cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Note on the Micromechanics of Plastic Yield of Porous Solids

Experimental evidence suggests that, for materials exhibiting no appreciable work hardening and containing no more than approximately 20% volume fraction of pores, the macroscopic strain at which yield occurs is nearly constant, with a tendency to increase slightly as porosity increases. The present work shows that both observations - approximate constancy of strain at yield and its tendency to increase with porosity - have a relatively simple micromechanical explanation.
Effect of dietary pyridoxine deficiency on experimental porphyria.

Abstract Severe pyridoxine deficiency did not impair the induction of hepatic δ-amino-levulinic acid synthetase (ALAS) produced by allylisopropylacetamide in rats. The enzyme, when induced to levels six times normal, was fully saturated by cofactor (pyridoxal phosphate) in pyridoxine deficient rats. The depletion of plasma pyridoxal phosphate was similar in starved animals with normal levels of hepatic ALAS and starved animals with high levels of hepatic ALAS induced for 10 days by allylisopropylacetamide.
Reproductive, Developmental, and Neurobehavioral Effects of Methylmercury in Fishes

In the decades since the Minamata tragedy in Japan, there has been a considerable body of research performed on effects of methylmercury in fishes. The studies have revealed that some of the most sensitive responses seen in fishes are reminiscent of the symptoms experienced by the Minamata victims. This article reviews the literature, with a focus on mercury's effects on fish reproduction (hormone levels, gametogenesis, fertilization success), embryonic development (morphological abnormalities, rate), the development of behavior, and neurobehavioral effects in adults. Both experimental exposures and epidemiological approaches are included. There have been many studies demonstrating delayed effects of mercury exposure in that exposures during one life history stage can produce effects much later during different life history stages. For example, exposure of maturing gametes can result in abnormal embryos, even though the embryos were not themselves exposed to the toxicant. Exposures during sensitive embryo...
National park and reserve planning to protect biological diversity: some basic elements

Abstract Key needs for the creation of a nature reserve system are outlined: formulating goals, selecting management categories, taking inventory, identifying gaps, designing reserves, measuring reserve condition and vulnerability, and recognizing the relationship between research and management. Some essential components are highlighted: a regional perspective, diversification of management categories, focus on the economics of human welfare, not ignoring the opportunities small reserves can provide for some biota, addition of marine reserves, and the importance of a focus on natural processes. The view some Americans have of indigenous people and protected areas is not compatible with third world realities. Since the problems and challenges of protecting areas in northern and southern countries are alike in many ways, however, a Eurocentric seeking to articulate the special circumstances faced by tropical countries offers these suggestions.
Open fractures of the tibia in the pediatric population: a systematic review

The management of open fractures of the tibia in a pediatric population represents a challenge to the clinician. Several case series over the course of many years have been performed describing the results of treating these injuries. It remains unclear, however, whether there is a preferred modality of treatment for these injuries, if a more severe injury confers a greater risk of infection, and if time to union is affected by Gustilo type, although trends seem to exist. The purpose of this study was to assemble the available data to determine (1) the risk of infection and time to union of various subtypes of open tibia fractures in children and (2) the changes in treatment pattern over the past three decades. A systematic review of the available literature was performed. Frequency weighted mean union times were used to compare union times for different types of open fractures. Mantel Haentzel cumulative odds ratios were used to compare infection risk between different types of open fractures. Linear regression by year was used to determine treatment practices over time. No significant change in practice patterns was found for type I and III fractures, although type II fractures were more likely to be treated closed in the later years of the study compared to the earlier years. Type III fractures conferred a 3.5- and 2.3-fold greater odds of infection than type I and type II fractures, respectively. There was no significant difference in odds of infection between type I and II fractures. There was a significant delay in mean time to union between type I and type II fractures, and between type II and type III fractures. With the exception of type II fractures, the philosophy of treatment of open fractures of the tibia has not significantly changed over the past three decades. Closed treatment or internal fixation are both viable options for type II fractures based on their relatively low incidence of infection. This study also demonstrates a strong relationship between Gustillo sub-types and odds of infection in this population. Not surprisingly, union rates are also delayed with increasing injury severity.
Magnetic and crystallographic characteristics of Th6–xYxMn23 alloys

Abstract Crystallographic studies of Th 6– x Y x Mn 23 ternaries show that Y 6 Mn 23 and Th 6 Mn 23 are miscible in all proportions with lattice parameters that are essentially independent of composition. Magnetic properties of the ternaries have been examined over the temperature range 4 to 500 K. The Curie temperatures and the saturation magnetizations decrease monotonically with decreasing Y content; magnetic ordering is observed for all compositions within the range 1.50 x ⩽ 6. Since the Mn-Mn spacing is nearly invariant with composition, it follows that electron concentration variation is responsible for the compositional variation of magnetic properties.
Sucrose motivation in sweet "sensitive" (C57BL/6J) and "subsensitive" (129P3/J) mice measured by progressive ratio licking.

Abstract As compared to C57BL/6J mice, 129P3/J mice show weaker preferences for and lower intakes of dilute sugar solutions. These differences have been attributed to genetic differences in their sweet taste receptor. The two mouse strains do not differ, however, in their intake of concentrated sugar solutions. The postoral satiating effect of concentrated sugar solutions may mask strain differences in the avidity for these solutions. This hypothesis was investigated using fixed ratio (FR, low demand) and progressive ratio (PR, high demand) operant licking tests (22 h/day) to measure sugar appetite. In Experiment 1, sucrose-experienced 129 mice licked less than did B6 mice for 4% but not for 16% sucrose in free access bottle tests and FR operant tests. Yet, in PR tests the 129 mice licked as much for 4% sucrose and more for 16% sucrose than did B6 mice. In Experiment 2, sucrose-naive 129 mice licked less than did B6 mice in FR and PR tests with 0.4% saccharin but the strains did not differ in PR licking in their first test with 16% sucrose. After they were given unconstrained bottle access to 16% sucrose for 3 days, the 129 mice now licked more than B6 mice in a second sucrose PR test. Thus, despite having a less sensitive sweet taste receptor, 129 mice are as much or more motivated to obtain sucrose than are B6 mice and appear to be more influenced by prior experience with sugar. This suggests that the strains differ in their central reward processing of sweet taste.
Another look at housing finance in developing countries

The way cities are built reflects the way they are financed because methods of financing dictate modes of construction rather than the reverse. This article examines three views which have had an important bearing on how countries approach the financing of housing. It discusses whether it is myth or reality that, first, housing is consumption and therefore housing investment should be a low national priority, second, household savings cannot be mobilized because the poor do not save, and finally, housing finance institutions are not necessary because most housing in Third World cities is built without specialized housing finance services.
Potent, selective spiropyrrolidine pyrimidinetrione inhibitors of MMP-13.

Abstract Explorations in the pyrimidinetrione series of MMP-13 inhibitors led to the discovery of a series of spiro-fused compounds that are potent and selective inhibitiors of MMP-13. While other spiro-fused motifs are hydrolytically unstable, presumably due to electronic destabilization of the pyrimidinetrione ring, the spiropyrrolidine series does not share this liability. Greater than 100-fold selectivity versus other MMP family members was achieved by incorporation of an extended aryl–heteroaryl P1′group. When dosed as the sodium salt, these compounds displayed excellent oral absorption and pharmacokinetic properties. Despite the selectivity, a representative of this series produced fibroplasia in a 14 day rat study.
Is certification for pharmaceutical sales representatives necessary

Purpose – Pharmaceutical sales representatives (PSRs) have been shown to influence the prescribing patterns of physicians. Some of the blame has been shifted from physicians to PSRs due to perceived inadequacies in PSRs' education and certification. The purpose of this paper is to review the literature regarding the current certification requirements for PSRs, motivation for nationally standardized certification and the controversy surrounding pharmaceutical detailing impact on physicians' prescribing behavior.Design/methodology/approach – Articles related to certification for PSRs were identified via searches of PubMed and IPA from inception to March 2011. Search terms included PSRs, PSRs certification, PSRs registration, PSRs education, and PSRs requirements. Articles describing the roles and responsibilities of PSRs, physician and public perception of PSRs, certification processes, and the future of PSRs' roles were included. An internet search was also performed to identify articles in the lay press r...
Multi-modal object of interest detection using eye gaze and RGB-D cameras

This paper presents a low-cost, wearable headset for mobile 3D Point of Gaze (PoG) estimation in assistive applications. The device consists of an eye tracking camera and forward facing RGB-D scene camera which are able to provide an estimate of the user gaze vector and its intersection with a 3D point in space. A computational approach that considers object 3D information and visual appearance together with the visual gaze interactions of the user is also given to demonstrate the utility of the device. The resulting system is able to identify, in real-time, known objects within a scene that intersect with the user gaze vector.
Age-related proteome analysis of the mouse brain: a 2-DE study

2-DE remains the most popular and versatile protein separation method among a rapidly growing array of various proteomics technologies. However, variability in sample processing, experimental design and data analyses results in a limited cross-validation between studies performed in different laboratories. One of the goals of the Human Proteome Organization (HUPO) is to establish standards and guidelines for proteomics studies. We contributed to the HUPO Brain Proteome Project by analyzing brains from neonatal and adult mice using 2-DE. Here we propose a standard workflow to analyze 2-DE images and extract statistically significant differences. After differential analysis and identification by MALDI-TOF/TOF, dihydropyrimidinase-related proteins, brain FABP, stathmin, isocitrate dehydrogenase, gamma enolase, annexin V, glutamine synthetase, creatine kinase B chain, triosephosphate dehydrogenase, and malate dehydrogenase were found differentially expressed between the two groups. The functions and potential mechanisms underlying the variation observed for these proteins are discussed.
William “Bill” Back: An Incisive Geochemist and a Great Mentor

Introduction William ‘‘Bill’’ Back (Figure 1) was one of the great ‘‘idea people’’ in low-temperature geochemistry during the blossoming of ground water hydrology in the latter half of the twentieth century. Prior to the1950s, most of the research in ground water chemistry was related to water quality and was carried out by chemists who rarely ventured into the field. Bill, Ivan Barnes, Bruce Hanshaw, Blair Jones, and Don White of the USGS were among the first to change that by using aquifer systems to test models of natural solute evolution and thus changed the way people thought about water chemistry. Bill Back was an early leader in recognizing the importance of thermodynamics in ground water systems. He related ground water chemistry to flow in aquifers, and in what is now a benchmark paper (Back 1960), he introduced the concept of hydrochemical facies by drawing on the concept of geological facies (units of similar lithology and depositional history). Bill defined hydrochemcial facies as ‘‘the diagnostic chemical aspect of water solutions occurring in hydrologic systems,’’ which ‘‘reflect the response of chemical processes in the lithologic framework and the pattern of water flow in it.’’ In later work, he used geochemical mass balance and stable isotope data to constrain possible reactions and recognized the value of dating water and solutes in aquifer systems. He was among the first to investigate redox processes in iron-reducing aquifers and later turned to extreme geochemical environments such as landfills and investigation of the role of organics in solute evolution in ground water. Later in his career, he investigated the importance of ground water in the development of ancient cultures. Although his numerous publications reflect his many scientific accomplishments, he is perhaps most endearingly remembered as a mentor to young students and professionals, for encouraging and supporting women in hydrogeology, and for his contributions to professional societies and international hydrogeological activities.
Design of Multiresponsive Hydrogel Particles and Assemblies

In the realm of soft nanotechnology, hydrogel micro- and nanoparticles represent a versatile class of responsive materials. Over the last decade, our group has investigated the synthesis and physicochemical properties of a variety of synthetic hydrogel particles. From these efforts, several particle types have emerged with potentially enabling features for biological applications, including nanogels for targeted drug delivery, microlenses for biosensing, and coatings for biomedical devices. For example, core/shell nanogels have been used to encapsulate and deliver small interfering RNA to ovarian cancer cells; nanogels used in this fashion may improve therapeutic outcomes for a variety of macromolecular therapeutics. Microgels arranged as multilayers on implantable biomaterials greatly minimize the host inflammatory response to the material. Furthermore, the triggered release of drugs (i.e., insulin) has been demonstrated from similar assemblies. The goal of this feature article is to highlight developments in the design of responsive microgels and nanogels in the context of our recent efforts and in relation to the community that has grown up around this fascinating class of materials.
ACUTE HEPATIC NECROSIS INDUCED BY BRUCELLA INFECTION IN HYPERTHYROID MICE

When small numbers of Brucella melitensis were inoculated into ABC mice, occasional hepatic granulomas without necrosis were demonstrated. The greatest multiplication of brucellae was detected in the spleens. Because it had been previously observed that ACTH or cortisone markedly accelerated the multiplication of brucellae in the livers of infected mice with destruction of liver cells, it was considered that triiodothyronine might likewise exaggerate a brucella infection by stimulating endogenous adrenal secretion. Although adrenal hypertrophy was produced, infection of mice treated with triiodothyronine resulted in severe hepatic necrosis or infarcts without the multiplication of brucellae in either the livers or spleens. The lesions were not encountered in untreated infected mice or in control mice treated with triiodothyronine. The necrosis was associated with minimal inflammatory reaction. The necrosis was not induced in mice treated with triiodothyronine and given brucella endotoxin. The precise genesis of the acute hepatic necrosis cited in these experiments remains undefined. Triiodothyronine did not cause deaths in mice infected with Br. melitensis . The infection was neither enhanced nor suppressed.
Habitat Availability and Benthic Invertebrate Population Changes Following Alum Treatment and Hypolimnetic Oxygenation in Newman Lake, Washington

Abstract Changes in benthic macroinvertebrate population density and diversity were studied in a mesotrophic lake with seasonal hypoxia/anoxia prior to and following aluminum sulfate (alum) treatment and hypolimnetic oxygenation. Historically, low oxygen concentrations created a benthic zone with reduced fish predation pressures which allowed chaoborids to flourish. Population densities of chironomids and oligochaetes were suppressed by prolonged periods of summer anoxia Benthic macroinvertebrate community diversity values were indicative of poor water quality and/or habitat quality. Following alum treatment and prior to hypolimnetic oxygenation, chaoborid densities doubled. This was due, in part, to changes in trophic structure which provided an abundant food source for early instar chaoborids. In addition, Newman Lake was stocked with fewer trout in 1990 and 1991 resulting in reduced predation on the invertebrate community. Alum treatment had no effect on chironomid or oligochaete populations. Hypolimne...
Small Unstable Apoptotic Protein, an Apoptosis-associated Protein, Suppresses Proliferation of Myeloid Cells

Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, is a process where developmental or environmental stimuli activate a genetic program to implement a series of events that culminate in cell death. To study the nature of genes that are induced during the apoptotic death of myeloid precursor cells, representational difference analysis was performed using RNAs derived from 32Dcl3 myeloblastic cells that were proliferating in the presence of IL-3 and cells that were actively undergoing apoptosis as a result of interleukin 3 deprivation for 24 h. This report describes a novel gene [small unstable apoptotic protein (SUAP)] that is up-regulated in these cells after the removal of interleukin 3 and exposure to granulocyte colony stimulating factor. The protein encoded by this gene is a target of the proteasome and does not share homology with other previously characterized proteins. To further define SUAP's role in growth arrest and apoptosis, 32Dcl3 cells that ectopically express SUAP under the control of an inducible promoter were generated and tested for their ability to proliferate under conditions where SUAP expression is induced. These studies show that although the SUAP expressing cells exhibited suppressed proliferation rates, this was not attributable to alterations in cell cycle progression. Rather, SUAP appears to induce the appearance of Annexin V-positive cells, supporting a role for this protein in programmed cell death.
Changes in cerebral functional organization during cognitive development

It has been just under a decade since contemporary neuroimaging tools, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging, were first applied to developmental questions. These tools provide invaluable information on how brain anatomy, function and connectivity change during development. Studies using these methods with children and adolescents show that brain regions that support motor and sensory function mature earliest, whereas higher-order association areas, such as the prefrontal cortex, which integrate these functions, mature later.
Influence of dissolved organic matter on the toxicity of copper to Ceriodaphnia dubia: Effect of complexation kinetics

The reaction kinetics of copper interaction with dissolved organic matter (DOM) in water were studied in order to determine the effect of equilibration period on the toxicity of copper to aquatic organisms. The changes in physical and chemical forms of the copper during four reaction times were examined in four completely mixed reactors in series; the bioavailability of the copper as a function of these new forms was then determined with a flow-through bioassay system, using Ceriodaphnia dubia as a test organism. This study showed that the toxicity of copper to C. dubia decreased with increasing copper-DOM reaction time, which demonstrated that the copper reaction rate with dissolved organic components in the test water was slow. The toxicity of copper to C. dubia was closely related to the measured free-copper concentration (CU{sup 2+}) rather than to the total copper concentrations, a fact that supports the free ion activity model. The authors found that the LC50 of copper for C. dubia increased linearly with increasing total available binding sites. Although a similar trend was observed in both natural DOM and commercial humic acid, their results indicated that for a given copper-organic carbon ratio, copper binds more strongly to humic acid thanmore » to the natural DOM. This difference may be attributed to the greater copper binding affinity of humic acid (greater than that of other metal-binding organic fractions present in DOM, i.e., fulvic acid).« less
The key issue in reducing risk of liability with expert systems: product or service

Depending on the specific expert system application, individuals and organizations involved in the expert system development and marketing chain may unwittingly surrender themselves to high-risk exposure to tort liability legal actions, in the event that an innocent third party should suffer physical harm. The degree of risk turns on whether the expert system is viewed by the court as a 'product' or as a 'service'. The author examines the implication of this determination in two areas of tort, product liability and negligence, and then outlines the issues surrounding the 'product-service continuum' as applied specifically to the expert system development and marketing environment. Finally, the author presents proactive measures that expert system developers and vendors should consider in order to minimize exposure to risk. >
Detection of bcl-2/JH translocation by polymerase chain reaction: A summary of the experience of the Molecular Oncology Survey of the College of American Pathologists

c Context.—The t(14;18)(q32;q21) translocation, found in about 85% of follicular lymphomas, brings the bcl-2 gene on 18q21 under control of the immunoglobulin heavychain gene transcriptional regulatory elements on 14q32. Detection of this translocation in a clinical sample suspected of containing lymphoma can assist the pathologist in diagnosis and classification of lymphoma. Polymerase chain reaction is a technology that is frequently used to detect the t(14;18)(q32;q21) translocation (bcl-2/JH). This article reviews the utility of polymerase chain reaction testing for bcl-2/JH detection and summarizes the experience of participants in the Molecular Oncology Proficiency Survey of the College of American Pathologists from 1997 through 2000. Objective.—To describe current practice and encourage improvement of bcl-2/JH testing in clinical laboratories. Design.—Retrospective analysis of Molecular Oncology Proficiency Survey data. Participants.—Laboratory participants in the College of American Pathology Molecular Oncology Proficiency Survey. Results.—Twenty-four well-characterized specimens were sent to participants, of which 6 contained bcl-2/JH major breakpoint region translocations. Eight hundred nineteen major breakpoint region and 323 minor cluster region determinations were performed, with an overall correct response rate of 91% and 94%, respectively. No significant difference in correct response could be found for frozen versus paraffin-embedded tissues. Many laboratories did not know their assay sensitivity. Conclusions.—Overall performance was good; however, there was great variability in the methods reported and lack of knowledge of the limits of detection was common. Continued participation in external quality control programs, such as the Molecular Oncology Survey; dissemination of information that impacts on test performance; and technical recommendations from the molecular diagnostics community are critical for improved testing for bcl-2/JH. (Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2002;126:902‐908)
Transcriptional Analysis of spo0A Overexpression in Clostridium acetobutylicum and Its Effect on the Cell's Response to Butanol Stress

Spo0A is the regulator of stationary-phase events and is required for transcription of solvent formation genes in Clostridium acetobutylicum. In order to elucidate the role of spo0A in differentiation, we performed transcriptional analysis of 824(pMSPOA) (a spo0A-overexpressing C. acetobutylicum strain with enhanced sporulation) against a plasmid control strain. DNA microarray data were contrasted to data from a spo0A knockout strain (SKO1) that neither sporulates nor produces solvents. Transcripts of fatty acid metabolism genes, motility and chemotaxis genes, heat shock protein genes, and genes encoding the Fts family of cell division proteins were differentially expressed in the two strains, suggesting that these genes play roles in sporulation and the solvent stress response. 824(pMSPOA) alone showed significant downregulation of many glycolytic genes in stationary phase, which is consistent with metabolic flux analysis data. Surprisingly, spo0A overexpression resulted in only nominal transcriptional changes of regulatory genes (abrB and sigF) whose expression was significantly altered in SKO1. Overexpression of spo0A imparted increased tolerance and prolonged metabolism in response to butanol stress. While most of the differentially expressed genes appear to be part of a general stress response (similar to patterns in two plasmid control strains and a groESL-overexpressing strain), several genes were expressed at higher levels at early time points after butanol challenge only in 824(pMSPOA). Most of these genes were related to butyryl coenzyme A and butyrate formation and/or assimilation, but they also included the cell division gene ftsX, the gyrase subunit-encoding genes gyrB and gyrA, DNA synthesis and repair genes, and fatty acid synthesis genes, all of which might play a role in the immediate butanol stress response, and thus in enhanced butanol tolerance.
Analytic Ray Curve Tracing for Outdoor Sound Propagation

Abstract Outdoor sound propagation, which propagates sound through inhomogeneous, moving media with complex obstacles, presents challenging scenarios for computational simulation. In this paper, we present a ray-tracing method that uses analytic ray curves as tracing primitives in order to improve the efficiency of outdoor sound propagation in fully general settings. This ray-curve tracer inherits the efficiency and flexibility of rectilinear ray tracers in handling boundary surfaces, and it overcomes the performance limitations imposed by approximating the curved propagation paths in inhomogeneous media with rectilinear rays. Adaptive media traversal, as well as acceleration structures for surfaces intersections, lead to further savings in computation. Our method’s speedup over existing ray models, at least an order of magnitude for simple 2D scenarios and up to two orders of magnitude for 3D complex scenes, is demonstrated on outdoor benchmark scenes.
The Mixed Disc Packing Problem: Part II. An Interactive Optimization Procedure

Abstract In this paper we present an interactive optimization procedure for a mixed disc packing problem. The procedure is based on the bounds on the area left uncovered by the circular disks when packed on the circular plate (developed in Part I) and is implemented on a computer graphics terminal. The proposed procedure is applied to problems involving two and three types of discs and results are presented.
Abstract 2142: Multifaceted genomic analyses reveal novel glioblastoma candidate genes and microbial DNAs

The glioblastoma (GBM) genome displays remarkable chromosomal aberrations, which harbor critical GBM specific genes contributing to several oncogenetic pathways. However, deciphering further driver genomic changes from passenger gene alterations remains a daunting challenge. In attempt to identify novel GBM genes, we carried out a multifaceted genome-wide analysis to characterize the most significant aberrations of DNA content occurring in GBM patients. First, we performed copy number analysis using Digital Karyotyping (DK) and Illumina BeadChip technologies and identify genomic loci which consistently present as focal copy number alterations. Next, we overlaid copy number altered loci with the somatic mutation data from our genome-wide coding sequencing analysis. Upon expression analyses of these genes, we identify several previously unrecognized genes which are dysregulated in GBM. Most significantly, we identify grade-specific activation of set of genes potentially involved in chromosomal instability of the GBM genome. Finally, we evaluated the contribution of microbial DNA to the GBM genome using an approach, called DK-MICROBE, which we developed to identify genomic DNA of bacteria and viruses in human disease tissues. Our multifaceted genomic evaluation of GBM establishes several candidate oncogenes, tumor suppressors and caretaker genes and provides insight on the molecular mechanisms and pathways to this deadly disease. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2142.
An Entropy-Based Measure for Assessing Fuzziness in Logistic Regression.

This article introduces an entropy-based measure of data–model fit that can be used to assess the quality of logistic regression models. Entropy has previously been used in mixture-modeling to quantify how well individuals are classified into latent classes. The current study proposes the use of entropy for logistic regression models to quantify the quality of classification and separation of group membership. Entropy complements preexisting measures of data–model fit and provides unique information not contained in other measures. Hypothetical data scenarios, an applied example, and Monte Carlo simulation results are used to demonstrate the application of entropy in logistic regression. Entropy should be used in conjunction with other measures of data–model fit to assess how well logistic regression models classify cases into observed categories.
Sensing and Force-Feedback Exoskeleton Robotic (SAFER) Glove Mechanism for Hand Rehabilitation

This paper presents the design and application of the SAFER glove in the field of hand rehabilitation. The authors present preliminary results on a new hand grasping rehabilitation learning system that is designed to gather kinematic and force information of the human hand and to playback the motion to assist a user in common hand grasping movements, such as grasping a bottle of water. The fingertip contact forces during grasping have been measured by the SAFER Glove from 12 subjects. The measured fingertip contact forces were modeled with Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) based on machine learning approach. The learned force distributions were then used to generate fingertip force trajectories with a Gaussian Mixture Regression (GMR) method. To demonstrate the glove’s potential to manipulate the hand, experiments with the glove fitted on a wooden hand to grasp various objects were performed. Instead of defining a grasping force, contact force trajectories were used to control the SAFER Glove to actuate/assist this hand while carrying out a learned grasping task. To prove that the hand can be driven safely by the haptic mechanism, force sensor readings placed between each finger and the mechanism have been plotted. The experimental results show the potential of the proposed system in future hand rehabilitation therapy.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Robust carbon nanotube membranes directly grown on Hastelloy substrates and their potential application for membrane distillation

Abstract A new class of robust carbon nanotube (CNT) membranes is developed using a scalable chemical vapor deposition method by direct growth of the CNT on a nickel alloy (Hastelloy) mesh with micrometer-sized openings. The developed membranes have a dense, entangled network of CNT with 50–500 nm pore openings and are superhydrophobic. These CNT membranes are resistant to air oxidation up to ∼500 °C and chemical corrosion in concentrated HCl or NaCl solutions. Adhesion and ultrasonication tests suggest that the developed CNT membranes are resistant to delamination and demonstrate a high interfacial bonding of the grown CNT with the alloy substrate. Potential application of the developed CNT-Hastelloy membranes for separation is explored by conducting membrane distillation tests using a 10,000 mg/L NaCl solution. The developed membranes show similar salt rejection performance compared with a carbon bucky paper membrane. These robust carbon nanotube membranes are reusable and expected to be less susceptible to fouling because of their superhydrophobic properties. Furthermore, if fouled, they can be regenerated by heating in air or using an acid wash.
Improved myocardial preservation during global ischemia by continuous retrograde coronary sinus perfusion.

To investigate whether retrograde continuous low-pressure perfusion of the coronary sinus could deliver cardioplegic solutions with oxygen and substrate beyond stenoses and result in improved myocardial preservation, we subjected 41 canine hearts to 90 minutes of ischemia with an occlusion on the circumflex coronary artery. There were four groups: Group I, antegrade (aortic root) crystalloid cardioplegia every 30 minutes during ischemia; Group II, antegrade plus topical cooling; Group III, continuous retrograde perfusion; Group IV, same as Group III, with an oxygenated perfluorocarbon. All solutions had a Po2 of 400 to 500 mm Hg. Intramyocardial oxygen and carbon dioxide tensions (PO2 and Pco2) and mean myocardial temperatures were monitored during ischemia, and left ventricular (LV) function was assessed before ischemia and after reperfusion. After global ischemia, the circumflex occlusion was released and the hearts reperfused. Following 60 minutes of reperfusion, isovolumic developed pressure returned to 36% ± 4% and 41% ± 5% of preischemic levels, respectively, in Groups I and II. By contrast. Groups III and IV (retrograde perfusion) had a significantly greater percent of recovery (78% ± 5% and 73% ± 5%). Circumflex area intramyocardial Po2 fell 20 and 25 mm Hg below preischemic levels in Groups I and II during ischemia, whereas in Group III, intramyocardial Po2 in the circumflex region remained near preischemic levels, and in Group IV, it rose 19 mm Hg. Mean myocardial temperature during ischemia in the circumflex area was significantly higher in Group I than in Groups II, III, and IV. Peak intramyocardial Pco2 in the circumflex region was significantly less in the retrogradely perfused hearts. Retrograde coronary sinus perfusion resulted in significant improvement in recovery of LV function, uniform myocardial cooling, normal intramyocardial Po2, and less intramyocardial Pco2 accumulation, despite the presence of a total circumflex coronary artery occlusion.
Learning and inference via maximum inner product search

A large class of commonly used probabilistic models known as log-linear models are defined up to a normalization constant. Typical learning algorithms for such models require solving a sequence of probabilistic inference queries. These inferences are typically intractable, and are a major bottleneck for learning models with large output spaces. In this paper, we provide a new approach for amortizing the cost of a sequence of related inference queries, such as the ones arising during learning. Our technique relies on a surprising connection with algorithms developed in the past two decades for similarity search in large data bases. Our approach achieves improved running times with provable approximation guarantees. We show that it performs well both on synthetic data and neural language models with large output spaces.
Open injuries of the lower extremity.

The method of management will depend upon the extent or severity of each of three facets: contamination by living organisms, contamination by a foreign body, and host tissue injury.
Principles of tissue preparation for high-resolution quantitative X-ray microanalysis: Retaining the quasi in vivo geometry and elemental distribution in muscle cells

This chapter explains how biological material can be preserved in the quasi in vivo state at very high spatial and temporal resolution for structure. The basis for the unique efficacy of electron probe X-ray microanalysis (EPXMA) in identifying the distribution of elements in tissues and cells, presumably close to the in vivo state, is the method known as cryopreservation. Cryopreservation, beginning with quick freezing, is imperative for most biological applications of EPXMA to permanently immobilize elements in a given specimen while preserving cell structure close to the in vivo state. To that end, it must be capable of eliminating or at least minimizing untoward ice crystal growth that causes cryoartifacts. The objective of quick freezing is to withdraw heat from the specimen at a very fast rate. The major factors to be considered toward that goal are the nature of the coolant and the geometry of the specimen with its holder. The coolant is either solid (for example, copper for impact) or liquid (for example, propane for immersion) and must have large heat capacity and high conductivity at very low temperatures.
Litigation and Students with Disabilities: An Overview of Cases From 2015.

Special education is the most highly litigated area within the field of education. Therefore, the purpose of the current article is to highlight cases (court decisions, Office of Civil Rights rulin...
Evaluating the feasibility of storage class memory as main memory

Storage class memory offers the prospect of large capacity persistent memory with DRAM-like access latency. In this work, we evaluate the performance of a small set of benchmarks using SCM as main memory. We use an FPGA emulator to model a range of memory latencies spanning DRAM to latency projected for SCM and beyond. Our work highlights the performance impact of higher latency and identifies conditions by which SCM can effectively be used as main memory.
Multicenter Cardiovascular Studies and Trials: Lessons Learned From 35 Years of Productive Collaboration.

![Figure][1] The Heart Research Follow-up Program at the University of Rochester Medical Center has an ongoing record of successfully carrying out large-scale clinical cardiovascular studies and randomized clinical trials for >35 years, and nearly all of the original executive committee
pH-Sensitive O6-Benzylguanosine Polymer Modified Magnetic Nanoparticles for Treatment of Glioblastomas.

Nanoparticle-mediated delivery of chemotherapeutics has demonstrated potential in improving anticancer efficacy by increasing serum half-life and providing tissue specificity and controlled drug release to improve biodistribution of hydrophobic chemotherapeutics. However, suboptimal drug loading, particularly for solid core nanoparticles (NPs), remains a challenge that limits their clinical application. In this study we formulated a NP coated with a pH-sensitive polymer of O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) inhibitor analog, dialdehyde modified O6-benzylguanosine (DABGS) to achieve high drug loading, and polyethylene glycol (PEG) to ameliorate water solubility and maintain NP stability. The base nanovector consists of an iron oxide core (9 nm) coated with hydrazide functionalized PEG (IOPH). DABGS and PEG-dihydrazide were polymerized on the iron oxide nanoparticle surface (IOPH-pBGS) through acid-labile hydrazone bonds utilizing a rapid, freeze–thaw catalysis approach. DABGS polymerization was ...
Responsibility Allocation and Human Rights

How does morality allocate responsibility for what it requires? I am concerned here with one fundamental part of this question, namely, how morality determines responsibility when multiple agents are capable of contributing to or completing a moral task, and special relationships capable of generating duties with respect to the task are non-existent, insufficient as a moral response, or partly indeterminate. On one view, responsibility falls to the agents who can bear it with the least burden. I show why this is initially attractive and mistaken. Instead, I defend an equity-based approach that accommodates the intuitions that both support and trouble the least-cost principle. One upshot is that sometimes we ought prefer a distribution of responsibility that is more expensive and less local than needed to complete the task. I illustrate the practical significance of the argument in terms of the human rights of refugees.
The effect of perioperative dexamethasone dosing on post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage risk.

Objectives Dexamethasone is currently recommended for routine prophylaxis against postoperative nausea and vomiting after tonsillectomy procedures. However, some studies have raised concern that dexamethasone use may lead to higher rates of post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage. Our objective was to determine whether higher doses of dexamethasone administered perioperatively during tonsillectomy procedures are associated with an increased risk of secondary post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage. Methods We conducted a retrospective review of 9843 patients who underwent tonsillectomy and received dexamethasone at our institution from January 2010 to October 2014. We compared the dose of dexamethasone administered to patients who did and did not develop secondary post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage using Mann Whitney U tests. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to evaluate the association between dexamethasone dose and post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage after adjustment for demographic and clinical characteristics. Results A total of 280 (2.8%) patients developed secondary post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage. Patients who developed hemorrhage tended to be older (median (interquartile range) 7 (4-11) vs. 5 (3-8) years), p Conclusions There does not appear to be a dose-related increase in the risk of post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage for patients receiving dexamethasone during tonsillectomy procedures.
Friend or foe: Customer-supplier relationships and innovation

Abstract This study provides an empirical investigation of the impact of customer-supplier relationships on firm innovation in an interorganizational framework encompassing transaction cost economics, resource dependence theory, and the theory of incomplete contracts. Using a sample of U.S. firms for the period from 1980 to 2005, this study explores how customer concentration and customer bargaining power affect a supplier's process innovation and product innovation measured with R&D-to-assets ratio and patents (also citations), respectively. The findings imply that a concentrated customer base, which reflects a strong customer-supplier relationship as well as high switching costs, motivates suppliers to invest more in R&D and become more innovative. However, the evidence also suggests that strong customer bargaining power creates hold-up problems and forces suppliers to invest less in R&D and innovation. The results are robust to sophisticated econometric techniques that control for endogeneity and suggest heterogeneous effects of business partnerships on firm innovation.
Increasing Calcium Level Limits Schwann Cell Numbers In Vitro following Peripheral Nerve Injury.

Background After peripheral nerve injury, there is an increase in calcium concentration in the injured nerves. Our previous publications have shown that increase in calcium concentration correlated well with degree of nerve injury and that local infusion of calcitonin has a beneficial effect on nerve recovery. Schwann cells play a pivotal role in regeneration and recovery. We aim to examine cultured Schwann cell survivals in various concentrations of calcium-containing growth media and the effect of calcitonin in such media. Methods To establish baseline in postinjury state, crush injury was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats' sciatic nerves. Extra- and intraneural calcium concentrations were measured. To study Schwann cell survival, uninjured sciatic nerve segment was harvested and cultured in media containing various amounts of calcium. To study the effect of calcitonin, nerve harvest and culture were done in four additional media: (1) normal control, (2) normal control with calcitonin, (3) high calcium medium, and (4) high calcium medium with calcitonin. Schwann cells were studied and analyzed under fluorescent conditions. Results With increasing calcium concentration, there was a significant decrease in the number of Schwann cells. For the experimental groups, in which calcitonin had been added to the growth medium, there were similar amounts of Schwann cells present in both high and low calcium-containing medium. Conclusion Schwann cells are sensitive to increasing calcium concentration. Calcitonin counteracts the detrimental effects of high calcium on Schwann cell survival. This can have significant future clinical implications for patients with peripheral nerve injuries.
A quantitative measure of regret in decision-making for human-robot collaborative search tasks

Human-robot collaborations (HRC) can be used for object detection in domain search tasks, which integrate human and computer vision to improve accuracy and efficiency. The Bayesian sequential decision-making (BSD) method has been used for task allocation of a robot in search tasks. In this paper, we first provide an explanation to reveal the nature of the BSD approach: it makes decisions based on the expected value criterion, which is proved to be very different from human decision-making behaviors. On the other hand, it has been shown that joint performance of a team will improve if all members share the same decision-making logic. In HRC, since forcing a human to act like a robot is not desired, we propose to modify the BSD approach such that the robot imitates human logic. In particular, regret theory qualitatively models human's rational decision-making behaviors under uncertainty. We propose a holistic framework to measure regret quantitatively, an individual-based parametric model that fits the measurements, and the integration of regret into the BSD method. Furthermore, we design a human-in-the-loop experiment based on the framework to collect enough data points to further elicit requisite functions of regret theory. Our preliminary results match all the properties in regret theory, while the parametric elicited model shows a good fit to the experimental data.
Most Gleason 8 Biopsies are Downgraded at Prostatectomy—Does 4 + 4=7?

Purpose: Nonrepresentative biopsy sampling of prostate cancers with a biopsy Gleason score of 8 can adversely influence decisions regarding androgen deprivation in men receiving primary radiation therapy. The frequency of and factors associated with downgrading Gleason 8 biopsies at prostatectomy are not well known.Materials and Methods: We used records from NCDB (National Cancer Database), a hospital based registry in the United States, of 72,556 men with prostate cancer diagnosed from 2010 to 2013, including 5,474 with Gleason 8 biopsies and no other high progression risk criteria according to NCCN (National Comprehensive Cancer Network®) Guidelines®. The prevalence of Gleason 8 downgrading was calculated. Generalized estimating equation multivariable regression models were used to estimate the prevalence ratios and 95% CIs of downgrading by demographic and clinical factors, and evaluate the association of Gleason 8 downgrading with cT (clinical T) to pathological T category up staging.Results: Of 5,474...