cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Grafts of genetically modified Schwann cells to the spinal cord: survival, axon growth, and myelination.

Schwann cells naturally support axonal regeneration after injury in the peripheral nervous system, and have also shown a significant, albeit limited, ability to support axonal growth and remyelination after grafting to the central nervous system (CNS). It is possible that Schwann cell-induced axonal growth in the CNS could be substantially increased by genetic manipulation to secrete augmented amounts of neurotrophic factors. To test this hypothesis, cultured primary adult rat Schwann cells were genetically modified using retroviral vectors to produce and secrete high levels of human nerve growth factor (NGF). These cells were then grafted to the midthoracic spinal cords of adult rats. Findings were compared to animals that received grafts of nontransduced Schwann cells. Spinal cord lesions were not placed prior to grafting because the primary aim of this study was to examine features of grafted Schwann cell survival, growth, and effects on host axons. In vitro prior to grafting, Schwann cells secreted 1.5 ± 0.1 ng human NGF/ml/106 cells/day. Schwann cell transplants readily survived for 2 wk to 1 yr after in vivo placement. Some NGF-transduced grafts slowly increased in size over time compared to nontransduced grafts; the latter remained stable in size. NGF-transduced transplants were densely penetrated by primary sensory nociceptive axons originating from the dorsolateral fasciculus of the spinal cord, whereas control grafts showed significantly fewer penetrating sensory axons. Over time, Schwann cell grafts also became penetrated by TH- and DBH-labeled axons of putative coerulospinal origin, unlike control cell grafts. Ultrastructurally, axons in both graft types were extensively myelinated by Schwann cells. Grafted animals showed no changes in gross locomotor function. In vivo expression of the human NGF transgene was demonstrated for periods of at least 6 m. These findings demonstrate that primary adult Schwann cells 1) can be transduced to secrete augmented levels of neurotrophic factors, 2) survive grafting to the CNS for prolonged time periods, 3) elicit robust growth of host neurotrophin-responsive axons, 4) myelinate CNS axons, and 5) express the transgene for prolonged time periods in vivo. Some grafts slowly enlarge over time, a feature that may be attributable to the propensity of Schwann cells to immortalize after multiple passages. Transduced Schwann cells merit further study as tools for promoting CNS regeneration.
Probable identity of Goltz syndrome and Van Allen-Myhre syndrome: evidence from phenotypic evolution.

We describe a girl who was diagnosed with split foot-split hand anomaly prenatally, in whom at birth the diagnosis of Van Allen-Myhre syndrome was made, and who at 8 months of age was recognized to have Goltz syndrome. Based on the evolution of clinical features in this infant, we suggest that our case, as well as that reported by Van Allen and Myhre, is an example of unusually severe Goltz syndrome.
Balanced placebo design: Revolutionary impact on addictions research and theory

Prior to the publication of Marlatt, Demming, and Reid's (1973, Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 81, 233–241) manuscript entitled “Loss of control drinking in alcoholics: An experimental analogue,” the disease model of alcoholism prevailed. Central to the model was the belief that alcoholics suffer from a loss-of-control such that any drinking resulted in unregulated consumption and intoxication. In a masterfully crafted experimental investigation that represented an early use of the balanced placebo design (BPD), G. Alan Marlatt and his colleagues demonstrated that a priming drink of alcohol had no effect on how much alcoholics consumed during an ad libitum assessment of alcohol consumption. Marlatt's publication reflected a departure from conventional wisdom by challenging the strict adherence to the disease model of alcoholism and contributed to advancements in both addictions research and theory. This article is dedicated to describing these advancements including: (1) a revised understanding of the sy...
The Inmate Prerelease Assessment for Reentry Planning

The Inmate Prerelease Assessment (IPASS) was developed specifically as a measure of postrelease risk for prison-based treatment graduates. By taking into account historical drug use and criminal activity of inmates as well as their performance during prison-based treatment, the IPASS provides a “priority” score indicating the relative need for more (versus less) intensive treatment services on release. The present study used data from offenders paroling from prisons in a southwest (N = 127) and midwest (N = 75) state to examine the psychometric properties of the IPASS subscales. With regard to construct validity, psychometric properties ranged from good to excellent. The IPASS scales also showed strong internal consistency, with coefficient alphas greater than .80 for the Texas Christian University Drug Screen, Client Evaluation of Treatment, and Counselor Evaluation of Client scales. Further research will explore alternatives on how the Client and Counselor scales are optimally incorporated into the IPAS...
Obstacles in energy security: An analysis of congressional and presidential framing in the United States

Despite decades of policymaking, the U.S. has only recently made significant strides in becoming a more energy secure nation. With a focus on the executive and legislative branches, this paper investigates two possible political obstacles to achieve this policy goal. The first question it asks is whether or not the two branches have been defining energy security in the same way. As the concept itself has no universal definition, it is possible that the branches have been focusing on different aspects of the term. Results from a content analysis of presidential speeches and congressional hearings suggest that no such division has occurred. The subsequent question asks whether or not the two branches, in tandem, are providing the foundation for sound policy. Results suggest that Congress and presidents have defined and discussed energy security in a generally balanced, comprehensive and internally non-conflictual way. What policy emerges from these discussions should be the subject of future research.
Sexuality, Difference, and American Hijabi Bloggers

This article uses qualitative content analysis to explore some themes associated with perspectives on sexuality and multicultural difference on American hijabi fashion blogs. These themes include tensions within the community, the American Muslim identity and Muslim women’s purposes for veiling and blogging about fashion. This paper frames the American hijabi fashion community as a counterculture movement that focuses on Islamically based objections to the commodification of women’s sexuality in the mainstream fashion and media industries. It also discusses disagreements within Muslim communities such as conceptualizations of awrah and hijab, the connections between veiling and empowerment, the tolerance of the American society and perspectives on the modern-traditional binary. The paper concludes with a discussion of how socioeconomic factors may allow “safe Muslims” such as hijabi fashion bloggers to assimilate into mainstream culture while excluding working class Muslims and how the hijab could create barriers to inclusion within Muslim communities.
Affordance-based computational model of driver behavior on highway systems: A Colored Petri Net approach

In this paper, an affordance-based colored Petri net (CPN) model for representing driver behavior is proposed. We adopt a simulation-based approach and conduct an analysis of driver affordances on a driving task on highway systems. The computational CPN model is an extension of the initial conceptual CPN model and allows experimenters to enforce driving preferences as preferential turn probabilities for individual drivers on the highway system. There are two types of driver models: confederate driver model (CDM) and subject driver model (SDM). Whilst, the CDM follows a pre-scripted path of a confederate driver in actual empirical scenarios, the SDM uses a computational algorithm (implemented within the CPN model) to plan a path based on SDM and CDM affordance derived from attributes such as position, velocity and acceleration. This model allows experimenters to analyze and compare the set of affordances that are available for each driver within this dynamic environment. We conclude by providing a descriptive statistical analysis of the results obtained by comparing the empirical and model-predicted driver data for specific scenarios.
The Role of Exercise in Preventing and Treating Gestational Diabetes: A Comprehensive Review and Recommendations for Future Research

The purposes of this study were to extensively review the gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and exercise literature and to provide recommendations for future research. We found (1) that exercise improved glucose utilization, decreased the need for insulin, or increased cardiorespiratory fitness in 62% of the intervention/treatment studies; (2) that pre-pregnancy exercise was associated with GDM risk reduction in 45% of the correlational studies; (3) a greater risk reduction for overweight women in 27% of the correlational studies; and (4) a lack of consistency in reporting study characteristics and outcomes across all study types. Findings illustrate the positive effect of exercise on GDM outcomes, and the need for more consistency in data reporting across studies to systematically determine the protective mechanism and causal pathway of exercise for preventing GDM.
Performance of Noise Barriers with Absorptive Edge Treatments

The installation of sound-absorptive materials near the edge of a noise barrier is known to increase its insertion loss. First, scale-model experiments were performed to compare the performance of ...
Inhaled steroids and asthma.

To the Editor .— In their recent article, Eid et al1 report an observational study of the effects of inhaled fluticasone on morning serum cortisol in children. However, additional discussion of some of the findings in this study would benefit the clinician in interpreting these results. First, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma, a high dose of fluticasone MDI in children is considered >440 μg/day; medium dose, 176–440 μg/day; and low dose, 88–176 μg/day.2 Of the children in this study, 43% were on 440 μg/day and 47% were on 880 μg/day. Thus, 90% of children were on medium to high doses per the NIH guidelines. Additionally, the highest FDA-recommended dose of fluticasone inhalation powder for children 4 to 11 years of age is 200 μg/day. Only 6 patients in this analysis were using low-dose Flovent (176 μg/day). Only 1 of these patients had an abnormal morning cortisol level. …
Slit2, a Branching–Arborization Factor for Sensory Axons in the Mammalian CNS

Axons that carry information from the sensory periphery first elongate unbranched and form precisely ordered tracts within the CNS. Later, they begin collateralizing into their proper targets and form terminal arbors. Target-derived factors that govern sensory axon elongation and branching–arborization are not well understood. Here we report that Slit2 is a major player in branching–arborization of central trigeminal axons in the brainstem. Embryonic trigeminal axons initially develop unbranched as they form the trigeminal tract within the lateral brainstem; later, they emit collateral branches into the brainstem trigeminal nuclei and form terminal arbors therein. In whole-mount explant cultures of this pathway, embryonic day 15 (E15) rat central trigeminal axons retain their unbranched growth within the tract, whereas E17 trigeminal axons show branching and arborization in the brainstem trigeminal nuclei, much like that seen in vivo. Similar observations were made in E13 and E15 mouse embryos. We cocultured Slit2-expressing tissues or cells with the whole-mount explant cultures of the central trigeminal pathway derived from embryonic rats or mice. When central trigeminal axons are exposed to ectopic Slit2 during their elongation phase, they show robust and premature branching and arborization. Blocking available Slit2 reverses this effect on axon growth. Spatiotemporal expression of Slit2 and Robo receptor mRNAs within the brainstem trigeminal nuclei and the trigeminal ganglion during elongation and branching–arborization further corroborates our experimental results.
Superconducting wires and fractional flux

The quantization of flux quanta in superconductors is revisited and analyzed in a new geometry. The system analyzed is a superconducting wire. The geometry is such that the superconducting wire winds N times around an insulating cylinder and that the wire has its end connected back to its beginning, thus producing an N-loop short circuited solenoid. The winding number N acts as a topological index that controls flux quantization. In this case, fractional flux quanta can be measured through the center of the insulating cylinder, provided that the cylinder radius is small enough. The Little-Parks experiment for an identical geometry is discussed. The period of oscillation of the transition temperature of the wire is found to vary as 1/N in units of flux {phi} relative to the flux quantum {phi}{sub 0}. When a SQUID is made in such a geometry the maximal current through the SQUID varies with period {phi}{sub 0}/N.
Joint Manifolds for Data Fusion

The emergence of low-cost sensing architectures for diverse modalities has made it possible to deploy sensor networks that capture a single event from a large number of vantage points and using multiple modalities. In many scenarios, these networks acquire large amounts of very high-dimensional data. For example, even a relatively small network of cameras can generate massive amounts of high-dimensional image and video data. One way to cope with this data deluge is to exploit low-dimensional data models. Manifold models provide a particularly powerful theoretical and algorithmic framework for capturing the structure of data governed by a small number of parameters, as is often the case in a sensor network. However, these models do not typically take into account dependencies among multiple sensors. We thus propose a new joint manifold framework for data ensembles that exploits such dependencies. We show that joint manifold structure can lead to improved performance for a variety of signal processing algorithms for applications including classification and manifold learning. Additionally, recent results concerning random projections of manifolds enable us to formulate a scalable and universal dimensionality reduction scheme that efficiently fuses the data from all sensors.
Tylosin Resistance in Arcanobacterium pyogenes Is Encoded by an Erm X Determinant

Arcanobacterium pyogenes , a commensal on the mucous membranes of many economically important animal species, is also a pathogen, causing abscesses of the skin, joints, and visceral organs as well as mastitis and abortion. In food animals, A. pyogenes is exposed to antimicrobial agents used for growth promotion, prophylaxis, and therapy, notably tylosin, a macrolide antibiotic used extensively for the prevention of liver abscessation in feedlot cattle in the United States. Of 48 A. pyogenes isolates, 11 (22.9%) exhibited inducible or constitutive resistance to tylosin (MIC of ≥128 μg/ml). These isolates also exhibited resistance to other macrolide and lincosamide antibiotics, suggesting a macrolide-lincosamide resistance phenotype. Of the 11 resistant isolates, genomic DNA from nine hybridized to an erm (X)-specific probe. Cloning and nucleotide sequencing of the A. pyogenes erm (X) gene indicated that it was >95% similar to erm (X) genes from Corynebacterium and Propionibacterium spp. Eight of the erm (X)-containing A. pyogenes isolates exhibited inducible tylosin resistance, which was consistent with the presence of a putative leader peptide upstream of the erm (X) open reading frame. For at least one A. pyogenes isolate, 98-4277-2, erm (X) was present on a plasmid, pAP2, and was associated with the insertion sequence IS 6100 . pAP2 also carried genes encoding the repressor-regulated tetracycline efflux system determinant Tet 33. The repA gene from pAP2 was nonfunctional in Escherichia coli and at least one A. pyogenes isolate, suggesting that there may be host-encoded factors required for replication of this plasmid.
A Raman Scattering Study of the Temperature Dependence of Boroxol Ring Clusters in B2 O3-GeO2 and B2 O3-GeO2-SiO2 Glasses.

This Raman study indicates that the boroxol ring concentrations for glasses in the B 2 O 3 -GeO 2 and B 2 O 3 -GeO 2 -SiO 2 systems are dependent upon temperature and composition. Ring breakage and formation occur well below T g . An Arrhenius plot of intensity data for borogermanate g glass indicates that the heat of ring rupture is ca. 7.7 Kcal/mole. The boroxol ring concentrations in various glasses were also investigated at room temperature after various heat treatments. The structural interpretation from Raman scattering data was compared with that from IR data.
A Model of Marine Aerosol Generation Via Whitecaps and Wave Disruption

We have, over the past several years, as one element in the development of a time-dependent model of the aerosol population of the marine atmospheric boundary layer, attempted to define, in terms of aerosol droplet radius (r) and 10m-elevation wind speed (U), a model of open-ocean sea-surface aerosol generation. This source function is represented by the expression dF(r, U)/dr, which states the rate of production of marine aerosol droplets, per unit area of the sea surface, per increment of droplet radius. In the initial modeling efforts only the indirect aerosol production mechanisms associated with the bursting of whitecap bubbles (see Figure 1) were considered. The model for sea surface aerosol generation by the indirect mechanisms, first introduced in our Canberra SSAG-1 (Monahan, et al, 1979) and Manchester SSAG-2 (Monahan, 1980) papers, is given by Equation 1, where W is the $${\rm{d}}{{\rm{F}}_0}/{\rm{dr = W}}{\tau ^{ - 1}}{\rm{dE/dr}}$$ instantaneous fraction of the sea surface covered by whitecaps, τ is the time constant characterizing the exponential whitecap decay (measured in seconds), and dE/dr is the differential whitecap aerosol productivity, i.e. the number of droplets per increment droplet radius produced during the decay of a unit area of whitecap (expressed in m−2 μm−1 ). The necessary expression for W(U) was obtained from shipboard photographic observations of white- caps (Monahan, 1971; Toba and Chaen, 1973), while values for τ and dE/dr were derived from measurements made using the University College, Galway, whitecap simulation tank.
Hirschsprung's disease in the newborn: an 11-year experience

The records of all patients with Hirsch- sprung's disease diagnosed and treated at our in- stitution between I July 1974 and 31 August 1985 were reviewed. Of these 99 patients, 35 (35%) pre- sented and were diagnosed within the first 30 days of life and constitute the basis of the present study group. Twenty-two infants (63%) had standard rectosigmoid disease with a male-to-female ratio of 2.2:1. Only one infant was premature. The spectrum of presenting signs included abdominal distension in 19 (54%), failure to pass meconium within the first 48 h of life in 16 (46%), "constipa- tion" in 12 (34%), and vomiting in 9 (26%). Intesti- nal perforation was a presenting sign in 2 patients (6%) and enterocolitis occurred preoperatively in 4 (12%). Evaluation was facilitated by diagnostic barium enema in 60% of the patients. In those in- fants able to undergo elective evaluation, the de- finitive diagnosis was made by suction rectal bi- opsy, which was accurate in all cases. In addition to the high proportion of patients with long-seg- ment disease (13 patients, 37%), there was a signi- ficant incidence of associated congenital anoma- lies (26%), including Down's syndrome in 5 (14%). Thirty-three of the 35 patients have undergone de- finitive treatment using the endorectal pull- through procedure, performed at an average age of 12 months, with no mortality related to the op- eration. In addition to highlighting the high inci- dence of congenital anomalies, the large propor- tion of neonates with long-segment disease, and the reliability of the diagnostic barium enema, this subgroup of patients with Hirschsprung's dis-
Charge-Transport Parameters of Acenedithiophene Crystals: Realization of One-, Two-, or Three-Dimensional Transport Channels through Alkyl and Phenyl Derivatizations

The charge-transport parameters in a series of naphthodithiophene (NDT) and anthradithiophene (ADT) derivatives are investigated by means of density functional theory and molecular dynamics calculations. In the case of unsubstituted and alkylated NDT and ADT crystals, the results point to small effective masses for the charge carriers along either essentially one dimension (π-stacks) or two dimensions (within the molecular layers), i.e., where large electronic couplings or band widths are present. Interestingly, diphenyl substitutions can lead to small effective masses for both holes and electrons along the three dimensions. This implies that one-, two-, or three-dimensional charge-transport mechanisms can be realized in the alkyl and phenyl NDT and ADT crystals. In particular, the smallest effective mass (and, as a result, the largest expected charge-carrier mobility) is obtained in the diphenyl NDT and ADT crystals along the direction perpendicular to the herringbone molecular layers. Our calculations a...
The Characteristics of Bacteria of the Colon Type Found in Bovine Feces

In a former paper1 from this laboratory giving the results of a study of bacteria of the colon group occurring in milk, three principal points were made: (1) The gas ratio and volume under uniform conditions are quite constant; (2) on the basis of the gas ratio and volume the collection of cultures under observation was divided into two distinct groups, one of which was probably a mixture of two or more varieties, while the other, giving a CO2 to H2 ratio of approximately 1.1, was distinct and homogeneous; (3) the fermentation of carbohydrates and alcohols is closely correlated with the gas ratio, indicating that this marks the lines of natural relationship within the group. We found in the milk samples one group holding to the type with great uniformity and distinguished by the comparatively small volume of gas, a CO, to H2 ratio of 1.1, and by a somewhat limited ability to ferment carbohydrates and alcohols. A considerable percentage of this group, however, fermented the resistant alcohol dulcite. About 50 per cent. of the cultures isolated from milk gave a ratio varying from 1.5 to 2.8, a large volume of gas, and, in general, the ability to ferment all of the test substances used with the exception of dulcite. A small number liquefied gelatin, a character apparently correlated with the fermentation of glycerin. The low ratio group evidently included those members of the colon group usually designated as Bacillus coli communis and Bacillus coli communior, while in the high ratio group we may recognize Bacillus lactis akrogenes, Bacillus acidi lactici and possibly Bacillus cloacae. In determining the sanitary quality of both water and milk, the origin of bacteria of the colon type and the directness with which they
Apocalypse from U.S.Land Developing Right Institution to China's Land Requisition Compensation Reformation—Based on Welfare Economics

Using the principals of land developing rights institution to reform China's land acquisition compensation has became a representative research method.Since previous studies has some theoretical or practical disadvantage,based on systematical analysis of U.S.land developing rights institution and using welfare economics,this paper built a land value production function to detect the net value of the land development rights,to clarify the land value allocation adjustment process and its principle of Pareto optimal,and designed a"after-compensation"way to calculate the compensation amount of land acquisition,which is an alternative of market trading mechanisms.
Unitary Differential Space-time Codes Based on the Channel Estimation Performance Study

The MMSE and the LS algorithm,are firstly introduced and given the basic principle of unitary space-time codes decoding principles,and then OFDM-based non-blind channel estimation and unitary differential space-time codes based on blind channel estimation are used to compare the simulation.One non-blind channel estimation using the MMSE and the LS algorithm,blind channel estimation using maximum likelihood algorithm,BER simulation curves can see that use of unitary space-time codes bit error rate environment in large signal to noise ratio is significantly better than the use of MMSE and the LS,while in low SNR environment,the unitary space-time codes using bit error rate and the LS channel estimation error rate basically the same.
Proving hybrid systems

Cyber-physical systems (CPS) combine cyber aspects such as communication and computer control with physical aspects such as movement in space, which arise frequently in many safety-critical application domains, including aviation, automotive, railway, and robotics. But how can we ensure that these systems are guaranteed to meet their design goals, e.g., that an aircraft will not crash into another one? This tutorial focuses on the most elementary CPS model: hybrid systems, which are dynamical systems with interacting discrete transitions and continuous evolutions along differential equations. It describes a compositional programming language for hybrid systems and shows how to specify and verify correctness properties of hybrid systems in differential dynamic logic. Extensions of this logic that support CPS models with more general dynamics will be surveyed briefly. In addition to providing a strong theoretical foundation for CPS, differential dynamic logics have also been instrumental in verifying many applications, including the Airborne Collision Avoidance System ACAS X, the European Train Control System ETCS, several automotive systems, mobile robot navigation with the dynamic window algorithm, and a surgical robotic system for skull-base surgery. The approach is implemented in the theorem prover KeYmaera X.
Introduction to the Fourth ADEA International Women's Leadership Conference Proceedings.

Women leaders from six continents—North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia—attended the Fourth American Dental Education Association (ADEA) International Women’s Leadership Conference (IWLC) in Salvador, Brazil, September 5–8, 2010. This successful endeavor enjoyed
Outcomes After Oncoplastic Breast-Conserving Surgery in Breast Cancer Patients: A Systematic Literature Review

Background Surgeons have increasingly performed breast-conserving surgery (BCS) utilizing oncoplastic techniques in place of standard lumpectomy for early-stage breast cancer. We assess oncologic outcomes after oncoplastic BCS for T1–T2 breast cancer.
Thermally compensated KTP Q-Switch for high average power lasers

Using a thermally compensated LiNbO3 electro-optic modulator, we have recently demonstrated 250 W of Q-switched average power. However, the low surface damage threshold of LiNbO3 may be a problem at average powers of a kilowatt or greater. KTP is a nonlinear crystal with electro-optic coefficients comparable to DKDP and LiNbO31 and with surface damage thresholds 3-5 times higher than LiNbO3. KTP is biaxial and must be employed in a dual crystal, thermally compensated switch configuration for average power operation. However, flux grown KTP exhibits optical index inhomogeneities which prevents the complete compensation of the static birefringence even over modest (5 × 5 mm2) aperture sizes. In addition KTP exhibits a photochromic damage effect, resulting in a blackened crystal upon application of an electric field. Recently, improvements in KTP crystal growth have yielded large aperture KTP crystals exhibiting a significantly lower depolarization than conventional flux grown KTP of similar aperture. In addition, by utilizing a simple switching configuration, we have demonstrated that KTP can be pulsed continuously without exhibiting photochromic damage. This combination should allow the straightforward development of a large aperture kilowatt Q-switch.
SU-G-TeP4-12: Individual Beam QA for a Robotic Radiosurgery System Using a Scintillator Cone

Purpose: The targeting accuracy of the Cyberknife system is measured by end-to-end tests delivering multiple isocentric beams to a point in space. While the targeting accuracy of two representative beams can be determined by a Winston-Lutz-type test, no test is available today to determine the targeting accuracy of each clinical beam. We used a scintillator cone to measure the accuracy of each individual beam. Methods: The XRV-124 from Logos Systems Int'l is a scintillator cone with an imaging system that is able to measure individual beam vectors and a resulting error between planned and measured beam coordinates. We measured the targeting accuracy of isocentric and non-isocentric beams for a number of test cases using the Iris and the fixed collimator. Results: Collimator---------------Num. Beams-------Avg. Diff. (mm)------StDev. (mm)--------Max Diff. (mm)Fixed 10mm____________52___________0.837____________0.380___________1.73Iris 10mm______________52___________1.076____________0.433___________1.873Iris 12.5mm____________52___________1.232____________0.489___________2.043Iris 15mm______________52___________1.218____________0.475___________2.01Iris 20mm______________52___________1.202____________0.501___________2.508Iris 25mm______________52___________1.234____________0.494___________2.32Iris 30mm______________52___________1.096____________0.483___________2.433PlanQA Fixed 20mm______86___________0.900____________0.388___________1.667 PlanQA Iris 12.5–30mm___164__________0.806____________0.313___________1.571 The average difference between plan and measured beam position was 0.8–1.2mm across the collimator sizes and plans considered here. The max error for a single beam was 2.5mm for the isocentric plans, and 1.67mm for the non-isocentric plans. The standard deviation of the differences was 0.5mm or less. Conclusion: The CyberKnife System is specified to have an overall targeting accuracy for static targets of less than 0.95mm. In E2E tests using the XRV124 system we measure average beam accuracy between 0.8 to 1.23mm, with maximum of 2.5mm. We plan to investigate correlations between beam position error and robot position, and to quantify the effect of beam position errors on patient specific plans. Martina Descovich has received research support and speaker honoraria from Accuray
Introduction: Negotiating Place, Non-place, and No-Place

This introduction focuses on the shifting paradigms in understanding the interrelationships of religion and urbanization and discusses the debate in naming and describing emergence of a new phase of urbanism beyond the modern and even postmodern especially in the rapidly changing cities of Asia. The rising dominance of Asia as a site for rapid urban growth belies the once-dominant version of the Weberian thesis that assumed a particular configuration of religion that uniquely facilitated the rise of the Western urbanization and capitalism. Now a reconsideration of religiosity as a major component of today’s rapid urbanization in Asia is due but in a different mode tied to the spirit of Asia and “Asian-ness.” Religious life can no longer be seen as enhancing or impeding general economic prosperity, or providing stability and order, or defining the contours of the urban life as in the old ceremonial cities. The ubiquitous presence of look-alike global styles, cyberspaces, and worldwide organizations, which some theorists bemoan as non-places, are often religiously inflected as no-place. Compelling questions arise: how to think about and how to describe the melding, participating, and precipitating elements—questioning the very nature of religiosity—as they appear and disappear within the new urban caldron as likely to emit the ethereal as the mundane, the imaginary as the substantial, and no-places as much as new places.
Uncanny Subjectivity in Helen Oyeymi’s The Icarus Girl

Proving to be a formidable new talent, Helen Oyeyemi has, to date, published five novels and two plays in nine years: Juniper’s Whitening (2005), Victimese (2005), The Icarus Girl (2005), The Opposite House (2007), White Is for Witching (2009), Mr. Fox (2011), and Boy, Snow, Bird (2014). Oyeyemi’s first novel, Icarus Girl, astoundingly written at the age of 18, immediately garnered her the attention of publishers, reviewers, and critics, as is evident from the novel’s being nominated in 2006 for the Commonwealth Writer’s Prize.
Dominant expression of an amino-acid uptake deficiency in carrot somatic fusion hybrids

Somatic hybrids were selected previously by their ability to grow in medium containing normally inhibitory levels of the two amino acid analogs aminoethylcysteine (AEC) and 5-methyltryptophan (5MT) following fusion of protoplasts from a cell strain resistant to AEC with protoplasts resistant to 5MT. The hybrid nature of the selected clones was shown by several criteria including the presence of another resistance, azetidine-2-carboxylate (A2C), carried by one of the parental strains which was not selected for in the initial hybrid selection scheme. The characterization presented here shows that the AEC resistance in the parental strain, as well as the two somatic hybrids, was due to decreased AEC uptake. Also the 5MT resistance in the hybrids, as in the parent was caused by a feedback altered form of the tryptophan biosynthetic control enzyme, anthranilate synthase which leads to increases in free tryptophan. The A2C resistance was caused by the accumulation of free proline by a mechanism which has not been studied. These studies confirm that AEC resistance caused by decreased uptake can be expressed dominantly in protoplast fusion hybrids.
THE RELEVANCE OF SOCIAL CLASS IN DEFINED SOCIAL SITUATIONS

This chapter discusses some structural relations of the social classes in the survey of Edinburgh University, Durham University, and Newcastle University. The analysis of all available evidence of the surveys show that the relations of the social classes within the university are regulated and defined by factors such as the size, nature or complex of identities, and the degree of contact of the social classes within the university. The chapter shows the way in which these factors represent major conditions of inter-group situations. In regard to the size of the social classes within the university, it is clear that the contact of members of social classes and consequent mutual adaptation and transmission of elements of social class culture is to some extent regulated by the number of potential contacts available in any one context. The nature of the social classes themselves to some extent defines the areas of social relations in which students as members of social classes interact. The third and perhaps the most cogent influence on social class relations is the degree of contact that the social classes have with one another within the institutional context.
Release of radiogenic noble gases as a new signal of rock deformation

In this study we investigate the release of radiogenic noble gas isotopes during mechanical deformation. We developed an analytical system for dynamic mass spectrometry of noble gas composition and helium release rate of gas produced during mechanical deformation of rocks. Our results indicate that rocks release accumulated radiogenic helium and argon from mineral grains as they undergo deformation. We found that the release of accumulated 4He and 40Ar from rocks follows a reproducible pattern and can provide insight into the deformation process. Increased gas release can be observed before dilation and macroscopic failure is observed during high pressure triaxial rock deformation experiments. Accumulated radiogenic noble gases can be released due to fracturing of mineral grains during small scale strain in earth materials. Helium and argon are highly mobile, conservative species and could be used to provide information on changes in the state of stress and strain in earth materials, and as an early warning signal of macroscopic failure. These results pave the way for the use of noble gases to trace and monitor rock deformation for earthquake prediction and a variety of other subsurface engineering projects.
Circuit-based magnetless floquet topological insulator

We explore the design and realization of a topological Floquet insulator in the form of a graphene-like honeycomb network of wye resonators, in order to achieve non-reciprocal transport with zero backward reflection over a continuous frequency range. The topological insulator here consists of two domains, with different topological orders induced by a periodic spatio-temporal modulation of the resonance frequency in each branch of suitably arranged wye resonators, creating a form of local ‘spinning’. The modulation in opposite directions breaks time-reversal symmetry in the lattice and produces a topologically protected edge state with a gapless dispersion crossing the bulk bandgap. The topologically protected edge states possess unique properties, such as one-way guiding, small group velocity dispersion, absence of backscattering, and immunity to structural disorder. Our analysis allows unveiling their peculiar propagation and confinement properties, and their inherent robustness to defects and loss.
Pre-Capture Privacy for Small Vision Sensors

The next wave of micro and nano devices will create a world with trillions of small networked cameras. This will lead to increased concerns about privacy and security. Most privacy preserving algorithms for computer vision are applied after image/video data has been captured. We propose to use privacy preserving optics that filter or block sensitive information directly from the incident light-field before sensor measurements are made, adding a new layer of privacy. In addition to balancing the privacy and utility of the captured data, we address trade-offs unique to miniature vision sensors, such as achieving high-quality field-of-view and resolution within the constraints of mass and volume. Our privacy preserving optics enable applications such as depth sensing, full-body motion tracking, people counting, blob detection and privacy preserving face recognition. While we demonstrate applications on macro-scale devices (smartphones, webcams, etc.) our theory has impact for smaller devices.
Enabling Energy-Flexibility of Manufacturing Systems through New Approaches within Production Planning and Control☆

Abstract In the past decades, energy has become a crucial success factor in manufacturing. Due to annually rising energy costs, factories are strongly focusing on concepts and technologies increasing the energy efficiency within their manufacturing systems. With the energy turnaround in Germany, industrial companies are currently facing new challenges in order to maintain an energy-cost-efficient production. Based on the decision to shift the energy generation gradually from conventional power station towards a renewable generation, the electrical energy supply is shifting to a complex and volatile system. The reason for this trend is the characteristic of the renewable energy generation from photovoltaic and wind power stations, which is depended on the weather conditions and thus is fluctuating. Therefore, supply and demand need to be synchronized in an efficient way. Demand side management offers companies the chance to profit from this challenge by interacting in an efficient and flexible way with their energy demand towards the public power grid. This can be archived by gaining the ability to adapt the manufacturing systems to short-term changes within the energy market with little loss in time, effort, costs and performance. These goals can be reached by implementing the concept of energy-flexibility. The efficient and economic allocation of resources is one main goal in the field of production planning and control. Energy-efficiency has already been widely discussed in literature, but with a strong focus on reducing the overall amount of energy used in production which is not necessarily in line with reducing the energy costs. This paper provides systematic approaches how the concept of energy-flexibility can be integrated in the sequential processes of production planning and control systems.
Role of trans to cis Transition in Viral Fusion Pore Dilation

Fusion of viral and host membranes is a key step during infection by membrane-enclosed viruses. The fusion pore plays a critical role, and must dilate to release the viral genome. Previous studies of fusion mediated by influenza A hemagglutinin (HA) revealed ∼2-5 nm pores that flickered before dilating to >10 nm. The mechanisms are unknown.Here we studied HA-mediated fusion pore dynamics using a novel single-pore assay, combined with computational simulations accessing extraordinarily long ms-s timescales. We measured pores between HA-expressing fibroblasts and bilayer nanodiscs. From pore currents we infer pore size with millisecond time resolution. Unlike previous in vitro studies, use of nanodiscs limited the membrane contact areas and maximum pore sizes, better mimicking the initial phases of virus-endosome fusion. With wild type (WT) HA, fusion pores flickered about a mean pore size ∼1 nm. By contrast, fusion pores formed by GPI-anchored HA nucleated at half the WT rate and were significantly larger.We developed radically coarse-grained, explicit lipid molecular dynamics simulations of the fusion pore reconstituted with post-fusion, trans HA hairpins. With WT HA, fusion pores were small, similar to experiment. Over time hairpins gradually converted from trans to cis, but contrary to a common view, cis hairpins accumulated on the “viral” membrane, not the pore waist, due to the low mobility HA transmembrane domains. With GPI-HA the anchoring lipids were far more mobile and the trans-cis transition much accelerated. Once most hairpins had converted to cis, because apposing membranes were released the fusion pore dilated significantly.Our results suggest pore dilation requires the trans-cis transition. We hypothesize that this transition is accelerated in GPI-HA by the more mobile lipid anchor, explaining the larger observed pores.
Mechanical behavior of rare‐earth orthophosphates near the monazite/xenotime boundary characterized by nanoindentation

Abstract Low elastic modulus and hardness, as well as anomalous indentation behavior, have been observed during indentation of xenotime rare-earth orthophosphate ceramics (REPO4s) with compositions near the monazite/xenotime phase boundary. Pressure-induced phase transformation has been identified as a potential cause for both observations. This study comprehensively characterizes the mechanical properties and indentation behavior of four elemental REPO4 materials (EuPO4, GdPO4, TbPO4, and DyPO4) that span the monazite/xenotime phase boundary using ex situ nanoindentation for a range of loading rates and indentation depths. In situ nanoindentation within a SEM was used to correlate discrete load-depth behavior to the development of surface features. Anomalous, elbow-type behavior was not restricted to xenotimes, but occurred in all four materials; thus we concluded that the presence of an elbow in the indentation data was not a unique identifier of phase transformation in rare-earth orthophosphates. Furthermore, it was shown that the elastic modulus of each of these compositions approached the value predicted by simulations and hardness was consistently above 5 GPa, provided that the samples were processed to nearly full density.
Simple visual review of pre- to post-operative renal ultrasound images predicts pyeloplasty success equally as well as geometric measurements: A blinded comparison with a gold standard.

Summary Background MAG3 diuretic renal scan remains the gold standard for determination of improvement in renal drainage following pyeloplasty for ureteropelvic junction obstruction. We hypothesized that (i) a change in geometric measurements between pre-operative and post-operative renal ultrasound (RUS) images and (ii) blinded simple visual review of images both would predict pyeloplasty success. Objective To determine if simple visual review and/or novel geometric measurement of renal ultrasounds can detect pyeloplasty failure. Study design This study was a retrospective, blinded comparison with a gold standard. Included were children aged ≤18 years undergoing pyeloplasty at our institution from 2009 to 2015. For each kidney, representative pre-operative and post-operative RUS images were chosen. Our standard for pyeloplasty success was improved drainage curve on MAG3 and lack of additional surgery. Measurements for collecting system circularity, roundness, and renal parenchymal to collecting system area ratio (RPCSR) were obtained by three raters (Figure), who were blinded to the outcome of the pyeloplasty. Changes in geometric measurements were analyzed as a diagnostic test for MAG3-defined pyeloplasty success using ROC curve analysis. In addition, six reviewers blinded to pyeloplasty success reviewed pre-operative and post-operative images visually for improved hydronephrosis and categorized pyeloplasty as success or failure based on simple visual review of RUS. Results Fifty-three repaired renal units were identified (50 children). There were five pyeloplasty failures, four of which underwent revision or nephrectomy. While all geometric measurements could discriminate pyeloplasty failure and success, the geometric measurements that discriminated best between pyeloplasty failure and success were change in collecting system roundness and change in RPCSR. Consensus opinion among six blinded reviewers using simple visual review had a sensitivity of 94% and PPV of 100% with respect to identifying pyeloplasty success (AUC 0.97 (95% CI 0.93–1.0)). This was not significantly different from AUC for change in roundness (p = 0.09) or change in RPCSR (p = 0.1). Discussion Change in collecting system roundness and change in RPCSR were the most accurate geometric measurements in predicting pyeloplasty success. Simple visual review of ultrasound images for pyeloplasty success performed as well or better than geometric measurements. However, geometric measurements remain useful as a research tool or to communicate findings between clinicians. Conclusions Complex geometric measurements of hydronephrosis or post-operative MAG3 scans are not needed if hydronephrosis is visually significantly improved, as simple visual review is highly sensitive for detecting pyeloplasty failure. Download : Download high-res image (353KB) Download : Download full-size image Figure . Test performance to determine pyeloplasty success.