cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
WE‐C‐BRB‐05: Tracking of Thoracic Tumor Using EPID for Respiratory Gating Purposes: A Retrospective Feasibility Study

Purpose: Conventional respiratory gating relies on an external surrogate which might provide suboptimal tracking of the tumor in many cases. In the present study, an attempt has been made to exploit the density differences between the tumor and its surrounding lungtissue to gate treatments directly using electronic portal imaging device[EPID]. Material & Methods: Varian Trilogy unit equipped with EPID [AS1000, resolution 1024×1024] was used. During treatment, a custom designed image acquisition template captured the portal images. The treatment plan along with the raw scan data and structures was also exported. DRRs for each field with the tumor [hereafter referred as nodule] projection overlaid on it, were also exported and were used as a shaped prior. Nodule was segmented in each portal image using a level set segmentation algorithm which includes an energy term that is minimized when the shape of the segmented region matches the shape prior. Results: The nodule segmentation algorithm was evaluated on a series of 20 portal images of a nodule located just above the diaphragm. The nodule has an average distance from the center of the portal of 5.68 mm with the standard deviation, minimum, and maximum distance of 1.79, 2.44, and 9.13 mm, respectively. The distance between the nodule and segmented region center was 1.98 mm and the standard deviation, minimum, and maximum distance being 0.96, 0.13, and 4.12 mm, respectively. The average & maximum position error between the portal and nodule center could be reduced by 35% & 45%, respectively, using the nodule segmentation algorithm. Present runtime of 4 seconds will be reduced to real‐time as the algorithm is being ported to graphic cards [GPUs]. Conclusion: The proposed method utilizes the tumor motion directly, thereby, eliminating an external surrogate system and its associated inaccuracies and offers promise for respiratory gating treatment delivery.
Kinetics of sulfamethylthiadiazole acetylation and excretion in humans.

In studying the postabsorptive and postequilibrative phases of sulfamethylthiadiazole excretion and acetylation in humans, it was found that urinary excretion of unchanged drug and its acetylation could be described by competitive first-order processes. The excretion of acetylated drug was also by a first-order process that followed its first-order acetylation. The mean half-life for excretion of unchanged drug was about one and one-half hours, for formation of acetylated drug about fifteen hours, and for excretion of acetylated drug about one-half hour. Experimental values of excretion were in excellent agreement with values predicted by equations previously developed to describe the kinetic model found to hold in the present work.
Which Came First? Human Capital and Human Process Advantage and the Circulation of Market Ties

We use a resource-based view of the firm to test competing theoretical predictions on whether human capital or human processes drive the circulation of client ties – i.e., the dissolution of a mark...
Health Physics Instrumentation Needs

Radiation measuring instruments are central to any health physics program. As health physics programs come under scruting and tighter control, it is natural that the deficiencies in instruments become apparent. In several cases instruments lack the accuracy, sensitivity, ease of operation, reliability, immunity to interfering responses, etc. needed to adequately perform their job.
EFFECTS OF DIETARY HEXOSES ON CHANGES INDUCED IN HEPATIC ENZYME ACTIVITIES OF THE RAT BY A LETHAL DOSE OF X-RAYS

Abstract The effects of a lethal dose of whole-body x-irradiation (900 r.) on the activities of 15 hepatic enzymes were studied. For one week before they were subjected to the x-irradiation the rats were fed synthetic diets containing either 60% glucose or 60% fructose. They were deprived of food for 24 hr. between the time they were x-irradiated and the time they were killed for study of their hepatic enzymes. In only a few instances did hepatic enzyme activities of the x-irradiated rats differ significantly from those of nonirradiated, nonfasted rats. Fifty per cent of the enzyme activities measured in the irradiated rats differed significantly from those in fasted, nonirradiated control rats. The prefeeding of fructose—in contrast to that of glucose—had a selective action in maintenance of elevated levels of hepatic enzyme activities in the irradiated rats. The conclusion is drawn that x-irradiation results in the loss by the animal of its ability to produce the normal adaptive response in hepatic enzymes to a 24-hr. fast.
New fibrinolytic agents for MI: As effective as current agents, but easier to administer

The efficacy and safety of fibrinolytic agents have not dramatically changed since alteplase (Activase), a derivative of tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA), was introduced nearly 2 decades ago. However, newer agents have a longer half-life, making them easier to deliver. Fibrinolytic therapy is underused in many patients, especially in those traditionally thought to be at high risk for complications.
"NONMESONIC" BOUND V-PARTICLE DECAY

A theoretical treatment is presented of the apparent relative stability of $V$ particles in nuclear matter in terms of the process of bound $V$-particle nonmesonic decay. Mean lives for nonmesonic decay of $V$ particles imbedded in nuclear fragments such as He, Li,...O, are estimated as \ensuremath{\approx}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}11}$-${10}^{\ensuremath{-}12}$ sec. A very brief discussion is given of the bearing of such relatively long mean lives on possible mechanisms of $V$-particle production.
Kallistatin, a novel human tissue kallikrein inhibitor: levels in body fluids, blood cells, and tissues in health and disease.

Kallistatin, a human serine proteinase inhibitor, is a newly identified tissue kallikrein inhibitor. It binds strongly to tissue kallikrein but weakly to other serine proteinases such as chymotrypsin and elastase. The tissue distribution and changes in kallistatin levels in human diseases were characterized by using specific monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies against kallistatin. Kallistatin antigen levels in blood cells, fluids, and tissues measured with a specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay showed displacement curves that were parallel with those in purified kallistatin, indicating their immunologic identity. Expression of kallistatin mRNA in platelets, neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, endothelial cells, hepatocytes, and colon and prostate carcinoma cells was identified by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction followed by Southern blot analysis. Plasma kallistatin concentration was 22.1 ± 3.5 μg/ml in 30 normal subjects and 21.1 ± 3.8 μg/ml in 5 patients with C1 inhibitor deficiency. A significantly reduced kallistatin level (7.2 ± 2.5 μg/ml, p < 0.001) was seen in plasma samples from 9 patients with liver disease and 10 patients with sepsis (7.7 ± 3.5 μg/ml, p < 0.001). Further, kallistatin levels in 10 women taking oral contraceptives (19.8 ± 3.8 μg/ml) and 21 pregnant women (14.9 ± 3.3 μg/ml) were significantly lower than those seen in healthy individuals. These data suggest that kallistatin is found in plasma, is produced mostly in the liver, and can be consumed during sepsis. Its consumption in sepsis may indicate a protective role to prevent blood pressure lowering.
An Approach to Automate Concept Generation of Sheet Metal Parts Based on Manufacturing Operations

This paper describes an approach to automate the design for sheet metal parts that are not only novel and manufacturable but also satisfies multiple objective functions such as material cost and manufacturability. Unlike commercial software tools such as Pro/SHEETMETAL which aids the user in finalizing and determining the sequence of manufacturing operations for a specified component, our approach starts with spatial constraints in order to create the component geometries and helps the designer design. While there is an enormous set of parts that can feasibly be generated with sheet metal, it is difficult to define this space systematically. To solve this problem, we currently have 88 design rules that have been developed for four basic sheet metal operations: slitting, notching, shearing, and bending. A recipe of the operations for a final optimal design is then presented to the manufacturing engineers thus saving them time and cost. The technique revealed in this paper represents candidate solutions as a graph of nodes and arcs where each node is a rectangular patch of sheet metal, and modifications are progressively made to the sheet to maintain the parts manufacturability. They are presented in the form of Standard Tessellation Language files (.stl) that can be transferred into available modeling software for further analysis. The overall purpose of this research is to provide creative designs to the designer granting him/her a new perspective and to check all the solutions for manufacturability in the early stage of design process. An example sheet metal design problem is shown in this paper with some of the preliminary designs that our approach created.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Hemobilia caused by a ruptured hepatic cyst: a case report

Hemobilia is a rare cause of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. More than 50% of hemobilia cases are related to iatrogenic trauma from hepatobiliary procedures, and needle biopsy of the liver represents the most common cause. A minority of hemobilia cases are due to hepatobiliary disorders such as cholangitis, hepatobiliary cancers, choledocholithiasis, and vascular abnormalities in the liver. The classic presentation of hemobilia is the triad of right upper quadrant (biliary) pain, obstructive jaundice, and upper gastrointestinal bleeding. We report a rare case of hemobilia caused by a spontaneous hepatic cyst rupture, where our patient presented without the classical symptoms, in the absence of therapeutic or pathological coagulopathy, and in the absence of spontaneous or iatrogenic trauma. A 91-year-old African-American woman was referred to our out-patient gastroenterology clinic for evaluation of mild epigastric pain and intermittent melena. An abdominal computed tomography scan was remarkable for multiple hepatic cysts. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed multiple blood clots at the ampulla of Vater. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography showed a single 18 mm-sized filling defect in the common hepatic duct wall at the junction of the right and left hepatic duct, adjacent to one of the hepatic cysts. The ruptured hepatic cyst communicated to the bile ducts and was the cause of hemobilia with an atypical clinical presentation. Hemobilia is an infrequent cause of upper gastrointestinal bleeding and rarely occurs due to hepatic cyst rupture. To the best of our knowledge, this is only the second case report in the literature that describes hemobilia due to hepatic cyst rupture. However, it is the first case in the literature of hemobilia due to hepatic cyst rupture in the absence of iatrogenic or spontaneous trauma, and in the absence of a spontaneous or pathological coagulopathy.
Assessing the Advantages of Bilingualism for the Children of Immigrants

This article responds to the current academic debate on the advantages of bilingualism to the children of immigrants in the United States. The author utilizes data from the 1992-1993 and 1995-1996 Children of Immi rants Longitudinal Study to estimate the effects of bilingualism rovides conclusive evidence that there are advantages to bilingualism Keyond the functional ability to communicate with one’s parents. The author also provides evidence that demonstrates that bilingualism is only advantageous in those communities with low levels of English proficiency and high levels of resources and networks.
WHAT DO WE REALLY KNOW ABOUT TRENDS IN OUTPATIENT MEDICAL EXPENDITURES FOR CHILDREN, 1977 TO 1987?

This analysis of outpatient medical expenditures for children identifies which children experience a relative decline in medical expenditures between 1977 and 1987. The paper also evaluates some standard methodologies used in medical demand estimation. Our semiparametic approach models expenditures simultaneously with the choice of insurance plan and the decision to incur any expenditures. Children in poor families and Hispanic children witness a decline in expenditures relative to other children. Children on Medicaid and black children experience stable expenditures over time. These results imply that the recent Medicaid expansions may not help all children attain good health. The results are sensitive to assumptions of insurance exogeneity, but are insensitive to the assumptions governing the decision to incur any expenditures. The general emphasis in the health economics literature on sample selection instead of insurance endogeneity therefore seems misguided.
Reproductive Efficiency of Cultivated Peanuts. V. Response of Parental and Virginia (NC 4) x Spanish (C2) Hybrid Families to Changes in Photoperiod1

Abstract Spanish-type C2 and virginia-type NC 4 peanut plants were compared in 9H (9 hours light phase and 15 hours dark phase) and 9H + 3 (9 hours light phase with 15 hours dark phase interrupted with 3 hours of low intensity light) photoperiods. C2 tended to produce greater plant weights and increased numbers of flowers in long-day treatments when compared to short-day treatments but peg growth, fruit per flowers, fruits per plant, and seed weights were drastically reduced in 9H + 3 photoperiods. NC 4, on the contrary, had only slight reductions in reproductive efficiency when exposed to long days. C2 plants produce more early flowers, less pegs per flower, but more fruit per peg than NC 4 plants in 9H photoperiods. F1 plants from crosses between C2 and NC 4 had approximately the same plant weights as the NC 4 parent, but significantly greater reproductive efficiency than the virginia-type parent when grown in 9H light treatments. Neither the position of the peg on the plant nor the light treatment of t...
Basophils Initiate IL-4 Production during a Memory T-dependent Response

Experiments were performed to characterize and identify the cellular sources of the secondary interleukin (IL)-4 response to a T cell–dependent antigen. Mice were primed by immunization with goat anti–mouse immunoglobulin (Ig)D antibody (GaMD), which stimulates naive CD4+ T cells to secrete IL-4 in 3–4 d. When challenged with goat serum 14 d after immunization, GaMD-primed mice generated an IL-4 response that exceeded the primary response by ∼100-fold, started in <2 h, and lasted for 4 d. Studies with 4get mice, in which cells with an accessible Il4 gene express a green fluorescent protein (GFP), revealed CD4+ memory T cells, natural killer T cells, basophils, mast cells, and eosinophils as possible rapid producers of IL-4. GFP+CD4+ T cells and basophils expanded more in the spleen than the other cell types during the primary response to GaMD. Quantitation of in vivo IL-4 production by the in vivo cytokine capture assay after individual cell types were selectively stimulated or deleted demonstrated that basophils and memory CD4+ T cells account for most of the secondary IL-4 response, with basophils initiating that response through IgE/FceRI-mediated signaling but secreting IL-4 for <4 h and memory T cells secreting IL-4 within 4 h and continuing to secrete this cytokine for 4 d.
Distinctive serum globulin responses to parenteral treatment with 17-Β-estradiol in female NZB/NZW mice

After 6 weeks of treatment with 17;6-estradiol, two distinct groups of female NZB/ NZW mice were identified. Group I females developed significant increases in serum ff2-, p- and y-globulins and had few serologic abnormalities. Serum globulins did not increase in Group I1 females. This blunted response correlated with a pretreatment increase in the frequency of positive tests for ANA, LE phenomena and cryoproteins in 4-week-old Group II mice. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease that occurs predominantly in women (I), and symptoms of this disorder often appear during pregnancy or immediately postpartum (2). These clinical observations have stimulated repeated attempts to define the role of estrogenic hormones in the pathogenesis of SLE. Recent reports of exacerbations of SLE (3), joint pain and swelling (4), and the occurrence of positive tests for antinuclear antibodies or LE cells (4, 5) in wom
Characterization and Modeling of 4H-SiC Lateral MOSFETs for Integrated Circuit Design

A new process in 4H-SiC is developed that features n-type buried and inversion channel lateral MOSFETs that are fabricated with several different channel lengths (2-8 μm) and widths (8-32 μm ) and characterized over a wide temperature range (25°C-225°C). It is shown that the on-resistance of enhancement-mode SiC MOSFETs reduces with temperature despite a reduction in inversion mobility because of the interaction of interface states with temperature. To enable integrated circuit development using the developed MOSFETs, their electrical characteristics are modeled over geometry and temperature using the industry standard PSP MOSFET model. A new mathematical formulation to describe the presence of the interface states is also developed and implemented in the PSP model, and excellent agreement is shown between measurement and simulation using the modified PSP model.
Reduction of dilute Ising spin glasses

The recently proposed reduction method for diluted spin glasses is investigated in depth. In particular, the Edwards-Anderson model with $\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}J$ and Gaussian bond disorder on hypercubic lattices in $d=2$, 3, and 4 is studied for a range of bond dilutions. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of using bond dilution to elucidate low-temperature properties of Ising spin glasses and provide a starting point to enhance the methods used in reduction. Based on that, a greedy heuristic called ``dominant bond reduction'' is introduced and explored.
Chlamydia trachomatis Infection: Screening and Management.

Objective: Toreviewcurrentcriteriaandrationalefor� Chlamydia trachomatisscreening,� testingmethods,� andtreatmentofinfection. •� Methods:�Reviewoftheliterature.� •� Results:� C. trachomatisurogenitalinfectionsare� animportantpublichealthproblem.� Screeningfor� C. trachomatisinwomenage�25�andyoungerand� menandwomenofanyageatincreasedriskallows� fortheearlytreatmentofdisease,�avoidingmorbidity� suchaspelvicinflammatorydisease,� ectopicpreg- nancy,�andchronicpelvicpain,�andreducinghealth� carecosts.�� •� Conclusion: Currentscreeningrecommendationsare� notbeingimplementedsatisfactorily.� Home-based� methodsofscreeningareacceptableandmayim- proveuniversalscreeningrates.
An Assessment and Prospectus for a Process Hermeneutic

The preceding essays in this issue suggest a way around the impasse and perhaps near bankruptcy of dominant exegetical methods. Through a more inclusive method informed by process philosophy the authors take into account more of the subject matter of the biblical material. This style of exegesis gives rise to a process hermeneutical principle which recognizes the evolutionary nature of the significances attached to the text in its temporal unfolding. A central category of this hermeneutic is the "lures for feeling" which the text elicits in the reader's experience. The evolutionary nature of the text's unfolding significance calls for some normative hermeneutical assistance to avoid the dangers of relativism and a "permissive theology." Process thought suggests that these norms may be partially derived from the community of interpretation that has historically entertained the texts. That social view of exegesis helps a process hermeneutic regain some of the socio-political relevance which liberation theology demands but which the more individualistic existentialist hermeneutic has neglected. Barry A. Woodbridge (Ph.D., Claremont Graduate School) is presently minister of United University Church at the University of Southern California and Adjunct Professor of Theology at the School of Theology at Claremont. He is Abstract Editor of Process Studies and is author of Alfred North Whitehead: A Primary-Secondary Bibliography.
Assessment of adult skeletons to detect prenatal exposure to trypan blue in mice

A Skeletal Variant Assay System (SVAS) consisting of a group of 88 spontaneously occurring qualitative variations of the adult mouse skeleton was studied in CD-1 mice which had been exposed in utero by way of three daily ip injections of their dams on days 7–9 of gestation with trypan blue. Treatment groups received daily doses of 0.25 cc of 0, .037, .075, .15, or .30% trypan blue dissolved in 0.9% NaCl. Two separate series of experiments were performed, and skeletons were examined at 62 ± 2 days postnatal. Sixty-six and 58 of the variants occurred in the two series, respectively. Frequencies of occurrence of substantial numbers of variants differed from Untreated (UNTD) and Vehicle-Treated (VEH) values in a dose-related manner for both series. At the high dose 18 and 22 variants occurred with significantly different (P < .01) frequencies from UNTD in the two series. Contrasting high-dose animals with vehicle controls revealed significant differences in 24 and 17 variants. There were 13 and 14 variants in the two series, respectively, which differed from both UNTD and VEH. If one considers differences at P < .01 in one comparison and P < .05 in the other, then 22 and 18 variants qualify as being signficantly different from both controls in the two series. Agreement between the two series was excellent regarding which variants were affected. Several differed significantly from both UNTD and VEH in both series of experiments. Among these were a number which appeared more or less specific to trypan blue exposure. They include Dyssymphysis of the Atlas, Carpal Fusions, and Tarsal Fusions. Although increased frequency of an Interfrontal bone is seen with several treatments, the magnitude of the response and the low doses at which it is elicited are unique to trypan blue exposure. Numerous low-dose effects are striking in this set of experiments, making the SVAS a very sensitive indicator of trypan blue exposure. In addition to the variants mentioned, a large cluster of cervical (C) vertebrae variants, including dyssymphyses, fusions, imperfect transverse foramina of C1 and C2, and accessory transverse foramina of C3–C6, as well as vertebral fusions at various levels (especially cervical, sacral, and caudal), appear to be the principal effects of exposure to this compound. In addition, rib malformations at the high dose level, and increased frequency of occurrence of 27-presacral vertebrae at all dose levels, were important effects. By all criteria applied, the SVAS is able to detect prenatal exposure to trypan blue in adult skeletons even in the absence of any gross morphological abnormalities, and can detect exposure at well below the teratogenic dose level.
La trajectoire de l'emploi du futur chez une cohorte de Montréalais francophones entre 1971 et 1995

S'appuyant sur des donnees diachroniques documentant la variation en ce qui concerne la reference temporelle au futur en francais, cet article fait la lumiere sur la contribution du suivi de cohorte a la comprehension du changement linguistique. La recherche en temps reel presente une etude de cas de 12 locuteurs suivis au cours d'une periode de 24 ans (1971 a 1995). Les resultats indiquent une augmentation de l'usage du futur synthetique, une tendance contraire a celle du changement communautaire en cours qui suggere plutot un declin de la forme synthetique. Cependant, l'analyse des contraintes linguistiques sur la variation indique que la polarite, que l'on considerait precedemment le facteur principal influencant la variation, continue d'exercer une influence incontestable sur la distribution des formes. L'article conclut a la complementarite des approches methodologiques en temps apparent et en temps reel dans l'etude de la variation et du changement linguistique.
A Small-RNA Enhancer of Viral Polymerase Activity

Influenza A virus (IAV) is an unremitting virus that results in significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Key to the viral life cycle is the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), a heterotrimeric complex responsible for both transcription and replication of the segmented genome. Here, we demonstrate that the viral polymerase utilizes a small RNA enhancer to regulate enzymatic activity and maintain stoichiometric balance of the viral genome. We demonstrate that IAV synthesizes small viral RNAs (svRNAs) that interact with the viral RdRp in order to promote genome replication in a segment-specific manner. svRNAs localize to the nucleus, the site of IAV replication, are synthesized from the positive-sense genomic intermediate, and interact within a novel RNA binding channel of the polymerase PA subunit. Synthetic svRNAs promote polymerase activity in vitro, while loss of svRNA inhibits viral RNA synthesis in a segment-specific manner. Taking these observations together, we mechanistically define svRNA as a small regulatory enhancer RNA, which functions to promote genome replication and maintain segment balance through allosteric modulation of polymerase activity.
Apolipoprotein epsilon 4 genotype is associated with less improvement in cognitive function five years after cardiac surgery: a retrospective cohort study

Purpose Cognitive performance after cardiac surgery can be impaired, and genetic risk factors have previously been suggested. When compared with other isoforms of the gene, the apolipoprotein epsilon 4 (APOE4) allele is associated with worse outcomes in many neurologic disorders. We hypothesized that the APOE4 allele is associated with less favourable cognitive function five years after surgery.
Sex-based differences in gene expression in hippocampus following postnatal lead exposure.

The influence of sex as an effect modifier of childhood lead poisoning has received little systematic attention. Considering the paucity of information available concerning the interactive effects of lead and sex on the brain, the current study examined the interactive effects of lead and sex on gene expression patterns in the hippocampus, a structure involved in learning and memory. Male or female rats were fed either 1500 ppm lead-containing chow or control chow for 30 days beginning at weaning. Blood lead levels were 26.7 ± 2.1 μg/dl and 27.1 ± 1.7 μg/dl for females and males, respectively. The expression of 175 unique genes was differentially regulated between control male and female rats. A total of 167 unique genes were differentially expressed in response to lead in either males or females. Lead exposure had a significant effect without a significant difference between male and female responses in 77 of these genes. In another set of 71 genes, there were significant differences in male vs. female response. A third set of 30 genes was differentially expressed in opposite directions in males vs. females, with the majority of genes expressed at a lower level in females than in males. Highly differentially expressed genes in males and females following lead exposure were associated with diverse biological pathways and functions. These results show that a brief exposure to lead produced significant changes in expression a variety of genes in the hippocampus and that the response of the brain to a given lead exposure may vary depending on sex.
Mitochondria take center stage in aging and neurodegeneration

A critical role of mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative damage has been hypothesized in both aging and neurodegenerative diseases. Much of the evidence has been correlative, but recent evidence has shown that the accumulation of mitochondrial DNA mutations accelerates normal aging, leads to oxidative damage to nuclear DNA, and impairs gene transcription. Furthermore, overexpression of the antioxidant enzyme catalase in mitochondria increases murine life span. There is strong evidence from genetics and transgenic mouse models that mitochondrial dysfunction results in neurodegeneration and may contribute to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, hereditary spastic paraplegia, and cerebellar degenerations. Therapeutic approaches targeting mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative damage in these diseases therefore have great promise.
Race/ethnicity and HAART initiation in a military HIV infected cohort.

Background Prior studies have suggested that HAART initiation may vary by race/ethnicity. Utilizing the U.S. military healthcare system, which minimizes confounding from healthcare access, we analyzed whether timing of HAART initiation and the appropriate initiation of primary prophylaxis among those at high risk for pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) varies by race/ethnicity.
Changes in the lumbar foramen following anterior interbody fusion with tapered or cylindrical cages.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) using both cylindrical and tapered threaded interbody cages has been shown to restore disc height, reduce segmental motion, and relieve low back pain. The effectiveness of these stand-alone cage designs in restoration and maintenance of intervertebral foraminal dimensions has received little attention. PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of anterior implantation of cylindrical and tapered interbody cages on morphologic changes of the lumbar neuroforamen and maintenance of foraminal dimensions under dynamic loading. STUDY DESIGN/SETTING: A biomechanical study using bovine calf spine model to compare the deformation of foraminal space after ALIF with either tapered cages or cylindrical cages. METHODS: Sixteen fresh calf spines were randomly assigned to undergo ALIF at the L3–L4 level using either two threaded cylindrical or two tapered cages. Lumbar spines were subjected to unconstrained loading in flexion, extension, and lateral bending. Rotation of the L3–L4 segment and dynamic deformation in foraminal height were obtained through a motion analysis system, and compared between the two cage groups. Foraminal dimensions were assessed before and after tapered or cylindrical cage implantation with digitized measurement of bilateral foraminal molds. RESULTS: Regardless of cage design, anterior implantation of cages increased neuroforaminal area by 17% (p5.0005) and increased the foraminal height by 9% (p5.0004) in the neutral unloaded position. In dynamic loading conditions, foraminal height was significantly stabilized in all loading directions by the cylindrical cages (p5.01) and on both sides during lateral bending by the tapered cages (p!.03). Foraminal stabilization provided by either cage was most prominent in the direction of lateral bending (26–37% of the intact values), while cylindrical cages also provided substantial stabilization in flexion (26% of the intact value). Significant linear relationships were found between foraminal height and residual fusion segment motion under dynamic loading conditions. CONCLUSION: Results from this bovine model biomechanical study indicate that stand-alone anterior interbody fusion cages with either tapered or cylindrical design are effective in restoring neuroforaminal height and stabilize the spine to withstand foraminal deformation during daily loading. The degree of stabilization was influenced substantially by the loading direction, to a lesser degree by the cage type, and was strongly dependent on the segment mobility. Although bovine lumbar spine is widely accepted for comparative studies, direct clinical interpretation should be made with caution owing to the anatomical differences from human. 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Wave Forces on Square Caissons

The forces and overturning moments exerted by waves on large vertical square-section caissons have been measured in the laboratory. Each model caisson extended from the bottom of a wave flume through the water surface and was oriented either with one side perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation or turned through an angle of forty-five degrees to this position. For a given orientation, each model was tested for a range of wave heights (up to the point of breaking) for various wave periods and water depths. A digital computer was used for the acquisition, processing, plotting and storage of the experimental data. In addition to the experimental work, an approximate theoretical method is presented which allows the wave loadings on a square caisson to be estimated by means of a simple desk calculation. The experimental data shows that this simple method of calculation is reasonably accurate over a wide range of wave conditions and caisson sizes.
Adenovirus Infections in Humans

Adenoviruses are ubiquitous agents that infect humans of all ages. The discovery of the first adenovirus types three decades ago paved the way for countless studies that continue to uncover additional viral strains and ever expand our comprehension of their significance to man. Whereas some human adenoviruses are being examined at the increasingly sophisticated molecular and cellular levels, the means by which they infect man, provoke illness, or are handled by the body’s immune system remain very poorly understood.
Marcelo Diversi and Claudio Moreira: Betweener Talk: Decolonizing Knowledge Production, Pedagogy, and Praxis

Pluralism, the very nature of this word suggests that there should be multiple and complex dimensions to it. Most often in economics it refers to methodological pluralism, which describes an awaren...
Violence research: an overview.

This article discusses the problem of violence in America and presents an overview of pertinent research studies. It considers data sources on violence and the categorization of injuries. The article next focuses on the specific problems of family violence: child abuse, spouse abuse, and elder abuse. The second part of the article considers the nursing discipline's specific contribution to violence research by reviewing nursing studies on abuse during pregnancy, female partner abuse, elder abuse, and child abuse. Nursing research, which is grounded in the clinical concerns of the discipline, is presented as having an advocacy orientation that avoids the victim blaming and emphasis on pathology often characteristic of other disciplines' research. The paper discusses how nurses can participate in prevention approaches to reduce violence-related injuries, and it concludes by offering policy recommendations for nursing organizations. Language: en
Modeling Social Emotions in Intelligent Agents Based on the Mental State Formalism

Emotional intelligence is the key for acceptance of intelligent agents by humans as equal partners, e.g., in ad hoc teams. At the same time, its existing implementations in intelligent agents are mostly limited to basic affects. Currently, there is no consensus in the understanding of complex and social emotions at the level of functional and computational models. The approach of this work is based on the mental state formalism, originally developed as a part of the cognitive architecture GMU BICA and recently extended to include affective building blocks (A.V. Samsonovich, AAAI Technical Report WS-12-06: 109-116, 2012). In the present work, complex social emotions like humor, jealousy, compassion, shame, pride, etc. are identified as emergent patterns of appraisals represented by schemas, that capture the cognitive nature of these emotions and enable their modeling. A general model of complex emotions and emotional relationships is constructed that can be validated by simulations of emotionally biased interactions and emergent relationships in small groups of agents. The framework will be useful in cognitive architectures for designing human-like-intelligent social agents possessing a sense of humor and other human-like emotionally intelligent capabilities.
IMAGINING SIKHS: The ethics of representation and the spectacle of otherness in Bollywood cinema

The images and representations of Sikhs in contemporary Mumbai cinema and popular culture, rife with portrayals of eccentricities that the audience loves to disregard eventually, point to a cultural turn that has become a power-laden strategy to regulate Sikh otherness and consequently, re-present it through a predominant, controlling gaze. In tracing such sense of carnivelesque otherness with which Sikhs have been portrayed in most Bollywood films, this paper aims to explore the configuration and re-configurations of Sikh subjectivity as an Other that remains marginalized by their difference and can only be acknowledged through a Hindu-centric lens of approval. Through depictions of what I call as Bolly Sikhs, a dubious space is created which is filled with contextual disjunctures and inconsistencies, a bricolage where Sikh identities and practices are jumbled up or deliberately misrepresented; sometimes the Sikh is presented only through subtractions and absences. The discursive limits of Sikh represent...
Strain Relaxation and In-Situ Observation of Voiding in Passivated Aluminum alloy Lines

Strain relaxation in passivated Al-0.5% Cu lines was measured using X-ray diffraction coupled with in-situ observation of the formation and growth of stress induced voids. Samples of 1 µm thick Al-0.5% Cu lines passivated with Si3N4 were heated to 380°C, then cooled and held at 150°C. During the test, principal strains along the length, width, and height of the line were determined using a grazing incidence x-ray geometry. From these measurements the hydrostatic strain in the metal was calculated and strain relaxation was observed. The thermal cycle was duplicated in a high voltage scanning transmission electron microscope equipped with a backscattered electron detector. The 1.25 um wide lines were seen to have initial stress voids. Upon heating these voids reduced in size until no longer observable. Once the samples were cooled to 150°C, voids reappeared and grew. The measured strain relaxation is discussed in terms of void and θ-phase (Al2Cu) formation.
Erythrocyte survival studies in experimental molybdenosis of sheep.

SummaryMedian survival times of the erythrocytes of sheep in experimental molybdenosis were determined using glycine-2-C14. The existence of 2 distinct populations of erythrocytes was observed in each sheep. Median survival times for the first erythrocyte populations in 2 sheep were 20 and 28 days, with 80 and 85 days for the second populations.
Introduction of d-Glutamate at a Critical Residue of Aβ42 Stabilizes a Prefibrillary Aggregate with Enhanced Toxicity

The amyloid beta peptide 42 (Aβ42) is an aggregation-prone peptide that plays a pivotal role in Alzheimer's disease. We report that a subtle perturbation to the peptide through a single chirality change at glutamate 22 leads to a pronounced delay in the β-sheet adoption of the peptide. This was accompanied by an attenuated propensity of the peptide to form fibrils, which was correlated with changes at the level of the fibrillary architecture. Strikingly, the incorporation of d-glutamate was found to stabilize a soluble, ordered macromolecular assembly with enhanced cytotoxicity to PC12 cells, highlighting the importance of advanced prefibrillary Aβ aggregates in neurotoxicity.
The effects of long-term alternate-day steroids on parameters of adrenal function in renal transplant patients.

AbstractUrinary androgen fractions, with other parameters of adrenal function, were assessed in renal transplant patients on long-term alternate-day steroid therapy. Urinary 17-ketosteroids and plasma Cortisol values were low normal or slightly reduced in female patients and normal in male patients. In female patients the following urinary androgen fractions were depressed to less than the normal range: androsterone, dehydroepiandrosterone, etiocholanolone and 11-ketoetiocholanolone; 11-hydroxyetiocholanolone was not detectable. In male patients dehydroepiandrosterone and 11-ketoetiocholanolone were depressed to less than the normal range. Adrenal scan using 131I-19-cholesterol failed to image the adrenal glands in 5 of 7 patients studied, confirming the lack of an adrenocorticotropic hormone effect, with corresponding depression of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. These studies demonstrate the value of fractionating urinary 17-ketosteroids in assessing adrenal reserve and are a more sensitive ind...
An Integral Equation Approach to the Theory of Optical Resonance

In a bounded material medium, embedded in vacuuo, solutions to Maxwell’s equations can satisfy the outgoing boundary conditions at infinity and the continuity conditions at the boundary even without the presence of an incident electromagnetic field. Such solutions are broadly classified as natural oscillations which can further be divided into radiative modes and nonradiative modes depending on whether the frequencies are complex or real. Surface waves have complex wave vectors but real frequencies and hence belong to the class of non-radiative natural modes, On the other hand virtual, or resonance, modes have complex frequencies (and hence, in general, have complex wave vectors) and belong to the class of radiative natural modes. Clearly the frequencies of the natural oscillations depend upon the geometry of the material medium as much as upon the different physical parameters of the medium. Natural oscillations satisfy, in addition to the normal dispersion relations (the constraint due to the Maxwell wave equation), another dispersion relation, i.e. the natural mode dispersion relation (also known as the surface wave dispersion relation), a constraint necessary in order that the natural oscillations satisfy the Maxwell continuity conditions at the boundary.
Rhetoric, Society, and the Historiography of psychology

The historiography of psychology has undergone a renaissance during the past ten years. In the process various research programs have emerged, all of which have in common the conversion of formerly unqueried textbook generalities into questions for research. Two of them might be called the critical contextualizing and reflexivity approaches. The first, pursued by historians and sociologists of science together with interested psychologists, emphasizes the historical rootedness of psychological concepts, research priorities, and institutions in specific societal and cultural settings. The second, pursued almost entirely by psychologists but also relying on sophisticated archival research and other historians’ methods, regards contextualizing not as an end, but as a means of encouraging psychologists to reconsider present disciplinary structures and practices. Clearly, there is no inherent contradiction between these programs. Kurt Danziger has contributed effectively to each, and his paper can be seen as an attempt to synthesize them. It will be obvious from what follows that I am in sympathy with Danziger’s approach and basic claims. Nonetheless, I shall offer a number of critical points and modifications, from a historian of science’s point of view.
Predictors of missed appointments in patients referred for congenital or pediatric cardiac magnetic resonance.

Congenital cardiac magnetic resonance is a limited resource because of scanner and physician availability. Missed appointments decrease scheduling efficiency, have financial implications and represent missed care opportunities. To characterize the rate of missed appointments and identify modifiable predictors. This single-center retrospective study included all patients with outpatient congenital or pediatric cardiac MR appointments from Jan. 1, 2014, through Dec. 31, 2015. We identified missed appointments (no-shows or same-day cancellations) from the electronic medical record. We obtained demographic and clinical factors from the medical record and assessed socioeconomic factors by U.S. Census block data by patient ZIP code. Statistically significant variables (P<0.05) were included into a multivariable analysis. Of 795 outpatients (median age 18.5 years, interquartile range 13.4–27.1 years) referred for congenital cardiac MR, a total of 91 patients (11.4%) missed appointments; 28 (3.5%) missed multiple appointments. Reason for missed appointment could be identified in only 38 patients (42%), but of these, 28 (74%) were preventable or could have been identified prior to the appointment. In multivariable analysis, independent predictors of missed appointments were referral by a non-cardiologist (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 5.8, P=0.0002), referral for research (AOR 3.6, P=0.01), having public insurance (AOR 2.1, P=0.004), and having scheduled cardiac MR from November to April (AOR 1.8, P=0.01). Demographic factors can identify patients at higher risk for missing appointments. These data may inform initiatives to limit missed appointments, such as targeted education of referring providers and patients. Further data are needed to evaluate the efficacy of potential interventions.
Climate Change Induced Adaptation Strategies by Paddy Farmers: Special Emphasis on Socio Economic Insights

Climate change is inevitable and will continue into next century. Since the agricultural sector in Sri Lanka is most vulnerable to climate change, a thorough understanding of adaptive measures is important for formulating effective policy decisions. This study provides an overview of the status of climate change and adaptation in the paddy sector in Anuradhapura District. Proportionate sampling was done and total of 100 households were studied. 36% of the farmers had the education up to tertiary level. 72% of respondents heard the term “climate change”. The relative importance of adaptation strategies to climate change was analyzed and found that increased use by insuring farm against risk was ranked first and thus most important, among farmers’ adaptive strategies to climate change. Use of supplementary reservoir for water storage, shift to shorter cycle crop varieties and planting improved rice varieties were identified as the second-ranked adaptation strategy. The shifting of harvesting period was ranked as the last one. The shifting of harvesting period was ranked as the last one. T test results showed a significant difference (p
Effect of metformin chemoprevention on metabolomics profiles in Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS).

1556Background: LFS is a highly-penetrant, autosomal dominant, cancer predisposition disorder characterized by early onset cancer; germline mutations in TP53are present in 70% of LFS. We previously...
An ℒ 1 adaptive control design for output-feedback sampled-data systems

This paper proposes an output-feedback control approach for sampled-data MIMO systems with nonlinear uncertainties. Design and analysis of ℒ 1 adaptive controllers are extended to sampled-data systems framework. The controller is designed for disturbance and uncertainty compensation. In this paper, a sufficient condition on the sampling time of the digital controller is obtained that ensures stability of the closed-loop system. It is shown that the proposed controller can recover the performance of a continuous-time reference system. A simulation example is provided to show the performance and robustness of the controller in the presence of measurement noise, input delay, and disturbances.
The History of Percutaneous Renal Cryoablation

The increased use of cross-sectional imaging has led to an increase in the detection of suspected renal cell carcinoma at an early stage. The development of ablative techniques has led to an increase in treatment options for patients with small renal masses (≤4 cm). Percutaneous renal cryoablation has evolved into a minimally invasive treatment option for select lesions and for the high risk surgical patient. In this chapter we chronicle the early development of cryoablation and its application for the treatment of renal masses.