cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Enhanced biodegradation of methylhydrazine and hydrazine contaminated NASA wastewater in fixed-film bioreactor.

The aerobic biodegradation of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) wastewater that contains mixtures of highly concentrated methylhydrazine/hydrazine, citric acid and their reaction product was studied on a laboratory-scale fixed film trickle-bed reactor. The degrading organisms, Achromobacter sp., Rhodococcus B30 and Rhodococcus J10, were immobilized on coarse sand grains used as support-media in the columns. Under continuous flow operation, Rhodococcus sp. degraded the methylhydrazine content of the wastewater from a concentration of 10 to 2.5 mg/mL within 12 days and the hydrazine from ∼0.8 to 0.1 mg/mL in 7 days. The Achromobacter sp. was equally efficient in degrading the organics present in the wastewater, reducing the concentration of the methylhydrazine from 10 to ∼5 mg/mL within 12 days and that of the hydrazine from ∼0.8 to 0.2 mg/mL in 7 days. The pseudo first-order rate constants of 0.137 day-1 and 0.232 day-1 were obtained for the removal of methylhydrazine and hydrazine, respectively, in wastewater in the reactor column. In the batch cultures, rate constants for the degradation were 0.046 and 0.079 day-1 for methylhydrazine and hydrazine respectively. These results demonstrate that the continuous flow bioreactor afford greater degradation efficiencies than those obtained when the wastewater was incubated with the microbes in growth-limited batch experiments. They also show that wastewater containing hydrazine is more amenable to microbial degradation than one that is predominant in methylhydrazine, in spite of the longer lag period observed for hydrazine containing wastewater. The influence of substrate concentration and recycle rate on the degradation efficiency is reported. The major advantages of the trickle-bed reactor over the batch system include very high substrate volumetric rate of turnover, higher rates of degradation and tolerance of the 100% concentrated NASA wastewater. The results of the present laboratory scale study will be of great importance in the design and operation of an industrial immobilized biofilm reactor for the treatment of methylhydrazine and hydrazine contaminated NASA wastewater.
Whiteheadian Quantum Ontology

Upon completing my article entitled The Copenhagen Interpretation (Stapp 1972), I sent the manuscript to Heisenberg for his approval or reaction. He expressed general approval, but raised one point: There is one problem I would like to mention, not in order to criticize the wording of your paper, but for inducing you to more investigation of this special point, which however is a very deep and old philosophical problem. When you speak about the ideas (especially in [section 3.4]) you always speak of human ideas, and the question arises, do these ideas ‘exist’ outside of the human mind or only in the human mind? In other words: have these ideas existed at the time when no human mind existed in the world?
On the Canonical Ring of a Curve

This chapter discusses Clifford index and Green's conjecture. It highlights Clifford's theorem using various examples. For every semistable vector bundle W with integral μ, one may associate a subvariety D w of J g -1- μ as follows. D w = { ξ∈ J 9-1- μ : Γ(ξ ⊗W)≠ 0}. Indeed, if D w is a proper subvariety, then one can actually associate an effective divisor algebraically equivalent to ( rkW ) θ of which D w is the support.
Interventions and Innovation to Prevent Surgical Site Infection in Colorectal Surgery: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis

Abstract Background Surgical site infection (SSI), particularly in colorectal surgery, continues to cause substantial morbidity and cost. Both process- and product-based interventions have been proposed and implemented. No cost-effectiveness analysis of such interventions has been published. Materials and methods This study used a decision-analytic model to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of strategies for the prevention of SSI. Costs, utilities, and transition probabilities were obtained from literature review. We used a lifetime time horizon, captured with explicit event modeling for a year plus quantification of enduring health outcomes. We represented costs in 2017 US dollars and health effects in Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALYs). Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed. Results Both process- and device-based strategies were dominant—clinically superior and also less expensive—compared with no intervention. Two types of double-ring wound protection barrier devices with greater anticontamination functionality were found to be both clinically superior and cost-saving compared with bundled process measures and simpler single-ring devices. Gains in QALYs were 230 per 1000 patients, and cost savings were 2.2 million dollars per 1000 patients, driven primarily by the high cost of SSI. Conclusions We found process-based interventions and wound protection devices to be superior to no intervention in the prevention of SSI. Double ring devices offered a distinct advantage over simpler devices, with small reductions in SSI risk leading to substantial cost savings. Further innovation in device-based wound protection devices may offer increased prevention of SSI at acceptable cost-effectiveness levels.
Characterizing bumble bee (Bombus) communities in the United States and assessing a conservation monitoring method.

Aim Bumble bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Bombus) are economically and ecologically important pollinators in agroecosystems and wildland habitats. In the Nearctic region, there are approximately 41 species, of which the IUCN lists twelve species as vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered. We conducted a standardized faunal survey to inform ongoing conservation efforts including petitions under review for the Endangered Species Act. Furthermore, we test the appropriateness of a methodology for accurately sampling bumble bee communities. Location The United States of America, including 31 sites in 15 states. Methods We surveyed 15 states in the summer of 2015 to assess community composition and relative species abundance at agricultural and seminatural sites throughout the United States. We collected approximately 100 bees, using aerial nets, from each of 31 sites and identified specimens to species, totaling 3,252 bees. We assessed our survey methodology to understand whether it accurately sampled the potential community of bumble bees at each site for utility in future monitoring efforts. Results Average site species richness was 5.1 ± 2.05, and we detected 30 of the 41 species documented historically within the contiguous United States. Sampling a site beyond 100 bees rarely added additional species detections, whereas adding additional sampling sites within an ecoregion frequently increased the species richness for the ecoregion. Thirteen of the 30 species we detected each accounted for <1% of the total fauna, and two species accounted for 49.02% of all bees captured. Species richness and evenness increased with increasing latitude across communities. Main Conclusions Species diversity and evenness in bumble bees increases in northern latitudes and increasing elevation in the United States; however, a few common species tend to dominate communities while many species occur only in low numbers. The results of this survey effort can inform current conservation evaluations and planning.
Northwell Health Laboratories: The 10-Year Outcomes After Deciding to Keep the Lab

Context.— Northwell Health Laboratories were established in 1997, serving the Northwell Health system. In 2008, the health system considered minority entry into a joint venture with a commercial la...
Shareholder Activism with Strategic Investors

Abstract Admati et al. (1994, Journal of Political Economy) predict that activist shareholders sell most of their shares to passive investors, which destroys the activist’s incentive to engage in value-enhancing monitoring. I extend their theoretical framework by assuming a finite number of passive investors instead of a continuum. In my model, passive investors take into account the effect of their own demand for shares on the activist’s incentives. As a result, they buy fewer shares from him, which increases his monitoring intensity. This is important because empirically, we observe activist investors with large blocks of shares.
High-throughput screening of printed carbon nanotube circuits using radio frequency heating

Abstract In this paper, we demonstrate a high-throughput technique for screening carbon nanotube (CNT) circuits using radio frequency (RF) heating. It has become increasingly common to integrate carbon nanotubes into electronic devices because of their superior electrical and mechanical properties, and CNT-based circuits can be screen printed in mass quantities. Currently, the process for screening the quality of these circuits requires that the 2-point resistance of every circuit be measured individually; this metric is tedious, slow, and prone to false positives. We recently reported that CNTs experience heating when exposed to RF fields. Since the heating response is correlated with the conductivity of the printed structure, RF heating and thermal imaging allows us to quickly assess circuit quality. This new technique screens CNT circuits ten times faster than conventional methods, and it identifies faulty circuits more reliably. This process is not limited to CNT-based circuits, and it can be used to rapidly image any 2D structure made from an RF responsive material.
Increased Fibrogenic Gene Expression in Multifidus Muscles of Patients With Chronic Versus Acute Lumbar Spine Pathology

Study design Prospective observational study-basic science (Level 1). Objective The aim of this study was to compare expression of functional groups of genes within the atrophic, myogenic, fibrogenic, adipogenic, and inflammatory pathways between paraspinal muscle biopsies from individuals with acute and chronic lumbar spine pathology. Summary of background data Low back pain is a complex and multifactorial condition that affects a majority of the general population annually. Changes in muscle tissue composition (i.e., fatty and fibrotic infiltration) are a common feature in individuals with lumbar spine pathology associated with low back pain, which often results in functional loss. Understanding the molecular underpinnings of these degenerative changes in different phases of disease progression may improve disease prevention and treatment specificity. Methods Intraoperative biopsies of the multifidus muscle were obtained from individuals undergoing surgery for acute ( 6-month duration) lumbar spine pathology. Expression of 42 genes related to myogenesis, atrophy, adipogenesis, metabolism, inflammation, and fibrosis were measured in 33 samples (eight acute, 25 chronic) using qPCR, and tissue composition of fat, muscle, and fibrosis was quantified using histology. Results We found that tissue composition of the biopsies was heterogeneous, resulting in a trend toward lower RNA yields in biopsies with higher proportions of fat (r 0.635), adipogenesis (P > 0.317), myogenesis (P > 0.320), or inflammatory (P > 0.413) genes after adjusting for the proportion of muscle, fat, and connective tissue. However, in the fibrogenesis pathway, we found significant upregulation of CTGF (P = 0.046), and trends for upregulation of COL1A1 (P = 0.061), and downregulation of MMP1 and MMP9 (P = 0.061) in the chronic group. Conclusion There is increased fibrogenic gene expression in individuals with chronic disease when compared to acute disease, without significant differences in atrophic, myogenic, adipogenic, or inflammatory pathways, suggesting increased efforts should be made to prevent or reverse fibrogenesis to improve patient function in this population. Level of evidence N/A.
Doppler ultrasound‐based noninvasive biomarkers in hidradenitis suppurativa: evaluation of analytical and clinical validity

Background There is a need for valid and reliable biomarkers in hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) for diagnosis and disease activity monitoring. Imaging-based biomarkers have the potential to fulfil this unmet need but no evaluation of analytical or clinical validity has yet been undertaken. Objectives To evaluate the analytical and clinical validity of sonographic epidermal thickness, Doppler ultrasound and dermal tunnel diameter in patients with HS. Methods Twenty-two participants with HS were recruited and underwent a total of 65 matched ultrasound and skin biopsies of lesional, perilesional and unaffected tissue. Ultrasound measurements were performed in triplicate with mean values used. Skin biopsies underwent immunohistochemistry as per previously published methods. Analytical validity was assessed in individual ultrasound-biopsy pairs (n = 65) by comparisons of sonographic variables with histological correlates. Clinical validity was assessed in individual patients (n = 22) by comparing measures of overall disease activity with sonographic outcomes. Results Epidermal thickness, dermal tunnel diameter and power Doppler intensity were assessed. Sonographic epidermal thickness and dermal tunnel diameter have high analytical validity with corresponding histological measurements. Power Doppler intensity demonstrated high correlation with dermal CD3+ and CD11c+ cell counts but not neutrophil elastase-positive cells. Power Doppler ultrasound has significant correlation with pain scores, abscess and nodule count, International HS Severity Scoring System score and number of draining tunnels. Conclusions Sonographic epidermal thickness and dermal tunnel diameter have acceptable levels of analytical validity in the assessment of HS lesions. Power Doppler intensity demonstrates acceptable clinical and analytical validity, suggesting it is a valid imaging-based biomarker in HS.
Scope and Limitations of Reductive Amination Catalyzed by Half-Sandwich Iridium Complexes Under Mild Reaction Conditions.

Abstract The conversion of aldehydes and ketones to 1° amines could be promoted by half-sandwich iridium complexes using ammonium formate as both the nitrogen and hydride source. To optimize this method for green chemical synthesis, we tested various carbonyl substrates in common polar solvents at physiological temperature (37 °C) and ambient pressure. We found that in methanol, excellent selectivity for the amine over alcohol/amide products could be achieved for a broad assortment of carbonyl-containing compounds. In aqueous media, selective reduction of carbonyls to 1° amines was achieved in the absence of acids. Unfortunately, at Ir catalyst concentrations of
Current and emerging biologic therapies for triple negative breast cancer

Triple negative breast cancer, defined by a lack of estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, or human epidermal growth factor2, accounts for approximately 15% of breast cancer patients. Treatment ...
Signal Integrity Characterization of Channels With Asymmetric Via Stubs

The characterization of the signal integrity (SI) performance of differential high-speed channels that have an imbalance due to mismatched via stub length is investigated. The impact of the asymmetric stubs are characterized with regards to impedance matching, differential-to-common mode conversion and intra-pair skew computation. Simulations for the short and long differential vias are carried out in both the frequency-domain and the time-domain with a back-drilling tolerance of ±10 mils for the residual stubs. It is shown that there is a 9 Ω differential impedance variation, over −40dB mode conversion loss above 5GHz and 2~3 ps of intra-pair skew is introduced. An example is illustrated to show the impact of the stub asymmetry for the high-speed channel with a time-domain eye simulation at 40 Gbps data rate. It is shown that the short imbalanced differential via with a 20 mil stub asymmetry has the eye diagram degradation in the peak-peak jitter that doubles the jitter for the channel with vias with equal-length residual stubs.
System and Design for Selective OFDM SWIPT Transmission

Simultaneous wireless information and power transfer (SWIPT) augments a wireless device’s capability to transmit data by adding a harvesting component to the standard information processing receiver. With SWIPT, both information processing and energy scavenging are combined to allow a SWIPT device to become its own recurrent power source. This article proposes and analyzes the functionality of a novel selective orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) receiver architecture. The architecture leverages the OFDM signal structure to extract the cyclic prefix (CP) of the signal for energy harvesting and selectively harvest a fraction of the received signal for increase energy storage. This article also evaluates the rate-energy (R-E) tradeoff of the system as a means for analyzing the switching time’s impact on rate and energy. Additionally, this article examines the feasibility of harvesting sufficient energy to power the OFDM processing portion of the receiver. To understand the feasibility, an optimization problem is developed to minimize the portion of the information signal used for harvesting while ensuring sufficient energy is harvested to perform the processing. To facilitate the evaluation, Monte Carlo simulations are run presenting system level R-E tradeoff and feasibility performance. Selective OFDM transmission is found to provide improved energy harvesting and sustainability.
Evaluation of Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer, Ganglion Cell-Inner Plexiform Layer, and Optic Nerve Head in Glaucoma Suspects With Varying Myopia.

Prcis Myopic glaucoma suspects, particularly with high myopia, experience thinning of nontemporal parameters of retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL), without change in optic nerve head (ONH) parameters. Purpose The aim was to assess the effect of myopia on RNFL, GCIPL, and ONH parameters in glaucoma suspects. Materials and methods Seventy-six eyes of glaucoma suspects studied with Cirrus high definition optical coherence tomography were divided into low (n=27), moderate (n=25), and high myopia (n=24) groups. Optical coherence tomography parameters were correlated with spherical equivalent (SE) and evaluated with areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve for quantifying diagnostic ability to differentiate high myopia from nonhigh myopia. Results In high myopia, SE was positively correlated with thinning of average, minimum, and nontemporal GCIPL and thinning of average and nontemporal RNFL (P 0.05). The largest areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve for RNFL and GCIPL parameters were for superior (0.82) and superonasal (0.80) regions, respectively, with comparable diagnostic ability (P=0.74). Conclusion High myopia, in particular, is associated with thinning of average RNFL, average and minimum GCIPL, and nontemporal parameters of both RNFL and GCIPL, warranting consideration of refractive status in glaucoma suspects.
On the Polylithic Nature of Family-Owned Businesses: Heterogeneous Responses to – and from – Brazilian Financial Market Reform

Accompanying the increasing globalization of firms and financial markets has been the growing belief that both firms and their financial markets will benefit from the adoption of improved corporate governance practices, particularly in emerging markets historically dominated by family-owned firms. We provide a more nuanced examination of this belief by advancing a theoretical perspective on the polylithic nature of family-owned firms, and use our typology of family firms to hypothesize why some family firms are more open to improved corporate governance than others. We contextualize our hypotheses using the recent Brazilian financial market reform, which allowed firms to self-select into new trading sub-segments distinguished by the stringency of corporate governance requirements. We offer and test differentiated predictions as to which type of Brazilian family-owned firms is most/least likely to self-select into more stringent trading segments, and with what financial market consequences. We predict and find that Brazilian financial markets do generally reward firms that choose a more stringent stock market segment, but do not anticipate that some firms engage in symbolic vs. substantive adoption of good governance practices. We discuss the implications of our approach and findings for research on corporate governance, family-owned firms, and institutional change in emerging markets.
The PRAME family of cancer testis antigens is essential for germline development and gametogenesis

Preferentially expressed antigen in melanoma (PRAME) belongs to a group of cancer/testis antigens that are predominately expressed in the testis and a variety of tumors, and are involved in immunity and reproduction. Much of the attention on PRAME has centered on cancer biology as PRAME is a prognostic biomarker for a wide range of cancers and a potential immunotherapeutic target. Less information is available about the PRAME family's function (s) during gametogenesis and in the overall reproduction process. Here, we review the current knowledge of the PRAME gene family and its function in germline development and gametogenesis. Members of the PRAME family are leucine rich repeat proteins, localized in nucleus and cytoplasm, with multifaceted roles in germ cells. As transcriptional regulators, the PRAME family proteins are involved in germline development, particularly in the maintenance of embryonic stem cell pluripotency, development of primordial germ cells, and differentiation/proliferation of spermatogenic and oogenic cells. The PRAME family proteins are also enriched in cytoplasmic organelles, such as rough endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi vesicle, germinal granules, centrioles, and play a role in the formation of the acrosome and sperm tail during spermiogenesis. The PRAME gene family remains transcriptionally active in the germline throughout the entire life cycle and is essential for gametogenesis, with some members specific to either male or female germ cells, while others are involved in both male and female gametogenesis. A potential molecular mechanism that underlies the function of PRAME, and is shared by gametogenesis and oncogenesis is also discussed.
The Impact of Instrumentation and Implant Surface Technology on Cervical and Thoracolumbar Fusion

Spinal fusion has undergone significant evolution and improvement over the past 50 yr. Historically, spine fusion was noninstrumented and arthrodesis was based entirely on autograft. Improved understanding of spinal anatomy and materials science ushered in a new era of spinal fusion equipped with screw-based technologies and various interbody devices. Osteobiologics is another important realm of spine fusion, and the evolution of various osteobiologics has perhaps undergone the most change within the past 20 yr. A new element to spinal instrumentation has recently gained traction-namely, surface technology. New data suggest that surface treatments play an increasingly well-recognized role in inducing osteogenesis and successful fusion. Until now, however, there has yet to be a unified resource summarizing the existing data and a lack of consensus exists on superior technology. Here, authors provide an in-depth review on surface technology and its impact on spinal arthrodesis.
Predictions of Aircraft Pollutants from Expanded Flight Operations at El Toro, Ca - a Public Health Issue?

An independent environmental evaluation has been made of the expected pollution caused by airplane fuel burning from 240 commercial flights each day (one every 6 minutes) on the health of the population residing in the landing and take-off pattern (LTO) in Orange County, CA. The source of the proposed pollution is from conversion of the El Toro Marine Air Base to civilian airport operations. Calculations have been made to estimate the proposed pollutant input from fuel burning in the LTO pattern using as examples, two airplanes - the Boeing 727-200 (three engines) and the Boeing 767-200 (two engines). If all aircraft were the Boeing 727, the amount of fuel burned would be 338,400 kg each day and, for the Boeing 767, the amount would be 410,400 kg. The fuel consumed daily in the LTO by the more efficient Boeing 767 would emit combustion products including hydrocarbons - 1515 kg; carbon monoxide -6960 kg; nitrogen oxides - 5144 kg, as well as soot particles, sulfur oxides, volatile organic compounds and other byproducts. These pollutant chemicals would be dispersed into a hypothetical South Coast Air Basin “bath tub” of (48 x 24 x 0.244) km3 when a meteorological inversion of 350 m is present, see Figure 1. The point source for aircraft pollutant emission at the airport is defined as having an average ground level height of 106 m above sea level to the inversion layer of 350 m with dimensions of (1 x 1 x 0.244) km3. For carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and other contaminants, the concentration and exposure time are of particular importance to the health of people living in the region. Under meteorological conditions of ocean fog in the mountainous terrain, often prevailing in the South Coast Air Basin, the expected concentration value for carbon monoxide would be 0.0285 PPM. For nitrogen oxides, the expected concentration value of 0.021 PPM, would be 1/4 the guideline value of 0.08 PPM for 24-hour exposure based on epidemiological studies of significant changes in the pulmonary function of asthmatics. The value for hydrocarbons, would be 0.0062 PPM. These values, determined from 240 flights/day, currently are below the levels responsible for significant health problems to the population. However, during certain meteorological conditions where the inversion layer “lid” is continuous for four days or longer and/or the El Toro airport use is expanded to more flights per day, the values for
MRI phenotypes of localized intravascular coagulopathy in venous malformations

The incidence of localized intravascular coagulopathy (LIC) in venous malformations varies with lesion size and location, as well as the presence of palpable phleboliths. The development of LIC can cause pain and hemorrhage and can progress to disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (DIC) and thromboembolic disease resulting in death in some cases. Early recognition of LIC can relieve symptoms and prevent progression to life-threatening complications. The aim of this work was to identify MRI features of venous malformation associated with LIC. We hypothesized that venous malformations with larger capacitance, slower flow and less physiological compression (greater stasis) were more likely to be associated with LIC. In this HIPAA-compliant and IRB-approved study, we retrospectively reviewed clinical records and MRI for consecutive patients undergoing evaluation of venous malformations at our multidisciplinary Birthmarks and Vascular Anomalies Center between 2003 and 2013. Inclusion required consensus diagnosis of venous malformation and availability of laboratory data and MRI; patients on anticoagulation or those previously undergoing surgical or endovascular treatment were excluded. LIC was diagnosed when D-dimer exceeded 1,000 ng/mL and/or fibrinogen was less than 200 mg/dL. Two board-certified radiologists assessed the following MRI features for each lesion: morphology (spongiform vs. phlebectatic), presence of phleboliths, size, location (truncal vs. extremity), and tissue type(s) involved (subcutis, muscle, bone and viscera). Univariate logistic regression analyses were used to test associations between LIC and MRI findings, and stepwise regression was applied to assess the significance of the individual imaging predictors. Seventy patients, 37 with LIC, met inclusion criteria during the 10-year study period (age: 14.5 +/- 13.6 years [mean +/- standard deviation]; 30 male, 40 female). Both elevated D-dimer and low fibrinogen were associated with the presence of phleboliths, larger lesion sizes and visceral involvement on MRI (all P < 0.05). In stepwise regressions, lesion size (P < 0.001), the presence of phleboliths (P = 0.005) and lesion morphology (P = 0.006) were all significant predictors of LIC. LIC is associated with larger lesion size, visualized phleboliths, truncal location and spongiform morphology on MRI in venous malformations, suggesting that lesions with larger capacitance, slower flow and less physiological compression are more likely to be associated with coagulopathy.
Arrangements of Separate Elastic Bodies

Many practical problems exist where the geometry of part or all of a boundary of a body, or the interface between bodies, alters with changes in loading. Such practical problems occur in soil mechanics, granular reinforced matrices media, geophysics, reinforced concrete, and at metal connections. This paper presents a common theory to deal with such diverse situations falling within the context of the title. The theory includes both conditions where interface friction occurs and where a continuum under body forces is attained by an incremental process.
The Church and the Land: The National Catholic Rural Life Conference and American Society, 1923–2007

Review of: "The Church and the Land: The National Catholic Rural Life Conference and American Society, 1923–2007," by David S. Bovee.
Brief Crisis Stabilization of an African American Woman

ABSTRACT This article explores the usefulness of integrating cultural and ecological approaches in the brief treatment of an African American woman in an urban community-based crisis treatment facility. A theoretical overview is followed by descriptions of how cultural factors influenced the assessment of the case as well as the intervention that was utilized. Implications for practice and recommendations for future studies are noted.
Transcervical Robotic Access in Thoracic Surgery: Feasibility and Alternatives

The transcervical approach in thoracic surgery has regained interest as a way to access the thoracic cavity. The advent of robotic surgery has unveiled a new era of minimally invasive surgery overcoming some of the shortcomings of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) technology. The da Vinci™ system has added new capabilities to minimally invasive surgery with stereotactic vision and wrist-like movements. The da Vinci™ robot is well suited to work in deep spaces, where wrist-like motion and depth perception are essential. The field of robotic surgery has evolved from the surgeons’ perspective but lagged behind from the technology perspective. Further development of more sophisticated robotic technology will eventually allow us to safely operate in the most challenging anatomic spaces.
The hair of the dog that bit you: successful market strategies in post‐crisis South‐East Asia

In the wake of post‐crisis South‐East Asia’s declining growth and declining per capita income, local companies are restructuring their operations and re‐evaluating their strategies along with multinational companies (MNCs). This article explores the winning market‐expansion strategies of two companies in South‐East Asia’s changed business environments – the MNC, Unilever in Indonesia; and the local company, Asia Commercial Bank (ACB) in Vietnam. The first section identifies how Asian post‐crisis business environments have changed. The next section explores the back‐to‐basics market strategy followed by the foreign MNC, Unilever. The ensuing section sketches the deliberate strategy of normal operations and transparency followed by the local ACB in Vietnam. Based on these case studies, the final section makes some recommendations for MNCs and local companies considering market‐expansion in post‐crisis Asia.
The Ku Klux Klan in Youngstown, Ohio: Moral Reform in the Twenties

(1978). The Ku Klux Klan in Youngstown, Ohio: Moral Reform in the Twenties. The Historian: Vol. 41, No. 1, pp. 76-93.
Inclusive Strange-Particle Production by ν p Interactions in the 10—200-GeV Region

Data are presented on charged-current inclusive strange-particle production in 10--200-GeV/c vp interactions. Final states with V$sup 0$ decay topologies are reported: K/subs/$sup 0$, $lambda$$sup 0$($Sigma$$sup 0$), Lambda- bar$sup 0$(Sigma-bar$sup 0$). Neutrino energy, charged multiplicity, Q$sup 2$, W, x, and y distributions are shown. The corrected relative V$sup 0$ production rate is 0.16+-0.03 per event. The first example of neutrino-induced antibaryon (Lambda-bar) production is observed. The 90%-confidence upper limit on $delta$S=- $delta$Q inclusive $lambda$ production is 0.036 of all charged-current vp interactions above 10 GeV/c. (AIP)
Live coral cover in the fossil record: an example from Holocene reefs of the Dominican Republic

Fossil reefs hold important ecological information that can provide a prehuman baseline for understanding recent anthropogenic changes in reefs systems. The most widely used proxy for reef “health,” however, is live coral cover, and this has not been quantified in the fossil record because it is difficult to establish that even adjacent corals were alive at the same time. This study uses microboring and taphonomic proxies to differentiate between live and dead corals along well-defined time surfaces in Holocene reefs of the Enriquillo Valley, Dominican Republic. At Canada Honda, live coral cover ranged from 59 to 80% along a contemporaneous surface buried by a storm layer, and the reef, as a whole had 33–80% live cover within the branching, mixed, massive and platy zones. These values equal or exceed those in the Dominican Republic and Caribbean today or reported decades ago. The values from the western Dominican Republic provide a geologic baseline against which modern anthropogenic changes in Caribbean reefs can be considered.
Knowledge representation in ICU communication

The need to improve team communication among health care providers is imperative in order to improve quality and reduce costs. Since most patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) suffer life threatening adverse events [1-2], there must be an effective and efficient communication protocol that facilitates workflow among the clinical team. In this paper, we studied the significance of communication at the ICU and ways to improve it. Through literature review, we identified and analyzed current research methods in order to locate the areas that require further exploration. Based on research methods review, we proposed our methodology to further comprehend the communication framework at the ICU which enables identifying factors that enhance and limit the communication process. This research proposes that through data collection, first hand and from literature, more communication factors can be identified. Through better understanding, we aim at building a knowledge base which will serve as the foundation to our long term goal of building an ontology-driven educational tool. Such a tool will be used to educate clinicians about miscommunication issues and as a means to improve it. The ultimate goal of our research is through improving clinical communication to reduce medical errors and costs and hence, enhance patient safety.
Neuromuscular effects of doxacurium chloride in isoflurane-anesthetized dogs.

OBJECTIVE To determine the neuromuscular effects of doxacurium chloride and to construct a dose-response curve for the drug in isoflurane-anesthetized dogs. DESIGN Randomized, controlled trial. ANIMALS Six healthy, adult, mixed-breed dogs (five female, one male) weighing 24.8 +/- 2.8 kg. METHODS Anesthesia was induced with isoflurane in oxygen and maintained with 1.9% to 2.3% end-tidal isoflurane concentration. PaCO2 was maintained between 35 and 45 mm Hg with mechanical ventilation. Mechanomyography was used to quantitate the evoked twitch response of the paw after supramaximal train-of-four stimulation of the superficial peroneal nerve. After baseline values were recorded, the dogs received one of three doses of doxacurium (2.0, 3.5, 4.5 microg/kg of body weight) or a saline placebo intravenously in random order. All dogs received all treatments with at least 7 days between studies. After drug administration, the degree of maximal first twitch depression compared with baseline (T1%) was recorded. Dose-response relations of doxacurium were plotted in log dose-probit format and analyzed by linear regression to determine effective dose (ED50 and ED90) values for doxacurium. RESULTS The median log dose-probit response curve showed good data correlation (r = .999) with estimates of the ED50 (2.1 microg/kg) and ED90 (3.5 microg/kg) for doxacurium in isoflurane-anesthetized dogs. Mean +/- SD values for T1% (first twitch tension compared with baseline) at maximal depression after drug administration, onset (time from drug administration to maximal depression of T1%), duration (time from maximal depression of T1% to 25% recovery of T1%), and recovery (time from 25% to 75% recovery of T1%) times were 92% +/- 4%, 40 +/- 5 minutes, 108 +/- 31 minutes, and 42 +/- 11 minutes for dogs treated with 3.5 microg/kg of doxacurium and 94% +/- 7%, 41 +/- 8 minutes, 111 +/- 33 minutes, and 37 +/- 10 minutes for dogs treated with 4.5 microg/kg of doxacurium. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE We conclude that doxacurium is a long-acting neuromuscular blocking agent with a slow onset of action. Doxacurium can be used to provide muscle relaxation for long surgical procedures in isoflurane-anesthetized dogs. Interpatient variability, particularly of duration of drug action, may exist in the neuromuscular response to the administration of doxacurium in dogs.
Modulation of the expression of alkaline phosphatase genes in a human malignant cell line passaged through nude mice

Hep 2/5 cells, a clone of HeLa which expresses both placental-type alkaline phosphatase and fetal intestinal alkaline phosphatase (ALP), were grown as solid tumors in nude mice. Analysis of ALP isozymes present in tumor specimens excised at intervals over a 52-day period showed that levels of placental-type ALP had dropped markedly, while levels of the intestinal ALP remained fairly constant. Cells re-cultured from two two separate tumors regained most of the original placental ALP levels. However, levels of the fetal intenstinal ALP in cells returned to culture rapidly increased to more than six times the levels in the original cultured cells, and these increased levels persisted. Passage through nude mice thus induced at least semi-permanent changes in the level of expression of fetal intestinal ALP in Hep 2/5 cells, and the nature of these changes may relate to the role of the isozyme locus in malignant cells.
Identifying polar bear resource selection patterns to inform offshore development in a dynamic and changing Arctic

Although sea ice loss is the primary threat to polar bears (Ursus maritimus), little can be done to mitigate its effects without global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Other factors, however, could exacerbate the impacts of sea ice loss on polar bears, such as exposure to increased industrial activity. The Arctic Ocean has enormous oil and gas potential, and its development is expected to increase in the coming decades. Estimates of polar bear resource selection will inform managers how bears use areas slated for oil development and to help guide conservation planning. We estimated temporally-varying resource selection patterns for non-denning adult female polar bears in the Chukchi Sea population (2008–2012) at two scales (i.e., home range and weekly steps) to identify factors predictive of polar bear use throughout the year, before any offshore development. From the best models at each scale, we estimated scale-integrated resource selection functions to predict polar bear space use across th...
Developing optimum subsurface drainage design procedures

The DRAINMOD simulation model was used to investigate combinations of drain depth and spacing for major soils of southern Minnesota to maximize profitability and minimize drained volume and surface...
The dark side of sunlight and melanoma

Skin cancer is the most prevalent form of cancer, with a lifetime risk of 1 in 5 for Americans ( 1 ). Most skin cancers can be attributed to C→T and CC→TT mutations in DNA resulting from cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs) produced by the direct absorption of UVB light (290 to 320 nm) present in sunlight ( 2 ). The most generally accepted mechanism for the formation of these mutations is that Cs or 5-methyl-Cs in the CPDs rapidly deaminate to Us or Ts, which are then replicated in an error-free manner. One might expect that photodamage would cease once out of the Sun, but Premi et al. , on page 842 of this issue, show that this is not the case in melanocytes ( 3 ). A substantial fraction of UV damage to DNA in these cells may be occurring in the dark, by a novel pathway with important implications for melanoma formation.
Small amplitude theory of Richtmyer–Meshkov instability

This paper presents a new analysis of small amplitude Richtmyer–Meshkov instability. The linear theory for the case of reflected rarefaction waves, a problem not treated in previous work, is formulated and numerically solved. This paper also carries out a systematic comparison of Richtmyer’s impulsive model to the small amplitude theory, which has identified domains of agreement as well as disagreement between the two. This comparison includes both the reflected shock and reflected rarefaction cases. Additional key results include the formulation of criteria determining the reflected wave type in terms of preshocked quantities, identification of parameter regimes corresponding to total transmission of the incident wave, discussion of an instability associated with a rarefaction wave, investigation of phase inversions and the related phenomenon of freeze‐out, and study of the sensitivity of the numerical solutions to initial conditions.
Finite automata with multiplication

Abstract A finite automaton with multiplication (FAM) is a finite automaton with a register which is capable of holding any positive rational number. The register can be multiplied by any of a fixed number of rationals and can be tested for value 1. Closure properties and decision problems for various types of FAM's (e.g. two-way, one-way, nondeterministic, deterministic) are investigated. In particular, it is shown that the languages recognized by two-way deterministic FAM's are of tape complexity log n and time complexity n 3 . Some decision problems related to vector addition systems are also studied.
Common y-intercept and single compound regressions of gas-particle partitioning data vs 1/T

Abstract Confidence intervals are placed around the log Kp vs 1/T correlation equations obtained using simple linear regressions (SLR) with the gas-particle partitioning data set of Yamasaki et al. [(1982) Env. Sci. Technol.16, 189–194]. The compounds and groups of compounds studied include the polycylic aromatic hydrocarbons phenanthrene + anthracene, me-phenanthrene + me-anthracene, fluoranthene, pyrene, benzo[a]fluorene + benzo[b]fluorene, chrysene + benz[a]anthracene + triphenylene, benzo[b]fluoranthene + benzo[k]fluoranthene, and benzo[a]pyrene + benzo[e]pyrene (note: me = methyl). For any given compound, at equilibrium, the partition coefficient Kp equals (F/TSP)/A where F is the particulate-matter associated concentration (ng m−3), A is the gas-phase concentration (ng m−3), and TSP is the concentration of particulate matter (μg m−3). At temperatures more than 10°C from the mean sampling temperature of 17°C, the confidence intervals are quite wide. Since theory predicts that similar compounds sorbing on the same particulate matter should possess very similar y-intercepts, the data set was also fitted using a special common y-intercept regression (CYIR). For most of the compounds, the CYIR equations fell inside of the SLR 95% confidence intervals. The CYIR y-intercept value is −18.48, and is reasonably close to the type of value that can be predicted for PAH compounds. The set of CYIR regression equations is probably more reliable than the set of SLR equations. For example, the CYIR-derived desorption enthalpies are much more highly correlated with vaporization enthalpies than are the SLR-derived desorption enthalpies. It is recommended that the CYIR approach be considered whenever analysing temperature-dependent gas-particle partitioning data.
Vitamin D does not modulate NF-κB activity in Jurkat T cells

The active form of vitamin D, 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1α,25(OH)2D3], has been reported to influence the functioning of the immune system by targeting the activities of cellular signaling pathways, in addition to its direct genomic effects. One of the signaling pathways reported to be targeted by vitamin D is the NF-κB pathway, which is highly active in most immune cell types, including T cells. However, the effects of vitamin D on the NF-κB pathway in T cells are not fully understood. Therefore, we examined the effects of 1α,25(OH)2D3 on the NF-κB pathway in the Jurkat cell line, a human T cell line that constitutively expresses endogenous vitamin D receptor. We found that 1α,25(OH)2D3 does not inhibit the induction of IκBα degradation and the expression of an NF-κB-dependent reporter gene in Jurkat cells following treatment with PMA/ionomycin. Also, 1α,25(OH)2D3 did not suppress the activation of NF-κB by TNFα or PHA. Furthermore, we demonstrate that 1α,25(OH)2D3 does not block the induction of CD69, which is an NF-κB target gene and an early T cell activation marker. Therefore, we conclude that vitamin D does not modulate the activity of the NF-κB pathway in Jurkat cells.
On issues and considerations in modern mobile robotics

Designing an adaptable and robust robotic platform is very critical in providing a tool to test and use highly needed autonomous behaviours. As the required capabilities increase, the complexity of the designed platform also increases and results in more challenges. In this paper, we survey some key issues and possible solutions in the design of mobile robotic platforms. We also present our design that is based on the tracked robot named MATILDA made by Mesa Robotics.
Single-Shot Elemental Analysis of Liquids Based on Laser Vaporization at Fluences Below Breakdown

A novel yet simple spectrochemical technique for analyzing liquid samples has been demonstrated, which is based on pulsed laser vaporization at sub-breakdown fluences, together with acoustic normalization for improved precision. By the use of ArF laser vaporization of NaCl solution as a test case, a dynamic range of three orders of magnitude was realized, and as little as 0.23 ppm of Na can be detected. Because of the high precision and small focal volume, the absolute detectability can be as low as 0.4 pg (20 fmol). ArF laser vaporization of KCl and BaCl2 was also investigated, and detection limits of 1.5 ppm and 130 ppm were established for K and Ba, respectively.
Differences in Engineering Students’ Views of Social Responsibility between Disciplines

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to examine differences in student views of social responsibility by discipline, looking at student reasons for their choice of discipline and online messaging as possible explanations for differences. Civil, environmental, and mechanical engineering students at five universities were surveyed regarding their views of social responsibility, which was measured using 50 questions on a 7-point Likert scale and open-ended response questions. Results showed that environmental engineering students had more positive social responsibility attitudes than civil engineering students, whose attitudes were more positive than mechanical engineering students. The greatest differences were among first-year students, suggesting that a priori perceptions of these disciplines differentiated more than curricular content. This hypothesis was supported by differences in the student motivations for choosing each major and online messaging between these disciplines with respect to elements of...