A Deformable Model for Magnetic Vortex Pinning

A two-parameter analytical model of the magnetic vortex in a thin disk of soft magnetic material is constructed. The model is capable of describing the change in evolution of net vortex state magnetization and of core position when the vortex core interacts with a magnetic pinning site. The model employs a piecewise, physically continuous, magnetization distribution obtained by the merger of two extensively used one-parameter analytical models of the vortex state in a disk. Through comparison to numerical simulations of ideal disks with and without pinning sites, the model is found to accurately predict the magnetization, vortex position, hysteretic transitions, and 2-D displacement of the vortex in the presence of pinning sites. The model will be applicable to the quantitative determination of vortex pinning energies from measurements of magnetization.Comment: 27 pages, 7 figures, including supplementary information, ancillary files:3 supplementary movie

Evaluation of Upper Extremity Movement Characteristics during Standardized Pediatric Functional Assessment with a Kinect®-based Markerless Motion Analysis System

A recently developed and evaluated upper extremity (UE) markerless motion analysis system based on the Microsoft® Kinect® has potential for improving functional assessment of patients with hemiplegic cerebral palsy. 12 typically-developing adolescents ages 12-17 were evaluated using both the Kinect-based system and the Shriners Hospitals for Children Upper Extremity Evaluation (SHUEE), a validated measure of UE motion. The study established population means of UE kinematic parameters for each activity. Statistical correlation analysis was used to identify key kinematic metrics used to develop automatic scoring algorithms. The Kinect motion analysis platform is technically sound and can be applied to standardized task-based UE evaluation while providing enhanced sensitivity in clinical analysis and automation through scoring algorithms

Thermo-mechanical sensitivity calibration of nanotorsional magnetometers

We report on the fabrication of sensitive nanotorsional resonators, which can be utilized as magnetometers for investigating the magnetization dynamics in small magnetic elements. The thermo-mechanical noise is calibrated with the resonator displacement in order to determine the ultimate mechanical torque sensitivity of the magnetometer.Comment: 56th Annual Conference on Magnetism and Magnetic Material

Clinical profile of post flood fever in a tertiary care hospital in Kerala

Background: Floods are an important source of infection epidemic worldwide. Analysis of different infections presenting during floods can lead us to have a unified approach during such periods.Methods: This study describes the clinical features of fever patients presented to a tertiary care hospital in Kerala after the 2018 flood. Clinical findings of the confirmed leptospirosis cases were also compared with non-leptospirosis cases.Results: A total of 48 patients with fever and myalgia were studied and majority of them were males (77%). 40 patients had contact with contaminated water. But only 10 of them had taken prophylactic doxycycline. Complications were seen less among those who took prophylactic doxycycline. The mean time from the first symptom to first medical care was 4.4 days. Leptospirosis was seen among 15 patients and 2 patients had dengue fever. Hepatic involvement and renal involvement were seen significantly higher among leptospirosis patients.Conclusions: This study emphasized the importance of prophylactic doxycycline and early initiation of antibiotics during flood outbreaks. Awareness among treating doctors and patients is required for the control of outbreaks and prevention of mortality during floods.

Information Technology Innovation and Organizational Policy: Implications on Employee Privacy

Issues relating to workplace privacy and how organizations address privacy have sparked a lot of public debate in recent years. Research reveals that potential employers have exploited employees seeking job opportunities by asking information to do with: disclosure of confidential information about the past employer’s work, financial background, and family intimate issues not relevant to the job being sought among others. This paper establishes the implications of information technology innovation on organization policies with emphasis on employees’ privacy. The study was done in two organizations and it adapted a case study approach. Data was collected from 74 respondents using questionnaires. Respondents were sampled using purposive technique. Frequency distribution tables were used in data presentation followed by discussions. The findings of this study are critical in informing the policy makers in organizations on procedures and strategies of inclusive policy formulation and implementation as well as provide HR managers with insight on managing privacy issues in dynamic organizational setups. Key words: Employees’ Privacy policy, Information Technology, Surveillanc

Predicting Adverse Outcomes in End Stage Renal Disease: Machine Learning Applied to the United States Renal Data System

We examined machine learning methods to predict death within six months using data derived from the United States Renal Data System (USRDS). We specifically evaluated a generalized linear model, a support vector machine, a decision tree and a random forest evaluated within the context of K-10 fold validation using the CARET package available within the open source architecture R program. We compared these models with the feed forward neural network strategy that we previously reported on with this data set

Laboratory Headphone Studies of Human Response to Low-Amplitude Sonic Booms and Rattle Heard Indoors

Human response to sonic booms heard indoors is affected by the generation of contact-induced rattle noise. The annoyance caused by sonic boom-induced rattle noise was studied in a series of psychoacoustics tests. Stimuli were divided into three categories and presented in three different studies: isolated rattles at the same calculated Perceived Level (PL), sonic booms combined with rattles with the mixed sound at a single PL, and sonic booms combined with rattles with the mixed sound at three different PL. Subjects listened to sounds over headphones and were asked to report their annoyance. Annoyance to different rattles was shown to vary significantly according to rattle object size. In addition, the combination of low-amplitude sonic booms and rattles can be more annoying than the sonic boom alone. Correlations and regression analyses for the combined sonic boom and rattle sounds identified the Moore and Glasberg Stationary Loudness (MGSL) metric as a primary predictor of annoyance for the tested sounds. Multiple linear regression models were developed to describe annoyance to the tested sounds, and simplifications for applicability to a wider range of sounds are presented

Spatial Variation of False Map Turtle (Graptemys pseudogeographica) Bacterial Microbiota in the Lower Missouri River, United States

Turtle populations around the world are continually confronted with changing environments that affect their ecology and conservation status. Among freshwater turtles, population dynamics are thought to be mediated by complex yet often cryptic causes. One recent direction of focus in addressing these causes is the turtle-associated microbiota. In turtles, the gut- associated microbiota is of exceptional interest due to its continual association with host species under changing conditions. Diet-based fluctuations and changes in microbial diversity may correspond to varying external environments at both the individual and population level. Environmental responses are of particular interest due to the anthropogenic changes that may underlie them. Pollutants, disruption of climatic patterns, and habitat fragmentation all have the potential to affect turtle-associated microbiota and subsequent population and species conservation. To better understand potential human-induced changes, the diversity of turtle-associated microbiota over local spatial gradients must be better understood. We examined microbial community alpha- and beta-diversity among 30 adult False Map Turtles (Graptemys pseudogeographica) at three sites within the lower Missouri River, United States. Our results indicate significant microbial community centroid differences among sites (beta-diversity), which are likely mediated by various local environmental factors. Such factors will have to be carefully considered in any future attribution of anthropogenic determinants on turtle-associated microbiota as it relates to turtle population dynamics

FUS Binds the CTD of RNA Polymerase II and Regulates its Phosphorylation at Ser2

Mutations in the RNA-binding protein FUS (fused in sarcoma)/TLS have been shown to cause the neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), but the normal role of FUS is incompletely understood. We found that FUS binds the C-terminal domain (CTD) of RNA polymerase II (RNAP2) and prevents inappropriate hyperphosphorylation of Ser2 in the RNAP2 CTD at thousands of human genes. The loss of FUS leads to RNAP2 accumulation at the transcription start site and a shift in mRNA isoform expression toward early polyadenylation sites. Thus, in addition to its role in alternative RNA splicing, FUS has a general function in orchestrating CTD phosphorylation during RNAP2 transcription