cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clinical implications of scalp ictal EEG pattern in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy.

Abstract Objective To determine the clinical implications of scalp ictal EEG pattern in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Methods Scalp EEG ictal patterns were retrospectively determined in 27 consecutive patients with medically refractory temporal lobe epilepsy who underwent phase-1 scalp video-EEG and phase-2 simultaneous scalp and intracranial video-EEG recordings for pre-surgical evaluation. Results Of the 192 temporal lobe seizures recorded during phase-1 and phase-2 scalp video-EEG studies, 124 (65%) seizures were associated with theta/alpha (5–9 Hz) ictal onset pattern, and 68 (35%) seizures were associated with delta (2–5 Hz) ictal onset pattern. Fourteen (52%) patients had exclusively theta/alpha ictal onset, 3 (11%) patients had exclusively delta ictal onset, and 10 (37%) patients had mixed theta/alpha and delta ictal onsets. MTLE was observed in 26 patients who had 124 seizures with theta/alpha ictal onset and 59 seizures with delta ictal onset. LTLE was observed in one patient who had 9 seizures with delta ictal onset. Scalp ictal EEG pattern was not significantly correlated with postsurgical seizure outcomes. Conclusions Both scalp delta and theta/alpha ictal onset patterns can be commonly found in patients with MTLE. Significance Scalp delta ictal onset is not a unique EEG pattern for LTLE as commonly believed.
Using Scan Statistics for Cluster Detection: Recognizing Real Bandwagons

Bandwagons are ubiquitous in social life. No one doubts that people vote at least sometimes for political candidates simply because they are winning and or embrace many fashions simply because they want to “follow the crowd.” But estimating how much a bourgeoning trend owes to pure “bandwagon effects” can be very difficult. Often other factors motivate the people taking action to an unknown degree. In this paper we investigate the use of two variable window scan statistics, the minimum P value scan statistic and the generalized likelihood ratio test (GLRT) statistic, to analyze one important form of the bandwagon problem. We show how these scan statistics can be used to detect the clustering of bandwagon events in a time interval. Once the events are identified, the information can be used to set boundaries on the extent of bandwagoning. The method is illustrated by reference to data on political contributions in the 2016 U.S. Senate elections.
Altered Neural Processing of Threat-Related Information in Children and Adolescents Exposed to Violence: A Transdiagnostic Mechanism Contributing to the Emergence of Psychopathology.

Objective Exposure to violence in childhood is associated with increased risk for multiple forms of internalizing and externalizing psychopathology. We evaluated how exposure to violence in early life influences neural responses to neutral and threat-related stimuli in childhood and adolescence, developmental variation in these associations, and whether these neural response patterns convey transdiagnostic risk for psychopathology over time. Method Participants were 149 youths (75 female and 74 male), aged 8 to 17 years (mean = 12.8, SD = 2.63), who had experienced physical abuse, sexual abuse, or domestic violence (n = 76) or had never experienced violence (n = 73). Participants underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning while passively viewing fearful, neutral, and scrambled faces presented rapidly in a block design without specific attentional demands. Internalizing and externalizing psychopathology were assessed concurrently with the scan and 2 years later and were used to compute a transdiagnostic general psychopathology factor (p factor). Results Exposure to violence was associated with reduced activation in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) and frontal pole (1,985 voxels, peak x, y, z = 6, 4, 40) when viewing fearful (versus scrambled) faces, and reduced activation in dorsomedial prefrontal cortex and superior frontal gyrus (1,970 voxels, peak x, y, z = 16, 64, 10) when viewing neutral faces, but not amygdala activation or connectivity. Lower dACC response to fearful faces predicted increase in the p factor 2 years later (B = −0.186, p = .031) and mediated the association of violence exposure with longitudinal increases in the p factor. Conclusion Reduced recruitment of the dACC—a region involved in salience processing, conflict monitoring, and cognitive control—in response to threat-related cues may convey increased transdiagnostic psychopathology risk in youths exposed to violence.
Direct Manipulation for Imperative Programs

Direct manipulation is a programming paradigm in which the programmer conveys the intended program behavior by modifying program values at runtime. The programming environment then finds a modification of the original program that yields the manipulated values. In this paper, we propose the first framework for direct manipulation of imperative programs. First, we introduce direct state manipulation, which allows programmers to visualize the trace of a buggy program on an input, and modify variable values at a location. Second, we propose a synthesis technique based on program sketching and quantitative objectives to efficiently find the “closest” program to the original one that is consistent with the manipulated values. We formalize the problem and build a tool JDial based on the Sketch synthesizer. We investigate the effectiveness of direct manipulation by using JDial to fix benchmarks from introductory programming assignments. In our evaluation, we observe that direct state manipulations are an effective specification mechanism: even when provided with a single state manipulation, JDial can produce desired program modifications for 66% of our benchmarks while techniques based only on test cases always fail.
Sub-microAmp Energy Harvesting and Power Management Units for Self-Powered IoT SoCs: Analog vs. Digital Implementations

The power consumption of ultra-low-power (ULP) Internet-of-Things (IoT) SoCs and components has been scaling down from µW to pW levels over the past ten years. Designing energy harvesting and power management units (EH-PMUs) that consume sub-µA quiescent current to efficiently provide such low load current is challenging. This paper reviews the trends and techniques for sub-µA EH-PMUs with a specific focus on the choice between analog and digital implementations. We first discuss ULP EH-PMU design trends based on recent published results and then analyze three design examples. The first example reviews a popular multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) EH-PMU architecture with ultra-low quiescent current and compares tradeoffs for analog vs. digital zero-current detectors. The second example discusses the design of analog and digital low-dropout regulators (LDOs) with a performance comparison from silicon measurement results. The digital LDO can achieve faster settling time for step response than the analog structure, but the analog LDO has no ripple, making it ideal for noise-sensitive blocks like RF. Finally, an analog power monitor for maximum-power-point tracking (MPPT) in a piezoelectric energy harvester utilizes subthreshold transistor characteristics to simply a complex algorithm and to maintain low power consumption.
Complications of Patellofemoral Arthroplasty

Patellofemoral arthroplasty (PFA) represents an excellent option for the patient with isolated patellofemoral degenerative arthritis. Results upward of 90% survival at up to 10 years have been reported [1–4]. However, in order to avoid complications, careful selection of patients and meticulous surgical technique are of paramount importance. Patient selection is important, particularly due to the well-documented failure of patellofemoral arthroplasty secondary to the progression of tibiofemoral degenerative arthritis. Surgical technique includes optimal choice of implant, as well as the implant’s size, position, and fixation.
Qualification of FDG PET/CT as an oncologic biomarker: A methodology demonstration for lymphoma

1046 Learning Objectives 1. To be aware of the methodological approach implemented in the Oncology Biomarker Qualification Initiative, a broad, national academia-industry partnership effort to qualify PET/CT imaging as a potential biomarker. 2. To review the organizational and technical challenges of such an effort. 3. To update about the current status. The stated goal of the OBQI is to validate [and subsequently qualify] biomarkers so that they can be used to evaluate new, promising technologies in a manner that will shorten clinical trials, reduce the time and resources spent during the drug development process, improve the linkage between drug approval and drug coverage, and increase the safety and appropriateness of drug choices for cancer patients. In 2007, a project plan was conceived by investigators from CALGB to examine the utility and predictive value of FDG-PET/CT in assessing response to chemotherapy in lymphoma in a prospective setting. The trial has been funded utilizing a public private partnership structure under the sponsorship of the FNIH and is still in progress. To achieve the goal the following specific aims are established for this effort: 1. Establish the correlation between quantitative imaging biomarker and clinical endpoints to prove surrogacy as a predictive marker. 2. Show that the new biomarker can detect futility, that is, progressive disease events, sooner than standard biomarker. 3. Provide contributory evidence that may be utilized to satisfy outcome studies needed to approve and/or clear imaging tests and agents. 4. Provide contributory evidence that may be utilized to satisfy requirements for coverage decisions leading to reimbursement for longitudinal quantitation. 5. Show that FDG-PET is a quantitative measure of cellular metabolism. Research Support The Oncology Biomarker Qualification Initiative (OBQI) is a FDA/NCI/CMS effort organized and supported via the Foundation of the National Instititues of Health (FNIH)
Testing strategy for SARS-CoV-2 in the paediatric emergency department.

The rapid spread of the novel coronavirus (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)) in Italy forced a prompt hospital reorganisation in the past 2 months. Every clinic has been divided into two separate departments, based on the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in the nasopharyngeal swab.1 In children, three main variables complicate this: first, the not optimal sensitivity of nasopharyngeal swabs, mainly due to technical difficulties2; second, the need of a caregiver during the hospital stay; finally, the high number of paediatric diseases manifesting with fever or cough, thus sharing symptoms of COVID-19, which cause about 25% of emergency department (ED) admissions.3 All these elements make the paediatric testing strategy more challenging. We performed an observational study at Regina Margherita Children’s Hospital of Turin. Two cohorts of patients were collected: cohort A included all the children admitted to the ED from 2 March 2020 through 22 April 2020, with COVID-19-related symptoms; cohort B was composed of patients …
Parabolic deformable mirror testbed for the ExoSpec project

ExoSpec Project is a NASA Headquarters directed work package that links four different tasks at Goddard space flight center to enable future missions to more efficiently characterize directly imaged exoplanets. One of the tasks is the development of parabolic deformable mirrors to improve on the current state-of-the-art wavefront sensing and control implementations that are baselined to have two high actuator count flat deformable mirrors (DMs). To effectively control both amplitude and phase aberrations, the flat DMs need to have a large separation distance. This large separation poses packaging challenges to missions designed to image rocky exoplanets at larger angular separations. To eliminate this large separation, the parabolic DM architecture makes the off-axis imaging elements in the optical train are controllable. Simulations also show performance enhancements with the architecture change; larger bandwidths have been shown to be controllable with the parabolic DMs and the number of required actuators can be reduced. With a 32x32 pupil flat DM and two 16x16 parabolic DMs, we could dig a 5-12 λ/D dark hole at 35% bandwidth. In addition to addressing the packaging challenge faced by future coronagraph missions, reducing the number of actuators reduces both cost and risk of having the entire coronagraph instrument’s performance depend on two high-actuator count DMs. To test these simulations, Goddard is building a testbed and has a vendor working on manufacturing the parabolic DM. Here we present these simulations, the current testbed performance, and the development plan to incorporate and test the parabolic DMs.
Sea Level Rise and Groundwater

Rising sea levels pose a direct threat to coastal communities through permanent inundation of low-elevation areas and greater and more widespread temporary inundation from possibly more intense storms and king tides atop a higher sea level baseline. Sea level rise will also cause higher groundwater levels in coastal areas causing inundation of low-lying areas and impacts to shallowly buried infrastructure. The risks posed by rising sea levels are compounded by the large and growing populations of coastal urban areas. Areas vulnerable to direct marine inundation and groundwater inundation sea level are most commonly screened using the hydrostatic or “bathtub” approach, which assumes that sea level and the water table rises at the same rate everywhere in a coastal study area, or more accurate dynamic and groundwater modeling. Sea level rise will contribute to the salinization of coastal aquifers through more frequent and greater extent overwash events and saline water intrusion, with the later evaluated through density-dependent numerical groundwater modeling.
Endothelial Pannexin 1-TRPV4 channel signaling lowers pulmonary arterial pressure

Pannexin 1 (Panx1) is an ATP-efflux channel that controls endothelial function in the systemic circulation. However, the roles of endothelial Panx1 in resistance-sized pulmonary arteries (PAs) are unknown. Extracellular ATP dilates PAs through activation of endothelial TRPV4 (transient receptor potential vanilloid 4) ion channels. We hypothesized that endothelial Panx1–ATP–TRPV4 channel signaling promotes vasodilation and lowers pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP). Endothelial, but not smooth muscle, knockout of Panx1 or TRPV4 increased PA contractility and raised PAP. Panx1-effluxed extracellular ATP signaled through purinergic P2Y2 receptor (P2Y2R) to activate protein kinase Cα (PKCα), which in turn activated endothelial TRPV4 channels. Finally, caveolin-1 provided a signaling scaffold for endothelial Panx1, P2Y2R, PKCα, and TRPV4 channels in PAs, promoting their spatial proximity and enabling signaling interactions. These results indicate that endothelial Panx1–P2Y2R–TRPV4 channel signaling, facilitated by caveolin-1, reduces PA contractility and lowers PAP.
Flexible scaling and persistence of social vocal communication

Innate vocal sounds such as laughing, screaming or crying convey one's feelings to others. In many species, including humans, scaling the amplitude and duration of vocalizations is essential for effective social communication1-3. In mice, female scent triggers male mice to emit innate courtship ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs)4,5. However, whether mice flexibly scale their vocalizations and how neural circuits are structured to generate flexibility remain largely unknown. Here we identify mouse neurons from the lateral preoptic area (LPOA) that express oestrogen receptor 1 (LPOAESR1 neurons) and, when activated, elicit the complete repertoire of USV syllables emitted during natural courtship. Neural anatomy and functional data reveal a two-step, di-synaptic circuit motif in which primary long-range inhibitory LPOAESR1 neurons relieve a clamp of local periaqueductal grey (PAG) inhibition, enabling excitatory PAG USV-gating neurons to trigger vocalizations. We find that social context shapes a wide range of USV amplitudes and bout durations. This variability is absent when PAG neurons are stimulated directly; PAG-evoked vocalizations are time-locked to neural activity and stereotypically loud. By contrast, increasing the activity of LPOAESR1 neurons scales the amplitude of vocalizations, and delaying the recovery of the inhibition clamp prolongs USV bouts. Thus, the LPOA disinhibition motif contributes to flexible loudness and the duration and persistence of bouts, which are key aspects of effective vocal social communication.
The co-occurrence of dementia in those with epilepsy is associated with 30-day readmission - A population-based study.

Abstract Objective Dementia and epilepsy often co-occur and are associated with poor health outcomes and increased healthcare utilization. The literature on the association between readmission and co-occurrence of dementia and epilepsy is scant. Our objective was to determine if dementia in patients with epilepsy >40 years old is associated with 30-day hospital readmission, in-hospital mortality, discharge disposition, and length-of-stay. Methods This retrospective cohort study used the 2014 Nationwide Readmissions Database, containing data from hospital discharges across the US and readmissions. Epilepsy and dementia were identified using previously validated ICD-9-CM codes. Primary outcome was 30-day readmission, analyzed with univariable and multivariable logistic regressions. Secondary outcomes were discharge disposition, in-hospital mortality, and length-of-stay, analyzed with univariable multinomial logistic, univariable logistic, and univariable ordinary least squared regressions, respectively. The top ten causes of readmission in each group were compared as well. All analyses accounted for survey weights, cluster, and stratum. Results Patients with epilepsy with dementia (n = 15,588) had longer hospital stays [15% (95%CI 10–20%)], and higher odds of readmission [OR 1.11 (95%CI 1.05–1.17)], transfer to another facility [OR 2.18 (95%CI 1.93–2.46)], and in-hospital mortality [OR 1.50 (95%CI 1.25–1.79)] compared to those without dementia (n = 186,289). The top two causes of readmission were septicemia (dementia: 14.81%; no dementia: 9.45%) and epilepsy/convulsions (dementia: 5.91%; no dementia: 6.25%). Other top 10 causes of readmissions in those with epilepsy and dementia which were not present in those without dementia included delirium (5.21%), urinary tract infections (4.98%), and aspiration pneumonitis (4.29%). Significance Dementia in epilepsy is associated with worse outcomes, including higher in-hospital mortality and higher readmissions. Potentially preventable causes of readmission in those with epilepsy and dementia were identified, including septicemia, delirium, urinary tract infection, and aspiration pneumonitis. Future studies are needed to inform interventions aimed at decreasing premature mortality and reducing potentially preventable readmissions in this vulnerable population.
Stock option plans for non-executive employees

Abstract We examine determinants of non-executive employee stock option holdings, grants, and exercises for 756 firms during 1994–1997. We find that firms use greater stock option compensation when facing capital requirements and financing constraints. Our results are also consistent with firms using options to attract and retain certain types of employees as well as to create incentives to increase firm value. After controlling for economic determinants and stock returns, option exercises are greater (less) when the firm's stock price hits 52-week highs (lows), which confirms in a broad sample the psychological bias documented by Heath et al. (Quarterly Journal of Economics 114 (1999) 601–628).
Simulation in End-of-Life Nursing Education: A Literature Review

Abstract Background End-of-life simulation is proposed as an educational method that prepares undergraduate nursing students for palliative care nursing practice. Method An integrative literature review was undertaken to determine the effects of end-of-life simulation on nursing students’ competence, self-competence, and performance of palliative care and to identify evidence gaps. Results Findings from 11 studies reviewed suggest that end-of-life simulation effectively develops palliative care nursing competence and self-competence, but there is a lack of evidence regarding performance. Conclusion Further research is needed to evaluate simulation's impact on student performance in delivering end-of-life care to seriously ill patients.
Statistical inferences for availability of a series system with Pareto failure and repair times

Inthispaper, weconsider thelong-run availabilityofa seriessystem having several independent renewable components with Pareto distributed failure and repair times. We are interested in hypothesis testing and interval estimation of the availability of the system. For this problem, there are no exact or approximate tests or confidence intervals available in literature. Generalized test and a generalized confidence interval based on the generalized variable method are given. An example using the limited simulation study is given to illustrate and to demonstrate the advantages of the proposed generalized variable method over the approximate method.
Effects of contextual cues on speech recognition in simulated electric-acoustic stimulation

Low-frequency acoustic cues have shown to improve speech perception in cochlear-implant listeners. However, the mechanisms underlying this benefit are still not well understood. This study investigated the extent to which low-frequency cues can facilitate listeners' use of linguistic knowledge in simulated electric-acoustic stimulation (EAS). Experiment 1 examined differences in the magnitude of EAS benefit at the phoneme, word, and sentence levels. Speech materials were processed via noise-channel vocoding and lowpass (LP) filtering. The amount of spectral degradation in the vocoder speech was varied by applying different numbers of vocoder channels. Normal-hearing listeners were tested on vocoder-alone, LP-alone, and vocoder + LP conditions. Experiment 2 further examined factors that underlie the context effect on EAS benefit at the sentence level by limiting the low-frequency cues to temporal envelope and periodicity (AM + FM). Results showed that EAS benefit was greater for higher-context than for lower-context speech materials even when the LP ear received only low-frequency AM + FM cues. Possible explanations for the greater EAS benefit observed with higher-context materials may lie in the interplay between perceptual and expectation-driven processes for EAS speech recognition, and/or the band-importance functions for different types of speech materials.
TAP associates with a unique class I conformation, whereas calnexin associates with multiple class I forms in mouse and man

To define the rules governing de novo assembly of the trimeric class I complex, we have identified the class I folding/assembly intermediates associated with calnexin or TAP, using both human and mouse cell lines. To better characterize the class I H chain structure associated with TAP, mouse mAb that distinguish open (64-3-7+) vs folded (30-5-7+) Ld heavy (H) chains were used. We report here that open forms of Ld are uniquely and specifically associated with TAP and that the conformational change in the class I H chain coincident with peptide binding induces TAP release. Chimeric Ld/Q10 displayed TAP association, demonstrating that soluble class I molecules can bind TAP. As previously reported, beta 2m was found to be required for H chain association with TAP. Interestingly, beta 2m was associated with TAP in the human class I-negative cell line LCL 721.221, suggesting that beta 2m can bind to TAP before class I H chain. In contrast to TAP, which binds a specific class I conformation, calnexin was detected in association with multiple forms of both mouse and human class I. Most significantly, we show for the first time that beta 2m-assembled forms of human as well as mouse class I molecules interact with calnexin. Based on these findings, we propose a model for the sequential assembly of class I heterotrimers and their respective interactions with TAP and calnexin.
Two-dimensional Imaging ofPhotofragments

The technique of photofragment imaging is described, and several examples of the power of the technique are presented. Two-dimensional images of state-selected photofragments from the photodissociations of CD3I and H2S illustrate how photofragment imaging reveals β parameters, brancing ratios, Doppler profiles and vector correlations. Comparisons are made with Doppler profiling and one-dimensional time-of-flight techniques.
High Energy Muon Momentum Estimation from Multiple Coulomb Scattering in Dense Detectors

A method is described for estimating muon track momentum from the distribution of hits along tracks in dense calorimeters due to multiple Coulomb scattering (MCS). The method requires only well-aligned conventional drift chambers or similar tracking devices and can be implemented with or without a magnetic field present. Neutrino experiments can use this technique to increase acceptance for large angle charged-current scattering events. Resolutions in a typical detector geometry vary from ~10% at p=20 GeV/c to ~50% for p=500 GeV/c, if the number of hits on the track is sufficient.
Serum sphingolipids and inflammatory mediators in adolescents at risk for metabolic syndrome

The purpose of this study was to determine low-grade inflammation associated with obesity that is mediated partially by TNF-α, an adipocytokine which stimulates sphingomyelinase activity in adipocytes. Circulating ceramide (Cer) and sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) are elevated in genetically obese (ob/ob) mice. We aimed to determine whether serum sphingolipid concentrations correlate with measures of obesity, insulin resistance, and lipid profiles in overweight versus lean adolescents. This cross-sectional study recruited 30 healthy overweight (body mass index, BMI ≥ 85%) and 15 lean (BMI 10–84%) adolescents. Anthropometric measurements and fasting blood samples were collected at one clinic visit. Serum glucose, insulin, and fasting lipid profiles were measured. Serum adipocytokine concentrations were measured by ELISA or colorimetric assay and sphingolipids were measured by HPLC–mass spectrometry. Between group differences in serum sphingolipid concentrations were assessed. Correlations between sphingolipid concentrations and (i) body mass index, (ii) calculated homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), (iii) adipocytokines, and (iv) lipoproteins were determined. The results showed that significant differences in HOMA-IR (4.5 ± 3.2 vs. 1.2 ± 0.7), free fatty acids (0.8 ± 0.3 mmol/l vs. 0.4 ± 0.3 mmol/l), and adiponectin (6.4 ± 3.8 vs. 12.6 ± 9.9 μg/ml) were seen between groups (overweight vs. lean). There were significant correlations between Cer and TNF-α (r = 0.429), S1P and TNF-α (r = 0.288), Cer and adiponectin (r = 0.321), Cer:S1P and adiponectin (r = 0.324), Cer and HOMA-IR (r = 0.307), and Cer:S1P and LDL cholesterol (r = 0.453); these associations persisted after adjustment for BMI Z-score, sex, and Tanner stage. We concluded that elevated sphingolipid concentrations correlate with TNF-α, adiponectin, lipoprotein profiles, and HOMA-IR. Ceramide is associated with atherogenic lipid profiles and the development of insulin resistance in obese adolescents, similar to adults.
Hypothalamic epinephrine synthesis during stimulation.

Summary In vivo studies revealed that part of intrahypothalamically released norepinephrine (e.g. during stimulation of the medial forebrain bundle) is locally methylated to epinephrine.
Technical options in venous valve reconstruction

Purpose Several modifications and details of techniques that were found useful in venous valve reconstruction are described. Related technical outcome data are also presented. Methods Five hundred eighty-two valve segments were reconstructed in 347 limbs using a variety of different techniques. Results Intraoperative valve competence was achieved in 86% of 347 limbs. The incidence of technical stenosis was 4%, thrombosis of repair Conclusions The expanded variety of technical options in valve reconstruction allows optimization for the individual patient. Regardless of pathology, a functional venous valve can be reconstructed in most patients utilizing one of the described techniques.
Absolute rate constants for the addition of O(3P) atoms to propylene

Abstract The rate of addition of oxygen ( 3 P) atoms to propylene has been investigated by the flash photolysis resonance fluorescence technique. Using O 2 as the atom source, the reaction was studied from 201 to 424°K. A linear least squares treatment of the Arrhenius data gave: k =(4.17±0.33) × 10 −12 exp[-(76±44)/1.9877] in units of cm 3 molecule −1 sec −1 .
Interactions of alginate-producing and -deficient Pseudomonas aeruginosa with zwitterionic polymers.

Abstract In this work, we report a study of the interactions between bacteria and zwitterionic polymers using a long-range surface plasmon resonance (LR-SPR) sensor. The LR-SPR with an extended probing field allows one to perform in-situ monitoring of bacterial adhesion and to investigate bacteria–surface interactions under various conditions. Alginate-producing and -deficient Pseudomonas aeruginosa were used in order to study the role of capsular exopolysaccharide in bacterial adhesion onto a surface. Polycarboxybetaine polymers with one and two carbons in spaces between two oppositely charged moieties on polymer side chains (pCBAA-1 and pCBAA-2) were prepared in order to unveil the effects of material properties on surface resistance to bacterial adhesion. In addition, environmental factors (e.g., divalent cations) were investigated. This work demonstrates the role of polysaccharides beyond proteins in bacteria adhesion and the effective resistance of pCBAA-1 against bacterial adhesion.
Sea ice thickness distribution in the Arctic Ocean

Abstract Data from the unclassified literature were reviewed to determine the regional and seasonal distributions of sea ice thickness, pressure ridging statistics, frequency of occurrence of polynyas, and keel/sail height ratios. Seasonal and regional maps and histograms of these properties were constructed. The majority of the data were obtained from submarines equipped with a narrow-beam, upward-looking sonar. As determined from an analysis of 17 submarine cruises, the overall mean thickness of Arctic sea ice above 65° N, including both deformed and undeformed ice, is 2.9 m with a standard deviation of 1.8 m. The overall seasonal mean ranges from approximately 2.4 m in spring to 3.3 m in summer. Local mean ice drafts ranged from less than 1 m near the marginal ice zone to greater than 7 m to the north of the Canadian Archipelago. Histograms of sea ice draft reflect a bimodal distribution in winter and spring, an effect of the presence of thin first year ice. Due to ice melt in summer and autumn only a single mode of much thicker multiyear ice is observed.
Classical molecular-dynamics potential for the mechanical strength of nanocrystalline composite fcc Al + α − Fe 2 O 3

A classical molecular-dynamics potential for analyzing mechanical deformation in the $\ensuremath{\alpha}\text{\ensuremath{-}}{\mathrm{Fe}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}+\mathrm{fcc}\text{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{Al}$ material system is developed. The potential includes an embedded atom method cluster functional, a Morse-type pair function, and a second-order electrostatic interaction function. It is fitted to the lattice constants, elastic constants, and cohesive energies of fcc Al, bcc Fe, $\ensuremath{\alpha}\text{\ensuremath{-}}{\mathrm{Fe}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$, $\ensuremath{\alpha}\text{\ensuremath{-}}{\mathrm{Al}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$, and B2-FeAl, accounting for the fact that mixtures of Al and ${\mathrm{Fe}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ are chemically reactive and deformation may cause the formation of these components as reaction products or intermediates. To obtain close approximations of the behavior of mixtures with any combination of the atomic elements, the potential is formulated and fitted such that the Al-Al, Fe-Fe, Al-Fe, O-O, Fe-O, and Al-O interactions are accounted for in an explicit and interdependent manner. In addition to being fitted to the lattice constants, elastic constants, and cohesive energies, the potential gives predictions of the surface and stacking fault energies for the crystalline components that compare well with the predictions of established potentials in the literature for the corresponding crystalline components. The potential is applied to analyze quasistatic tensile deformation in nanocrystalline Al, in nanocrystalline ${\mathrm{Fe}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$, and in nanocrystalline $\mathrm{Al}+{\mathrm{Fe}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ composites. Application of the potential to nanocrystalline Al reveals the features of mechanical deformation, such as the formation of unit dislocations, flow strength approaching ideal shear strength, and the Hall-Petch relationships, that are in close agreement with experiments and with the predictions of established potentials for Al in the literature. Analyses of deformation in nanocrystalline ${\mathrm{Fe}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ and in nanocrystalline $\mathrm{Al}+{\mathrm{Fe}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ composites point to the possibility that the strength of the nanocomposites can only be calculated using the mixture theory if the average grain size is above a critical value. Below the critical grain size, an accurate account of interfacial stresses is important to the prediction of the strength. For composites with grain sizes above the critical value, the observed dependence of strength on volume fraction is in agreement with experimental observations.
IMPAIRED SPONTANEOUS ENDOCYTOSIS OF HLA-G

HLA-G is a class Ib (non-classical) major histocompatibility complex (MHC) protein expressed at the maternal-fetal interface that inhibits natural killer (NK) cell-mediated lysis in an allotype-independent manner. Here we report that the spontaneous endocytosis of HLA-G is severely reduced because of its short cytoplasmic tail. Class I (classical) MHC proteins on the surface of B cell transfectants detected by primary and secondary antibodies underwent endocytosis at a moderate rate, whereas HLA-G, chimeric proteins consisting of the extracellular domains of HLA-C with the C-terminal sequence of HLA-G, or glycophosphatidylinositol-tailed HLA-C proteins, were not efficiently internalized. In addition, a mutant of beta 2-microglobulin (Ser88Cys) that could be specifically labeled with Texas red (or other fluorescent probes) and exchanged into class I or class Ib MHC proteins was employed to study spontaneous internalization of MHC proteins by a non-perturbative method independent of an antibody ligand. These data are discussed in terms of both the role of HLA-G expressed on the fetal trophoblast and the function of the cytoplasmic tail in class I MHC proteins.
PACS implementation strategies: optimal long-term on-line storage and high availability of image data

Large volumes of high resolution radiological images acquired by a picture archiving and communication system require large archival storage and high network bandwidth. We use compression to increase storage capability and improve network throughput. Decompressing image data at the image display workstation, however, may drastically interfere with the interactive operation on the station. We have developed a method which optimizes the centralized long-term image data storage with image data compression, improves local availability of image data on display workstations, and minimizes the delay at the receiving image display workstation for an interactive session.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Studies on ectopic atrial rhythms in dogs.

Abstract Activation of the canine atria from the region of the coronary sinus or A-V node did not result in inversion of the P wave in electrocardiographic leads II, III and aVF unless there was concomitant damage to atrial myocardium. The results obtained suggest that when the P wave is inverted in these leads, one should suspect that intra- or interatrial conduction defects coexist with ectopic or retrograde activation of the atria. The absence of change in P wave polarity in leads II, III and aVF or significant change in mean electrical axis of the P wave during activation of the atria which originates in the coronary sinus or A-V nodal regions is believed to depend on the function of specialized intra-atrial conducting paths.
Preferential Removal of Dissolved Carbohydrates During Estuarine Mixing in the Bay of Saint Louis in the Northern Gulf of Mexico

Abstract Water samples were collected from the Bay of Saint Louis (BSL) estuary in the northern Gulf of Mexico to investigate the abundance, distribution, and mixing behavior of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and total dissolved carbohydrates (TCHO). Laboratory experiments were also conducted to examine the removal mechanisms of DOC and TCHO during estuarine mixing. Both DOC and TCHO concentrations decreased with increasing salinity, showing a non-conservative behavior in the BSL with considerable removal of DOC (43%) and TCHO (63%). The ratio of TCHO to DOC varied from 0.31 in riverwater to ∼ 0.10 in coastal waters, decreasing with increasing salinity within the estuary. The TCHO was higher in the > 1 kDa colloidal fraction, ranging from 53% to 73% as quantified using an ultrafiltration permeation model compared to the bulk DOC that had a colloidal fraction of 40–63%. Coastal waters also had a slightly elevated CHO/DOC ratio in the colloidal phase, suggesting in situ production of CHO. Results from laboratory experiments showed that physical mixing resulted in a removal of 5–10% TCHO, while microbial processes accounted for a removal of up to 25–30% of TCHO during incubation experiments, suggesting that microbial degradation was the primary mechanism responsible for the removal of CHO in the BSL. However, physical removal combined with microbial degradation accounted for only 30–40% of the removal of DOC and TCHO in the BSL, indicating that the removal might be overestimated and/or other processes are also important in the removal of DOC and CHO in the estuarine environment. Both field observations and laboratory experiments demonstrated consistently greater removal of CHO compared to bulk DOC, supporting our hypothesis that carbohydrates are a more active organic component and could be preferentially removed during estuarine mixing.
Computer Input Devices: Quantification of Use and Variation in Use

A computer usage monitor (software odometer) was used to collect information on computer input device usage (keystrikes, mouse clicks and movement, and duration of input activity) from 27 professionals, for an average of 17 working days, each. Data from an odometer provides a more extensive means of describing and exploring computer use than more traditional methods, such as self-report of average use in response to a survey question. Further, by collecting data for an extended period of time, considerable day to day variation in computer use was found within subjects. This confirmed the necessity for collecting such data over an extended period of time, and illustrates one of the benefits of the use of software odometers over, or in conjunction with, self-reported usage information via surveys or diaries, or work sampling accomplished through direct observation.
The temperature dependence of O(1S) quenching by O2

Abstract The temperature-dependent rate coefficient from the deactivation of O( 1 S) by O 2 has been measured over the 255–375°K-temperature range. The O( 1 S) was generated by pulsed 1236 A photodissociation of N 2 O, and absolute rate coefficients were determined from the resultant exponential decay curves of the 5577 A O( 1 S) → O( 1 D) radiation. The data are fit by an Arrhenius expression of the form k = 4.0 × 10 −12 exp [(–1730 ± 350)/ RT ] cm 3 molecule −1 sec −1 .
Targeted delivery of a triplex-forming oligonucleotide to hepatic stellate cells

Liver fibrosis is characterized by abnormal accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM), namely, fibrillar collagens in the hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). Earlier, we developed an antigene approach, using a type alpha1(I) collagen gene promoter specific triplex-forming oligonucleotide (TFO) to inhibit collagen gene expression. In this paper, to enhance overall delivery of TFOs to the liver and more specifically to HSCs, we synthesized mannose 6-phosphate-bovine serum albumin (M6P-BSA) by phosphorylating p-nitrophenyl-alpha-d-mannopyranoside, reducing its nitro group, and reacting it with thiophosgene to produce p-isothiocyanatophenyl-6-phospho-alpha-d-mannopyranoside (itcM6P) for conjugation with BSA. (33)P-TFO was conjugated with M6P-BSA via a disulfide bond, and the stability of the (M6P)(20)-BSA-TFO conjugate was determined. Following tail vein injection into rats, (M6P)(20)-BSA-(33)P-TFO rapidly cleared from the circulation and accumulated mainly in the liver. Almost 66% of the injected (M6P)(20)-BSA-(33)P-TFO accumulated in the liver at 30 min postinjection, which was significantly higher than that deposited after injection of (33)P-TFO. A large proportion of the injected (M6P)(20)-BSA-(33)P-TFO was taken up by the HSCs as evidenced by determination of radioactivity in the digested liver cells upon liver perfusion and separation on a Nycodenz gradient. Therefore, this TFO conjugate may be used for the treatment of liver fibrosis.
Effect of spatial scale and background luminance on the intensive and spatial nonlinearities in texture segregation

Perceived segregation between element-arrangement textures is affected both by spatial scale and background luminance. The effects on the spatial nonlinearity are consistent with the proposed structure for complex (second-order) channels. The effects on the intensive nonlinearity are not consistent with an early, local nonlinearity but are consistent with either (i) a relatively early, local, nonlinearity occurring before the spatial frequency channels but after a sensitivity-setting stage, or (ii) inhibitory interaction among channels modeled as a normalization network. Thus the texture intensive nonlinearity comes after sensitivity to spatial frequency and background luminance has been determined. For six of seven observers, the texture intensive nonlinearity was compressive by 10% contrast for both increments and decrements (at high background luminance, large spatial scale.
Monoclonal antibody to Lyt 2 antigen blocks H-2I- and H-2K- specific mouse cytotoxic T cells.

It has been proposed that the murine cell surface antigen Lyt 2 could serve to distinguish cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) and their immediate precursors, which bear Lyt 2, from helper T cells, which do not1. Later work, however, has demonstrated that Lyt 2+ cells can ‘help’ B cells mature into antibody-secreting cells, provided that the B cells differ from the allo-helper T cells at the K or D region of the H–2 major histocompatibility complex (MHC)2. Furthermore, a T-cell line has recently been described which is Lyt 2− but specifically cytotoxic for H–2I region determinants3,4. These new findings have prompted an alternative hypothesis, that Lyt 2 antigen does not discriminate between cytotoxic and non-cytotoxic (helper) T cells, but rather between I-region- and K/D-region-specific cells5. In this new view, the apparent association between presence of Lyt 2 antigen and killer T-cell function merely reflects the tendency, by no means absolute6–8, for CTLs to recognize K- or D- rather than I-region determinants9. We show here that I-region-specific murine CTLs, generated in primary in vitro culture, do in fact bear the Lyt 2 antigen, as do CTLs directed against the K region of H–2.
Sonoluminescence And Its Application To Medical Ultrasound Risk Assessment

Ultrasound is used extensively in medical applications for diagnosis, therapy and even surgery. For these applications, the acoustic pressure may be delivered in short pulses at low duty cycles, in long pulses at high duty cycles, in continuous waves, or in the form of high intensity shock waves. The acoustic frequencies vary from about 20 kHz to higher than 10 MHz. If the acoustic pressure amplitude exceeds about 1 MPa, even for microsecond length pulses, then acoustic cavitation can occur in aqueous liquids. The inception of acoustic cavitation has traditionally been detected by measuring acoustic emissions from the cavitation field, such as a shock wave or a subharmonic. However, for short pulses and for high frequencies the acoustic emissions are difficult to detect. In most instances of cavitation bubble collapse, light is also emitted from the cavitation complex via a process called sonoluminescence, in which the internal temperature of the gas is elevated to incandescent levels. One of the classic papers in this area is one coauthored by George Reynolds 1, the subject of this memorial session. This paper extends his pioneering work, describes the phenomenon of sonoluminescence, introduces some new information intending to clarify its physics, and demonstrates how it can be used to assess possible risks associated with the use of medical ultrasound.
Polynomial Root-Finding Methods Whose Basins of Attraction Approximate Voronoi Diagram

Given a complex polynomial p(z) with at least three distinct roots, we first prove that no rational iteration function exists where the basin of attraction of a root coincides with its Voronoi cell. In spite of this negative result, we prove that the Voronoi diagram of the roots can be well approximated through a high order sequence of iteration functions, the Basic Family, B m (z), m≥2. Let θ be a simple root of p(z), V(θ) its Voronoi cell, and A m (θ) its basin of attraction with respect to B m (z). We prove that given any closed subset C of V(θ), including any homothetic copy of V(θ), there exists m 0 such that for all m≥m 0, C is also a subset of A m (θ). This implies that when all roots of p(z) are simple, the basins of attraction of B m (z) uniformly approximate the Voronoi diagram of the roots to within any prescribed tolerance. Equivalently, the Julia set of B m (z), and hence the chaotic behavior of its iterations, will uniformly lie to within prescribed strip neighborhood of the boundary of the Voronoi diagram. In a sense, this is the strongest property a rational iteration function can exhibit for polynomials. Next, we use the results to define and prove an infinite layering within each Voronoi cell of a given set of points, whether known implicitly as roots of a polynomial equation, or explicitly via their coordinates. We discuss potential application of our layering in computational geometry.
The Mobility Inventory for Agoraphobia

Abstract The development of the Mobility Inventory for Agoraphobia (MI), a 27-item inventory for the measurement of self-reported agoraphobic avoidance behavior and frequency of panic attacks, is described. On this instrument, 26 situations are rated for avoidance both when clients are accompanied and when they are alone. These two conditions were found to be only moderately correlated and are thus analyzed separately, as is the item on frequency of panic attacks. Studies are reported which support the reliability and the concurrent and construct validity of these three measures, using comparison samples of agoraphobic, socially phobic and normal Ss. The MI appears to be a sound instrument, with which a broad range of situations troublesome to agoraphobic clients can be surveyed, and should prove useful for treatment planning and research.