cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rapid and accurate left ventricular chamber quantification using a novel CMR segmentation algorithm: a clinical validation study.

Purpose: To evaluate the clinical performance of a novel automated left ventricle (LV) segmentation algorithm (LV-METRIC) that involves no geometric assumptions. Materials and Methods: LV-METRIC and manual tracing (MT) were used independently to quantify LV volumes and LVEF (ejection fraction) for 151 consecutive patients who underwent cine-CMR (steady-state free precession). Phase contrast imaging was used to independently measure stroke volume. Results: LV-METRIC was successful in all cases. Mean LVEF was within 1 point of MT (Δ 0.6 ± 2.3%, P < 0.05), with smaller differences among patients with (0.5 ± 2.5%) versus those without (0.9 ± 2.3%; P = 0.01) advanced systolic dysfunction (LVEF ≤ 35% by MT). LV volumes by LV-METRIC were slightly smaller than MT during end-diastole (3.9 ± 6.8 mL, P < 0.001) and end-systole (1.4 ± 5.5 mL, P < 0.01). Mean processing time was 22 ± 13 seconds for LV-METRIC and 4:59 ± 1:56 minutes for MT (P < 0.001). Processing time correlated with LV blood volume by MT (r = 0.43) and LV-METRIC (r = 0.55), but slope was 10-fold steeper for MT (0.02 vs. 0.001), indicating greater proportionate time increases in relation to chamber dilation. Compared to stroke volume by phase contrast, LV-METRIC yielded smaller differences (0.3 ± 18.3 mL) than MT (2.5 ± 17.2 mL; P < 0.001). Conclusion: Among a broad series of consecutive patients undergoing CMR, automated LVEF by LV-METRIC was within 1 point of MT with processing time reduced 14-fold. Stroke volume by LV-METRIC yielded improved agreement with an independent standard of phase contrast imaging. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2010;31:845–853. ©2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Aspiring and Changing Roles of Technology Leadership: An Exploratory Study

Abstract:A survey and interview study across industries found that technologists aspiring to technology leadership roles spend more time in business than in IT roles and prefer change management over IT roles. These preliminary results support arguments that technology leadership roles, like some in other C-suite positions, are becoming more strategic along with the increasing importance of business and non-technology competencies in CIO careers. Implications of this study for IT leadership careers and companies are discussed.
Chemiluminescent radiation from the far wake of hypersonic spheres.

Radiation from the far wake of hypersonic spheres launched from a light-gas gun was measured with filtered photomultiplier radiometers. Projectile velocities ranged between 14,700 and 22,000 fps, with test section pressures of 30 to 220 torr. In all cases, the spectral distribution of the far-wake radiation was found to be consistent with the chemiluminescent recombination reaction NO + O —> N(>2 + hv. Further, various features in the radiative wake profile (intensity per unit wake length vs distance behind the body) were found to be correlated with the appearance of wake turbulence in schlieren photographs. The experiments indicate that the NO2 chemiluminescence is coupled to both the wake fluid dynamics and wake chemistry, and it is suggested that the NO2 chemiluminescence measurement represents an excellent observable with which hypersonic wake theories may be compared. The possibility of scaling the chemiluminescent results to larger bodies is briefly considered, and it would appear that all the quantitative features of NO2 wake radiation cannot be scaled because of important nonbinary processes occurring in the far wake.
Differential effects of local anesthetics and propranolol on arachidonic acid and adenosine 5'-diphosphate-induced aggregation in rabbit platelets.

Abstract The effects of several local anesthetics and propranolol, a beta receptor antagonist with local anesthetic activity, on adenosine 5′-diphosphate (ADP) and arachidonic acid (AA)-induced aggregation were studied in rabbit platelets. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) was obtained from rabbits anesthetized with pentobarbital and changes in turbidity of PRP were measured with an aggregometer. Inhibition of platelet aggregation by the local anesthetics was expressed as the percent change in rate of aggregation from control value. Dibucaine was the most potent inhibitor of both AA-and ADP-induced aggregation. This inhibition was sensitive to external calcium concentration.In terms of potency dibucaine tetracaine lidocaine in inhibiting AA- and ADP-induced aggregation. Procaine was more effective against AA- than ADP-induced aggregation. Propranolol was comparable to the more potent local anesthetics. These data show that local anesthetics and propranolol inhibit both AA-and ADP-induced platelet aggregation and suggest that the mechanism of action is non-specific in nature.
Hydrogen bond breaking dynamics of the water trimer in the translational and librational band region of liquid water.

The effect of exciting each of the three classes of intermolecular vibrations on the hydrogen bond lifetime (τH) of the isolated water trimer is investigated by far-infrared laser spectroscopy. Single excitation of a librational vibration decreases τH by 3 orders of magnitude to τH = 1−6 ps, comparable to the time scale of a number of important bulk water dynamical relaxation processes. In contrast, excitation of translational or torsional vibrations has no significant effect (τH = 1−2 ns). Although such a dependence of τH on intermolecular motions has also been proposed for liquid water via computer simulations, these are the first experiments that provide a detailed molecular picture of the respective motions without extensive interpretation.
Very long chain fatty acid β-oxidation by rat liver mitochondria and peroxisomes

Crude mitochondrial fractions were isolated by differential centrifugation of rat liver homogenates. Subfractionation of these fractions on self-generating continuous Percoll gradients resulted in clearcut separation of peroxisomes from mitochondria. Hexacosanoic acid beta-oxidation was present mainly in peroxisomal fractions whereas hexacosanoyl CoA oxidation was present in the mitochondrial as well as in the peroxisomal fractions. The presence of much greater hexacosanoyl CoA synthetase activity in the purified preparations of microsomes and peroxisomes compared to mitochondria, suggests that the synthesis of coenzyme A derivatives of very long chain fatty acids (VLCFA) is limited in mitochondria. We postulate that a specific VLCFA CoA synthetase may be required to effectively convert VLCFA to VLCFA CoA in the cell. This specific synthetase activity is absent from the mitochondrial membrane, but present in the peroxisomal and the microsomal membranes. We postulate that substrate specificity and the subcellular localization of the specific VLCFA CoA synthetase directs and regulates VLCFA oxidation in the cell.
Human Capital Redistribution in the USA: The Migration of the College-bound

AbstractAlmost all the contributions on human capital and migration have focused on individuals who recently completed a tertiary education degree. Not much has been done with regard to high-school leavers. However, studying the migration of high-school leavers (college-bound individuals) is at least as important as studying college graduates’ migration. We present an analysis of college-bound individuals’ migration patterns for the USA. We argue that understanding the main determinants of these migration patterns is fundamental for policy makers in their ‘quest for human capital retention’.
Factors that influence the presence of a hospice in a rural community.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify socioeconomic, physician-related, and rural-urban factors that may influence the presence of a Medicare-certified hospice in three rural-urban areas. Design: This was secondary analysis of selected socioeconomic, physician-related, and rural-urban data from 3,140 counties using the 2005 Area Resource File, a county-level database. The county was the unit of analysis. Methods: Descriptive statistics were calculated for selected socioeconomic, physician, and rural-urban variables for the data set of 3,140 counties. Logistic regression was used to identify variables that influenced the presence of a Medicare-certified hospice across three rural-urban areas. Findings: As the rural-urban classification progressed from metropolitan (least rural) to rural-nonadjacent (most rural), the physician rate, racial-ethnic diversity, and number of counties with at least one Medicare-certified hospice decreased. However, in all three rural-urban areas only the physician rate was consistently significantly associated with the presence of a Medicare-certified hospice. Conclusions: Given the increasing numbers of patients and families who will be facing end-of-life care issues across the globe, access to hospice care is a significant end-of-life outcome. The most rural communities are least likely to have a Medicare-certified hospice. The higher the physician rate, the more likely a county is to have a Medicare-certified hospice. The Medicare Hospice Benefit's regulations requiring a physician's certification of terminal illness may be creating a barrier to hospice care, especially in rural communities. In this study, racial-ethnic diversity decreased as the rural-urban classification progressed from metropolitan (least rural) to rural-adjacent to metro to rural-nonadjacent (the most rural). The availability of Medicare-certified hospices in the metro and rural nonadjacent counties was influenced by the minority composition of the county. More research is needed on how the interaction of rurality, race-ethnicity, and physician access may affect access to hospice in rural communities. Clinical Relevance: Increasing numbers of patients and their families across the globe will be facing end-of-life care. One of the most common barriers to end-of-life care in rural communities all over the world is physician availability. People living in rural communities with few physicians may experience less access to the comprehensive services of hospice than people living in metropolitan communities and therefore not realize important end-of-life outcomes such as symptom management, improved quality of life, financial support, and bereavement support.
Factors affecting buccal bone changes of maxillary posterior teeth after rapid maxillary expansion.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to use cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images to determine the factors that might affect buccal bone changes of maxillary posterior teeth after rapid maxillary expansion (RME). Methods: Thirty consecutive patients (17 boys, 13 girls; mean age, 13.8 ± 1.7 years) who required RME as part of their orthodontic treatment and had the pre-RME (T1) and post-RME (T2) CBCT images available were included in the study. The T1 and T2 measurements of interdental distance, interdental angle (IA), buccal bone thickness (BBT), and buccal marginal bone levels (BMBL) of the first premolar (P1), the second premolar (P2), and the first molar (M1) were compared with the Friedman and the Wilcoxon signed rank tests. To determine which variables were associated with the changes in IA, BBT, and BMBL, the Spearman rank correlation analysis was performed (α = .05). Results and Conclusions: The results suggest that buccal crown tipping, and reduction of BBT and BMBL of the maxillary posterior teeth are the expected immediate effects of RME. There were no significant differences in dental expansion among P1, P2, and M1 ( P >.05). P2 had clinically more buccal crown tipping ( P = .116) but statistically less reduction in BBT and BMBL ( P P = .001) than P1 and M1. Buccal bone changes and dental tipping on P2 were not affected by any other variables. Factors that showed significant correlation to buccal bone changes and dental tipping on P1 and M1 were age, appliance expansion, initial buccal bone thickness, and differential expansion ( P P >.05).
Specters in the Archive: Faculty Digital Image Collections and the Problems of Invisibility

ABSTRACT This paper presents the findings of a research study which investigated the digital preservation practices among two faculty user groups, archeologists and art historians. This faculty's knowledge of digital preservation practices and their perceptions and emotions concerning the digital images they had created and, or collected to support their professional activities were examined. What was discovered is a worrisome situation where an important part of our cultural record is at serious risk of being lost.
Phased array calibrations using measured element patterns

A technique to compensate for differences in phased array element patterns is presented. Each measured element pattern is approximated by a virtual array whose excitation function is determined by the Woodward-Lawson synthesis technique. By extending the virtual array beyond the physical array dimensions, mutual coupling and edge diffraction effects can be separated. An example is given where calibration by coupling matrix inversion resulted in significantly reduced array pattern sidelobes.
Can we track holes

The evidence is mixed as to whether the visual system treats objects and holes differently. We used a multiple object tracking task to test the hypothesis that figural objects are easier to track than holes. Observers tracked four of eight items (holes or objects). We used an adaptive algorithm to estimate the speed allowing 75% tracking accuracy. In Experiments 1-5, the distinction between holes and figures was accomplished by pictorial cues, while red-cyan anaglyphs were used to provide the illusion of depth in Experiment 6. We variously used Gaussian pixel noise, photographic scenes, or synthetic textures as backgrounds. Tracking was more difficult when a complex background was visible, as opposed to a blank background. Tracking was easier when disks carried fixed, unique markings. When these factors were controlled for, tracking holes was no more difficult than tracking figures, suggesting that they are equivalent stimuli for tracking purposes.
Intellection and Indiscipline

A discipline will usually become the object of study and its relationship to other disciplines a moment of concern when its borders are precarious and its definition in dispute. Law, ‘the oldest social science’, is arguably both prior to discipline — it emerges initially and most forcefully as a practice — and without discipline, its object being potentially all human behaviour. If law is necessarily between and among disciplines, both prone to moonlighting and everywhere homeless, it will also always be in some mode of scholarly crisis. Certain conclusions follow. Law is paradoxically dependent upon other disciplines for its access to the domains that it regulates. The greater its epistemic dependency, however, the slighter its political acknowledgment of that subordination. Which allows a positive thesis: the epistemic drift of law can carry the discipline to a frank acknowledgment of the value of indiscipline both to novelty and intellection.
Mechanical regulation of cell function with geometrically modulated elastomeric substrates

Micropost arrays can be used to modulate substrate rigidity independently of other substrate properties, permitting the study of the effects of rigidity on cell function.
Trends in drug use among drivers killed in U.S. traffic crashes, 1999–2010

Abstract Objective Driving under the influence of drugs is a global traffic safety and public health concern. This trend analysis examines the changes in general drug usage other than alcohol, broad categories, and typical prescription and illegal drugs among drivers fatally injured in motor vehicle crashes from 1999 to 2010 in the U.S. Methods Data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System were analyzed from 1999 to 2010. Drug prevalence rates and prevalence ratios (PR) were determined comparing rates in 2009–2010 to 1999–2000 using a random effects model. Changes in general drug usage, broad categories, and representative prescription and illegal drugs including, methadone, oxycodone, hydrocodone, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, and cocaine, were explored. Results Comparing 2009–2010 to 1999–2000, prevalence of drug usage increased 49% (PR = 1.49; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.42, 1.55). The largest increases in broad drug categories were narcotics (PR = 2.73; 95% CI 2.41, 3.08), depressants (PR = 2.01; 95% CI 1.80, 2.25), and cannabinoids (PR = 1.99; 95% CI 1.84, 2.16). The PR were 6.37 (95% CI 5.07, 8.02) for hydrocodone/oxycodone, 4.29 (95% CI 2.88, 6.37) for methadone, and 2.27 (95% CI 2.00, 2.58) for benzodiazepines. Barbiturates declined in rate over the 12-year period (PR = 0.53; 95% CI 0.37, 0.75). Cocaine use increased until 2005 then progressively declined, though the rate remained relatively unchanged (PR = 0.94; 95% CI 0.84, 1.06). Conclusions While more drivers are being tested and found drug-positive, there is evidence that a shift from illegal to prescription drugs may be occurring among fatally injured drivers in the U.S. Driving under the influence of prescription drugs is a growing traffic concern.
Use of Feather Loss Intervals to Estimate Molt Duration and to Sample Feather Vein at Equal Time Intervals Through the Primary Replacement

ABSTRACT. We show how the duration of primary replacement can be calculated from a knowledge of primary loss intervals, primary lengths, and primary growth rates. With this new method, we can now independently evaluate the reliability of regression or maximum likelihood estimators of molt duration in situations where recaptures are not available. Before, molting birds had to be recaptured and scored for molt at least twice in the same episode of molt to check the reliability of duration estimates based on samples of birds scored for molt a single time. This new method assumes only that feathers are lost in sequence. Unlike regression and likelihood estimators of molt duration, it requires neither that the same number of feathers are always replaced nor that molt is confined to a single season and reasonably synchronized across the population. Thus, it can be used to (1) estimate the duration of primary molts in species that molt and breed throughout the year, (2) estimate the time required to replace vari...
Comparison of relative photon flux from single cells of the bioluminescent marine bacteria Vibrio fischeri and Vibrio harveyi using photon-counting microscopy.

Photon counting microscopy was used to quantify relative photon flux from 616 single sessile cells of Vibrio harveyi and 180 single sessile cells of V. fischeri. V. fischeri cells all emitted light at nearly the same level (average 15.93 11.48 photons/ min, range 0-58.9 photons/min) when bioluminescence was induced, whereas photon flux of V. harveyi single cells was extremely variable (average 10.51 20.60 photons/min, range 0-211 photons/min). Copyright # 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Tungsten effects on survival, growth, and reproduction in the earthworm, Eisenia fetida

To provide basic toxicity data for formulating risk characterization benchmarks, the effects of tungsten on survival, growth, and reproduction were investigated in the earthworm Eisenia fetida. Parallel studies with lead as a reference toxicant also were conducted. Although sodium tungstate (Na 2 WO 4 ) was less acutely toxic than lead nitrate (Pb(NO 3 ) 2 ) in 14-d spiked field soil acute toxicity assays (lethal concentrations for 50% of organisms: W, 6,250 mg/kg; Pb, 2,490 mg/kg), tungstate completely inhibited reproduction in 28- and 56-d assays at all tested tungsten concentrations (≥704 mg/kg). By comparison, cocoon production was not significantly reduced for lead concentrations until concentrations reached 766 mg/kg, and cocoon production was still observed at the highest concentration tested (1,650 mg/kg). These data indicate that tungsten is a reproductive toxicant for earthworms and that, by comparison, its sublethal toxicity is greater than that of lead. Toxicity data for other soil invertebrate species are required to fully establish benchmark levels/ecological soil screening levels for tungsten.
Searching for Answers or Creating More Questions? A Response to Robinson

Grappling with the issues of equity and excellence has become evermore complex, solutions seem more and more remote as the divides between socioeconomic groups become greater and greater, and the ethnic diversity of the student population continues to present ever-increasing stress on the educational system. Robinson’s concerns that redress to inequities has been at the expense of a particular subgroup of gifted students are serious. The concerns should spark an important discussion within the field of gifted education and should be an impetus for further examination of the long-term consequences of short-term efforts to achieve equity. As Robinson noted, we may not be achieving equity for any group when we engage in educationally unsound decision making. While the interpretations that Robinson offered of the responses to gifted students and gifted programs are well grounded, I would like to offer some expanded thinking on several of the interpretations she put forward, present some alternative observations and interpretations, and raise related questions about our assumptions in the field of gifted education—and in the field of education, in general—that may have led us astray. I would first like to separate the responses to the equity issues that Robinson has identified as negative— the elimination of self-contained classrooms and the ever-increasing alternative strategies for identifying students from underserved populations—because I see the genesis of these movements resting in different spheres.
The effects of pheromone concentration on the flight behaviour of the oriental fruit moth, Grapholitha molesta

Male oriental fruit moths, Grapholztha molesta (Busck) (Tortri- cidae), flew at lower overall and net ground velocities when they flew toward higher concentration pheromone sources Turning frequency was greater with in- creased pheromone concentration, while the distance of turns from the plume axis back towards the axis decreased. Turning magnitude and inter-reversal track angles remained constant at all concentrations tested Concomitant with the changes in ground velocity but constant inter-reversal angles, were decreases in airspeed, decreases in the moths' course angles and increases in their drift angles The significance of these changes is discussed in relation to their possible role in a longitudinal chemoklinotactic programme of turning operating in con- junction with anemotaxis to allow location of a pheromone source in wind
Effect of Ovariectomy on Renal Estrogen Receptor-α and Estrogen Receptor-β in Young Salt-Sensitive and -Resistant Rats

This study evaluated the effect of ovariectomy on renal estrogen receptor (ER)- and ER expression in young female Dahl salt-sensitive and salt-resistant rats. Our hypothesis was that estrogen depletion results in an imbalance in ER and ER expression in salt-sensitive rats. Rats were subjected to sham surgery (intact), ovariectomy, and ovariectomy with estrogen replacement. Kidneys were harvested 8 weeks later. Western blot was used to measure ER and ER expression in the cortex and medulla. In intact rats, ER was 2.7- and 4.3-fold higher in salt-sensitive compared with salt-resistant rats in the renal cortex and medulla, respectively. In salt-sensitive rats, ovariectomy caused 42% and 52% decreases in ER and 107% and 314% increases in ER in renal cortex and medulla, respectively. In salt-resistant rats, ovariectomy caused 33% and 150% increases in ER and 107% and 100% increases in ER in renal cortex and medulla, respectively. Estrogen replacement did not alter ER but restored ER expression levels similar to levels in intact rats in both salt-sensitive and salt-resistant rats. Thus, estrogen loss had opposite effects on ER in salt-sensitive (downregulation) and salt-resistant rats (upregulation). We propose that the decrease in ER expression in salt-sensitive rats after estrogen loss alters the balance of renal ERs and may play a role in accelerating the development of hypertension and renal damage. (Hypertension. 2007;50:768-772.)
Rasch Analysis of a New Hierarchical Scoring System for Evaluating Hand Function on the Motor Assessment Scale for Stroke

Objectives. (1) To develop two independent measurement scales for use as items assessing hand movements and hand activities within the Motor Assessment Scale (MAS), an existing instrument used for clinical assessment of motor performance in stroke survivors; (2) To examine the psychometric properties of these new measurement scales. Design. Scale development, followed by a multicenter observational study. Setting. Inpatient and outpatient occupational therapy programs in eight hospital and rehabilitation facilities in the United States and Canada. Participants. Patients (N = 332) receiving stroke rehabilitation following left (52%) or right (48%) cerebrovascular accident; mean age 64.2 years (sd 15); median 1 month since stroke onset. Intervention. Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures. Data were tested for unidimensionality and reliability, and behavioral criteria were ordered according to difficulty level with Rasch analysis. Results. The new scales assessing hand movements and hand activities met Rasch expectations of unidimensionality and reliability. Conclusion. Following a multistep process of test development, analysis, and refinement, we have redesigned the two scales that comprise the hand function items on the MAS. The hand movement scale contains an empirically validated 10-behavior hierarchy and the hand activities item contains an empirically validated 8-behavior hierarchy.
Phylloplanins of Tobacco Are Defensive Proteins Deployed on Aerial Surfaces by Short Glandular Trichomes

In plants, defensive proteins secreted to leaf aerial surfaces have not previously been considered to be a strategy of pathogen resistance, and the general occurrence of leaf surface proteins is not generally recognized. We found that leaf water washes (LWW) of the experimental plant Nicotiana tabacum tobacco introduction (TI) 1068 contained highly hydrophobic, basic proteins that inhibited spore germination and leaf infection by the oomycete pathogenPeronosporatabacina. We termed these surface-localized proteins tobacco phylloplanins, and we isolated the novel gene T-Phylloplanin (for Tobacco Phylloplanin) and its promoter from N. tabacum. Escherichia coli–expressed T-phylloplanin inhibited P. tabacina spore germination and greatly reduced leaf infection. The T-phylloplanin promoter, when fused to the reporter genes b-glucuronidase and green fluorescent protein, directed biosynthesis only in apical–tip cell clusters of short, procumbent glandular trichomes. Here, we provide evidence for a protein-based surface defense system in the plant kingdom, wherein protein biosynthesis in short, procumbent glandular trichomes allows surface secretion and deposition of defensive phylloplanins on aerial surfaces as a first-point-of-contact deterrent to pathogen establishment. As yet uncharacterized surface proteins have been detected on most plant species examined.
Notch-driven carcinogenesis: The merging of hepatocellular cancer and cholangiocarcinoma into a common molecular liver cancer subtype

Background & Aims The Notch signaling pathway is activated in leukemia and solid tumors (such as lung cancer), but little is known about its role in liver cancer.
Midtrimester dilation and evacuation versus prostaglandin induction: a comparison of composite outcomes.

Objective The objective of the study was to determine the optimal procedure for midtrimester uterine evacuation. Study Design This was a retrospective cohort study of women undergoing midtrimester uterine evacuation by prostaglandin induction or dilation and evacuation (DE 95% confidence interval, 0.15–0.99; P = .05). Women in the induction group had higher rates of retained placenta requiring curettage (22% vs 2%, P = .01), whereas cervical injury was more common in the D&E group (5% vs 0%, P = .01). Median length of stay was significantly shorter in the D&E group (5.7 hours vs 28.4 hours, P Conclusion Midtrimester D&E is associated with fewer complications than prostaglandin induction.
Interactive Effects of Hypertension and Alcohol Dependence on the P300 Event-Related Potential in African-Americans:

Although hypertension and alcohol dependence have been linked by epidemiological surveys and clinical observations, their interactive effects on brain function have rarely been tested. The present study involved the recording of P300 event related potentials (ERP) from 106 middle-aged African-American adults assigned to one of four groups: normotensive/nondependent (n=56), hypertensive/nondependent (n=11), normotensive/dependent (n=27), and hypertensive/dependent (n=12). The numbers of Nicotine Dependence, Major Depressive Disorder, and Conduct Disorder symptoms were specified as covariates within a 2 by 2 factorial design. ERPs were recorded during separate visual and auditory oddball tasks. The major result was a synergistic effect of hypertension and alcohol dependence on auditory P300 latency: the combination of both factors was associated with greater slowing than the sum of their independent effects. Future studies should continue to examine the potential synergistic effects of alcohol dependence and hypertension with a view toward identifying and reducing neurophysiological decrements and stroke risk among middle-aged patients.
A Frequency Domain Step-Size Control Method for LMS Algorithms

Frequency-domain (FD) adaptive filters are able to reduce the numerical complexity by using the overlap-and-save implementation method compared to time-domain (TD) ones. Similar to the TD algorithms, the selection of step size trades off between the convergence rate and steady state performance. In this letter, we propose a bin-wise block-varying step-size control method for the FD least-mean-square (LMS) algorithm. It achieves both fast convergence rate and low steady state error. In addition, compared to the TD step-size control method, the proposed method performs better when the filter input is a non-white process. Effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is demonstrated through computer simulations.
On Stabilized Formulations for Incompressible Navier-Stokes Equations Based on Multi-Scale Decomposition Formalism

In this paper, we present a new stabilized mixed formulation for incompressible Navier-Stokes equations under which the equal-order interpolation for velocity and pressure is stable. The derivation is based on the variational multiscale formalism and consistent linearization. We compare the proposed formulation with another variant of stabilized formulation, which has been recently proposed and is based on the variational multiscale formalism. In particular, we show that the proposed formulation has better accuracy, and converges in fewer iterations for several representative test problems. We illustrate the robustness of the proposed formulation on a test problem of Reynold’s number up to 5,000.
Analysis of the Individual Contributions of Igα (CD79a)- and Igβ (CD79b)-Mediated Tonic Signaling for Bone Marrow B Cell Development and Peripheral B Cell Maturation

The individual contribution of Igalpha and Igbeta for BCR-triggered fates is unclear. Prior evidence supports conflicting ideas concerning unique as well as redundant functions for these proteins in the context of BCR/pre-BCR signaling. Part of this ambiguity may reflect the recent appreciation that Igalpha and Igbeta participate in both Ag-independent (tonic) and Ag-dependent signaling. The present study undertook defining the individual requirement for Igalpha and Igbeta under conditions where only ligand-independent tonic signaling was operative. In this regard, we have constructed chimeric proteins containing one or two copies of the cytoplasmic domains of either Igalpha or Igbeta and Igalpha/Igbeta heterodimers with targeted Tyr-->Phe modifications. The ability of these proteins to act as surrogate receptors and trigger early bone marrow and peripheral B cell maturation was tested in RAG2(-/-) primary pro-B cell lines and in gene transfer experiments in the muMT mouse model. We considered that the threshold for a functional activity mediated by the pre-BCR/BCR might only be reached when two functional copies of the Igalpha/Igbeta ITAM domain are expressed together, and therefore the specificity conferred by these proteins can only be observed in these conditions. We found that the ligand-independent tonic signal is sufficient to drive development into mature follicular B cells and both Igalpha and Igbeta chains supported formation of this population. In contrast, neither marginal zone nor B1 mature B cell subsets develop from bone marrow precursors under conditions where only tonic signals are generated.
A Case of Arterial and Venous Tear during Single Lead Extraction

Transcutaneous lead extraction can be associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The risk of causing concomitant arterial and venous injury is rare. We report a case of marginal artery rupture with coronary sinus rupture after a CS lead extraction. A 71-year-old male was admitted for extraction of a 6-year-old implantable cardioverter-defibrillator lead due to fracture from insulation break. During the lead extraction, blood pressure fell precipitously and echocardiographic findings were consistent with pericardial effusion. After unsuccessful pericardiocentesis, open chest sternotomy and evacuation of hematoma was performed. Subsequent surgical repair of several injuries was completed including the distal coronary sinus, a large degloving injury of posterior portion of the heart, and first obtuse marginal branch bleed. This case demonstrates that when performing transcutaneous lead extraction (TLE) with laser sheath, a degloving injury can cause arterial rupture with concomitant coronary sinus injury. A multidisciplinary team-based approach can ensure patient safety. Learning Objective. Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator leads will falter over time. With the advancement of new technology for extraction more frequent and serious complications will occur. Active fixation CS leads present unique challenges. In the presence of hemodynamic changes during extraction the occurrence of both an arterial and venous injury must be considered.
The utility of intraoperative nerve monitoring during thyroid surgery

Abstract Background Damage to the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) can lead to vocal cord paralysis, resulting in hoarseness, aspiration, stridor, and respiratory distress. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of intraoperative nerve monitoring (IONM) on RLN injury during thyroidectomy when it is used as an adjunct to confirm the functional integrity of the RLN during delineation of its anatomic course after it has been visually identified. Methods A retrospective cohort study was performed comparing the rate of RLN injury in patients undergoing thyroidectomy with IONM, which was implemented in 2012, to patients who underwent thyroidectomy without IONM during the 3-year period immediately before IONM. Secondary analysis was performed to determine if there was a relationship between RLN injury and patient age, sex, substernal extension, central neck dissection, prior neck surgery, nodule size, gland weight, or pathology. Results A total of 627 patients underwent thyroidectomy, 315 with IONM and 312 without IONM. Of the 531 nerves at risk in the cohort with IONM, 4 (0.75%) were injured compared to 3 (0.58%) among the 517 nerves at risk in the cohort without IONM (P > 0.05). No secondary factor had a significant impact on RLN injury. Conclusions The use of IONM had no impact on the rate of permanent RLN injury during thyroidectomy. Because of the low rate of RLN injury, a much larger sample size is needed to determine if IONM will a valuable adjunct in thyroid surgery, especially in specific high-risk subgroups.
Study on Discharge of Separation Water Droplets under DC Field

With the accelerating construction of strong smart grid,and the grid voltage level rising,performance requirements for the electrical insulation of electrical equipment also continue to increase.In terms of the advantages of RTV on antifouling,the ability of RTV-based paints coated insulator against pollution conditions can significantly increase,mainly due to RTV coating with hydrophobicity and migration.But when the hydrophobic surface is in the fully wet,many small drops of water on the surface will be gathered into to form large drops of water,which will distort the surface electric field.The flashover voltage of the hydrophobic surface's separated water droplets under DC and AC electric field are analyzed comparatively in this paper,while some influencing factors such as different dielectrics and volume of water drops,are introduced in specific experiments,and their effects on the flashover voltage are analyzed.The flashover voltages are studied for hydrophobic and hydrophilic surface under DC field in order to find the differences of flashover voltage in both cases.
Activated neutrophils and neutrophil activators in human milk: increased expression of CD11b and decreased expression of L-selectin

Human milk neutrophils and macrophages were examined by flow cytometry to determine whether they displayed phenotypic markers of activation. The markers were CD11b and L-selectin, which are increased or shed, respectively, from the surface of activated neutrophils. Phenotypic features of milk neutrophils and macrophages were similar to blood neutrophils stimulated with fMLP: plasma membrane expression of CD11b was increased and L-selectin was decreased. After blood neutrophils were incubated in acellular milk, their expression of CD11b increased and L-selectin decreased. The activation was not affected by trypsin but was significantly decreased by treating acellular milk with chloroform or ether. Sedimentation studies suggested that particulate fractions of milk were active. Further, the activation was partly blocked by treating target blood neutrophils with cytochalasin B. Thus, human milk neutrophils are activated, and the activation may be due partly to phagocytosis of membranous structures in milk.
Neurological immune reconstitution inflammatory response: riding the tide of immune recovery.

Purpose of review This manuscript reviews current reports about clinical aspects of immune reconstitution inflammatory responses (IRIS), with particular emphasis on IRIS in the setting of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) and to a lesser extent on cryptococcal meningitis (CM) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
Standards of Evidence and Mechanistic Inference in Autosomal Recessive Hypercholesterolemia

The study of orphan diseases, defined by the US Food and Drug Administration as any condition that affects <200 000 people nationwide, has been crucial not only in our understanding of disease pathophysiology and gene discovery but also in therapeutic development.1 Individuals with orphan conditions have played an active role not only in improving care of their own condition but often in improving the care of individuals with more common conditions by participating in clinical trials, donating biospecimens, and even through advocacy. Nowhere has this been more evident recently than in the field of lipidology, where the study of orphan conditions such as homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, a rare condition generally caused by biallelic mutations in LDLR , or lysosomal acid lipase deficiency2 has led to the Food and Drug Administration approval of specifically targeted therapies (lomitapide, mipomersen and the PCSK9 inhibitor evolocumab for the former, and sebelipase alfa for the latter).3 See accompanying article on page 1647 Autosomal recessive hypercholesterolemia (ARH) is another such orphan disease.4 Fellin et al …
Transmission mechanisms with variable tissue properties in a paired electrode system for transcutaneous power

Wireless transcutaneous power transfer and communication has the potential to reduce the size of implantable medical devices, thereby reducing patient discomfort and minimizing the tissue area exposed to foreign material. Electromagnetic transmission mechanisms through tissue are determined by tissue structure and associated frequency-dependent tissue properties, which are significant in the design of wireless implantable medical devices. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of varying tissue dielectric properties on maximum power transfer to a subcutaneously implanted device in a paired electrode system designed for use in proximity to metallic orthopedic implants. The transcutaneous system including external and implanted electrode pairs was simulated at several radio frequencies (125 kHz, 1 MHz, 13.56 MHz, 403 MHz, and 915 MHz) while varying the dielectric properties of the tissue medium over a range of physiological values. Maximum power transfer was calculated to represent the best-case power gain across the range of tissue properties and frequencies, and greater achievable efficiencies were seen with higher quality factor as a function of the tissue properties. The results suggest that in the paired electrode system, utilization of capacitive coupling allows the system to function in proximity to metallic surfaces such as orthopedic implants. The results also suggest that higher power gains are possible through a choice of implant location based on expected tissue properties.
Adolescent adaptation before, during and in the aftermath of the Great Recession in the USA

This study examines the impact of the "Great Recession" (from December 2007 to June 2009) on 8th and 10th graders in the USA, using annual nationally representative data from the Monitoring the Future study. Historical changes in youth adjustment (self-esteem, depressed mood, risk taking, aggression and property crime), school achievement (grade point average [GPA], time spent on homework and educational expectations) and structured and unstructured activities (volunteering, employment, sports and evenings out for fun) were examined between 1991 and 2014. Overall, there were only slight changes in mean levels of adjustment, achievement and most youth activities. However, the percentage of youth working during the school year did decline during the Great Recession. Several longer-term trends were also evident, though not directly tied to the Great Recession. These include an increase in GPA, a decrease in time spent on homework, rising educational expectations and more time spent volunteering. Future work should assess how the shift to unpaid work activities (e.g. volunteering and internships) among youth is impacting the transition from school to work in the contemporary economy, and whether the Great Recession had deleterious impacts for younger children or among youth whose parents lost work or had their homes foreclosed.
Potential contribution of the uterine microbiome in the development of endometrial cancer

Endometrial cancer studies have led to a number of well-defined but mechanistically unconnected genetic and environmental risk factors. One of the emerging modulators between environmental triggers and genetic expression is the microbiome. We set out to inquire about the composition of the uterine microbiome and its putative role in endometrial cancer. We undertook a study of the microbiome in samples taken from different locations along the female reproductive tract in patients with endometrial cancer (n = 17), patients with endometrial hyperplasia (endometrial cancer precursor, n = 4), and patients afflicted with benign uterine conditions (n = 10). Vaginal, cervical, Fallopian, ovarian, peritoneal, and urine samples were collected aseptically both in the operating room and the pathology laboratory. DNA extraction was followed by amplification and high-throughput next generation sequencing (MiSeq) of the 16S rDNA V3-V5 region to identify the microbiota present. Microbiota data were summarized using both α-diversity to reflect species richness and evenness within bacterial populations and β-diversity to reflect the shared diversity between bacterial populations. Statistical significance was determined through the use of multiple testing, including the generalized mixed-effects model. The microbiome sequencing (16S rDNA V3-V5 region) revealed that the microbiomes of all organs (vagina, cervix, Fallopian tubes, and ovaries) are significantly correlated (p 4.5). Our results suggest that the detection of A. vaginae and the identified Porphyromonas sp. in the gynecologic tract combined with a high vaginal pH is statistically associated with the presence of endometrial cancer. Given the documented association of the identified microorganisms with other pathologies, these findings raise the possibility of a microbiome role in the manifestation, etiology, or progression of endometrial cancer that should be further investigated.
Abstract 2093: Regulation of c-Myc expression by aspirin and salicylic acid in colon cancer cells through a novel pathway

Epidemiological studies have demonstrated a significant correlation between regular aspirin use and reduced colon cancer incidence and mortality; however, the exact pathway has not been identified. We hypothesized that aspirin9s anti-cancer effect may occur through modulation of c-Myc gene expression. Being a transcription factor, c-Myc controls nearly 15% of the expression of all genes and its activity is highly regulated in normal cells. In many cancers including colon cancer, c-Myc is mutated and constitutively activated which leads to uncontrolled cell proliferation. In the present study, we demonstrate that aspirin and its primary metabolite, salicylic acid, significantly decrease the c-Myc protein levels in colon cancer cells. In total cell lysates, both drugs decreased the levels of c-Myc in a concentration dependent (250 μM to 2500 μM) fashion (up to 70%). Interestingly, greater inhibition was observed in the nucleus than the cytoplasm, and immuno-fluorescence studies further confirmed these observations. Pre-treatment of cells with lactacystin partially reversed the inhibitory effect of both aspirin and salicylic acid, suggesting that 26S proteasomal pathway is involved. Transfection of HCT-116 cells with DDK-tagged c-Myc produced abundant c-Myc protein; but, it was unaffected by aspirin and salicylic acid. In the same lysates, the endogenous c-Myc level were significantly decreased. HPLC analysis showed that aspirin taken up by cells was metabolized to salicylic acid in a time-dependent fashion. This further supports the finding aspirin9s inhibitory effect on c-Myc occurs through formation of salicylic acid. Our result suggests that aspirin and salicylic acid regulate c-Myc level at both transcriptional and post-transcription level. Inhibition of c-Myc levels may represent an important pathway by which aspirin exerts its anti-cancer effect and decrease the occurrence of cancer in epithelial tissues. Citation Format: Guoqiang Ai, Rakesh Dachineni, Pratik Muley, Hemachand Tummala, Jayarama B. Gunaje. Regulation of c-Myc expression by aspirin and salicylic acid in colon cancer cells through a novel pathway. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 2093. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-2093
Russian Industrial Enterprises in 2016 (On Business Surveys’ Findings)

Business surveys of industrial enterprises have been conducted by the Gaidar Institute using a European harmonized method in monthly cycles since September 1992, covering the entire territory of the Russian Federation. The panel size is around 1,000 enterprises employing over 13% of industrial employees. The panel is shifted towards large enterprises for each of the segregated sub-industries. The ratio of returned questionnaires is in the range of 70-75%. Business survey questionnaire contains a limited number of questions (not more than 15–20). The questions are of a qualitative and not quantitative nature. Simple questions structure allows the respondents to fill out the questionnaire quickly and without using any documents. It is paramount that respondent at each enterprise is a manager of the highest level who has a full understanding of state of business and is directly linked to the business management.