cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Synergistic use of soft computing technologies for fault detection in gas turbine engines

In this paper, we present a synergistic approach to startup fault detection and diagnosis in gas turbine engines. The method employs statistics, signal processing and soft computing techniques in a complementary manner to address fault detection at transient conditions. Traditional turbine engine fault detection and diagnosis methods are based on engine data collected at steady-state conditions. However, insipient faults are difficult to diagnose using steady-state engine date; only engine faults that are fairly developed can be detected using conventional methods. Because incipient engine component faults are often manifested in the engine startup characteristics, we present a method of characterizing the engine transient startup using the following steps: engine sensor data during startup are recorded in time series format. The sensor profiles corresponding to "good" and "bad" engine startups are sampled using the bootstrap technique. A feature vector is extracted from these data using principal component analysis (PCA). Then, several important discriminating features are distilled from the feature vector. The features obtained from this step are then classified using neural-network-based methods. The "leave-one-out" approach to cross-validation is applied to obtain an objective evaluation of the neural network training. The proposed fault detection and diagnosis method is evaluated using actual engine startup data and the results are presented.
Ion acceleration by beating electrostatic waves: Domain of allowed acceleration

The conditions under which a magnetized ion can be accelerated through a nonlinear interaction with a pair of beating electrostatic waves are explored. It has been shown [Benisti et al., Phys. Plasma 5, 3224 (1998)] that the electric field of the beating waves can, under some conditions, accelerate ions from arbitrarily low initial velocity in stark contrast with the well-known nonlinear threshold criteria for ion acceleration by a single wave. It is shown here that the previously found condition is necessary but not sufficient for acceleration to occur. The sufficient and necessary conditions are identified in terms of the location of the critical points of the motion on the Poincare section. A second-order perturbation analysis was carried out to approximate the location of these critical points and define the domains of allowed and forbidden acceleration. It is shown that for an ion to be significantly energized, the Hamiltonian must be outside the energy barrier defined by the location of the elliptic and hyperbolic critical points. Despite the restriction on the Hamiltonian, an ion with arbitrarily low initial velocity may benefit from this acceleration mechanism.
Polarized wave electromagnetic shielding of anisotropic carbon nanomodifier‐based LLDPE composites

The polarized wave electromagnetic shielding (EM SE) of nanocomposites containing 10 vol% of carbon nanomodifiers in a semicrystalline matrix is reported. Heat-treated carbon nanofibers, Pyrograf® III PR-19 heat treatment (HT) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT) HT were dispersed in a linear low-density polyethylene matrix to produce flow-induced orientation of the nanomodifiers in the spun microfilaments. Consequently, the electrical conductivity of the resulting nanocomposites exhibited anisotropic behavior due to the nanomodifier orientation. The in-plane conductivity in the longitudinal direction (PR-19 HT comp.: ∼0.02 S/m; MWNT HT comp.: ∼3 S/m) was at least an order of magnitude higher than that along the transverse direction. As measured with a rectangular waveguide (WR510, 1.45–2.2 GHz), the PR-19 HT- and MWNT HT-oriented nanocomposites (1-mm thick) displayed EM SE values of 0.7 dB and 3.0 dB, respectively, when the nanomodifiers were transversely oriented with the polarized electric field. In contrast, when the orientation of the nanomodifiers was parallel with the field, EM SE values of 3.2 and 9.0 dB were obtained, respectively. The higher EM SE values are consistent with high conductivities observed in the direction of preferred orientation of the modifiers.
Ultrasonic imaging using arrays

An analysis is presented of the two general types of arrays-the direct imaging array and the phased array. These are analyzed over three levels of approximation: geometric optics, steady-state sinusoidal diffraction, and wide-band diffraction. Systems are studied which provide electronic deflection and focusing. In addition, systems are considered which exhibit high resolution in both lateral dimensions.
Automated vessel segmentation using cross-correlation and pooled covariance matrix analysis

Time-resolved contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (CE-MRA) provides contrast dynamics in the vasculature and allows vessel segmentation based on temporal correlation analysis. Here we present an automated vessel segmentation algorithm including automated generation of regions of interest (ROIs), cross-correlation and pooled sample covariance matrix analysis. The dynamic images are divided into multiple equal-sized regions. In each region, ROIs for artery, vein and background are generated using an iterative thresholding algorithm based on the contrast arrival time map and contrast enhancement map. Region-specific multi-feature cross-correlation analysis and pooled covariance matrix analysis are performed to calculate the Mahalanobis distances (MDs), which are used to automatically separate arteries from veins. This segmentation algorithm is applied to a dual-phase dynamic imaging acquisition scheme where low-resolution time-resolved images are acquired during the dynamic phase followed by high-frequency data acquisition at the steady-state phase. The segmented low-resolution arterial and venous images are then combined with the high-frequency data in k-space and inverse Fourier transformed to form the final segmented arterial and venous images. Results from volunteer and patient studies demonstrate the advantages of this automated vessel segmentation and dual phase data acquisition technique.
Current controversies in hypothermic neuroprotection

Summary In 2005, three randomised controlled trials (RCTs) showed that treating infants with hypoxic–ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) with hypothermia decreased the combined outcome of death or disability at 12–18 months, although treatment effects were modest. More recently, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a device for selective head cooling. In addition, the protocol from another of the three trials, using equipment available in many hospitals, has been in the public domain for over a year. Why has this not led to a consensus that hypothermia is the standard of care for HIE? This is explored. Important questions for future research will focus on ways to improve on initial results with cooling, such as drug plus hypothermia combination therapy and refining duration and depth of cooling or duration of rewarming. Although the latter are important questions for future clinical trials, those who are convinced by the evidence to date should focus on safe implementation of cooling using protocols with established safety and efficacy and should consider ways to increase access to cooling for eligible babies.
Epigenetic reprogramming in the mammalian embryo: struggle of the clones

During preimplantation development in mammals, distinct epigenetic marks on oocyte and sperm DNA are remodeled to an embryonic pattern. A recent study examining global methylation of repetitive elements in various mammals showed that the reprogramming that occurs during normal preimplantation development is aberrant in cloned embryos.
Lantibiotics as surface active agents for biomedical applications

Abstract The unique physical structure of lantibiotics, (e.g. double bonds, thioethers rings, and unusual amino acid residues), makes these antimicrobial peptides highly reactive, and thus different in mode-of-action from clinical antibiotics. Members of the lantibiotic group have been successfully tested against pathogenic organisms for decades. Some lantibiotics have been studied for use in treating skin infections, and several have been characterized for their anti-viral activity. In addition to their antimicrobial capabilities, lantibiotics possess amphiphilic characteristics, making them potentially valuable as emulsifiers in drug formulations. The small size and surface activity of these peptides also may allow them to enhance the transport of therapeutic compounds across cell membranes. Over 30 lantibiotics are presently known, and more are being discovered each year. With the rising incidence of resistant bacteria, lantibiotics offer considerable potential as safe, antimicrobial barriers for use on synthetic material surfaces, as emulsifiers in formulation of hydrophobic drugs, and as absorption promoters for selected compounds across mucosal membranes. The major hindrance to research in this area is that lantibiotics are difficult to obtain. But with improved methods for production and purification of these unusual antimicrobial agents, the promise of cost-effective application of lantibiotics may eventually be realized.
Differential Tree Colonization of Old Fields in a Temperate Rain Forest

Abstract Most old fields in the Queets Valley of Olympic National Park, USA, remain dominated by exotic herbs 60 y after abandonment although the fields are surrounded by temperate rain forest. However, areas of some fields have been invaded by Picea sitchensis, one of three dominant forest species (with Alnus rubra and Tsuga heterophylla). This provided an opportunity to examine local variation of factors (competition, facilitation, cervid herbivory, soils) that influence tree colonization within a set of old fields, an approach rare in previous studies. Picea sapling invasion of field edges was negatively correlated with percent cover of Agrostis gigantea and positively correlated with Anthoxanthum odoratum. Potential indicators of competition (sod thickness, thatch thickness, percent ground cover) were correlated with Agrostis cover. Picea edge invasion was also correlated with soil organic matter. In experiments, seedlings of Picea and Tsuga emerged as readily in Agrostis as in Anthoxanthum or Pteridi...
Important Role of a Putative Lytic Transglycosylase Cj0843c in β-Lactam Resistance in Campylobacter jejuni.

Beta-lactam antibiotics are an important class of antibiotics for treating bacterial infections. Despite prevalent β-lactam resistance in Campylobacter jejuni, the leading bacterial cause of human diarrhea in developed countries, molecular mechanism of β-lactam resistance in C. jejuni is still largely unknown. In this study, C. jejuni 81-176 was used for random transposon mutagenesis. Screening of a 2,800-mutant library identified 22 mutants with increased susceptibility to ampicillin. Of these mutants, two mutants contains mutations in Cj0843c (a putative lytic transglycosylase gene) and in its upstream gene Cj0844c, respectively. Molecular manipulation in different strains demonstrated that Cj0843c contributes to both intrinsic and acquired β-lactam resistance in C. jejuni. Consistent with this finding, inactivation of Cj0843c also dramatically reduced β-lactamase activity. Genomic examination and PCR analysis showed Cj0843c is widely distributed in C. jejuni. The Cj0843 was localized in the periplasm as demonstrated by immunoblotting using specific antibodies. Turbidimetric assay further demonstrated the capability of the purified Cj0843c to hydrolyze cell walls. Inactivation of Cj0843c also significantly reduced C. jejuni colonization in the intestine. Together, this study identifies a mechanism of β-lactam resistance in C. jejuni and provides insights into the role of cell wall metabolism in regulating β-lactamase activity.
Who Are Fashion Brand Fans? An Investigation of Antecedents and Outcomes of Brand Commitment

University of Minnesota Ph.D. dissertation. November 2012. Major: Design, Housing and Apparel. Advisor: Kim K. P. Johnson. 1 computer file (PDF); vii, 118 pages, appendix p. 108-118.
A Simulation Study of a Computer Controlled Cooling System for a Diesel Powered Truck

Etude par simulation d'un systeme de refroidissement commande par ordinateur pour un camion a moteur diesel
A Comparative Analysis of Genetic Diversity and Structure in Jaguars ( Panthera onca ), Pumas ( Puma concolor ), and Ocelots ( Leopardus pardalis ) in Fragmented Landscapes of a Critical Mesoamerican Linkage Zone

With increasing anthropogenic impact and landscape change, terrestrial carnivore populations are becoming more fragmented. Thus, it is crucial to genetically monitor wild carnivores and quantify changes in genetic diversity and gene flow in response to these threats. This study combined the use of scat detector dogs and molecular scatology to conduct the first genetic study on wild populations of multiple Neotropical felids coexisting across a fragmented landscape in Belize, Central America. We analyzed data from 14 polymorphic microsatellite loci in 1053 scat samples collected from wild jaguars (Panthera onca), pumas (Puma concolor), and ocelots (Leopardus pardalis). We assessed levels of genetic diversity, defined potential genetic clusters, and examined gene flow for the three target species on a countrywide scale using a combination of individual- and population-based analyses. Wild felids in Belize showed moderate levels of genetic variation, with jaguars having the lowest diversity estimates (HE = 0.57 ± 0.02; AR = 3.36 ± 0.09), followed by pumas (HE = 0.57 ± 0.08; AR = 4.20 ± 0.16), and ocelots (HE = 0.63 ± 0.03; AR = 4.16 ± 0.08). We observed low to moderate levels of genetic differentiation for all three target species, with jaguars showing the lowest degree of genetic subdivision across the country, followed by ocelots and pumas. Although levels of genetic diversity and gene flow were still fairly high, we detected evidence of fine-scale genetic subdivision, indicating that levels of genetic connectivity for wild felids in Belize are likely to decrease if habitat loss and fragmentation continue at the current rate. Our study demonstrates the value of understanding fine-scale patterns of gene flow in multiple co-occurring felid species of conservation concern, which is vital for wildlife movement corridor planning and prioritizing future conservation and management efforts within human-impacted landscapes.
The impacts of farm work on health: analyses of the Hispanic Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Farmworkers long have been recognized as a disadvantaged group with a wide range of occupationally related health problems. A coherent picture of the major health problems faced by agricultural wor...
Regulation of cell proliferation by the opioid growth factor receptor is dependent on karyopherin β and Ran for nucleocytoplasmic trafficking

The opioid growth factor (OGF; [Met(5)]-enkephalin) and the OGF receptor (OGFr) form an endogenous and tonically active growth-regulating system that modulates cell proliferation by upregulating the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitory pathway. Previous reports have documented that nucleocytoplasmic trafficking of the OGF-OGFr axis is dependent on nuclear localization signals. This study determined the specific transport factors required for the import of the OGF-OGFr complex from the cytoplasm to the nucleus using a probe of full-length OGFr fused to enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) and knockdown of karyopherin alpha1, alpha2, alpha3, alpha4 or alpha6, karyopherin beta1 or Ran with small interfering RNA (siRNA). A human squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck cell line (squamous cell carcinoma-1, SCC-1) that was downregulated for karyopherin beta1 or Ran did not have transport of OGFr-eGFP into the nucleus. Moreover, there was an increase of 44% in bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU)-labeled cells in cultures of SCC-1 that were transfected with siRNAs to karyopherin beta1 or Ran compared with cells transfected with scrambled siRNA. No alteration in distribution of OGFr-eGFP or BrdU labeling indexes was recorded in cultures treated with siRNAs to karyopherin alpha1, alpha2, alpha3, alpha4 or alpha6. These results indicate that the regulation of cell proliferation by the OGF-OGFr axis is dependent on nucleocytoplasmic transport by karyopherin beta1 as well as the gradient of RanGTP/RanGDP across the nuclear envelope, but is not reliant on adaptor molecules related to karyopherin alpha. Thus, the passage of the OGF-OGFr complex has controlled entry from the cytoplasm to the nucleus, and the timely and faithful translocation of this cargo across the nuclear envelope is critical to cell proliferation. These hierarchical levels of nuclear import provide multiple pathways for the subtle regulation of OGF-OGFr as it relates to the control of cell proliferative events.
Culture Change and Shit Work: Empowering and Overpowering the Frail Elderly in Long-Term Care

Drawing on a year of fieldwork in Heartland Community, a “culture-change” nonprofit nursing home, this article investigates dynamics of worker-client power relationships across departments. The ana...
Reading Difficulty Level of Medical Resources on Television Web Sites

ABSTRACT Mass media plays a critical role in communicating health messages to the public. Local television stations are posting more health content on the Web; however, the difficulty level of this information has not been evaluated. Study objectives were to assess the content of health stories on local television Web sites, and to evaluate the reading level of these health messages. The top three health articles from 79 local television news Web pages were selected for analysis. Readability was assessed using SMOG, Flesch-Kincaid (FK), and Flesch Reading Ease (FRE). A total of 278 articles were located over a two-day search. The majority of stories were national (47.0%) and educational (48.0%) pieces. Fewer articles were breaking news (19.8%). More articles focused on both prevention and treatment (30.6%) rather than on prevention (21.6%) or treatment (21.2%) alone. Mean readability was at a senior high school level according to SMOG (Grade 11.9) and FK (Grade 10.3). Overall FRE was 51.6, implying a “fai...
Note on the Matrix Functions sin πA and cos πA

(1966). Note on the Matrix Functions sin πA and cos πA. Mathematics Magazine: Vol. 39, No. 5, pp. 287-288.
Effects of maturation and aging on the skeletal muscle glucose transport system.

Insulin resistance in old, compared with young, humans and animals has been well documented. The resistance is due primarily to defects in skeletal muscle. In the present study, skeletal muscle sar...
Effect of acute renal denervation and ANF on renal function in adult spontaneously hypertensive rats

Experiments were designed to evaluate the influence of the renal efferent nerves on baseline renal function and on the renal response to atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) in euvolemic anesthetized 10- to 12-wk-old spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) and Munich-Wistar (MW) rats. Acute unilateral renal denervation produced increases in absolute and fractional excretion of sodium and water by the ipsilateral kidney that were similar in SHR and WKY rats; larger responses were observed in MW rats. Excretion by the contralateral innervated kidney was unchanged in each group. Intravenous infusion of ANF (0.25 microgram.kg-1.min-1) caused a diuresis and natriuresis that was similar in the three strains and independent of changes in glomerular filtration rate and renal blood flow. The excretory responses to ANF were larger in denervated than in innervated kidneys. The magnitude of the natriuresis and diuresis produced by ANF was directly related to the pre-ANF rate of urinary excretion, suggesting independent and additive effects of acute renal denervation and ANF on tubular reabsorption. The exaggerated response in the acutely denervated kidney can be explained by removal of a modulatory effect of the renal efferent nerves and associated increases in tubular flow and delivery to more distal ANF-sensitive sites. The denervation responses suggest that the renal efferent nerves have similar effects on sodium and water reabsorption in anesthetized SHR and WKY rats at 10-12 wk of age. The renal nerves and ANF appear to play a larger role in the acute control of sodium and water excretion in MW rats compared to rats of the Okamoto-Aoki strain.
Estimating System Modal Parameters Using Free Decay Time Data

The response of a system following the removal of an external forcing function is known as its free decay response. Assuming that all modes of interest are excited, the free decay response data taken at various system degree-of-freedoms (DOFs) contain all the information necessary to extract eigenvalues and eigenvectors. In the 1940s, 1950s and early 1960s, it was possible to measure free decays on a strip chart or an oscilloscope, and it was also possible to measure frequency response functions (FRFs) using step sine methods. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the introduction of 8-bit analog-to-digital convertors (ADCs) and tracking filters made it possible to measure or digitize free decays, but the technology was not available to computationally extract the eigenvectors and eigenvalues. The history of free decay testing will be reviewed along with an example demonstrating the extraction of modal parameters using time-only free decay responses and multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) methods and algorithms developed in the 1970s and 1980s.
U.S. Workers Need Not Apply: Challenging Low-Wage Guest Worker Programs

With immigration reform stalled once again by United States v. Texas, many turn to the expansion of guest worker programs as a solution to our immigration woes. Low-wage foreign guest workers can fill “bad jobs” that no U.S. workers want. This article shows that guest worker programs are harmful to all low-wage workers by challenging this commonly accepted narrative and exploring how such programs create a cycle that fuels both U.S. worker shortages and the necessity for guest workers. Scholars have amply criticized guest worker programs because they impair the rights of guest workers and contravene liberal egalitarian principles of social membership. These criticisms about how foreign workers are treated on U.S. soil, however, have been insufficient to tip the balance against these programs. What is missing from this debate is an attempt to understand why guest worker programs persist despite their many flaws. The legal framework broadly delegates power to employers to create U.S. worker shortages and the alternative of the highly productive and compliant guest worker. Cultural narratives operate to mask this reality by tying these phenomena to cultural explanations about low-wage workers. Together they create a climate that is favorable to guest worker programs.This article’s close examination of these problems exposes why guest worker programs should not be a ready solution for immigration reform. It suggests a new approach to challenging such programs by broadening the lens to consider the plight of the U.S. worker. The U.S. worker can help shift the legal and social norms surrounding such programs by revealing how the fate of all low-wage workers is interconnected by government-enabled degradation of low-wage jobs. This approach suggests new advocacy strategies to eliminate guest worker programs in their current format in order to protect the dignity of all low-wage workers.
Use of High-Voltage Cyclic Voltammetry to Characterize Bulk and Interfacial Conduction Processes in Anodic Alumina Films

Abstract A high-voltage cyclic voltammetry method is introduced that enables separate determination both the bulk conduction kinetics of anodic films and kinetics associated with interface processes. The results confirm that ionic conduction in the oxide follows a high-field exponential dependence on the electric field with a field coefficient of approximately 33 nm/V, consistent with reported values for barrier-type films formed in neutral solutions. The correlation of the pre-exponential current density with the incorporation level of different acid anions from the anodizing bath suggests that conduction is enhanced by anionic contaminants. Current densities associated with self-ordered pore formation in different solutions seem to be associated with a common narrow range of electric fields. The large size of the interface potential drop suggests that it derives from the elevated conduction resistance of an anion-contaminated oxide layer close to the solution interface. Such resistive surface layers are thought to be the source of compressive stress that drives oxide flow during self-organized pore formation.
Probing ultrafast dynamics of bacteriochlorophyll-a using pulse shaping based 2D electronic spectrometer with a degenerate OPA

We present two-dimensional spectroscopic data characterizing ultrafast coherent dynamics of Bacteriochlorophyll-a using a degenerate optical parametric amplifier as the pump and probe light source.
Social Networks and Networked Scholars: An Open-Access Database of Paddle Designs from Pottery of the Woodland Period in the American Southeast

We describe the development of an open-access database for Swift Creek Complicated Stamped ceramics, a type of pottery common to Georgia, eastern Alabama, and northern Florida in the Middle and Late Woodland periods between ca. cal A.D. 100 and 800. The characteristic stamped designs on Swift Creek pottery, created by impressing a carved paddle into a clay vessel before firing, provide unique signatures that enable archaeologists to identify paddle matches—multiple vessels, sometimes hundreds of kilometers apart, stamped with a single paddle. These paddle matches potentially allow archaeologists to trace social interactions across hundreds of kilometers with high spatial and temporal resolution. To date, however, this potential has been hindered by the limited accessibility and fragmented nature of the dataset of reconstructed designs. The database we describe integrates paddle designs with other pertinent data for identifying paddle matches and their context, including the results of sourcing and technofunctional analyses and absolute dating. We view this database not only as a critical component of our own research, but also as a platform for collaboration among researchers that will facilitate broad syntheses of the region.
Associations between elevated pre-treatment serum cytokines and peripheral blood cellular markers of immunosuppression in patients with lymphoma.

Higher ratios of the pre-treatment peripheral blood absolute lymphocyte (ALC) to absolute monocyte counts (AMC) are associated with improved outcomes in lymphoma. Conversely, elevated pre-treatment serum cytokines are associated with inferior outcomes. The relationship between pre-treatment serum cytokines and ALC/AMC ratios remains unknown. We studied twelve serum cytokines and the ALC/AMC ratios in 390 patients with untreated diffuse large B-cell, follicular, mantle cell, T-cell, and Hodgkin lymphoma. Different pre-treatment serum cytokine concentrations correlated with ALC, AMC, and ALC/AMC ratios depending on the lymphoma type. In the entire cohort (n=390) lower ALC/AMC ratios modestly correlated with higher IL-2R (r=-0.36), IL-12 (r=-0.17), IP-10 (r=-0.23), and MIG (r=-0.32) concentrations (p<0.001). Elevated IL-2R was independently associated with suppressed ALC (OR 2.69, 95% CI 1.77-4.07, p<0.001), elevated AMC (OR 2.05, 95% CI 1.34-3.14, p<0.001), and suppressed ALC/AMC ratios (OR 3.51, 95% CI 2.31-5.34, p<0.001). Both elevated IL-2R (HR 2.27, 95% CI 1.48-3.49, p<0.001) and suppressed ALC/AMC ratios (HR 1.53, 95% CI 1.03-2.28, p=0.037) were independently associated with inferior overall survival. These data support the notion that elevated serum cytokines are immunosuppressive and provide further rationale to target the tumor microenvironment for therapeutic benefit. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Making Visualization Work for Institutional Repositories: Information Visualization as a means to browse electronic theses and dissertations

INTRODUCTION An attractive repository with clear, well-structured and accessible content can be a powerful recruitment and publicity tool for administrators, fundraisers, and others trying to bolster support for repositories. Digitizing ETDs is a lengthy and often arduous process. Once that process is completed, it is often a victory that suffices. As a result, collections frequently receive no further treatment. We demonstrate the benefits of visualizing repository content. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT The goal of the project was to create an interactive visualization to make our newly digitized theses and dissertations more discoverable. By leveraging the institutional organization of College, Department and Year of Graduation, we visualized data to help users understand ETD content as a whole and find specific items more easily. BUILDING THE VISUALIZATION The process begins with data cleanup involving extracting and normalizing repository metadata, then the data is processed and the Data-Driven Documents (D3) JavaScript library is used to generate the actual visualization. Benefits of Visualizations to Users: The visualization allows for the sort of happenstance discovery of materials that are celebrated about shelf browsing and a way to compare the productivity of each college and department at our university. It also illustrates our institution’s changes in emphasis over time. NEXT STEPS Visualizations have vast potential for creating engaging user interfaces for digital library content. We would like to explore how people are using the visualization as we move forward with this process to visualize multiple collections.
IN THE GROSS ANATOMY LABORATORY: A REVIEW OF THE EMBRYOLOGY AND MOLECULAR GENETICS OF THE ABERRANT RIGHT SUBCLAVIAN ARTERY. En el laboratorio de Anatomía macroscópica: Revisión de la embriología y genética molecular de la arteria subclavia derecha aberra

La diseccion del cadaver embalsamado de una mujer de 66-anos por los estudiantes de medicina de primer ano de anatomia general, revelo la presencia de una arteria subclavia derecha aberrante (ASDA) de trayecto retroesofagico. La prevalencia de una ASDA en la poblacion normal es del 0.2-2.0%. Se ha reportado que la ASDA tiene una asociacion con varias deformidades congenitas, tales como el sindrome de Down, Kommerell diverticulo, y varias otras anomalias. No es comun asociar sintomas clinicos con la ASDA, sin embargo, el sintoma mas comun es la disfagia lusoria. Hemos descubierto que la ASD se origino desde la porcion mas distal del arco aortico en una posicion retroesofagica. Medidas pertinentes de las arterias se grabaron y un analisis para obtener informacion clinica, genetica, y embriologica acerca de la ASDA se realizo. Como en la mayoria de los casos, el curso de la ASDA fue entre el esofago y la columna vertebral. Se ha demostrado que una region en el cromosoma humano 22 (22q11) esta involucrada en el desarrollo normal de los vasos del arco aortico. Este articulo ilustra como el descubrimiento de una variante a traves de la diseccion da pie a estudiantes de medicina a aprender y repasar la literatura, sobre la embriologia y la genetica molecular, sobre anomalias del arco aortico y sus correlaciones clinicas. Dissection of a 66-year-old female embalmed cadaver by medical students in a first-year gross anatomy course revealed the presence of an aberrant (retroesophageal) right subclavian artery (ARSA). The prevalence of an ARSA is between 0.2-2.0% in the normal population. ARSA has been reported to have an association with various congenital deformities, such as Down syndrome, Kommerell diverticulum, and various other anomalies. Clinical symptoms are usually not associated with ARSAs but when present, the most common symptom is dysphagia lusoria. We discovered that the RSA originated from the most distal portion of the aortic arch in a retroesophageal position. Relevant measurements of the vessel were recorded and a review was conducted to obtain clinical, genetic, and embryological information about the ARSA. As in the majority of cases, the course of the ARSA was between the esophagus and the vertebral column. A region on human chromosome 22 (22q11) has been shown to be involved in normal development of the aortic arch vessels. This paper illustrates how discovery of a variant via dissection prompted medical students to learn and review the literature of aortic arch anomalies and their clinical correlations.
Structural and Functional Phenotyping of the Failing Heart: Is the Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction Obsolete?

Diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, and development of new therapies for diseases or syndromes depend on a reliable means of identifying phenotypes associated with distinct predictive probabilities for these various objectives. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) provides the current basis for combined functional and structural phenotyping in heart failure by classifying patients as those with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and those with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Recently the utility of LVEF as the major phenotypic determinant of heart failure has been challenged based on its load dependency and measurement variability. We review the history of the development and adoption of LVEF as a critical measurement of LV function and structure and demonstrate that, in chronic heart failure, load dependency is not an important practical issue, and we provide hemodynamic and molecular biomarker evidence that LVEF is superior or equal to more unwieldy methods of identifying phenotypes of ventricular remodeling. We conclude that, because it reliably measures both left ventricular function and structure, LVEF remains the best current method of assessing pathologic remodeling in heart failure in both individual clinical and multicenter group settings. Because of the present and future importance of left ventricular phenotyping in heart failure, LVEF should be measured by using the most accurate technology and methodologic refinements available, and improved characterization methods should continue to be sought.
Hyperoxia-mediated transcriptional activation of cytochrome P4501A1 (CYP1A1) and decreased susceptibility to oxygen-mediated lung injury in newborn mice.

Abstract Hyperoxia contributes to the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in premature infants. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that newborn transgenic mice carrying the human CYP1A1-Luc promoter will display transcriptional activation of the human CYP1A1 promoter in vivo upon exposure to hyperoxia, and that these mice will be less susceptible to hyperoxic lung injury and alveolar simplification than similarly exposed wild type (WT) mice. Newborn WT (CD-1) or transgenic mice carrying a 13.2 kb human CYP1A1 promoter and the luciferase (Luc) reporter gene (CYP1A1-luc) were maintained in room air or exposed to hyperoxia (85% O2) for 7–14 days. Hyperoxia exposure of CYP1A1-Luc mice for 7 and 14 days resulted in 4- and 30-fold increases, respectively, in hepatic Luc (CYP1A1) expression, compared to room air controls. In lung, hyperoxia caused a 2-fold induction of reporter Luc at 7 days, but the induction declined after 14 days. The newborn CYP1A1-Luc mice were less susceptible to lung injury and alveolar simplification than similarly exposed wild type (WT) CD-1 mice. Also, the CYP1A1-Luc mice showed increased levels of hepatic and pulmonary CYP1A1 expression and hepatic CYP1A2 activity after hyperoxia exposure. Hyperoxia also increased NADP(H) quinone reductase (NQO1) pulmonary gene expression in both CD-1 and CYP1A1-Luc mice at both time points, but this was more pronounced in the latter at 14 days. Our results support the hypothesis that hyperoxia activates the human CYP1A1 promoter in newborn mice, and that increased endogenous expression of CYP1A1 and NADP(H) quinone reductase (NQO1) contributes to the decreased susceptibilities to hyperoxic lung injury in the transgenic animals. This is the first report providing evidence of hyperoxia-mediated transcriptional activation of the human CYP1A1 promoter in newborn mice, and this in conjunction with decreased lung injury, suggests that these phenomena have important implications for BPD.
Individual Leg and Joint Work during Sloped Walking for People with a Transtibial Amputation Using Passive and Powered Prostheses

People with a transtibial amputation using passive-elastic prostheses exhibit reduced prosthetic ankle power and push-off work compared to non-amputees and compensate by increasing their affected leg (AL) hip joint work and unaffected leg (UL) ankle, knee, and hip joint and leg work during level-ground walking. Use of a powered ankle-foot prosthesis normalizes step-to-step transition work during level-ground walking over a range of speeds for people with a transtibial amputation, but the effects on joint work during level-ground, uphill and downhill walking have not been assessed. We investigated how use of passive-elastic and powered ankle-foot prostheses affect leg joint biomechanics during level-ground and sloped walking. 10 people with a unilateral transtibial amputation walked at 1.25 m/s on a dual-belt force-measuring treadmill at 0°, ±3°, ±6°, and ±9° using their own passive-elastic and a powered prosthesis (BiOM T2, BionX Medical Technologies, Inc. Bedford, MA, USA) while we measured kinematic and kinetic data. We calculated AL and UL prosthetic, ankle, knee, hip, and individual leg positive, negative, and net work. Use of a powered compared to passive-elastic ankle-foot prosthesis resulted in greater AL prosthetic and individual leg net work on uphill and downhill slopes. Over a stride, AL prosthetic positive work was 23-30% greater (p<0.05) during walking on uphill slopes of +6°, and +9°, prosthetic net work was up to 10 times greater (more positive) (p≤0.005) on all uphill and downhill slopes and individual leg net work was 146% and 82% more positive (p<0.05) at uphill slopes of +6° and +9°, respectively, with use of the powered compared to passive-elastic prosthesis. Greater prosthetic positive and net work through use of a powered ankle-foot prosthesis during uphill and downhill walking improves mechanical work symmetry between the legs, which could decrease metabolic cost and improve functional mobility in people with a transtibial amputation.
Housing access and governance: The influence and evolution of housing organizations in Mexico City

Abstract Through the analysis of personal interviews, resident surveys, government documents, newspaper and community accounts, among other relevant data, this paper studies housing movements and organizations in Mexico City, and exemplifies the reach that social mobilizing and organizing may have on cities and their political structures. In this context, mobilizations around detrimental housing conditions provided more than support to low-income tenants and affordable housing production; they contributed to the democratization of the local government. This in turn helped, with the election of a sympathetic government, to consolidate housing programs, norms, and institutions. Thus, and despite limited resources, new local housing strategies set notable standards at the national level. More recently, however, grassroots organizing efforts and community involvement in processes of affordable housing production have lost standing. Furthermore, housing organizations and leaders have become increasingly susceptible to political processes and electoral cycles. As civic groups have ceased to effectively monitor government actions, housing policies and efforts have lost legitimacy among the citizenry and housing unaffordability has remained a significant issue. Yet, although some housing organizations have lost autonomy, they have not necessarily lost their ability to influence local politics and policy. The evolution of these organizations, therefore, provides notable lessons to those that seek to institutionalize their demands and strengthen their ability to shape the growth and development of their cities and regions.
The de-emphasis of sampling error in coverage of presidential approval ratings:

This study extends research into problems in handling sampling error within polls by examining coverage of President Obama’s approval ratings in three major newspapers over a five-year period. Resu...
Understanding and Resolving Theoretical Confusion in Professional Psychology

The theoretical foundations of professional psychology are quite complex and confusing. There are clear historical and scientific reasons for this situation, however. This chapter examines the underlying reasons for the wide diversity of theoretical orientations that have been developed in psychology and the theoretical and conceptual confusion that has resulted as a consequence. The complicated and confusing preparadigmatic nature of the field is explained, followed by a discussion of the basic requirements that a unified conceptual framework for the field would need to meet in order to provide a satisfactory theoretical approach for the profession. It is then argued that current scientific explanations for human psychology are now sufficiently comprehensive to support a unified, science-based, biopsychosocial approach to understanding human psychology and behavioral health practice.
Triphasic Waves and Encephalopathy in the Setting of Pregabalin Toxicity

EEG triphasic waves are usually seen in the setting of metabolic encephalopathies, but may also occur secondary to medication toxicity. There are few reports of medications causing continuous triphasic waves, and only rare reports in the literature show an association between these discharges and pregabalin toxicity. Here, we describe triphasic waves in a patient with underlying white matter lesions, as well as pregabalin toxicity, secondary to renal insufficiency. Patients with renal or hepatic failure presenting with triphasic waves and confusion pose a diagnostic challenge in determining whether the etiology of their encephalopathy is purely metabolic or whether it results from impaired medication clearance and subsequent toxicity. In this patient, discontinuing pregabalin improved her EEG despite the ongoing renal insufficiency, confirming pregabalin toxicity as an etiology of triphasic waves and encephalopathy.
Flow-induced motions of flexible plates: fluttering, twisting and orbital modes

The unsteady dynamics of wall-mounted flexible plates under inclined flows was fundamentally described using theoretical arguments and experiments under various Cauchy numbers ; it exhibits solid agreement with experiments.
Cells to surgery quiz: April 2015.

1Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA Image appears with permission from VisualDx. © Logical Images, Inc. JID and Logical Images, Inc., have cooperated to offer the Cells to Surgery Quiz, incorporating diagnostic images from VisualDx’s vast database. Questions relate to the image as well as to selected articles in JID, which are listed after the questions. Answers will be posted as supplementary material. We hope you enjoy this challenge.
Electrochemical synthesis of ceramic materials. 4. Electrophoretic deposition of metal nitride ceramic precursors

The authors have prepared metal nitride ceramic precursors by anodic dissolution of the corresponding metal in liquid NH{sub 3} electrolyte solutions and then deposited coatings of these precursors onto n-Si substrates by electrophoresis. X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy indicate that calcination of the precursor-coated substrates yields coatings of AlN, {delta}-NbN, and Ni{sub 3}N. Precursor coatings are formed by applying fields greater than 10V/cm between electrodes in a CH{sub 3}CN suspension of the precursor. The positively charged precursor particles deposit selectively on the cathode. Subsequent calcination in flowing NH{sub 3} or Ar yields the metal nitride coating. The Ni{sub 3}N coating was prepared by calcining the precursor at 375 {degrees}C in NH{sub 3}, while the AlN and NbN precursor coatings were prepared by calcination at 1100 {degrees}C in NH{sub 3} and 800 {degrees}C in Ar, respectively. 30 refs., 4 figs.
The Health Economics of Sleep Disorders Among Older Adults

Sleep disorders are associated with well-documented health consequences and substantial economic burden among older adults. This review aims to highlight the existing health economic evidence of sleep disorders among older adults. As highlighted throughout this review, sleep disorders are associated with substantial economic costs that are borne by patients, payers, and society. Direct and indirect costs, as well as diminished health-related quality of life, are reviewed for common sleep disorders. Further, potential health economic benefits from diagnosing and treating sleep disorders among older adults are considered. This review highlights the economic aspects of sleep disorders among older adults, including the economic costs of treating sleep disorders and potential economic gain from treating sleep disorders. Future research should seek to include and incorporate economic endpoints into studies of sleep among older adults. Particular emphasis should be placed on older adults with comorbid medical and psychiatric disease (e.g., cardiovascular disease, depression, neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer’s disease), as well as the relative economic impact of various approaches to diagnosis and treatment, including telemedicine and remote monitoring of sleep among older adults.
Analysis of Exact Solutions of Electromagnetohydrodynamic Flow and Heat Transfer of Non-Newtonian Casson Fluid in Microchannel with Viscous Dissipation and Joule Heating

A theoretical investigation is done to study the analytical solutions for the velocity and temperature distribution of non-Newtonian Casson fluid in microchannel associated with combined effects of electromagnetohydrodynamics forces and electrokinematics forces. Heat transfer and flow characteristic of non-newtonian Casson fluid are controlled by the combination of imposed pressure gradients, applied magnetic field, and electrokinematic forces. The interesting features of the electromagnetohydrodynamics flow along with heat transfer characteristic are examined by variation in the nondimensional physical parameter on the velocity and temperate profiles. The effect of Casson parameter on the velocity and temperature distribution has been analyzed. Variation of Nusselt number with applied magnetic field and also Casson parameter has been studied.
Chapter 240 – Spermatophore

Publisher Summary This chapter describes spermatophore, a specialized sperm carrier found in primitive male insects to protect the sperm during their transfer to the female genital tract. Insects are believed to have descended from aquatic ancestors whose males released their sperm directly into the water. In adaptation to a terrestrial existence, however, a more precise method of mating was required to prevent the sperm from desiccating. The spermatophore thus represents an initial adaptation for life on land that protects the male gametes until they are within the female reproductive tract. The male accessory glands synthesize the spermatophore in insects. It consists of a viscous secretion that is shaped by the internal structures of either the male or the female once it has been inserted into the female reproductive tract. A change in pH may account for the transition from a liquid secretion by the male accessory glands to a more solid, gel-like mass. The sperm are contained within the saclike ampulla of the spermatophore before it is transferred to the female. In more advanced insects, the sperm are transferred directly in seminal fluid and the spermatophore is no longer produced.