cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparing surface energy flux models using ASTER imagery over Oklahoma

Surface energy flux estimates over central Oklahoma, during the summer of 2001, are derived in two different ways from thermal infrared and visible-near infrared ASTER (Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection radiometer) 90 m resolution observations. In one approach, surface flux estimates are computed using a two-source energy balance (TSEB) model, which distinguishes between soil and vegetation flux components. The benefit of TSEB is an improved surface representation over sparsely vegetated terrain, as compared to one-layer models. In the other approach, surface flux estimates are computed from the Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land (SEBAL) model, which computes meteorological variables using information contained within the spatial variability of convective fluxes. A major benefit of the SEBAL model is that estimates can be obtained solely from remote sensing observations. Both models compare reasonably well with surface flux measurements, but their relative sensitivities and biases are different for the same input data. Sources of these modeling sensitivities and biases are discussed.
SYNTHESIS OF AMINOBISPHOSPHONATE

Abstract A new facile synthesis of aminobisphosphonate was reported. Dibenzylamine bisphosphonate (1) is prepared from dibenzylamine, triethyl orthoformate and diethyl phosphite. Deprotection by hydrogen transfer reaction and acid hydrolysis afforded aminobisphosphonate (2).
Analyzing low-density parity-check codes on partial response channels with erasures using density evolution

We have developed a numerical technique based on density evolution to analyze low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes on partial response channels with erasures. We computed the average bit-error rates and signal-to-noise ratio thresholds and used them as criteria to evaluate the asymptotic performance of an ensemble of LDPC codes. We defined and estimated two important erasure parameters, namely, the fading depth threshold for erasure insertion and the erasure recovery capability of LDPC codes. We found that, at least asymptotically, LDPC codes are well suited for handling erasures in magnetic recording.
Extracting hot spots of basic and complex topics from time stamped documents

Identifying time periods with a burst of activity related to a topic has been an important problem in analyzing time stamped documents. In this paper, we discuss methods to compute a hot spot of a given topic from a time stamped document set. We consider basic topics that contain one or more keywords as well as complex topics that contain topics connected by logical operators and, or, not. We use the temporal scan statistic to assign a discrepancy score to each of the intervals of the time period spanning the given document set. The hot spot of the given topic is the time interval with the highest discrepancy score. We describe efficient algorithms to compute the hot spots of both basic and complex topics. Our preliminary experiments using the SIGMOD/VLDB paper titles data set and the CNN/Reuters news article titles data set collected from the TDT-Pilot Corpus show that our methods to compute the measure and the hot spot of a topic work very well in practice.
Spatial and Statistical Analysis of Commercial Vehicle Activity in Metropolitan Atlanta

The next generation of air quality models demands a better understanding of medium- and heavy-duty vehicle activities and the relationship between these activities and emissions. Understanding fleet characteristics and their associated impact, therefore, is critically important. Data collected in a 1996 commercial vehicle trip survey for the Atlanta region are presented and analyzed. A survey data collection effort undertaken in 1996, which included the collection of data related to spatial, temporal, cargo, land use, and vehicle characteristics, is described. The results of a series of statistical analyses are reported and discussed. The results of geographic information systems analyses, which provide a spatial picture of commercial vehicle activity, are presented. The spatial analysis combines vehicle, cargo, and land use characteristics with spatial and temporal data within the study area. The results of this study provide a compelling snapshot of commercial vehicle activity in the Atlanta area.
Cryotherapy-induced nerve injury.

Cryotherapy is a frequently used therapeutic modality in the treatment of athletic injuries. Peripheral nerve injury can result from the use of cryotherapy and cause temporary disability for the athlete. Six cases of periph eral nerve injury are reviewed. All cases resolved spon taneously. To avoid this complication, one should con sider the location of major peripheral nerves, the thick ness of the overlying subcutaneous fat, and the duration of tissue cooling.
Modeling the impact of infrastructure interdependencies on Virginia's highway transportation system

This project seeks to address the Virginia Department of Transportation's (VDOT) need to identify and manage the increasing number of interdependencies within its highway system. This study incorporates risk assessment and risk management methodologies in the analysis of four separate case studies involving VDOT assets. The results of this study provide insight not only as to how to manage the cascading effects of interdependent infrastructures within the individual case studies, but are applicable to the state of Virginia, as a whole. Management policies are recommended to unlock the interdependencies within the transportation system and thereby reduce the impact to the interdependencies following a transportation disruption
Historical linguistics in Australia: trees, networks and their implications.

This paper presents an overview of the current state of historical linguistics in Australian languages. Australian languages have been important in theoretical debates about the nature of language change and the possibilities for reconstruction and classification in areas of intensive diffusion. Here are summarized the most important outstanding questions for Australian linguistic prehistory; I also present a case study of the Karnic subgroup of Pama–Nyungan, which illustrates the problems for classification in Australian languages and potential approaches using phylogenetic methods.
What Can Solar and Stellar Ultraviolet Observations Tell About Chromospheric and Coronal Heating Mechanisms

The determination of which heating mechanisms are responsible for the observed emission line fluxes is a difficult, nonunique process. I discuss some of the spectral diagnostic problems encountered in deriving differential emission measures and methods for including all major emitters, especially FeII, in determining the total power radiated from a plasma. I propose two scaling laws by which one may simply determine the total power radiated in the chromosphere (from the MgII h and k lines) and the higher temperature layers (from the CIV 1549 A feature). These scaling laws lead to estimates of the total power radiated and thus the mechanical heating rates for basal and saturated atmospheres. The heating rates for plages in RS CVn systems are consistent with saturated heating.
Epileptiform EEG Discharges and Risk of Epilepsy Following Febrile Seizure

Investigators at Kangnam and Masan Samsung Changwon Hospitals, Korea, studied the relation between epileptiform discharges on the EEG after febrile seizures (FS) and the risk of developing epilepsy and recurrence of FS.
Electric Power Grid Restoration Considering Disaster Economics

This paper presents a cost-effective system-level restoration scheme to improve power grids resilience by efficient response to the damages due to natural or manmade disasters. A post-disaster decision making model is developed to find the optimal repair schedule, unit commitment solution, and system configuration in restoration of the damaged power grid. The physical constraints of the power grid, associated with the unit commitment and restoration, are considered in the proposed model. The value of lost load is used as a viable measure to represent the criticality of each load in the power grid. The model is formulated as a mixed-integer program and, then, is decomposed into an integer master problem and a dual linear subproblem to be solved using Benders decomposition algorithm. Different scenarios are developed to analyze the proposed model on the standard IEEE 118-bus test system. This paper provides a prototype and a proof of concept for utility companies to consider economics of disaster and include unit commitment model into the post-disaster restoration process.
Long-Lived Photoexcited Carrier Dynamics of d–d Excitations in Spinel Ordered Co3O4

The spectrum and dynamics of excited carriers in a spinel-ordered transition metal oxide, Co3O4, were investigated by both selective photoexcitation of all major optical transitions and selectively filling electronic states through an applied voltage. Co3O4 contains strong absorptions at all relevant optical excitations common to transition-metal oxides, inclusive of ligand-to-metal charge transfer, metal-to-metal charge transfer, and intravalence d–d transitions. We find that carriers initially excited across the charge-transfer excitations quickly (∼3 ps) convert to d–d excitations due to strong electron–phonon coupling. Subsequent recombination from weakly coupled, localized excited d states to the ground state occurs at a much longer, nanosecond time scale. These results suggest that d–d excitations represent a special type of long-lived recombination center intrinsic to a transition-metal oxide. Such carrier dynamics may apply to a wider range of transition metal oxides actively being integrated in p...
Group-6 Carbonyl Complexes of Methylarsathiane Rings, cyclo-(CH3AsS)n (n = 4−6). Synthesis and Structural Characterization of [Cr(CO)5-η1-cyclo-(CH3AsS)4], [Cr(CO)3-η3-cyclo-(CH3AsS)5], and [W(CO)3-η3-cyclo-(CH3AsS)6]

The photolysis reactions of cyclo-methylarsathiane, cyclo-(CH3AsS)3,4, with group-6 metal carbonyls M(CO)6 (M = Cr, W) in THF give the complexes [Cr(CO)5-η1-cyclo-(CH3AsS)4] (1), [Cr(CO)3-η3-cyclo-(CH3AsS)5] (2), and [W(CO)3-η3-cyclo-(CH3AsS)6] (3) in which the As−S ring system expands giving metal-stabilized rings of 8, 10, and 12 alternating arsenic and sulfur atoms. In this regard, cyclo-(CH3AsS)3,4 resembles cyclo-(RAs)n and cyclo-(CH3AsO)4 in its reactions with these metal carbonyls. Complexes 1 and 2 were crystallographically characterized, while the structure of 3 was deduced from 1H NMR and mass spectrometry studies. In complexes 2 and 3, the metal coordinates to both the arsenic and sulfur atoms of the ring; however, in all three complexes it shows preference for arsenic over sulfur. Bonding to sulfur occurs only when its position better accommodates octahedral symmetry at the metal atom. The main-group ring structures expand as required to fulfill the more demanding electronic and geometrical re...
Monte Carlo Modeling of Atomic Oxygen Interaction with Protected Polymers for Projection of Materials Durability in Low Earth Orbit

Atomic oxygen in low Earth orbit (LEO) readily attacks and oxidizes exposed spacecraft polymeric materials such as polyimide Kapton photovoltaic array blankets. The application of thin film silicon dioxide protective coatings can greatly extend the useful life of such materials in LEO. A Monte Carlo computational model has been developed which simulates atomic oxygen interaction with polymeric and protective coating materials for both ground laboratory and in-space experiments, allowing the determination of the geometrical shape of atomic oxygen attack of protected polymeric materials at defect sites in protective coatings. Modeling of attack of unprotected carbon-carbon composite materials predicts textured surfaces suitable for high emittance radiators. Results for fiberglass composites indicate loss of the matrix polymer leading to friable fibers. The computational modeling to project in-space performance based on ground laboratory testing predicts mass loss per fluence in space to be approximately one third that observed in plasma ashers.
Effects of Synthetic Juvenile Hormone Analogues on Certain Injurious and Beneficial Arthropods Associated with Cotton

Sixty compounds, comprising a large variety of structures, were tested in the laboratory for juvenile hormone (HI) activity against the pests Lygus lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois), A phis gossypii Glover, Tetranychus cinnabarinus (Boisduval), and beneficial predators Chrysopa carnea Stephens, Geocoris punctipes (Say), Hippodamia convergens Geerin-Meneville that are associated with cotton. Against L. lincolaris, some compounds-particularly those with an unsaturated arylterpenoid structure-evoked a significant JH response. However, the activity was relatively low, and compounds that affected this species also had a deleterious effect on some of the beneficial species. The JH analogue ZR-512 had sufficient activity against A. gossypii to merit additional investigation, but none affected T. cinnabarinus except at extremely high doses.
Vitamin B6 and reproduction.

Effect of vitamin B6 deficiency on fetal and maternal weight, maternal nitrogen retention, liver protein synthesis, serum protein, and nonprotein nitrogen concentration in the rat
Generalized analysis of quantal dose-response curves☆

Abstract Statistical advances now have broadened the scope of quantal dose-response analysis. Currently used probit and logit techniques suffer from two drawbacks, of which their inability to handle 0% and 100% responses is particularly troublesome. As a consequence, observations must be bunched into dose groups. The present method generalizes quantal dose analysis by treating observations as individual yes-or-no events. Grouping thus is no longer essential. Further advantages are that the dose-response curve is defined in terms of the salient parameter, the ED50 (median dose), so yielding its magnitude and variance directly.
On the mechanism of thrombolytic action of thromboxane synthetase inhibitors.

Using our in vivo model for studying drugs which prevent deposition of thrombi or dissipate thrombi formed in extra-corporeal circulation over a collagen strip superfused with arterial blood of anaesthetized and heparinized cats, we have found that dazoxiben--a thromboxane synthetase inhibitor--possesses not only antithrombotic but also thrombolytic potency in vivo (ED50 = 3.8 mg/kg i.v.). The thrombolytic potency of dazoxiben was antagonized by aspirin at a dose of 50 mg/kg i.v. Moreover, dazoxiben stimulated the generation of prostacyclin in isolated rat aortic slices incubated in platelet rich plasma, but not in platelet poor plasma. It is suggested that the thrombolytic potency of thromboxane synthetase inhibitors after their systemic administration is associated with the release of prostacyclin and/or prostacyclin-stable metabolites by the vascular endothelium owing to feeding of prostacyclin synthetase with prostaglandin endoperoxides accumulated in platelets following the inhibition of thromboxane synthetase.
Color Atlas of Cutaneous Excisions and Repairs

This full-color atlas presents an in-depth pictorial display of cutaneous surgery designed for all those interested in improving their surgical skills, from students and residents to experienced surgeons across a wide range of medical specialties. It provides step-by-step instructions through a series of more than 400 detailed color photographs, including supplementary illustrations demonstrating appropriate techniques. The excisions and resulting defects featured within, although primarily centered around the head and neck, cover a variety of locations. The repairs vary in type and size in order to provide multiple options in reconstruction. The chapters are separated into anatomic regions such as the eyelid, the ear, and the scalp, allowing the reader easy access to specific anatomic defects. This atlas is the culmination of the years of experience gained by the authors in the surgical management of skin cancers.
Chapter 40 – Chromophore-Assisted Laser Inactivation of Proteins by Antibodies Labeled with Malachite Green

Publisher Summary Chromophore-assisted laser inactivation (CALI) permits direct inactivation of proteins within cells or tissues with high spatial and temporal resolution. CALI converts nonfunction-blocking antibodies into function-blocking antibodies through the use of covalently linked chromophores, such as malachite green isothiocyanate (MGITC) and fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC). Cells or tissues loaded with labeled antibody are exposed to laser light, which results in the generation of free radicals that locally damage the protein to which the antibody is attached. Protein function can be perturbed directly during precise periods of development without concerns accompanying the use of molecular genetic approaches, such as lethality or compensation. The dye resides in a cuvette in the dye laser module. Dyes are also available for fluorescein and GFP excitation wavelengths. The laser light is routed through the rear port of a Nikon Diaphot 200-inverted microscope or similar type of microscope. Since malachite green is strictly a chromophore, there is no fluorescence emission to observe during micro-CALI. However, the laser light itself is in the visible spectrum and may partially obscure the center of the image field.
Immigrant and International LGBT Health

This chapter provides an overview of the unique healthcare needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) immigrants and refugees, and highlights the political, legal, and social realities faced by these populations. Different regions of the world have dramatically differing laws and attitudes towards sexual minorities, and persecution of LGBT individuals is commonplace. This results in fear of being exposed, aversion to healthcare providers, and poorer health outcomes in this population. Once they relocate to the United States, LGBT immigrants routinely face the challenges of “double marginalization” that come with being both cultural minorities in their newly adopted country as well as sexual minorities in their ethnic community and in American society more broadly. They encounter numerous difficulties while navigating the complexities of the U.S. immigration, law enforcement, and healthcare systems in order to receive access to quality, affordable healthcare.
Collaborative Stabilization

In this paper, we present the paradigm of collaborative stabilization that focuses on providing stabilization in the presence of an essential but potentially disruptive environment. By essential, we mean that without the environment actions, stabilization property would be impossible. At the same time, environment actions are not in the control of the program and can be disruptive to the recovery. We demonstrate the need for collaborative stabilization by providing examples where existing paradigms of stabilization are undesirable/insufficient. We compare collaborative stabilization with existing paradigms of stabilization. We identify the complexity of verifying collaborative stabilizing programs and develop theorems that focus on composition of such programs.
The Study of Parties in Political Development in the Middle East and North Africa

A concern on the part of Middle East specialists with an examination of political parties and groupings and related political processes represents a comparatively recent development. It is a development, of course, which has lagged behind the study of parties and political processes in the United States and Europe, although even there the subject largely was neglected until a quarter of a century ago.
Adaptive policies for balancing performance and lifetime of mixed SSD arrays through workload sampling

Solid-state drives (SSDs) have become promising storage components to serve large I/O demands in modern storage systems. Enterprise class (high-end) SSDs are faster and more resilient than client class (low-end) SSDs but they are expensive to be deployed in large scale storage systems. It is an attractive and practical alternative to exploit the high-end SSDs as a cache and low-end SSDs as main storage.
Digital Behavior of University Students in India and the U.S.: Cultural Values and Communication Technologies in the Classroom

Focusing on Indian and American university students, this investigation explores the impact of authority values on students’ classroom digital behavior in individualistic and collectivistic societies. The results indicate that university students in India and the U.S. differ significantly in (1) frequency of digital usage, (2) preferred classroom policies to control usage, (3) perceived impact of digital usage on learning, attention, and student participation, (4) and preferred instructor strategies for handling distracting uses of digital media. The findings are discussed in terms of Indian and U.S. cultural value differences in the source and focus of authority within collectivistic and individualistic societies.
The Genus Vitularia (Mollusca: Gastropoda) Discovered in the Miocene of Southern Florida

In late 1966 road work uncovered, for a tragically short time, the most fabulous fossil locality that it has ever been the writer's privilege to visit. The construction was for a toll road stretching across the Everglades from Naples, Florida, due east to Fort Lauderdale, and bearing the delightful name of "Alligator Alley." Unfortunately subsequent work completely covered the fossil locality and it is no longer in existence. "Alligator Alley" crosses Florida Highway 29 just south of Sunniland, and at this point the underlying formation is the Tamiami Limestone of late Miocene age. Traveling to the east one passes through exposures of the Buckingham facies of the Tamiami and at a point 13 miles east of Highway 29 the molluscan fauna of the upper Miocene Pinecrest Beds is well developed for about one-quarter mile in either direction. On to the east the Pinecrest is still present for several miles but the collecting was poor. This locality was fraught with exciting fossils but for the writer the single most spectacular find was the discovery of the genus Vitularia in the western Atlantic.
Approaches to Closed-Loop Identification for Inferential Control

Abstract Five identification methods have been developed for application in closed loop, two of which utilize some special property of the inferential control scheme. All five have been computer tested and compared to the open-loop prediction-error least square approach. The two closed-loop least-square methods, though more complicated, did not yield any real improvement over the accuracy of the reference technique. The open-loop model-error least-square method improved accuracy but showed convergence problems. Finally, the two corrective methods proved far superior in accuracy, at the expense of slightly increased numerical complexity.
Abstract 215: The Role of ER Stress in Renal Diseases in Metabolic Syndrome Animals : Blockade by Natural Antioxidants

ER stress has been implicated in hypertension, obesity, insulin resistance and diabetes, all of which are hallmarks of metabolic syndrome (MetS). MetS is also characterized by an increased risk for cardio-renal diseases. Recent evidences demonstrate a role for ER stress in kidney injury. Recently we demonstrated that blueberry (BB) treatment attenuates renal injury in spontaneously hypertensive rats. However, the mechanism for this protective effect is not known. Since blueberries are known to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, we hypothesized that BB protect against renal dysfunction in MetS by attenuating ER stress. Methods: Male zucker rats - Lean controls (LZR) and Obese (OZR) were both fed with a BB-enriched diet or a control diet for 15 weeks. At the end of the feeding period, the rats were subjected to acute renal clearance experiments to determine the blood pressure and kidney function parameters. Kidney cortex tissues were examined for gene and protein expression of ER stress and kidney injury markers, by RT-PCR and western blotting respectively. Results: are tabulated. Further studies are being carried out to investigate whether blocking ER stress would attenuate the structural and functional kidney damage in MetS animal models. Conclusions: 1) ER stress increased in the kidneys of MetS animals and contribute to renal dysfunction. 2) BB ameliorates the progression of renal diseases in MetS by attenuating ER stress, a novel therapeutic approach.
Giving Back: An Examination of the Philanthropic Motivations, Orientations and Activities of Large Black-Owned Businesses

This study of philanthropy among large Black-owned businesses provides insights into a sector of business giving which has not been studied. Results indicate that philanthropy and ethical justifications play a more important role in minority business enterprises than in non-minority firms studied previously.
Power, Penalty, and Critical Praxis: Employing Intersectionality in Educator Practices to Achieve School Equity

AbstractIntersectionality describes the ways interlocking systems of oppression, evidenced in various identity facets (e.g., race, class, gender, sexuality, religion, ability, and language), frame individuals' social worlds. An awareness of intersectionality can ensure PreK–12 school policies and practices meet the needs of a student population diversifying rapidly along multiple lines. We situate intersectionality within examples of common schooling dilemmas and pose suggestions for educators to employ intersectional thinking in their practice.
Cholesterol provides nonsacrificial protection of membrane lipids from chemical damage at air–water interface

The role of cholesterol in bilayer and monolayer lipid membranes has been of great interest. On the biophysical front, cholesterol significantly increases the order of the lipid packing, lowers the membrane permeability, and maintains membrane fluidity by forming liquid-ordered–phase lipid rafts. However, direct observation of any influence on membrane chemistry related to these cholesterol-induced physical properties has been absent. Here we report that the addition of 30 mol % cholesterol to 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) or 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-(1′-rac-glycerol) (POPG) monolayers at the air–water interface greatly reduces the oxidation and ester linkage cleavage chemistries initiated by potent chemicals such as OH radicals and HCl vapor, respectively. These results shed light on the indispensable chemoprotective function of cholesterol in lipid membranes. Another significant finding is that OH oxidation of unsaturated lipids generates Criegee intermediate, which is an important radical involved in many atmospheric processes.
Effect of tadalafil on reduction of necrosis in the ischemic zone in a rat comb burn model

Abstract Objectives A major goal of burn management is to reduce the progression of necrosis in the zone of ischemia surrounding the central zone of necrosis. A rat comb burn model is often used to assess the progression of necrosis in the zone of ischemia. We compared various combinations of naproxen [NPX], N-acetyl cysteine [NAC], and tadalafil [TD] (a phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor used as a vasodilator to treat erectile dysfunction) in a rat comb burn model to determine their effects on injury progression. Methods We created two comb burns on the backs of 40 anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats using a brass comb with four rectangular prongs preheated in boiling water and applied for 30 s, resulting in four rectangular 10 × 20 mm full-thickness burns separated by three 5 × 20 mm unburned interspaces, representing the ischemic zones. We randomized five animals each to daily oral gavage with TD (1 mg/kg), NPX (10 mg/kg), NAC (500 mg/kg), NAC + NPX, TD + NPX, TD + NAC, TD + NPX + NAC, or normal saline [NS]. Wounds were observed daily for gross evidence of necrosis in the unburned interspaces and full-thickness biopsies from the interspaces were evaluated with Hematoxylin & Eosin seven days after injury for histological evidence of necrosis. Results The percentages of interspaces with histological evidence of necrosis at day seven were TD-40%, NPX-93%, NAC-97%, NS-87%, TD + NPX-50%, TD + NAC-40%, TD + NPX + NAC-33%, and NPX + NAC-60% (P Conclusions Daily oral therapy with tadalafil reduces necrosis in the unburned interspaces compared with naproxen, NAC, or their combination in a rat comb burn model. Addition of naproxen or NAC to tadalafil does not further reduce injury progression.
Foveolar choroidal blood flow in age-related macular degeneration.

PURPOSE. To compare measurements of the foveolar choroidal blood circulation in subjects with nonexudative, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) with those of control subjects. METHODS. Laser Doppler flowmetry was used to assess relative choroidal blood velocity (ChB vel ), volume (ChB vol ), and flow (ChB Flow ) in the center of the fovea. Measurements were obtained in 20 eyes of 20 subjects with 10 or more large drusen, visual acuity of 20/32 or better, and no evidence of choroidal neovascularization. Findings obtained in these subjects were compared with those of 10 eyes of 10 age- and blood pressure-matched control subjects with no large drusen. Foveolar choroidal blood flow measurements were obtained by asking the study participants to fixate on a probing laser beam. RESULTS. No significant differences in average age, blood pressure, or intraocular pressure were observed between subjects with AMD and control subjects. In subjects with AMD, average ChB vol was 0.24 ± 0.08 (± 1 SD) arbitrary units (AU); this value was 33% lower than that of control subjects (0.36 ± 0.11 AU; two-tailed, independent Student's t-test, P = 0.005). Average ChB Vet , conversely, was not significantly different from normal (0.44 ± 0.07 AU) in subjects with AMD (0.44 ± 0.10 AU). Average CB Flow in subjects with AMD (8.7 ± 3.1 AU) was 37% lower than that of control subjects (13.7 ± 3.5 AU) (P = 0.0005). Average blood flow pulsatility. was 6% higher in subjects with AMD (0.71 ± 0.15) than in control subjects (0.66 ± 0.14), but this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.42). CONCLUSIONS. Average ChB Flow in the nonexudative stages of AMD is lower than that of age-matched controls, and the effect is caused mainly by a decrease in ChB vol . Further studies are needed to elucidate whether decreased ChB Flow plays a role in the development of choroidal neovascularization, and whether ChB Flow measurements may help identify subjects with AMD at risk for developing choroidal neovascularization.
Modeling Effect of Defects on Efficiency of Nanowire CdS-CdTe Solar Cells

SCAPS simulation is conducted to model effect of defects on performance of the nanowire CdS-CdTe solar cells. In the simulation model, acceptor type traps with a liner distribution of $\pmb{1.05^{*}10^{18}/\mathrm{cm}^{3}}$ and $\pmb{6.0^{*}10^{17}/\mathrm{cm}^{3}}$ are introduced in CdS nanowires. Donor traps with a liner distribution of $\pmb{2.5^{*}10^{14}/\mathrm{cm}^{3}}$ and $\pmb{8.0^{*}10^{14}/\mathrm{cm}^{3}}$ are presented in p-CdTe layer. Acceptor type interface states are tuned to $\pmb{1.2^{*}10^{12}/\mathrm{cm}^{2}}$ . The simulation models fit well with measured I-V, C-V and quantum efficiency characteristics of 12% nanowire solar cells. Simulation indicates that large energy bandgap in CdS layer reduces effects of defect traps of CdS layer on solar cell performance. In order to improve solar cell efficiency, it is necessary to search for approaches which increase shallow doping concentration and/or reduce donor trap concentration in the CdTe layer, and reduce interface states between CdS and CdTe.
In Vitro Monocyte/Macrophage Phagocytosis Assay for the Prediction of Drug-Induced Thrombocytopenia

Phagocytosis of platelets by monocytes and macrophages is a primary mechanism of platelet clearance in vivo and has been increasingly implicated in playing an important role in thrombocytopenia mediated by monoclonal antibodies intended for therapeutic purposes. In the present article, we describe an in vitro flow cytometry assay to assess the effect of antibody-mediated platelet phagocytosis by monocytes. Freshly isolated platelets were labeled with a fluorescent probe, 5-chloromethylfluorescein diacetate (CMFDA) and then co-cultured with isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from the same donor in the presence of increasing concentrations of a monoclonal antibody drug. After incubation, an increase in CMFDA fluorescence intensity of CD14 positive monocytes was evaluated by flow cytometry as an assessment for drug-mediated platelet phagocytosis by monocytes. The assay has been evaluated using both human and cynomolgus monkey cells for the prediction of drug-induced thrombocytopenia. © 2019 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Atomistic modeling of out-of-pile xenon diffusion by vacancy clusters in UO2

Abstract Diffusion of Xe atoms in UO2 fuel is important for nuclear fuel performance, and is enabled by interaction with U and O vacancies. Previous work using atomistic calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) and empirical potentials (EP) focused on the role of small vacancy clusters ( Xe U 2 O y , y = 0, 1, 2) for Xe transport, but the model predictions failed to reproduce the experimental observations by consistently underestimating Xe diffusivity. In this work, where we focused on out-of-pile conditions (i.e. in the absence of irradiation), we have explored two of the uncertainties associated with the model: the DFT methodology and the types of clusters considered. We found that using the energy barriers obtained with GGA + U DFT allows to reconcile simulation results and experimental observations in the intrinsic regime (i.e. out-of-pile conditions). The XeUO cluster is the preferred configuration at high temperature, while the mobile Xe U 2 O cluster takes over below 1720 K. The latter cluster is also the main contributor to Xe diffusion and good agreement is obtained with current models empirically fitted to experiments for diffusion at high temperature. A simple expression that captures most of Xe diffusivity is proposed, relying on XeUO and Xe U 2 O clusters only. We also determined the out-of-pile concentration and diffusivity of extended clusters Xe U x O y , 3 ≤ x ≤ 9 , and determined that these do not contribute significantly to the overall diffusivity under intrinsic conditions. However, we speculate that the Xe U 4 O 3 and Xe U 8 O 9 clusters, which have relatively low migration barrier, may play a role under irradiation conditions, because the radiation-induced enhanced vacancy concentration would rapidly increase the fraction of large Xe-vacancy clusters.
Optimal Recipe Assessment of Iron Filing-Based Green Environmental Media for Improving Nutrient Removal in Stormwater Runoff

Abstract Nutrient removal and recovery (NRR) technology was investigated using green sorption media with respect to 4 distinct clay and iron filing quantities in the media matrix. Column study test...
Perceptual Characteristics of Consonant Production in Apraxia of Speech and Aphasia

Purpose This retrospective analysis examined group differences in error rate across 4 contextual variables (clusters vs. singletons, syllable position, number of syllables, and articulatory phoneti...
Evaluation of the effect of laboratory methods on semen analysis and breeding soundness examination (BSE) classification in stallions.

Abstract The stallion Breeding Soundness Examination (BSE), as proposed by the Society for Theriogenology, recommends that a stallion produce a minimum of one billion progressively motile, morphologically normal sperm (PMMNS) in the second of two ejaculates collected 1 h apart to be classified as a Satisfactory Prospective Breeder. With this in mind, the first objective of this study was to determine if the classification outcome of the traditional BSE differs depending on the methods used to evaluate sperm motility, morphology and concentration. We hypothesized that application of Computer Assisted Sperm Motion Analysis (CASA) and Differential Interference Contrast (DIC) microscopy to stallion semen evaluation would yield a more conservative estimate of the number of PMMNS. If this hypothesis is correct, then the use of CASA and DIC microscopy for semen evaluation would result in significantly fewer stallions meeting the historical standards for classification as a Satisfactory Prospective Breeder. Additionally, we determined whether the use of these modern technologies resulted in more accurate prediction of the actual fertility of a stallion compared to the use of more traditional technologies. Our results support the hypothesis that modern semen analysis techniques (including CASA and DIC microscopy) result in more conservative estimates of the number of PMMNS when compared to standard semen analysis techniques. As a result, the choice of methods used for semen analysis may impact the outcome of the traditional BSE. However, none of the methodologies used in this study reliably predicted different levels of fertility among this group of moderately to highly fertile stallions within the context of the traditional BSE. Additionally, the only individual semen measure that was significantly correlated with fertility was the percentage of morphologically normal sperm as determined using DIC microscopy. These results caution against strict use of the traditional ‘cutoff’ of 1 billion PMMNS for classification of breeding potential, particularly when attempting to differentiate between moderately and highly fertile stallions and regardless of the laboratory methods employed for semen analysis.
Seven Cases of JAK2 Mutation Negative Chronic Polycythemia Patients with Elevated IGF-1R

We previously reported that assaying blood MNC (Mononuclear cells) IGF-1 levels by Flow cytometry, will be helpful in differentiating Polycythemia vera (PV) from secondarypolycythemia (1). Patients with chronic polycythemia who are negative for JAK2 V617F or exon 12 mutation and who lack the typical bone marrow findings of polycythemia vera will remain a diagnostic enigma. We collected 7 cases of patients who had persistent chronic erythrocytosis ranging from 1-15 years with negative driver mutations, lacking the typical PV bone marrow findings and absence of secondary causes such as smoking or malignancies. Blood mononuclear cells (MNC ) were collected as well as blood DNA extracted for 237 genes including EPO-R, PHD2, VHL or HIF-1-alpha (Familial erythrocytosis genes)with Next generation sequence, performed by Genoptyx lab (Carisbad, CA) and assayed for IGF-1R by flow cytometry as described previously (1). The results are shown in Table 1. Conclusion. All these 7 patients with elevated IGF-1R who had no evidence of familial erythrocytosis gene mutation nor had any secondary cause for erythrocytosis, likely carried the diagnosis of PV. It was shown that EEC formation in PV is due to IGF-1 hypersensitivity (2), andsecondary polycythemia do not show significantly elevated IGF -1R (1). Hence the elevated IGF-1R in these 7 patients strongly suggests the diagnosis of PV, re-affirming our proposal that simple procedures to assay blood MNC cells for IGF-1R by flow cytometry will be helpful in the diagnosis of PV and to be added as one of the minor criteria in the diagnosis of PV. References 1. Wang JC, et al . Quantification of IGF-1 Receptor May Be Useful in Diagnosing Polycythemia Vera-Suggestion to Be Added to Be One of the Minor Criterion.PLoS One. 2016 Nov 3;11(11):e0165299. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0165299. 2. Correa PN, Eskinazi, D and Axelrad AA .Circulating Erythroid Progenitors in Polycythemia Vera Are Hypersensitive to Insulin-like Growth Factor-l In Vitro: Studies in an Improved Serum-Free Medium Blood, Vol83, No 1 (January l), 1994: pp 99-1 Download : Download high-res image (41KB) Download : Download full-size image Disclosures Wang: Incyt: Research Funding.
Characterization of the Time-Varying Nature of Electromechanical Delay During FES-Cycling

Functional electrical stimulation (FES) induced cycling is a common rehabilitative technique for people with neuromuscular disorders. A challenge for closed-loop FES control is that there exists a potentially destabilizing time-varying input delay, termed electromechanical delay (EMD), between the application of the electric field and the corresponding muscle contraction. In this article, the FES-induced torque production and EMD are quantified on an FES-cycle for the quadriceps femoris and gluteal muscle groups. Experiments were performed on five able-bodied individuals and five individuals with neurological conditions. Closed-loop FES-cycling was applied to induce fatigue and torque and EMD measurements were made during isometric conditions before and after each minute of cycling to quantify the effect of fatigue on EMD and torque production. A multiple linear regression and other descriptive statistics were performed to establish a range of expected EMD values and bounds on the rate of change of the EMD across a diverse population. The results from these experiments can be used to assist in the development of closed-loop controllers for FES-cycling that are robust to time-varying EMD and changes in torque production.
Does Provider Type Affect Bone Health Surveillance in Chronic Pancreatitis

Bone density screening (DEXA) and vitamin D serum assay (Vit-D) are recommended in chronic pancreatitis, but adherence by providers is unknown. Assess DEXA/Vit-D testing according to provider type. A retrospective cohort study of chronic pancreatitis patients followed in a tertiary hospital (August 2017–2018) was conducted. Provider type was primary care (PCP), gastroenterologist, and pancreas specialist. Chi-square test and multivariable analysis were conducted to assess the relation between provider type and DEXA/Vit-D testing. Subset analyses were performed among patients with fecal elastase < 200 mcg/g. A total of 478 charts were reviewed, and 256 (53.6%) met diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis; 184 (71.9%) definite, 45 (17.6%) probable, and 27 (10.6%) borderline chronic pancreatitis. DEXA was tested in 112/256 (43%) patients; 16/57(28%) patients followed by PCP, 11/38 (28.9%) by gastroenterologists, and 85/161(52.2%) by pancreas specialists (p = 0.001). Vit-D was tested in 210/256 (82.0%) patients; 42/57(73.7%) followed by PCP, 29/38 (76.3%) by gastroenterologists, and 139/161(86.3%) by pancreas specialists (p = 0.06). Multivariate analysis assessing DEXA/Vit-D testing showed pancreas specialists were more likely to test compared to PCP (DEXA: OR 3.70, CI 1.77–7.74, p = 0.001. Vit-D: OR 3.24, CI 1.43–7.38, p = 0.005), but gastroenterologists were not. In patients with low fecal elastase, pancreas specialists were more likely to test DEXA (pancreas specialists: 62.1%, PCP: 40.0%, Gastroenterologists: 11.1%, p = 0.01) and all patients received Vit-D testing. Chronic pancreatitis patients often do not receive optimal preventive care. Pancreas specialists were more likely to perform DEXA and Vit-D testing compared to PCP and gastroenterologists. More physician education is needed.
Investigations of All Metal Heat Sink Dual Linear Polarized Phased Array Antenna for Ku-Band Applications

A $4 \times 8$ dual linear polarized phased array antenna, comprised of all metallic radiators serving also as heat sink, is proposed for Ku-band applications. The single radiator, with a height nearly equal to $\lambda/2$ , is shaped intuitively and fed by a stripline through a trapezium shaped balun. Two shaped radiators are placed orthogonally within a metal cavity of square cross section with overall dimension of $\lambda/2\times\lambda/2$ , which constitutes the dual linear polarized radiating element. The surface waves generated due to multi-layered feed structure are supressed by using a number of vias, placed underneath each element cavity, with a period of nearly $\lambda/6$ and diameter 12 mils. This radiating element offers wideband performance and acceptable radiation pattern with wide beamwidth is observed over the entire bandwidth while the peak gain is varying between 3-5 dBi. Inter-element spacing is chosen according to expected beam scan range of ±45 degree.
Framework for Cloud based Messaging System using MQTT

MQTT protocol, widely used for primary communication between IOT devices, is optimal solution for a framework that can run on bandwidth limited network. This paper proposes a system that can communicate one to one/many with its clients using the MQTT protocol and is cloud based for better reliability (AWS platform). The proposed system works on publish and subscribe model of MQTT. These models are run on client side of the hosted instance and are used to push and receive messages when linked to the same topic. The proposed system uses Putty and SSH protocol public encrypted key for a secure authentication with server. Finally, this framework can be used on a micro scale and can be scaled up if necessary. MQTT is widely compatible with IOT devices thus, when connected via internet, the framework can be used to automate communications between various devices.
Stabilizing Leaflet Asymmetry under Differential Stress in a Highly Coarse-Grained Lipid Membrane Model.

We present a version of the coarse-grained Cooke lipid model, modified to simulate asymmetric lipid membranes. It is inspired by a method employed by Wang et al. [ Commun. Comput. Phys. 2013, 13, 1093-1106] for artificially penalizing lipid flip-flop but copes more robustly with differential stress, at the cost of one additional bead per lipid and the concomitant increase in computational overhead. Bilayer asymmetry ultimately breaks down beyond a system size dependent critical differential stress, which can be predicted from a simple analytical model. We remeasure many important material parameters for the new model and find it to be consistent with typical fluid lipid membranes. Maintaining a stable stress asymmetry has many applications, and we give two examples: (i) connecting monolayer stress to lipid number asymmetry in order to directly measure the monolayer area modulus and (ii) finding its strain-dependent higher-order correction by monitoring the equilibrium bilayer area.
Letter regarding 'Radial first or patient first : a case series and meta-analysis of transradial (TRA) versus transfemoral (TFA) access for acute ischemic stroke intervention'.

Dear Editor; We read with interest the manuscript entitled ‘Radial first or patient first: a case series and meta-analysis of transradial (TRA) versus transfemoral (TFA) access for acute ischemic stroke intervention’ by Siddiqui et al .1 We respect the authors on this important undertaking, but we would like to point out the following concerns in order to advance this new technique. ‘Patient first’ should not lead to a general statement of ‘radial or femoral first approach’ in acute ischemic stroke intervention. Acute ischemic stroke intervention comprises a variety of different procedures with different technical demands. In their manuscript, there was lack of data on patient-specific anatomic features and other variables to allow identification of subgroups that might benefit from a particular access route. For instance, there was a paucity of posterior circulation strokes in the meta-analysis, with 88.9% being anterior circulation. We have previously shown significantly shorter skin puncture to reperfusion times in …
Genomics- and Machine Learning-Accelerated Discovery of Biocontrol Bacteria

Microorganisms with antimicrobial activity have been used to successfully control various plant pathogens. The discovery of organisms with protective activity depends on empirical screenings to ass...
Protecting the Public's Health Through Successful Reentry for Sex Offender After Incarceration.

This paper describes the post-incarceration reintegration experiences of military veterans convicted of sex offenses and identify potential interventions to ease reintegration for this population. ...