cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clutter filtering strategies for peripheral muscle perfusion imaging using ultrasound

In this report, we explore the strengths and limitations of principal component analysis (PCA) and independent component analysis (ICA) for clutter and noise filtering in ultrasonic peripheral perfusion imaging. The advantages of pre-filtering spatial registration to reduce the bandwidth of coherent clutter motion is also considered. PCA methods excel when the echo covariance exhibits a significant blood-scattering component orthogonal to the tissue clutter component. This situation exists in peripheral perfusion imaging when the echo signals are temporally stationary and normally distributed. ICA methods separate non-orthogonal blood-clutter echo components often found in moving clutter, but only for echo signals with either non-normal-amplitude distributions or nonstationary normal distributions. When clutter movement is large and spatially coherent, echo registration followed by PCA filtering can be ideal. Effective filtering is essential for contrast-free ultrasonic perfusion imaging of muscle tissues in the extremities of patients at risk for developing peripheral artery diseases. Statistical filter performance is examined using simulation and echo data from an in vivo ischemic hindlimb mouse model.
Altered microbiomes in thirdhand smoke-exposed children and their home environments.

INTRODUCTION Tobacco smoke contains numerous toxic chemicals that accumulate in indoor environments creating thirdhand smoke (THS). We investigated if THS-polluted homes differed in children's human and built-environment microbiomes as compared to THS-free homes. METHODS Participants were n = 19 THS-exposed children and n = 10 unexposed children (≤5 years) and their caregivers. Environmental and biological samples were analyzed for THS pollutants and exposure. Swab samples were collected from the built-environment (floor, table, armrest, bed frame) and child (finger, nose, mouth, and ear canal), and 16S ribosomal RNA genes were analyzed for bacterial taxa using high-throughput DNA sequencing. RESULTS Phylogenetic α-diversity was significantly higher for the built-environment microbiomes in THS-polluted homes compared to THS-free homes (p < 0.014). Log2-fold comparison found differences between THS-polluted and THS-free homes for specific genera in samples from the built-environment (e.g., Acinetobacter, Bradyrhizobium, Corynebacterium, Gemella, Neisseria, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, and Veillonella) and in samples from children (esp. Corynebacterium, Gemella, Lautropia, Neisseria, Rothia, Staphylococcus, and Veillonella). CONCLUSION When exposed to THS, indoor and children microbiomes are altered in an environment-specific manner. Changes are similar to those reported in previous studies for smokers and secondhand smoke-exposed persons. THS-induced changes in child and built-environmental microbiomes may play a role in clinical outcomes in children. IMPACT Despite smoking bans, children can be exposed to tobacco smoke residue (i.e., thirdhand smoke) that lingers on surfaces and in settled house dust. Thirdhand smoke exposure is associated with changes in the microbiomes of the home environment and of the children living in these homes. Thirdhand smoke is associated with increased phylogenetic diversity of the home environment and changes in the abundances of several genera of the child microbiome known to be affected by active smoking and secondhand smoke (e.g., Corynebacterium, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus). Thirdhand smoke exposure by itself may induce alterations in the microbiome that play a role in childhood pathologies.
Genetic Counseling and Psychosocial Issues for Individuals and Their Families with Fabry Disease

Fabry disease is an X-linked disorder with severe and chronic disease manifestations beginning in childhood. Genetic counseling is important as part of the multidisciplinary care of individuals and their families with Fabry disease. This chapter reviews the key aspects of genetic counseling for persons and their families with Fabry disease and many of the psychological issues. Genetic counseling may occur over multiple visits during various times (such as when establishing a diagnosis, when identifying relatives at risk for Fabry disease, and when making reproductive decisions).
The Interest in Liberty on the Scales

There is one version of John Stuart Mill’s famous ‘harm principle’ for determining the moral limits of state coercion that is virtually beyond controversy. Few would deny that it is always a morally relevant reason in support of a proposed criminal prohibition that it is reasonably necessary (that is, that there are reasonable grounds for taking it to be necessary) to prevent harm or the unreasonable risk of harm to parties other than the persons whose conduct is to be constrained. Some might deny that the necessity to prevent harm to others is a sufficient reason for state coercion on the grounds that prevention of minor harms may not be worth the social costs of state intervention. Others might deny. that the prevention of harm to others is a necessary condition of justified interference on the grounds that there are other reasons for coercion (e. g. the prevention of mere offense, or the enforcement of morality as such) that can apply even to harmless behavior. But hardly anyone would deny that the need to prevent harm to others is always a reason in support of state coercion even if it is not always a conclusive reason, and even if it is not the only kind of reason that can apply.
An Optical Backscatter Sensor for Particulate Matter Measurement

Diesel engines are prone to emit particulate matter (PM) emissions under certain operation conditions. In-cylinder production of PM from diesel combustion control can occur under a wide variety of operating conditions, and in some cases, operation of a multi-cylinder engine can further complicate PM emissions due to variations in air or fuel charge due to manifold mixing effects. In this study, a probe for detecting PM in diesel exhaust was evaluated on a light-duty diesel engine. The probe is based on an optical backscattering effect. Due to the optical nature of the probe, PM sensing can occur at high rates. The feasibility of the probe for examining PM emissions in the exhaust manifold will be discussed.
Developmental alterations in hepatic UDP-glucuronosyltransferase: A comparison of the kinetic properties of enzymes from adult sheep and fetal lambs

Abstract The kinetic properties of hepatic microsomal UDP-glucuronosyltransferase were studied in sheep in the perinatal period, using acetaminophen as the aglycone. Kinetic analyses indicated that activity at V max was significantly less in fetal microsomes (113, 135 or 141 days) as compared with the adult sheep. However, these differences between fetal and adult animals were not due simply to smaller amounts of UDP-glucuronosyltransferases catalyzing conjugation of acetaminophen in fetuses versus adults. Thus, the kinetic properties of UDP-glucuronosyltransferase(s) were different in fetus and adult. The “fetal” versus “adult” enzyme had a higher affinity for UDP-glucuronic acid, but a poorer affinity for acetaminophen. Furthermore, enzyme in fetal liver (113 days of gestation) was activated about 30% by the allosteric effector UDP- N -acetylglucosamine, whereas enzyme in adult liver was activated by 500%. These differences between fetal and adult enzymes diminished just prior to parturition (141-day fetus). Enzyme in microsomes from the 141-day fetus responded to UDP- N -acetylglucosamine-like enzyme in adult microsomes and had affinities for substrates that were similar to “adult” enzymes. These data indicate that maturation of the system that glucuronidates acetaminophen is a complex process. It may involve the expression in fetuses of a type of UDP-glucuronosyltransferase that is different from that expressed in the adult. An alternative but not mutually exclusive possibility is that maturation of the glucuronidation system involves modification of enzyme function by alteration of the phospholipids in the immediate environment of UDP-glucuronosyltransferase within the microsomal membrane.
Rate-Controlled Service Disciplines

We propose a class of non-work-conserving service disciplines, called the rate-controlled service disciplines. When coupled with suitable admission control algorithms, rate-controlled service disciplines can provide end-to-end deterministic and statistical performance guarantees on a per-connection basis in an arbitrary-topology packet-switching network. The key feature of a rate-controlled service discipline is the separation of the server into two components: a rate controller and a scheduler. This separation makes it possible to obtain end-to-end performance characteristics by applying single node analysis at each switch. It also has several other distinct advantages: it decouples the allocation of bandwidths and delay bounds, uniformly distributes the allocation of buffer space inside the network to prevent packet loss, and allows arbitrary combinations of rate-control policies and packet scheduling policies. Rate-controlled service disciplines provide a general framework within which most of the existing non-work-conserving disciplines can be naturally expressed. One discipline in this class, called Rate-Controlled Static Priority (RCSP), is particularly suitable for providing performance guarantees in high-speed networks. It achieves simplicity of implementation as well as flexibility in the allocation of bandwidths and delay bounds to different connections.
Parallel algorithms for finite automata problems

Finite automata are among the most extensively studied and understood models of computation. They have wide ranging applications — for example, in image compression, protocol validation, game theory and computational biology — just to mention only some recent ones. Here we will survey efficient parallel algorithms for many fundamental computational problems on finite automata. It is well known that problems involving deterministic finite automata (DFA) have polynomial time algorithms, but the problems become hard when the input automata are nondeterministic (NFA or regular expressions). A similar difference is observed in the case of parallel algorithms: most problems involving DFA as input have NC algorithms, while NC algorithms are unlikely with NFA (or regular expression) as input. In addition to DFA and NFA, we will also consider other inputs such as unambiguous finite automata, regular expressions and prefix grammars.
Entropy theory‐based criterion for hydrometric network evaluation and design: Maximum information minimum redundancy

[1] Hydrometric information constitutes the fundamental input for planning, design, operation, and management of water resources systems. How to optimally site monitoring gauges such that they are effective and efficient in gathering the hydrometric information or data has received considerable attention. This paper presents a generic approach for the design (or evaluation) of hydrometric networks. First, an entropy theory-based criterion, named as maximum information minimum redundancy (MIMR), is proposed. The MIMR criterion maximizes the joint entropy of stations within the optimal set, and the transinformation between stations within and outside of the optimal set. Meanwhile, it insures that the optimal set contains minimum duplicated information. An easy-to-implement greedy ranking algorithm is developed to accomplish the MIMR selection. Two case studies are presented to illustrate the applicability of MIMR in hydrometric network evaluation and design. We also compare the MIMR selection with another entropy-based approach. Results illustrate that MIMR is apt at finding stations with high information content, and locating independent stations. The proposed approach is suitable for design (or evaluation) of any type of hydrometric network.
Low-cost modular phonosurgery training station: development and validation.

Objective Phonosurgery requires technical precision and careful tissue handling. Typically, phonosurgical procedures require single-operator techniques, making it difficult for novice residents to develop necessary skills. We developed a low-cost phonosurgery simulator to allow practice and acquisition of microlaryngeal skills. Study Design Validation study assessing the simulator's face and content validity in surgical education. Methods For construction, the simulator is composed of a simulation station and laryngeal modules, each constructed with inexpensive, easily accessible materials including plywood and polyvinyl chloride pipe. Laryngeal modules were constructed using rubber bands, bacitracin, and plastic wrap to simulate layers of the true vocal fold. Three separate modules were developed to address specific skills: 1) basic instrumentation; 2) papilloma debulking; 3) subepithelial and epithelial lesion excision. Papillomas, subepithelial, and epithelial lesions were simulated with grapefruit, caulk, and suture, respectively. The Kantor-Berci video laryngoscope was used for visualization. For validation, face and content validity were assessed by attending otolaryngologists (n = 16), who performed the three specific skills using the simulation station and completed a 5-point Likert-type postsimulation questionnaire. Results Most participants (89%) strongly agreed that the simulator incorporates essential phonosurgery skills and that portions of the model simulated an actual case (content validity). All participants (100%) agreed that the simulator is an adequate training device to increase resident competency and would be interested in using it to train residents (face validity). Conclusion This simulator has the potential to be an important component of phonosurgical education and preoperative preparation. Advantages include a realistic experience, modular design, and inexpensive construction. Level of Evidence N/A. Laryngoscope, 125:1409–1413, 2015
Poly(4‐vinylpyridinium dichromate)

[82246-45-5] (C14H16Cr2N2O7)n (MW n(428.32)) (polymeric oxidizing agent used to convert alcohols to aldehydes and ketones2) Alternate Name: P(4-VPDC). Physical Data: mp >300 °C. Solubility: insol all solvents; polymer swells when added to aqueous and nonaqueous solvents. Form Supplied in: brown powder. Handling, Storage, and Precautions: store in a tightly closed container in a cool dry place.
Tissue levels of chloroamphetamines in rats and mice.

During the first 4 hr. after i.p. injection of equimolar amounts of the two drugs, more 4-chloroamphetamine than amphetamine was present in the brain and other tissues of rats and mice. The higher levels resulted from a slower disappearance of 4-chloroamphetamine. Other amphetamines substituted with chlorine in the para position disappeared more slowly from rat brain than did amphetamine. This may be due to blocking of a major metabolic pathway for amphetamine— para hydroxylation—by the para substitution, since amphetamines with chlorine substituted in other positions disappeared from tissues at rates comparable to that for amphetamine.
Common processes may contribute to extinction and habituation.

Abstract Psychologists routinely attribute the characteristics of conditioned behavior to complicated cognitive processes. For example, many of the characteristics of behavior undergoing extinction have been attributed to retrieval from memory. The authors argue that these characteristics may result from the simpler process of habituation. In particular, conditioned responding may decrease during extinction partially because habituation occurs to the stimuli that control responding when those stimuli are presented repeatedly or for a prolonged time (e.g., the experimental context, the conditioned stimulus in classical conditioning). This idea is parsimonious, has face validity, and evokes only processes that are well established by other evidence. In addition, behavior undergoing extinction shows 12 of the fundamental properties of behavior undergoing habituation. However, this model probably cannot provide a complete theory of extinction. It provides no obvious explanation for some of the other character...
Pathogenicity and mucosal transmissibility of the R5-tropic simian/human immunodeficiency virus SHIV(AD8) in rhesus macaques: implications for use in vaccine studies.

There is an urgent need to develop new pathogenic R5 simian/human immunodeficiency viruses (SHIVs) for the evaluation of candidate anti-HIV vaccines in nonhuman primates. Here, we characterize swarm SHIV(AD8) stocks, prepared from three infected rhesus macaques with documented immunodeficiency at the time of euthanasia, for their capacity to establish durable infections in macaques following inoculation by the intravenous (i.v.) or intrarectal (i.r.) route. All three viral stocks (SHIV(AD8-CE8J), SHIV(AD8-CK15), and SHIV(AD8-CL98)) exhibited robust replication in vivo and caused marked depletion of CD4(+) T cells affecting both memory and naive CD4(+) T lymphocyte subsets following administration by either route. Eleven of 22 macaques inoculated with the new SHIV(AD8) stocks were euthanized with clinical symptoms of immunodeficiency and evidence of opportunistic infections (Pneumocystis, Candida, and Mycobacterium). A single but unique founder virus, also present in the SHIV(AD8-CE8J) swarm stock, was transmitted to two animals following a single i.r. inoculation of approximately 3 50% animal infectious doses, which is close to the threshold required to establish infection in all exposed animals. Because the three new SHIV(AD8) viruses are mucosally transmissible, exhibited tier 2 sensitivity to anti-HIV-1 neutralizing antibodies, deplete CD4(+) T lymphocytes in vivo, and induce AIDS in macaques, they are eminently suitable as challenge viruses in vaccine experiments.
Minority Carrier Induced Debonding of Hydrogen from Shallow Donors in Silicon

We have investigated the dissociation of donor-hydrogen pairs in Schottky barrier capacitors fabricated from phosphorus and arsenic doped silicon, at temperatures in the range 24 to 110°C. At zero bias the release of donor trapped hydrogen does not follow first order kinetics. Introduction of minority carriers by illumination or forward bias injection enhances the rate of hydrogen release and redistribution, but otherwise leaves the functional form relatively unchanged. Numerical modeling shows that the debonding rate must be proportional to the local hole density. If the dissociation process is carried out in reverse diode bias, some of the released hydrogen rebonds deeper in the silicon, outside the depletion region. In addition, a portion of the charge density in the depleted region is seen to be metastable and disappears after several hours at room temperature. This observation suggests the existence of a positive charge state of the donor-hydrogen pair which may be the precursor to dissociation. While several groups have recently pointed out that reverse-bias annealing data suggest the existence of a negative charge state of interstitial hydrogen, our observation of an electronically controlled debonding rate. casts considerable doubt on the firmness of that conclusion.
Special Stem Cells for Bone

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotential in vitro, but their endogenous properties are poorly defined. In this issue of Cell Stem Cell, Park et al. (2012) report that an MSC-like, osteolineage-directed Mx1+ population generates new osteoblasts at sites of bone damage, suggesting its potential for skeletal repair and regeneration.
Role of activated CD8+ T cells in the initiation and continuation of hepatic damage.

Abstract The cause of alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is multifactorial and poorly understood. It is clear that alcohol alone is not responsible for most of the changes associated with ALD and that cofactors are involved in initiation and production of ALD. One cofactor that has received a great deal of attention recently is the concomitant infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and alcohol abuse. The interactive effects of HCV and alcohol abuse are still unclear, but apparently they are the result of an inability of the immune system to control the viral infection and exaggerated hepatocyte damage mediated by either the cells of the inflammatory response or factors produced by the inflammatory cells. This review will focus on one aspect of the possible pathogenic effects associated with alcohol abuse and HCV infection: the possible role of the immune system, notably the cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response. It is clear that the development of a CTL response is critical for the control of HCV infections, and it is also likely that this response is involved in liver damage. In this review, the evidence that shows the importance of the CD8 + CTL in viral clearance and the role for pathogenesis will be presented. Findings obtained from animal studies that support the suggestion that activated CD8 + CTLs can induce liver damage will be presented, as will results of recent studies from my laboratory that provide evidence for an effect of alcohol to enhance the liver damage mediated by activated CD8 + T cells.
The value-relevance of nonfinancial information: A discussion

Abstract Amir and Lev (1996) address two interesting issues: the value-relevance of reported financial information for fast-changing, science-based companies and the value-relevance of nonfinancial information incremental to financial information. Using a sample of cellular phone companies, they report that the financial accounting information is only value-relevant after the inclusion of the nonfinancial information and that the nonfinancial information they examine is value-relevant both by itself and incremental to the financial information. I first discuss details specific to the tests conducted by Amir and Lev before discussing some of the implications offered by Amir and Lev.
Wildlife pests of California agriculture: Regional variability and subsequent impacts on management

Abstract Numerous wildlife species are known pests of California agriculture. Effective management of these pests is required to maximize agricultural production, yet it is unclear how the importance of various wildlife pest species and associated management strategies may vary regionally throughout California. Accounting for these regional differences should yield management programs that are specifically tailored to the regions constituents and should be considered when managing wildlife pests at a more localized level. Therefore, we developed a survey to provide quantitative data on regional differences in research and management needs to better guide future research efforts in developing more effective, practical, and appropriate methods for managing wildlife pests. We found that coyotes were a more common pest in the mountain region, ground squirrels were a greater concern in the central and desert valley region, while birds were most commonly listed as pests by individuals working in multiple regions of California. Coyote damage varied regionally, with livestock depredation the greatest concern throughout most of California, although damage to irrigation tubing and sprinklers was of equal concern in the central and desert valley region. For bird pests, exclusionary devices were the most common and most effective methods of control in the coastal region. Frightening devices were the most commonly used method for bird control in all other regions, although the efficacy associated with frightening devices was considered far lower than their level of use, suggesting that better management options are needed for bird control in these regions. For all wildlife pests, nonlethal control options (e.g., exclusionary devices, habitat modification) were generally preferred in the coastal region while lethal removal options ranked higher in the central and desert valley region (e.g., baiting, burrow fumigation). Efficacy was considered the most important attribute of a control method for all regions, while Integrated Pest Management programs were considered the most effective method for controlling wildlife pests in all regions except for the central and desert valley region. Collectively, the importance of wildlife pests and the perception of associated control methods varied throughout California and reflects the need to consider these regional differences in order to optimize damage management strategies at the regional level.
Solubilization of the D-1 dopamine receptor from rat striatum

The D-1 dopamine receptor was extracted from rat striatal membranes with 0.7% sodium cholate and 1 M NaCl. Pretreatment of the membranes with a D-1 specific agonist, inclusion of crude phospholipids in the solubilization buffer, and subsequent removal of the detergent led to a maximal extraction of 48% of the receptor binding sites. The D-1 antagonist, [125I]SCH 23982, bound to single class of sites with a Kd of 1.8 nM and a Bmax of 1.65 pmol/mg protein. The solubilized receptors retained the ability to discriminate between active and inactive enantiomers of agonists and antagonists selective for the D-1 receptor.
A parabolic equation for anisotropic elastic media

Abstract A parabolic equation for anisotropic elastic media is derived and implemented. The wave equation is formulated in a special set of variables so that the operator is second-order in depth and factors into a product of incoming and outgoing operators. The coordinate axes are assumed to be aligned with the principal axes of the transversely isotropic medium, in which the wave speeds depend on the vertical propagation angle but not the azimuthal propagation angle. A separation of variables solution is used to confirm the accuracy of the parabolic equation solution, which is efficient for nonseparable problems.
Sins of the fathers, sins of the sons: transgenerational transgression in Imamura Shōhei's Vengeance is mine

Abstract Released in 1979, Japanese avant-garde director Imamura Shōhei's Vengeance is mine retells the life story of Nishiguchi Akira, an infamous real-life serial killer who successfully impersonated a university professor and a lawyer during a seventy-eight-day crime spree that extended from Kyushu to Hokkaido. While several prominent film critics have sought to understand Imamura's portrayal of ‘Enokizu Iwao’ (Nishiguchi) in terms of the value he purportedly places on central aspects of Shinto-based culture such as spontaneity, ‘irrationality’ and primitivism, in this article I argue that Imamura's primary concerns in the film are with visualizing the unconscious psychological motivations of Iwao's repetitive acts of violence, linking his crimes with atrocities committed during the Asia Pacific War and drawing attention to the potentially inflammatory legacies of traumatic personal and collective histories that have not been adequately remembered, narrated, assimilated, integrated, known or attended t...
THE INTERACTION OF RESPONSES IN THE BRAIN TO SEMANTIC STIMULI

Long time-constant EEG recording during paired stimuli has led to the discovery of the contingent negative variation or expectancy wave (Walter, 1964). This effect is produced when a conditional stimulus signals that an imperative stimulus demanding action, decision, or attention will follow at a short, constant time interval. Symbolic and meaningful stimuli were presented to subjects tachistoscopically, and the evoked responses in the brain were electronically averaged. The cerebral evoked responses to such psychological stimuli are more complex than to flashes. A slow negative DC potential shift (CNV) was seen during the interval between an auditory ready signal and the visual exposure if recognition of the stimulus was required, or if it was interesting. Following the visual exposure, a slow positive DC shift occurred. The method has been developed to study the brain responses to psychological stimuli. The amplitude of the responses relates to the information content and subjective factors rather than to the physical strength of the stimulus.
Formal power series solutions of Schröder¿s equation

In 1884, Konigs showed that when \(\varphi\)(z) is an analytic self-map of the unit disk fixing the origin, with 0 1. Under some natural hypotheses, they gave necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of an analytic solution σ satisfying σ′(0) = I when \(\varphi\)′(0) is diagonalizable. In this paper, the problem when \(\varphi\)′(0) is not diagonalizable is considered. Both \(\varphi\)(z) and σ(z) will be regarded as vectors of purely formal power series, and it will not be assumed that \(\varphi\)(z) is analytic or that the series for \(\varphi\)(z) or σ(z) converge. Nevertheless, because of a process developed by Cowen and MacCluer, if the given \(\varphi\)(z) represents a map of the unit ball into itself of an appropriate form, then the results of this paper can be used to produce solutions of Schroder’s equation that are convergent power series, or (sometimes) to show that no such solution exists. A method of matrix completion is used.
Coastal Marsh Vegetation Assemblages of Galveston Bay: Insights for the East Texas Chenier Plain

Coastal marshes are composed of distinct vegetation assemblages that contribute to ecosystem functions and services over time and space. In recent decades, natural and anthropogenic changes have led to large-scale marsh loss along the Chenier Plain of the Gulf of Mexico. An understanding of the composition and dominance of the vegetation assemblages that form these coastal marshes is necessary to effectively assess and monitor their stability under changing conditions. To investigate marsh vegetation assemblages along the Texas Chenier Plain, we analyzed the composition and dominance of 135 marsh plots distributed across two study areas bordering the East Bay of Galveston Bay in Chambers County, Texas using cluster analysis. Seven general vegetation assemblages were identified. The assemblages were evaluated using indicator species analysis and Multi-Response Permutation Procedures and compared to marsh vegetation assemblages found in the Louisiana Chenier Plain. Our data provide a foundation for better understanding of vegetation patterns found along the East Texas Chenier Plain allowing managers and conservationists the ability to better evaluate the effects of marsh change due to climatic and human driven pressures.
Open excision of subglottic hemangioma

Treatment of subglottic hemangiomas lacks a standard treatment algorithm defining the role and proper place for the multiple medical and surgical therapeutic alternatives. Open excision of subglottic hemangiomas represents an emerging operative technique with the advantage of being a single-stage procedure with limited morbidity that, at the same time, avoids the potential complications of long-term medications, such as corticosteroids, as well as avoids subglottic stenosis caused by repeated endoscopic laser procedures. This procedure is evolving as the first-line surgical option for symptomatic subglottic hemangioma requiring therapy at our institution. A discussion of the preoperative work-up, the operative technique, and our results is presented.
Initial Deployments of the Rover, an Autonomous Bottom-Transecting Instrument Platform for Long-Term Measurements in Deep Benthic Environments

Rover is a bottom-crawling, autonomous vehicle capable of making continuous time-series measurements at abyssal depths up to 6000 m for periods exceeding six months. The Rover control system and instrumentation suite are being designed at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), building on the earlier rover work of Smith and associates at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. The vehicle weighs 68 kg in water and crawls on two wide tracks with a combined surface contact area of about one square meter; this provides good traction while minimizing the disturbance to benthic sediments. A typical mission scenario is to take measurements for a few days at each site before picking up the instruments and moving forward ~10 m to a new site. Up to fifty sites may be visited in a single mission. Engineering field tests have been performed with the Rover in the Monterey Bay in California (890 m depth), and at Station M, 220 km west of the central California coast (4200 m depth). Rover operations have been observed with the ROVs Ventana and Tiburon, and with the manned submersible DSV Alvin. Knowledge gained from these engineering deployments has resulted in numerous modifications and improvements to The Rover.
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone gene expression is increased in the medial basal hypothalamus of postmenopausal women.

Quantitative In situ hybridization and computer-assisted microscopy were used to compare GnRH gene expression in the hypothalamus of premenopausal and postmenopausal women. Hypothalamic sections were incubated with 35S-labeled 48-base complementary DNA probes and dipped into nuclear emulsion for visualization of messenger ribonucleic acids at the single cell level. Two subtypes of GnRH neurons were examined: heavily labeled GnRH neurons located primarily in the medial basal hypothalamus (type I) and lightly labeled neurons in the dorsal preoptic-septal region (type II). We report a 50% increase in mean number of silver grains per type I neuron in the medial basal hypothalamus of postmenopausal women. In contrast to type I neurons, there was no difference in the number of grains per type II neuron in the dorsal preoptic-septal regions. The mean profile area and the number of type I GnRH neurons per section were not different between the two groups, and there was no change in the size of type II neurons. Th...
Self-expanding stents in treatment of esophageal leaks post bariatric surgery

The Alimaxx self-expanding metal stents were used in two morbidly obese patients with esophageal leaks complicating reoperative bariatric surgery. Although the patients could be maintained on oral intake with their sepsis controlled, surgery was ultimately required for non-healing after 3 weeks of conservative management. Self-expanding metal stent should be considered the preferred treatment in small esophageal leaks less than 1 cm in morbidly obese patients who generally pose a higher operative risk due to concomitant co-morbidities. Stents are also useful adjuncts in patients with larger leaks that are either inoperable or need further stabilization at presentation and those preferring an initial 2–3 weeks trial of conservative management before contemplating surgery.
Scientists' Uncertainty and Disagreement about Global Climate Change: A Psychological Perspective

Abstract Since there are major gaps in scientific knowledge about the greenhouse effect, policy makers are forced to rely on scientists' judgments about the rate of climate change and its effects. It now appears that significant policy decisions will have to be made despite continuing uncertainty and disagreement among scientists. The best that policy makers can do is look for guidance in the best available expert judgment. But when the best experts express great uncertainty and disagree, as seems to be the case with the greenhouse effect, policy makers are unsure about how to proceed. Despite its importance, scientific judgment about the greenhouse effect has not been systematically studied. Psychological research on expert judgment and decision making provides theory, methods, and empirical results that can be used to study judgments based on uncertain and incomplete data and can help to explain the sources of expert uncertainty and disagreement regarding the greenhouse effect. Possible explanations are...
Coumarins from Musineon divaricatum

Abstract A chemical investigation of Musineon divaricatum has resulted in the isolation of 19 coumarins, five of which are novel compounds; 18 are khellactone derivatives. The coumarins were isolated from the crude extracts by a combination of adsorption chromatography, gel permeation and HPLC; the more successful HPLC separations utilized a nitrile bonded phase column. The structures were determined by 1H NMR and mass spectral studies and by comparisons with literature data. The relative configuration for the entire series was secured from 1H NMR data, while the absolute configuration could be assigned with any certainty only in the cases of two of the compounds.
Thyrotropin releasing hormone receptors in regulation of prolactin gene expression in GH cells.

Abstract Three GH cell strains (rat pituirary tumor cells in culture) which synthesize different amounts of prolactin (PRL) and which exhibit a differential response to thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH), have been utilized to study the TRH receptor-modulated regulation of PRL gene expression. Equilibrium [ 3 H]TRH binding studies revealed that, PRL-producing (PRL + ) GH 4 C 1 and 928-9b GH substrains possess TRH specific receptors with similar affinities for the ligand. However the total number of TRH receptors per cells in TRH-nonresponsive 928-9b strain is 6.5 fold lower than that could be detected in TRH-responsive GH 4 C 1 cells. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) also stimulates PRL synthesis in GH 4 C 1 cells. Unlike TRH, EGF stimulates PRL synthesis in TRH-nonresponsive 928-9b cells, suggesting that nuclear events necessary for the stimulation of PRL gene expression in 928-9b cells are operative. 5 Bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd) induces PRL synthesis in PRL-nonproducing (PRL − ) F 1 BGH 1 2C 1 cells. PRL induction in BrdUrd-treated cells can not be further stimulated by TRH or EGF.
Genetic analysis and mapping of genes controlling freezing tolerance in oilseed Brassica

Freezing tolerance is the ability of plants to survive subfreezing temperatures and is a major component of winter survival. In order to study the genetic regulation of freezing tolerance, an F2 population ofBrassica rapa and a doubled haploid population ofBrassica napus were assayedin vitro for relative freezing tolerance of acclimated and nonacclimated plants. Linkage maps developed previously were used to identify putative quantitative trait loci (QTL). Genomic regions with significant effects on freezing tolerance were not found for theB. napus population, but forB. rapa four regions were associated with acclimated freezing tolerance (FTA) and acclimation ability (FTB), and two unliked regions were associated with nonacclimated freezing tolerance (FTN). Acclimation ability was regulated by genes with very small additive effects and both positive and negative dominance effects. The allele from the winter parent at the FTN QTL had positive additive effects, but negative dominance effects. RFLP loci detected by a cold-induced and a stress-related cDNA fromArabidopsis thaliana mapped near two QTL for FTA/FTB. Further tests are needed to determine if alleles at these loci are responsible for the QTL effects we detected.
Formation of pyroglutamic acid from N-terminal glutamic acid in immunoglobulin gamma antibodies.

The status of the N-terminus of proteins is important for amino acid sequencing by Edman degradation, protein identification by shotgun and top-down techniques, and to uncover biological functions, which may be associated with modifications. In this study, we investigated the pyroglutamic acid formation from N-terminal glutamic acid residues in recombinant monoclonal antibodies. Almost half the antibodies reported in the literature contain a glutamic acid residue at the N-terminus of the light or the heavy chain. Our reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography−mass spectrometry method could separate the pyroglutamic acid-containing light chains from the native light chains of reduced and alkylated recombinant monoclonal antibodies. Tryptic peptide mapping and tandem mass spectrometry of the reduced and alkylated proteins was used for the identification of the pyroglutamic acid. We identified the formation of pyroglutamic acid from N-terminal glutamic acid in the heavy chains and light chains of ...
Accounting for the ravages of war: Corporate reporting at a troubled American railroad during the Civil War:

From 1861 to 1865, the Louisville and Nashville Railroad suffered cruelly from Civil War actions along its entire length. The railroad’s annual reports from this era left a chronicle of the destructive nature of war and its effect on the economic fortunes of the business. These reports show the resilience of the company for its ability to both plan for and cope with the depredations inflicted by the war. They also provide an excellent look at the procedures developed by the railroad to account for the extraordinary business situations brought on by the physical and economic losses of war. These inventive procedures maintained the institutional integrity of the railroad and eventually would be the foundation for some modern accounting procedures for troubled companies.
Free vibrations of laminated rectangular plates analyzed by higher order individual-layer theory

Abstract A higher order plate theory is used in each individual layer to determine the natural frequencies and the relative stress and deflection distributions through the thickness of simply supported rectangular plates. This theory approximates the in-plane and normal displacements by third and second order functions of the thickness co-ordinate, respectively. The theory satisfies the displacement compatibility and stress equilibrium conditions along the interfaces between adjacent layers. Numerical results are calculated for the cases of isotropic and orthotropic homogeneous plates and for symmetric and non-symmetric cross-ply laminates. The present theory predicts more modes of free vibration than other approximate theories. Also, the relative stress and deflection distributions obtained by the present higher order theory are in very good agreement with results by three-dimensional elasticity theory.
Engage Your Students by Teaching Computer Science Using Only Mobile Devices with TouchDevelop

We are experiencing a technology shift: powerful and easy-to-use touchscreen-based mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets are becoming more prevalent than traditional PCs and laptops. Many mobile devices are going to be the first and, in less developed countries, possibly the only computing devices that virtually all people would own and carry with them at all times. We propose to reflect this new reality in how computer science is taught in the classroom. In this tutorial, participants will learn about developing software directly on smartphones without a PC using TouchDevelop on Windows Phone, a novel application-creation environment from Microsoft Research. Its typed, structured programming language is built around the idea of using only a touchscreen as the input device to author code. Easy access to the rich sensor and personal data available on a mobile device results in a fun and engaging programming experience for students.
Global localities: Olympic bidding as a case study in globalization

This article explores economic, cultural and political facets of ‘globalization’ through an analysis of the Olympic host city selection process. Rhetorical and statistical evidence illustrates that...
An exploratory study to identify the critical factors affecting the decision to establish internet-based interorganizational information systems

The Internet, with its unprecedented growth, is a promising platform to exchange information along the business channels. The purpose of this study was to determine the factors that are critical to organizations in their adoption decision of Internet-based interorganizational information systems (IBIS). Using a field-based survey, the researchers obtained findings that suggested that the factors that significantly affect the adoption decision of IBIS are pressures felt from trading partners, pressure felt from competitors, establishing costs, network reliability, data security, scalability, complexity, support from top management, and trust between trading partners. This research highlights the similarities as well as the differences between IBIS and Electronic data interchange (EDI). The study showed that IBIS and EDI are similar in terms of the significant effect of factors such as pressure from trading partner, pressure from competition, establishing cost, top management support, and trust on the adoption decision. However, the results show that there are differences between IBIS and EDI in terms of establishing costs, scalability, and complexity.
TH‐A‐217BCD‐09: Volumetric Breast Density Determination Based On X‐Ray Phase‐Shifts

Purpose: High breast density is one of the biggest risk factors for breast cancer. Identifying patient having persistent high breast density is important for breast cancer screening and prevention. In this work we propose for the first time an x‐ray phase‐shift based method for measuring the volumetric breast density. Methods: When x‐ray traverses the breast, x‐ray not only gets its intensity attenuated, but also gets its phase shifted. Studying the x‐ray phase‐shifts generated by the breast tissues, we derived a formula for determining the volumetric breast density from the breast phase map. We show that the volumetric breast density can be reconstructed by retrieving the breast phase map from just a single phase‐sensitive projection of the breast. To validate this phase‐shifts method for measuring the volumetric breast density, we performed computer simulations with an anthropomorphic digital breast phantom. In the simulation we simply set the ray path‐lengths inside a breast to its compressed thickness as a practical approximation. Results: Using this phase‐shifts based method, we reconstructed the phantom's volumetric breast density that is differs from the true breast density of the phantom by only 0.22%, achieving a good accuracy for the breast density determination. With the existence of projection noise, the reconstructed volumetric breast density differs from the true breast density of the phantom by only 1.42% or less as long as the breast signal‐noise ratios being larger than 34. Conclusions: We proposed an x‐ray phase‐shift based method for measuring the volumetric breast density. The simulation results validated this novel method. This research was supported in part by the DoD Breast Cancer Research Program grant W81XWH‐08‐1‐0613 and the NIH grant R01CA142587.
Analytic design of adaptive sampling control law in sampled-data systems

A unified analytic approach is presented for the design of adaptive sampling control law in sampled-data systems. This is accomplished by introducing an objective function which measures the performance of the sampler over each sampling interval, and then minimize it to obtain the sampling control law. A total of six different control laws, which are functions of the sampled function, are derived from the generalized objective function by selecting different weighting coefficients. More than half of these control laws are identical to existing results. Similar control laws as functions of the system output can be derived as well. Also included are some experimental results on the performances of four representative control laws in a second-order system subject to step disturbance.