States. Compared with the 2007 Match, 91 more positions (with 65 more US seniors) were filled in family medicine residency programs through the NRMP in 2008, at the same time as 10 fewer (one fewer US senior) in primary care internal medicine, eight fewer positions were filled in pediatrics-primary care (10 fewer US seniors), and 19 fewer (27 fewer US seniors) in internal medicine-pediatrics programs. Multiple forces, including student perspectives of the demands, rewards, and prestige of the specialty, the turbulence and uncertainty of the health care environment, lifestyle issues, and the impact of faculty role models, continue to influence medical student career choices. Thirty-one more positions (20 fewer US seniors) were filled in categorical internal medicine. Thirty more positions (84 fewer US seniors) were filled in categorical pediatrics programs. The 2008 NRMP results suggest that while interest in family medicine experienced a slight increase in the number of students choosing the specialty, interest in other primary care careers continues to decline. With the needs of the nation calling for the roles and services of family physicians, family medicine still matched too few graduates through the 2008 NRMP to meet the nation's needs for primary care physicians.
Homing and Migration Assays of Hematopoietic Stem/Progenitor Cells

Hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) reside mainly in bone marrow; however, under homeostatic and stressed conditions, HSPCs dynamically change their location-either egressing from bone marrow and getting into circulation, a process of mobilization; or coming back to the bone marrow, the homing process. How to analyze these two processes will be critical for understanding the behavior of HSPCs. Here we provide an experimental protocol to monitor and analyze homing and migration of HSPCs.
Optimized relativity search: node reduction in personalized page rank estimation for large graphs

This paper proposes an algorithm called optimized relativity search to reduce the number of nodes in a graph when attempting to decrease the running time for personalized page rank (PPR) estimation. Even though similar estimations have been done, this method significantly increases the speed of computation, making it a feasible candidate for large graph solutions, such as search engines and friend recommendation techniques used in social media. In this study, the weighted page rank method was combined with the Monte-Carlo technique and a local update algorithm over a reduced map space; this algorithm was developed to achieve a more accurate and faster search method than FAST PPR. The experimental results showed that for nodes with a high degree of incoming nodes, the speed of estimation was twice as fast compared to FAST PPR, at the expense of a little accuracy.
ISOLATION AND GROWTH OF DINOFLAGELLATE, Scrippsiella sp. AND DIATOM, Melosira cf. moniliformis IN CONTROLLED CONDITIONS

The growth of the dinoflagellate, Scrippsiella sp. from Narragansett Bay, USA and the chain-forming benthic diatom, Melosira cf. moniliformis from Kendari Bay, Indonesia was evaluated under optimized laboratory conditions to investigate potential new candidates for shrimp aquaculture hatchery feeds. Isolation of microalgae was performed using capillary pipets in f/8-Si for Scrippsiella sp. and f/2 for M. cf. moniliformis. Isolated cells were placed in an incubator with a photoperiod of 12:12 hour (light : dark cycle), at light intensities of 62-89 μmol photons.m-2.s and at temperature of 20oC. Microalgae cells were cultured in 150-mL Erlenmeyer flasks containing 100 mL of f/2-Si medium for Scrippsiella spin triplicates and in 50-mL culture tubes containing 20 mL of f/2 medium for M. cf. moniliformis in four replicates. The cells in culture flasks were used in cell counting experiments while those in tubes were for fluorometer trials. Growth evaluation was conducted every 2-3 days. The diatom, M. cf. moniliformis was in logarithmic phase when observed at 2 to 7 days after inoculation and showed a high growth rate (μ = 0.52 day-1) and high division rate (k = 0.76 day-1, 1 division every 1.3 days). Logarithmic phase of Scrippsiella in culture flasks was started on day 7 to 30 (μ = 0.17 day-1 and k = 0.25 day-1 or 1 division every 4 days). In culture tubes, Scrippsiella sp. reached logarithmic phase at day 21 to 47 (μ = 0.12 day-1 and k = 0.18 day-1, 1 division every 5.65 days). This study indicates that M. cf. moniliformis can be used for aquaculture hatcheries feed but further study for the nutrition composition is needed. Scrippsiella sp. is potentially toxic for aquaculture at high densities, therefore they should be assessed carefully if used for aquaculture feeds.
High Ehergy Rate…its application to metal forming

Promising the engineer unfettered design freedom, explosive, hydroelectric, and pneumatic-mechanical forming—the most important high energy rate processes for the deformation of materials—are explored in detail. Explanation is also given to a new concept, closed-cavity extrusion molding.
There's a New Sheriff in Town: Institutional Shareholder Services

In 2007, Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) was the largest proxy advisory company in the world, with over 1,700 institutional clients managing an estimated $25 trillion in equity securities. The ISS proxy advisory services were intended to give shareholders greater influence over the management and oversight of the companies they invested in. Over time, ISS increasingly found itself in a central position as an authoritative voice in the debate over shareholder rights. The position was a lucrative one for the company. Critics, however, wondered whether ISS's positions on important issues were the correct positions and whether it was beneficial to have one organization hold such influence over closely contested proxy contests.
Sorafenib enhances pemetrexed cytotoxicity through an autophagy-dependent mechanism in cancer cells

Pemetrexed (ALIMTA) is a folate anti-metabolite that has been approved for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer, and has been shown to stimulate autophagy. In the present study, we sought to further understand the role of autophagy in the response to pemetrexed and to test if combination therapy could enhance the level of toxicity through altered autophagy in tumor cells. The multikinase inhibitor sorafenib (NEXAVAR), used in the treatment of renal and hepatocellular carcinoma, suppresses tumor angiogenesis and promotes autophagy in tumor cells. We found that sorafenib interacted in a greater than additive fashion with pemetrexed to increase autophagy and to kill a diverse array of tumor cell types. Tumor cell types that displayed high levels of cell killing after combination treatment showed elevated levels of AKT, p70 S6K and/or phosphorylated mTOR, in addition to class III RTKs such as PDGFRβ and VEGFR1, known in vivo targets of sorafenib. In xenograft and in syngeneic animal models of mammary carcinoma and glioblastoma, the combination of sorafenib and pemetrexed suppressed tumor growth without deleterious effects on normal tissues or animal body mass. Taken together, the data suggest that premexetred and sorafenib act synergistically to enhance tumor killing via the promotion of a toxic form of autophagy that leads to activation of the intrinsic apoptosis pathway, and predict that combination treatment represents a future therapeutic option in the treatment of solid tumors.
Focusing through walls: An E-shaped patch antenna improves whole-home radio tomography

Tagless identification and tracking with through-wall received signal strength-based radio tomographic imaging (RTI) allows emergency responders to learn where people are inside of a building before entering the building. Use of directional antennas in RTI nodes focuses RF power along the link line, improving system performance. However, antennas placed on a building's exterior wall can be detuned by their close proximity to the dielectric, thus sending power across wider angles and resulting in less accurate imaging. In this paper, we improve through-wall RTI by using an E-shaped patch antenna we design to be mounted to an exterior wall. Along with its directionality, the E-shaped patch antenna is designed to avoid impedance mismatches when brought into close proximity of a dielectric material, thus increasing radiation through the exterior wall and along the link line. From our experiments, we demonstrate that the E-shaped patch antenna can reduce the median root mean square localization error by up to 43% when compared to microstrip patch and omnidirectional antennas. For equal error performance, the E-shaped patch antenna allows an RTI system to reduce power and bandwidth usage by using fewer nodes and measuring on fewer channels.
802.11n wireless LAN performance for mobile devices

With the increasing adoption of high bandwidth 802.11ac technology by mobile devices in the future, significant improvements performance are anticipated. However, many mobile devices are currently equipped with 802.11n network cards, and a large base of already deployed access points only support 802.11n. We conducted experiments to measure the performance of mobile devices in a 2.4 GHz 802.11n LAN. We used the 2.4 GHz band since most 802.11n networks use this band (802.11n networks can also use the less interference-prone 5 GHz band). Our results indicate that 1) there is high variability in the performance of mobile devices even in an interference-controlled environment with no congestion in the wireline network; and 2) higher performance loss does not always correspond to a higher level of congestion in the wireline network. Packet analysis reveals that the performance variability and performance reduction are primarily due to media access delays and the overhead due to retransmissions on the wireless link. This study shows that regardless of the gigabit capabilities of future 802.11 hardware, inherent characteristics of the shared wireless medium and the 802.11 MAC layer access mechanisms will limit the performance gains of mobile devices even under ideal conditions.
Continuous measurement of air-water gas exchange by underwater eddy covariance

Abstract. Exchange of gases, such as O2, CO2, and CH4, over the air–water interface is an important component in aquatic ecosystem studies, but exchange rates are typically measured or estimated with substantial uncertainties. This diminishes the precision of common ecosystem assessments associated with gas exchanges such as primary production, respiration, and greenhouse gas emission. Here, we used the aquatic eddy covariance technique – originally developed for benthic O2 flux measurements – right below the air–water interface (∼ 4 cm) to determine gas exchange rates and coefficients. Using an acoustic Doppler velocimeter and a fast-responding dual O2–temperature sensor mounted on a floating platform the 3-D water velocity, O2 concentration, and temperature were measured at high-speed (64 Hz). By combining these data, concurrent vertical fluxes of O2 and heat across the air–water interface were derived, and gas exchange coefficients were calculated from the former. Proof-of-concept deployments at different river sites gave standard gas exchange coefficients (k600) in the range of published values. A 40 h long deployment revealed a distinct diurnal pattern in air–water exchange of O2 that was controlled largely by physical processes (e.g., diurnal variations in air temperature and associated air–water heat fluxes) and not by biological activity (primary production and respiration). This physical control of gas exchange can be prevalent in lotic systems and adds uncertainty to assessments of biological activity that are based on measured water column O2 concentration changes. For example, in the 40 h deployment, there was near-constant river flow and insignificant winds – two main drivers of lotic gas exchange – but we found gas exchange coefficients that varied by several fold. This was presumably caused by the formation and erosion of vertical temperature–density gradients in the surface water driven by the heat flux into or out of the river that affected the turbulent mixing. This effect is unaccounted for in widely used empirical correlations for gas exchange coefficients and is another source of uncertainty in gas exchange estimates. The aquatic eddy covariance technique allows studies of air–water gas exchange processes and their controls at an unparalleled level of detail. A finding related to the new approach is that heat fluxes at the air–water interface can, contrary to those typically found in the benthic environment, be substantial and require correction of O2 sensor readings using high-speed parallel temperature measurements. Fast-responding O2 sensors are inherently sensitive to temperature changes, and if this correction is omitted, temperature fluctuations associated with the turbulent heat flux will mistakenly be recorded as O2 fluctuations and bias the O2 eddy flux calculation.
How Do School Peers Influence Student Educational Outcomes? Theory and Evidence from Economics and Other Social Sciences:

BackgroundInterest among social scientists in peer influences has grown with recent reseg-regation of the nation's schools and court decisions that limit the ability of school districts to consider...
HybridGuard: A Principal-Based Permission and Fine-Grained Policy Enforcement Framework for Web-Based Mobile Applications

Web-based or hybrid mobile applications (apps) are widely used and supported by various modern hybrid app development frameworks. In this architecture, any JavaScript code, local or remote, can access available APIs, including JavaScript bridges provided by the hybrid framework, to access device resources. This JavaScript inclusion capability is dangerous, since there is no mechanism to determine the origin of the code to control access, and any JavaScript code running in the mobile app can access the device resources through the exposed APIs. Previous solutions are either limited to a particular platform (e.g., Android) or a specific hybrid framework (e.g., Cordova) or only protect the device resources and disregard the sensitive elements in the web environment. Moreover, most of the solutions require the modification of the base platform. In this paper, we present HybridGuard, a novel policy enforcement framework that can enforce principal-based, stateful policies, on multiple origins without modifying the hybrid frameworks or mobile platforms. In HybridGuard, hybrid app developers can specify principal-based permissions, and define fine-grained, and stateful policies that can mitigate a significant class of attacks caused by potentially malicious JavaScript code included from third-party domains, including ads running inside the app. HybridGuard also provides a mechanism and policy patterns for app developers to specify fine-grained policies for multiple principals. HybridGuard is implemented in JavaScript, therefore, it can be easily adapted for other hybrid frameworks or mobile platforms without modification of these frameworks or platforms. We present attack scenarios and report experimental results to demonstrate how HybridGuard can thwart attacks against hybrid mobile apps.
Reference dosimetry data and modeling challenges for Elekta accelerators based on IROC-Houston site visit data

Purpose Reference dosimetry data can provide an independent second check of acquired values when commissioning or validating a treatment planning system (TPS). The Imaging and Radiation Oncology Core at Houston (IROC-Houston) has measured numerous linear accelerators throughout its existence. The results of those measurements are given here, comparing accelerators and the agreement of measurement versus institutional TPS calculations. Methods Data from IROC-Houston on-site reviews from 2000 through 2014 were analyzed for all Elekta accelerators, approximately 50. For each, consistent point dose measurements were conducted for several basic parameters in a water phantom, including percentage depth dose, output factors, small-field output factors, off-axis factors, and wedge factors. The results were compared by accelerator type independently for 6, 10, 15, and 18 MV. Distributions of the measurements for each parameter are given, providing the mean and standard deviation. Each accelerator's measurements were also compared to its corresponding TPS calculation from the institution to determine the level of agreement, as well as determining which dosimetric parameters were most often in error. Results Accelerators were grouped by head type and reference dosimetric values were compiled. No class of linac had better overall agreement with its TPS, but percentage depth dose and output factors commonly agreed well, while small-field output factors, off-axis factors, and wedge factors often disagreed substantially from their TPS calculations. Conclusion Reference data has been collected and analyzed for numerous Elekta linacs, which provide an independent way for a physicist to double-check their own measurements to prevent gross treatment errors. In addition, treatment planning parameters more often in error have been highlighted, providing practical caution for physicists commissioning treatment planning systems for Elekta linacs.
Input-dependence effects in dynamics model calibration

Abstract This paper investigates the use of non-linear structural dynamics computational models with multiple levels of fidelity for the calibration of input-dependent model parameters. Non-linear behavior complicates the calibration of model parameters that are input-dependent (i.e., functions of temperature, loading, etc.). Different types of models may also be available for the estimation of unmeasured system properties, with different levels of physics fidelity, mesh resolution and boundary condition assumptions. To infer these system properties, Bayesian calibration can be used to combine information from multiple sources (such as experimental data and prior knowledge) and comprehensively quantify the uncertainty in the model parameters. Estimating the posterior distributions is done using Markov Chain Monte Carlo sampling, which requires a large number of computations, thus making the use of a high-fidelity model for calibration prohibitively expensive. On the other hand, use of a low-fidelity model could lead to significant error in calibration and prediction. Therefore, this paper pursues a multi-fidelity approach for input-dependent model parameter calibration with a surrogate of the low-fidelity model corrected using higher fidelity simulation data. The effects of non-linear behavior and input-dependence of model parameters and measurements are systematically organized and distinguished using a Bayesian network. The methodology is illustrated with a curved panel, subjected to acoustic and thermal loading, where the damping properties of the panel could be functions of the acoustic loading and temperature magnitudes. Two models (a frequency response analysis and a full time history analysis) are combined to estimate the damping characteristics of the panel. The effect of the temperature on the performance of the strain gages and therefore on the calibration results is also studied.
Effects of short- and long-term exposure of silver nanoparticles and silver ions to Nitrosomonas europaea biofilms and planktonic cells.

Abstract The increasing use of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in consumer products, and their resulting influx into wastewater, may pose a threat to biological nutrient removal in wastewater treatment plants. Planktonic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), which convert ammonia to nitrite in the first step of nitrification, are highly sensitive to AgNPs and their released silver ions (Ag+), but the sensitivity of AOB biofilms to AgNPs and Ag+ is less clear. This study demonstrated that biofilms of Nitrosomonas europaea, a model AOB, were more resistant to both short-term and long-term exposure to AgNP and Ag+ than planktonic cells. The increased resistance of N. europaea biofilms was attributed primarily to the increased biomass and slower growth rates present in the biofilm. Similar inhibition mechanisms were observed for AgNPs and Ag+ in both planktonic cells and biofilms with enzymatic inhibition observed at lower concentrations and cell lysis observed at higher concentrations. Long-term continuous exposure to AgNPs lowered the inhibitory concentration by 1–2 orders of magnitude below that required by short-term exposures. Although the total AgNP load was similar between the short and long-term exposure scenarios, the long-term exposure resulted in an order of magnitude more silver being associated in the biofilms and is the primary reason for the increased sensitivity observed. This suggests that short-term batch toxicity assays may greatly underestimate the sensitivity of biofilm treatment systems to long-term exposures of low concentrations of AgNPs and Ag+.
Attitudes Toward Communication and Collaboration After Participation in a Mock Page Program: A Pilot of an Interprofessional Approach to Surgical Residency Preparation.

OBJECTIVE A source of insecurity among new physicians and new nurses is communicating and managing acute changes in patient condition. Mock page programs are an effective method for teaching communication and clinical decision-making skills to medical students. Joint participation in a mock page program provides a unique opportunity for medical and nursing students to practice communication, collaboration, and clinical decision-making in a low-risk learning environment. The purpose of this pilot study was to examine attitudes toward communication and collaboration among medical and nursing students after participation in a mock page program. DESIGN Twenty-four medical students participating in a surgical residency preparatory course were paired with 24 senior level nursing students. Over a period of 3 weeks, nursing students delivered 5 mock pages to the medical students. Mock pages consisted of peer-reviewed, prescripted scenarios depicting patients experiencing common postoperative complications. A 12-question survey measuring attitudes toward communication and collaboration between physicians and nurses was administered prior to delivery of the first page and after delivery of the last page. A dependent sample t test was used to perform item analysis. RESULTS Individual item analysis of medical student surveys indicated significant improvement in attitudes toward communication and collaboration with nurses in 12 out of 12 survey items (p CONCLUSIONS The results from this study suggest that an interprofessional mock page program improves attitudes toward communication and collaboration between medical and nursing students. This program has the potential to improve the quality of education and increase confidence among medical and nursing students as they prepare for their professional roles.
Robust Numerical Solution of the Transient Fokker-Planck Equation for Nonlinear Dynamical Systems

The finite element method is applied to the solution of the transient Fokker-Planck equation for several often cited nonlinear stochastic systems accurately giving, for the first time, the joint probability density function of the response for a given initial distribution. The method accommodates nonlinearity in both stiffness and damping as well as both additive and multiplicative excitation, although only the former is considered herein. Several systems are examined, including linear, Duffing, and Van der Pol oscillators, to illustrate the robustness and accuracy of the finite element method.
Localized Dipole and Quadrupole Radiation Strengths in 208 Pb

This review summarizes the existing experimental situation regarding the Ml, El, M2 and E2 γ-ray strengths from individual states of 208Pb to the ground state. The (n, γ) and (γ,n) reaction studies have contributed significantly in determining the strengths in the 7.37–10.2 MeV region. Theoretical calculations of these strengths are also briefly discussed.
The Prevention of Adolescent Drug Abuse

Drug abuse, particularly among adolescents and young adults, though beginning to recede from the epidemic levels observed in the late 1970’s, remains a serious national health problem. This conclusion is based in large part upon the results of the national survey of high school seniors, which has been implemented yearly since 1975 by Dr. Lloyd Johnston (Johnston, 1982). Information is gathered both on usage patterns and attitudes towards use for a number of drugs. For several years, the survey showed a progressive increase in drug usage by high school seniors which peaked in 1978, and has been followed by a moderate decrease since then. For example, in 1978, 37.1 percent of high school seniors described themselves as “currently using” marijuana (used in the past 30 days). Alcohol was the only drug more widely used; 72.1 percent of the high school seniors reported current use. Tobacco (cigarettes) was used by 36.7 percent of the students and next highest was the group of stimulants, used by 8.7 percent of student s. The statistic which was of the greatest concern was the large number of “daily users” (used more than 20 times in the past month) of marijuana. In 1978, 10.7 percent of high school seniors reported “daily use” of marijuana, averaging between two and three joints per day.
Development and application of expert systems in the textile industry

Abstract: North Carolina State University, USAAbstract: The textile and color industry has experienced many technological advances, which have resulted in improvements in quality and productivity. These advances have often accompanied reductions in personnel resources and a diminishing expertise base. Conversely, the resolution of problems in the global manufacturing complex increasingly go beyond the abilities of individual experts and can be very time consuming as the process is influenced by a large number of, often, interactive variables. The application of expert systems in the textile industry can help address many of these problems more effectively and economically. In this chapter, an overview of expert system technology is given and different types of expert systems including rule-based, fault trees, model-based, machine learning and hybrid approaches are described and compared. A brief review of system principles, strengths and shortcomings is given and the development strategy is described. Finally, various applications of expert systems in different sectors of the textile industry including product components (fibre, yarn and fabric), coloration and finishing as well as supply chain and management are highlighted and future trends are briefly portrayed.
Oxygen Inhibition of Radical Polymerizations Investigated with the Rheometric Quartz Crystal Microbalance

The use of the rheometric quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) as a quantitative cure monitor for photocuring systems was demonstrated. The technique requires the use of films with thicknesses in the micrometer range and is based on the direct measurement of the rheological properties of the film at a frequency of 15 MHz. To access curing processes much faster than the ∼1 s resolution of the QCM measurement, a rotating shutter system was designed to capture processes with a temporal resolution of ∼1 ms. The photocuring process was studied in both air and nitrogen environments and was applied to a traditional, radically polymerized acrylic system and a thiol–ene based system. Thiol–ene systems cured in oxygen reach comparable stiffnesses to those cured in nitrogen but take longer to cure and contain 1–2.5 wt % oxygen in the final materials. These results indicate that the QCM can be utilized as an effective photorheometric technique able to provide useful mechanistic insight into photoreactive processes.
QuBiT: A quantitative tool for epithelial tubes reveals cell dynamics and unexpected patterns of organization during Drosophila tracheal morphogenesis

Biological tubes are essential for animal survival, and their functions are critically dependent on tube shape. Analyzing the contributions of cell shape and organization to the morphogenesis of small tubes has been hampered by the limitations of existing programs in quantifying cell geometry on highly curved tubular surfaces and calculating tube-specific parameters. We therefore developed QuBiT (Quantitative Tool for Biological Tubes) and used it to analyze morphogenesis during embryonic Drosophila tracheal (airway) development. We find that there are previously unknown anterior-to-posterior (A-P) gradients of cell orientation and aspect ratio, and that there is periodicity in the organization of cells in the main tube. Furthermore, cell intercalation during development dampens an A-P gradient of the number of the number of cells per cross-section of the tube, but these intercalation events do not change the patterns of cell connectivity. These unexpected findings demonstrate the importance of a computational tool for analyzing the morphogenesis of small diameter biological tubes.
A computational fluid dynamics analysis of the effects of size and shape of anterior nasal septal perforations.

Background Nasal septal perforations (NSPs) often cause bleeding, crusting, obstruction, and/or whistling. The objective was to analyze the impact of anterior NSP size and shape on nasal physiology using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Methods A 3-dimensional model of the nasal cavity was constructed from a radiologically normal CT scan using imaging software. Anterior NSPs (ovoid (ONSP): 0.5, 1, 2, and 3 cm long anterior-to-posteriorly and round (RNSP, 0.5 and 1 cm)) were virtually created in the model and divided into ventral, dorsal, anterior, and posterior regions. Steady-state inspiratory airflow, heat, and water vapor transport were simulated using Fluent CFD software. Air crossover through the perforation, wall shear, heat flux, water vapor flux, resistance, and humidification were analyzed. Results Air crossover and wall shear increased with perforation size. Regionally, wall shear and heat and water vapor flux were highest posteriorly and lowest anteriorly, generally increasing with size in those regions. RNSPs had greater heat and water vapor flux compared to corresponding size ONSPs. Resistance decreased by 10% or more from normal only in the 3 cm ONSP. Maximum water content was achieved more posteriorly in larger NSP nasal cavities. Conclusions High wall shear and heat and water vapor flux in posterior perforation regions may explain the crusting most commonly noted on posterior NSP edges. This preliminary study suggests that larger NSPs have a greater effect on nasal resistance and water content. Decrease in resistance with larger NSP size may be implicated in reported symptomatic improvement following enlargement of NSPs for treatment.
Gastrointestinal flora and the red cells; observations on their relationship.

ECENT CLINICAL OBSERVATIONS with oral antibiotics have demonstrated improved absorption and synthesis of erythropoietic factors and have awakened interest in the role that the bacterial flora of the gastrointestinal tract may play in the metabolism of vitamin B~2, folic acid, and aseorbic acid. A brief discussion of the factors influencing the bacterial flora of the gastrointestinal tract is necessary for proper interpretation of the pathologic status associated with impaired erythropoiesis. THE NORMAL BOWEL Numerous studies have been made to define the fecal flora. Unfortunately, such observations do not define the population in the small bowel, where absorption of nutrients take place. Postmortem observations are inaccurate because of the rapid contamination of the entire bowel with bacteria. Studies during life have been made by intubation with sterile tubing and by sampling the bowel lmnen during sm'gical procedures. The most accurate measurements of bacterial growth have been obtained by needle aspiration of the bowel at laparotomy for procedures not involving the stomach and small bowel. The stomach and small bowel, up to the lower ileum, are relatively sterile in children* and adults/ The organisms cultured were similar to oral flora and probably represent transient flora rather than any persistent bacterial growth. Even in the lower ileum 50 per cent of the aspirations were sterile. Studies by swabbing the open mueosal surface during surgical procedures have demonstrated similar results. It should be emphasized that such
MulMapper: Towards an Automated FPGA-Based CNN Processor Generator Based on a Dynamic Design Space Exploration

Many enterprises are adopting deep learning algorithms in their everyday tasks faster than ever. Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) in particular are being used widely due to the impressive performance in various application areas. FPGAs, on the other hand, are becoming a promising hardware platform for various deep learning algorithms including CNN. However, optimized and efficient FPGA design requires an expert with hardware design skills. This is particularly a challenge for deep learning practitioners who would like to accelerate their algorithm without worrying about the underlying hardware knowledge required to accomplish that in FPGAs. In this work we are proposing an automated framework, MulMapper, that can generate a functional and synthesized CNN processor hardware IP (using Vivado HLS) for Zynq-based FPGAs, given Caffe-based CNN definition file. We created a dynamic and novel design space utilizing Target Device Resource, Target Core Mode and Target Data Width as design space dimensions. MulMapper explores the design space in these three dimensions and proposes the optimum design points. We tested MulMapper framework on common CNN architectures, LeNet, CNP and CIFAR-10. It has been verified that early-stage MulMapper can lead to synthesis of resource-optimized CNN processor hardware IP that can be used for many regular CNN variants. Comparison with the state-of-the-art shows that architectures generated using MulMapper obtained up to 25–29× DSP48 and 13–20× on-chip memory reduction, with up to 0.35 GOP/sec performance.
Plasmonic Photocatalysis of Urea Oxidation and Visible-Light Fuel Cells

Summary The intense electric (E-) field associated with the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of noble-metal nanoantennas provides a rational strategy for enhancing photoinduced charge transfer in photocatalysts. Here, we demonstrate E-field-enhanced direct photocatalytic urea oxidation and a visible-light-driven direct urea fuel cell (LDUFC) with tris(bipyridine)ruthenium(II) ([Ru(bpy) 3 ] 2+ )-enabled plasmonic nanopigments that contain a phospholipid membrane self-assembled around a Ag nanoparticle (NP) whose LSPR overlaps the [Ru(bpy) 3 ] 2+ metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT). In the hierarchical plasmonic nanopigment design, the membrane serves as scaffold and spacer to localize [Ru(bpy) 3 ] 2+ in an electromagnetic “sweet spot” where substantial plasmonic enhancement of photoexcitation is achieved while strong metal-associated quenching of the reactive excited state is avoided. The demonstration of plasmon-enhanced photocatalytic urea oxidation and the implementation of the LDUFC represent important advancements toward improved light-driven waste-water treatment and efficient solar energy conversion.
Lysyl-tRNA Synthetase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa: Characterization and Identification of Inhibitory Compounds:

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that causes nosocomial infections and has highly developed systems for acquiring resistance against numerous antibiotics. The gene (lysS) encoding P. aeruginosa lysyl-tRNA synthetase (LysRS) was cloned and overexpressed, and the resulting protein was purified to 98% homogeneity. LysRS was kinetically evaluated, and the Km values for the interaction with lysine, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and tRNALys were determined to be 45.5, 627, and 3.3 µM, respectively. The kcatobs values were calculated to be 13, 22.8, and 0.35 s-1, resulting in kcatobs/KM values of 0.29, 0.036, and 0.11 s-1µM-1, respectively. Using scintillation proximity assay technology, natural product and synthetic compound libraries were screened to identify inhibitors of function of the enzyme. Three compounds (BM01D09, BT06F11, and BT08F04) were identified with inhibitory activity against LysRS. The IC50 values were 17, 30, and 27 µM for each compound, respectively. The minimum inhibitory concentrations were determined against a panel of clinically important pathogens. All three compounds were observed to inhibit the growth of gram-positive organisms with a bacteriostatic mode of action. However, two compounds (BT06F11 and BT08F04) were bactericidal against cultures of gram-negative bacteria. When tested against human cell cultures, BT06F11 was not toxic at any concentration tested, and BM01D09 was toxic only at elevated levels. However, BT08F04 displayed a CC50 of 61 µg/mL. In studies of the mechanism of inhibition, BM01D09 inhibited LysRS activity by competing with ATP for binding, and BT08F04 was competitive with ATP and uncompetitive with the amino acid. BT06F11 inhibited LysRS activity by a mechanism other than substrate competition.
Directed intervention to improve the rate of admission medication reconciliation in an acute care hospital

Introduction Electronic medication reconciliation systems are known to reduce medication errors. We hypothesised that refinement of the electronic medical record (EMR) and provider education could improve adherence to completion of admission medication reconciliation, thereby potentially limiting prescribing errors. Our goal was to improve the percentage of patients with medication reconciliation completed within 24 hours of admission to at least 90%. Methods A prospective interventional study was conducted at a university-affiliated community hospital between 1 January 2017 and 30 September 2018. We determined the baseline percentage of medication reconciliations performed within 24 hours of admission, and those completed at any time prior to discharge from the hospital. Three plan-do-study-act cycles were then performed, with interventions including live and email reminders to complete medication reconciliation and addition of a column to EMR patient lists indicating whether reconciliation had been completed. Results The percentage of medication reconciliations completed within 24 hours of admission was lowest for the pre-intervention cycle (62.4%) and was highest for Cycle 3 (80.9%). The percentage of reconciliations completed any time prior to discharge was higher and increased in a similar stepwise fashion from 71.1% to 88.4% through Cycle 3. There was a post-intervention trend toward a higher rate of reconciliation completion for patients aged 18–40. Male patients were also more likely to have their admission medication reconciliations completed prior to discharge. Conclusion Our interventions resulted in a statistically significant 18.5% increase in the rate of admission reconciliation completion. Though this increase fell short of our goal, this study demonstrates that provider education and optimisation of the EMR can sustainably improve adherence with medication reconciliation, thereby fostering improved patient care. Further improvement could be achieved by focusing on the medication lists of our older patients and female patients.
Advancing Mass Spectrometry Technology in cGMP Environments

Mass spectrometry is a powerful analytical tool that has been widely used in the biotech industry. Recent trends of implementing a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) based multi-attribute method (MAM) in cGMP environments enables end-to-end monitoring and control of critical quality attributes (CQAs) of therapeutic proteins to ensure drug product quality.
Impacts of Unsaturated Conditions on The Ultimate Axial Capacity of Energy Piles

This study uses concepts from unsaturated soil mechanics to explain changes in axial capacity observed in geotechnical centrifuge experiments on semi-floating energy piles in unsaturated silt heated monotonically to different temperatures. Thermally-induced drying of the unsaturated silt surrounding energy piles was observed during heating using temperature-corrected dielectric sensor readings. An effective stress-based equation for estimating the ultimate capacity was calibrated using the load-settlement curves for a pile at room-temperature, which was then used to estimate the ultimate capacities of energy piles under elevated temperatures using measured changes in degree of saturation near the energy pile. The predicted capacity matched well with the capacity from the experimental load-settlement curves, confirming the relevance of the effective stress principle in unsaturated soils in nonisothermal conditions and the importance of considering coupled heat transfer and water flow in unsaturated soils surrounding energy piles.
Learning Hidden Markov Models from Aggregate Observations.

In this paper, we propose an algorithm for estimating the parameters of a time-homogeneous hidden Markov model from aggregate observations. This problem arises when only the population level counts of the number of individuals at each time step are available, from which one seeks to learn the individual hidden Markov model. Our algorithm is built upon expectation-maximization and the recently proposed aggregate inference algorithm, the Sinkhorn belief propagation. As compared with existing methods such as expectation-maximization with non-linear belief propagation, our algorithm exhibits convergence guarantees. Moreover, our learning framework naturally reduces to the standard Baum-Welch learning algorithm when observations corresponding to a single individual are recorded. We further extend our learning algorithm to handle HMMs with continuous observations. The efficacy of our algorithm is demonstrated on a variety of datasets.
Housing Insecurity and the Emotional and Physical Health of African Americans

Housing insecurity—or limited and/or unreliable access to quality housing— is a potent on-going stressor that can adversely impact individual well-being. This study extends previous research by investigating the impact of housing insecurity on both the emotional and physical health of aging African American adults using the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) Refresher oversample of African Americans collected from 2012-2013 (N = 508; M age = 43.02; 57% women). Participants reported on their negative affect, number of chronic health conditions experienced in the last year, and experiences of housing insecurity since the 2008 recession (e.g., homelessness, threatened with foreclosure or eviction, lost home). Negative affect and chronic conditions, respectively, were regressed on housing insecurity, and the potential moderating effect of age was tested. Results showed that housing insecurity was associated with more negative affect (B = 0.05, SE = 0.03, p = .002) and chronic health conditions (B = 0.26, SE = 0.03, p < .001). Additionally, the association between housing insecurity and negative affect was moderated by age (B = -0.11, SE = 0.00, p = .019), such that the effect of housing insecurity on negative affect was stronger for younger adults than for older adults. These results suggest that experiences of insecure housing leave African American adults vulnerable to compromised emotional and physical health, however, the negative effects of housing insecurity may attenuate with age.
Agent-Based Modeling of Energy Technology Adoption: Empirical Integration of Social, Behavioral, Economic, and Environmental Factors

Agent-based modeling (ABM) offers a nuanced framework for representing the bounded rationality of individual decision-makers. But in order to be useful ABM applications in human-technical systems demand rigor and robustness regarding empirical grounding and theoretical orientation. In this paper we present the architecture of a theoretically-based and empirically-driven agent-based model of technology adoption, with an application to residential solar photovoltaics (PV). Focusing on aspects of model design, setup, initialization, and validation, we present a comprehensive approach for integrating empirical data into the initialization of agent states, while framing agent decision rules based on theory. This integrated ABM framework is applied to real-world data between 2004-2013 for a residential solar program at the city scale, with household-level resolution for demographic, attitudinal, social network, and environmental variables.