cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Medial approach to the peroneal vessels as recipients for free flap reconstruction of the leg.

The anatomic variation in the branching pattern of the popliteal vessel has been well-established. Little has been written in the literature regarding recipient vessel selection for microvascular reconstruction in the lower extremity as it pertains to aberrant vascular anatomy. We present the case of a 57-year-old male patient who sustained a closed right lower extremity pilon fracture in a motor vehicle accident. The patient was initially treated with external fixation, which was followed by definitive open reduction and internal fixation 3 weeks later. Over the next 2 weeks, the patient developed skin ischemia of the anterior ankle. A free-tissue transfer was planned. A digital subtraction angiogram revealed absence of the posterior tibial (PT) vessels and an aberrant course of the peroneal (PR) artery. In the operating room, the medial distal leg was explored for the PT vessels, which were severely hypoplastic. Given the close proximity of the PR vessels, the dissection was extended proximally to assess these vessels for microvascular anastomosis. They were found to be suitable. A parascapular flap was harvested and transferred to the right leg wound without any significant stretch on the vessels for soft tissue coverage. The flap demonstrated excellent inflow and outflow, and the leg and foot remained well perfused. The patient's postoperative course was uncomplicated. The technique of exposing the peroneal vessels for microvascular anastomosis via a medial approach is described. This technique is an excellent option to have available when aberrant anatomy precludes the use more commonly utilized vessels.
Dynamic Neural Program Embeddings for Program Repair

Neural program embeddings have shown much promise recently for a variety of program analysis tasks, including program synthesis, program repair, fault localization, etc. However, most existing program embeddings are based on syntactic features of programs, such as raw token sequences or abstract syntax trees. Unlike images and text, a program has an unambiguous semantic meaning that can be difﬁcult to capture by only considering its syntax(i.e. syntactically similar programs can exhibit vastly different run-time behavior), which makes syntax-based program embeddings fundamentally limited. This paper proposes a novel semantic program embedding that is learned from program execution traces. Our key insight is that program states expressed as sequential tuples of live variable values not only captures program semantics more precisely, but also offer a more natural ﬁt for Recurrent Neural Networks to model. We evaluate different syntactic and semantic program embeddings on predicting the types of errors that students make in their submissions to an introductory programming class and two exercises on the CodeHunt education platform. Evaluation results show that our new semantic program embedding signiﬁcantly outperforms the syntactic program embeddings based on token sequences and abstract syntax trees. In addition, we augment a search-based program repair system with the predictions obtained from our semantic embedding, and show that search efﬁciency is also signiﬁcantly improved.
Unraveling the origin of chirality from plasmonic nanoparticle-protein complexes

Plasmon-coupled circular dichroism has emerged as a promising approach for ultrasensitive detection of biomolecular conformations through coupling between molecular chirality and surface plasmons. Chiral nanoparticle assemblies without chiral molecules present also have large optical activities. We apply single-particle circular differential scattering spectroscopy coupled with electron imaging and simulations to identify both structural chirality of plasmonic aggregates and plasmon-coupled circular dichroism induced by chiral proteins. We establish that both chiral aggregates and just a few proteins in interparticle gaps of achiral assemblies are responsible for the ensemble signal, but single nanoparticles do not contribute. We furthermore find that the protein plays two roles: It transfers chirality to both chiral and achiral plasmonic substrates, and it is also responsible for the chiral three-dimensional assembly of nanorods. Understanding these underlying factors paves the way toward sensing the chirality of single biomolecules.
Receipt of training about medication for opioid use disorder from pharmaceutical manufacturers: A preliminary study of Florida criminal problem-solving and dependency court staff.

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS People with opioid use disorder are prevalent in criminal problem-solving courts and dependency courts, which have rehabilitative aims. Medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) is the standard of care. Court staff set treatment policies for court clients. They may receive training from MOUD manufacturers, but no studies have examined court staff receipt of such training. DESIGN AND METHODS To examine receipt of training from MOUD manufacturers, we designed a cross-sectional survey for court staff. We distributed it online to all Florida court staff in criminal problem-solving or dependency courts (n = 585). Outcome variables were receipt of training from one or more MOUD manufacturers and training source. Covariates included dichotomous measures of court type, staff role, gender and rurality. Logistic regression models estimated the relationship between receipt of training and covariates. RESULTS Twenty-one percent of Florida criminal problem-solving and dependency court staff completed the survey. The most common receipt of training was from the manufacturer of extended-release naltrexone (36%), followed by buprenorphine (24%) and methadone (11%). Fifty-seven percent of those who received training received it from more than one MOUD manufacturer. Criminal problem-solving court staff were more likely than dependency court staff to receive training from MOUD manufacturers. Court program co-ordinators were more likely than other staff roles to receive training from MOUD manufacturers. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS A large minority of respondents received training from a MOUD manufacturer, primarily from extended-release naltrexone's manufacturer, raising concerns regarding information accuracy and conflicts of interest. Court staff should seek MOUD training from academic institutions and non-profit organisations instead.
The economic end of life of electrochemical energy storage

Abstract The useful life of electrochemical energy storage (EES) is a critical factor to system planning, operation, and economic assessment. Today, systems commonly assume a physical end-of-life criterion: EES systems are retired when their remaining capacity reaches a threshold below which the EES is of little use because of insufficient capacity and efficiency. We have found, however, that there are some instances where, while the EES is still functional, it is no longer economically profitable; we call this criterion the economic end of life of the system. This criterion depends on the use case and degradation characteristics of the EES. Using an intertemporal operational framework to consider functionality and profitability degradation, our case study shows that the economic end of life could occur significantly faster than the physical end of life. We argue that both criteria should be applied in EES system planning and assessment. We also analyze how R&D efforts should consider cycling capability and calendar degradation rate when considering the economic end of life of EES.
The Locality of Plastic Bodies: Korean Reality TV, Celebrity, and Bimaxillary Surgery

This article examines how Korean reality television has endorsed bimaxillary surgery through the deployment of the celebrity body in the early 2010 s. Although the production of a plastic surgery-r...
Effect of terrain, environment and infrastructure on potential CO2 pipeline corridors: a case study from North-Central USA

In this paper, a study has been undertaken with the objective to delineate the potential CO2 pipeline corridors through the north-central region of the USA including North Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Utah and Colorado to enable the implementation of carbon capture storage and utilization projects. A combination of GIS along with analytical hierarchy process is used to identify regions with high potential for pipeline development. A total of 19 thematic information layers have been utilized to map the study area which reflect the effect of ecology, environment and existent infrastructure towards laying new CO2 pipeline networks. Weights are assigned to each class in the thematic maps based on their characteristics, capacity of building and maintaining pipelines and the potential environmental risk of CO2 pipelines from the literature. A tract suitability index is developed which identified Western North Dakota, central Wyoming and Western Montana as regions highly suitable for development of CO2 pipelines. The study reveals that 54.5% of the region of interest is suitable for pipeline construction while 15.39% of land is classified as either poor or infeasible candidate for locating CO2 pipelines. It is also revealed that pipeline right-of-way, water bodies and population centres have the most significant impact on future pipeline development. The results of the study are also varied to show the effect different factors could have on the potential CO2 corridors and are then correlated with existent pipeline in study area to check the validity of the resulting analysis.
Improved Action Method for Analysing Tunneling in Quantum Field Theory

We describe a new method which allows one to evaluate the false vacuum decay rate for a general potential which may depend on an arbitrary number of scalar fields.
A Theory of Intensity, Electoral Competition, and Costly Political Action

Individuals vary in how intensely they care about political outcomes. Despite attention to intensity in studies of representation and public opinion, the study of elections has paid less attention ...
AnmO2l: An open-source pulse-dose oxygen conserving device for the COVID-19 crisis

The surge of COVID-19 cases in India and around the world has resulted in acute oxygen shortage. Oxygen therapy through nasal cannula with flow rates of 1-6 L/min is an effective treatment for many COVID-19 patients in non-critical conditions and may help prevent disease progression. The same treatment is also used in post-acute care for recovering COVID-19 patients. Here we describe a simple, open source, and rapidly manufacturable oxygen conservation device for use with dual-port nasal cannula that can extend the life of current oxygen supply by almost two to three times, which we hope will help towards coping with the ongoing crisis.
A self-consistent phase field computational study on resistive switching devices: switching mechanisms and retention losses

There exist a myriad of experimental studies on resistive switching devices that consist of a dielectric film inserted between a pair of electrodes. These resistive switching devices display reversible multi-state switching behaviors pertinent to a range of applications including neuromorphic computing. However, coherent understanding of physical and chemical origins of their distinctive electrical properties has yet to be completed and needs to be further investigated to improve overall performance and endurance of resistive switching devices. In this paper, phase-field methodology was used to study the formation and annihilation of electrically conducting channels in a dielectric film of a resistive switching device. The study focuses on the progressive evolution of domains made of electrical charges – charge clusters – under the influence of spatially varying electric-field and temperature. The study also sheds light on the retention loss – a degradation by which resistive switching
High-pressure compression behavior of isoelectronic pairs of alkali metal halides and noble gas solids

We have studied the compression behaviors of Ne, Ar, and Kr in comparison with the isoelectronic counterparts of NaF, KCl, and RbBr to 120 GPa, using in situ angle-resolved x-ray diffraction. Interestingly, the pressure-volume compression data indicate the emergence between the isoelectronic pairs of NaF/Ne $g60\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{GPa}$, KCl/Ar $g30\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{GPa}$, and RbBr/Kr $g25\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{GPa}$---analogous to that previously observed in CsI/Xe $g80\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{GPa}$. The interatomic distances of the isoelectronic pairs also become similar as pressure increases, within the difference of $\ensuremath{\sim}3%$, underscoring the pressure-induced electron polarization in novel gas solids, stronger in Xe and getting weaker in Kr, Ar, and Ne. In contrast, the compression curves and interatomic distances of He and LiF remain distinctive to 200 GPa.
A critical review on the fabrication techniques that can enable higher throughput in dielectrophoresis devices

The sorting of targeted cells in a sample is a cornerstone of healthcare diagnostics and therapeutics. This work focuses on the use of dielectrophoresis for the selective sorting of targeted bioparticles in a sample and how the lack of throughput has been one important practical challenge to its widespread practical implementation. Increasing the cross-sectional area of a channel can lead to higher flow rates and thus the capability to process a larger sample volume per unit of time. However, the required electric field gradient that is generated by polarized electrodes drastically decreases as one moves away from the electrodes. Hence, the scaling up of the channel cross section must be done asymmetrically. One desires a channel aspect ratio AR = height/width that is much smaller or much larger than 1. Since reducing footprint of the DEP device is important to ensure affordability, the use of channels with AR>>1 is desired. This creates the challenge to fabricate electrodes on the sidewalls of multiple channels with AR>>1, or a channel embedding an array of electrodes with a gap in between them with AR >>1. This critical review first details the motivation for using three-dimensional (3D) DEP devices to improve throughput and then describes selected techniques that have been used to fabricate them. Techniques include electrodeposition, deep etching, thick-film photolithography, and co-fabrication. Electrode materials addressed include metals, silicon, carbon, PDMS-based composites as well as conductive polymers and fluids.
Synthesis and Electronic Applications of Particle-Templated Ti3C2Tz MXene-Polymer Films via Pickering Emulsion Polymerization.

MXene/polymer composites have gained widespread attention due to their high electrical conductivity and extensive applications, including electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding, energy storage, and catalysis. However, due to the difficulty of dispersing MXenes in common polymers, the fabrication of MXene/polymer composites with high electrical conductivity and satisfactory EMI shielding properties is challenging, especially at low MXene loadings. Here, we report the fabrication of MXene-armored polymer particles using dispersion polymerization in Pickering emulsions and demonstrate that these composite powders can be used as feedstocks for MXene/polymer composite films with excellent EMI shielding performance. Ti3C2Tz nanosheets are used as the representative MXene, and three different monomers are used to prepare the armored particles. The presence of nanosheets on the particle surface was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Hot pressing the armored particles above Tg of the polymer produced Ti3C2Tz/polymer composite films; the films are electrically conductive because of the network of nanosheets templated by the particle feedstocks. For example, the particle-templated Ti3C2Tz/polystyrene film had an electrical conductivity of 0.011 S/cm with 1.2 wt % of Ti3C2Tz, which resulted in a high radio frequency heating rate of 13-15 °C/s in the range of 135-150 MHz and an EMI shielding effectiveness of ∼21 dB within the X band. This work provides a new approach to fabricate MXene/polymer composite films with a templated electrical network at low MXene loadings.
Imagining Serengeti: A History of Landscape Memory in Tanzania from Earliest Time to the Present

Long before the creation of the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, the people of the western Serengeti had established settlements and interacted with the environment in ways that created a landscape we now misconstrue as natural. Western Serengeti peoples imagine the environment not as a pristine wilderness, but as a differentiated social landscape that embodies their history and identity. Conservationist literature has ignored these now-displaced peoples and relegated them to the margins of modern society. Their oral traditions, however, provide the means for seeing the landscape from a new perspective. Imagining Serengeti allows us to see the Serengeti landscape as a book of memory that preserves the ways in which western Serengeti peoples have actively transformed their environment and their societies. Moreover, it strengthens the case for involving local communities in conservation efforts that will preserve African environments for the future. Using a new methodology to analyze precolonial oral traditions, Jan Shetler identifies core spatial images, which are then recontextualized into historical time periods through the use of archaeological, linguistic, ethnographic, ecological, and archival evidence. Imagining Serengeti reconstructs a socioenvironmental history of landscape memory of the western Serengeti spanning the last eighteen hundred years.
Beam profile diagnostics on the NRL SuperIBEX experiment

Three independent and complementary diagnostics have been developed to measure the time-dependence of the beam half-current radius produced by the 5 Mev, 100 kA SuperIBEX electron accelerator at the Naval Research Laboratory. A novel five-element segmented concentric Faraday collector has been built which gives the beam half-current radius with nsec time resolution. Two optical streak cameras and an ultra-fast optical framing camera have been used to give time-resolved measurements of the beam radius from Cerenkov emission produced by thin Teflon or quartz foils placed in the beam path.
Ensayos sobre la Tabla Periódica de los elementos químicos

En esta resena se resume el contenido de dos importantes libros sobre la Tabla Periodica de Eric Scerri (20071, 20112), que es, como sabemos, una de las figuras mundiales mas reconocidas e importantes en el campo de la historia y filosofia de la quimica. Su contribucion en este terreno resulta hoy indiscutible, sobre todo por el extenso y riguroso estudio desarrollado durante anos en torno a la naturaleza y el papel de la tabla periodica de los elementos quimicos. Para este autor, la tabla periodica constituye uno de los iconos mas potentes e importantes de la ciencia, ocupando un lugar central en la quimica y encarnando uno de los principios mas importantes de la ciencia.
Disputes, Social Construction and Transformation

The social construction of disputes refers to the process by which injuries are perceived and asserted as claims before a third party. Disputes are not objective events, but are social constructs. Transformation of disputes refers to change in their form or content as they are rephrased into legal language and as other participants become involved in the disputing process. Key contributions of the dispute transformation perspective include psychological insight into the perception and assertion of grievances; sociological analysis of the distribution of grievances, claims, and court cases for different types of injuries or problems; empirical work on the role of lawyers in transforming disputes; anthropological study of language and conflict; and political science research on how courts and other institutions shape the construction of disputes. Understanding how disputes emerge and are transformed links a microanalysis of dispute resolution with a macroview of Law, political order and change.
Effect of Dietary Fiber on a Guinea Pig Intestinal Anaerobe, Bacteroides ovatus

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of fibrous plant components on the growth of intestinal bacteria. An anaerobe was isolated from the guinea pig cecum and identified as Bacteroides ovatus. The organism was grown anaerobically in two types of media and shown to require hemin or protoporphyrin IX. Treatment of the media with water-insoluble fractions of alfalfa, cabbage, spinach or wheat bran inhibited growth of the culture. Inhibition occurred whether the residue remained in the medium during culture growth or was removed before inoculation. A chelating resin also removed an essential component of the medium. Both treatments depleted the medium of hemin and addition of hemin restored growth and acid production. Treatment of the water-insoluble residues of alfalfa or cabbage with dilute NaOH decreased their inhibitory effects. This suggests that plant cell wall components possess unique and labile chemical properties. Dietary fiber may inhibit the growth of some anaerobic species in the lower intestinal tract by making hemin unavailable.
Survival of Clostridium botulinum Spores

Radiation survival curves of spores of Clostridium botulinum strain 33A exhibited an exponential reduction which accounted for most of the population, followed by a “tail” comprising a very small residual number [7 to 0.7 spore(s) per ml] which resisted death in the range between 3.0 and 9.0 Mrad dose levels. The “tail” was not caused by protective spore substances released into the suspensions during irradiation, by the presence of accumulated radiation “inactivated” spores, or by heat shock of pre-irradiated spores. The theoretical number of spore targets which must be inactivated by irradiation was estimated both by a graphical and by a computation method to be about 80, and the D value was calculated to be 0.295 and 0.396 Mrad, respectively, in buffer and in pork pea broth.
Using a Computer Simulated World to Study Behavioral Compliance with Warnings: Effects of Salience and Gender

Warning signs are intended to alert persons to potential dangers in the environment. Despite its importance, empirical studies measuring behavioral compliance with warnings are limited due to methodological difficulties and ethical considerations in conducting the research. The present study used a computer simulated world as a new method for studying behavioral compliance. Such simulations can be constructed to appear realistic, thus maintaining ecological validity, while allowing control over experimental conditions. Three factors (time stress, salience, and sign type) were manipulated to determine their effects on a simulated egress task from an underground mine. Gender was also introduced as an additional independent variable. Results indicated signs with salient features increased compliance compared to signs without those features. Time stress and sign type failed to show significant effects. In general, women complied more frequently than men. Use of computer simulated worlds in warning compliance ...
Quantum Computation: Theory, Practice, and Future Prospects

We introduce quantum computation, summarize its theoretical promise and current experimental progress, and describe future prospects for the field.
Agency Costs and Strategic Speculation in the U.S. Stock Market

This study shows theoretically and empirically that a firm's agency problems may affect its stock liquidity. We postulate that less uncertainty about suboptimal managerial effort may enhance liquidity provision -- by lowering dealers' perceived adverse selection risk from trading with better-informed speculators. Consistent with our theory, we find that the staggered adoption of antitakeover provisions across U.S. states in the 1980s and 1990s -- a plausibly exogenous shock reducing perceived effort uncertainty by unambiguously facilitating managerial agency -- improves the stock liquidity of affected firms relative to peer firms. This evidence suggests that firm-level agency considerations play a nontrivial role for the process of price formation in financial markets.
Trace Elements and Nitric Oxide function

Nitric oxide (NO) has emerged over the last 15 y as a mammalian metabolic intermediate that is involved in the regulation of critical physiological functions such as blood vessel homeostasis, neuronal transmission and host response to infection. NO is synthesized by the enzyme nitric oxide synthase, which converts the amino acid L-arginine to citrulline and NO. NO functions in biological systems in two very important ways. First, it has been found to be a messenger by which cells communicate with one another (signal transduction), and second, it plays a critical role in the host response to infection. In this second function, it appears that the toxic properties of NO have been harnessed by the immune system to kill or at least slow the growth of invading organisms. The nonspecific chemical reactivity with key cellular targets is responsible for this action. In signaling, NO directly activates the enzyme soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC). Once activated, sGC converts GTP to cGMP and pyrophosphate. The cGMP formed is responsible for the well-documented actions of NO such as blood vessel dilation. With the initial discovery of NO signaling, several important questions emerged that centered largely on the issue of how a signaling system functions when the signaling agent is chemically reactive (short lived), highly diffusible and toxic. Critical, especially in signaling, are the control of NO biosynthesis and interaction with the biological receptors at a concentration that will not harm the host. Why did Nature choose NO for the roles it has? That question engenders only speculation. How does NO work (i.e., what does NO do, and how does it do it without harm yet with specificity)? Answers to these questions can now be offered as the molecular level details emerge to form an interesting picture.
EFFECT OF METHYL SUBSTITUENTS ON THE TRIPLET STATE PROPERTIES OF BENZ[a]ANTHRACENE

—Optical detection of magnetic resonance (ODMR) and phosphorescence results are reported for benz[a]anthracene and five of its methyl derivatives. Each of these compounds is well characterized by its ODMR signals.
Multilayer vapor-phase epitaxial silicon millimeter-wave IMPATT diodes

A new procedure has been developed for fabricating small-area silicon avalanche diodes directly on a plated copper heat sink. The process incorporates multilayer vapor-phase epitaxially grown silicon and a preferential electrochemical etching technique to fabricate thin uniform silicon films; 6 µ thick films on 2-cm diameter wafers have been obtained reproducibly with little difficulty. Inverted mesa diodes 30-40 µ in diameter have been formed by etching through the unmasked area of the thinned silicon wafer. Implementation of this technology has resulted in single drift region p+-n-n+diodes that generate over ¼ W CW power with 6-percent efficiency at 60 GHz.
The Influence of Potassium- and Sodium-Free Solutions on Sodium Efflux from Squid Giant Axons

The sensitivity of sodium efflux to the removal of potassium ions from the external solution and the change in sodium efflux occurring when sodium ions are also removed were observed to be related. When Tris was used to replace external sodium ions, increases in sodium efflux were always observed whether the sensitivity of sodium efflux to external potassium ions was weak or strong. Greater percentage increases in sodium efflux occurred, however, the greater the sensitivity of sodium efflux to external potassium ions. When lithium ions were used to replace external sodium ions, increases in sodium efflux occurred if the sensitivity of efflux to external potassium ions was strong whereas decreases in sodium efflux took place if the sensitivity of efflux to external potassium ions was weak. Intermediate sensitivities of efflux to external potassium resulted in no change in efflux upon substitution of lithium ions for external sodium ions. In the presence of 10-5 M ouabain, substitution of Tris for external sodium ions always resulted in a small decrease in sodium efflux. The data can be described in terms of a model which assumes the presence of efflux stimulation sites that are about 98% selective to potassium ions and about 2% selective to sodium or lithium ions.
Windows of Political Opportunity Institutional Instability and Gender Inequality in the World's National Legislatures

Although women remain underrepresented in national politics throughout the world, they have also made significant progress toward equality in recent decades. Yet, for the almost 2 billion women living under regimes with limited political rights and civil liberties, we know little about the processes that facilitate their entry into politics. One broad mechanism that may impact women under both democratic and closed systems is elite turnover. In this article, I compare two routes to elite turnover, elections and legislative interruptions, and assess their impact on women's parliamentary representation. Legislative interruptions refer to any undemocratic or unconstitutional break in a country's legislature lasting at least six months. I explore the effects of elections and legislative interruptions on women's parliamentary representation using data from the Women in Parliaments Longitudinal Project, which covers more than 150 countries. Analyzing the likelihood that women will achieve 10 percent in parliame...
Steady-state post-critical heat flux heat transfer to a refrigerant

Heat transfer in the post-critical heat flux (CHF) regime was studied experimentally under steady-state conditions producing low superheat temperature of the heated surface. Experiments were performed with the vertical flow of refrigerant-12 in a tube with inside diameter of 7.75 mm over the mass flux range of 182 to 808 kg/sq m s at a pressure of 1 MPa. Liquid heating produced the low wall-superheat in the post-CHF region at steady state, which is typical of heat exchanger operation. Superheated vapor measured at the test section exit in most tests ensured that the entire post-CHF region was included. Heat transfer results were compared to predictions from nine post-CHF correlations and models. The potential for thermodynamic nonequilibrium diminishes and direct wall-drop heat transfer is enhanced when wall-superheat is low. These two phenomena were considered in the comparisons, and the best predictions of independent data for two fluids, refrigerant-12 and water, were obtained from a single correlation that included both phenomena explicitly. 15 refs.
Simulation of the kinetics of14C in the Krebs cycle in liver and its application to the design of experiments

Abstract A simple model of the transient 14 C labeling behavior of the Krebs cycle in rat liver has been constructed, which permits following the labeling of each atom of each cycle intermediate. The principal variables studied were the rates at which enzymes exchange radioactivity between their substrates and products, the identity of the radioactive input, the rate of CO 2 fixation and the identity of the CO 2 -fixing enzymes, and the rate of randomization of fumarate and succinate. This study indicates that it may be possible to study metabolic control of individual enzymes with 14 C labeling in very short-time experiments. Such study is probably feasible for isolated mitochondria but not with intact liver, where only concerted changes in behavior of several enzymes are likely to be visible. A possible mitochondrial experiment is described. Possible methods of following CO 2 fixation and distinguishing among the CO 2 -fixing enzymes are described. Determining the labeling of individual atoms in any molecule is rarely worthwhile, and randomization rarely affects anything else (its effects depending on the logarithm of its rate).
Of Time, Body, and Scarcity Policy Options and Theoretic Considerations

Scarcity is any natural or human insufficiency of resources that are objectively or subjec tively necessary to realize any given end valued by human beings. To the extent that human life and its ends are construed as materialistic, scarcity is intrinsic to human existence and is a fundamental problem for political science. Scarcity has been a salient issue for modern political theory because of modernity's heightened consciousness of mortality, which has made time and life themselves scarce. Modernity has sought compen sations through material abundance for the pain of life's scarcity and the conflicts engendered by that scarcity, though abundance itself has not solved the political problem. Basically, there are two policy options regarding material scarcity: increasing resource supplies and decreasing resource demands. Increasing supplies may be effective in the short run; but decreasing demand may be required in the long run, preferably by revaluing the ends of human life rather than by reducing freedom...
Correlative imaging of the kidney

The proliferation of imaging methods for the kidney and urinary tract, combined with advances in technology and the introduction of new techniques, has created uncertainty in selecting the most efficient method for evaluating many problems encountered in clinical medicine. The main advantage of nuclear medicine lies in demonstrating the pathophysiology involved. Recent developments in Doppler ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging with different pulse sequences and paramagnetic contrast agents also have shown promise for imaging physiological processes. However, there is little literature to support their advantage over nuclear medicine procedures in many common clinical situations. The complementary nature of nuclear medicine studies in the imaging evaluation of hydronephrosis, renal artery stenosis, flank pain, renal mass, pyelonephritis, and the transplant kidney is reviewed.
Causality assessment of adverse events reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS)

Abstract Adverse events following immunization (AEFI) reported to the national Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) represent true causally related events, as well as events that are temporally, but not necessarily causally related to vaccine. Objective We sought to determine if the causal relationships between the vaccine and the AEFI reported to VAERS could be assessed through expert review. Design A stratified random sample of 100 VAERS reports received in 2004 contained 13 fatal cases, 19 cases with non-fatal disabilities, 39 other serious non-fatal cases and 29 non-serious cases. Experts knowledgeable about vaccines and clinical outcomes, reviewed each VAERS report and available medical records. Main outcome measures Modified World Health Organization criteria were used to classify the causal relationship between vaccines and AEFI as definite, probable, possible, unlikely or unrelated. Five independent reviewers evaluated each report. If they did not reach a majority agreement on causality after initial review, the report was discussed on a telephone conference to achieve agreement. Results 108 AEFIs were identified in the selected 100 VAERS reports. After initial review majority agreement was achieved for 83% of the AEFI and 17% required further discussion. In the end, only 3 (3%) of the AEFI were classified as definitely causally related to vaccine received. Of the remaining AEFI 22 (20%) were classified as probably and 22 (20%) were classified as possibly related to vaccine received; a majority (53%) were classified as either unlikely or unrelated to a vaccine received. Conclusions Using VAERS reports and additional documentation, causality could be assessed by expert review in the majority of VAERS reports. Assessment of VAERS reports identified that causality was thought to be probable or definite in less than one quarter of reports, and these were dominated by local reactions, allergic reactions, or symptoms known to be associated with the vaccine administered.
Elevated Glucocorticoid Receptor Transactivation and Down-regulation of α1 Integrin Are Associated with Loss of Plasma Membrane Ca2+-ATPase Isoform 1

We have previously shown that inhibition of expression of the plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase isoform 1 in PC6 cells leads to loss of nerve growth factor-mediated neurite extension (Brandt, P. C., Sisken, J. E., Neve, R. L., and Vanaman, T. C. (1996) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 93, 13843–13848). Cells lacking plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase 1 did not attach to collagen-coated plates as tightly as controls, suggesting that a defect in adhesion might be underlying the inability to extend neurites. We report here that cell lines lacking plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase 1 do not produce α1 integrin, which is required for both collagen adherence and neurite extension. Because α1 integrin gene transcription can be down-regulated by glucocorticoids, the response of cells to glucocorticoids was investigated. Cortisol-dependent transactivation from the mouse mammary tumor virus promoter in cells lacking plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase 1 was stimulated 145–216-fold over untreated cells compared with 15–26-fold for controls. This increase was not due to increased binding affinity of the receptor for cortisol, an increased number of cortisol-binding sites, or increased translocation of the receptor to the nucleus. Expression of additional glucocorticoid receptor-dependent genes required for neurite extension must also be altered in cells missing the plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase 1 because constitutive expression of α1 integrin did not restore their nerve growth factor-mediated neurite extension capability. The impact of plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase isoform 1 on other signaling systems and the resultant profound yet subtle effects on PC6 cells strongly suggests that it plays an important role in modulating signal transduction pathways downstream of Ca2+-mediated signals.
Parametric analysis of target/decoy performance

This paper describes an analytical approach to the parametric analysis of target/decoy discrimination performance as a function of various controllable object characteristics. This analysis tool can be used to answer the question, How distinct in physical characteristics do a target and decoy have to be before they can be easily discriminated? Three main characteristics of the objects are considered in this analysis: temperature, projected area, and rate of rotation. These characteristics are given assumed models for their statistics and described by a set of parameters including their first and second order moments. Based upon the statistical parameters and models for the object characteristics, a set of equations is derived to compute the mean and covariance of the optical signature as seen by a sensor for the decoy and target classes. An estimate of the classification performance between the classes is made using a function of a statistical distance measure. This estimate is used as a performance measure in a parameter trade-off analysis during an example decoy concept development process. While a purely analytical approach such as this lacks the fidelity of a sophisticated simulation model, it is computationally much simpler and is most appropriately applied during decoy concept development before the application of more rigorous simulation-based analysis.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Collaborative mobile sensing and computing for civil infrastructure condition assessment: framework and applications

Multi-function sensing and imaging devices, GPS, communication and computing devices are being ubiquitously used in field by engineers in civil engineering and emergence response practice. Field engineers, however, still have difficulty to balance between ever-increasing data collection demand and capacity of real-time data processing and knowledge sharing. In addition, field engineers usually work collaboratively in a geospatially large area; however, the existing sensing and computing modalities used in the field are not designed to accommodate this condition. In this paper, we present a solution framework of collaborative mobile sensing and computing (CMSC) for civil infrastructure condition assessment, with the Android-based mobile devices as the basic nodes in the framework with a potential of adding other auxiliary imaging and sensing devices into the network. Difficulties in mixed C++ and Java code programming that are critical to realize the framework are discussed. With a few prototypes illustrated in this paper, we envisage that the proposed CMSC framework will enable seamless integration of sensing, imaging, real-time processing and knowledge discovery in future engineers-centered field reconnaissances and civil infrastructure condition assessment.
Rud syndrome revisited: ichthyosis, mental retardation, epilepsy and hypogonadism.

SUMMARY Rud syndrome is a rare disorder of childhood characterized by ichthyosis, mental retardation, epilepsy and hypogonadism. The authors report a family with this autosomal recessive disorder, review the clinical and dermatopathological findings, and contrast Rud syndrome with the other major neuro-ichthyosiform dermatoses. RESUME Retour sur le syndrome de Rud (ichtyose, arrieration mentale, epilepsie et hypogonadisme) Le syndrome de Rud est une affection rare de l'enfance caracterisee par une ichtyose, une arrieration mentale, une epilepsie et un hypogonadisme. Les auteurs decrivent une famille presentant ce trouble recessif autosomal, revoient les donnees cliniques et dermatopathologiques et opposent le syndrome de Rud aux autres dermatoses neuroichtyosiformes majeures. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Das Rud Syndrom (Ichthyosis, geistige Retardierung, Epilepsie und Hypogonadismus Das Rud Syndrom ist eine seltene Erkrankung im Kindesalter, es ist charakterisiert durch Ichthyosis, geistige Retardierung, Epilepsie und Hypogonadismus. Die Autoren berichten uber eine Familie mit dieser autosomal-rezessiven Erkrankung, geben einen Uberblick uber die klinischen und dermatopathologischen Befunde und stellen das Rud Syndrom anderen wichtigen neuroichthyosiformen Dermatosen gegenuber. RESUMEN Revision del sindrome de Rud (ictiosis. retraso mental, epilepsia e hipogonadismo) El sindrome de Rud es raro y se caracteriza por ictiosis, retraso mental, epilepsia e hipogonadismo. Los autores aportan una familia con esta alteracion autosomica recesiva, y diferencian el sindrome de Rud con otras importantes dermatosis ictiosiformes.
Global Programs of Research: Maintenance and Extensibility

This is the second part of a two-part article that describes and analyzes a program of research (PR) in international IT studies that began in the fall of 1992. The first part spans the years 1992 through 2000 and discusses the concept of a PR, the inception of our PR, and its maturation in terms of theory and methodology, research team dynamics, and program implementation. Part II focuses on the time frame of 2000 to 2004. The work undertaken during this second period is distinctive in two areas: the examination in detail of the full range of all constructs in the final research model; and grantsmanship, which was essential to the life of the PR. Specifically, a multi-year NSF grant funded the core of in-depth work undertaken between 2000 and 2003. A second NSF grant permitted us to work with domain experts from around the world to push the stream of research forward. In Part II, we also offer a retrospective analysis, based on our experience, on the PR effort. Pros and cons are articulated and then extrapolated into practical lessons learned that will be useful to others in similar undertakings. We offer guidelines for initiating and maintaining programs of research, highlighting the inevitable trade-offs that occur when high administrative work loads and intensive data gathering in the global setting, often involving long periods of time abroad, have to be balanced with the ability to carry out the research at all and the rarity of the data. Finally, we look forward to what we term Stage 4 â€” the period of redirection â€” which is the bridge to the next program of research.
A Helly-type theorem for simple polygons

Let $$\mathcal{P}$$ be a family of simple polygons in the plane. If every three (not necessarily distinct) members of $$\mathcal{P}$$ have a simply connected union and every two members of $$\mathcal{P}$$ have a nonempty intersection, then ∩{P:P in $$\mathcal{P}$$ } ≠ $$\not 0$$ . Applying the result to a finite family $$\mathcal{C}$$ of orthogonally convex polygons, the set ∩{C:C in $$\mathcal{C}$$ } will be another orthogonally convex polygon, and, in certain circumstances, the dimension of this intersection can be determined.
Effect of Environmental Illumination on Body Weight of Periplaneta americana

The effect of light on insect growth was demonstrated by Ball (1958), who showed that young Blattella germanica nymphs reared in the dark weigh more than those exposed to photic stimuli, and that as daily exposure time to light was increased, life span and mean body weights decreased.
From scientific instrument to everyday appliance: The emergence of personal computers, 1970–77

Summary In a technology whose history seems always to be characterized by a series of “revolutions,” the invention of the personal computer in the mid‐1970s seems the greatest of all. This paper examines to what extent the PC was “merely” a result of advances in semiconductor technology, or whether it was the result of a conscious effort by actors to effect a social transformation of computing. It looks first from the top down, as a small group of people sought to adapt large, expensive mainframe systems to personal use. It then looks from the bottom up, as advances in semiconductor technology led to consumer products that pointed (in hindsight) to the PC How these two trends met and joined one another is shown to be unexpected, not planned by either group of actors. Finally, it is shown that this so‐called revolutionary phenomenon has deep roots in the large systems, especially software, that preceeded it.
Histotripsy of renal implanted VX-2 tumor in a rabbit model: investigation of metastases.

Objective To compare the number and density of lung metastases in histotripsy-treated and control subjects. Histotripsy is a noninvasive, nonthermal, pulsed ultrasound technology that produces targeted mechanical tissue fractionation. Histotripsy ablation of renal implanted VX-2 tumor has been previously demonstrated; however, concerns have been raised that mechanical forces associated with histotripsy might result in unwanted metastatic dissemination of tumor. Methods VX-2 tumor was implanted into the left kidneys of New Zealand White rabbits. Twenty rabbits were treated with histotripsy on day 13; 8 were maintained as controls. All rabbits underwent left nephrectomy on day 14. Lungs were harvested and processed for histopathologic inspection on day 19. Whole-mount coronal lung sections were examined to determine the number of metastases and metastatic density. Results Tumors grew after implantation in all 28 cases and were localized with ultrasound in 19 of 20 subjects before treatment. Histology confirmed fractionation of tumor in all treatment rabbits. The number of lung metastases (88.7 vs 72.5; P = .29) and the metastatic density (8.9 vs 7.0 mets/cm2; P = .22) were not statistically different between treatment and control rabbits. Conclusion Histotripsy of renal implanted VX-2 tumor in an in-vivo rabbit model did not produce a statistically significant increase in number or density of lung metastasis. Data suggesting a trend toward increased metastases after histotripsy are overwhelmed by the high baseline rate of metastases in this aggressive tumor model. Further investigation using less aggressive tumor models is indicated to clarify this relationship.