cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A multi-modal approach to life-threatening hemoptysis in a patient with covid-19 ards

Introduction: Life-threatening hemoptysis is rare in patients diagnosed with COVID-19. Here, we describe a severe case of hemoptysis a patient with COVID-19 and the multi-modal approach to manage this condition. Case: A 57 year-old man with diabetes was admitted with hypoxemic respiratory failure due to COVID-19 pneumonia. Despite treatment with convalescent plasma, remdesivir and dexamethasone, he developed progressive respiratory failure eventually requiring VVECMO support on hospital day 8. He was started on heparin for therapeutic anticoagulation at this time. Anticoagulation was held on day 23 after large blood clots were suctioned via tracheostomy tube. CT revealed complete opacification of the bilateral lungs and major airways without evidence of acute arterial blushing (panel A). The patient underwent the first in a series of therapeutic bronchoscopies via a size 10 Shiley tracheostomy tube on day 28. Occlusive gelatinous blood clots were noted immediately upon entering the trachea. After failure of adequate clot evaluation with cryoprobe, a modified 24F chest tube was used as a suction catheter to achieve clot removal. After visualizing major airways, a bronchial blocker was positioned in the bronchus intermedius. Topical tranexamic acid was applied to sites of bleeding in the left upper lobe. Repeat bronchoscopy was performed on day 30, which showed new bleeding in the left lower lobe segments. An endobronchial blocker was repositioned in the left lower lobe and Surgicel was applied to ongoing bleeding sites within the right and left lung. Prior to repeat bronchoscopy, the patient was administered inhaled tranexamic acid three times daily due to findings of severely inflamed mucosa and diffused nature of bleed. On day 32, bronchoscopy revealed significantly improved bleeding. In-line suctioning was held in favor of daily diagnostic bronchoscopies to avoid suction trauma. Ultimately, the patient's bleeding resolved and he was eventually liberated from both ECMO and the ventilator with corresponding improvement on CT imaging (panel B). Discussion: We describe a case of a life-threatening hemoptysis in a patient with COVID-19 ARDS who was successfully managed using serial therapeutic bronchoscopies employing cryotherapy, mechanical tamponade, and pharamacologic coagulants to achieve hemostasis.
Model Predictive Control for Multi-Port Modular Multilevel Converters in Electric Vehicles Enabling HESDs

In this paper, the authors developed a model predictive control (MPC) algorithm for multi-port modular multilevel converters (MP-MMCs). MP-MMCs are used to enable the use of hybrid energy storage devices (HESDs) in a scalable energy management system (EMS) for electric vehicle (EV) applications. HESDs refer to the use of multiple types of energy storage in the same EV drivetrain system. In this paper, battery cells are sized for the EV energy density while ultra-capacitor cells are used for high acceleration periods. This system will reduce the size of the EV drivetrain due to the elimination of high-power inverters and its filtering components. Using MPC, this system can achieve the following control objectives: 1) extend the battery cells lifetime and driving range by shielding them from high power pulses, 2) balance the state of charge (SOC) levels of every storage cell, 3) increase the system efficiency through optimizing the supplied motor voltage and reducing the switching losses. Moreover, the proposed solution provides means for onboard high-power charging of EV storage cells. Validation results are provided in the paper using a developed hardware prototype along with co-simulations and hardware in the loop system to verify the system's effectiveness.
Dynamics and stability of imperfect flexible cylinders in axial flow

Abstract This paper aims to study theoretically the effects of geometric and support imperfections on the static equilibrium and linear dynamical behaviour of a flexible cylinder in confined axial flow. The support imperfection is modelled via translational and rotational springs at the upstream end of the cylinder while the geometric imperfection is represented by an initially inclined configuration with respect to the fluid flow. The static equilibrium equation is obtained from the principle of virtual work while the equation describing the dynamics of the system around the equilibrium position is obtained using the extended Hamilton’s principle. A central finite difference method and the Galerkin scheme are employed to spatially discretize the static equilibrium equation and dynamic equation of transverse motions, respectively. Numerical results are obtained to show the effects of support and geometric imperfections on the critical flow velocities of the system with various parameters. It is shown that, in general, cylinders with the upstream support imperfection may lose stability at a lower flow velocity compared to the perfectly supported cylinders. It is also shown that the geometric imperfection may have a considerable effect on the dynamic stability of very slender cylinders and those terminated with a perfectly streamlined end-piece.
Primary Care Psychiatry eConsults at a Rural Academic Medical Center: Descriptive Analysis.

Background: Primary care providers serve a crucial role in addressing the mental health needs of many patients. However, there are times when input from a psychiatric specialist may be helpful in supporting the mental health care provided in primary care. Psychiatry eConsults can serve as a valuable tool in providing specialist advice for primary care physicians when direct referral to specialty care is not readily available. Objective: The goal of this study is to evaluate the content and implementation of psychiatric eConsults by primary care providers in a rural academic medical center. Methods: This is a retrospective review of 343 eConsults placed between May 2016 and February 2019 by primary care providers at a single academic medical center. The content of eConsult requests, including patient diagnosis, consult question type, specialist recommendations, patient demographics, the distance of patient and primary care providers from the consulting provider, rate of implementation of the recommendation, and response time, were analyzed. Results: The most common diagnoses associated with eConsults were depression (162/450, 36%) and anxiety (118/450, 26%). The most commonly asked eConsult question was regarding medication management, including medication choice, side effects, interactions, and medication taper (288/343, 84%). More than one recommendation was included in 76% (259/343) of eConsults, and at least one recommendation was implemented by the primary care provider in 94% (282/300) of eConsults. The average time to respond to an eConsult was 26 hours. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that psychiatry eConsults can be conducted in a timely manner and that primary care providers implement the recommendations at a high rate.
Some Advances in Shooting-Bouncing-Rays Asymptotic Propagation Methodologies

We present an overview of some recent advances including work in progress in different shooting-bouncing-rays asymptotic techniques for electromagnetic modeling of reflection, transmission, and diffraction propagation phenomena. These propagation phenomena computations, coupled with antenna or plane wave source modeling, can cover a wide spectrum of electromagnetic field solutions that offer a versatile approach to modeling of electromagnetic structures and systems at high frequencies.
Visual Foresight Trees for Object Retrieval From Clutter With Nonprehensile Rearrangement

This letter considers the problem of retrieving an object from many tightly packed objects using a combination of robotic pushing and grasping actions. Object retrieval in dense clutter is an important skill for robots to operate in households and everyday environments effectively. The proposed solution, Visual Foresight Tree ( VFT ), intelligently rearranges the clutter surrounding a target object so that it can be grasped easily. Rearrangement with nested nonprehensile actions is challenging as it requires predicting complex object interactions in a combinatorially large configuration space of multiple objects. We first show that a deep neural network can be trained to accurately predict the poses of the packed objects when the robot pushes one of them. The predictive network provides visual foresight and is used in a tree search as a state transition function in the space of scene images. The tree search returns a sequence of consecutive push actions yielding the best arrangement of the clutter for grasping the target object. Experiments in simulation and using a real robot and objects show that the proposed approach outperforms model-free techniques as well as model-based myopic methods both in terms of success rates and the number of executed actions, on several challenging tasks. A video introducing VFT , with robot experiments, is accessible at https://youtu.be/7cL-hmgvyec . The full source code is available at https://github.com/arc-l/vft .
Phase correction algorithms for a snapshot hyperspectral imaging system

We present image processing algorithms that improve spatial and spectral resolution on the Snapshot Hyperspectral Imaging Fourier Transform (SHIFT) spectrometer. Final measurements are stored in the form of threedimensional datacubes containing the scene’s spatial and spectral information. We discuss calibration procedures, review post-processing methods, and present preliminary results from proof-of-concept experiments.
Chemotaxis in Methanospirillum hungatei.

Etude du chimiotactisme vis-a-vis de l'acetate chez la bacterie methanogene M. hungatei. Les etudes metaboliques montrent que M. hungatei utilise egalement l'acetate comme source de carbone. Une etude de la mobilite de la cellule en fonction de la concentration extracellulaire en acetate est indiquee
Lack of pathologic down‐staging with neoadjuvant chemotherapy for muscle‐invasive urothelial carcinoma of the bladder

BACKGROUND: The postcystectomy survival benefit associated with the combination of methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin, and cisplatin (MVAC) neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NC) for muscle-invasive bladder cancer has been most evident in patients who achieve a pathologic complete response. The outcome of NC and open radical cystectomy (RC) was evaluated in a contemporary cohort of patients in a tertiary referral setting. METHODS: From January 2006 to November 2007, 117 patients underwent open RC at Cleveland Clinic for muscle-invasive bladder cancer, 29 (25%) of whom received NC. Patient information was obtained from a prospective database. RESULTS: Clinical stage at the time of diagnosis in the NC cohort was T2 in 23 (79%) and T3-4a in 6 (21%) patients. A total of 20 (69%) patients received the combination of gemcitabine and cisplatin (GC), 4 (14%) received MVAC, and 5 (17%) received other regimens. The median interval from the time of diagnosis of muscle-invasive bladder cancer to RC was 208 days (interquartile range, 149 days -327 days) in the NC cohort. Overall, only 2 patients (7%; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0 patients-17 patients) achieved a pathologic complete response, 18 (62%; 95% CI, 43 patients-81 patients) had nonorgan-confined residual cancer, and the overall median progression-free survival was 10.5 months (95% CI, 7 months -14 months). CONCLUSIONS: Few RC patients in these investigators’ recent experience achieved a pathologic complete response with NC, and most experienced rapid disease progression. These poor outcomes may be related to the use of non-MVAC-based regimens or excessive delay in performing RC. In the absence of supportive data for GC in the neoadjuvant setting, MVAC remained the preferred regimen. Excessive delays in performing RC may negate the benefit of NC. Cancer 2009;115:792–9. V C 2009 American Cancer Society.
Economic Impacts of Terrorist Attacks and Natural Disasters: Case Studies of Los Angeles and Houston

Large metropolitan regions are vulnerable to terrorist attacks and natural disasters. Ports and downtown business districts could be targets of terrorist attacks and are also prone to substantial losses from natural disasters like earthquakes or hurricanes. It is important for stakeholders and decision makers to be aware of the spatial distribution of these losses and recognize the potential economic losses from various hypothetical terrorist attacks and natural disasters on these crucial facilities and core sites. The Southern California Planning Model (SCPM), a GIS-based regional planning model developed initially for the five-county Los Angeles metropolitan area, is capable of endogenizing freight and passenger flows and allocating impacts spatially via unexpected impedances to trips and shipments through the regional highway network. This chapter presents the SCPM model and describes several applications via three case studies of hypothetical events: (1) A radiological bomb or so-called „dirty bomb“ attack and conventional bomb attacks on the twin ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach; (2) A radiological bomb attack on a large office building in Downtown Los Angeles Financial District; and (3) A hurricane striking the Houston-Galveston-Brazoria (HGB) region. The results show that the model can allocate the losses to various types of impact analysis zones or political jurisdictions. The methods used in this study are adaptable to almost any kind of terrorist and natural disaster attacks and also transferable to other large metropolitan areas.
Behavior of stochastic neural networks with delays

The dynamical behavior of a model for a network of neurons is analyzed. The model extends existing models for networks of neurons connected in feedback with the realistic assumptions that all neurons exhibit an unknown time delay between stimuli and response. Since the dynamical variables of interest are the firing rates of neurons, stochastic models are necessary. The stochastic stability analysis is based on the Lyapunov-Krasovskii theory for time delay systems, and yields sufficient conditions for stochastic stability independent of the delay. These are in the form of the existence of certain positive definite matrices satisfying an algebraic Riccati equation. We discuss also the probability of capture (classification) in the case of networks with several equilibria. Furthermore, it is shown that in the presence of random input perturbations an unstable network may become stable.
Spin superlattice formation in ZnSe/Zn1-xMnxSe multilayers.

We present magneto-optical evidence for the formation of a magnetic-field-induced spin superlattice in modulated ZnSe/${\mathrm{Zn}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{x}}$${\mathrm{Mn}}_{\mathit{x}}$Se structures. In the samples studied, the offsets in both the conduction band and the valence band are very small at zero magnetic field. When a magnetic field is applied, the large Zeeman splitting of the ${\mathrm{Zn}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{x}}$${\mathrm{Mn}}_{\mathit{x}}$Se band edges overcomes the zero-field offsets and results in the formation of a spin superlattice in which spin states of both electrons and holes are spatially and periodically separated.
A Calorimetric Study of Phase Separation in Liquid Crystal/Matrix Systems: Determination of the Excess Specific Heat of Mixing

Abstract The effects of concentration and state of cure on mixing and phase separation of binary systems of a low molecular weight liquid crystal (LC) and an organic matrix have been determined for the first time. We found that, as temperature is increased, mixing in uncured LC/matrix systems is accompanied by a step-like decrease in specific heat at T mix, the mixing temperature. This decrease is due, for the most part, to the (negative) excess specific heat of mixing. ΔC mix. The excess enthalpy of mixing. ΔH mix, may also contribute to the thermal effect. A plot of ΔC mix versus LC concentration exhibits a minimum, as expected from theory. Such a plot for a mixture of a specific LC (E7) with uncured matrix (NOA65) allows us to estimate the solubility limit of E7 in the matrix-rich phase (∼15%) and of NOA65 in the LC-rich phase (∼5%). Uncured E7/NOA65 mixtures exhibit phase diagrams with an upper critical solution temperature (UCST) slightly above 300 K. To avoid undesired phase separation prior to fina...
Microfiltration Affinity Purification of Lactoferrin and Immunoglobulin G from Cheese Whey

A process combining affinity chromatography with membrane filtration was used to isolate lactoferrin and immunoglobulin G from Cheddar cheese whey. Heparin Sepharose, protein G Sepharose, and protein G bearing Streptococcal cells were used as adsorbents to form affinity complexes with target proteins. These could be retained by 0.2 μm microfiltration membranes and separated from unbound whey proteins. Binding capacities and binding constants of adsorbents determined by Langmuir-type adsorption isotherms were 124 mg/mL gel and 5.4 × 10−6M for heparin Sepharose, 17.8 mg/mL gel and 3.5 × 10−7M for protein G Sepharose, and 148 μ.g/mL cell suspension and 1.1 × 10−7M for protein G cells. Lactoferrin with 95% purity and 92% iron-binding capacity, and immunoglobulin G with 90% purity and 86% activity could be obtained with reasonable yields.
Validation of surface retrieved cloud optical properties with in situ measurements at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program (ARM) South Great Plains site

[1] Cloud optical properties inferred from a multifilter rotating shadowband radiometer have been validated against in situ measurements during the second ARM Enhanced Shortwave Experiment (ARESE II) field campaign at the ARM South Great Plains (SGP) site. On the basis of eight aircraft in situ vertical profiles (constructed from measurements), Forward Spectra Scattering Probe (FSSP), we find that our retrieved cloud effective radii for single-layer warm water clouds agree well with in situ measurements, within 5.5%. A sensitivity study also illustrates that (for this case) a 13% uncertainty in observed liquid water path (LWP, 20 g/m2) results in 1.5% difference in retrieved cloud optical depth and 12.7% difference in inferred cloud effective radius, on average. The uncertainty of the LWP measured by the microwave radiometer (MWR) is the major contributor to the uncertainty of retrieved cloud effective radius. Further, we conclude that the uncertainty of our inferred cloud optical properties is better than 5% for warm water clouds based on a surface closure study, in which cloud optical properties inferred from narrowband irradiances are applied to a shortwave model and the modeled broadband fluxes are compared to a surface pyranometer.
The role of anticonvulsant medications in the management of patients with anaplastic gliomas

All 100 patients in a protocol of therapy for anaplastic gliomas were studied with regard to occurrence of seizures preoperatively and postoperatively. Patients without a history of seizures preoperatively had a similar incidence of seizures postoperatively, whether anticonvulsant medications were prescribed prophylactically or not.
Histone H5 in nucleated erythrocytes of fish as determined by radioimmunoassay.

Tissue-specific histone H5 in the nucleated erythrocytes of dogfish, scup, skate, tautog, sea robin and toad fish was studied. The presence of this histone was inferred by its electrophoretic mobility on polyacrylamide gels containing either acid-urea or sodium dodecyl sulfate. By radioimmunoprecipitation assays, cross reaction was observed between fish histones and an anti-H5chicken antibody. The antibody was specific to chicken histone H5; purified chicken histone H1 and calf thymus total histones did not cross react. It is concluded that fish histone H5 shares common antigenic determinants with the chicken H5 histone.
Introduction and Dominance Manipulations Involving Old Rhesus Males

Many investigators may feel that studies involving group manipulations involving older animals are untenable, fearing that such manipulations may harm or over-stress aged subjects. The present study demonstrates the safety of a technique which not only introduced aged rhesus monkeys into two groups, but resulted in their attaining planned dominance rank positions in each of the groups: one set of 4 as the highest ranking and the other set of 4 as the lowest ranking. The manipulation also effected the social behavior of the old animals isolating the high ranking males from social activity in their group.
Pulse-contrast effects on energy distributions of C1+ to C4+ ions for high-intensity 100-fs laser-ablation plasmas

Abstract A time-resolved spherical-sector electrostatic analyzer is used to measure the energy spectra of carbon ions from ablation plumes of graphite that are generated by high-intensity ultrafast laser pulses. The time-resolved spectra from the E / q analyzer are used to construct energy distributions of the individual charge states of various carbon ions. The measurement range of the detector is from 0.05 to 20 keV per unit charge, allowing for observation of up to 80 keV at charge state four. Data are presented for laser intensities of 5×10 14 to 2×10 15 W/cm 2 at a wavelength of 780 nm. Charge states and energy distributions are observed to be strongly dependent on the laser pulse contrast and/or presence of a pre-pulse. A bimodal energy distribution is obtained for high contrast pulses and is interpreted in terms of a plasma hydrodynamic model for the lower ion energies (few hundred eV) and an accelerated ion contribution for the higher energies (several keV).
IEEE Radar standards and the radar systems panel

Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) Radar standards were created to uniquely define terminology associated with the development, characterization, and utilization of radar systems. The radar standards are essential tools utilized by the radar community to enable clear and concise communication of radar aspects and facilitate the specification and evaluation of radar performance. The AESS Radar Systems Panel (RSP) consists of a group of experts in the field of radar who promote various radar related activities such as the IEEE Radar Conferences, student education initiatives, and many more benefiting the radar community. One of the lesser known RSP activities is the development and maintenance of radar related standards. The two radar standards sponsored by the RSP are the IEEE Standard (STD) 521, IEEE Standard Letter Designations for Radar Frequency Bands [1], and IEEE STD 686, IEEE Standard Radar Definitions [2]. Another radar related standard that is not sponsored by the RSP but includes several RSP members on the working group is IEEE STD 1672, IEEE Standard for Ultrawideband Radar Definitions. The radar standards provide essential tools for radar engineers specifying, developing, and evaluating radar system performance.
Optimization of back pressure and throughput for latency insensitive systems

Latency insensitive protocols (LIP) were originally based on valid/stall handshakes between components and relays stations. However, for designs whose connection graph is a single strongly connected component(SCC), it was shown that static scheduling of computation achieves better throughput. Unfortunately, for a system composed of multiple SCCs such global static scheduling is not possible. Recent work has shown how to minimize back pressure (stall) based flow control for such systems. However, that solution does not necessarily achieve optimal throughput because it only minimizes back-pressure without attempting to optimize throughput. Throughput optimizing solutions for latency insensitive systems also exists, which require a mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) solution that inevitably does not scale for large systems. Moreover, that throughput optimizing solution uses back pressure for every connection leading to area overhead and further interconnect routing issues. In this paper, we consider an optimization technique for the synthesis of latency insensitive systems. In particular, we consider a synchronous hardware system which is composed of multiple SCCs. We provide algorithm for synthesizing a latency insensitive implementation which minimizes back-pressure while maximizing throughput. Our approach scales because we formulate MILP whose size is significantly smaller than that of the previous throughput optimizing MILP formulation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first optimization technique considering both back pressure and throughput of latency insensitive system in the literature.
Inhibition of the antianalgesic action of dynorphin A in mice by cholera toxin

Abstract Dynorphin A-(1–17) (Dyn A) administered intrathecally (IT) or released spinally in the mouse produces an antianalgesic action. The present experiments indicate that IT administration of cholera toxin inhibited the antianalgesic action of Dyn A. When clonidine was administered intracerebro-ventricularly (ICV) to release spinal Dyn A, IT cholera toxin inhibited the antianalgesis action of Dyn A so that the analgesic component of action of clonidine became evident. Dyn A given IT inhibited the analgesic action of morphine given ICV. Cholera toxin given IT eliminated the antagonistic action of Dyn A. These results, in addition to others, indicate that IT cholera toxin antagonized the action of Dyn A. When the antianalgesic action of Dyn A was attenuated by pretreatment with dynorphin antiserum or by pretreatment that produced desensitization to Dyn A, cholera toxin had no effect. These results suggested that the antianalgesic action of Dyn A is mediated by activation of opioid receptors that are positively coupled to adenylate cyclase through a G s regulatory protein.
SU-E-T-850: Selection of Initial DVH Constraints for IMRT Planning Based on Target Dose Gradient Characteristics

Purpose: One major obstacle for IMRT planning is to set up proper DVH constraints for organs at risk (OARs). Inexperienced IMRT planners often set OAR constraints using generic clinical guidelines, which may not always produce the best organ sparing. The goal of this study is to incorporate dose gradient information to set up the most likely achievable OAR dose tolerance. Methods: We investigated the dose falloff characteristics from typical IMRT plans. We found that the fastest dose falloff from a prostate plan can be universally used to describe the best scenario of dose gradient near the PTV. We also found the multi‐field near‐field dose falloff is different from the far‐field dose falloff, which is usually described by the attenuation of a single beam. We used an open‐field un‐modulated dose calculation to simulate the far‐field dose falloff. Also, we calculated the Euclidean distance map to translate the dose fall‐off to regional dose distribution. This dose distribution solely based on the distance from PTV and dose gradient information was reloaded back into the original plan. The DVHs calculated from this dose‐gradient plan represents the best scenario of OAR sparing. Those DVH values for OARs were used as initial estimation of DVH objective function for IMRT planning. Results: We applied our approach to 2 head‐and‐neck patients, 2 lung patients, and 2 prostate patients. We found the 40% dose falloff from the target dose prescription best represents the dose distribution in the near‐field. IMRT plans re‐optimized based on OAR constraints set by the dose‐gradient method produced better OAR sparing than the clinical plans for bladder (in prostate plans), heart (in lung plans), and oral cavity (in head‐and‐neck plans). All other organs produced similar results. Conclusions: We have designed a novel approach to incorporate dose gradient information as dose constraints for IMRT optimization.
Bovine Vitamin A and β-Carotene Intake and Lactational Status. 1. Responsiveness of Peripheral Blood Polymorphonuclear Leukocytes to Vitamin A and β-Carotene Challenge In Vitro

Dietary vitamin A and beta-carotene were assessed on their interaction with lactational status to influence neutrophil function in vitro. Cows were fed 1) 53,000 IU or 2) 213,000 IU vitamin A, or 3) 53,000 IU vitamin A plus 400 mg beta-carotene/cow per d from 6 wk before to 2 wk after dry off. Blood neutrophils were isolated the day of dry off and 2 wk after dry off and incubated with retinol, retinoic acid, or beta-carotene. Phagocytosis and kill of Staphylococcus aureus were measured. Across all treatments, kill was higher after dry off than before dry off. Phagocytosis tended to be lower after dry off than before in cows fed vitamin A only. In vitro, 10(-6) M beta-carotene stimulated phagocytosis after dry off and kill before dry off in cows fed vitamin A only. In general, retinol and retinoic acid suppressed phagocytosis but did not affect kill. Neutrophils from cows fed high amounts of vitamin A were more susceptible to in vitro suppression than those from cows fed adequate amounts of vitamin A. Therefore, vitamin A and beta-carotene supplementation interacts with lactational status to influence the responsiveness of bovine neutrophils to vitamin challenge in vitro.
WE-D-L100J-02: Effect of Matrix Size On SNR and Contrast Ratio On Super-Resolution Processing of PET Images

Objectives: Super resolution (SR) techniques reconstruct a high resolution image from a series of low resolution images taken from different points of view of the same object. The aim of this abstract is to investigate how CR and SNR vary with SR processing of images initially reconstructed using different matrix sizes. Methods: A Jaszczak phantom with a hot spot insert was scanned on a DISCOVERY STE PET/CT scanner. The phantom was filled with 0.34uCi/cc and scanned for 15 minutes in 2D. A NEMA IEC phantom containing six spheres was also scanned for 3 minutes in 2D using a sphere‐to‐background ratio of 5.34:1. SR images of 512*512 were then generated for all acquired data using 3 different matrix sizes and image combinations: A) 64 images of 64*64, B) 16 128*128, and C) 4 256*256. In each case, the pixel grid was offset by 1 mm along the X and Y axes. All reconstructions were done using OSEM with a FOV of 51.2 cm. In addition, each original low resolution image was up‐sampled to a 512*512 image. Resolution and contrast ratio were assessed by plotting line profiles across cylinders of different sizes in the Jaszczak phantom of each high resolution image (SR and up‐sampled) while SNR was determined by drawing ROIs on all spheres and background in the IEC phantom. In addition, 5 lung nodule patient studies were processed using these 6 methods and assessed visually. Results: Line profiles showed that the contrast ratio constantly increased from A to C by 180%, while the SNRs decreased by 56%. SR images always produced higher CR (143–214%) and lower SNR (65–78%) compared to their up‐sampled counterparts. Comparison of patient studies showed that method B had the best overall image quality. Conclusion: SR processing using 16 128*128 images results in the optimum clinical image quality.
A Comparative Study on the Activation Behavior of Implanted Boron and Phosphorus for LTPS Using Solid-Phase Crystallization

This work presents a study on the activation behavior of high-dose (φ > 1015 cm−2) boron and phosphorus implants for low resistance source and drain regions for thin-film transistors (TFTs) fabricated using solid-phase crystallization (SPC) of amorphous silicon. Process variables include factors associated with ion implant and annealing conditions, as well as the SPC and implant process arrangement. Four-point probe sheet resistance (Rs) measurements were used as a comprehensive assessment of the electrical properties. Results have identified similarities and differences in activation behavior that can influence process integration strategies considering both the SPC approach and TFT fabrication.
Improved Robust PCA Using Low-Rank Denoising with Optimal Singular Value Shrinkage

￿ R. R. Nadakuditi, ”OptShrink: An algorithm for improved low-rank signal matrix denoising by optimal, data-driven singular value shrinkage,” IEEE Trans. of IT, May 2014. ￿ B. Moore, R. R. Nadakuditi, and J. Fessler, ”Dynamic MRI reconstruction using low-rank plus sparse model with optimal rank regularized eigen-shrinkage,” ISMRM, May 2014. ￿ R. Otazo, E. J. Candes, and D. K. Sodickson, ”Low-rank and sparse matrix decomposition for accelerated dynamic MRI with separation of background and dynamic components,” Magn. Reson. Med., 2014.
Beta 2 microglobulin serum levels and prediction of survival in AL amyloidosis.

To study the relation between beta 2 microglobulin (beta 2M) and survival in AL amyloidosis, we measured the serum level of beta 2M in 80 patients with AL amyloidosis diagnosed within 1 year of evaluation, who had received no therapy. Patients had a median age of 61 years and 52% were male. Major clinical manifestations were renal disease in 25 patients (31%), cardiomyopathy in 23 patients (29%), and neuropathy or other organ involvement in 32 patients (41%). The beta 2M level, measured by an ELISA assay in serum samples collected at the time of evaluation, ranged from 1.69 to 10 mg/ml (mean = 4.57); in 56% of the patients beta 2M > 4 mg/ml. The patients with a beta 2M 4 (1.43 vs 2.67 mg/dl; p = 0.02). Survival from study entry was analyzed overall by the level of beta 2M, adjusting for creatinine level and clinical stratum. We found the beta 2M level to be predictive of survival (median survival 16.1 months for beta 2M 4 mg/ml, p = 0.044). Thus a beta 2M level less than 4 mg/ml indicated a longer time of survival.
P-Wave Seismic Anisotropy In a Fractured Carbonate Reservoir: A Case Study From EastTexas

Summary We present a case study where we calculated P-wave seismic anisotropy for a land, 3D seismic survey at a gas field in east Texas. We calculated the azimuthal AVO (AzAVO) and azimuthal velocity (AzNMO) anisotropy. We compared the results with interpreted faults, fractures from oriented core, image logs, present day stress, and a dipole sonic log. High- anisotropy anomalies align with faults on the flanks of the structure. Low seismic anisotropy characterizes the crest of the structure, and may be an artifact of an associated amplitude shadow. Locally, orientations predicted from seismic anisotropy agree with our subsurface fracture observations. Full quantitative fracture interpretation is restricted, however, by signal noise, local reduction in inversion quality by an amplitude artifact, and limited subsurface fracture correlation.
Effect of frameless stereotaxy on the accuracy of C1-2 transarticular screw placement

Object. In recent studies some authors have indicated that 20% of patients have at least one ectatic vertebral artery (VA) that, based on previous criteria in which preoperative computerized tomography (CT) and standard intraoperative fluoroscopic techniques were used, may prevent the safe placement of C1–2 transarticular screws. The authors conducted this study to determine whether frameless stereotaxy would improve the accuracy of C1–2 transarticular screw placement in healthy patients, particularly those whom previous criteria would have excluded. Methods. The authors assessed the accuracy of frameless stereotaxy for C1–2 transarticular screw placement in 17 cadaveric cervical spines. Preoperatively obtained CT scans of the C-2 vertebra were registered on a stereotactic workstation. The dimensions of the C-2 pars articularis were measured on the workstation, and a 3.5-mm screw was stereotactically placed if the height and width of the pars interarticularis was greater than 4 mm. The specimens were eval...
MODIFIED CURRENT INJECTION TECHNIQUE

Abstract An alternate method of determining the harmonic currents of a six pulse AC-DC converter is described. This method uses the harmonic voltages to predict the firing angles and the resulting injected harmonic currents. The model avoids the complexities of power flow solutions methods and offers more accuracy than the usual current injection techniques. Also, the model is able to operate under balanced or imbalanced conditions. Its accuracy is shown with time domain solutions.
Human 3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphosulfate synthetase (isoform 1, brain): kinetic properties of the adenosine triphosphate sulfurylase and adenosine 5'-phosphosulfate kinase domains.

Recombinant human 3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphosulfate (PAPS) synthetase, isoform 1 (brain), was purified to near-homogeneity from an Escherichia coli expression system and kinetically characterized. The native enzyme, adimer with each 71 kDa subunit containing an adenosine triphosphate (ATP) sulfurylase and an adenosine 5'-phosphosulfate (APS) kinase domain, catalyzes the overall formation of PAPS from ATP and inorganic sulfate. The protein is active as isolated, but activity is enhanced by treatment with dithiothreitol. APS kinase activity displayed the characteristic substrate inhibition by APS (K 1 of 47.9 μM at saturating MgATP). The maximum attainable activity of 0.12 μmol min - 1 (mg of protein) - 1 was observed at an APS concentration ([APS] o p t ) of 15 μM. The theoretical K m for APS (at saturating MgATP) and the K m for MgATP (at [APS] o p t ) were 4.2 μM and 0.14 mM, respectively. At likely cellular levels of MgATP (2.5 mM) and sulfate (0.4 mM), the overall endogenous rate of PAPS formation under optimum assay conditions was 0.09 μmol min - 1 (mg of protein) - 1 . Upon addition of pure Penicillium chrysogenum APS kinase in excess, the overall rate increased to 0.47 μmol min - 1 (mg of protein) - 1 . The kinetic constants of the ATP sulfurylase domain were as follows: V m a x . f = 0.77 μmol min - 1 (mg of protein), K m A ( M g A T P ) = 0.15 mM, K i a ( M g A T P ) = 1 mM, K m B ( s u l f a t e ) = 0.16 mM, V m a x . r = 18.7 μmol min - 1 (mg of protein) - 1 , K m Q ( A P S ) = 4.8 μM, K i q ( A P S ) = 18 nM, and K m P ( P P i ) = 34.6 μM. The (a) imbalance between ATP sulfurylase and APS kinase activities, (b) accumulation of APS in solution during the overall reaction, (c) rate acceleration provided by exogenous APS kinase, and (d) availablity of both active sites to exogenous APS all argue against APS channeling. Molybdate, selenate, chromate ("chromium VI"), arsenate, tungstate, chlorate, and perchlorate bind to the ATP sulfurylase domain, with the first five serving as alternative substrates that promote the decomposition of ATP to AMP and PP i . Selenate, chromate, and arsenate produce transient APX intermediates that are sufficiently long-lived to be captured and 3'-phosphorylated by APS kinase. (The putative PAPX products decompose to adenosine 3',5'-diphosphate and the original oxyanion.) Chlorate and perchlorate form dead-end E.MgATP.oxyanion complexes. Phenylalanine, reported to be an inhibitor of brain ATP sulfurylase, was without effect on PAPS synthetase isoform 1.
Mechatronics education developments in the United States: The perspective from Louisiana State University

Abstract The next generation of advanced mechatronic technology systems has arrived. The advance brings a new depth of integrated and intelligent systems for which few engineers are prepared. Across the U.S., universities have identified and addressed integrated technological issues by providing new curriculum and laboratories. These efforts fall primarily into four categories: electronics packaging and assembly; adaptive controls; intelligent manufacturing; and secondary school initiatives. Of these programs, Electronics Packaging and Assembly enjoys the most industry and government support. The others survive with very little outside support. Louisiana State University's Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering Department has worked to establish a curriculum and a facility which supports both practical instruction and advanced research. The facility, known as the Intelligent Manufacturing Systems (IMS) Laboratory, provides students with state-of-the-art mechatronic, computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), and computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM) technologies.
A rechargeable Li/LixCoO2 Cell

Abstract The Li/LixCoO2 rechargeable cell has been studied in several solvents, and the preferred electrolyte is LiAsF6 in methyl acetate. It is shown that this cell can deliver very high energy densities at rates of 1 – 10 mA cm−2 over the wide temperature range of −40 °C to 25 °C. The cell is currently limited to around 20 charge/discharge cycles which is suitable for moderate cycle life practical rechargeable cell applications.
483 OPTIMUM SITE AND DEPTH FOR NEWBORN HEEL PUNCTURES

Sick newborns have frequent heel punctures to obtain blood specimens for diagnostic tests. This study was performed to determine the optimum site and depth of these punctures. At autopsy both heels of 11 infants ≥ 2 kg (Gp) and 12 infants > 2-5 kg (Gp2) were examined. On a line between the 1st and 2nd toes an incision was made in the heel and the depths from the skin surface to the upper subcutaneous tissue (S-S), where the larger blood vessels are present, and from the ski- surface to the periosteum (S-P) were measured with a caliper. In Gpl the x S-S was 0.67 mm (0.5-0.8) and the x S-P was 4.5 mm (3.6-5.6) and in Gp2 these measurements were 1.0 mm (0.7-1.4) and 6.0 mm (5.0-8.4). The calcaneus did not extend beneath the plantar surface at the level of the 5th toe and the S-P depth was less at the posterior portion than at the midportion of the heel. Histological examination of the heel tissue showed wound healing and scaring, micro abcesses and perichondritis, and hemorrhage at all levels including the perichondrium. We conclude that newborn heel punctures should be performed on the lateral plantar surface at the level of the 5th toe and if the infant is ≥ 2 kg the depth should be 1.0-3.0 mm and if the infant is > 2-5 kg the depth should be 2.0-4.0 mm to avoid bone puncture.
Role of eastward propagating convection systems in the diurnal cycle and seasonal mean of summertime rainfall over the U.S. Great Plains

By diagnosing the 3-hourly North American Regional Reanalysis rainfall dataset for the 1979-2003 period, it is illustrated that the eastward propagation of convection systems from the Rockies to the Great Plains plays an essential role for the warm season climate over the central U.S. This eastward propagating mode could be the deciding factor for the observed nocturnal rainfall peak over the Great Plains. The results also suggest that nearly half of the total summer mean rainfall over this region is associated with these propagating convection systems. For instance, the extreme wet condition of the 1993 summer may be attributed to the frequent occurrence of propagating convection events and enhanced diurnal rainfall amplitude over the Great Plains. Thus, proper representation of this important propagating component in GCMs is essential for simulating the diurnal and seasonal mean characteristics of summertime rainfall over the central US.
Investigation of automated feature extraction using multiple data sources

An increasing number and variety of platforms are now capable of collecting remote sensing data over a particular scene. For many applications, the information available from any individual sensor may be incomplete, inconsistent or imprecise. However, other sources may provide complementary and/or additional data. Thus, for an application such as image feature extraction or classification, it may be that fusing the mulitple data sources can lead to more consistent and reliable results. Unfortunately, with the increased complexity of the fused data, the search space of feature-extraction or classification algorithms also greatly increases. With a single data source, the determination of a suitable algorithm may be a significant challenge for an image analyst. With the fused data, the search for suitable algorithms can go far beyond the capabilities of a human in a realistic time frame, and becomes the realm of machine learning, where the computational power of modern computers can be harnessed to the task at hand. We describe experiments in which we investigate the ability of a suite of automated feature extraction tools developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory to make use of multiple data sources for various feature extraction tasks. We compare and contrast this software's capabilities on 1) individual data sets from different data sources 2) fused data sets from multiple data sources and 3) fusion of results from multiple individual data sources.
Mesoscale Simulations of Curvature Inducing Proteins on Wavy Membranes

Curvature inducing cell membrane proteins migrate along mean curvature gradients during cell membrane remodeling processes such as endocytosis and cell motility. The curvature sensing abilities of these membrane proteins are vital for their localization and subsequent recruitment of other cell constituents to the membrane. Recent experiments have demonstrated the redistribution of curvature inducing proteins along a precurved membrane supported by a wavy substrate. These experiments can elucidate the behavior of curvature inducing proteins over a much smaller curvature range than was analyzed in previous experiments of segregation on pulled membrane tethers. Wavy substrates provide a model system for deconvolution of the slight effects of frame tension and pinning. The surface migration of these proteins along a wavy surface has been investigated using a curvilinear membrane model evolved with Monte Carlo techniques based on the Helfrich Hamiltonian. The migration and segregation of membrane proteins is quantified in simulations with free energy methods incorporating Widom ghost particle insertion and thermodynamic integration.
Wing laminar boundary layer in the presence of a propeller slipstream

The effects of a propeller slipstream on the wing laminar boundary layer are being investigated. Hot-wire velocity sensor measurements have been performed in flight and in a wind tunnel. It is shown that the boundary layer cycles between a laminar state and a turbulent state at the propeller blade passage rate. The cyclic length of the turbulent state increases with decreasing laminar stability. Analyses of the time varying velocity profiles show the turbulent state to lie in a transition region between fully laminar and fully turbulent. The observed cyclic boundary layer has characteristics similar to relaminarizing flow and laminar flow with external turbulence.
Aquarius faraday rotation observations

Aquarius is a space-borne 3-beam L-band microwave instrument with its radiometer measuring sea surface salinity and its scatterometer providing ocean roughness corrections for better retrieval. Since polarized signals are used in both salinity and surface wind retrievals, Faraday rotation correction is an important step in calculating both radiometer and scatterometer ocean surface signals. In current ground processing algorithm, data version 3.0, scatterometer Faraday rotation is derived from predictions based on TEC inputs while radiometer Faraday rotation is computed using second and third stokes measurements. Analysis shows general agreement between these two values for all three beams. Discrepancies reside along certain geolocations and vary seasonally.