Search

Human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)- derived neurons offer the possibility of studying human-specific neuronal behaviors in physiologic and pathologic states in vitro. It is unclear whether cultured neurons can achieve the fundamental network behaviors required to process information in the brain. Investigating neuronal oscillations and their interactions, as occurs in cross-frequency coupling (CFC), addresses this question. We examined whether networks of two-dimensional (2D) cultured hiPSC-derived cortical neurons grown with hiPSC-derived astrocytes on microelectrode array plates recapitulate the CFC that is present in vivo. We employed the modulation index method for detecting phase-amplitude coupling (PAC) and used offline spike sorting to analyze the contribution of single neuron spiking to network behavior. We found that PAC is present, the degree of PAC is specific to network structure, and it is modulated by external stimulation with bicuculline administration. Modulation of PAC is not driven by single neurons, but by network-level interactions. PAC has been demonstrated in multiple regions of the human cortex as well as in organoids. This is the first report of analysis demonstrating the presence of coupling in 2D cultures. CFC in the form of PAC analysis explores communication and integration between groups of neurons and dynamical changes across networks. In vitro PAC analysis has the potential to elucidate the underlying mechanisms as well as capture the effects of chemical, electrical, or ultrasound stimulation; providing insight into modulation of neural networks to treat nervous system disorders in vivo. • Phase amplitude coupling (PAC) is present in 2-dimensional human cultures. • In vitro PAC, suggests that PAC is a fundamental property of neural networks. • 2D cultures offer a model to understand the biology of PAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Fokker–Planck equation describes the evolution of the probability density associated with a stochastic differential equation. As the dimension of the system grows, solving this partial differential equation (PDE) using conventional numerical methods becomes computationally prohibitive. Here, we introduce a fast, scalable, and interpretable method for solving the Fokker–Planck equation which is applicable in higher dimensions. This method approximates the solution as a linear combination of shape-morphing Gaussians with time-dependent means and covariances. These parameters evolve according to the method of reduced-order nonlinear solutions (RONS) which ensures that the approximate solution stays close to the true solution of the PDE for all times. As such, the proposed method approximates the transient dynamics as well as the equilibrium density, when the latter exists. Our approximate solutions can be viewed as an evolution on a finite-dimensional statistical manifold embedded in the space of probability densities. We show that the metric tensor in RONS coincides with the Fisher information matrix on this manifold. We also discuss the interpretation of our method as a shallow neural network with Gaussian activation functions and time-varying parameters. In contrast to existing deep learning methods, our method is interpretable, requires no training, and automatically ensures that the approximate solution satisfies all properties of a probability density. • Develop shape-morphing modes as a fast and interpretable method for solving the Fokker-Planck equation in higher dimensions. • Analysis of the computational complexity of the method. • Connection between shape-morphing modes and Fisher information. • Connection between shape-morphing modes and shallow neural networks. • Application of the proposed method to four numerical examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much of PR historiography focuses on the “Great Man,” corporate uses of the function. This study fills a gap in the literature by exploring how a non-governmental organization called the American Social Hygiene Association (ASHA) worked with the U.S. federal government during World War I to equate sexual health with wartime patriotism to lower venereal disease (VD) rates. Partnering with ASHA on an anti-venereal campaign provided the government with a way to enhance military efficiency (i.e., fewer soldiers out of action with VD meant more men available to fight). In return, ASHA gained a national audience and the backing of the government for its vision of sexual health and social morality. This study shows that The Committee on Public Information (CPI) was not alone in using PR-type techniques as a weapon of mass instruction during the Great War. Similar to the CPI, the social hygiene campaign organizers used a diverse range of communications activities ranging from pamphlets to lectures to films – all for the purpose of instilling a new social health agenda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite significant reductions in tobacco use in the US, oral tongue cancer incidence has reportedly increased in recent years, particularly in young white women. We conducted age-period-cohort analyses to identify birth cohorts that have experienced increased oral tongue cancer incidence, and compared these with trends for oropharyngeal cancer, a cancer caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) that has also recently increased.Methods: We utilized cancer incidence data (1973-2012) from 18 registries maintained by the NCI SEER Program. Incidence trends were evaluated using log-linear joinpoint regression and age-period-cohort modeling was utilized to simultaneously evaluate effects of age, calendar year, and birth year on incidence trends.Results: Incidence of oral tongue cancer increased significantly among white women during 1973-2012 (0.6% annual increase, p<0.001) and white men during 2008-2012 (5.1% annual increase, p=0.004). The increase was most apparent among younger white individuals (<50years; annual increase of 0.7% for men [p=0.02] and 1.7% for women [p<0.001] during 1973-2012). Furthermore, the magnitude of the increase during 1973-2012 was similar between young white men and women (2.3 vs. 1.8 cases per million, respectively). Incidence trends for oropharyngeal cancer were similar to trends for oral tongue cancer and similar birth cohorts (born after the 1940s) experienced rising incidence of these cancers (p-value: white men=0.12, white women=0.42), although the magnitude of increase was greater for oropharyngeal cancer.Conclusions: The incidence of oral tongue and oropharyngeal cancer has significantly increased among young white men and women within the same birth cohorts in the US. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The focus of this full-scale study was to determine the effect of ozone on biopolymer concentrations in biofiltration and ultrafiltration (UF) processes treating surface water from Lake Ontario. Ozonation was out of service for maintenance for 9 months, hence, it was possible to investigate ozone's action on biologically active carbon contactors (BACCs) and UF, in terms of biopolymer removal. Given the importance of biopolymers for fouling, this fraction was quantified using a chromatographic technique. Ozone pre-treatment was observed to positively impact the active biomass in biofilters. However, since an increase of the active biomass did not result in higher biopolymer removal, active biomass concentration cannot be a surrogate for biofiltration performance. It was evident that increasing empty bed contact time (EBCT) from 4 to 19 min only had a positive effect on biopolymer removal through BACCs when ozone was out of service. However, as a mass balance experiment showed, ozone-free operation resulted in higher deposition of biopolymers on a UF membrane and slight deterioration in its performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper presents a novel method to reconstruct sea-level change in coastal freshwater back-barrier marshes. Freshwater environments have long been considered to be unsuitable for the reconstruction of Holocene sea-level changes as they provide limiting, rather than precise, sea-level index points. We recorded the stratigraphy of a small beach and back-barrier coastal Phragmites (reed) marsh at Hallsands, south Devon, southwest England, using hand-drilled cores and ground-penetrating radar, and collected five new sea-level index points from the base of a Holocene peat sequence to refine the regional Holocene relative sea-level curve. We demonstrate that the samples, despite their freshwater origin, yield accurate sea-level index points as determined from the quantifiable relationship between tide levels and groundwater. By means of water-table monitoring and groundwater modelling we show that the primary controls on the water table in the marsh are: (1) stratigraphy; (2) peat permeability; and (3) recharge rates in the back-barrier marsh. The five index points document relative sea-level positions between 7200 and 2400calyr BP. Three points are in good agreement with previously collected regional data from intertidal deposits and two points usefully fill gaps in the existing reconstruction. An amended Holocene relative sea-level curve for south Devon, based on 30 data points, is presented. We conclude that the combined approach of data collection and modelling used in this paper can be applied to similar coastal settings around the world and allows the collection of sea-level index points from locations not previously thought suitable for this purpose. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] A range of biota (algae and sea grasses) shows enriched δ15N close to the coast. [•] Enriched signals are evident in the particulate and sedimentary organic material. [•] δ15N signals are correlated with high inputs of dissolved inorganic matter. [•] The enriched values support the presence of a sewage related component. [•] The δ15N could arise from the local landfill, injected wastewater, or septic systems. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Energycane (Saccharum hyb.) is a perennial bioenergy crop derived from sugarcane, but with higher fiber, greater biomass yields, and better cold tolerance than typical sugarcane. Two commercial sugarcanes, two high-sugar (Type I) energycanes, and five high-fiber (Type II) energycanes were planted at Tifton, GA, USA in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Beginning in October, 2008 (plant-cane crop year) five monthly samples were taken to assess the effects of delaying harvest on biomass composition and quality for ethanol production. The monthly harvests were repeated in the winter of 2010–2011 (second-ratoon crop year). Delaying harvest into the winter months resulted in minimal reductions in biomass moisture and N mass fractions, while K mass fraction decreased significantly. Free sugar mass fraction also decreased, thus causing the biomass to have an apparent increase in relative mass fractions of ash and neutral detergent fiber (NDF). The reduction in free sugars was more pronounced in the colder harvest season (2010–2011). The composition of biomass fiber (cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin) was generally stable over time. A bench-top partial saccharification and co-fermentation (PSCF) protocol employing xylose-fermenting Escherichia coli was used to assess ethanol yields from the sequentially harvested biomass. Ethanol yield from sugarcanes and Type I energycanes was more variable over time, due to degradation of free sugars. Thus, early harvest is recommended to avoid loss of fermentable sugars. Type II energycanes can be harvested later during the winter months with little change in conversion properties. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The destruction of a chlorinated aromatic compound by UV photolysis and advanced oxidation was examined for potential use in air emissions treatment. The fluence rate distribution in a photoreactor was analyzed by a finite model, and this was used to estimate quantum yield and photonic efficiency for the photochemical decomposition of chlorobenzene in air. The analysis indicates that the quantum yield was constant at approximately 115%, but the presence of the common flue gas components sulfur dioxide and water could increase it to approximately 145%. Ozone, which strongly absorbs UV photons and promotes radical chain reactions, enhanced the quantum yield to 1534% when present at 2253ppm. When SO2 or ozone are present, “effective” quantum yield may be more informative for analysis, since it includes the number of photons absorbed by all reacting species. In this work, the effective QY ranged from 3.9% to 108.7%, with low values indicating that photons were wasted in processes that did not degrade the target organic. An analysis of photonic efficiency shows that the photo-reactor is more efficient at high concentrations of the target organic pollutant, and when ozone or sulfur dioxide are present. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: To assist in assessing a potential contaminated sediment threat near a drinking water intake in a large lake, a technique known as the fingerprint analysis of leachate contaminants (FALCON), was investigated and enhanced to help draw more statistically significant definitive conclusions. This represents the first application of this approach, originally developed by the USEPA to characterize and track leachate penetration in groundwater and contaminant migration from waste and landfill sites, in a large lake from the point-of-view of source water protection. FALCON provided valuable information regarding contaminated sediment characterization, source attribution, and transport within a surface water context without the need for knowledge of local hydrodynamic conditions, potentially reducing reliance on complicated hydrodynamic analysis. A t-test to evaluate the significance of correlations was shown to further enhance the FALCON procedure. In this study, the sensitivity of FALCON was found to be improved by using concentration data from both conserved organics and heavy metals in combination. Furthermore, data analysis indicated that it may be possible to indirectly assess the success of remediation efforts (and the corresponding need to plan for a treatment upgrade in the event of escalating contaminant concentrations) by examining the temporal change in correlation between the source and intake sediment fingerprints over time. This method has potential for widespread application in situations where conserved contaminants such as heavy metals and higher molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), are being or have previously been deposited in sediment somewhere in, or within range of, an intake protection zone. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Increased demand for single-use personal protective equipment (PPE) during the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a marked increase in the amount of PPE waste and associated environmental pollution. Developing efficient and environmentally safe technologies to manage and dispose of this PPE waste stream is imperative. We designed and evaluated a hydrothermal deconstruction technology to reduce PPE waste by up to 99% in weight. Hydrothermal deconstruction of single-use PPE waste was modelled using experimental data in Aspen Plus. Techno-economic and sensitivity analyses were conducted, and the results showed that plant scale, plant lifetime, discount rate, and labour costs were the key factors affecting overall processing costs. For a 200 kg/batch plant under optimal conditions, the cost of processing PPE waste was found to be 10 NZD/kg (6 USD/kg), which is comparable to the conventional practice of autoclaving followed by landfilling. The potential environmental impacts of this process were found to be negligible; meanwhile, this practice significantly reduced the use of limited landfill space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: WinLTP is a data acquisition program for studying long-term potentiation (LTP) and other aspects of synaptic function. Earlier versions of WinLTP (J. Neurosci. Methods, 162:346–356, 2007) provided automated electrical stimulation and data acquisition capable of running nearly an entire synaptic plasticity experiment, with the primary exception that perfusion solutions had to be changed manually. This automated stimulation and acquisition was done by using ‘Sweep’, ‘Loop’ and ‘Delay’ events to build scripts using the ‘Protocol Builder’. However, this did not allow automatic changing of many solutions while running multiple slice experiments, or solution changing when this had to be performed rapidly and with accurate timing during patch-clamp experiments. We report here the addition of automated perfusion control to WinLTP. First, perfusion change between sweeps is enabled by adding the ‘Perfuse’ event to Protocol Builder scripting and is used in slice experiments. Second, fast perfusion changes during as well as between sweeps is enabled by using the Perfuse event in the protocol scripts to control changes between sweeps, and also by changing digital or analog output during a sweep and is used for single cell single-line perfusion patch-clamp experiments. The addition of stepper control of tube placement allows dual- or triple-line perfusion patch-clamp experiments for up to 48 solutions. The ability to automate perfusion changes and fully integrate them with the already automated stimulation and data acquisition goes a long way toward complete automation of multi-slice extracellularly recorded and single cell patch-clamp experiments. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: Seizure prediction has proven to be difficult in clinically realistic environments. Is it possible that fluctuations in cortical firing could influence the onset of seizures in an ictal zone? To test this, we have now used neural network simulations in a computational model of cortex having a total of 65,536 neurons with intercellular wiring patterned after histological data. A spatially distributed Poisson driven background input representing the activity of neighboring cortex affected 1% of the neurons. Gamma distributions were fit to the interbursting phase intervals, a non-parametric test for randomness was applied, and a dynamical systems analysis was performed to search for period-1 orbits in the intervals. The non-parametric analysis suggests that intervals are being drawn at random from their underlying joint distribution and the dynamical systems analysis is consistent with a nondeterministic dynamical interpretation of the generation of bursting phases. These results imply that in a region of cortex with abnormal connectivity analogous to a seizure focus, it is possible to initiate seizure activity with fluctuations of input from the surrounding cortical regions. These findings suggest one possibility for ictal generation from abnormal focal epileptic networks. This mechanism additionally could help explain the difficulty in predicting partial seizures in some patients. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: A poorly-studied benefit of bank storage is the ability of the streambed to act as a thermal sink to streams influenced by urban runoff (e.g. bank thermal storage). Headwater streams, with their low thermal inertia, are particularly susceptible to thermal pollution. We utilize numerical modeling to quantify the amount of heat exchanged with the subsurface during temperature surges, which we define as greater than a 1°C stream temperature increase in 15min. We base our study on Boone Creek, a low-order stream in northwestern North Carolina with stream discharge and temperature data dating to March 2006. The catchment is heavily urbanized, and although the stream is of moderate gradient, it is fed by tributaries that lose up to 200m/km. The combined effect of urbanization and steep gradient produces a flashy response: stream discharge averages 0.10m3/s, but may increase up to two orders of magnitude during storm events. These events also affect stream and streambed temperatures. Four summers of monitoring (2006–2008, 2010) indicate that 71 temperature surges occurred with a mean temperature increase of 2.39°C and a maximum increase of 6.36°C. We model generic storm events based on typical Boone Creek storms and streambed hydrogeology with the U.S.G.S. finite-difference groundwater flow and heat transport code VS2DH. The one-dimensional model domain includes a diurnally-oscillating stream temperature and specified head at the upper boundary, a constant streambed temperature and head at the lower boundary, and gaining stream conditions. Reference storm simulations use a temperature increase of 3.66°C and a stream stage increase of 0.66m. Simulations show that at a depth of 4.5cm, nearly half of the temperature-surge signal has dissipated and lag times are 30min. By a depth of 9.5cm, however, peak temperatures are only one-third of storm levels and lag times are 2h. At depths beyond 49.5cm, the perturbation is less than 0.1°C and lags the storm event by more than 17.5h. Storm influence extends to a depth of 2m and persists for days. Sensitivity simulations suggest that hydraulic conductivity, sediment heat capacity, and thermal conductivity are the most sensitive model parameters. Calculations show that temperature-surge induced heat storage in the simulated streambed is 72% of the heat storage in the stream. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The formation of propellant dark zone (DZ) structures in the gaseous flames above many solid propellants has been a subject of recurrent interest to us for about 20years. The DZ structure is controlled by small molecule chemistry. The DZ chemistry is very important in controlling both the flame structure at low pressure (10–100atm) and burning rates at high pressure (above ∼500atm), even though DZs collapse at higher pressures. We developed a detailed, frequently updated mechanism to model it. This report reviews prior work, introduces our most recent modeling results, and documents the first quantitative tests of several key assumptions. All relevant experimental literature is critically assessed to identify datasets for testing our model. Comparison of predictions and experimental results shows reasonable agreement, and thus we advocate use of our mechanism. But the precision of both experiments and predictions is not tight, nor are there many test datasets. Further experimentation is needed, and types of study that would be of greatest benefit are suggested. A detailed discussion of the chemistry that controls DZ structure is presented. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: Boone Creek is a mountainous headwater stream that lies within an urbanized environment in northwestern North Carolina. The primary source of thermal pollution in Boone Creek is the urban infrastructure, which affects stream temperatures through (1) heated runoff, which creates temperature surges and (2) the elimination of groundwater–surface water interactions. In this study, we use a Monte Carlo thermal mixing model to predict the thermal impact of removing a 700-m-long culvert. Our thermal mixing model balances stream discharge and temperatures with surface-heat exchange parameters and restored baseflow. We calculate the daily-average groundwater discharge velocity at 15 locations in the stream using signal decay in streambed temperatures, and utilize a Monte Carlo implementation of the heterogeneous baseflow field in the thermal mixing model. We also calculate surface-heat exchange per unit area for conditions upstream and downstream of the existing culvert and utilize those values in the thermal mixing model. Our modeled temperatures suggest a decrease in summer stream temperatures downstream of the culvert that average 1.35°C and 1.17°C for upstream and downstream surface-heat exchange conditions, respectively. The results of our study have implications for the balance between baseflow and the urban infrastructure in any high-gradient urban stream that experiences similar thermal effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A finite model was established to predict the radiation field around a line lamp treating contaminated air, taking into account the effects of the radius of the lamp and sleeve, as well as other physical parameters. Both irradiance and fluence rate could be calculated, and the model was validated with measured data and by comparison with a conventional extense source volumetric emission (ESVE) model. Diffuse and specular emissions for a line lamp were compared, showing that diffuse emission is more appropriate for a low pressure mercury UV lamp. Refraction by the lamp sleeve can induce a 12% increase in fluence rate near the sleeve, while reflection causes a 7% decrease. When the attenuation coefficient of a gaseous chemical is less than 0.04m−1 the error due to ignoring its light absorption is less than 1%, within a distance of 0.2m from the lamp. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: Purpose: A neural network simulation with realistic cortical architecture has been used to study synchronized bursting as a seizure representation. This model has the property that bursting epochs arise and cease spontaneously, and bursting epochs can be induced by external stimulation. We have used this simulation to study the time–frequency properties of the evolving bursting activity, as well as effects due to network stimulation. Methods: The model represents a cortical region of 1.6mm×1.6mm, and includes seven neuron classes organized by cortical layer, inhibitory or excitatory properties, and electrophysiological characteristics. There are a total of 65,536 modeled single compartment neurons that operate according to a version of Hodgkin–Huxley dynamics. The intercellular wiring is based on histological studies and our previous modeling efforts. Results: The bursting phase is characterized by a flat frequency spectrum. Stimulation pulses are applied to this modeled network, with an electric field provided by a 1mm radius circular electrode represented mathematically in the simulation. A phase dependence to the post-stimulation quiescence is demonstrated, with local relative maxima in efficacy occurring before or during the network depolarization phase in the underlying activity. Brief periods of network insensitivity to stimulation are also demonstrated. The phase dependence was irregular and did not reach statistical significance when averaged over the full 2.5s of simulated bursting investigated. This result provides comparison with previous in vivo studies which have also demonstrated increased efficacy of stimulation when pulses are applied at the peak of the local field potential during cortical after discharges. The network bursting is synchronous when comparing the different neuron classes represented up to an uncertainty of 10ms. Studies performed with an excitatory chandelier cell component demonstrated increased synchronous bursting in the model, as predicted from experimental work. Conclusions: This large-scale multi-neuron neural network simulation reproduces many aspects of evolving cortical bursting behavior as well as the timing-dependent effects of electrical stimulation on that bursting. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article focuses on the benefits of infrastructure development on newly industrializing regions. It states that the consequences to infrastructure improvements such as highways and roads extend beyond economic growth. It comments on a highway project in Sri Lanka and the consequent transformational changes that resulted from that infrastructure improvement. It mentions that changes were estimated at household and corporate level through production function and multivariate analyses, and suggests that traditional impact studies fail to incorporate transformational shifts and thus underestimate the benefits and costs of infrastructure improvement projects.

Abstract: This case report presents a patient suffering acute fatal intracranial–intratumoral hemorrhage during a gamma knife treatment session. Acute hemorrhage during a radiosurgery session is extremely rare and a plausible cause for this case is discussed along with a literature review of previously reported incidents. The patient was a 71-year-old male presenting with three large intracranial lesions and an underlying primary renal cell carcinoma malignancy. Because of a severe kyphotic deformity resulting from ankylosing spondylitis, the patient was placed in a moderate Trendelenburg position to allow his head to fit into the gamma knife unit during the radiosurgery session. The two left-sided lesions were to be treated with 20Gy to the 50% isodose line, and the right-sided lesion with 16Gy to the 40% isodose line. Anesthesia was available throughout the treatment session to aid with pain control. The gamma knife treatment was aborted because the patient suffered a generalized seizure while in the unit. Immediate head CT of the patient revealed large acute hemorrhages into all three intracranial masses. This proved to be a fatal complication. It is likely that this positioning contributed to the hemorrhage. The clinical history of this patient is provided as well as a review of the literature on acute intracranial hemorrhage associated with radiosurgical therapy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Few public relations practitioners rise to the level of head of an organization; therefore, this study on former National Football League Commissioner Pete Rozelle presents a unique opportunity to examine how an organizational leader with PR work experience managed a business operation. Drawing upon unique historical records, this study demonstrated how Rozelle used his public relations background to help make the NFL America''s number one sport (in terms of revenue and in fan polling). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The influence of humidity on the decomposition of gas phase chlorobenzene (CB) was studied in a batch photocatalytic reactor using TiO2 (anatase). Increasing relative humidity (>7% at 25°C and 1atm) resulted in an increasingly detrimental effect on the adsorption and photocatalytic decomposition rate of CB. Mechanistic analysis indicates that the relative hydrophilic/hydrophobic nature of a given chemical should dictate adsorption onto or penetration through water to the TiO2 surface. It is suggested that multiple layers of water molecules are formed at the TiO2 interface with air, even at low relative humidities. The multiple-layered film of water retards/prevents CB from reaching the reactive TiO2 surface or contacting radical species in the boundary layer. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: WinLTP is a Windows data acquisition program designed for the investigation of long-term potentiation (LTP), long-term depression (LTD), and synaptic responses in general. The capabilities required for basic LTP and LTD experiments include alternating two-input extracellular pathway stimulation, LTP induction by single train, theta burst, and primed burst stimulation, and LTD induction by low frequency stimulation. WinLTP provides on-line analyses of synaptic waveforms including measurement of slope, peak amplitude, population-spike amplitude, average amplitude, area, rise time, decay time, duration, cell input resistance, and series resistance. WinLTP also has many advanced capabilities that extend beyond basic LTP experimental capabilities: (1) analysis of all the evoked synaptic potentials individually within a sweep, and the analysis of the entire train-evoked synaptic response as a single entity. (2) Multitasking can be used to run a Continuous Acquisition task (saving data to a gap-free Axon Binary File), while concurrently running the Stimulation/Acquisition Sweeps task. (3) Dynamic Protocol Scripting can be used to make more complicated protocols involving nested Loops (with counters), Delays, Sweeps (with various stimulations), and Run functions (which execute a block of functions). Protocol flow can be changed while the experiment is running. WinLTP runs on National Instruments M-Series and Molecular Devices Digidata 132x boards, and is available at www.winltp.com. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Clinical risk factor assessment can be used to enhance fracture risk estimation based upon bone densitometry alone. Population- and age-specific risk factor prevalence data are required for the construction of these risk models. Our objective was to derive population-based prevalence estimates of specific clinical risk factors for postmenopausal women resident in the Province of Manitoba, Canada. A random sample of 40,300 women age 50 or older identified from the provincial health plan was mailed a validated self-report risk factor survey. The response rate was 8747 (21.7%) with a final study population of 8027 women after exclusions. The individual prevalence for each clinical risk factor ranged from 5.8% for hyperthyroidism to 33.0% for a fall in the preceding 12 months. Most point prevalence estimates were similar to other large cohort studies, though the prevalences of inactivity and poor mobility were higher than expected while height at age 25 and the prevalence of any fracture after age 50 were lower than expected. Most of the respondents (86.9%) had at least one non-age clinical risk factor, 60.6% had two or more, and 33.5% had three or more. Age affected risk factor prevalence, and older age was associated with a higher rate of multiple risk factors. The availability of age-specific risk factor prevalence rates in this population may allow for more accurate fracture risk modeling. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A photon-effective rotating disc photocatalytic reactor configuration was proposed and compared to a similar rotating drum reactor. The photocatalytic degradation of a model non-volatile aromatic compound, 4-chlorophenol, was investigated as a function of rotation speed, angle of disc, and radiation intensity. The irradiance distribution on the surface of the disc/drum was analyzed by a diffuse emission model, which was verified by experimental measurement. The profiles of the predicted local-area-specific rate of energy absorption (LASREA) indicated its sensitivity to the geometrical dimensions. A new kinetic model was proposed including the effects of water film thickness and irradiance. Based on the model and irradiance distribution, a rigorous kinetic analysis was conducted in accordance with mass balance and mass transfer. The experimental data were compared with the mathematical prediction, showing good agreement. With respect to scale-up parameters, the results suggested that the surface velocity, ϕω/2 (ϕ: diameter of the disc, ω: rotation speed) is an important factor which determines the thickness of water film, while diameter and angle of the disc determine the irradiance distribution. The incident photon flow rate has no relation to the angle of the disc, but a small angle will provide a larger illuminated area and capture more reflected photons. Comparatively, the larger illuminated area is much more important than capture of reflected photons for improvement of the photonic efficiency. In the rotating disc reactor, the photon number increased 11.2% due to capture of reflections, and the maximum initial photonic efficiency reached 0.0251mol-4-CP/einstein, while in the drum reactor it was 0.0145mol-4-CP/einstein. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: No professional sports group ever achieved acceptance as widespread within a single decade''s span as the American Football League (AFL). This study chronicles how the AFL used public relations strategies and tactics to garner public acceptance, which in turn helped convince the older National Football League (NFL) to merge with the upstart league. This study will further the understanding of how trade associations use public relations as an image-building device, as well as address a deficiency in the study of sports public relations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Global climate change is likely to affect urban infrastructure through sea level rise and increased frequency of extreme events. This paper assesses the potential impact of climate change on the system-wide performance of transportation networks using the Boston Metro Area as a case study. The methodology integrates projected changes in land use, demographic and climatic conditions into the urban transportation modeling system in order to explore the relative impacts of global warming on the system performance due to additional riverine and coastal flooding. Results indicate almost a doubling in delays and lost trips. These impacts are significant, but probably not large enough to justify a major effort for adapting the physical infrastructure to expected climatic conditions, except for some key links. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study used Berger's (1999) four characteristics of organizational public relations to examine how Major League Baseball (MLB) responded to the 1951-1952 congressional investigation into the sport's business dealings. This analysis demonstrated the impact an entity's image, which is based in large part on past communications and prior behavior, has on its current situation. in this case, MLB's image as a sport outweighed any effort by legislators to present professional baseball as a monopoly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to simultaneously examine left-ventricular (LV) function and pulmonary gas exchange during prolonged constant-rate cycling in an attempt to explain the exercise-induced impairment in gas exchange. Eleven competitive cyclists rode their racing bicycles on a computerized cycle trainer at 25 W below the lactate threshold until exhaustion (exercise time = 2.51 ± 0.86 h). LV systolic function was evaluated with two-dimensional echocardiography while arterial blood gases were used to assess pulmonary gas exchange. All variables were assessed concurrently before, during, and after exercise. LV function and cardiac output increased at the onset of exercise and were maintained until exhaustion. The alveolar–arterial PO2 difference (A-aDO2) increased within 15 min of the onset of exercise, was unchanged through to exhaustion, and returned to baseline 5 min post-exercise. Gas exchange was not related to cardiovascular function at the onset, or at end exercise. The results indicate that the widening A-aDO2 during exercise is due to a readily reversible change in gas exchange function. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A corrugated plate reactor configuration was developed and assessed using 4-chlorophenol degradation experiments and mass transfer tests. Two other reactor systems, a flat plate reactor and a slurry reactor, were examined for comparative purposes. The corrugated plate reactor was found to be up to 150% faster and more energy-efficient than a similar flat plate reactor. Its electrical energy per order of concentration reduction (EE/O) was estimated to be as low as 37 kWh/m3 and was close to that of a slurry system. Mass transfer rates in corrugated plate reactors were found to be up to 600% higher than those in the flat plate reactor. The superior performance of this reactor is due primarily to its large illuminated catalyst surface area per unit volume, and its ability to effectively deliver both photons and reactants to the catalyst surfaces. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This article examines the public relations activities of the Women’s Field Army (WFA)—a branch of the American Society for the Control of Cancer (now the American Cancer Society). The analysis of the WFA’s work suggests that non-profit organizations engaging in volunteer recruitment and public education should examine the current socio-economic climate, and explore using both media relations and interpersonal communications techniques to disseminate messages. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Exposure to endotoxins in treated drinking water can occur through ingestion, dermal abrasions, inhalation of water vapor, intravenous injection or during dialysis. While the risks associated with endotoxin ingestion and entry through dermal abrasions are not well quantified, adverse effects of intravenous injection and dialysis are well known and some studies indicate that inhalation of moisture-laden air may impact human health. This study quantifies the inactivation of endotoxin derived from Escherichia coli O55:B5 by three substances used either as disinfectants or oxidants in drinking water treatment: chlorine, monochloramine and potassium permanganate. Inactivation rates were found to be 1.4, 1.0 and 0.7 endotoxin units (EU)/mL h, for free chlorine, potassium permanganate and monochloramine, respectively. These rates are relatively slow given that contact times in drinking water distribution systems are typically less than 48 h. While small amounts of endotoxin may be removed by oxidation the observed removals are much less than those provided by physical removal processes. The significance of this finding is important for dialysis considerations but is as yet unclear with regard to inhalation, as the risk of inhaling sufficient quantities of endotoxin-containing aerosolized water droplets to adversely affect human health has not yet been adequately quantified. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The oxygen-18 signal of soil and leaf water are both recorded in heterotrophically synthesized plant stem cellulose. Presently, these signals can only be teased apart with modeling and assumptions on the nature of the isotopic enrichment of leaf water. A method by which these two signals are chemically separated and analyzed is tested here. Heterotrophically synthesized cellulose from germinating seeds having a mixture of isotopic signals from the reserve carbohydrate (starch) and that of the water during cellulose synthesis was hydrolyzed and the resulting glucose converted to glucose phenylosazone. The analysis of the 18O/16O ratios of cellulose and of glucose phenylosazone were used to calculate the oxygen isotope ratio of the oxygen attached to the second carbon of the glucose moieties of the cellulose molecule. The calculated δ18O value of this oxygen was highly correlated with that of the water available for cellulose synthesis showing a nearly one-to-one relationship (slope = 1.027) and leading to the conclusion that it completely exchanges with water during heterotrophic cellulose synthesis. Once this method is refined so as to increase precision, it will be possible to derive the δ18O values of soil water available to plants from the oxygen isotope analysis of stem cellulose and its derivative. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We describe the case of a 57-year-old woman with a tumor of the breast suspected of being a dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP). To confirm the diagnosis, molecular studies were performed on fixed tumor and revealed the presence of the fusion product of the COL1A1–PDGFB genes characteristic of DFSP. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A mathematical model describing the performance of photocatalytic reactors was proposed, and fitted using data for 4-chlorophenol degradation collected with a flat plate reactor. It was used to predict the performance of corrugated plate photocatalytic reactors, and this was then compared with subsequent experimental results. With only three experimentally determined parameters, the new model incorporates reaction kinetics, mass transfer, and photon transfer. The model-predicted performance of the corrugated plate reactors, with different structural parameters and under different hydrodynamic and illumination conditions, was found to agree with the experimental data reasonably well. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A novel tellerette packed bed photoreactor (TPBP), in which titanium dioxide was immobilized on stainless steel tellerette packings, was developed to provide a combination of good light and mass transfer. The experiments revealed that mass transfer limitations in this packed bed photoreactor were insignificant, such that the reaction appeared to be kinetically controlled even in regions closest to the illumination sources. A combination of measurements and simple modelling suggests that the TPBP may have potential use due to the effective mass transfer and UV light penetration characteristics. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Examines the newspaper coverage of the conflict between Celebrex, an arthritis painkiller produced by Merck. and its competitor, Vioxx produced by Searle. Use of framing analysis to determine the relationship between the messages of the company and the press content; Amount spent on advertising; Influence of companies on media coverage and presentation.

Examines the public relations career of Steve Hannagan, focusing on his campaign for the Major League Baseball (MLB) centennial celebration in 1939, to determine the context of public relations practice in the United States during the Great Depression. Impact of the Great Depression on American life and public relations; Background of Hannagan and the MLB; Public relations campaign for the MLB centennial celebration.

• World War II public relations campaign designed to inspire citizens to pay personal income taxes. • U.S. government officials used choice instead of coercion to inspire compliance. • Campaign used messages related to sacrifice and patriotism to encourage American citizens to pay their taxes as part of the war effort. This case study will show how U.S. Treasury Department (Treasury) and U.S. Office of War Information (OWI) officials used public relations strategies and techniques during World War II to ensure public acceptance of the installation of a personal income tax on most Americans, not just the wealthy. To prevent this change from appearing as coercion, U.S. government officials used sacrifice as an overriding message to help persuade Americans to join the taxpayer ranks. Patriotic Americans, the government told the public, would choose to do their part in the war effort by buying victory with their tax dollars. And, it was not just Uncle Sam saying this but popular entertainment figures ranging from singer Danny Kaye to animated character Donald Duck as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The conclusions of Schmidt et al. (2020) are justified. • Microorganism elimination credits (MECs) are often calculated inappropriately. • These MECs have compromised conclusions in a QMRA guidance example. • A new illustrative example further demonstrates the soundness of our assertions. Image, graphical abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The degree to which a technology used for drinking water treatment physically removes or inactivates pathogenic microorganisms is commonly expressed as a log-reduction (or log-removal) and is of central importance to the provision of microbiologically safe drinking water. Many evaluations of water treatment process performance generate or compile multiple values of microorganism log-reduction, and it is common to report the average of these log-reduction values as a summary statistic. This work provides a cautionary note against misinterpretation and misuse of averaged log-reduction values by mathematically proving that the average of a set of log-reduction values characteristically overstates the average performance of which the set of log-reduction values is believed to be representative. This has two important consequences for drinking water and food safety as well as other applications of log-reduction: 1) a technology with higher average log-reduction does not necessarily have higher average performance, and 2) risk analyses using averaged log-reduction values as point estimates of treatment efficiency will underestimate average risk—sometimes by well over an order of magnitude. When analyzing a set of log-reduction values, a summary statistic called the effective log-reduction (which averages reduction or passage rates and expresses this as a log-reduction) provides a better representation of average performance of a treatment technology. Image 1 • Average log-reduction characteristically overstates average treatment performance. • A technology with better average log-reduction is not necessarily better on average. • Using average log-reduction as a default treatment value in QMRA understates risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• World War II public relations campaign equated sexual health with patriotism in attempt to lower VD rates. • Anti-VD campaign designed to help improve industrial productivity. • Social reformers used public relations during wartime in a similar fashion to how government agencies used the function. Much of public relations historiography on World War II focuses on the government uses of the function. This study fills a gap in the literature by exploring how a non-governmental organization called the American Social Hygiene Association (ASHA) used persuasion communication efforts to enlist the aid of management, labor, and local communities in the United States in the control of venereal disease (VD) rates. The case study advances a more diverse understanding of how activists have utilized public relations and found that the social reformers' use of persuasive communications strategies and activities aligned with the view of public relations as the strategic and intentional participation in the social construction of meaning to achieve a planned outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the pressure response to an unsteady heat release source in an unconfined one-dimensional domain. An analytical model based on the acoustic wave equation with an unsteady heat source is derived, and then compared against results from highly-resolved numerical simulations. Two different heat release profiles, a Gaussian spatial distribution with either a step or a Gaussian temporal distribution, are used to model the heat source. The analytical solutions predict two regimes in the pressure response depending on the Helmholtz number, which is defined as the ratio of the acoustic time over the duration of the heat release pulse. A critical Helmholtz number is found to dictate the pressure response regime. For compact cases, in the subcritical regime, the amplitude of the pressure pulse remains constant in space. For noncompact cases, above the critical Helmholtz number, the pressure pulse reaches a maximum at the center of the heat source, and then decays in space converging to a lower far field amplitude. At the limits of very small and very large Helmholtz numbers, the heat release response tends to be a constant pressure process and a constant volume process, respectively. The parameters of the study are chosen to be representative of the extreme conditions in a rocket combustor. The analytical models for both heat source profiles closely match the simulations with a slight overprediction. The differences observed in the analytical solutions are due to neglecting mean flow property variations and the absence of loss mechanisms. The numerical simulations also reveal the presence of nonlinear effects such as weak shocks that cannot be captured by the linear acoustic wave equation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG) is a critical tool used in the identification of epileptogenic zones. Although stereotactic frame-based SEEG procedures have been performed traditionally, newer robotic-assisted SEEG procedures have become increasingly common. In this study, we evaluate the accuracy, efficacy of the ExcelsiusGPS robot (Globus Medica, Audubon, PA) in SEEG procedures. Five consecutive adult patients with drug resistant epilepsy were identified as SEEG candidates via a multidisciplinary epilepsy surgery committee. Preoperative scans were merged onto the robot to plan electrode placement. With the use of a camera system, dynamic reference base, and surveillance markers, the robotic arm was used to establish the trajectory of the electrodes. Postoperative computed tomography (CT) scans were merged onto the preoperatively planned trajectory and the radial, depth, and entry errors were calculated. Fiducial registration error was calculated for 4 cases to determine error between the patient and intraoperative CT merge. A total of 59 electrodes were placed. The mean age at surgery was 41.6 ± 15.1 years. Mean operating room time, anesthesia time, and surgical time was 301.6 ± 44.4 min, 261.6 ± 50.2 min, and 155.8 ± 48.8 min, respectively. The overall mean depth, radial, and entry errors were 2.5 ± 1.9 mm, 1.9 ± 1.5 mm, and 1.6 ± 1.2 mm. Mean fiducial registration error retrospectively calculated for 4 of 5 cases was 0.13 ± 0.04 mm. There were no perioperative complications. The initial performance of the ExcelsiusGPS robotic system yielded comparable results to other systems currently in use for adult SEEG procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A watershed scale solute transport model based on CN approach was developed. • Low impact development increases groundwater storage and therefore baseflow. • Low impact development decreases peak runoff and salt contamination. • Pervious pavement is the best retrofitting option in reducing salt contamination. • Different LID practices should be targeted for each land use category. Low impact development (LID) practices can mitigate adverse impacts of urbanization on hydrology and water quality by using decentralized designs to control stormwater runoff at the source. Most previous research has focused on LID impacts on stormwater runoff with little consideration given to baseflow or road salt pollution. This study describes a modeling approach to assess how effectively retrofitted LID technologies can reduce salt contamination. The model coupled the curve number approach with completely mixed reservoirs to simulate watershed hydrology and solute transport. The model was tested in Boone Creek Watershed (BCW), an urban headwater watershed in the Southern Appalachians. The model proves able to capture daily stream discharge and stream chloride (Cl−) concentrations satisfactorily. The model simulation with and without LID showed LID can decrease surface runoff and increase recharge, baseflow, and interflow. Furthermore, LID led to increased Cl− load in baseflow, interflow, and recharge. Cl− load in runoff and maximum stream Cl− concentration decreased when LID is implemented. The model was run with retrofitting scenarios of various LID practices including pervious pavement, swales, rain gardens/cisterns, bioretention systems, green roofs, disconnecting conveyances from impervious surfaces, and all LID practices combined in BCW. Implementing LID reduced storm runoff by 0.21–27.8% and increased groundwater recharge by 0.05–6.26%. Mean stream Cl− concentrations stayed unchanged while the maximum stream Cl- concentration decreased by 0.03–4.78% after LID practices were implemented. The results also suggest that pervious pavement might be the best retrofitting option, particularly in commercial and high-density residential areas in BCW and other similar urban watersheds. Overall, our study suggests that LID practices could mitigate stream salt contamination by dilution from enhanced groundwater recharge. Our study further suggests this model could be used as a quick screening tool to determine an effective strategy for implementing LID practices in urban areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wet air oxidation (WAO) of the PPE mixture was performed at temperatures ranging from 300 °C to 350 °C, with initial air pressures of 30 bar and 60 bar, respectively. Total suspended solids (TSS) were reduced by up to 99%, while total chemical oxygen demand (tCOD) and soluble chemical oxygen demand (sCOD) were significantly reduced to 360 mg/L and 110 mg/L, respectively. The main products were volatile fatty acids such as acetic and propionic acids and ammonia nitrogen (NH 3 -N) with concentrations of up to 1117 mg/L, 975 mg/L, and 18 mg/L, respectively. Nitrogen and oxygen were the most abundant gaseous products, reaching 72% (w/w) and 14% (w/w), respectively. Semi-batch WAO treatments were carried out at 300 °C and 350 °C to achieve comparable waste reduction. The results suggest that non-catalytic WAO is a viable PPE waste management solution. [Display omitted] • Up to 98.8% of the mixture of selected single-use PPE items was deconstructed. • Up to 18 mg/L ammonia was detected in the resultant reaction mixture. • Volatile fatty acids, mainly acetic acid up to 1117 mg/L was produced. • Nitrogen and oxygen were the primary gaseous products in the off-gas stream. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]