cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Decentralized Coordination of Energy Utilization for Residential Households in the Smart Grid

In this paper, we investigate the minimization of the total energy cost of multiple residential households in a smart grid neighborhood sharing a load serving entity. Specifically, each household may have renewable generation, energy storage as well as inelastic and elastic energy loads, and the load serving entity attempts to coordinate the energy consumption of these households in order to minimize the total energy cost within this neighborhood. The renewable generation, the energy demand arrival, and the energy cost function are all stochastic processes and evolve according to some, possibly unknown, probabilistic laws. We develop an online control algorithm, called Lyapunov-based cost minimization algorithm (LCMA), which jointly considers the energy management and demand management decisions. LCMA only needs to keep track of the current values of the underlying stochastic processes without requiring any knowledge of their statistics. Moreover, a decentralized algorithm to implement LCMA is also developed, which can preserve the privacy of individual household owners. Numerical results based on real-world trace data show that our control algorithm can effectively reduce the total energy cost in the neighborhood.
Lapra-Ty holding strength and slippage with various suture types and sizes.

OBJECTIVES To investigate the holding strength and slippage of Lapra-Ty clips on various suture types and sizes. METHODS Using an automated materials testing system with the Lapra-Ty in a fixed position, Lapra-Ty holding strength and displacement were determined with 0, 2-0, 3-0, and 4-0 Vicryl, Monocryl, and polydioxanone suture (PDS). To simulate clinical application, Lapra-Tys were also tested by applying a load to these sutures after being passed through a full-thickness layer of tautly suspended fresh porcine bladder tissue. Three trials were performed with each suture type and size. RESULTS The Lapra-Ty holding strength with Vicryl suture was significantly higher than with Monocryl or PDS of the same suture size in bladder tissue trials. Monocryl suture had a significantly higher displacement than Vicryl or PDS of the same suture size in bladder tissue trials (except for 4-0 Monocryl and PDS having insignificantly different displacements). Lapra-Tys slipped off Vicryl, Monocryl, and PDS in 25%, 67%, and 67% of their respective trials. Lapra-Tys did not slip during any of the trials with 2-0 suture of any type or 3-0 Vicryl. Lapra-Tys with holding strengths on suture less than approximately 8 Newtons (N) slipped and greater than 8 N pulled through the bladder tissue without slipping. CONCLUSIONS The optimal suture type and size to maximize Lapra-Ty holding strength and minimize slippage was determined to be 2-0 and 3-0 Vicryl, 2-0 Monocryl, and 2-0 PDS. Monocryl suture stretches more than Vicryl and PDS at higher loads.
Age, sex, and reproductive status of the tarnished plant bug (Heteroptera: Miridae) colonizing mustard.

In a 3-yr study, adult tarnished plant bugs, Lygus lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois), were collected in sampling plots of mustard ( Brassica juncea crispifolia (L.)) by sweep net. Sticky traps placed around these plots were used to sample flying bugs. Each year, four of eight mustard plots were treated regularly with insecticide. Thus, treated plots contained immigrant populations, and untreated plots contained immigrants and residents. A greater percentage of tarnished plant bugs in treated plots were female than in untreated plots. Immigrant adults, collected from treated plots, were younger than adults in untreated plots. Bugs caught on traps were younger than those collected from sweep net samples; on average, females were older than males. Within treatments, there was no difference in the vertical distribution of males and females on traps. The average age of females decreased with capture height. whereas male age was unaffected by capture height. The age and reproductive status of captured bugs indicate that young, parous females are most likely to colonize new host patches. Differences between the sexes in flight behavior and advantages of dispersal by parous females were discussed.
Why Social Workers Leave the Profession: Understanding the Profession and Workforce

This study addressed two research questions relating to social workers currently working and those who have left the profession. Nearly 44% left or were considering leaving social work. Findings suggest salary and caretaking effected retention and career reentry. The implications for social work education and the profession require longitudinal research.
The surface morphology of crystals melting under solutions of different densities

Examples of solids melting beneath liquids are described for cases where the bulk liquid volume is stabilized against convection by a positive vertical temperature gradient, either with, or without local density inversion at the melting interface. The examples include ice melting beneath brine or methanol solutions and tin or lead melting under molten Sn-20 wt pct Pb or Pb-20 wt pct Sn, respectively. Without density inversion the melting is slow, purely diffusion controlled and the interfaces are smooth; with convection assisted melting the rate increases by some two orders of magnitude and the interfaces develop a rough profile - in the case of ice both irregular and quasi-steady state features are observed. The observations are discussed in terms of prevailing temperature and concentration gradients.
Effect of excessive weight gain with intensive therapy of type 1 Diabetes on lipid levels and blood pressure : Results from the DCCT

Context.—Intensive treatment of type 1 diabetes results in greater weight gain than conventional treatment.Objective.—To determine the effect of this weight gain on lipid levels and blood pressure.Design.—Randomized controlled trial; ancillary study of the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT).Setting.—Twenty-one clinical centers.Participants.—The 1168 subjects enrolled in DCCT with type 1 diabetes who were aged 18 years or older at baseline.Intervention.—Randomized to receive either intensive (n=586) or conventional (n=582) diabetes treatment with a mean follow-up of 6.1 years.Main Outcome Measures.—Plasma lipid levels and blood pressure in each treatment group categorized by quartile of weight gain.Results.—With intensive treatment, subjects in the fourth quartile of weight gain had the highest body mass index (BMI) (a measure of weight adjusted for height), blood pressure, and levels of triglyceride, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and apolipoprotein B compared with the other weight gain quartiles with the greatest difference seen when compared with the first quartile (mean values for the highest and lowest quartiles: BMI, 31 vs 24 kg/m2; blood pressure, 120/77 mm Hg vs 113/73 mm Hg; triglyceride, 0.99 mmol/L vs 0.79 mmol/L [88 mg/dL vs 70 mg/dL]; LDL-C, 3.15 mmol/L vs 2.74 mmol/L [122 mg/dL vs 106 mg/dL]; and apolipoprotein B, 0.89 g/L vs 0.78 g/L; all P<.001). In addition, the fourth quartile group had a higher waist-to-hip ratio; more cholesterol in the very low density lipoprotein, intermediate dense lipoprotein, and dense LDL fractions; and lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and apolipoprotein A-I levels compared with the first quartile. Baseline characteristics were not different between the first and fourth quartiles of weight gain with intensive therapy except for a higher hemoglobin A1c in the fourth quartile. Weight gain with conventional therapy resulted in smaller increases in BMI, lipids, and systolic blood pressure.Conclusions.—The changes in lipid levels and blood pressure that occur with excessive weight gain with intensive therapy are similar to those seen in the insulin resistance syndrome and may increase the risk of coronary artery disease in this subset of subjects with time.
Pretibial cyst formation after anterior cruciate ligament surgery with soft tissue autografts

Four cases of subcutaneous pretibial ganglion, with direct communication to the tibial tunnel after autologous reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) with hamstrings or iliotibial band, are reported. Tibial graft fixation was with a staple in three cases, and with a screw and soft tissue washer in one. The average time to ganglion development was 44 months, and all occurred more than 2 years after ACL surgery. At the time of cyst development, no patient had subjective or objective knee instability. No patient had evidence of tibial tunnel enlargement. All ganglion communicated with the tibial tunnel. This communication was shown with magnetic resonance imaging in two cases, which showed the origin at the joint. Three patients elected to have the ganglion removed; in each of these there was a direct communication with the tibial tunnel. Additionally, hardware was removed in all cases, and local autologous bone grafting of the tibial tunnel aperture was done in two. Minimum follow-up after surgical excision was 2 years, without evidence of recurrence.
Information processing coupled with expert systems for water treatment plants

Abstract The water utility industry is facing increased pressures to produce higher quality finished water at lower costs. The traditional feedforward-feedback control systems used in water treatment plants can be enhanced by using predictive models (with feedforward control) and diagnostic expert systems (with feedback control). The use of predictive models is advantageous as it is virtually impossible to ascertain specific chemical dose requirements from measurements of raw water quality parameters. These predictive models may be either regression relationships or neural networks. When feedback data indicate that the finished water quality is not acceptable and usual corrective actions based on feedback from sensors fails to correct the situation, diagnostic expert systems can be effectively used to aid operator decision making.
ABRASIVE WATERJET PEENING WITH ELASTIC PRESTRESS: EFFECT OF BOUNDARY CONDITIONS

Abrasive Waterjet Peening (AWJP) has emerged as a potential surface treatment process for metal implants and prosthetic devices. An elastic tensile prestress has been shown to increase the magnitude and depth of residual stress that can be obtained. In the present investigation, the subsurface residual stress fields resulting from AWJ peening of Ti6Al4V with load control and displacement control elastic prestress were compared. Prestress ranged from 0 to 75% of the material’s yield strength and the subsurface residual stress distribution was quantified using the layer removal technique. Results showed that the surface residual stress was dependent on the boundary conditions for prestress levels less than 60% of the materials yield strength. The magnitude of surface residual stress and the stored elastic energy were up to 50% and 100% larger respectively when load controlled boundary conditions were used. However, the boundary condition did not affect the depth of compressive residual stress.
Antigenic studies of Candida IV. The relationship of the antigenic Groups of Candida Albicans to their isolation from various clinical specimens

A study of 653 Candida albicans isolates indicated that 68% belonged to antigenic Group A and 32% to Group B. These strains were obtained from all anatomical sites but the majority were from the nasopharyngeal region. A slightly higher percentage of B strains was isolated from females. Of 55 C. albicans strains isolated from the vagina of pregnant Negro women 60% were Group B and 40% were Group A.
An analysis of the assumptions and their significance in the determination of required shielding of CT installations

In this investigation we propose a simple model for the spatial distribution of scatteredphotons from a CT unit. The model is used to determine the shielding required for a CT installation. A mathematical based spreadsheet which carries out the calculation is given and is also used to assess the significance of the various assumptions used in CT barrier calculations.
Functional MRI and the Wada test provide complementary information for predicting post-operative seizure control

Prediction of post-surgical seizure relief and potential cognitive deficits secondary to anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL) are important to pre-surgical planning. Although the intracarotid amobarbital test (IAT) is predictive of post-ATL seizure out- come, development of non-invasive and more precise means for determining post-ATL seizure relief are needed. We previously reported on a technique utilizing functional MRI (fMRI) to evaluate the relative functional adequacy of mesial temporal lobe structures in preparation for ATL 1 . In the present study, we report follow-up outcome data on eight temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) patients 1-year post-ATL who were evaluated pre-surgically using IAT and fMRI. Functional memory lateralization using fMRI predicted post-ATL seizure outcome as effectively as the IAT. In general, asymmetry of functional mTL activation favouring the non-epileptic hemisphere was associated with seizure-free status at 1-year follow-up. Moreover, when combined, fMRI and IAT provided complementary data that resulted in improved prediction of post-operative seizure control compared with either procedure alone. c 1999 BEA Trading Ltd
Selection of Aggregate Properties to Minimize Rutting of Heavy Duty Pavements

Samples of pavements from 14 states across the United States were obtained to evaluate the aggregate properties that affect rutting. Twelve pavements had provided excellent service for five or more years and 30 pavements had experienced premature rutting in less than five years of service. The aggregates from cores obtained at 0.3 meter (1 foot) intervals across each pavement were tested for gradation and maximum aggregate size, fractured face count, and the National Aggregate Association Flow Test. The cores were also tested for in- place void content and asphalt cement content. The remaining cores were reheated and recompacted using the Gyratory Testing Machine (GTM). The data show that aggregate properties have little effect on rutting when the voids are low. When the voids are above 2.5%, mixes with higher fractured face counts and more angular fine aggregate are more resistant to premature rutting. (A) For the covering abstract see IRRD 858225.
Photocathodes for Compact Optical Triggering of Back-Lighted Thyratrons

Light-activated pseudospark switches, also called back-lighted thyratrons (BLTs), are low pressure (typ. les0.5 Torr), high voltage (typ. 10-50 kV), high current (1-ges100 kA) glow-mode switches. It is of interest to develop ultra-compact BLTs with reliable and practical optical triggering systems for applications of compact pulsed power. The present work investigates the utility of photocathode materials inside mini-BLTs to enhance the switch performance, improve the trigger characteristics (delay, jitter and reliability), and provide optimal conditions for compact optical triggering, including the use of light emitting diodes. Photocathode material properties, including low work function, high quantum yield under the mini-BLT operation pressure (0.1-1 Torr), and sufficiently robust to maintain a reasonable lifetime, are critical in material selection. We present results of investigations of a variety of cathode materials as potential candidates for BLT cathodes. Photoelectron yields of candidate cathode materials are measured in a test bed under relevant vacuum conditions with and without applying positive bias at the collector.
Superantigens in dermatology

Superantigens (SAgs) are virulent polypeptides that are produced by a variety of infectious organisms. They are capable of causing nonspecific T cell activation by circumventing normal antigen processing in the human host. The genetic makeup of the host plays a role in conferring susceptibility or protection against SAgs. They are linked to a variety of conditions, ranging from toxic shock syndrome to recurrent toxin-mediated perineal erythema. The early recognition of signs and symptoms of SAg-mediated illnesses is important to ensure prompt medical treatment.
Serial Pulmonary Function Testing in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Previous studies have documented the pulmonary function abnormalities associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). There are very few data, however, regarding the progression of such changes. To study this question, we evaluated the pulmonary function of a group of 25 patients with SLE from two to seven years after a set of pulmonary function tests had been performed as part of their overall initial assessment. Reductions in diffusing capacity, FVC, and total lung capacity did not change significantly for the group over the period of our study. The mean FEF25-75%, which was initially low, and the mean FEV1/FVC ratio, which was initially normal, both decreased significantly. The observed abnormalities in airway function were not related to smoking history. Other aspects of lupus activity, as measured by serum creatinine levels and clinical activity, did not appear related to progression of lung disease.
Solution structure of an arsenate reductase-related protein, YffB, from Brucella melitensis, the etiological agent responsible for brucellosis

Brucella melitensis is the etiological agent responsible for brucellosis. Present in the B. melitensis genome is a 116-residue protein related to arsenate reductases (Bm-YffB; BR0369). Arsenate reductases (ArsC) convert arsenate ion (H2AsO4−), a compound that is toxic to bacteria, to arsenite ion (AsO2−), a product that may be efficiently exported out of the cell. Consequently, Bm-YffB is a potential drug target because if arsenate reduction is the protein's major biological function then disabling the cell's ability to reduce arsenate would make these cells more sensitive to the deleterious effects of arsenate. Size-exclusion chromatography and NMR spectroscopy indicate that Bm-YffB is a monomer in solution. The solution structure of Bm-YffB (PDB entry 2kok) shows that the protein consists of two domains: a four-stranded mixed β-sheet flanked by two α-helices on one side and an α-helical bundle. The α/β domain is characteristic of the fold of thioredoxin-like proteins and the overall structure is generally similar to those of known arsenate reductases despite the marginal sequence similarity. Chemical shift perturbation studies with 15N-labeled Bm-YffB show that the protein binds reduced glutathione at a site adjacent to a region similar to the HX3CX3R catalytic sequence motif that is important for arsenic detoxification activity in the classical arsenate-reductase family of proteins. The latter observation supports the hypothesis that the ArsC-YffB family of proteins may function as glutathione-dependent thiol reductases. However, comparison of the structure of Bm-YffB with the structures of proteins from the classical ArsC family suggest that the mechanism and possibly the function of Bm-YffB and other related proteins (ArsC-YffB) may differ from those of the ArsC family of proteins.
Sign me up: rules of the road for humanitarian volunteers during the Ebola outbreak.

The current Ebola outbreak is the worst global public health emergency of our generation, and our global health care community must and will rise to serve those affected. Aid organizations participating in the Ebola response must carefully plan to carry out their responsibility to ensure the health, safety, and security of their responders. At the same time, individual health care workers and their employers must evaluate the ability of an aid organization to protect its workers in the complex environment of this unheralded Ebola outbreak. We present a minimum set of operational standards developed by a consortium of Boston-based hospitals that a professional organization should have in place to ensure the health, safety, and security of its staff in response to the Ebola virus disease outbreak. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2014;0:1-2)
Ghost publications in the pediatric surgery match

Abstract Introduction Pediatric surgery fellowship is considered one of the most competitive subspecialties in medicine. With fierce competition increasing the stakes, publications and first authorship are paramount to the success rate of matching. We analyzed Electronic Residency Application Service applications for verification of authorship to determine rate of misrepresentation. Methods After institutional review board approval, the bibliographies of fellowship applications from 2007–2009 were reviewed to allow time for publication. Only peer-reviewed journal articles were evaluated. A Medline search was conducted for the article, by author or by title. If the article could not be found, other authors and journal were used as search parameters. If the article was still not found, the website for the journal was searched for abstract or manuscript. Finally, an experienced medical sciences librarian was consulted for remaining unidentified articles. Differences between misrepresented and accurate applications were analyzed, including: age, gender, medical and undergraduate school parameters, advanced degrees, other fellowships, number of publications, first author publications, American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination scores, and match success. Results There were 147 applications reviewed. Evidence of misrepresentation was found in 17.6% of the applicants (24/136), with 34 instances in 785 manuscripts (4.3%). Manuscripts classified as published were verified 96.7% of the time, were not found in 1.4%, and had incorrect authors or journal in less than 1% each. “In press” manuscripts were verified 88.3% of the time, 6.4% could not be found, and 4.3% had an incorrect journal listing. Number of publications (P = 0.026) and first author publications (P = 0.037) correlated with misrepresentation. None of the remaining variables was significant. Conclusions The pediatric surgical pool has a very low incidence of suspicious citations; however, authorship claims should be verified.
Confrontation and Cooperation: The Complicated Relationship between Homeschoolers and Public Schools.

Throughout the modern homeschool movement that emerged in the 1960s and 1970s, homeschooling families have clashed with public institutions. Early homeschoolers joined together to win favorable legislative and judicial outcomes that resulted in the legalization of homeschooling in all 50 states by the early 1990s. Homeschoolers continue to face opposition from professional educators and the organizations that advocate for them. But although some interactions between homeschoolers and public schools are confrontational, in other cases, public school districts offer a variety of resources and opportunities to home educators. Some homeschoolers accept public school offerings through charter or online schools that allow children to remain at home while completing public school curricula. Others have gained the right to access public school extracurricular programs including high school sports. Not all homeschoolers agree on the merit of participating in programs offered by public schools. It is likely that in...
Mentoring Reviewers: The Journal of Pediatric Psychology Experience

OBJECTIVES: To describe a program designed to meet the need to mentor trainees in manuscript reviewing. METHODS: Mentors (n = 25) and mentees (n = 32) participating in the Journal of Pediatric Psychology's Manuscript Review Mentoring Program completed an online survey assessing their experiences and satisfaction with the program, perceptions of benefits and challenges to participating, and desirable characteristics of mentors and mentees. RESULTS: Participants reported using several methods to create mentored reviews. Satisfaction was generally high, and participants reported benefits related to manuscript review training and professional development. Challenges to participating in the program were primarily logistical. Participants noted personal characteristics and behaviors that were desirable for mentors and mentees. CONCLUSIONS: Providing mentored manuscript review experiences through a structured program appears to be feasible and well received by mentors and mentees. Future programs might provide guidance on how participants can discuss their expectations, benchmarks for review quality, and evaluations of the quality of reviews.
Anodic nano-porous humidity sensing thin films for the commercial and industrial applications

Presented is a method to make anodic nano-porous humidity sensors using standard integrated circuit processes. These films are proposed as a replacement for polyamide based thin film humidity sensors. Standard titanium tungsten/aluminum multilayer films are deposited using commercial quality deposition equipment onto silicon (100) substrates. Films are anodized in 4% oxalic acid at 40 and 60 volts. Nano-porous humidity sensors are demonstrated that have a factor of 40 difference (dry to wet) in impedance at 20 Hz and a factor of 4 difference at 1 MHz. The complex impedance for saturated and dry films was presented.
The Sanctuary Movement: A Study in Religious Confrontation.

This essay examines the clash between the sanctuary movement and the United States government regarding the admission to the United States of Central. American refugees. By using a Burkeian dramatistic approach, the study shows how different scenes operating for the two sides motivate opposing rhetorical agencies. Burke's concept of identification serves as the framework for analyzing the agencies.
Trial of repeated low-dose aspirin in diabetic angiopathy.

We compared the ability of aspirin to suppress platelet aggregation and thromboxane synthesis in ten normal subjects and ten patients with diabetic angiopathy and high rate of entry of new platelets into the circulation. When single doses of 100 to 1,000 mg aspirin were ingested daily for 1 month, there were time gaps between doses in which platelets from diabetics and normals aggregated and formed thromboxane ex vivo in response to the combination of arachidonic acid plus collagen. Similar gaps were also found for diabetics, but not for normals, following four daily doses (every six hours) of 25 or 100 mg. Our data show that dose schedules of aspirin which may suffice in normals are not effective in patients with diabetic angiopathy, presumably because these patients have a high rate of entry of new platelets into the circulation. We suggest that continual suppression of platelet thromboxane synthesis and aggregation by low-dose, “slow- release” preparations of aspirin would be an ideal long-term approach for the prevention of thrombosis in patients with a high rate of entry of new platelets into the circulation.
Tuning of Coupling and Surface Quality of PbS Nanocrystals via a Combined Ammonium Sulfide and Iodine Treatment

Surface states of colloidal nanocrystals are typically created when organic surfactants are removed. We report a chemical process that reduces surface traps and tunes the interparticle coupling in PbS nanocrystal thin films after the surfactant ligands have been stripped off. This process produces PbS/PbI2 core/shell nanocrystal thin films via a combined ammonium sulfide and iodine treatment. These all-inorganic nanocrystal thin films are air-stable and exhibit bright emission with optimum photoluminescence quantum yield close to that of pristine PbS nanocrystals passivated by oleate ligands. Interparticle coupling of post-treatment nanocrystal thin films is continuously tunable by varying the iodine treatment process. Optical studies reveal that this method can produce PbS nanocrystal thin films superior in both coupling and surface quality to nanocrystals linked by small molecules such as ethanedithiol or 3-mercaptopropionic acid.
Doing Business without Exchanging Money: The Scale and Creativity of Modern Barter:

Although money plays a key role in modern economies, an increasing amount of business is being done without the use of money. This article sheds light on the important roles of cashless deals and identifies the factors fueling their growing importance. It provides guidelines for negotiating moneyless marketplace exchanges in key domains, including crowdsourcing, promotions, and word of mouth.
A Range Extension for the Mormon Cricket, Anabrus simplex

During a survey of the Tettigoniidae of Tennessee (Powders and Goodwin 1969), we had an opportunity to examine the Orthoptera specimens housed in the museum at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Included among the specimens collected in Tennessee were 3 Decticinae identified as a species of the genus Anabrus Haldeman. Because lack of comparative material prevented specific determination and because the genus was previously unreported east of the Mississippi River, the 3 specimens were not included in the aforementioned paper. We felt also that an intensive literature review of the genus should be made, and that the collection of additional specimens should be attempted; to date none has been found.
Hyperspherical Clustering and Sampling for Rare Event Analysis with Multiple Failure Region Coverage

Statistical circuit simulation is exhibiting increasing importance for circuit design under process variations. It has been widely used throughout the design of standard cell circuits (SRAM, Flip-Flop, etc.) to maximize yield, i.e. to minimize the failure probability. Existing approaches cannot effectively analyze the failure probability when failed samples are distributed in multiple disjoint regions, nor handle the circuits with a large number of variations. To tackle these challenges, the proposed hyperspherical clustering and sampling (HSCS) approach first identifies multiple failure regions through a reweighted spherical k-means algorithm, which clusters failed samples on a set of hyperspheres, rather than the high dimensional open space. Next, a modified mixture importance sampling is designed to draw samples at those clusters to achieve multiple failure region coverage. The proposed HSCS is evaluated using both mathematical and circuit-based examples. It achieves about 3-order speedup over Monte Carlo with the same level of accuracy, while other importance sampling based approaches either fail to converge or converge to wrong results. Furthermore, HSCS demonstrates excellent robustness by generating consistent results in multiple replications.
Laparoscopy in the diagnosis of peritoneal tuberculosis.

La tuberculose peritoneale est une cause importante d'ascite dans les pays en voie de developpement et chez les immigrants de ces regions. La laparoscopie est un examen a visee diagnostique interessant et bien tolere qui doit etre discute si le diagnostic est suspecte
Temperature Significantly Affects the Plaquing and Adsorption Efficiencies of Listeria Phages.

Listeria-infecting phages are currently being used to control and detect the important foodborne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes; however, the influence of environmental conditions on the interactions between L. monocytogenes and its phages has not been explored in depth. Here, we examined the infective potential of four Listeria phages (two each from the P70-like and P100-like phages of Listeria) against five strains of L. monocytogenes (representing serotypes 1/2a, 1/2b, 4a, and 4b) grown under a range of temperatures (7oC – 37°C). We show that the plaquing efficiencies for all four phages were significantly affected by temperature. Interestingly, no plaques were observed for any of the four phages at 37°C. Adsorption assays performed with the P100-like phages, LP-048 and LP-125, showed that LP-048 had a severely reduced adsorption efficiency against susceptible strains at 37°C as compared to 30°C, suggesting that there is considerably less accessible rhamnose (LP-048’s putative phage receptor) on the host at 37°C than at 30°C. LP-125 adsorbed to host cells at 37oC, indicating that the inability for LP-125 to plaque at 37°C is not due to adsorption inhibition. LP-048 showed significantly higher adsorption efficiency against a mutant strain lacking N-acetylglucosamine in its wall teichoic acids than the parental strain at both 30°C and 37°C, suggesting that N-acetylglucosamine competes with rhamnose for glycosylation sites on the wall teichoic acids. The data presented here clearly shows that L. monocytogenes can gain physiological refuge from phage infection, which should be carefully considered for both the design and implementation of phage-based control and detection applications.
Product Environmental Cost Analysis Model Based on Life Cycle

On the basis of enterprise environmental cost, the definition of product environment cost combined with life cycle was described. The product environmental cost analysis model based on life cycle was developed by breakdown of product environmental cost according to their forming, for the purpose of analyzing proportions of the total cost shared by each of environmental cost and ensuring environmental accountability of the product.
Accounting for War and Revolution

While commercial capitalism had become an adaptive way of life for trans-Atlantic merchants by the second half of the eighteenth century, individual success and even survival were never assured. The commercial lives of two North Americans illustrate the vicissitudes faced by most traders in a stormy period of war and revolution. In May 1785, Philadelphia merchant Andrew Clow received a letter from London that dashed his expectations for prosperous trade in the post-Revolutionary city. “Your partner Mr. [David] Cay was made Bankrupt,” wrote a friend, and he “hath quitted the Kingdom.” Clow would not “be made a Bankrupt with [Cay], unless you return to this Country,” but he would be liable on his own for all debts of the partnership, the letter advised. Two weeks later another London creditor informed Clow that his goods would be sold for whatever price they might bring, since Cay had absconded, “nor have we the least Idea where he can be gone.” A drawer in Cay’s office held far more bills for debts due “than will discharge yr. Debt of Clow & Cay,” though as “Men of Honour,” and “from the very respectable Character you bear, as an honest sober industrious Man,” the creditors were confident “that you may see your Partnership Debt discharged,” for “it Must Be for Material Advantage to Save all we Can.”
Development and use of economic data sheets

This chapter presents an overview of development and use of economic data sheets in industry. Economic data sheets were developed to provide brief, factual answers to the questions most often asked about a community. These data sheets sum up the essential factors about a community's economy. The presentation of information represents a compromise between a full, factual presentation and brevity. The data sheets normally provide enough factual details so that firms with specialized needs can screen-out non-qualifying communities quickly. Communities preparing industrial data sheets as part of a program to promote the development of industry must have a clear-cut objective if they are to be successful. This is especially important when communities are merchandising plant buildings or other inducements. Communities need to be aware of the true potential of their community or geographic area. Most communities cannot afford a staff of well-paid industry specialists; therefore, they must ally themselves with metropolitan area or state staffs in developing promotional materials. A small-to-medium-sized population group can effectively use selective advertising and other promotions directed at an industry that they believe will fit well into their community.
Risk Factors for Hospitalization of Home Hospice Enrollees Development and Validation of a Predictive Tool.

Background:Over 10% of hospice patients experience at least 1 care transition 6 months prior to death. Transitions at the end of life, particularly from hospice to hospital, result in burdensome and fragmented care for patients and families. Little is known about factors that predict hospitalization in this population.Objectives:To develop and validate a model predictive of hospitalization after enrollment into home hospice using prehospice admission risk factors.Design:Retrospective cohort study using Medicare fee-for-service claims.Participants:Patients enrolled into the Medicare hospice benefit were ≥18 years old in 2012.Outcome Measured:Hospitalization within 2 days from a hospice discharge.Results:We developed a predictive model using 61 947 hospice enrollments, of which 3347 (5.4%) underwent a hospitalization. Seven variables were associated with hospitalization: age 18 to 55 years old (adjusted odds ratio [95% confidence interval]: 2.94 [2.41-3.59]), black race (2.13 [1.93-2.34]), east region (1.97...
Impact of extended defects on recombination in CdTe heterostructures grown by molecular beam epitaxy

Heterostructures with CdTe and CdTe1-xSex (x ∼ 0.01) absorbers between two wider-band-gap Cd1-xMgxTe barriers (x ∼ 0.25–0.3) were grown by molecular beam epitaxy to study carrier generation and recombination in bulk materials with passivated interfaces. Using a combination of confocal photoluminescence (PL), time-resolved PL, and low-temperature PL emission spectroscopy, two extended defect types were identified and the impact of these defects on charge-carrier recombination was analyzed. The dominant defects identified by confocal PL were dislocations in samples grown on (211)B CdTe substrates and crystallographic twinning-related defects in samples on (100)-oriented InSb substrates. Low-temperature PL shows that twin-related defects have a zero-phonon energy of 1.460 eV and a Huang-Rhys factor of 1.50, while dislocation-dominated samples have a 1.473-eV zero-phonon energy and a Huang-Rhys factor of 1.22. The charge carrier diffusion length near both types of defects is ∼6 μm, suggesting that recombinati...
Chinese Intergovernmental Relations and World Development: Origins and Impacts of Chinese Export Credits

Generously offering loans for development projects around the world, China has recently brought them to Eastern Europe, namely to Belarus. By reviewing relevant development literature and using Bel...
Time-related changes in yield and harms of screening breast MRI.

1508 Background: MRI has been accepted as a useful adjunct to screening mammography in high-risk women. Concerns remain over false positive findings, however, and little is known about harms and yi...
2Flux growth and characterization of Ce-substituted Nd2Fe14B single crystals

Abstract Single crystals of ( Nd 1 − x Ce x ) 2 Fe 14 B , some reaching ∼ 6 × 8 × 8 mm 3 in volume, are grown out of Fe-(Nd, Ce) flux. This crystal growth method allows for large ( Nd 1 − x Ce x ) 2 Fe 14 B single crystals to be synthesized using a simple flux growth procedure. Chemical and structural analyses of the crystals indicate that ( Nd 1 − x Ce x ) 2 Fe 14 B forms a solid solution until at least x =0.38 with a Vegard-like variation of the lattice constants with x . Refinements of single crystal neutron diffraction data indicate that Ce has a slight site preference (7:3) for the 4 g rare earth site over the 4 f site. Magnetization measurements at 300 K show only small decreases with increasing Ce content in saturation magnetization ( M s ) and anisotropy field ( H A ), and Curie temperature ( T C ). First principles calculations are carried out to understand the effect of Ce substitution on the electronic and magnetic properties. For a multitude of applications, it is expected that the advantage of incorporating lower-cost and more abundant Ce will outweigh the small adverse effects on magnetic properties. Ce-substituted Nd 2 Fe 14 B is therefore a potential high-performance permanent magnet material with substantially reduced Nd content.
Reenvisioning and Redesigning Tutoring

Tutoring is a form of instruction and dialogue that has rarely been researched. This is an unfortunate situation, as so many districts and schools employ and find volunteer tutors who spend an inor...
Laser-Assisted Indocyanine Green Dye Angiography for Postoperative Fistulas After Salvage Laryngectomy.

Importance Pharyngocutaneous fistula formation is an unfortunate complication after salvage laryngectomy for head and neck cancer that is difficult to anticipate and related to a variety of factors, including the viability of native pharyngeal mucosa. Objective To examine whether noninvasive angiography with indocyanine green (ICG) dye can be used to evaluate native pharyngeal vascularity to anticipate pharyngocutaneous fistula development. Design, Setting, and Participants This cohort study included 37 patients enrolled from June 1, 2013, to June 1, 2016, and follow-up was for at least 1 month postoperatively. The study was performed at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, a tertiary care center. Included patients were those undergoing salvage total laryngectomy who were previously treated with chemoradiotherapy or radiotherapy alone. Exposures The ICG dye was injected intraoperatively, and laser-assisted vascular imaging was used to evaluate the native pharyngeal mucosa after the ablative procedure. The center of the native pharyngeal mucosa was used as the reference to compare with the peripheral mucosa, and the lowest mean ICG dye percentage of mucosal perfusion was recorded for each patient. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was the formation of a postoperative fistula, which was assessed by clinical and radiographic assessment to test the hypothesis formulated before data collection. Results A total of 37 patients were included (mean [SD] age, 62.3 [8.5] years; 32 [87%] male and 5 [14%] female); 20 had a history of chemoradiotherapy, and 17 had history of radiotherapy alone. Thirty-four patients (92%) had free flap reconstruction, and 3 had primary closure (8%). Ten patients (27%) developed a postoperative fistula. No significant difference was found in fistula rate between patients who underwent neck dissection and those who did not and patients previously treated with chemoradiotherapy and those treated with radiotherapy alone. A receiver operator characteristic curve was generated to determine the diagnostic performance of the lowest mean ICG dye percentage of mucosal perfusion determined by fluorescence imaging, which was found to be a threshold value of 26%. The area under the curve was 0.85 (95% CI, 0.73-0.97), which was significantly greater than the chance diagonal. The overall mean lowest ICG dye percentage of mucosal perfusion was 31.3%. The mean lowest ICG dye percentage of mucosal perfusion was 22.0% in the fistula group vs 34.9% in the nonfistula group (absolute difference, 12.9%; 95% CI, 5.1%-21.7%). Conclusions and Relevance Patients who developed postoperative fistulas had lower mucosal perfusion as detected by ICG dye angiography when compared with patients who did not develop fistulas.
Effects of a multifaceted implementation intervention to increase utilization of pharmacological treatments for alcohol use disorders in the US Veterans Health Administration

Over 16 million Americans meet diagnostic criteria for alcohol use disorder (AUD), but only 7.8% of them receive formal treatment each year. Safe and effective pharmacological treatments for AUD exist; however, they are rarely prescribed. Therefore, we developed and pilot tested a multifaceted implementation intervention to improve consideration and receipt of effective pharmacologic treatments for AUD, focusing on primary care settings where patients have the most frequent contact with healthcare systems. The intervention included training of local providers to serve as champions and a website for primary care providers that included educational materials, a case-finding dashboard, and contact information for local and national clinical experts. We also mailed patients educational material about treatment options. The intervention was implemented at three large facilities of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). An interrupted time series design, analyzed with segmented logistic regression, was used to evaluate the intervention's effects. The odds of a patient with AUD receiving one of the AUD medications was increasing throughout the pre-implementation period, and the rate of change (slope) increased significantly in the implementation period. Translating these numbers into percentages, at baseline 2.9% of patients filled a prescription for an AUD medication within 30days of a primary care visit. This increased to 3.8% by the end of the pre-implementation period (increasing 0.037% per month), and increased to 5.2% by the end of the implementation period (increasing 0.142% per month). However, the intervention effect was not significant when control sites were added, suggesting that improvement may have been driven by secular trends rather than solely by this intervention. Although the intervention was feasible, it was not effective. Continued analysis of process and implementation data including qualitative interviews with key stakeholders, may elucidate the reasons this intervention was not successful and ways to strengthen its effects.
Consolidative Radiotherapy After Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation for Relapsed or Refractory Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma

Abstract Introduction We evaluated the role of consolidative radiotherapy (RT) for patients undergoing high-dose chemotherapy (HDC) and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) for relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Materials and Methods We reviewed the medical records of 72 consecutive patients who had undergone ASCT for relapsed or refractory DLBCL at our institution from 2006 to 2014. Pretransplant conditioning consisted of HDC and total body irradiation. Of the 72 patients, 13 received post-transplant consolidative RT at the discretion of the consulted radiation oncologist. Results Consolidative RT was associated with significantly improved 2-year locoregional control (LRC) (92% vs. 68%; P = .04). However, no difference was seen in either the 2-year progression-free survival (PFS) (69% vs. 54%; P = .25) or overall survival (OS) (85% vs. 59%; P = .44). Analysis of the subgroup of 19 patients with persistent residual masses ≥ 2 cm on post-transplant imaging demonstrated a significant improvement in LRC (100% vs. 36%; P P = .01), and OS (100% vs. 45%; P = .02) with consolidative RT. Conclusion The use of consolidative RT after HDC and ASCT for relapsed or refractory DLBCL appears to significantly improve LRC. For patients with masses ≥ 2 cm after ASCT, improved 2-year PFS and OS were seen. Prospective trials are needed to further identify the patients who would derive the most benefit from consolidative RT in the ASCT setting.