cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Continuous open design of dependable systems for critical infrastructure

Future network infrastructure systems demand an extensible, continuous design framework to readily incorporate emerging technologies. Other domains have addressed this demand by moving towards an open design and development approach to capture the ingenuity of a community of developers. Yet, the design and development of current network infrastructure systems remains predominately closed. In this paper, we detail the trends in the deossification of network infrastructure, explore the challenges of an open design and development approach and suggest a framework to address these trends and challenges. The main contribution of this work is a tool-supported, open architectural design and analysis approach with a comprehensive dependability analysis tool for the design of dependable, fault-resilient systems capable of ensuring the high assurance properties required in network infrastructure systems.
Speech and sound for in-car infotainment systems

In a hands-busy and eyes-busy activity such as driving, spoken language technology is an important component of the multimodal human-machine interface (HMI) of an in-car infotainment system. Adding speech to the HMI introduces two distinct challenges: accurately acquiring the user’s speech in a noisy car environment, and creating a spoken dialog system that does not require the driver’s full attention.
Mining the Genome for Susceptibility to Diabetic Nephropathy: The Role of Large-Scale Studies and Consortia

Approximately 30% of individuals with type 1 and type 2 diabetes develop persistent albuminuria, lose renal function, and are at increased risk for cardiovascular and other microvascular complications. Diabetes and kidney diseases rank within the top 10 causes of death in Westernized countries and cause significant morbidity. Given these observations, genetic, genomic, and proteomic investigations have been initiated to better define basic mechanisms for disease initiation and progression, to identify individuals at risk for diabetic complications, and to develop more efficacious therapies. In this review we have focused on linkage analyses of candidate genes or chromosomal regions, or coarse genome-wide scans, which have mapped either categorical (chronic kidney disease or end-stage renal disease) or quantitative kidney traits (albuminuria/proteinuria or glomerular filtration rate). Most loci identified to date have not been replicated, however, several linked chromosomal regions are concordant between independent samples, suggesting the presence of a diabetic nephropathy gene. Two genes, carnosinase (CNDP1) on 18q, and engulfment and cell motility 1 (ELMO1) on 7p14, have been identified as diabetic nephropathy susceptibility genes, but these results require authentication. The availability of patient data sets with large sample sizes, improvements in informatics, genotyping technology, and statistical methodologies should accelerate the discovery of valid diabetic nephropathy susceptibility genes.
Automated Determination of Arsenic, Selenium, Antimony, Bismuth and Tin by Atomic Absorption Utilizing Sodium Borohydride Reduction

Abstract An automated system for the determination of arsenic, selenium, antimony, bismuth and tin is described. These elements and their compounds are reduced with sodium borohydride to the corresponding hydride. Sensitivity of the automated system is comparable and in most cases better than the manual technique. The automated method was found superior to the manual with respect to reproducibility and ease of operation.
Unfolding of DNA quadruplexes induced by HIV-1 nucleocapsid protein

The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 nucleocapsid protein (NC) is a nucleic acid chaperone that catalyzes the rearrangement of nucleic acids into their thermodynamically most stable structures. In the present study, a combination of optical and thermodynamic techniques were used to characterize the influence of NC on the secondary structure, thermal stability and energetics of monomolecular DNA quadruplexes formed by the sequence d(GGTTGGTGTGGTTGG) in the presence of K 1 or Sr 21 . Circular dichroism studies demonstrate that NC effectively unfolds the quadruplexes. Studies carried out with NC variants suggest that destabilization is mediated by the zinc fingers of NC. Calorimetric studies reveal that NC destabilization is enthalpic in origin, probably owing to unstacking of the G-quartets upon protein binding. In contrast, parallel studies performed on a related DNA duplex reveal that under conditions where NC readily destabilizes and unfolds the quadruplexes, its effect on the DNA duplex is much less pronounced. The differences in NC’s ability to destabilize quadruplex versus duplex is in accordance with the higher DG of melting for the latter, and with the inverse correlation between nucleic acid stability and the destabilizing activity of NC.
The Structural Basis for Substrate Specificity in DNA Topoisomerase IV

Most bacteria possess two type IIA topoisomerases, DNA gyrase and topo IV, that together help manage chromosome integrity and topology. Gyrase primarily introduces negative supercoils into DNA, an activity mediated by the C-terminal domain of its DNA binding subunit (GyrA). Although closely related to gyrase, topo IV preferentially decatenates DNA and relaxes positive supercoils. Here we report the structure of the full-length Escherichia coli ParC dimer at 3.0 A resolution. The N-terminal DNA binding region of ParC is highly similar to that of GyrA, but the ParC dimer adopts a markedly different conformation. The C-terminal domain (CTD) of ParC is revealed to be a degenerate form of the homologous GyrA CTD, and is anchored to the top of the N-terminal domains in a configuration different from that thought to occur in gyrase. Biochemical assays show that the ParC CTD controls the substrate specificity of topo IV, likely by capturing DNA segments of certain crossover geometries. This work delineates strong mechanistic parallels between topo IV and gyrase, while explaining how structural differences between the two enzyme families have led to distinct activity profiles. These findings in turn explain how the structures and functions of bacterial type IIA topoisomerases have evolved to meet specific needs of different bacterial families for the control of chromosome superstructure.
Creating a Common Polity: Religion, Economy, and Politics in the Making of the Greek Koinon. By Emily Mackil. (Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2013. Pp. xxviii, 593. $95.00.)

New contributions to the study of ancient Greek history are infrequent; too often they are merely reviews of previous scholarship. This book is the rare new contribution. This microscopically detai...
Antisense Oligonucleotides in the Treatment of Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer

Antisense oligonucleotides (ASONs) are one of the new classes of molecularly targeted agents that have transitioned from the laboratory into clinical trials. Rational drug design has resulted in agents directed against a number of important cellular targets, including the mRNA of bcl-2, protein kinase (PK) C-alpha, PKA-I, H-ras, c-raf, R1 and R2 subunit of ribonucleotide reductase, and transforming growth factor beta2. These drugs are well tolerated with favorable toxicity profiles, and preliminary studies have demonstrated that they can be feasibly combined with chemotherapy. Plasma half-life is short, generally necessitating continuous prolonged intravenous infusion. Shorter administration schedules are being investigated. Efficacy has been demonstrated in early-phase studies in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, ovarian cancer, melanoma, and prostate cancer. Molecular correlative studies with peripheral blood mononuclear cells and tumor tissue have demonstrated suppression of target proteins, suggesting that these drugs are indeed reaching the target. Here we discuss the current status of development of ASONs, focusing on LY900003 (formerly ISIS 3521), an agent directed against PKC-alpha currently under study in NSCLC. Phase III studies will determine the ultimate role these agents will play in the treatment of cancer. Future areas of study include combination with radiation and other molecularly targeted agents, alternative dosing schedules, liposomal administration, and the development of new antisense agents directed against additional molecular targets.
Linear arrays with non-uniform progressive phase shift

This paper presents a study of linear arrays with uniform element spacings but non-uniform progressive phase shift while the amplitude excitation is either uniform or tapered. It is shown that such arrays (1) offer higher directive gain with the number of elements, their spacings, and phases as parameters; as a special case, yield higher gain, under the endfire condition, than the Hansen-Woodyard discrete endfire array, (2) are applicable to wide-angle scanning, (3) may be synthesized to produce a desired pattern with less error, (4) may be derived from a known pattern, (5) can be used for sidelobe reduction, and (6) may also yield a pattern with equal sidelobes when the amplitude excitation is uniform.
Quantitative Computed Tomography for Assessment of Metabolic Bone Diseases

The principal application of computed tomography (CT) in metabolic bone disorders is the quantitative assessment of bone mineral content in osteoporosis. Osteoporosis, or atrophy of bone, affects tens of millions of people in the United States, especially postmenopausal women; its complications result in considerable morbidity, mortality, and public health expenditure [35]. Several methods have been employed for quantitative assessment of the skeleton in osteoporosis. The most widely used techniques are radiogrammetry [12] and photon absorptiometry [3] of the peripheral appendicular skeleton. Techniques developed as research tools include dual-photon absorptiometry [21, 28] partial-body [17] and whole-body [10] neutron activation analysis, and Compton scattering [33]. To date, no single method has proved entirely satisfactory in the evaluation of metabolic bone disease.
Axi-symmetric inertial oscillations of a rotating ring of fluid

The Poincare problem for the normal modes of oscillations of an inviscid, incompressible fluid contained in an infinitely long cylinder rotating about a direction perpendicular to its axis is investigated.
A Mycobacterium tuberculosis Cytochrome bd Oxidase Mutant Is Hypersensitive to Bedaquiline

The new medicinal compound bedaquiline (BDQ) kills Mycobacterium tuberculosis by inhibiting F1Fo-ATP synthase. BDQ is bacteriostatic for 4 to 7 days and kills relatively slowly compared to other frontline tuberculosis (TB) drugs. Here we show that killing with BDQ can be improved significantly by inhibiting cytochrome bd oxidase, a non-proton-pumping terminal oxidase. BDQ was instantly bactericidal against a cytochrome bd oxidase null mutant of M. tuberculosis, and the rate of killing was increased by more than 50%. We propose that this exclusively bacterial enzyme should be a high-priority target for new drug discovery. Importance: A major drawback of current TB chemotherapy is its long duration. New drug regimens with rapid killing kinetics are desperately needed. Our study demonstrates that inhibition of a nonessential bacterial enzyme greatly improves the efficacy of the latest TB drug bedaquiline and emphasizes that screening for compounds with synergistic killing mechanisms is a promising strategy.
Tiotropium for Adults with Inadequately Controlled Persistent Asthma

OBJECTIVETo review the literature evaluating the efficacy and steroid-sparing effect of tiotropium for inadequately controlled persistent asthma in adults.DATA SOURCESInformation was obtained through a search of MEDLINE/PubMed (1966-October 2012), using the terms asthma and tiotropium. A further review of reference citations was performed to identify other relevant articles.STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTIONEnglish-language case reports and clinical trials were reviewed. Publications evaluating the efficacy and steroid-sparing effect of tiotropium in adults with inadequately controlled persistent asthma were included in the review. One case report and 5 clinical trials met our criteria.DATA SYNTHESISThe ultimate goal for asthma management is to maintain disease control by preventing acute exacerbations while avoiding adverse medication effects. Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) are part of all preferred maintenance regimens for persistent asthma. Unfortunately, persistent asthma remains inadequately controll...
Limits to the Detection of Small Internal Voids in Solids with Holographic Techniques

The ability to find small voids in acoustically excited solid specimens using coherent optical detection methods is limited by three factors: available ultrasonic power levels; noise elements; and nonlinear properties of the working materials. Detection sensitivity constraints due to power limitations are established here. A void embedded in an elastic half-space is used as a physical model. Free surface deformations due to internal void-scattered ultrasonic waves are computed for select cases. Deformations are too small for direct optical measurement. Deflections of a liquid layer free surface above the elastic half-space represent an amplified copy of the elastic boundary deformation and improved detection sensitivity. Holographic techniques with noise reduction features to observe the liquid surface profile are discussed.
Very Large Array observations of broad 6-cm excited-state OH lines in W49A

Using the Very Large Array (VLA), we observed all three of the 6-cm lines of the 2 Π 1/2 , J = 1/2 state of OH with sub-arcsecond resolution (∼0.4 arcsec) in W49A. While the spatial distribution and the range in velocities of the 6-cm lines are similar to those of the ground-state (18-cm) OH lines, a large fraction of the total emission in all three 6-cm lines has large linewidths (∼5-10 km s -1 ) and is spatially extended, very unlike typical ground-state OH masers, which typically are point-like at VLA resolutions and have linewidths ≤1 km s -1 . We find brightness temperatures of 5900, 4700 and ≥730 K for the 4660, 4750 and 4765-MHz lines, respectively. We conclude that these are indeed maser lines. However, the gains are ∼0.3, again very unlike the 18-cm lines, which have gains ≥10 4 . We compare the excited-state OH emission with that from other molecules observed with comparable angular resolution to estimate physical conditions in the regions emitting the peculiar, low-gain maser lines. We also comment on the relationship with the 18-cm masers.
Fast boundary extraction for mobile robot sensor-detected images

A fast boundary/line extraction algorithm used for grid-based world maps in the dynamic navigation of a mobile robot is described. The usual maps for such devices are generated from ultrasonic sensor information and are stored in large pixel arrays. The utilization of these maps often involves the processing of every pixel in the map array, which necessitates relatively long computation times. The authors have transformed the image pixels of critical object boundaries into straight-line segments in order to reduce the computation time for tasks that depend on the map, such as path planning and map transmission. The image array is scanned only once by the algorithm while a carefully selected operator (mask) set is convolved with the image. At the same time candidate line-support pixels are sorted into eight lists. The object boundary pixels are grouped and converted into lines that require only two endpoints. Test runs for an experimental obstacle field indicate that this algorithm requires less than 1 s for line extraction, which is fast enough for real-time navigation. >
The Mostly Male Theory of Flower Evolutionary Origins: from Genes to Fossils

Abstract The two recent theories of flowering plant evolutionary origins—the Anthophyte and Neo-Pseudanthial theories—are based on phylogenies (from morphological data) that show Gnetales as extant sister to angiosperms or as paraphyletic to angiosperms. Gnetales figured prominently in homology assessments and evolutionary scenarios of these theories. Several recent studies, including ours, provide strong evidence that extant gymnosperms are monophyletic, so Gnetales are most closely related to other gymnosperms, not to flowering plants. This removes the basis for both recent theories, leaving earlier theories that relate flowering plants to fossil “seed-fern” gymnosperms as the only active contenders. Our data from the homeotic gene Floricaula/LEAFY imply that the lineage leading to flowering plants originally had two copies of this gene, but that one copy was lost in flowering plants, which suggests a new theory: that developmental control of flower organization derives more from systems active in the m...
Finger Representation and Finger-Based Strategies in the Acquisition of Number Meaning and Arithmetic

In this chapter, we discuss the involvement of fingers in the development of numerical representations and in arithmetic processing. Although cultural differences exist, the use of fingers during childhood in mathematical contexts has been shown to influence performance in representing numerical quantities and in processing arithmetic problems as well as in shaping the spatial-numerical association both in adults and children. We review behavioral and neuroimaging data and suggest that finger-based strategies might shape operation-specific processes. We conclude by discussing current accounts of the influence of fingers in arithmetic. We also suggest the possibility that qualitatively different finger-based strategies might differentially influence numerical representation, processing, and arithmetic performance.
Iron and the Reticuloendothelial System

The anemia of defective iron reutilization that complicates chronic disorders is at present the most common type of anemia (10). It is usually mild and not progressive, but can produce symptoms. This type of anemia complicates such chronic inflammatory states as rheumatoid arthritis and subacute bacterial endocarditis as well as malignant disorders such as Hodgkin’s disease. It is occasionally seen in chronic renal disease and severe tissue injury (4,10,11,26,29,36). A similar type of anemia has also been described as a primary disorder (30,39). Although its exact cause is unknown, it has been considered that the host, in its own defense, may withhold iron not only from hemoglobin synthesis (an innocent bystander) but primarily from microbes, other invasive organisms and possibly tumor cells (45,61). The ability of the host to withhold iron in this fashion has been called “nutritional immunity” (10). Certain bacteria, for their own growth, can produce compounds called siderophores by which they can extract iron from transferrin if this protein is at least 30% saturated with iron [for an excellent review, see Weinberg (61)]. The anemia is characterized by decreased plasma iron, decreased total iron binding capacity (TIBC) in most instances, increased serum haptoglobin (50), decreased bone marrow sideroblasts, and normal or increased reticuloendothelial system (RES) iron. Of the above features, the triad of low plasma iron, decreased TIBC and increased RES iron are distinctive and occur in no other condition.
Are protein-protein interfaces special regions on a protein’s surface?

Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) are involved in many cellular processes. Experimentally obtained protein quaternary structures provide the location of protein-protein interfaces, the surface region of a given protein that interacts with another. These regions are termed half-interfaces (HIs). Canonical HIs cover roughly one third of a protein's surface and were found to have more hydrophobic residues than the non-interface surface region. In addition, the classical view of protein HIs was that there are a few (if not one) HIs per protein that are structurally and chemically unique. However, on average, a given protein interacts with at least a dozen others. This raises the question of whether they use the same or other HIs. By copying HIs from monomers with the same folds in solved quaternary structures, we introduce the concept of geometric HIs (HIs whose geometry has a significant match to other known interfaces) and show that on average they cover three quarters of a protein's surface. We then demonstrate that in some cases, these geometric HI could result in real physical interactions (which may or may not be biologically relevant). The composition of the new HIs is on average more charged compared to most known ones, suggesting that the current protein interface database is biased towards more hydrophobic, possibly more obligate, complexes. Finally, our results provide evidence for interface fuzziness and PPI promiscuity. Thus, the classical view of unique, well defined HIs needs to be revisited as HIs are another example of coarse-graining that is used by nature.
Vascular Imaging with Carbon Dioxide: Confidence in a Safe, Efficacious, User-Friendly System.

Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) has been used as an imaging agent since the early 1900s. The intravascular use of CO 2 for imaging began in the 1960s. Its use was limited, as the available technology for imaging and safe delivery was poor. Even until today its use as an imaging agent has not reached its potential because of non–user friendly and cumbersome delivery methods. Confusing tanks, valves, and assembly of do-it-yourself systems create an aversion to its use. As an invisible agent with properties vastly different from liquid contrast, well-seasoned interventionalists are hesitant to use it because of perceived often unrealistic potential complications. Despite many of the advantages of a gaseous imaging agent, insecurity has translated to its lack of use and availability to the benefit of patients. With the development of the new CO 2 mmander/AngiAssist delivery system (AngioAdvancements, Inc; Ft. Meyers, FL), a compact, unwieldy, easily understood, closed system that does not require assembly is replacing the various makeshift systems in the CO 2 community. This system combines a small multiuse disposable cylinder, compact regulator, and a dual syringe delivery system to the patient. A unique proprietary valve (K-valve) prevents the possibility of CO 2 overload during delivery. Because of one-way valves and the prepackaged complete setup, operator error and air contamination with inadvertent connections are eliminated. Noncompressed CO 2 is administered in the volume of choice in a nonexplosive manner. This simple, yet safe and effective, delivery system will undoubtedly promote the greater use of intravascular CO 2 . This in turn will translate into improved patient care in both the diagnostic and interventional arena.
In-Situ Studies on the Electrochemical Intercalation of Hexafluorophosphate Anion in Graphite with Selective Cointercalation of Solvent

Electrochemical cells utilizing graphite intercalation compounds at both electrodes have been proposed as an energy storage technology where the electrolyte salt is split and stored in the electrodes on charge and reformed on discharge. The anion intercalation compounds of graphite proposed as cathodes in these systems have been studied in electrolytes that are resistant to oxidation at 5 V but that are incompatible with graphite anodes. Recent work has demonstrated that electrolytes based on monofluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) and ethylmethyl carbonate (EMC) have superior oxidative stability on graphite cathodes over previously studied electrolytes and form a stable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) on graphite anodes that allow for full dual-graphite cells to be evaluated for energy storage applications. There is still a limited understanding as to structure of the anion intercalate formed in these electrolyte systems and the effect of solvent cointercalation on cathode performance. This effort was unde...
Effects of Estrogen Treatment on the Oophorectomized Female Rat Aorta

SummaryThe postmenopausal state appears to be associated with an increased incidence of atherosclerotic vascular disease in women. Connective tissue and cellular changes in the female rat thoracic aorta were studied in oophorectomized mature rats with and without estrogen replacement. In one study, no attempt was made to control the increased growth of the oophorectomized female. However, because of the possible contribution of different growth rates to results, in another study, weights of the treated and nontreated groups were balanced by pair-feeding. Both studies showed the same qualitative results. Total DNA contents of anatomically-defined thoracic aortic segments were not affected by oophorectomy or by estrogen replacement. Significant and similar increments in total aortic elastin and collagen were seen in untreated oophorectomized groups compared to estrogen-treated ones; a significant increase in percentage of collagen was found. Accelerated accumulation of connective tissue in the rat aortic wa...
Higher homotopy commutativity of small ring spectra

Let X be a 2-local ring spectrum of type n which is homotopy commutative up to a finite level of coherence (homotopy associativity is not assumed). We prove that, if \(f:\Sigma ^kX\rightarrow X\) is a \(v_n\) self-map, there exists an N such that, for all \(m>0\), the cofiber \(C(f^{mN})\) of \(f^{mN}\) has a ring spectrum structure extending that on X which is homotopy commutative up to the same level of coherence. A strong analogue of this result holds at odd primes. We also discuss the relevance of this result to the problem of constructing explicit \(v_{n+1}\) self-maps and provide a framework for extending our results to higher multiplicative structures including higher homotopy associativity.
Amateur Paleontological Societies and Fossil Clubs, Interactions with Professional Paleontologists, and Social Paleontology in the United States

Considerable interest exists among lifelong learners in the USA about fossils and the science of paleontology. Unlike some other science-related groups, e.g., astronomy and ornithology, interest in fossils among amateur paleontologists is primarily focused within local clubs and societies with little national coordination. This paper presents the results of formative evaluation of the FOSSIL project, conducted after the project “Kickoff” meeting held at the NAPC (North American Paleontological Convention) in 2014. FOSSIL is developing a national networked community of practice that includes amateur and professional paleontologists. Our research indicates that more than 60 amateur fossil clubs and societies exist in the USA, of which almost 40 have elected to be part of the FOSSIL network. Overarching goals of this program include enhanced collaborations between amateurs and professionals, knowledge-building about paleontology, access to resources for lifelong learning, and development a viable learning community of practice focused on topics of common and societal interest, such as collections (including digitization), evolution, climate change, and K-12 outreach. In addition to more traditional means such as list-serves and newsletters, FOSSIL is developing an online community (myFOSSIL) and using social media (Facebook and Twitter) to foster communication and interactions among stakeholders, and thus promoting the concept of “social paleontology”. Bruce J. MacFadden. Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611 USA, bmacfadd@flmnh.ufl.edu Lisa Lundgren. School of Teaching and Learning, College of Education, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611 USA, lisa.lundgren@ufl.edu Kent Crippen. School of Teaching and Learning, College of Education, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611 USA, kcrippen@coe.ufl.edu Betty A. Dunckel. Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611 USA, bdunckel@flmnh.ufl.edu Shari Ellis. Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611 USA, sellis@ufl.edu
E-084 proximal versus distal occlusions in the posterior circulation: acute stroke etiology in endovascular therapy

Background Acute posterior circulation stroke carries substantial morbidity and mortality. Development of second-generation clot retrieval devices has facilitated an improvement in recanalization rates, yet response to revascularization based on etiology has not been discerned. While overwhelmingly positive results have validated endovascular thrombectomy in multiple, randomized clinical trials (MR-CLEAN, EXTEND-IA, ESCAPE, SWIFT-PRIME) as a therapy responsible for significant improvement in patient clinical outcomes, these trials have only evaluated anterior circulation occlusions. In this study, we focused on the role of stroke etiology in endovascular therapy of posterior circulation strokes in the stentriever era. Methods Retrospective review of consecutive cases treated between March 2011 to August 2014, from a total of 216 acute endovascular intervention cases. Cases were evaluated for clinical and radiographic presentation, vascular risk factors, angiographic diagnostic findings, treatment and outcomes. Results Amongst 216 consecutive acute stroke endovascular therapy cases, 20 patients (9.3%) presented with posterior circulation stroke, ages ranging from 39 to 93 years (mean of 66.5), 75% of whom were men. NIHSS ranged from 1, fluctuating to loss of consciousness, to an initial presenting NIHSS of 35. Seventeen cases were treated and analyzed based on clot location defining proximal occlusion as distal vertebral arteries, vertebrobasilar junction and proximal-to-mid basilar trunk while distal occlusion was defined as mid-basilar trunk to basilar tip as well as superior cerebellar and posterior cerebral arteries. Proximal occlusions were seen in 30% of patients and attributed in etiology to dissection or intracranial athersosclerosis necessitating angioplasty and stenting in 2 patients. Four out of 6 patients were treated with stentrievers and 2 with aspiration alone or aspiration in conjunction with stentriever device. Distal occlusions were seen in 70% of patients 11 of whom underwent endovascular treatment, of this subgroup the etiology for 72.7% was atrial fibrillation and 54.5% underwent aspiration alone or in combination with stentriever device. Overall, 29.4% of patients treated were discharged with minor symptoms or were clinically asymptomatic and death occurred in 23.5% of patients in spite of achieving AOL3 recanalization in 50% of patients. Conclusions While clinically devastating, posterior circulation stroke, may have favorable outcomes if endovascular strategies are targeted to arterial occlusion etiology. Disclosures M. Nour: None. S. Tateshima: 2; C; Reverse Medical, Stryker Neurovascular, Silkroad Medical, Blockade Medical. G. Duckwiler: 2; C; Sequent Medical, Asahi Medical. R. Jahan: 2; C; Covidien, Medina. N. Gonzalez: None. V. Szeder: None. L. Ai: None. J. Saver: 6; C; Dr. Saver is an employee of the University of California. The University of California, Regents receive funding for Dr. Saver’s services as a scientific consultant. D. Liebeskind: 2; C; Stryker Neurovascular, Covidien.
Differential Inversion and the Limits of Objective Temperature Inferencing

The instability of matrix inversion algorithms, when applied to radiance data of limited accuracy, is well known. Constraints of one kind or another are required to counter this tendency and to yield physically meaningful temperature profiles. Differential inversion avoids this instability by relating the temperature inferred at a particular pressure to the local behavior of the radiance profile at the conjugate pressure level (principle of local causation).
Scientometric Analysis of Marketing Theoreticians

Albert Einstein notably asserted that “It would be possible to describe everything scientifically, but it would make no sense; it would be without meaning, as if you described a Beethoven symphony as a variation of wave pressure.” Cast against the backdrop of Einstein’s assertion, the present research critically examines the enduring yet unresolved controversy regarding marketing as a science. Consider that the marketing discipline is nearing its first-century of inception and the Journal of Marketing is approaching its eighth decade of publication. Yet there is a paucity of theory formation within the marketing discipline and marketing academicians still debate the epistemology of marketing itself. The century between 1913 and 2013 witnessed a dearth of theory development toward advancement of a cohesive body of marketing knowledge. Shankar (2009) concurs: “…marketing has long been the poor relation, intellectually, to other management disciplines with the academic study of management itself pretty low down the social science pecking order.” He specifically calls for the current research toward “elevating the scholarly, intellectual or academic status of marketing” (p. 683).
Genetic algorithms as algorithm adversaries

This paper describes a genetic algorithm-based test case generator for use in the empirical analysis of algorithms. The fitness function for the genetic algorithm is the number of operations executed when the algorithm is run with the test case as input – the worse the performance, the higher the fitness. The goal of the generator is to produce test cases that are pathological for the algorithm. We present results from experiments using a GA-based generator for maximum cardinality bipartite matching and show that the results are better than the results using randomly generated test cases.
Information, non-financial incentives, and student achievement: Evidence from a text messaging experiment

Abstract This paper describes a field experiment in Oklahoma City Public Schools in which students were provided with free cellular phones and daily information about the link between human capital and future outcomes via text message in one treatment and minutes to talk and text as an incentive in a second treatment. Students' reported beliefs about the relationship between education and outcomes were influenced by the information treatment. However, there were no measurable changes in student effort, attendance, suspensions, or state test scores, though there is evidence that scores on college entrance exams four years later increased. The patterns in the data appear most consistent with a model in which students have present-bias or lack knowledge of the educational production function, though other explanations are possible.
New late Paleocene (late middle Tiffanian) mammals from the Roche Percée local fauna, south-eastern Saskatchewan, Canada

An exceptionally large and diverse assemblage of mammals from the early late Paleocene (about 58 million years ago) has been collected from the Ravenscrag Formation near Roche Percee, south-eastern Saskatchewan, Canada. Previous research of the Roche Percee local fauna has examined only a small portion of the mammals, with the vast majority of taxa remaining unstudied. Identification and descriptions of these latter taxa are provided here. With these new additions, the assemblage is now known to include 44 mammalian species. Notable among these findings is the substantial collection of the erinaceomorph lipotyphlan Litocherus lacunatus, the remarkable diversity of viverravid carnivorans, and the recovery of some of the first known elements of the upper dentition of the pantolestid Besseocetor pilodontus. A complete description of the mammalian fauna supports previous assignments of a late middle Tiffanian North American Land Mammal Age (Ti4 lineage zone) to the Roche Percee local fauna. Faunal comparisons...
Using Storytelling to Heal Trauma and Bridge the Cultural Divide Between Veterans and Civilians

ABSTRACTThere is a growing disconnect between the Veteran and civilian communities related to their understanding of war-related trauma, postdeployment reintegration difficulty, and the experience of Memorial Day. A therapeutic way to bridge this divide is through community storytelling. This paper describes a program development project at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center that was created to increase the connection between these communities. Using storytelling, six Veterans shared their personal experiences with a civilian audience in honor of Memorial Day. Qualitative data on the impact of the program is reported, and suggestions for future application and research are discussed.
Teaching cursive signatures to the blind: A task analytic approach

Cursive signatures were taught to five totally blind students through a task analytic approach and utilizing tutors not trained in the area of the visually impaired. The program encompassed five ph...
Adjoint analysis of Buckley-Leverett and two-phase flow equations

This paper analyzes the adjoint equations and boundary conditions for porous media flow models, specifically the Buckley-Leverett equation, and the compressible two-phase flow equations in mass conservation form. An adjoint analysis of a general scalar hyperbolic conservation law whose primal solutions include a shock jump is initially presented, and the results are later specialized to the Buckley-Leverett equation. The non-convexity of the Buckley-Leverett flux function results in adjoint characteristics that are parallel to the shock front upstream of the shock and emerge from the shock front downstream of the shock. Thus, in contrast to the behavior of Burgers’ equation where the adjoint is continuous at a shock, the Buckley-Leverett adjoint, in general, contains a discontinuous jump across the shock. Discrete adjoint solutions from space-time discontinuous Galerkin finite element approximations of the Buckley-Leverett equation are shown to be consistent with the derived closed-form analytical solutions. Furthermore, a general result relating the adjoint equations for different (though equivalent) primal equations is used to relate the two-phase flow adjoints to the Buckley-Leverett adjoint. Adjoint solutions from space-time discontinuous Galerkin finite element approximations of the two-phase flow equations are observed to obey this relationship.
Sonocrystallization of conjugated polymers with ultrasound fields

Ultrasound acoustic waves are demonstrated to assemble poly-3-hexylthiophene (P3HT) chains into nanofibers after they are fully dissolved in what are commonly considered to be ‘good’ solvents. In the absence of ultrasound, the polymer remains fully dissolved and does not self-assemble for weeks. UV-vis spectroscopy, ultra-small angle X-ray scattering (USAXS) and small angle neutron scattering (SANS) are used to characterize the induced assembly process and to quantify the fraction of polymer that forms nanofibers. It is determined that the solvent type, insonation time, and aging periods are all important factors affecting the structure and final concentration of fibers. The effect of changing polymer regio-regularity, alkyl chain length, and side chain to thiophene ratio are also explored. High intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) fields of variable intensity are utilized to reveal the physical mechanisms leading to nanofiber formation, which is strongly correlated to cavitation events in the solvent. This in situ HIFU cell, which is designed for simultaneous scattering analysis, is also used to probe for structural changes occurring over multiple length scales using USAXS and SANS. The proposed acoustic assembly mechanism suggests that, even when dispersed in ‘good’ solvents such as bromobenzene, dichlorobenzene and chloroform, P3HT chains are still not in a thermodynamically stable state. Instead, they are stabilized by local energy barriers that slow down and effectively prevent crystallization. Ultrasound fields are found to provide enough mechanical energy to overcome these barriers, triggering the formation of small crystalline nuclei that subsequently seed the growth of larger nanofibers.
A Descriptive Report of Early Mobilization for Critically Ill Ventilated Patients with Cancer.

Background Early mobilization protocols have been successfully implemented to improve function in critically ill patients; however, no study has focused on the oncology population. Objectives To investigate the feasibility of early mobilization and describe the rehabilitation interventions and discharge outcomes in a cohort of critically ill patients with cancer. Design Retrospective review. Methods A retrospective analysis of patients with cancer who participated in occupational and physical therapy while on mechanical ventilation utilizing an institutional early mobilization protocol from June 2010 - July 2011, was completed. Demographic and clinical variables were abstracted, as well as occupational and physical therapy interventions. Results A cohort of 42 cancer patients on mechanical ventilation in the mixed medical/surgical intensive care unit of a comprehensive cancer center received early mobilization during the study period. The majority of participants demonstrated improved cognitive and functional status from the intensive care unit to hospital discharge. There were no reported adverse events during the occupational and physical therapy sessions. Among the 30 hospital survivors, 53% required continued rehabilitation services in their home environment and 40% were transferred to a rehabilitation facility. Limitations Due to the small sample size, these findings are not generalizable to all critically ill cancer patients. There was no post-acute care follow-up of cognitive and physical functional performance. Conclusion Early mobilization appears feasible in addressing the cognitive and functional needs of oncology patients in the intensive care unit.
Socioeconomic Status and Risk of Diabetes-Related Mortality in the U.S.:

Objective: We examined disparities in diabetes-related mortality for socioeconomic status (SES) groups in nationally representative U.S. samples. Methods: We analyzed National Health Interview Survey respondents linked to their death records and included those eligible for mortality follow-up who were aged 25 years and older at the time of interview and not missing information on covariates (n=527,426). We measured SES by education and family income. There were 5,613 diabetes-related deaths. Results: Having less than a high school education was associated with a twofold higher mortality from diabetes, after controlling for age, gender, race/ethnicity, marital status, and body mass index, compared with adults with a college degree or higher education level (relative hazard [RH] = 2.05, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.78, 2.35). Having a family income below poverty level was associated with a twofold higher mortality after adjustments compared with adults with the highest family incomes (RH=2.41, 95% CI 2.05, 2.84). Approximately one-quarter of the excess risk among those in the lowest SES categories was explained by adjusting for potential confounders. Conclusion: Findings from this nationally representative cohort demonstrate a socioeconomic gradient in diabetes-related mortality, with both education and income being important determinants of the risk of death.
Tissue Resources for Clinical Use and Marker Studies in Melanoma

The adequate procurement and preservation of high-quality tissue specimens from patients with melanoma is a critical clinical issue as patients' tumor samples are now used not only for pathological diagnosis but are also necessary to determine the molecular signature of the tumor to stratify patients who may benefit from targeted melanoma therapy. Tissue resources available for physicians and investigators include formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue and frozen tissue, either preserved in optimal cutting temperature (OCT) media or snap frozen. Properly preserved tissue may be used to evaluate melanoma biomarkers by immunohistochemistry (IHC) with tissue microarray (TMA) technology, to perform genetic and genomic analyses, and for other types of translational research in melanoma.
Production of Aflatoxin in a High Moisture Maize Silo in Minnesota

Mycotoxicosis resembling aflatoxicosis in dairy cattle has been known for some time. Sipple et al. (1953) reported that cows eating moldy maize rations were depressed, off-feed, and had diarrhea containing blood. A necropsy of one of the afflicted cows revealed an enlarged liver spotted with light yellow areas. Loosmore and Markson (1961) reported that after consuming aflatoxincontaminated peanut meal for 3–4 months, dairy cows lost their appetite and suffered reduced milk yield, especially after calving. Loosmore et al. (1964) found that cows fed aflatoxin-contaminated cottonseed meal went off-feed resulting in milk production decreases of 25 to 50% after 3–4 weeks. When the aflatoxin-contaminated cottonseed was removed from the ration, the cows were back to normal in a week. The cattle most severely affected were those which had calved 4–6 months, previously. Gopal et al. (1968) reported that peanut meal associated with deaths in a dairy herd was found to contain aflatoxin. Clinical signs included: anorexia, apathy, corneal opacity, intermittent diarrhea, and reduction or absence of milk yield. According to Guthrie (1979), cows fed aflatoxin-contaminated maize showed the following signs: diarrhea; acute mastitis; metritis; respiratory disorders; erratic milk production; abortions; hair loss; depressed appetite; and unthrifty appearance.
Pectolytic Xanthomonas Isolates Causing Soft-Rot of Vegetables in Storage: Isolation, Characterization and Pathology

Five strains of pectolytic, yellow-pigmented xanthomonads were isolated from fruit tissues of tomato, bell pepper, cucumber, and papaya. The CVP medium of Cuppels and Kelman (Phytopathology 64:468, 1974), sometimes supplemented with 0.5% yeast extract, was used for initial isolation and cultivation. Each strain caused soft rot of the plant organs from which it was originally isolated and of the organs of genetically unrelated species, such as potato and squash. No evidence of bacteria-host specificity was found. These organisms were Gram-negative, motile with a single polar flagellum, obligately aerobic and oxidative, and contained no polyhydroxybutyrate inclusions. Oxidase, arginine dihydrolase, nitrate reductase, and urease activity was not detected. Cultural and biochemical properties that indicate a close relatedness of these soft-rotting isolates to X. campestris include: (1) Mucoid growth on agar media; (2) Hydrolysis of starch, gelatin, Tween 80, esculin, and milk proteins; (3) Growth at 4C and at 37C; (4) Utilization of sucrose, arabinose, cellobiose, mannitol, citrate, and succinate. The xanthomonad strains constituted 4% of 128 pectolytic, soft-rotting bacteria isolated from fruits and vegetables. These results provide new evidence supporting the previous observation of W.H. Burkholder (Phytopathol. 44:592, 1954), who identified X. vitians as the cause of head-lettuce rot.
Towards energy-efficient and robust disaster response networks

In the aftermath of a large-scale disaster (such as earthquake), existing communication infrastructures are often critically impaired, preventing timely information exchange between the survivors, responders, and the coordination center. Typically, a temporary network, called Disaster Response Network (DRN), is set up using smart devices, movable base stations and easily deployable cellular antennas. However, such networks are challenged by rapid devices' energy depletion and component failures due to environmental adversities and hardware faults. State-of-the-art literature address energy challenges through intelligent routing, however robustness of DRN against component failures is largely unaddressed. In this paper, we investigate designing a novel network topology for DRNs, which is both energy-efficient and robust against component devices' failures. Specifically, the objective is to construct a sparse structure from the original DRN (termed, Sparse-DRN) while ensuring that there exists a connected tree backbone. Our performance evaluation shows that the Sparse-DRN offers a good trade-off between the energy efficiency and network robustness, while ensuring the QoS requirements i.e., packet delivery and network latency.
Engendering Labor, African Enslavement, and Human-Horse Relations in Chickasaw Territory

The archaeological study of the Levi Colbert Prairie site is exploring the convergence of gender, labor, racialization, agriculture, slavery, and human-animal interactions in ways that illuminate i...