cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Treatment of limb-shaking TIAs with external carotid artery stenting

Limb-shaking transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) occur when perfusion is reduced to the cortical territory associated with the transient movements. We present a case in which a patient with preexisting left internal carotid artery (ICA) occlusion developed limb-shaking TIAs secondary to severe stenosis of her left external carotid artery (ECA). After angioplasty and stenting of her left ECA, her symptoms resolved.
Renal excretion of calcium in infants during chronic acid and bicarbonate load

Serum calcium and renal excretion of calcium were measured in 29 normal infants on artificial feeding aged 3-12 months. They were studied before and during 5 days of ammonium chloride /15 infants/ or sodium bicarbonate administration /14 infants/. During the acid load the serum calcium increased and was followed on the 3rd day with significant elevation of the renal calcium excretion as well of calcium clearance. After sodium bicarbonate load in infants serum calcium did not differ from the control values, while the, renal calcium excretion and calcium clearance significantly decreased. The evidence presented is consistent with the observation of the close relationship between the acid-base homeostasis and the renal excretion of calcium.
Is touch gating due to sensory or cognitive interference

Touch gating, the attenuation of tactile sensitivity in the presence of pain, is a well-documented phenomenon, but its mechanism is unknown. The ability of pain to capture attention suggests that touch gating may be an example of distraction, but the fact that pain raises tactile but not auditory thresholds argues that touch gating is a form of somatosensory interaction. Therefore, the present study was carried out to determine whether touch gating is the result of sensory or cognitive interference. Touch gating was repeatedly produced by delivering a colocalized painful heat stimulus (45°C) during forced-choice measurements of vibration threshold on the palm. Noxious heat significantly increased thresholds compared with those measured at normal skin temperature, and this interference did not decline over the course of an extended series of experiments during which pain intensity significantly habituated. Touch gating was thus related to the constant physical intensity, rather than to the changing subjective intensity, of the noxious stimulus. For comparison, a form of unambiguously cognitive interference, the Stroop effect, was also measured repeatedly; it declined significantly across sessions, unlike touch gating interference. Finally, touch gating was not correlated with measures of participants' distractibility, fear of pain, hypervigilance, or anxiety, variables previously found to influence pain on a cognitive level. Taken together, the results suggest that touch gating is a robust, stimulus-locked form of sensory interaction, rather than a transitory result of distraction or other cognitive processes.
Finasteride-induced prostatic involution by apoptosis in dogs with benign prostatic hypertrophy

Objective—To determine the effect of finasteride on programmed cell death (apoptosis) of prostatic cells during prostatic involution in dogs with benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). Animals—9 dogs ...
Take back costs and product durability

Abstract Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) initiatives may require a manufacturer to be responsible in the future for taking back the products it produces today. A ramification of EPR is that take back costs may influence firms’ decisions regarding product durability. In the absence of EPR, prior literature has shown that a firm may intentionally lower durability, yielding planned obsolescence. We use a two period model to examine the impact of take back costs on a manufacturer’s product durability and pricing decisions, under both selling and leasing scenarios. We show that compared to selling, leasing provides a greater incentive to raise durability, thus extending a classic insight to a setting with product take backs. Interestingly, we also show that it is possible for the optimal product durability to decrease if the stipulated take back fraction increases. In such situations, were the take back fraction tied to durability rather than a fixed fraction, we demonstrate durability can increase. We explore the impact of take backs on profits and surplus by alternatively considering products for which take back costs are either increasing or decreasing functions of durability. When increasing durability implies higher take back costs, our results demonstrate that leasing can increase durability, profits, and surplus significantly compared to selling. In contrast, when increasing durability implies a lower take back cost, there is a built-in incentive for the firm to increase durability, which can make selling more efficient (i.e., surplus enhancing) than leasing.
CT Angiography in Acute Ischemic Stroke Preliminary Results

Background and Purpose— We sought to evaluate the ability of CT angiography (CTA) to determine vessel occlusion before acute stroke treatment and to predict its impact on patient outcome. Methods— Consecutive patients with acute focal neurological deficits received immediate brain CTA. Occlusion on CTA was correlated with other neuroimaging studies and clinical outcome. Results— Diagnostic CTA was obtained in 54 patients: catheter angiography (digital subtraction angiography) confirmed the CTA findings in 12 of 14 patients (86%). CTA results were consistent with at least 1 other neuroimaging study in 40 of 50 patients (80%). Patients with occlusion on CTA had significantly worse discharge National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score (mean 14.3 versus 4.5, P=0.0023). In multivariate analysis, both CTA-determined presence of occlusion and admission NIHSS score were independent predictors of clinical outcome. Conclusions— In our study there was good agreement between acute CTA interpretation and ...
Insulin-associated Changes in Carnitine Paimitoyltransferase in Cultured Neonatal Rat Cardiac Myocytes

Insulin increases the synthesis of mitochondrial proteins in the isolated perfused heart and total cell protein synthesis in neonatal cardiac myocytes. Since carnitine-dependent fatty acid oxidation is modulated by insulin in a variety of tissues, the effects of 1.7 microM insulin on the mitochondrial enzyme(s), carnitine palmitoyltransferase (malonyl-CoA-sensitive CPT-I and the matrix-facing CPT-II), were studied in neonatal rat cardiac myocytes cultured in the absence of serum. Following incubation in serum-free medium, there is a four-fold increase in the I50 of CPT-I for malonyl-CoA (3.8 microM) compared to cells cultured in serum-free medium to which insulin has been added (I50 = 0.8 microM). CPT-I activity in the insulin-supplemented, serum-free cultures is 57% higher (P < 0.002) than CPT-I activity in cells cultured in the absence of insulin; CPT-II activity is also significantly increased (P < 0.01) in the presence of insulin. Since CPT-II is an inner membrane protein, the CPT response to insulin may be coordinately regulated with other mitochondrial activities. Similar to CPT, cytochrome oxidase activity of cardiac myocytes in serum-free medium is increased 33% by insulin. Consistent with this finding, both CPT-II and cytochrome oxidase mRNA expression is elevated over control in the presence of insulin. CPT-II activity increases significantly only at very high insulin concentrations (1.7 microM), suggesting a role for insulin-like growth factor pathway. When myocytes are cultured in the presence of 1.7 microM insulin and then transferred to an insulin-free medium, subsequent addition of insulin does not stimulate uptake of deoxyglucose. These results suggest that the response of CPT to insulin is mediated by insulin-like growth factor activity and not by cellular glucose availability. The response of CPT to insulin does not appear to be mediated by the protein kinase C pathway since CPT-II activity is not reduced by the protein kinase C inhibitor, chelerythrine. Insulin significantly increases protein synthesis in the neonatal cardiac myocyte and in isolated mitochondria by increasing incorporation of labelled amino acid into total myocyte and/or mitochondrial protein. The degradation rate of radiolabelled protein in cardiac myocytes cultured in the presence of insulin is not different from that of insulin-deprived cells. The data suggest that insulin can affect the activity and expression of mitochondrial proteins, e.g., CPT, through the insulin-like growth factor-I pathway in neonatal cardiac myocytes.
Incorporation of scheduling and adaptive historical data in the Sensor-Utility-Network method for occupancy estimation

Abstract Two improvements were made to the Sensor-Utility-Network method of occupancy estimation found in the literature, which casts the occupancy estimation/prediction problem as a convex program with an objective function based on various data sources that contribute to occupancy information. The improvements were the inclusion of a scheduling term in the objective function and a mechanism for updating the historical data automatically. The schedule term weighted the difference between projected estimates and scheduled occupancy based on zone usage such that zones with stricter adherence to schedules have more influence. The historical data were updated through an exponentially weighted average of estimates at the same time on past similar days. The estimates for a given time on a given day were calculated as weighted averages of all estimates for that time, including estimates from past and future times on that day. After implementing the SUN algorithm in Matlab, it was tested using data from an agent-based occupancy model. The improvements were added and resulted in a one third decrease in estimation error.
Characterization of a rearrangement in the c-MYB promoter in the acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell line CCRF-CEM☆

Abstract Despite the frequent description of 6q− structural abnormalities in human leukemias and in the c -MYB proto-oncogene in the cell line CCRF-CEM, an immature T-cell leukemia cell line which is not 6q−. Due to this rearrangement, a large portion of the c -MYB promoter conserved between the human and murine c -MYB genes is lost. The rearranged locus, which we have designated MRR (MYB rearranged region), has been cloned and mapped to chromosome 6. Field inversion gel electrophoresis (FIGE) studies reveal that the MRR sequence is linked to the c -MYB locus, suggesting that the rearrangement is due to a submicroscopic deletion. The rearrangement appears to have no effect on c -MYB promoter activity as analyzed in CCRF-CEM cells. The normal locus of the MRR sequence has been cloned from a human placental genomic library. Partial sequence analysis of this clone reveals that a portion of the DNA lost in the rearrangement shows a high degree of homology to a member of the myc family of oncogenes. Thus the characterization of this rearrangement has yielded a new set of probes for the study of chromosome 6q abnormalities in human leukemias and lymphomas and provides the first evidence for potential involvement of the c -MYB locus itself in submicroscopic deletions within chromosome 6.
Analytical design of electrohydraulic servomechanisms with near time-optimal responses

An analytical method is proposed for practical design of electrohydraulic servomechanisms with near time-optimal response. The method, a dual-mode approach, involves opening the valve ports as wide as possible during the initial acceleration, followed by controlled closure during deceleration. The decelerating motion of the actuator load is critically controlled so that the actuator acts on the verge of cavitation. The proposed method leads to a simple dual-mode controller which can be implemented by a reasonably small amount of hardware. When a typical system was simulated on an analog computer, the results substantiated the validity of this design method.
Radial Collateral Ligament Injuries of the Thumb

Radial collateral ligament (RCL) injuries of the thumb are relatively common although they are less common than ulnar collateral ligament injuries, which make up 10% to 42% of collateral ligament injuries of the thumb. The RCL is especially important for pinch movements and for movements of depression. Complete disruption of the RCL can result in both static and dynamic instability, which can lead to a predictable sequence of a painful deformity resulting in articular degeneration. Most authors agree that both acute and chronic grade 3 RCL tears should be surgically treated. There are various methods of repair or reconstruction of the RCL that yield satisfactory results, providing radial stability and intending to preclude the appearance of degenerative disease of the metacarpophalangeal joint. This article reviews the anatomy, physiology, diagnosis, and treatment, including surgical technique, for RCL injuries of the thumb.
The Impact of a Juvenile Residential Treatment Center on Minority Offenders

This study compares postrelease behavior of youth released from a residential treatment center to a similar group of youth discharged from traditional juvenile institutions. The hypotheses tested are (a) non-White youth are more likely to be reconvicted of a new offense and recommitted than are White youth regardless of the type of facility, (b) non-White youth in a residential treatment facility are less likely to be reconvicted of a new offense or recommitted than are non-White comparison youth, and (c) White youth in a residential treatment facility are less likely to be reconvicted of a new offense or recommitted than a comparison group of White youth. Regardless of race, the residential treatment group has a lower percentage of reconvictions and recommitments than the comparison group. Minority offenders in a residential treatment facility are less likely to be reconvicted or recommitted than minority offenders in the comparison group. These findings have implications for future correctional endeavors.
The Real Problem: Avatars, Metaphysics and Online Social Interaction

It is often assumed that the problem with ‘virtual reality’ — the concept, its various technological deployments and the apparently oxymoronic phrase itself — has been our understanding, or perhaps misunderstanding, of the virtual. The real problem, however, is not with the virtual; it is with the real itself. This article investigates the undeniably useful but ultimately mistaken and somewhat misguided concept of the real that has been routinely operationalized in investigations of new media technology. The specific point of contact for the examination is the avatar. What is at issue here is not the complicated structures and articulations of avatar identity but the assumed ‘real thing’ that is said to be its ultimate cause and referent. In addressing this subject, the article considers three theories of the real, extending from Platonism to the recent innovations of Slavoj Žižek, and investigates their effect on our understanding of computer-generated experience and social interaction.
Features of Reovirus Outer Capsid Protein μ1 Revealed by Electron Cryomicroscopy and Image Reconstruction of the Virion at 7.0 Å Resolution

Summary Reovirus is a useful model for addressing the molecular basis of membrane penetration by one of the larger nonenveloped animal viruses. We now report the structure of the reovirus virion at 7.0 A resolution as obtained by electron cryomicroscopy and threedimensional image reconstruction. Several features of the myristoylated outer capsid protein 1, not seen in a previous X-ray crystal structure of the 1-3 heterohexamer, are evident in the virion. These features appear to be important for stabilizing the outer capsid, regulating the conformational changes in 1 that accompany perforation of target membranes, and contributing directly to membrane penetration during cell entry.
Assessment in Adult Basic Education: a Comparison of the Apl and Ged Tests

The purpose of this study was to determine how the approach to assessing outcomes in ABE exemplified by the Adult Performance Level (APL) Survey compares with the most widely used approach exemplified by the General Educational Development (GED) test. The APL Survey was administered to 269 adults at the time they were taking the new forms of the GED test. It was found that there is a high positive relationship between total scores on the APL Survey and the GED test (r = .81, p < .00001). Factor analyses of scores on the two tests suggest that one mental trait, reading ability, significantly affects performance on both tests. It was concluded that these results from the factor analyses account for the high positive relationship between scores on the APL and GED tests.
Late Holocene dune development and shift in dune-building winds along southern Lake Michigan

The youngest dune belt along Lake Michigan’s southern coast evolved through four stages. The fi rst stage began during the Nipissing transgression, ~6.0 ka, and culminated at the Nipissing high, ~4.5 ka. Rising lake levels eroded the lake margins and generated sediment that was transported to southern Lake Michigan, creating the Tolleston barrier beach. The second stage, beginning ~4.5 ka with a rapid lake level fall and continuing to ~3.0 ka, represents a major episode of transgressive parabolic dune fi eld development. Large, simple parabolic dunes, with easterly apices (85–105° azimuth) suggestive of westerly wind formation, developed in a sand belt ~1–2 km wide. The third stage, from ~3.0 to 1.0 ka, was characterized by strandplain progradation and transverse ridge development west of Miller, Indiana, and dune stabilization creating the Holland Paleosol east of Miller. Sporadic blowout activity from strong westerly winds redistributed the sand within the dune fi eld, amalgamating simple dune forms into compound, rake-like, and nested parabolic dunes. The fourth and youngest stage, beginning ~1.0 ka, represents blowout development in a southeasterly direction (120–135° azimuth), indicating a wind direction shift to the northwest. Blowouts, whether developed in transverse ridges or in the northern arms of parabolic dunes, occur closest to the lake. The timing of this blowout initiation coincides with a rise in the level of Lake Michigan. However, a more likely development and maintenance mechanism for these dunes is increased storminess with strong northerly and northwesterly winds during the cooler months of the year.
HPLC Method for 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Measurement: Comparison with Contemporary Assays

Background: The concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] in serum has been designated the functional indicator of vitamin D (VitD) nutritional status. Unfortunately, variability among 25(OH)D assays limits clinician ability to monitor VitD status, supplementation, and toxicity. Methods: We developed an HPLC method that selectively measures 25-hydroxyvitamin D2 [25(OH)D2] and D3 [25(OH)D3] and compared this assay with a liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method, a competitive protein-binding assay (CPBA) on the Nichols Advantage™ platform, and an RIA from Diasorin. Results: For the new HPLC assay, between-run CVs were 2.6%–4.9% for 25(OH)D3 and 3.2%–13% for 25(OH)D2; recoveries were 95%–102%; and the assay was linear from 5 μg/L to at least 200 μg/L. Comparison data were as follows: for HPLC vs LC-MS/MS, y = 1.01 x − 4.82 μg/L ( S y|x = 4.93 μg/L; r = 0.996) for 25(OH)D3, and y = 0.902 x − 0.566 μg/L ( S y|x = 2.56 μg/L; r = 0.9965 for 25(OH)D2; for HPLC vs Diasorin RIA, y = 0.709 x − 5.86 μg/L ( S y|x = 7.35 μg/L; r = 0.7509); and for HPLC vs Nichols Advantage CPBA, y = 1.00 x − 3.60 μg/L ( S y|x = 32.7 μg/L; r = 0.6823). Conclusions: The new HPLC method is reliable, robust, and has advantages compared with the Nichols Advantage CPBA and the Diasorin RIA. The Nichols Advantage CPBA overestimated or underestimated 25(OH)D concentrations predicated on the prevailing metabolite present in patients’ sera.
Comparison of anode bacterial communities and performance in microbial fuel cells with different electron donors

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) harness the electrochemical activity of certain microbes for the production of electricity from reduced compounds. Characterizations of MFC anode biofilms have collectively shown very diverse microbial communities, raising ecological questions about competition and community succession within these anode-reducing communities. Three sets of triplicate, two-chamber MFCs inoculated with anaerobic sludge and differing in energy sources (acetate, lactate, and glucose) were operated to explore these questions. Based on 16S rDNA-targeted denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), all anode communities contained sequences closely affiliated with Geobacter sulfurreducens (>99% similarity) and an uncultured bacterium clone in the Bacteroidetes class (99% similarity). Various other Geobacter-like sequences were also enriched in most of the anode biofilms. While the anode communities in replicate reactors for each substrate generally converged to a reproducible community, there were some variations in the relative distribution of these putative anode-reducing Geobacter-like strains. Firmicutes were found only in glucose-fed MFCs, presumably serving the roles of converting complex carbon into simple molecules and scavenging oxygen. The maximum current density in these systems was negatively correlated with internal resistance variations among replicate reactors and, likely, was only minimally affected by anode community differences in these two-chamber MFCs with high internal resistance.
Lossless audio coding with MPEG-4 structured audio

MPEG-4 structured audio (SA) has been proposed as a flexible standard for generalized audio coding. Originating out of Netsound software developed at MIT SA is based on MIDI-synthesis of sound, but it is enriched with DSP algorithms so as to allow emulation of other types of coders designed for speech and audio signals. We have investigated the use of structured audio for lossless coding of audio signals, and have found that certain limitations of structured audio make implementations of lossless coders less straightforward than might be desired. In particular we have used SA to implement an MPEG-4 compliant version of the lossless audio coder AudioPaK. To implement and validate our new coder we used the software system Sfront, which translates MPEG-4 SA files into efficient C programs that render the audio signal.
Development and application of a novel method for high-throughput determination of PCDD/Fs and PCBs in sediments

A selective pressurized liquid extraction technique was developed for the simultaneous extraction of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs) from contaminated sediments. The final method incorporated cleanup adsorbents (Florisil, alumina, and silica) into the extraction cell in a 1:1 ratio of matrix to individual adsorbent (w/w). Sulfur, a common interference found in sediments, was successfully removed by placing activated copper in the extraction bottle prior to extraction. No additional postextraction cleanup was required, and sample throughput was reduced to 2.5 h per sample. Target analytes were quantified using high-resolution gas chromatography/electron-capture negative ionization mass spectrometry and verified by high-resolution gas chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometry. Though mean analyte recoveries (n = 3) of PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs were 84 ± 5.8% and 70 ± 8.4%, respectively, mean surrogate recoveries for all PCDD/Fs using this novel method were greatly improved compared with US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) method 1613 (∼25–155%) and USEPA method 8290a (40–135%). After development, the method was used to examine surficial sediment samples from the San Jacinto River waste pits, a Superfund site in Houston, Texas, USA. In all samples, PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs were detected, and the contaminant concentrations ranged over 5 orders of magnitude. Environ Toxicol Chem 2014;33:1529–1536. © 2014 SETAC
Knowledge and use of folic acid among college women: a pilot health promotion program led by pharmacy students and faculty.

As pharmacists and pharmacy students are increasingly called upon to assume roles in public health activities, it is important to recognize unique opportunities to educate community members on health, wellness, and disease prevention.Objective: To evaluate the impact of a pilot health promotion program on college women’s knowledge regarding folic acid and prevention of neural tube defects (NTD) and frequency of multivitamin use.Methods: A health promotion program was developed by a pharmacy student and two pharmacy faculty members that included an oral presentation and reminder messages. A multiple-choice test assessing knowledge of folic acid and NTD and frequency of multivitamin use was given to participants before and immediately after the presentation. Participants then received a reminder message regarding folic acid once a week for three weeks. Knowledge and multivitamin use were re-assessed four weeks post-intervention.Results: Thirty-two college women voluntarily attended the oral presentation. Twenty-five women (78.2%) completed the four-week post-test. Compared to the pre-test, there were statistically significant increases in average test score (p<0.0001) and correct responses to questions regarding folic acid and NTD (p<0.05 for each question). Participants reported a statistically significant increase in regular (≥4 times/week) multivitamin use (p=0.023).Conclusion: Participants in the pilot health promotion program demonstrated a statistically significant increase in knowledge about folic acid and frequency of multivitamin use. A similarly-modeled health promotion program may be an effective way of increasing folic acid and NTD knowledge and changing behaviors of multivitamin use in college women.
The Tourism Researcher's Gaze: Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Concerning Qualitative Research

ABSTRACT This empirical study examines how the methodological training, attitudes and perceptions of tourism researchers are shaping the form and content of the “Knowledge-Based Platform” in tourism studies. Data was gathered electronically with the help of e-mail and an on-line web survey. The trends observed point out a number of institutional and structural barriers to the acceptance of qualitative research as a legitimate mode of inquiry. These relate to tenure, journal article publication, agency funding and obtaining academic positions based on qualitative dissertations. Additionally, the study indicates two graduate program-related conditions that inhibit effective social inquiry: (1) insufficient training to produce good qualitative researchers, and (2) inadequate program support for training students to recognize the philosophical/methodological issues that shape their own research approaches and analyses. Overall, results suggest that tourism research still aspires to being primarily (post)posit...
Effects of arterial strain and stress in the prediction of restenosis risk: Computer modeling of stent trials

In-stenting restenosis is one of the major complications after stenting. Clinical trials of various stent designs have reported different restenosis rates. However, quantitative correlation between stent features and restenosis statistics is scant. In this work, it is hypothesized that stress concentrations on arterial wall caused artery injury, which initiates restenosis. The goal is to assess the correlation between stent-induced arterial stress and strain and the documented restenosis rates Six commercially available stents, including balloon-expandable stents and self-expanding stents, were virtually implanted into the arteries through finite element method. The resulted peak Von Mises stress, principal stress, principal logarithm strain, as well as percentage of intimal area with abnormal higher stress were monitored. Positive correlation between arterial stress and strain after stent implantations and the documented restenosis rates from the corresponding clinical trials was found regardless of stent types. No statistical significant difference was observed for various stress or strain parameters serving as indicators of artery injury. In-stent restenosis are less likely to occur as arterial mechanics are least altered by stent implantations. Optimization of stent designs to minimize the stent-induced arterial stresses and strains can reduce the arterial injury, and thus reduce the occurrence of restenosis. This work improved our understanding of the stent-lesion interactions that regulate arterial mechanics and demonstrated that arterial stress and strain could predict the risk of in-stent restenosis.
Violations of Branch Independence in Choices between Gambles

Branch Independence is weaker than Savage's independence axiom; it holds that if two gambles have a common outcome for an event of known probability, the value of that common outcome should have no effect on the preference order induced by other probability-outcome branches. Systematic violations of branch independence were obtained in two experiments with choices between gambles composed of three equally likely, positive outcomes. Most people prefer ($2, $40, $44) over ($2, $10, $98); however, most people prefer ($10, $98, $136) over ($40, $44, $136). These results refute Expected Utility theories. They also refute the theory that people edit and cancel common components in choice. The pattern is opposite that predicted by the weighting function of cumulative prospect theory. Results are consistent with rank dependent, configural weight theory, with wL> wM> wH, where wL, wM, and wHare the weights of the lowest, medium, and highest outcomes, respectively. In this theory, violations of branch independence depend on relations among weights: results indicate that wL/wM< wM/wH.
An elitist approach to automatic articulatory-acoustic feature classification for phonetic characterization of spoken language

A novel framework for automatic articulatory-acoustic feature extraction has been developed for enhancing the accuracy of place- and manner-of-articulation classication in spoken language. The ''elitist'' approach provides a prin- cipled means of selecting frames for which multi-layer perceptron, neural-network classiers are highly condent. Using this method it is possible to achieve a frame-level accuracy of 93% on ''elitist'' frames for manner classication on a corpus of American English sentences passed through a telephone network (NTIMIT). Place-of-articulation informa- tion is extracted for each manner class independently, resulting in an appreciable gain in place-feature classication relative to performance for a manner-independent system. A comparable enhancement in classication performance for the elitist approach is evidenced when applied to a Dutch corpus of quasi-spontaneous telephone interactions (VIOS). The elitist framework provides a potential means of automatically annotating a corpus at the phonetic level without recourse to a word-level transcriptand could thus be of utility for developing training materials for automatic speech recognition and speech synthesis applications, as well as aid the empirical study of spoken language.
Topology optimization of compliant mechanisms using the homogenization method

A procedure to obtain a topology of an optimal structure considering flexibility is presented. The methodology is based on a mutual energy concept for formulation of flexibility and the homogenization method. A multi-objective optimization problem is formulated as an application of compliant mechanism design. Some examples of the design of compliant mechanisms for plane structures are presented. ( 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Detection of dengue virus NS1 antigen in infected Aedes aegypti using a commercially available kit.

Epidemic dengue has emerged throughout the tropical world. In the continued absence of a vaccine against dengue virus (DENV), mosquito vector surveillance and control programs are essential to reduce human infections. An effective test to detect DENV in infected mosquitoes would be a valuable addition to the surveillance effort. We investigated DENV detection in infected Aedes aegypti using a commercially available DENV non-structural protein 1 (NS1) ELISA kit (Platelia Dengue NS1 Ag), and by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and virus isolation assays. The DENV-infected mosquitoes were subjected to field-relevant conditions and assayed individu- ally and pooled with uninfected mosquitoes. Overall, DENV NS1 antigen was detected in 98% of infected mosquitoes/ pools versus 79% for RT-PCR and 29% for virus isolation. Our results indicate that NS1 is an excellent analyte for detection of DENV in Ae. aegypti and that the tested NS1 antigen kit provides a sensitive, rapid, and convenient test for DENV surveillance in mosquitoes.
Academic performance, course completion rates, and student perception of the quality and frequency of interaction in a virtual high school

This study examined the relationship between students’ perceptions of teacher–student interaction and academic performance at an asynchronous, self-paced, statewide virtual high school. Academic performance was measured by grade awarded and course completion. There were 2269 students who responded to an 18-item survey designed to measure student perceptions on the quality and frequency of teacher–student interaction. Quality of interaction was subdivided into three constructs representing feedback, procedural, and social interaction. A confirmatory factor analysis helped to establish the fit of the statistical model for teacher–student interaction. Hierarchical logistical regression indicates that an increase in the quality and frequency of interaction resulted in an increased likelihood of course completion but had minimal influence on grade awarded. The estimated effect for quality and frequency composite items on completion was .83 and .56 respectively. Low practical significance of student–teacher int...
Addressing the Affordable Housing Crisis for Vulnerable Renters: Insights From Broward County on an Affordable Housing Acquisition Tool

South Florida is experiencing an affordable rental crisis that is especially burdensome on those most vulnerable in society, low-income households. Rapid urbanization has resulted in inequitable land-use patterns that are a barrier to housing for the poor. As a solution to the crisis, local housing agencies seek to expand their affordable housing stock for vulnerable renters in opportunity-rich neighborhoods, but there is no standard framework for identifying properties for acquisition. Broward County serves as a case study to develop a housing acquisition tool. Using a combination of spatial statistics and principal components analysis, neighborhoods in which housing agencies may consider acquiring property are identified through the creation of an affordability surface in ArcGIS. Affordability is overlain by an opportunity surface derived from neighborhood quality and accessibility rankings. The results identify neighborhoods in Broward County that are both affordable and opportunity-rich, to better ser...
Crofton Densities, Symplectic Geometry and Hilbert’s Fourth Problem

We study the relation between the integral geometric and the symplectic construction of Desarguesian metrics on R n and show that these constructions characterize all Desarguesian Finsler metrics.
More than just a movement disorder Why cognitive training is needed in Parkinson disease

Parkinson disease (PD) is a movement disorder with cardinal motor symptoms of resting tremor, bradykinesia, freezing of gait, and rigidity.1 Most PD treatments aim to manage motor symptoms through pharmacologic and surgical interventions such as deep brain stimulation. Although these treatments can improve or slow decline in motor symptoms, they can also have adverse side effects, such as debilitating motor fluctuations, and costs are an estimated $25 billion per year in the United States alone.2,3 In addition, nonmotor symptoms, including cognitive impairments, can be as troublesome as motor symptoms, but are not responsive to current PD treatments.4 Results from an extensive review by Seppi et al.4 show a lack of evidence for the effectiveness of pharmacologic treatments for cognitive decline in PD, with the exception of rivastigmine for the treatment of dementia. Cognitive difficulties in domains such as speed of processing, memory, and visuospatial and attentional executive functioning are common in PD, may appear before motor symptom onset, and can affect approximately 25% of patients at disease onset.5 Even subtle cognitive decline can negatively affect quality of life. Furthermore, those experiencing cognitive difficulties early in disease progression are at higher risk for cognitive decline, with 80% developing dementia.6 Therefore, there is a great need to explore nonpharmacologic, noninvasive interventions that are effective in treating cognitive symptoms in order to help patients with PD maintain daily functioning, independence and quality of life.
On the decay of the smallest singular value of submatrices of rectangular matrices

In this paper, we study the decay of the smallest singular value of submatrices that consist of bounded column vectors. We find that the smallest singular value of submatrices is related to the minimal distance of points to the lines connecting other two points in a bounded point set. Using a technique from integral geometry and from the perspective of combinatorial geometry, we show the decay rate of the minimal distance for the sets of points if the number of the points that are on the boundary of the convex hull of any subset is not too large, relative to the cardinality of the set. In the numeral or computational aspect, we conduct some numerical experiments for many sets of points and analyze the smallest distance for some extremal configurations.
The Grp170 nucleotide exchange factor executes a key role during ERAD of cellular misfolded clients

When a protein misfolds in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), it retrotranslocates to the cytosol and is degraded by the proteasome via a pathway called ER-associated degradation (ERAD). To initiate ERAD, ADP-BiP is often recruited to the misfolded client, rendering it soluble and translocation competent. How the misfolded client is subsequently released from BiP so that it undergoes retrotranslocation, however, remains enigmatic. Here we demonstrate that the ER-resident nucleotide exchange factor (NEF) Grp170 plays an important role during ERAD of the misfolded glycosylated client null Hong Kong (NHK). As a NEF, Grp170 triggers nucleotide exchange of BiP to generate ATP-BiP. ATP-BiP disengages from NHK, enabling it to retrotranslocate to the cytosol. We demonstrate that Grp170 binds to Sel1L, an adapter of the transmembrane Hrd1 E3 ubiquitin ligase postulated to be the retrotranslocon, and links this interaction to Grp170's function during ERAD. More broadly, Grp170 also promotes degradation of the nonglycosylated transthyretin (TTR) D18G misfolded client. Our findings thus establish a general function of Grp170 during ERAD and suggest that positioning this client-release factor at the retrotranslocation site may afford a mechanism to couple client release from BiP and retrotranslocation.
A Two-Phase Model for Solar Thermochemical Water Splitting With FeO/Fe3O4

A two-phase, multi-dimensional, multi-physics computational model based on the finite-element method is presented for simulating the solar thermochemical water splitting process in which hydrogen gas is produced from steam. The model takes into account heat transfer, gas-phase diffusion and advection of neutral species in open channels and through pores of the porous reactant layer, solid-state transport of charged species, and redox chemical reactions. Preliminary results (temperature distribution, velocity field, and species concentration) computed from the gas-phase transport dominating (i.e., resistance to solid-state transport is taken to be negligible) regime are presented to illustrate the utility of the model. Efforts are underway to improve the present first-generation model by incorporating solid-state transport with more realistic kinetic model, internal radiation, reactant-layer support, and temperature-dependent properties.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Assessing Type I error and power of multistate Markov models for panel data—A simulation study

Ordinal outcomes collected at multiple follow-up visits are common in clinical trials. Sometimes, one visit is chosen for the primary analysis and the scale is dichotomized amounting to loss of inf...
Human Land-Use and Soil Change

Soil change refers to the alteration of soil and soil properties over time in one location, as opposed to soil variability across space. Although soils change through natural processes (pedogenesis), this chapter focuses on human-caused soil change. Soil change can occur with human land use and management over long or short time periods and small or large scales. While change can be negative or positive, often soil change is observed when short-term or narrow goals overshadow soil’s other ecosystem services. Assessing soil change depends upon the ecosystem services and soil functions being evaluated. The interaction of soil properties with the type and intensity of management and disturbance determines the changes that will be observed. Many soils have been changed in their chemical, physical, or biological properties through agricultural activities, including cultivation, tillage, weeding, terracing, subsoiling, deep plowing, manure and fertilizer addition, liming, draining, and irrigation. Tillage of cropland disrupts aggregates and decreases soil organic carbon content, which can lead to decreased infiltration, increased erosion, and reduced biological function. Improved agricultural management systems can increase soil functions including crop productivity and sustainability. Forest management is most intensive during harvesting and seedling establishment. Most active management in forests causes disturbance of the soil surface, which may include loss of forest floor organic materials, increases in bulk density , and increased risk of erosion. In grazing lands, pasture management often includes periods of biological, chemical, and physical disturbance in addition to the grazing management imposed on rangelands. Grazing animals have both direct and indirect impacts on soil change. Hoof action can lead to the disturbance of biological crusts and other surface features impairing the soil’s physical, biological, and hydrological functions. There are clear feedbacks between vegetative systems and soil properties; when vegetation is altered because of grazing or other disturbances, soil property changes often follow. Some soils are very sensitive to management and disturbance and can undergo rapid change; for example, cropping led to massive gully formation in the southeastern USA, exposure of acid sulfate soils leads to irreversible changes in soil mineralogy, and thawing of cold soils has created thermokarst features. These soil changes alter soil properties and functions and may impact soil ecosystem services far into the future.
Fundus Camera-Delivered Light-Induced Retinal Degeneration in Mice With the RPE65 Leu450Met Variant is Associated With Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis.

Purpose Oxidative stress, partly due to light, has an important role in many retinal diseases, including macular degeneration and retinal dystrophies. The Leu450Met variant of RPE65 is expressed in C57BL/6 and in many genetically modified mice. It confers significant resistance to light induced retinal degeneration (LIRD). Our goal was to develop an effective and efficient method to induce LIRD in resistant mice that would recapitulate mechanisms seen in known models of LIRD. Methods The retinas of C57BL/6J mice were exposed to light using a murine fundus camera. Two protocols (with and without intraperitoneal fluorescein) were used. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) helped determine the location and extent of retinal damage. Histology, TUNEL assay, quantitative (q) PCR, and immunohistochemistry were performed. Results Both protocols consistently generated LIRD in C57BL/6J mice. Optical coherence tomography and histology demonstrated that retinal damage starts at the level of the photoreceptor/outer retina and is more prominent in the superior retina. Fundus camera-delivered light-induced retinal degeneration (FCD-LIRD) is associated with apoptosis, subretinal microglia/macrophages, increased expression of oxidative stress response genes, and C3d deposition. Conclusions We characterize two new models of light-induced retinal degeneration that are effective in C57BL/6J mice, and can be modulated in terms of severity. We expect FCD-LIRD to be useful in exploring mechanisms of LIRD in resistant mice, which will be important in increasing our understanding of the retinal response to light damage and oxidative stress.
Functional connectivity network based on graph analysis of scalp EEG for epileptic classification

The proposed study presents a novel fully automated data-driven approach for differentiating epileptic subjects from normal controls using graph-based functional connectivity networks calculated using scalp EEG. A set of fourteen density-related, graph distance-based and spectral topological features extracted from the network graph is employed for the classification process. The proposed algorithm demonstrated an accuracy of 87.5% with a sensitivity of 75% and specificity of 100% when tested on 8 subjects. The study showed that graph-based functional connectivity networks in epileptic subjects were significantly different from those of controls (p<;0.05). The study has the potential for aiding neurologists in decision making for diagnostic purposes solely based on scalp EEG.
Adenovirus Terminal Protein Mediates Efficient and Timely Activation of Viral Transcription

The adenovirus terminal protein (TP) is found covalently attached to the 5’-ends of viral DNA molecules (Robinson et al. 1973; Robinson and Bellett 1974; Rekosh et al. 1977). The linkage is through a phosphodiester bond formed between the s-hydroxyl group of a serine residue within the C-terminal domain of the TP and the 5’-hydroxyl of the terminal deoxycytosine residue on the viral DNA (DesI-derIo and Kelly 1981; Smart and Stillman 1982). The protein initially attached to the viral chromosome is termed the preterminal protein (pTP), and it is cleaved to form the TP during virion maturation (Challberg and Kelly 1981; Stillmann et al. 1981). The functional significance of the cleavage is unclear.
On Piecing Together Locally Defined Markov Processes

Let E be a noncompact, locally compact separable metric space and let E n be relatively compact open sets increasing to E. Suppose that for each n we are given a right process X t n on E n and assume these processes are consistent, in the sense that X t n+1 killed at the exit from E n is a process that is (equivalent to) a time change of X t n , (equivalently, has identical hitting distributions as X t n ). We consider the problem of constructing a right process Y t on E such that for each n the process Y t killed at the exit from E n is a time change of X t n . The problem was posed in Glover and Mitro [3].
The Arab Oedipus: ancient categories, modern fiction

ABSTRACTThis article examines the use of anagnorisis in five Arab adaptations of Oedipus Rex from the 1940s to the early 21st century. The article traces the progressive erosion of the force of anagnorisis in four of these plays—a reflection of a modernist and postmodernist move away from certainty, as well as the specific concerns of the Arab adaptors. The fifth play, Wajdi Mouawad’s Incendies/Scorched, is described as a return to the classical structure of anagnorisis with powerful effect. While this loose adaptation of Oedipus Rex explores universal themes, it is an undoubtedly Arab work and demonstrates that the role of anagnorisis is in large part culturally dependent on who or what we recognize.