cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sociolinguistics of Transnationalism and Issues of Language, Gender, and Generation: Korean Migrant Families in Australia

The present study expands on the concept of language ideologies and attitudes in transnational families by focusing on gender dynamics between husband and wife and generational dynamics between parents and children. Most studies on generational conflict in transnational families tend to focus on culture brokering. This ethnographic study examines the cultural, as well as ‘linguistic’, socialization of Korean families recently relocated to Australia, which is an emerging location for Korean transnational families. The main issues examined in the study include attitudes toward the English language, parenting practice and education involvement, and familial support and conflict. The findings of the study suggest that Korean transnational families are faced with similar linguistic and cultural challenges, although the degrees to which they are affected manifest variedly in their narratives, attitudes, and perceptions. English language anxiety is a predominant narrative, but it is not equally articulated by both genders.
Discerning Clinical Responses in Breast Cancer Based On Molecular Signatures

Breast cancer represents a heterogeneous collection of diseases with disparate clinical behaviors, responses to treatment, and patient outcomes, despite common histopathological features at diagnosis. Examination of molecular signatures of breast cancer (based on complex gene expression patterns) enabled identification of several intrinsic molecular subtypes: luminal A, luminal B, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 enriched, and basal like. The intrinsic subtypes are associated with measures of clinical aggressiveness, but do not perfectly predict patient outcomes. Several molecular signatures have been developed for prediction and prognostication of breast cancer outcomes. This review describes the molecular classification of breast cancer and the use of predictive/prognostic molecular signatures for guiding treatment decisions in breast cancer patients.
Recrystallization Kinetics of Low Carbon Steel

The paper presents isothermal recrystallization curves for 0.08 and 0.15 pet C steel at subcritical temperatures following small amounts of plastic deformation. The effects of deformation, temperature, and aging on nucleation and growth rates are described. The free energy of activation for grain boundary migration in steel is given.
The Evolving Moral Landscape Of Palliative Care.

Deactivating a patient’s medical device provides a “good” death, which reflects how perspectives on hastening death have changed.
Performance of Polypay, Coopworth, and crossbred ewes: I. Reproduction and lamb production.

Six ewe genotypes, generated by mating Coopworth (C), Polypay (P), and Suffolk (S) rams to Polypay and Coopworth-type (Ct) ewes, were exposed to Hampshire rams for spring lambing from 1986 through 1990. Data from 1,092 exposures and 1,044 resultant lambings were used to analyze reproductive traits and lamb growth rates. Overall conception rate averaged 95% and ranged from 93% for S x Ct ewes to 97% for P x Ct ewes. Mean litter size at birth averaged 1.63 and ranged from 1.45 for C x C ewes to 1.75 for S x P ewes. Ewes from P dams had higher mean litter size (P less than .01) than those from Ct dams (1.73 vs 1.54), but differences between sire breeds were not significant. Incidence of lambing assistance was similar for ewes producing single or multiple lambs. Lamb birth weight influenced the level of assistance rendered to single-bearing but not to multiple-bearing ewes. Lambing assistance was not related to lamb survival, probably because the high surveillance level minimized trauma before assistance was rendered. Incidence of required assistance declined over subsequent parities. Lamb birth weights were affected by ewe genotype and increased with increasing ewe age. Survival of single-born lambs averaged 94% and was not affected by dam genotype. Survival of twins averaged 85%, ranging from 79% for lambs from S x Ct ewes to 89% for lambs from P x P ewes. Suffolk-sired ewes produced the heaviest mean birth and weaning weights for both singles and twins. Coopworth-sired ewes weaned heavier single lambs but lighter twins than P-sired ewes.
C-reactive protein induces human peripheral blood monocytes to synthesize tissue factor

The acute inflammatory response is frequently accompanied by serious thrombotic events. We show that C-reactive protein (CRP), an acute-phase reactant that markedly increases its serum concentration in response to inflammatory stimuli, induced monocytes to express tissue factor (TF), a potent procoagulant. Purified human CRP in concentrations commonly achieved in vivo during inflammation (10 to 100 micrograms/mL) induced a 75-fold increase in TF procoagulant activity (PCA) of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBM), with a parallel increase in TF antigen levels. CRP-induced PCA was completely blocked by a monoclonal antibody against human TF but not by irrelevant murine IgG. Dot blot analysis showed a significant increase of TF mRNA after 4 hours of incubation with CRP, followed by a peak of PCA within 6 and 8 hours. Actinomycin D and cycloheximide blocked CRP-stimulated PCA, suggesting that de novo TF protein synthesis was required. Endotoxin (LPS) contamination of CRP was excluded as the mediator of TF synthesis because: (1) CRP was Limulus assay negative; (2) induction of TF PCA by CRP was not blocked by Polymyxin B, in contrast to LPS-induced PCA; (3) antihuman CRP IgG inhibited CRP-induced PCA, but not LPS-induced PCA; (4) CRP was able to stimulate TF production in LPS-pretreated PBM refractory to additional LPS stimulation; and, (5) unlike LPS, CRP was incapable of inducing TF in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. We suggest that CRP-mediated TF production in monocytes may contribute to the development of disseminated intravascular coagulation and thrombosis in inflammatory states.
Removal of actinides from selected nuclear fuel reprocessing wastes

The US Department of Energy awarded Oak Ridge National Laboratory a program to develop a cost-risk-benefit analysis of partitioning long-lived nuclides from waste and transmuting them to shorter lived or stable nuclides. Two subtasks of this program were investigated at Rocky Flats. In the first subtask, methods for solubilizing actinides in incinerator ash were tested. Two methods appear to be preferable: reaction with ceric ion in nitric acid or carbonate-nitrate fusion. The ceric-nitric acid system solubilizes 95% of the actinides in ash; this can be increased by 2 to 4% by pretreating ash with sodium hydroxide to solubilize silica. The carbonate-nitrate fusion method solubilizes greater than or equal to 98% of the actinides, but requires sodium hydroxide pretreatment. Two additional disadvantages are that it is a high-temperature process, and that it generates a lot of salt waste. The second subtask comprises removing actinides from salt wastes likely to be produced during reactor fuel fabrication and reprocessing. A preliminary feasibility study of solvent extraction methods has been completed. The use of a two-step solvent extraction system - tributyl phosphate (TBP) followed by extraction with a bidentate organophosphorous extractant (DHDECMP) - appears to be the most efficient for removing actinides from saltmore » waste. The TBP step would remove most of the plutonium and > 99.99% of the uranium. The second step using DHDECMP would remove > 99.91% of the americium and the remaining plutonium (> 99.98%) and other actinides from the acidified salt waste. 8 figures, 11 tables.« less
Abstract A54: A cellular and molecular atlas of the human breast for dissecting mechanisms of cell and tissue function

A fundamental question in biology, central to our understanding of cancer, is determining how cells coordinate and cooperate to form and maintain tissues. Developing systems-wide knowledge of the numerous cell interactions within a tissue requires robust identification of the cell types it comprises. It demands comprehensive information about each of these cell types, including the genes they express and proteins they make. Unfortunately, the cellular composition and arrangement of cells in many complex tissue systems has yet to be fully resolved, and this includes the breast. This has resulted in a crucial knowledge gap where we know very little about the elaborate biology of how different normal cell types interact, and the consequences these interactions have on each other and the tissue as a whole. Using immunofluorescence and advanced flow cytometry, we have recently developed methods to resolve and isolate every known cell type in the normal human breast. This includes several different luminal and epithelial fractions, myoepithelial cells, adipocytes, leukocytes, pericytes, erythrocytes, adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells, vascular smooth muscle cells, and both lymphatic and vascular endothelial cells—12 different types in all. Successful modification of this multiparameter FACS procedure allowed purification of enough cells and RNA to perform next-generation sequencing (NGS) from even the rarest of populations at high depth. Here, we present global transcriptome analysis of these different cell types. These data have clarified cell-type differences and revealed new insights, including the identification of genes and gene families contributing to the unique phenotype of each cell type and the delineation of lineage-specific marker expression. Our analysis has also exposed how the cell types each contribute to their individual microenvironments through production of extracellular matrix proteins and other secreted factors. Moreover, identification of cognate ligand and receptor pairs expressed by these cells has unveiled an elaborate paracrine and autocrine signaling network that has implications towards interpreting the biologic interactome underlying tissue homeostasis. Future studies are aimed at establishing coculture models and determining the biochemical processes essential for cell-coordination and tissue maintenance, and developing knowledge of how these processes go awry in breast cancer. Citation Format: Rosalyn W. Sayaman, Ambrose Carr, Kate Thi, Zhenmao Wan, Dana Pe’er, Mina J. Bissell, Curt Hines. A cellular and molecular atlas of the human breast for dissecting mechanisms of cell and tissue function [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Advances in Breast Cancer Research; 2017 Oct 7-10; Hollywood, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2018;16(8_Suppl):Abstract nr A54.
Defining the characteristics of medical oncology patients requiring inpatient hospital admission.

e18023Background: Medical oncology patients have high rates of unplanned hospital admissions. The characteristics of these admissions and the medical needs of this patient population have not been ...
Association of genetic polymorphisms in the pore domains of mechano-gated TREK-1 channel with overactive lower urinary tract symptoms in humans.

Aims Mechanosensitivity of the urinary bladder is regulated by many factors including mechano-gated two-pore domain (K2 P, KCNK) potassium channels. TWIK-related K+ channel, TREK-1, is a predominantly expressed member of K2 P channel family in the human detrusor, and its expression and function are diminished in patients with overactive lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). The changes in channel activity may result from spontaneously occurring gene mutations. The aim of this study was to compare single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in TREK-1 channel between patients with LUTS and healthy donors. Methods Six SNPs (rs370266806, rs373919966, rs758937019, rs769301539, rs772497750, and rs775158737) in two pore domains of human TREK-1 gene were analyzed using TaqMan SNP genotyping assay with manufacturer-designed primers and allele-specific probes. The screening was done in control bladders and detrusor specimens from patients with overactive LUTS. Statistical analyses were performed using R, Fisher's exact test and Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium. Results Six SNPs in two pore domains of the human TREK-1 gene were analyzed in human bladder specimens. The frequencies of rs758937019-CT genotype (P = 0.0016) and rs758937019-T allele (P = 0.0022) were significantly higher in the group with overactive LUTS. There was no significant association of rs775158737-GA genotype and rs775158737-A allele with the overactive LUTS, though they were present only in the overactive LUTS group. Conclusions Our results provide evidence that altered expression and function of TREK-1 channel in patients with overactive LUTS could be due to genetic polymorphisms in the pore domains of TREK-1 channel (rs758937019).
Self-Reported Body Weight Changes, Perceptions, and Weight Loss Techniques among Stroke Survivors.

Abstract Background: Little is known about the body weight goals and trends of stroke survivors, despite evidence that overweight and obesity can negatively influence poststroke rehabilitation outcomes. Thus, the purpose of this study was to identify self-reported body weight trends over time in stroke survivors and nonstroke controls (>50 years old) and describe the methods used to attempt to achieve body weight goals. Methods: Self-reported body weight 1) at age 25 years, 2) 10 years prior to the current assessment, 3) 1 year prior to the current assessment, 4) current weight, and 5) age of heaviest body weight were collected from adults self-reporting a stroke in the 2011-2012 and 2013-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (stroke: N = 387 and nonstroke: N = 5085). Questionnaires were used to assess body weight goals and weight loss techniques during the previous year. Results: Of the stroke survivors, 54% reported that their heaviest weight occurred after their stroke. Approximately 70% of stroke and nonstroke were overweight or obese. Only 24% of stroke survivors reported trying to lose weight compared with 35% of nonstroke, with only 10%-15% successful (≥5% body weight loss), during the past year. Popular weight loss methods in both groups included eating less, exercising, and eating more fruits/vegetables. The majority of stroke survivors report their heaviest weight after their stroke and a desire to weigh less; however, few report successful weight loss. Conclusions: Future research is needed to identify optimal body weight and ways to incorporate preferred methods of lifestyle modification, including diet and exercise, to promote weight management in stroke survivors.
Modeling the transport of titanium dioxide nanomaterials from combined sewer overflows in an urban river

Abstract Combined sewer overflows (CSOs) occur frequently in the United States, discharging an estimated 3.2 billion cubic meters of untreated sewage into receiving waters every year. These discharges contain a variety of contaminants including engineered nanomaterials (ENMs), yet ENMs discharged through CSOs have not been taken into account in ENM fate and transport models. This study fills this knowledge gap by developing a new integrated model that links an urban hydrologic-hydraulic model, using the Storm Water Management Model (SWMM), with a three-dimensional hydrodynamic and water quality model of rivers, using the Environmental Fluid Dynamics Code (EFDC). The modeling framework was applied to predict the concentrations of titanium dioxide (TiO2) ENMs in the Buffalo River in Buffalo, New York, as a result of CSO events. CSOs are shown to have a potential for transient high concentrations of ENMs and thus potentially high localized risk near the CSO outfalls and deposition zones in the river. The present approach provides a promising modeling framework to simulate ENM fate and transport in urban waterways. The model presented in this study can help build a management tool to predict temporally and spatially varying concentrations of ENMs introduced into receiving waters through CSOs.
Cell-Autonomous and Non-cell-Autonomous Pathogenic Mechanisms in Huntington's Disease: Insights from In Vitro and In Vivo Models.

Huntington’s disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant disorder caused by an expansion in the trinucleotide CAG repeat in exon-1 in the huntingtin gene, located on chromosome 4. When the number of trinucleotide CAG exceeds 40 repeats, disease invariably is manifested, characterized by motor, cognitive, and psychiatric symptoms. The huntingtin (Htt) protein and its mutant form (mutant huntingtin, mHtt) are ubiquitously expressed but although multiple brain regions are affected, the most vulnerable brain region is the striatum. Striatal medium-sized spiny neurons (MSNs) preferentially degenerate, followed by the cortical pyramidal neurons located in layers V and VI. Proposed HD pathogenic mechanisms include, but are not restricted to, excitotoxicity, neurotrophic support deficits, collapse of the protein degradation mechanisms, mitochondrial dysfunction, transcriptional alterations, and disorders of myelin. Studies performed in cell type-specific and regionally selective HD mouse models implicate both MSN cell-autonomous properties and cell–cell interactions, particularly corticostriatal but also with non-neuronal cell types. Here, we review the intrinsic properties of MSNs that contribute to their selective vulnerability and in addition, we discuss how astrocytes, microglia, and oligodendrocytes, together with aberrant corticostriatal connectivity, contribute to HD pathophysiology. In addition, mHtt causes cell-autonomous dysfunction in cell types other than MSNs. These findings have implications in terms of therapeutic strategies aimed at preventing neuronal dysfunction and degeneration.
Achieving robotic program best practice performance and cost versus laparoscopy: Two case studies define a framework for optimization.

BACKGROUND Robotic surgery is seen by many hospital administrators and surgeons as slower and more expensive than laparoscopic surgery despite the implementation of commonly held robotic best practices. Multiple factors, including surgeon learning curves and program governance, are often overlooked, precluding optimal robotic program performance. METHODS An assessment of several leading robotic surgery publications is presented followed by real-world case studies from two US hospitals: an existing robotic program in a mid-sized, regional hospital system and a small, rural hospital that launched a new program. RESULTS Improvements in robotic surgery costs/program efficiency were seen at the hospital system vs baseline at 18 months post-implementation; and high-performance robotic efficiency and cost benchmarks were matched or surpassed at the rural hospital at 1 year post-launch. DISCUSSION When best practices are utilized in robotic programs, surgical case times, costs, and efficiency performance metrics equaling or exceeding laparoscopy can be achieved.
Coupling pore network and finite element methods for rapid modelling of deformation

Numerical modelling of deformation in hydromechanical systems can be time-consuming using fully coupled classical numerical methods for large representative porous media samples. In this paper, we present a new two-way coupled partitioned fluid–solid system. The coupled system is applied for simulating geomechanical processes at the pore-scale. We track the deformation of the solid resulting from the drainage of resident fluids in the pores, as well as the evolution of fluid properties from dynamic loading. The finite element method is responsible for capturing the structural deformation in the coupled system while the dynamic pore network is used for modelling multiphase flow in the fluid subsystem. A fictitious fluid–solid interface is created at each pore network-finite element node junction via convex hulling, followed by data exchange using linear interpolation. The results show good agreement with a pre-existing coupled finite volume model and the computations are completed in much less time.
Beta-Adrenergic Antagonists and Cancer Specific Survival in Patients With Advanced Prostate Cancer: A Veterans Administration Cohort Study.

Objective To interrogate the National Veterans Health Administration (VA) database to determine if beta-blocker use at time of initiation of androgen therapy deprivation (ADT) would result in improved oncological outcomes in advanced prostate cancer (PCa). Methods All men diagnosed with high risk PCa (PSA >20) from 2000-2008 who were on ADT ≥ 6 months were identified. Patients receiving ADT concurrently with primary radiation therapy were excluded. Pharmacy data was interrogated for all beta-blockers, but then focused on the selective beta-1 blocker metoprolol. Cox proportional hazards ratios were calculated for overall survival (OS), PCa specific survival (CSS) and skeletal related events (SREs). Results In 39,198 patients with high risk PCa on ADT, use of any beta-blocker was not associated with improvement in OS, CSS, or SREs. Further analyses focusing on metoprolol found that 10,224 (31.9%) had used metoprolol while 21,834 had no beta-blocker use. Multivariable analysis with Inverse Propensity Score Weighting, adjusted for factors including PSA, Gleason score, and duration ADT, found that utilization of metoprolol was not associated with improvement in OS (hazard ratio [HR] 0.97, P = .19), CSS (HR 0.94, P = .23) or SREs (HR 0.98, P = .79). Conclusion In this large cohort, metoprolol use in conjunction with ADT in high risk PCa was not associated with improvement in OS, CSS, or risk of SRE. In contrast to a recent smaller clinical study, our data strongly suggests no cancer specific benefit to beta-blocker use in advanced PCa.
Exercise leads to metabolic changes associated with improved strength and fatigue in people with MS.

OBJECTIVE The goal of this exploratory study was to evaluate the effects of an exercise intervention - progressive resistance training (PRT) on the metabolome of people with MS (pwMS) and to link these to changes in clinical outcomes. METHODS 14 pwMS with EDSS <4.0 and 13 age- and sex-matched healthy controls completed a 12-week in-person PRT exercise intervention. Outcome measures included: plasma metabolomics analysis, cardiovascular fitness tests, EDSS, timed 25-foot walk (T25FW), six-minute walk test (6MWT), hip strength, and modified fatigue impact scale (MFIS). We identified changes in the metabolome with PRT intervention in both groups using individual metabolite abundance and weighted correlation network defined metabolite module eigenvalues and then examined correlations in changes in metabolite modules with changes in various clinical outcomes. RESULTS In both groups PRT intervention improved hip strength, distance walked in 6WMT, speed of walking, while fatigue (MFIS) was improved in pwMS. Fatty acid, phospholipid, and sex steroid metabolism were significantly altered by PRT in pwMS but not in controls. Changes in fatigue (MFIS score) were strongly inversely correlated and hip strength was moderately correlated with change in sex steroid metabolite module in pwMS. A similar relationship was noted between change in dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate abundance (sex steroid metabolite) and fatigue in pwMS. We also noted an inverse correlation between changes in fatty acid metabolism and cardiovascular fitness in pwMS. INTERPRETATION PRT-induced metabolic changes may underlie improved clinical parameters in pwMS and may warrant investigation as potential therapeutic targets in future studies.
Age Group Comparisons of TENS Response Among Individuals With Chronic Axial Low Back Pain

Abstract Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a highly prevalent and disabling musculoskeletal pain condition among older adults. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is commonly used to treat CLBP, however response to TENS in older adults compared with younger adults is untested. In a dose-response study stratified by age, 60 participants with axial CLBP (20 young, 20 middle-aged, 20 older) received four 20-minute sessions of high-frequency high-intensity TENS over a 2- to 3-week period in a laboratory-controlled setting. Experimental measures of pain sensitivity (mechanical pressure pain detection threshold) and central pain excitability (phasic heat temporal summation and heat aftersensations) were assessed before and after TENS. Episodic or immediate axial CLBP relief was assessed after TENS via measures of resting pain, movement-evoked-pain, and self-reported disability. Cumulative or prolonged axial CLBP relief was assessed by comparing daily pain reports across sessions. Independent of age, individuals experienced episodic increase in the pressure pain detection threshold and reduction in aftersensation after TENS application. Similarly, all groups, on average, experienced episodic axial CLBP relief via improved resting pain, movement-evoked pain, and disability report. Under this design, no cumulative effect was observed as daily pain did not improve for any age group across the 4 sessions. However, older adults received higher TENS amplitude across all sessions to achieve TENS responses similar to those in younger adults. These findings suggest that older adults experience similar episodic axial CLBP relief to that of younger individuals after high-frequency, high-intensity TENS when higher dose parameters are used. Perspective This study examined age group differences in experimental and axial CLBP response to TENS, delivered under the current recommended parameters of strong, but tolerable amplitude. Older adults had comparable TENS response although at higher TENS amplitude than younger adults, which may have important mechanistic and clinical implications.
'Post' Script: What's Next for Employment-Based Health Benefits?

On December 13, 2012, the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) convened its 71st biannual policy forum, which focused on the topic: “'Post' Script: What’s Next for Employment-Based Health Benefits?” This paper summarizes the speakers’ presentations. With the so-called fiscal cliff still looming, and the new Congress not yet in place, a wide range of national experts on U.S. health policy offered the roughly 130 attendees a post-election perspective on fiscal impacts from the federal budget; new findings from the EBRI Center for Research on Health Benefits Innovation; and insights on how employment-based health benefits might evolve between 2014-2018 as a result of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), as well as the budgetary issues confronting the nation, a new Congress, and a returning Obama administration. Speakers noted the following: (1) Recent discussions in Congress to possibly cap or reduce the tax exclusion for health benefits could result in a big shock for workers. (2) A major problem underlying rising healthcare spending is the nation’s rapidly aging population. (3) While health care cost trends made change inevitable, PPACA exacerbated the impact on two key fronts: the administrative difficulties in dealing with health exchanges, and the fees imposed on employers. (4) For small employers, the attraction of having workers get health coverage through a health exchange (rather than their jobs) is going to be very strong. The PDF for the above title, published in the March 2013 issue of EBRI Notes, also contains the fulltext of another March 2013 EBRI Notes article abstracted on SSRN: “A Little Help: The Impact of On-line Calculators and Financial Advisors on Setting Adequate Retirement-Savings Targets: Evidence from the 2013 Retirement Confidence Survey.”
Abstract 18898: RECK Inhibits EGF Receptor Activation and MMP Induction, and Blunts Neointimal Hyperplasia in the Rat

Introduction: The proliferation and migration of arterial SMCs are key events in the vascular restenosis that follows angioplasty, atherosclerosis, and vein grafting. Furthermore, SMC migration and neointimal hyperplasia are promoted by degradation of the ECM by MMPs. Reversion-inducing-cysteine-rich protein with Kazal motifs (RECK) is a unique, membrane-anchored MMP inhibitor. It also inhibits the pro-mitogenic EGF receptor signaling. Since MMP induction and EGFR activation plays a role in the pathogenesis of NH, we hypothesized that overexpressing RECK would inhibit NH in a rat carotid artery angioplasty model. Methods: Rats (male, 5 mo) underwent left carotid artery injury by balloon catheterization (n=12/group). In a subset of animals, the injured portion of the artery was injected with adenovirus expressing full-length rat RECK cDNA (Ad.RECK; 100 μl, 1x1010 pfu/ml, 30 min). Ad.GFP served as a control. After 14 days and following BrdU administration, rats were euthanized, and both carotid arteries col...
Automated tag tracking using Gabor filter bank, robust point matching, and deformable models

Tagged Magnetic Resonance Imaging (tagged MRI or tMRI) provides a means of directly and noninvasively displaying the motion of the myocardium. Reconstruction of the motion field is needed for quantitative analysis of important clinical information, e.g., the myocardial strain. In this paper, we present a two-step method for this task. First, we use a Gabor filter bank to generate a corresponding phase map of tMRI images. Second, deformable models are initialized at the discontinuities in the wrapped phase map, and are deformed under the influence of the image gradient to track the motion of tags. Unlike previous approaches, a Robust Point Matching (RPM) module has been integrated into the model evolution to avoid false tracking results caused by 1) through-plane motion, and 2) small tag spacing. The method has been tested on a numeric phantom, as well as in vivo heart data. The experimental results show that the new method has a good performance on both synthetic and real data, and has the potential to be used in clinical applications.
Adaptive predictive coding at variable bit rates

An adaptive predictive coder providing toll quality at 16 kbits/s, which can also operate at any intermediate bit rate between 16 and 9.6 kbits/s, with a very graceful degradation of output speech quality has been developed. The coder is best suited for use over packetized networks and can change its bit rate on a packet-by-packet basis, thus providing variable bit rate operation. Performance of the coder under bit errors, lost packets, and tandem codings is discussed. >
Methods and apparatuses for drying electronic devices

The proliferation of smart devices and portable, wireless, wearable technology has exploded in the last decade. With the advent of social media and the internet of things, these devices have now intertwined themselves with consumers on a daily basis such that people are connected more with their device than ever before. With the simultaneous miniaturization of these devices, consumers are more apt to subject them to unintended water perils. Methods and apparatuses are described herein to remove water completely from electronic devices in a fast yet convenient manner.
Harness Design and Coupling Stiffness for Two-Axis Torso Haptics

This paper describes a harness design for transmitting both horizontal and vertical forces to the torso of a user on a locomotion interfaces. For horizontal forces, an exoskeleton-like mechanism distributes forces between the shoulders and hips and accommodates to the complicated motions of the back and shoulders relative to hips. For vertical forces, a body weight support harness is integrated into the exoskeleton-like mechanism. A passive elastic element has been devised that ensures consistent strap tightening. Measurements are presented that shows the stiffness of the mechanical coupling of harness to subject for the purposes of faithful force application to the torso.
Spasticity After Stroke: Why Bother?

To the Editor: Perseveration of behavior is a significant clinical symptom among intentional disorders of organic brain disease, attributed by some authors especially to prefrontal brain impairment. However, the perseverative preoccupation of professional neurologists and therapists with the purpose of overpowering the spasticity ogre seems to be an endemic, intractably-taught delusion that afflicts both academic scholars and clinicians.1,2 In 1951, Thomas Twitchell published a 37-page analysis of the clinical course of recovery of 121 acute hemiplegic stroke patients in the Boston City Hospital.3 Early on they were examined daily, and 25 were carefully followed for weeks or months until they reached a stable status of recovery or disability. Twitchell described in great detail both the usual and exceptional patterns of functional recovery, along with the associated patterns of reflex phenomena. Following transient flaccidity associated with acute paralysis, resistance to passive stretch …
Breeding progress for potato chip quality in North American cultivars

Forty-four potato cultivars, released in the period between 1876 and the present were grown concurrently in field trials, stored simultaneously in three different environments, then evaluated for chip quality. They represented cultivars historically used and/or bred for potato chip production. Quality factors measured were tuber solids, chip color, reducing sugar levels, sucrose levels, and percent of defect-free chips. Tuber solids tended to increase in the late period cultivars, but trends were erratic. The release of Lenape marked the beginning of an increase in tuber solids that has continued to the present. There was a significant trend for lower reducing sugars and better chip color that corresponded to increasingly later cultivar release dates. Since about 1960, progress toward lower reducing sugars and better chip color has been constant, regardless of whether tubers were stored at 4.4 C, stored at 4.4 C and reconditioned, or stored at 10 C. Late period cultivars tended to have a greater percentage of defect-free chips in comparison to those released earlier, with most of the improvement coming during the last few years. This study provided evidence that potato breeders have made significant progress in developing cultivars with good chip quality. Evidence was also found that Lenape was a landmark cultivar and has been an important contributor to the observed breeding progress
How safe is strictureplasty in the management of Crohn's disease?

Background Strictureplasty is a well-accepted technique in the management of selected patients with Crohn's disease. To determine the safety and optimal clinical setting for performing Strictureplasty, perioperative complications and long-term outcomes need to be analyzed. Patients and materials We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 162 patients (87 men, 75 women) with Crohn's disease who underwent Strictureplasty between June 1984 and July 1994. Medical and surgical history, including medications and laboratory data, intraoperative findings, perioperative complications, and long-term follow-up data were recorded. Results These patients underwent 698 strictureplasties (Heineke-Mikulicz procedures, 617; Finney procedures, 81). Median hospital stay was 8 days. Perioperative septic complications were noted in 8 patients (5%); however, reoperation for sepsis was needed only in 5 patients. Five percent of patients developed prolonged ileus after Strictureplasty. Symptomatic improvement after Strictureplasty was achieved in 98% of patients. Restricture or new stricture or perforative disease was seen in 5% and 17% of patients, respectively, during a 42-month median follow-up period. Conclusions Our findings show that Strictureplasty is a good surgical option for stenosing small-bowel Crohn's disease, particularly in patients with multiple obstruction and in those vulnerable to short-bowel syndrome. Perioperative complications are few, and long-term results are gratifying.
Gas phase pulse radiolysis studies of excited states

Abstract The results and conclusions of the work of the author and co-workers on excited states proudced by pulse radiolysis of gaseous systems are summarized. Detailed consideration is given to systems containing naphthalene, for which the following subjects are discussed: (1) ionic and non-ionic mechanisms of excited state formation and their relative importance, (2) G -values of excited state formation and (3) energy partitioning in the non-ionic formation of excited states of naphthalene. Rate constants for reactions of excited states of naphthalene are summarized. The use of emission from excited states produced in ion-recombination reactions to determine rate constants for ion-recombination is also discussed.
On the tail index of a heavy tailed distribution

This paper proposes some new estimators for the tail index of a heavy tailed distribution when only a few largest values are observed within blocks. These estimators are proved to be asymptotically normal under suitable conditions, and their Edgeworth expansions are obtained. Empirical likelihood method is also employed to construct confidence intervals for the tail index. The comparison for the confidence intervals based on the normal approximation and the empirical likelihood method is made in terms of coverage probability and length of the confidence intervals. The simulation study shows that the empirical likelihood method outperforms the normal approximation method.
The dislocation structure and energy of NiOPt interfaces

Abstract The dislocation structure of PtNiO(001) interfaces was studied using electron microscopy and electron diffraction techniques. Specimens were produced by hot pressing polycrystalline platinum films onto thin NiO single crystals, and bulk platinum single crystals onto bulk NiO single crystals. The polycrystalline platinum specimens were used to determine the favored orientation relationships between the NiO and platinum, while the bulk NiOPt specimens were used to study the detailed structure of the interface. Three categories of orientation relationships were identified: exact epitaxy with (001) Pt ‖(001) NiO , [110] Pt ‖[110] NiO ; small rotations away from exact epitaxy about the common [001] direction; high index planes of platinum parallel to (001) of NiO. Theoretical calculations of the expected dislocation structures of interfaces with the first two orientation relationships were made using a Bollmann-type analysis. The experimental observations and theoretical predictions were shown to be in good agreement. The energies of the interfaces having the first two orientation relationships were shown to be similar, which is believed to be the reason why they both occur.
Soil Testing and Plant Analysis Relationships for Irrigated Chile Production

In a field study of irrigated chile (Capsicum annum L.) production in southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico from 2008 through 2009, soil and tissue test samples were analyzed for a spectrum of plant nutrients at 16 different sites, including nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), and boron (B). The objectives were to evaluate soil and tissue nutrient testing procedures and to establish basic soil and plant tissue-testing guidelines and recommendations with respect to yield potentials. Soil samples were collected before planting. Plant tissue samples from plots at all sites were collected at the following four stages of growth: first bloom (FB), early bloom (EB), peak bloom (PB), and physiological maturity (PM). Fertilizer and nutrient inputs were monitored, managed, and recorded within current extension guidelines for irrigated chiles. Results for soil and tissue analyses were compared to yield results. The results provide estimates for baselines, which can be tested...
Welfare Reform: Prescription for Abuse? A Report on New Research Studies Documenting the Relationship of Domestic Violence and Welfare

Anecdotally, welfare-to-work programs have documented that domestic violence serves as a welfare-to-work barrier by partners' interference with education, training and work, or by physical or mental trauma which also prevents employment. Four new research studies, which, although using different methods, including random and nonrandom surveys of welfare caseloads and random neighborhood surveys, document high and remarkably consistent prevalence of domestic violence within welfare caseloads. Although much more needs to be known, the prevalence of domestic violence in these women's lives requires specific domestic violence-sensitive welfare policies lest women become injured during the welfare-to-work process. Language: en
Asymmetric Intramolecular C−H Insertions of Aryldiazoacetates

The enantioselectivity of Rh2(S-DOSP)4 catalyzed C−H insertion of aryldiazoacetates is very dependent on the site of the C−H insertion. The highest enantioselectivity is obtained for insertion into methine C−H bonds.
Fetal cerebrovascular acclimatization responses to high-altitude, long-term hypoxia: a model for prenatal programming of adult disease?

During the past several decades, many risk factors for cerebrovascular and cardiovascular disease have been identified. More recently, it has been appreciated that inadequate nutrition and/or other...
A new limit on Planck scale Lorentz violation from γ-ray burst polarization

Constraints on possible Lorentz invariance violation (UV) to first order in E/M(sub Plank) for photons in the framework of effective field theory (EFT) are discussed, taking cosmological factors into account. Then. using the reported detection of polarized soft gamma-ray emission from the gamma-ray burst GRB041219a that is indicative' of an absence of vacuum birefringence, together with a very recent improved method for estimating the redshift of the burst, we derive constraints on the dimension 5 Lorentz violating modification to the Lagrangian of an effective local QFT for QED. Our new constraints are more than five orders of magnitude better than recent constraints from observations of the Crab Nebula.. We obtain the upper limit on the Lorentz violating dimension 5 EFT parameter absolute value of zeta of 2.4 x 10(exp -15), corresponding to a constraint on the dimension 5 standard model extension parameter. Kappa (sup 5) (sub (v)oo) much less than 4.2 X 10(exp -3)4 / GeV.
VB2: A thin film coating on vanadium for reduced tritium inventory in controlled fusion devices

Abstract Plasma-wall recycling, tritium inventory and bulk hydrogen embrittlement considerations require measurement of the hydrogen isotope trapping and the release characteristics for low atomic number candidate materials under development in the tokamak fusion test reactor tokamak flexibility modification program. Re-emission measurements during 10 keV D 3 + implantation were followed by linear temperature ramp desorption and D( 3 He,α)p nuclear reaction profiling to study deuterium retention characteristics of vanadium 0.4 mm thick explosively clad to copper and similar claddings borided to a depth of about 15 μm. For the pure vanadium claddings, essentially all the deuterium (to fluences greater than 10 19 atoms cm -2 ) is retained at an implant temperature of 100 °C, and a sizable portion (approximately 2 × 10 17 atoms cm -2 ) is retained during implantation at 500 °C. A correspondingly high temperature is required for subsequent desorption of the deuterium. This trapping behavior is characteristic of metals with an exothermic heat of solution. The deuterium is trapped in the bulk of the metal in solid solution. A significant reduction in the saturation level of deuterium retention (less than 2 × 10 17 atoms cm -2 at 100 °C) is found for the borided samples. The VB 2 layer serves as a protective coating on the reactive metal cladding necessary to reduce hydrogen isotope penetration into the bulk vanadium. Thus a VB 2 surface is preferred over vanadium with respect to tritium inventory considerations in the tokamak fusion environment.
Equality and Desert

Justice is a constant and perpetual will to give every man his due. The principles of law are these: to live virtuously, not to harm others, to give his due to everyone. Jurisprudence is the knowledge of divine and human things, the science of the just and the unjust. Law is the art of goodness and justice. By virtue of this [lawyers] may be called priests, for we cherish justice and profess knowledge or goodness and equity, separating right from wrong and legal from the illegal. (Ulpian in the Digest of the Roman book of law Corpus Juris, ca 200AD)
Notes on neotropical vaccinieae (Ericaceae). IV. A review of the Genus Oreanthes

The genusOreanthes is reviewed by means of a key to the species, descriptions, specimen citations, and a table. Two new species are described—O. ecuadorensis Luteyn andO. rotundifolius Luteyn.
Transition from micro-mechanics to computationally efficient phenomenology: Carbon black filled rubbers incorporating mullins' effect

Abstract In this work a previously proposed micro-mechanical continuum damage model for carbon black filled rubbers exhibiting Mullins' effect is developed into a phenomenological model. The resulting model gives nearly the same agreement with experimental data as the fully micro-mechanical model but, more importantly, it is computationally efficient, unlike the fully micro-mechanical model. The derivation of the model follows from a few key observations about the fully micro-mechanical model along with a systematic application of the principle of maximum dissipation. Comparisons with experimental data are presented, and finite-element solutions to boundary value problems are shown.
DNA methylation: dynamic and stable regulation of memory

Epigenetic mechanisms have emerged as a central process in learning and memory. Histone modifications and DNA methy-lation are epigenetic events that can mediate gene transcription. Interesting features of these epigenetic changes are their transient and long lasting potential. Recent advances in neuroscience suggest that DNA methylation is both dynamic and stable, mediating the formation and maintenance of memory. In this review, we will further illustrate the recent hypothesis that DNA methylation participates in the transcriptional regulation necessary for memory.
Nociceptive responses of trigeminal neurons in SII-7b cortex of awake monkeys

A cluster of trigeminal nociceptive neurons was located in the lateral sulcus on the upper bank of the frontoparietal operculum in a region bordering between cortical areas SII and 7b. These neurons were isolated in cortical cell layers IV and V-VI. All nociceptive neurons responded exclusively to noxious mechanical stimulation of cutaneous receptive fields on the face/head or intraoral tissue. Sustained noxious mechanical stimulation elicited slowly adapting responses that accurately encoded the duration of the stimulation. Prolonged discharges following removal of noxious stimulation were not observed. These nociceptive specific neurons poorly encoded graded noxious stimuli. Trigeminal somatosensory neurons within and surrounding the SII-7b cluster were not topographically organized according to divisions of the trigeminal nerve, laterality of receptive fields, or division of face/head and intraoral receptive fields. The thalamocortical, corticocortical and indirect corticolimbic connectivities of SII and area 7b and the possible role of SII-7b nociceptive neurons in learning, memory and avoidance behaviors are discussed.
Exposure Assessment of Tractor-Related Tasks Presenting Potential Overturn Hazards on Catfish Farms in Mississippi, USA

ABSTRACT Tractors are used in pond culture of catfish for a variety of mobile tasks, including placing aerators into ponds, mowing, spreading feed into ponds, and transporting equipment (e.g., seining reels), as well as for the stationary task of using the tractor's power-take-offs to operate aerators in the ponds. The mobile tasks place the tractor operator at risk of injury in the event of an overturn, and rollover protective structures (ROPS) are a proven intervention to mitigate injury in a tractor overturn. A 2008 survey was conducted among 96 participants in Mississippi (USA) to determine the hours of tractor use for these tasks. This article reports on exposures to tractor-related tasks conducted on catfish farms as identified in this survey. Annual exposure to potential tractor overturns was calculated based on the hours of mobile operation. The overall annual exposure to potential tractor overturns on the catfish farms participating in the survey was 7322 h per farm and 837 h per tractor on these...