cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Experimental Autoimmune Uveoretinitis—Rat and Mouse

Publisher Summary This chapter describes experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU) in the rat and the mouse. EAU is a prototypic T-cell-mediated autoimmune disease that targets the neural retina and related tissues. A unique advantage of the EAU model is that it permits direct visual inspection of disease development and progression. The model is used to represent a number of human eye diseases of a putative autoimmune nature, and to study basic mechanisms in tolerance and autoimmunity to organ-specific antigens residing in immunologically privileged sites. EAU models exist in a number of rodent species as well as in primates. Clinically, the EAU model has served as an invaluable tool to evaluate novel immunotherapeutic and conventional therapeutic strategies. So far, the success of a given modality to down regulate EAU in animals has served as a good predictor of its clinical usefulness. While none of the animal models mimics the full spectrum of the human disease, each has distinguishing characteristics that are reminiscent of different aspects of clinical uveitis. Although the putative retinal antigens involved in human uveitis are still unknown, the fact that a number of retinal proteins provoke essentially the same disease in a number of species suggests that similar mechanisms might operate in the human disease.
Body –to-head transplant; a "caputal" crime? Examining the corpus of ethical and legal issues

Neurosurgeon Sergio Canavero proposed the HEAVEN procedure – i.e. head anastomosis venture – several years ago, and has recently received approval from the relevant regulatory bodies to perform this body-head transplant (BHT) in China. The BHT procedure involves attaching the donor body (D) to the head of the recipient (R), and discarding the body of R and head of D. Canavero’s proposed procedure will be incredibly difficult from a medical standpoint. Aside from medical doubt, the BHT has been met with great resistance from many, if not most bio- and neuroethicists. Given both the known challenges and unknown outcomes of HEAVEN, several important neuroethical and legal questions have emerged should Canavero be successful, including: (1) What are the implications for transplantology in the U.S., inclusive of issues of expense, distributive justice, organizational procedures, and the cost(s) of novel insight(s)? (2) How do bioethical and neuroethical principles, and legal regulations of human subject research apply? (3) What are the legal consequences for Canavero (or any other surgeon) performing a BHT? (4) What are the tentative implications for the metaphysical and legal identity of R should they survive post-BHT? These questions are analyzed, issues are identified, and several solutions are proposed in an attempt to re-configure HEAVEN into a safe, clinically effective, and thus (more) realistically viable procedure. Notably, the permissibility of conducting the BHT in China fosters additional, important questions, focal to (1) whether Western ethics and professional norms be used to guide the BHT – or any neuroscientific research and its use - in non-Western countries, such as China; (2) if the models of responsible conduct of research are identical, similar, or applicable to the intent and conduct of research in China; and (3) what economic and political implications (for China and other countries) are fostered if/when such avant garde techniques are successful. These questions are discussed as a further impetus to develop a globally applicable neuroethical framework that would enable both local articulation and cosmopolitan inquiry and oversight of those methods and approaches deemed problematic, if and when rendered in more international settings.
Electrofishing, Snorkel Spearing, and Piscicide Eradicate Brook Trout From a Small, Isolated Bull Trout Population

Abstract In 1992, a sampling crew from a multiagency group discovered a population of Bull Trout Salvelinus confluentus estimated at approximately 50 individuals in Threemile Creek, Oregon threaten...
Power in Partial Invisibility: Reframing Positions on Nineteenth- and Early Twentieth-Century Photography

Without the invisible, the meaningful visible is scarcely possible. This claim, central to this chapter, appears to be the case when examining the theoretical positions championed or implied by significant individuals within photography’s history. Elizabeth Eastlake, Julia Margaret Cameron, and Peter Henry Emerson, writing in the nineteenth century, as well as Frederick H. Evans, Maurice Maeterlinck, and Alfred Stieglitz, writing in the twentieth century, each celebrate in a unique way the partially invisible image. Furthermore, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s literary references to the daguerreotype in his novel The House of the Seven Gables are worthy of consideration and have been insufficiently celebrated in mainstream literature.
Endothelial cell Piezo1 mediates pressure-induced lung vascular hyperpermeability via disruption of adherens junctions

Increased pulmonary microvessel pressure experienced in left heart failure, head trauma, or high altitude can lead to endothelial barrier disruption referred to as capillary “stress failure” that causes leakage of protein-rich plasma and pulmonary edema. However, little is known about vascular endothelial sensing and transduction of mechanical stimuli inducing endothelial barrier disruption. Piezo1, a mechanosensing ion channel expressed in endothelial cells (ECs), is activated by elevated pressure and other mechanical stimuli. Here, we demonstrate the involvement of Piezo1 in sensing increased lung microvessel pressure and mediating endothelial barrier disruption. Studies were made in mice in which Piezo1 was deleted conditionally in ECs ( Piezo1 iΔEC ), and lung microvessel pressure was increased either by raising left atrial pressure or by aortic constriction. We observed that lung endothelial barrier leakiness and edema induced by raising pulmonary microvessel pressure were abrogated in Piezo1 iΔEC mice. Piezo1 signaled lung vascular hyperpermeability by promoting the internalization and degradation of the endothelial adherens junction (AJ) protein VE-cadherin. Breakdown of AJs was the result of activation of the calcium-dependent protease calpain and degradation of the AJ proteins VE-cadherin, β-catenin, and p120-catenin. Deletion of Piezo1 in ECs or inhibition of calpain similarly prevented reduction in the AJ proteins. Thus, Piezo1 activation in ECs induced by elevated lung microvessel pressure mediates capillary stress failure and edema formation secondary to calpain-induced disruption of VE-cadherin adhesion. Inhibiting Piezo1 signaling may be a useful strategy to limit lung capillary stress failure injury in response to elevated vascular pressures.
Measurement of older adults' social networks using technologies in the context of health and social care: a scoping review protocol.

Objective This scoping review aims to identify and map the use of technology in measuring and analyzing older adults' social networks in the context of health and social care. Introduction Research has shown that social networks impact the health and well-being of older adults. Advancements in the internet, electronic and digital devices, social media, and healthcare technology enhance our ability to collect social network and health data. These rapidly evolving technologies present opportunities to overcome limitations in social network measurement and promote improved understanding of the impact of social networks on the health and well-being of older adults. Inclusion criteria This scoping review will include studies of older adults that measured social networks using technology and were related to health or health and social care. Studies published in English from 2004 to the present will be included. Books, editorials, letters, and commentaries will be excluded. Methods PubMed (MEDLINE), Sociological Abstracts, SocINDEX, CINAHL, and Web of Science will be searched for related articles. Gray literature will be included by searching conference abstracts via Conference Papers Index and hand-searching conference proceedings from the American Sociological Society and the Gerontological Society of America. Data will be extracted by two independent reviewers using an a priori data extraction tool. Tables and summary narratives will be used to map and synthesize existing approaches to measuring social networks using technology, the settings for measurement development or testing, and the use of approaches in discovery science, implementation science, or clinical care.
Noor Inayat Khan: Conceptualizing Resistance During World War II

This chapter considers the exceptional life and perilous career of Noor Inayat Khan and the themes of perseverance and sacrifice that she developed in her works from 1934 until the time of her execution at Dachau in 1944. Noor operated as a spy in France on assignment for the British Special Operations Executive (SOE), an intelligence unit created by Winston Churchill. Noor “writes resistance” both as a personal ethic of resilience in extremely perilous circumstances and in narratives featuring heroic females who shield their compatriots and communities from malevolent forces. A selection of her writings in this chapter includes adaptations of her tales, short stories, and unpublished letters, which frequently reflect the political and moral climate of wartime Europe, as well as the powerful influence of Sufism and the teachings of her father, Hazrat Inayat Khan, founder of the International Sufi movement in the West.
Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction, Left Ventricular Remodeling, and Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Chronic Kidney Impairment

Background: Cardiac dysfunction and cardiovascular events are prevalent among patients with chronic kidney disease without overt obstructive coronary artery disease, but the mechanisms remain poorl...
New mammography screening performance metrics based on the entire screening episode.

Background Established mammography screening performance metrics use the initial screening mammography assessment because they were developed for radiologist performance auditing, yet these metrics are frequently used to inform health policy and screening decision making. The authors have developed new performance metrics based on the final assessment that consider the entire screening episode, including diagnostic workup. Methods The authors used data from 2,512,577 screening episodes during 2005-2017 at 146 facilities in the United States participating in the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium. Screening performance metrics based on the final assessment of the screening episode were compared with conventional metrics defined with the initial assessment. Results were also stratified by breast density and breast cancer risk. Results The cancer detection rates were similar for the final assessment (4.1 per 1000; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.8-4.3 per 1000) and the initial assessment (4.1 per 1000; 95% CI, 3.9-4.3 per 1000). The interval cancer rate was 12% higher when it was based on the final assessment (0.77 per 1000; 95% CI, 0.71-0.83 per 1000) versus the initial assessment (0.69 per 1000; 95% CI, 0.64-0.74 per 1000), and this resulted in a modest difference in sensitivity (84.1% [95% CI, 83.0%-85.1%] vs 85.7% [95% CI, 84.8%-86.6%], respectively). Absolute differences in the interval cancer rate between final and initial assessments increased with breast density and breast cancer risk (eg, a difference of 0.29 per 1000 for women with extremely dense breasts and a 5-year risk >2.49%). Conclusions Established screening performance metrics underestimate the interval cancer rate of a mammography screening episode, particularly for women with dense breasts or an elevated breast cancer risk. Women, clinicians, policymakers, and researchers should use final-assessment performance metrics to support informed screening decisions.
Effect of Cracking on Chloride Content in Concrete Bridge Decks

Field survey studies measuring bridge deck cracking and chloride contents of both cracked and uncracked concrete are presented in this paper, as part of a larger overall evaluation of bridge deck performance. The authors study three deck types, including monolithic decks, decks that have a conventional high density concrete overlay, and decks with high density concrete overlay that also contain either a 5% or 7% cement replacement by silica fume. Field survey results show that chloride content is not significantly affected by bridge deck type. Regarding chloride concentrations, samples taken away from cracks show the average concentration at the top of transverse reinforcement rarely exceeds even the most conservative estimates of the corrosion threshold for conventional reinforcements. However, at crack locations, chloride concentrations often are shown to exceed the corrosion threshold of conventional reinforcement in less than one year.
Detailed Interface FMECA in a Large Aerospace System

The generation of piece-part interface FMECA for a large aerospace system is addressed via the use of several preliminary constructs that greatly facilitate the process of generating the piece-part interface FMECA for a large system. The constructs of circuit data sheets, schematics, fault containment regions, and a new version of piece-part interface FMECA can all in unison help in the performance of the task. The piece-part interface FMECA is one of the most useful FMECA for analyzing failure modes at a system level if hardware failure modes are to be incorporated into an aerospace fault management system. This paper establishes that defining the fault containment regions and the generation of the piece-part interface FMECA from the fault containment regions provides a new and effective way in addressing failures in large systems.
Teachers’ Perspectives on Building Spaces for Students To Be Change Agents

This research project is centered around five participating elementary teachers and how they created space for multimodal, literacy-based curricula in their classrooms using culturally responsive teaching (Nieto, 2017, 2018) for social justice. This presentation is a reflection on this focus. For example, Cassidy, a grade three teacher in a diverse urban school, shared that her pedagogy is “always social justice because I want my kids to be change agents if they can be. If I can just teach them how to be more understanding of each other and of humanity; and just be able to see people as humans.” The teachers shared how attending professional development workshops on oppression and discrimination helped them build resources that focused on inclusion and equity. Comprehensive interviews and analyses of pedagogical tools and designs provided knowledge about the multimodal resources, tools and activities that helped the teachers build effective social justice-focused curriculum. The interviews and analyses also provided insight into their struggles and successes as well as their ongoing pedagogical goals. A New Literacies perspective (Coiro et al., 2008) helped reveal how these teachers collaborate, plan and create equitable learning spaces and opportunities in their classrooms. The study also highlights how these teachers built opportunities for multimodal teaching and learning and how they developed their culturally responsive teaching practices.
Socio-spatial and quality of life themes in aged care architecture: A qualitative methods protocol.

AIM To evaluate the connection between residential aged care architecture, the residents' ability to find home and Quality of Life themes. DESIGN This study uses convergent qualitative mixed methods approach across the three phases of the research project to explore the lived experience of residential aged care residents, their family members, and direct care staff. METHODS The chosen qualitative methodology is based on a constructionist paradigm and uses a combination of observations, photo production and prompted discussions, and architectural visual data collection methods. Funding was approved in March 2018. DISCUSSION This research will provide a novel approach to understanding ways by which residents of residential aged care facilities engage with their surrounding environments and make those surroundings into a place they 'called home'. The research will serve to articulate the core elements of residential aged care building types which lead to an enhanced quality of life and sense of place for residents. IMPACT There is little contemporary socio-spatial, lived experience research on the implications of new building types, such as small household aged care facilities on residents quality of life. This research contributes and is significant, to the disciplines of aged care, nursing, architecture, and user studies. The research will provide new knowledge about the influences of the physical environment on resident's quality of life and their ability to find home across different building types, while providing insight into how quality of life might be improved through spatial strategies.
Objective short sleep duration and 24-hour blood pressure

Background Short sleep duration is a contributor to cardiovascular disease (CVD) events and mortality. Short sleep duration is associated with an increased risk of high clinic blood pressure (BP). BP measured outside the clinic using 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) is a better predictor of an individual's CVD risk. We examined the association between objectively-assessed sleep duration and 24-h ambulatory blood pressure (ABP). Methods A total of 893 working adults underwent sleep and ABPM. Participants were fitted with an ABPM device, and measures were taken at 28-30 min intervals. Objective sleep duration, and times of wakefulness and sleep during the 24-h ABPM period were derived from wrist-worn actigraphy. Linear regression, adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, body mass index, smoking status, and diabetes were conducted on the relationship between sleep duration and the ABP measures. Results Mean age of participants (final n = 729, 59.5% female, 11.9% Hispanic) was 45.2 ± 10.4 y. Mean actigraphy-derived sleep duration was 6.8 ± 1.2 h. Sleep duration <6 h was associated with a 1.73 mmHg higher 24-h systolic BP (p = 0.031) and 2.17 mmHg higher 24-h diastolic BP (p < 0.001). Shorter sleep duration was not associated with mean awake or asleep systolic BP (p = 0.89 and p = 0.92) or mean awake or asleep diastolic BP (p = 0.30 and p = 0.74). Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the largest study conducted which assessed sleep duration objectively while measuring 24-h ABP. Shorter sleep duration is associated with higher 24-h BP and potentially cardiovascular risk.
Ferulic acid, a phytochemical with transient anorexigenic effects in birds.

Abstract Ferulic acid (FA) is a phenolic acid found within the plant cell wall that has physiological benefits as an antioxidant. Although metabolic benefits of FA supplementation are described, lacking are reports of effects on appetite regulation. Thus, our objective was to determine if FA affects food or water intake, using chicks as a model. At 4 days post-hatch, broiler chicks were intraperitoneally injected with 0 (vehicle), 12.5, 25, or 50 mg/kg of FA. Chicks treated with 50 mg/kg of FA consumed 70% less food than controls at 30 min post-injection, and the effect dissipated thereafter. Water intake was not affected at any time. In a behavior analysis, FA-treated chicks defecated fewer times than vehicle-injected chicks, while other behaviors were not affected. There was an increase in c-Fos immunoreactivity within the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARC) of FA-treated chicks, and no differences were detected in other nuclei. mRNA abundance was measured in the whole hypothalamus and the ARC. There was decreased hypothalamic galanin, ghrelin, melanocortin receptor 3, and pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) mRNA in FA-treated chicks. Within the ARC, there was an increase in c-Fos mRNA and a decrease in POMC mRNA in response to FA. It is likely that the mechanism responsible for mediating FA's transient effects on food intake originates within the ARC, possibly involving POMC. A greater understanding of the short-term, mild appetite-suppressive effects of FA may have applications to treating eating disorders and modulating food intake in animal models of obesity.
Perspectives of cancer prevention and control resources from stakeholders in rural southern Illinois.

Purpose Rural residents have a higher cancer burden than urban residents, which is likely related to multiple socioecological factors. This study sought to investigate the perspectives of a diverse set of rural stakeholders regarding access to cancer prevention and control resources in rural southern Illinois. Methods Stakeholders were recruited from counties in southern Illinois and included residents (cancer survivors or caregivers), leaders of community-based organizations with health-related missions, and health care providers. Individual interviews and focus groups assessed recommended cancer prevention, control, and treatment resources; helpfulness of regional resources; and needed resources. The research team used an iterative approach to thematic analysis wherein codes were derived inductively and refined repeatedly to reveal overarching themes. Findings Forty-four stakeholders reported challenges to health care access (eg, travel distance, financial burdens, and poor quality of care) and limited access to supportive care services (lack of caregiver support and "spotty" area resources). To mitigate these barriers, local residents used a combination of individual (self-reliance and adaptive measures) and organizational (patient navigation and financial services) approaches. Finally, stakeholders reported multiple forms of cancer control and prevention communication, including formal discussions with health care providers and various types of informal social support (eg, friends and family). Conclusions Stakeholders experienced barriers to cancer prevention and control often mitigated by a reliance on personal adaptations, nonclinical organizational supports, and informal support systems. While resources remain minimal in southern Illinois, researchers and practitioners must make efforts to leverage existing community organizations and social networks to improve cancer outcomes in this region.
Effects of Income Distribution Changes on Assortment Size in the Mainstream Grocery Channel

The authors study the effect of changes in the United States income distribution on assortment size in the mainstream grocery channel. Census demographics for 1,711 counties are matched to local as...
The Performance Persistence of Experienced Mutual Fund Managers

This study examines the performance of 93 fund managers over the 10 year period 1986 through 1995 using relative percentile ranks based on quarterly compounded, annual total returns measured against funds with the same investment objective. On average, managers with 10-year track records at the same fund do not perform better than managers with shorter track records. Also, for these experienced managers, superior performance in one five-year period is not predictive of superior performance over the next five years. However, inferior performance persists particularly for funds with above average expense ratios.
Utilizing Shannon's Entropy to Create Privacy Aware Architectures.

Privacy is an individual choice to determine which personal details can be collected, used and shared. Individual consent and transparency are the core tenets for earning customers trust and this motivates the organizations to adopt privacy enhancing practices while creating the systems. The goal of a privacy-aware design is to protect information in a way that does not increase an adversary's existing knowledge about an individual beyond what is permissible. This becomes critical when these data elements can be linked with the wealth of auxiliary information available outside the system to identify an individual. Privacy regulations around the world provide directives to protect individual privacy but are generally complex and vague, making their translation into actionable and technical privacy-friendly architectures challenging. In this paper, we utilize Shannon's Entropy to create an objective metric that can help simplify the state-of-the-art Privacy Design Strategies proposed in the literature and aid our key technical design decisions to create privacy aware architectures.
Combined Load Test Fixture

A test fixture has been developed at NASA Langley Research Center that has the capability of applying compression load and shear load simultaneously to a test specimen. The test specimen size is 24-inches by 28-inches. This report describes the test specimen design, test specimen preparation, fixture assembly in the test machine, and a test operation plan.
Models for Si (111) Surface upon Ge Adsorption

In view of the chemical similarity between Ge and Si one would expect the surface structures observed following deposition of Ge onto the Si(111) substrate to be of complexity comparable to that of the clean Si(111)7 × 7 surface. It is therefore remarkable that a simpler reconstruction has been observed by Chen et al. [51.1] for room temperature deposition of Ge onto the Si(111)2 × l surface. They observed a \(\sqrt 3 \times \sqrt 3 \) pattern corresponding to 0.2–0.4 monolayers of Ge. From the symmetry, coverage, and the fact that Ge-Si intermixing does not occur at this temperature, Chen et al. proposed an adatom model for the structure. Motivated by these experiments, we have carried out total energy calculations for two types of \(\sqrt 3 \times \sqrt 3 \) adatom models. The results of these calculations are discussed in Sect.51.2. Ultimately, we hope to provide a definitive characterization of the Si (111)\(\sqrt 3 \times \sqrt 3 \)3-Ge surface, since this will provide insight into the more complicated 5 × 5 and 7 × 7 reconstructions which have been observed on Si and SiGe alloys [51.2].
Management of Massive Pulmonary Embolism

Define massive pulmonary embolism (MPE). Understand the hemodynamic and pulmonary gas exchange abnormalities associated with MPE. Recognize the different treatment options available for patients with MPE.
Computing toolpaths for 5-axis NC machines

We present several algorithms for computing a feasible tool-path with desired features for sculpting a given surface using a 5-axis numerically controlled (NC) machine in computer-aided manufacturing. A toolpath specifies the orientation of a cutting tool at each point of a path taken by the tool. Previous algorithms are all heuristics with no quality guarantee of solutions and with no analysis of the running time. We present optimal quality solutions and provide time analysis for our algorithms. We model the problems using a directed, layered graph G such that a feasible toolpath corresponds to a certain path in G, and give efficient methods for solving several path problems in such graphs.
Localization of Sialidase in the Plasma Membrane of Rat Liver Cells

Abstract Sialidase activity towards ganglioside substrate, including hematoside, paralleled activity of 5'-nucleotidase and was found to be enriched in the plasma membrane fractions (Touster, O., Aronson, N. N., Jr., Dulaney, J. T., and Hendrickson, M. (1970) J. Cell. Biol. 47, 604) prepared from rat liver cells. Lesser sialidase activity towards ganglioside substrate was found in fractions (Leighton, F., Poole, B., Beaufay, H., Baudhuin, P., Coffey, J. W., Fowler, S., and deDuve, C. (1968) J. Cell. Biol. 37, 482) containing the lysosomal marker, acid phosphatase. Concentration of gangliosides, and total bound sialic acid per mg of protein, also paralleled the plasma membrane marker, 5'-nucleotidase. Subcellular fractions were prepared from rat liver cells by a recently developed procedure (Touster et al.) which favors the isolation of the plasma membrane fraction, and by an independent method (Leighton et al.) favoring the isolation of lysosomes. These findings indicate that a major fraction of sialidase with activity towards ganglioside substrate is localized in the plasma membrane of the liver cell, and that ganglioside substrate is also localized in this cellular structure.
Acyl Carrier Protein X. ACYL CARRIER PROTEIN SYNTHETASE

Abstract Acyl carrier protein holoprotein (holo-ACP) synthetase, an enzyme which transfers 4'-phosphopantetheine from reduced coenzyme A to acyl carrier protein apoprotein (apo-ACP) to form holo-ACP and 3',5'-adenosine diphosphate, has been shown in Escherichia coli B. At 780-fold purification the enzyme is free of apo-ACP, holo-ACP, and ACP hydrolase. The apparent Km value is 4 x 10-7 m for apo-ACP and 1.5 x 10-4 m for CoA. Dephospho-CoA and oxidized CoA are inactive as substrates. The enzyme requires Mg++ or Mn++ for activity. Both cations give complex saturation curves, with Mg++ showing substrate activation between 10-2 and 10-1 m. The holo-ACP formed in the synthetase reaction has full coenzymatic activity as measured in the malonyl-CoA-CO2 exchange reaction. Quantitative conversion of apo-ACP to holo-ACP is readily achieved with an excess of synthetase. Thus this enzyme can be utilized in an assay for apo-ACP in biological material. The reverse reaction, formation of CoA from holo-ACP and 3',5'-adenosine diphosphate, has been shown.
NASA Radioisotope Power Conversion Technology NRA Overview

The focus of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS) Development program is aimed at developing nuclear power and technologies that would improve the effectiveness of space science missions. The Radioisotope Power Conversion Technology (RPCT) NASA Research Announcement (NRA) is an important mechanism through which research and technology activities are supported in the Advanced Power Conversion Research and Technology project of the Advanced Radioisotope Power Systems Development program. The purpose of the RPCT NRA is to advance the development of radioisotope power conversion technologies to provide higher efficiencies and specific powers than existing systems. These advances would enable a factor of two to four decrease in the amount of fuel and a reduction of waste heat required to generate electrical power, and thus could result in more cost effective science missions for NASA. The RPCT NRA selected advanced RPS power conversion technology research and development proposals in the following three areas: innovative RPS power conversion research, RPS power conversion technology development in a nominal 100 W(sub e) scale; and, milliwatt/multi-watt RPS (mWRPS) power conversion research. Ten RPCT NRA contracts were awarded in 2003 in the areas of Brayton, Stirling, thermoelectric (TE), and thermophotovoltaic (TPV) power conversion technologies. This paper will provide an overview of the RPCT NRA, a summary of the power conversion technologies approaches being pursued, and a brief digest of first year accomplishments.
A randomized controlled trial of outpatient CAncer REhabilitation for older adults: The CARE Program.

Abstract Background Large numbers of older adults (aged 65 years or older) are surviving cancer; however, many survivors report decreased quality of life (QOL) and limitations in activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) both during and after treatment [1–3]. Occupational and physical therapy (OT/PT) are services focused on improving functional status and QOL that are largely unexplored and underutilized in cancer survivorship care [4,5]. Methods/Design This is a randomized, single-blind, two-arm, single institution pilot study. Eighty-two patients will be recruited from a university-affiliated outpatient oncology clinic. Inclusion criteria include the following: aged 65 years or older, diagnosis of cancer within 5 years, English speaking, has at least one functional deficit, and able to safely participate in an outpatient rehabilitation program. Exclusion criteria are: currently receiving rehabilitation or eligible for hospice. Consented patients will be randomized into two groups: (1) the CARE (CAncer REhabilitation) Program consisting of outpatient OT/PT and (2) standard of care. Primary outcome: change in Nottingham Extended Activities of Daily Living (NEADL) scores from baseline to 3 months between CARE and control. Discussion This study is one of the first RCTs aimed at examining the effect of OT/PT in older adults with cancer. If positive, findings from this study will suggest the potential for outpatient OT/PT to improve the functional ability and QOL of older adults with cancer.
Fast Polygon Triangulation Based on Seidel's Algorithm

Publisher Summary This chapter describes fast polygon triangulation based on Seidel's algorithm. Computing the triangulation of a polygon is a fundamental algorithm in computational geometry. In computer graphics, polygon triangulation algorithms are widely used for tessellating curved geometries, such as those described by splines. Methods of triangulation include algorithms, convex hull differences, and horizontal decompositions. This chapter describes an implementation based on Seidel's algorithm for triangulating simple polygons having no holes. It is an incremental randomized algorithm whose expected complexity is O(n log*n). In practice, it is almost linear time for a simple polygon having n vertices. The triangulation does not introduce any additional vertices and decomposes the polygon into n − 2 triangles. Furthermore, the algorithm generates a query structure that can be used to determine the location of a point in logarithmic time. All the data structures used in the implementation are statically allocated.
One Server Per City: Using TCP for Very Large SIP Servers

The transport protocol for SIP can be chosen based on the requirements of services and network conditions. How does the choice of TCP affect the scalability and performance compared to UDP? We experimentally analyze the impact of using TCP as a transport protocol for a SIP server. We first investigate scalability of a TCP echo server, then compare performance of a SIP registrar server for two TCP connection lifetimes: transaction and persistent. Our results show that a Linux machine can establish 400,000+ TCP connections and maintaining connections does not affect the transaction response time. This is applicable to other servers with very large TCP connection counts. Additionally, the transaction response times using the two TCP connection lifetimes and UDP show no significant difference at 2,500 registration requests/second in our SIP server implementation. However, sustainable request rate is lower for TCP than for UDP, since using TCP requires more message processing, which causes longer delays at the thread queue for the server implementing a thread-pool model. Finally, we suggest how to reduce the impact of TCP for a scalable SIP server especially under overload control.
Control of submarine operating in shallow waters: a neuro-adaptive based approach

Neuro-adaptive control algorithms for depth and pitch control of submarine operating in shallow waters are presented in this paper. The control scheme is based on two neural-network (NN) units which are shown to be effective in attenuating the reconstruction error and other lumped system uncertainties. Stable on-line weight-tuning algorithms are derived based on Lyapunov's stability theory. Variable heading speed and changing center of gravity are taken into consideration in control design. Analyses and simulations show that the proposed control is effective in dealing with external disturbances, system nonlinearities, uncertainties and parameter variations.
Autoregulation of cerebral blood flow in the preterm fetal lamb.

ABSTRACT: The purpose of the present study was to determine if autoregulation of cerebral blood flow (CBF) is present in the preterm fetal lamb and, if present, to measure the range of mean arterial blood pressure over which autoregulation exists. Thirty-seven measurements of CBF were made in seven preterm fetal lambs (118–122 days gestation) over a mean carotid arterial blood pressure (CBP) range of 18–90 mm Hg. CBF was measured by the radionuclide-labeled microsphere technique. CBP was altered by graduated inflation of balloons placed around the brachiocephalic trunk and the aortic isthmus. To eliminate the effects of reflex changes in heart rate, the carotid sinus and aortic nerve were ablated bilaterally. CBF was linearly related to mean CBP from 18–45 mm Hg, constant over a mean CBP of 45–80 mm Hg, and again linear from 80–90 mm Hg. Resting mean CBP (normotension) was 53.8 ± 1.9 mm Hg during the control period and 51.7 ± 0.8 mm Hg during the equillibration periods. This study demonstrates that although autoregulation of CBF is intact in the preterm fetal lamb, the range is narrowed compared to the term lamb and resting mean CBP lies close to the lower limit of autoregulation.
Variance Components and Heritability of Nut and Kernel Defects in Hazelnut

Nut samples of hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) cultivars, selections, and seedlings were cracked and scored for frequency of good kernels and 7 types of defects. Blanks, poorly filled nuts, and moldy kernels were the most common defects. Variance components were calculated using defect counts from trees of 17 genotypes which were sampled in each of 4 years. The largest components were for among genotypes, genotype × year interaction, and between samples within trees. Year effects were large only for poorly filled nuts. The genotype × year interaction term was large for black tips, shrivels, and blanks. Variance components indicate limited genetic variability for brown stain, but moderate to large amounts for all other defects. Narrow sense heritability estimates from regression of progeny means on mid-parent values exceeded 50 % for frequency of blanks (51 %), moldy kernels (61 %), kernels with black tips (60 %), and doubles (84 %), but was low for frequency of shrivelled kernels (22 %), poorly filled nuts (25 %), and brown stain (15 %). The low heritability of poorly filled nuts appears to indicate that the frequency of poor fill in the first crop or two produced by a young seedling does not reliably predict the genotype's susceptibility to this disorder rather than a lack of additive genetic variance. Heritability was intermediate for frequency of good kernels (42 %). Phenotypic correlation coefficients indicate that nut weight, kernel percentage, fiber rating, and pellicle removal rating are, for applied breeding purposes, inherited independently of the frequency of the 7 types of defects.
Food chemical discriminations by an herbivorous lizard, Corucia zebrata.

Adjustment of chemosensory response to diet should be apparent in evolutionary changes corresponding to dietary shifts. Because most lizards are generalist predators of small animals, relationships between chemosensory behavior and diet are difficult to detect. Nevertheless, the evolution of herbivory by a small number of lizards provides an opportunity to detect any corresponding change in response to plant chemicals. I studied tongue-flicking and biting by the large, herbivorous scincid lizard Corucia zebrata in response to chemical cues from crickets, romaine lettuce, and control stimuli presented on cotton swabs. The skinks exhibited significantly stronger response to plant and animal chemicals than to controls for several variables: greater number of individuals that bit swabs, shorter latency to bite, greater rate of tongue-flicks, and greater tongue-flick attack score. The clearest differences were observed for tongue-flick attack score, a composite variable that combines the effects of tongue-flicking and biting. An insectivorous member of the same subfamily, Scincella lateralis, shows strong tongue-flicking and biting response to chemical prey cues, but not to plant chemicals. This suggests that response to plant chemicals by C. zebrata may have evolved in tandem with the incorporation of plants into the diet and that response to cricket chemicals has been retained, perhaps due to similarities between plant and animal food. The findings support the hypothesis that dietary shifts induce corresponding changes in chemosensory response, but provide only a single independent contrast for a study of correlated evolution between plant diet and chemosensory response to plants. J. Exp. Zool. 286:372–378, 2000. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The Characterization and Structure−Activity Evaluation of Toxic Norditerpenoid Alkaloids from Two Delphinium Species

A new N-(methylsuccinimido)anthranoyllycoctonine norditerpenoid alkaloid, geyerline, has been isolated and characterized from extracts of the poisonous larkspur Delphinium glaucum. A previously described norditerpenoid alkaloid, grandiflorine, has also been isolated from Delphinium geyeri. Both alkaloids are closely related structurally to the potent neurotoxin methyllycaconitine, established as the primary toxin in many larkspurs poisonous to cattle. Mouse bioassay tests showed grandiflorine to possess toxicity comparable to methyllycaconitine, while its synthetically derived monoacetate, grandiflorine acetate, and geyerline are significantly less toxic.
Dynamic response of pulse-loaded rate-sensitive structures

Abstract In a recent publication [1] a simplified general method was developed to determine the response of impulsively loaded, perfectly plastic, rate-sensitive structures with highly non-linear yield stress-strain rate laws. In the present paper this approach is extended to encompass the dynamic load application phase. In other terms, a mathematical model closer to the physical situation is considered, namely, a pressure loaded rather than an impulsively loaded structural element. As the prototype of a general structure the dynamically loaded thin ring is considered. For a constaat pressure pulse, exact and approximate responses are calculated and differ by only a few percent. In the approximate solution the yield stress is taken to be a constant associated with the peak strain rate (which occurs at the instant of load termination). The results suggest that when a dominant plastic mode of deformation exists, one should be able to determine the response of a structure with arbitrary loaded pulse by enforcing an impulse/momentum change condition, while neglecting forces arising owing to deformation, to determine the initial strain rate distribution. The associated yield stress distribution may be calculated and assumed to be constant at each field point during the entire motion.
Nutritional Well-Being of Preschool Children in a North China Village

China's "reform and openness" has reached the midpoint of its second decade. And yet, for Westem sinologists, who now have increased opportunity to conduct ethnographic fieldwork in rural China, it seems that access has raised more questions than it has answered. These questions include the following: To what extent has the current reform really benefited the rural populace? Have their living conditions improved with increased disposable incomes and consumer goods? Or, because the current economic development has been concentrated in the coastal cities, has the rural sector been stagnant, especially since the mid-1980s (Watson, 1992; White, 1991)? Furthermore, with the retrenchment of party-state controls over rural social life, how have the peasants responded to this new environment? Has the dismantling of the collective communal organizations weakened public welfare programs such as poverty assistance and health care, thus threatening the security and well-being of the
Differential profiles of cholinesterase inhibition and neurobehavioral effects in rats exposed to fenamiphos or profenofos.

Abstract The relationship between cholinesterase (ChE) inhibition and neurobehavioral changes was examined using two ChE-inhibiting organophosphorus (OP) pesticides, fenamiphos and profenofos. Both pesticides produce considerable blood ChE inhibition, but relatively little brain inhibition up to almost lethal doses. Interestingly, pronounced neurobehavioral signs were produced by fenamiphos but not profenofos. After a single oral dose, both pesticides greatly inhibited blood ChE (87–98% inhibition), yet whole brain ChE was only inhibited by 9–14% at the highest doses. Fenamiphos produced dose-dependent effects on many behavioral measures. Despite the similar ChE inhibition profile, profenofos produced no observable changes in behavior. Treatment with anticholinergic drugs was used to evaluate the contribution of peripheral versus central ChE inhibition. Scopolamine (SCO) and methylscopolamine (MSC) were used as central/peripheral and peripheral-only cholinergic receptor blockers, respectively, in combination with fenamiphos. Neither drug altered the effects of fenamiphos on ChE inhibition. Some behavioral effects of fenamiphos were blocked or attenuated only by SCO, whereas other effects were blocked by both drugs. These data indicate that some of the pronounced neurobehavioral changes observed following fenamiphos dosing may be centrally mediated (blocked by SCO only), despite the small amount of inhibition of brain ChE. Other behavioral changes may be mediated more peripherally (blocked by both MSC and SCO). To test the hypothesis that regionally specific ChE inhibition may be responsible for these effects, the same dose of fenamiphos used in the previous studies was given and one half of the brain was dissected into regions. There was significant ChE inhibition in the pons and medulla, cerebellum, striatum, hippocampus, and half-brain but not in the rest-of-brain and frontal cortex; however, the magnitude of inhibition was relatively small across the regions measured. Thus, the centrally mediated neurobehavioral effects of fenamiphos could not be explained based on differential regional brain ChE inhibition alone. Despite the low level of brain ChE inhibition, some behavioral effects of fenamiphos were centrally mediated, and there was little regional specificity of ChE inhibition that could account for the behavioral changes observed.
Stopping and storing light coherently

We present a general analysis for the criteria to stop and store light coherently. We show that a light pulse can be stopped in any physical system, provided that (i) the system bandwidth can be compressed to zero; (ii) the system has sufficient degrees of freedom to accommodate the pulse, and the bandwidth compression occurs while the pulse is in the system; and (iii) the bandwidth compression is done reversibly in an adiabatic fashion that preserves the phase space and the information in the original photon pulse during the entire duration of the stopping process. Based upon this general criterion, we present a brief discussion of stopping-light schemes using atomic resonances, and a detailed analysis of the all-optical scheme that we recently proposed. We show that the all-optical scheme can achieve arbitrarily small group velocities for large bandwidth pulses, and opens up new opportunities in both fundamental sciences and technological applications.
Resonantly interacting solitary waves

Resonant (phase-locked) interactions among three obliquely oriented solitary waves are studied. It is shown that such interactions are associated with the parametric end points of the singular regime for interactions between two solitary waves. The latter include regular reflexion at a rigid wall, which is impossible for ϕi < (3α)½ (ϕ = angle of incidence, α = amplitude/depth [Lt ] 1), and it is shown that the observed phenomenon of ‘Mach reflexion’ can be described as a resonant interaction in this regime. The run-up at the wall is calculated as a function of ϕi/(3α)½ and is found to have a maximum value of 4αd for ϕi = (3α)½. This same resonant interaction also describes diffraction of a solitary wave at a corner of internal angle π − ψi, −(3α)½, and suggests that a solitary wave cannot turn through an angle in excess of (3α)½ at a convex corner without separating or otherwise losing its identity.
Attentional factors in iconic memory and visible persistence

Arrays of 12 fragmentary letters were followed, at various intervals, by one randomly selected complementary letter fragment. On half the trials a partial-report cue (a vertical bar-marker) coincid...