cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Differential susceptibility of human T(h)1 versus T(h) 2 cells to induction of anergy and apoptosis by ECDI/antigen-coupled antigen-presenting cells.

Antigen-coupled antigen-presenting cells (APC) serve as potent tolerogens for inhibiting immune responses in vivo and in vitro, apparently by providing an antigen-specific signal through the TCR in the absence of co-stimulation. Although this approach has been well studied in rodents, little is known about its effects on human T cells. We evaluated the specificity and mechanisms of tolerization of human T cells in vitro using monocyte-enriched adherent cells that were pulsed with antigen and treated with the cross-linker, 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-carbodiimide (ECDI). Autologous antigen-coupled APC selectively tolerized T cells of the Th1 but not Th2 lineage through a mechanism that involved both antigen-specific and antigen-non-specific elements. The tolerization process was dependent on the ECDI and antigen concentration, and the coupling time, and was reflected by initial up-regulation of CD25. However, upon re-stimulation with fresh APC and antigen, tolerized Th1 cells failed to proliferate or to produce Th1 cytokine message or secreted protein, had decreased expression of CD25, CD28 and B7 and increased expression of MHC class II molecules, and demonstrated an enhanced commitment to apoptosis. Th1 cell tolerization could be prevented by adding anti-CD28 antibody, IL-2 or untreated APC at the same time as the ECDI/ antigen-coupled APC, or reversed by adding anti-CD28 antibody or IL-2 upon re-stimulation with fresh APC plus antigen. Thus, the tolerizing effect of ECDI/antigen-coupled APC on human Th1 cells appears to involve a reversible anergy mechanism leading to apoptosis, whereby the targeted T cells receive full or partial activation through the TCR, without coordinate co-stimulation. These data suggest dichotomous signaling requirements for inactivating cells of the Th1 and Th2 lineages that may have important implications for treatment of Th1-mediated autoimmune or inflammatory diseases.
Fabrication, Assembly, and Testing of Cu- and Al-Based Microchannel Heat Exchangers

Metal-based microchannel heat exchangers (MHEs) are of current interest due to the combination of high heat transfer performance and improved mechanical integrity. Efficient methods for fabrication and assembly of functional metal-based MHEs are essential to ensure the economic viability of such devices. In this paper, the results on fabrication, assembly, and heat transfer testing of Cu- and Al-based MHE prototypes are reported. Efficient fabrication of Cu- and Al-based high-aspect-ratio microscale structures (HARMSs) has been achieved through molding replication using surface-engineered metallic mold inserts. Replicated metallic HARMSs were assembled through eutectic bonding to form entirely Cu- and Al-based MHE prototypes, on which heat transfer tests were conducted to determine the average rate of heat transfer from electrically heated Cu blocks placed outside the MHEs to water flowing within the molding replicated microchannel arrays. Experimentally observed heat transfer rates are higher as compared to those from previous studies on microchannel devices with similar geometries. The potential influence of microchannel surface profile on heat transfer rates is discussed. The present results illustrate the potential of metal-based MHEs in wide-ranging applications.
SRY Induced TCF21 Genome-Wide Targets and Cascade of bHLH Factors During Sertoli Cell Differentiation and Male Sex Determination in Rats

Male sex determination is initiated through the testis-determining factor SRY that promotes Sertoli cell differentiation and subsequent gonadal development. The basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) gene Tcf21 was identified as one of the direct downstream targets of SRY. The current study was designed to identify the downstream targets of TCF21 and the potential cascade of bHLH genes that promote Sertoli cell differentiation. A modified ChIP-Chip comparative hybridization analysis identified 121 direct downstream binding targets for TCF21. The gene networks and cellular pathways potentially regulated by these TCF21 targets were identified. One of the main bHLH targets for TCF21 was the bHLH gene scleraxis (Scx). An embryonic ovarian gonadal cell culture was used to examine the functional role of Sry, Tcf21, and Scx to promote an in vitro sex reversal and induction of Sertoli cell differentiation. SRY and TCF21 were found to induce the initial stages of Sertoli cell differentiation, whereas SCX was found to induce the later stages of Sertoli cell differentiation associated with pubertal development using transferrin gene expression as a marker. Therefore, a cascade of SRY followed by TCF21 followed by SCX appears to promote, in part, Sertoli cell fate determination and subsequent differentiation. The current observations help elucidate the initial molecular events involved in the induction of Sertoli cell differentiation and testis development.
Area-efficient fault detection during self-recovering microarchitecture synthesis

We will present the area-efficient fault-detection synthesis component of SYNCERE, an integrated system for synthesizing area-efficient self-recovering microarchitectures. In the SYNCERE model for self-recovery, transient fault detection is based on duplication and comparison, while recovery from transient faults is accomplished via checkpointing and rollback. SYNCERE minimizes the overhead of duplication using two complementary area-optimization techniques. Whereas imposing inter-copy hardware disjointness at a sub-computation level instead of at the overall computation level ameliorates the dedicated hardware required for the original and duplicate computations, restructuring the pliable input representation of the duplicate computation further moderates the overall hardware.
Ontology granularity and rough equality of concepts

Ontological structures play a major role in the Semantic Web; they became the target of an extensive research over the last decade. An important advance was the attempt to employ Fuzzy Sets and Fuzzy Logic techniques in representing ontologies for intrinsically vague domains of interest where most of human knowledge cannot be expressed in crisp logical formulas. Although the fuzzy approach alleviates the crispness problem, it does not deal satisfactory with the ambiguity caused by deficient discernibility of objects. We consider building rough approximations of fuzzy concepts and relations to measure the roughness of generated ontologies. The key objective of this work is to roughly approximate fuzzy concepts, entailments and sub-sumptions of a given ontology to have a better understanding of both ontology's quality and boundaries of usage. This will be useful for estimating appropriateness of existing ontologies for reasoning in incomplete domains.
Localization-based detection under network losses

We consider a networked system of sensors that measure the intensity of a source amidst background inside a two-dimensional monitoring area. The source intensity decays away from it, and the corresponding sensor measurements are random with a parameter determined by the intensity at sensor location. The detection problem is to infer the presence of a source based on measurements. Under a statistical independence condition, we show that a detection method based on maximum likelihood fuser performs below the individual sensors in presence of network losses. It has been previously shown that the localization of a source using measurements from multiple sensors leads to an improved detection, thereby establishing the effectiveness of a network over single or co-located sensors. We show that the communication losses degrade such network detection performance, particularly to levels below that of a single sensor under heavy losses. Under fairly general conditions on the source intensity decay functions and underlying measurement distributions, we quantify the loss of performance of the localization-based detection as a function of loss rate and packing number of state space. We present simulation and experimental results that illustrate the performance degradations due to network losses in detecting radiation sources.
Impact of Reconstructive Transplantation on the Future of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

This article summarizes the current knowledge on the new developing field of reconstructive transplantation. A brief outline of vascularized composite allografts (VCA) such as human hand, face, larynx, and abdominal wall transplants is provided. The clinical applications and indications for these new reconstructive transplantation procedures are outlined. The advantages, disadvantages, and complications and concerns surrounding clinical VCA are discussed. Finally, the impact of reconstructive transplantation on the future of plastic and reconstructive surgery is presented.
Selecting Cheap‐Talk Equilibria

There are typically multiple equilibrium outcomes in the Crawford–Sobel (CS) model of strategic information transmission. This paper identifies a simple condition on equilibrium payoffs, called NITS (no incentive to separate), that selects among CS equilibria. Under a commonly used regularity condition, only the equilibrium with the maximal number of induced actions satisfies NITS. We discuss various justifications for NITS, including perturbed cheap-talk games with nonstrategic players or costly lying. We also apply NITS to other models of cheap talk, illustrating its potential beyond the CS framework.
A little now for a lot later: A look at a texas advanced placement incentive program

Abstract:I analyze a program implemented in Texas schools serving underprivileged populations that pays both students and teachers for passing grades on Advanced Placement (AP) examinations. Using a difference-in-differences strategy, I find that program adoption is associated with increased AP course and exam taking, increases in the number of students with high SAT/ACT scores, and increases in college matriculation. The rewards don't appear to distort behaviors in undesirable ways, and I present evidence that teachers and students were not simply maximizing rewards. Guidance counselors credit the improvements to greater AP access, changes in social norms towards APs, and better student information.
Intelligent caching for remote file service

Limitations of current disk block caching strategies are discussed. A model for providing remote file service using knowledge-based caching algorithms is proposed. The knowledge-based algorithms generate expectations of user process behavior which are used to provide hints to the file server. Te research involved gathering trace data from a modified Unix kernel and conducting trace-driven simulation of remote file server models. Performance improvements of up to 340% were observed for knowledge-based caching in simulated file service. Comparisons are made between conventional, knowledge-based, and optimal models. Extensions to general caching are discussed. >
A Multimodal Context-based Approach for Distress Assessment

The increasing prevalence of psychological distress disorders, such as depression and post-traumatic stress, necessitates a serious effort to create new tools and technologies to help with their diagnosis and treatment. In recent years, new computational approaches were proposed to objectively analyze patient non-verbal behaviors over the duration of the entire interaction between the patient and the clinician. In this paper, we go beyond non-verbal behaviors and propose a tri-modal approach which integrates verbal behaviors with acoustic and visual behaviors to analyze psychological distress during the course of the dyadic semi-structured interviews. Our approach exploits the advantages of the dyadic nature of these interactions to contextualize the participant responses based on the affective components (intimacy and polarity levels) of the questions. We validate our approach using one of the largest corpus of semi-structured interviews for distress assessment which consists of 154 multimodal dyadic interactions. Our results show significant improvement on distress prediction performance when integrating verbal behaviors with acoustic and visual behaviors. In addition, our analysis shows that contextualizing the responses improves the prediction performance, most significantly with positive and intimate questions.
Small-Molecule Inhibition of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Replication by Specific Targeting of the Final Step of Virion Maturation

Despite the effectiveness of currently available human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) therapies, a continuing need exists for new drugs to treat HIV-1 infection. We investigated the mechanism by which 3-O-{3′,3′-dimethylsuccinyl}-betulinic acid (DSB) inhibits HIV-1 replication. DSB functions at a late stage of the virus life cycle but does not inhibit the HIV-1 protease in vitro or interfere with virus assembly or release. DSB specifically delays the cleavage of Gag between the capsid (CA) and p2, resulting in delayed formation of the mature viral core and reduced HIV-1 infectivity. Replication of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) was resistant to DSB; however, a chimeric SIV carrying CA-p2 sequences from HIV-1 was inhibited by the drug, indicating that susceptibility to DSB maps to the CA-p2 region of the HIV-1 Gag protein. A single point mutation at the CA-p2 cleavage site of HIV-1 conferred strong resistance to DSB, confirming the target of the drug. HIV-1 strains that are resistant to a variety of protease inhibitors were sensitive to DSB. These findings indicate that DSB specifically protects the CA-p2 cleavage site from processing by the viral protease during virion maturation, thereby revealing a novel mechanism for pharmacologic inhibition of HIV-1 replication.
It takes all types: social psychology, trust, and the international relations paradigm in our minds

The insights of social psychology are not thoroughly integrated into international relations theory, yet social psychology has much to offer. Social psychology provides a conceptualization of a number of varieties of trust – moralistic, strategic, and generalized – and their opposites that implicitly drive the logic of major works of international relations. It also reveals the empirical presence of a number of different types of trusters who make different assumptions about the trustworthiness of others and consequently show markedly different propensities towards cooperation. The rough correspondence between these different ‘social orientations’ and the logics of the three approaches of structural realism, neoliberal institutionalism, and constructivism suggest that individuals carry a crude paradigm in their minds. Metatheoretically, the implication for international relations theory is that scholars capture a part but not the totality of world politics, the behavior of those who trust (or do not trust) in a particular way that matches the logic of their paradigms. Theoretically it suggests a research agenda at multiple levels of analysis, utilizing all of the types of trust and trusters. I review the work of others that offers some preliminary evidence for its plausibility, suggest some hypotheses of my own, and address potential theoretical objections.
Reduction method for the non‐linear analysis of symmetric anisotropic panels

Reduction method and computational procedures are presented for reducing the size of the analysis model and the number of degrees of freedom used in predicting the non-linear response of symmetric anisotropic panels. The two key elements of the method are (a) operator splitting, or decomposition of the characteristic arrays of the finite element model into sums of orthotropic and non-orthotropic contributions, (b) application of a reduction method through the successive use of the finite element method and the classical Rayleigh-Ritz technique. The finite element method is first used to generate a small number of global approximation vectors (or modes). Then the amplitudes of these modes are computed by using the classical Rayleigh-Ritz technique. The global approximation vectors are selected to be those commonly used in single (or multiple) parameter perturbation techniques, namely a non-linear solution corresponding to zero non-orthotropic arrays and a number of its derivatives with respect to an anisotropic tracing parameter (and possibly, to a load or arc-length parameter in the solution space). The size of the analysis model used in generating the global approximation vectors is identical to that of the corresponding orthotropic structure. The effectiveness of the proposed reduction method is demonstrated by means of a numerical example, and its potential for solving quasi-symmetric non-linear problems of anisotropic panels is discussed.
The consequences of “anchoring” in longitudinal multilevel models: bias in the estimation of patient variability and therapist effects

Abstract Increasingly, longitudinal multilevel models are being used to investigate change in psychotherapy. An issue related to these methods concerns how measurement error is modeled; one proposed model anchors patient trajectories on the initial observation, thereby assuming that the initial observation contains no error. Wampold and Bolt (2006) claimed that anchoring overestimates patient variability and consequently underestimates therapist effects. In this study, a simulation study was conducted to test this conjecture, and it was found that anchoring yields estimates of patient variability that are substantially higher than the actual variability and, therefore, therapist effects are underestimated.
Determination of sulfonamides in edible salmon tissue by liquid chromatography with postcolumn derivatization and fluorescence detection

Fourteen sulfonamides-sulfanilamide, sulfadiazine, sulfathiazole, sulfapyridine, sulfamerazine, sulfamethazine, sulfamethizole, sulfamethoxypyridazine, sulfachloropyridazine, sulfamonomethoxine, sulfadoxine, sulfamethoxazole, sulfadimethoxine, and sulfaquinoxoline-residues of which could be found in aquacultured species, were separated in < 25 min by reversed-phase (C18) liquid chromatography (LC) with gradient elution. Analytes were extracted from edible salmon tissue (muscle and adhering skin) with acetonitrile-2% aqueous acetic acid, isolated with 2 liquid-liquid partitionings, and derivatized with fluorescamine after eluting from the column. The derivatives were detected by fluorescence. Recoveries (n = 4) from coho salmon fortified with sulfonamides at 5, 10, and 20 ng/g tissue averaged 79.7 +/- 7.3, 84.6 +/- 7.7, and 88.2 +/- 7.1%, respectively. Limits of quantitation were 5 ng/g tissue, for sulfanilamide, sulfamethoxypyridazine, and sulfaquinoxoline and 1 ng/g tissue for the remaining sulfonamides.
Orchestrating Care in Time: Ghanaian Migrant Women, Family, and Reciprocity

People in southern Ghana provide care by attending to and synchronizing their and others’ life courses. Women, in particular, synchronize their life courses with the developmental and aging pathways of others. Since the 1970s, younger women in southern Ghana have migrated to urban or rural areas to earn money, leaving their children in the care of their mothers, whom they support with their remittances. As migrant women grow older, they return to their hometowns to provide elder and child care. Although female transmigrants also use these temporal strategies of care, the synchronization of life courses proves more difficult to coordinate in transnational contexts. For these reasons, time and timing is as important as space and location to transnational migrants, and migration is transtemporal as well as translocal.
Why you should care about the Target data breach

Abstract Data breaches are becoming more frequent and more damaging to the bottom line of many businesses. The Target data breach marked the beginning of increased scrutiny of cybersecurity practices. In the past, data breaches were seen as a cost of doing business, but Target's negligence and the scale of the data loss forced businesses and the courts to reevaluate current practices and regulatory frameworks. Businesses must make strategic use of their chief information officers, adopt cybersecurity best practices, and effectively train their employees to respond to growing security threats. They must also shape the cybersecurity narrative to influence regulatory responses to these threats.
Abstract 3670: The role of reactive oxygen species in anticancer effects of diallyl trisulfide, a bioactive component of garlic.

Diallyl trisulfide (DATS) is a bioactive component of processed garlic with in vivo activity against chemically-induced as well as oncogene-driven cancer in rodent models. However, the mechanisms underlying anticancer effects of DATS (eg, growth inhibition, apoptosis induction, and suppression of migration in cancer cells) are not fully understood. The present study reveals a critical role for reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cellular anticancer responses to DATS. Exposure of human breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7) as well as a cell line derived from spontaneously developing mammary tumor of a MMTV-neu transgenic mouse (BRI-JM04) to DATS resulted in dose-dependent inhibition of cell viability and apoptosis induction. Interestingly, a non-tumorigenic normal human mammary cell line (MCF-10A) was resistant to growth inhibition and apoptosis induction by DATS. The DATS-induced apoptosis in MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, and BRI-JM04 cells was associated with ROS production as evidenced by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry using a chemical probe (MitoSOX Red). Ectopic expression of Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase (Cu,Zn-SOD) as well as Mn-SOD conferred significant protection against DATS-induced ROS production and apoptotic cell death. The DATS treatment caused activation of Bax and Bak, and activation of Bak was nearly fully abolished by overexpression of Mn-SOD. Likewise, inhibition of MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cell migration resulting from DATS treatment was partially but statistically significantly attenuated by stable overexpression of Cu,Zn-SOD and Mn-SOD. This protection against inhibition of cell migration was attributable to abrogation of DATS-mediated induction of E-cadherin and suppression of vimentin. These results indicate that ROS play an important role in anticancer effects of DATS at least in human breast cancer cells. This study was supported by grant CA113363-07 awarded by the National Cancer Institute. Citation Format: Julie A. Arlotti, Kumar Chandra-Kuntal, Shivendra V. Singh. The role of reactive oxygen species in anticancer effects of diallyl trisulfide, a bioactive component of garlic. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3670. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-3670
Elastomeric Negative Acoustic Contrast Particles for Capture, Acoustophoretic Transport, and Confinement of Cells in Microfluidic Systems

We present a particle-based method for the immunospecific capture and confinement of cells using acoustic radiation forces. Ultrasonic standing waves in microfluidic systems have previously been used for the continuous focusing of cells in rapid screening and sorting applications. In aqueous fluids, cells typically exhibit positive acoustic contrast and are thus forced toward the pressure nodes of a standing wave. Conversely, elastomeric particles exhibit negative acoustic contrast and travel toward the pressure antinodes. We have developed a class of elastomeric particles that are synthesized in bulk using a simple nucleation and growth process, providing precise control over their size and functional properties. We demonstrate that the biofunctionalization of these particles can allow the capture and transport of cells to the pressure antinodes solely via acoustic radiation forces, which may enable new acoustics-based cell handling techniques such as the washing, labeling, and sorting of cells with minimal preparatory steps.
Characteristics of an in vitro phenylalanine incorporating system from Rhizopus arrhizus.

The characteristics of a cell-free amino acid incorporating system prepared from the mycelium of Rhizopus arrhizus Ftscher are described. The R. arrhizus system is dependent on ribosomes, supernatant protein fraction, polyuridylic acid, soluble ribonucleic acid, adenosine triphosphate, an ATP generating system, and magnesium concentration. The activity was greatly stimulated by GTP, ammonium, and to a lesser extent by spermine. The incorporation was inhibited by cycloheximide and ribonuclease. Streptomycin had essentially no effect on the system. A temperature of 25 C, pH of 8.1 and an incubation time of 60 min were found to be most efficient for this system.
Al-Sijistani's and Maimonides's Double Negation Theology Explained by Constructive Logic

Famous medieval philosophers Al-Sijistani and Maimonides argued that the use of double negation helps us to better understand issues related to theology. To a modern reader, however, their arguments are somewhat obscure and unclear. We show that these arguments can be drastically clarified if we take into account the 20 century use of double negation in constructive logic. 1 Double Negation Theology: A Brief Reminder What is double negation theology. Abu Yakub Al-Sijistani (d. 971) and Moses ibn Maimon (1135–1204), also known as Maimonides, claimed that while while God is essentially incomprehensible, it is possible to gain some knowledge of God by using double negation; see, e.g., [15, 19]. For example, one cannot say that God is good, but it make sense to say that God is not not-good. Why double negation? The reasoning behind the use of double negation is, to a modern reader, rather obscure and unclear. In this short paper, we will show, however, that the use of double negation can be made much clearer to the modern reader if we take into account the 20 century developments in constructive logic. 2 What Is Constructive Logic: A Reminder Constructivity in mathematics before the 20 century. Strictly speaking, mathematics is about proving results. However, from the ancient times, mathematicians were also interested in constructing objects. The need for constructions is motivated largely by applications. For example, to predict where a satellite will be at some future moment of time, we need to
Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of the Endemic Disjunct Species, Helenium virginicum (Asteraceae)

Abstract Helenium virginicum is a narrowly endemic federally protected species, disjunct between Virginia and Missouri. To study the magnitude and distribution of genetic diversity within this species, we determined ISSR fingerprints and cpDNA haplotypes of plants in nine Virginia and eight Missouri populations. We found high ISSR diversity at the species level, with higher diversity in Virginia than Missouri. Additionally, moderately low diversity at the population level and high population structure suggests low gene flow among populations. Mean divergence between Virginia and Missouri populations was greater than between populations in either region. Missouri populations were more structured than Virginia populations. We found six distinct cpDNA haplotypes distributed among H. virginicum populations, with one found in both regions, two only in Virginia, and three only in Missouri. High genetic divergence among populations and between regions, the demographic asynchrony of populations, and self-incompat...
Research Advances on Production of Flavonoids by Licorice Tissue Culture

Licorice is an important component in many Chinese traditional medicines. As its secondary metabolites, licorice flavonoids not only have antiinflammatory, antioxidative, antitumor, antiviral and antibacterial effects, but also are used in food, cosmetics and other industries. Here we briefly described the classification and histochemical localization of licorice flavonoids, the recent progresses in the production of licorice flavonoids by different tissue culture approaches the regulation of influence factors among biosynthesis were summarized simultaneously. Finally, the problems remained to be studied and the possible research directions in this field are proposed. It can support a new insight into further study on utilization of licorice flavonoids.
Mosquito-trapping effects of black box method for mosquito surveillance

Objective To compare the mosquito-trapping effects of black boxes with different opening directions,and to explore the operation guidelines for black box method in mosquito surveillance.Methods The black boxes with different opening directions were used,and 24 h night-and-day observation method was adopted.Results There were significant differences in trapped mosquito number among the black boxes with different opening directions(χ2=44.82,P0.05).The black box toward the west can trap the most mosquitoes.The results from the 24 h night-and-day observation method showed that the number of mosquitoes trapped by black boxes reached the peak level in the morning(a.m.05:00-07:00) and in the evening(p.m.18:00-20:00),and the number of the mosquitoes trapped in the black box toward the west was the largest in each period of time,displaying significant differences(χ2=259.56,P0.05).The seasonal fluctuation of adult mosquitoes monitored by black box method was similar to that by labor hour method,showing correlation and consistency between them(r=0.696,P0.01).There was no significant difference in mosquito species composition as monitored by black box method and labor hour method(χ2=4.54,P0.05),but there was significant difference in mosquito sex(χ2=121.13,P0.05).Conclusion The black box toward the west is the best for trapping mosquitoes,and can be used for regular mosquito surveillance and the evaluation of mosquito control in special areas.
3D change detection in staggered voxels model for robotic sensing and navigation

3D scene change detection is a challenging problem in robotic sensing and navigation. There are several unpredictable aspects in performing scene change detection. A change detection method which can support various applications in varying environmental conditions is proposed. Point cloud models are acquired from a RGB-D sensor, which provides the required color and depth information. Change detection is performed on robot view point cloud model. A bilateral filter smooths the surface and fills the holes as well as keeps the edge details on depth image. Registration of the point cloud model is implemented by using Random Sample Consensus (RANSAC) algorithm. It uses surface normal as the previous stage for the ground and wall estimate. After preprocessing the data, we create a point voxel model which defines voxel as surface or free space. Then we create a color model which defines each voxel that has a color by the mean of all points’ color value in this voxel. The preliminary change detection is detected by XOR subtract on the point voxel model. Next, the eight neighbors for this center voxel are defined. If they are neither all ‘changed’ voxels nor all ‘no changed’ voxels, a histogram of location and hue channel color is estimated. The experimental evaluations performed to evaluate the capability of our algorithm show promising results for novel change detection that indicate all the changing objects with very limited false alarm rate.
Management of iron overload in the pediatric patient.

Iron overload is a major complication of long-term transfusion therapy. In the absence of treatment, the excessive iron causes diffuse organ damage, usually culminating in death from heart disease. Deferoxamine, an iron-chelat- ing drug, removes tissue iron, prevents iron-induced organ dysfunction, and prolongs life. Proper administration of deferoxamine requires careful attention to dose, route and duration of administration, and compliance. Better chelators are needed but are unlikely to be available soon. Other methods for preventing or reducing iron accumulation involve alterations in the transfusion program or the blood product. Prevention of iron overload should improve the lives of patients with transfusion-dependent anemias and extend the usefulness of transfusion in chronic hematologic disorders.
CHIARI-FROMMEL SYNDROME: MEDROXYPROGESTERONE ACETATE THERAPY.

Abstract Three patients with Chiari-Frommel syndrome were treated successfully with luteoid suppressive therapy. There was evidence of ovulation in each patient. Two of the patients became pregnant and one has been delivered of a normal infant.
Distributed Processing Network

Large medical computer systems can be visualized and designed in at least two practical configurations. Using a “central” concept predicates a large host computer in which a single data base is maintained for interaction with a number of terminal users (Fig. 1) [1, 2]. In this configuration, the major expense is the central system itself, and the speed and access to the files are dependent on the data-base managing software. The obvious limitations of this design relate to the lack of failsafe redundancy and the high cost of the initial investment.
Point Defect-Dislocation Interactions Arising from Nonlinear Elastic Effects

The highly nonlinear elastic state in the vicinity of a dislocation core is the source of a linear elastic displacement field (core field) outside the core. Recent computer simulation of dislocation models in α-Fe and KC1 have shed considerable light on the nature of the core field and these results are reviewed. An important feature of the core field is a net dilatation. A decrease in the elastic constants near the dislocation is also noted and results from the lattice expansion. The implications of these effects in terms of interactions of point defects with the core field is discussed.
Hybridization helps colonizers become conquerors.

Species colonizing new environments face an uphill battle to become established. Because colonizing populations are often small, opportunities for sexual reproduction may be limited by availability of mates or viable pollen—an example of an Allee effect (1, 2). The presence of a more abundant related species with similar climatic, habitat, and nutritional needs can further reduce the odds of colonizer establishment (3, 4). Despite these hurdles, there are numerous examples of colonizing species increasing in number and range to the detriment of the recipient ecological and human communities. The field of invasion biology studies such species to further our understanding of the fundamental mechanisms that allow colonizing species to prosper (5), as well as the more applied goals of predicting, preventing, and controlling invasions (6). Mesgaran et al.’s study (7) contributes to these goals by illustrating how colonizing species can exploit the presence of congeners to overcome the problems associated with low numbers through hybridization and the subsequent reemergence of colonizer genotypes.
Assessing Cluster Quality Using Multiple Measures - A Decision Tree Based Approach

Clustering is a popular data mining technique, with applications in many areas. Although there are many clustering algorithms, none of them is superior on all datasets. Typically these clustering algorithms while providing summary statistics on the generated set of clusters do not provide easily interpretable detailed descriptions of the set of clusters that are generated. Further for a given dataset, different algorithms may give different sets of clusters, and so it is never clear which algorithm and which parameter settings is the most appropriate. In this paper we propose the use of a decision tree (DT) based approach that involves the use of multiple performance measures for indirectly assessing cluster quality in order to determine the most appropriate set of clusters.
Dispatchable execution of schedules involving consumable resources

Earlier work on scheduling by autonomous systems has demonstrated that schedules in the form of simple temporal networks, with intervals of values for possible event-times, can be made "dispatchable", i.e. executable incrementally in real time with guarantees against failure due to unfortunate event-time selections. In this work we show how the property of dispatchability can be extended to networks that include constraints for consumable resources. We first determine conditions under which a component of the network composed of resource constraints associated with a single sequence of activities that use a resource ("bout") will support dispatchability. Then we show how to handle interactions between resource and temporal subnetworks to insure dispatchability and how to handle sequences of bouts interspersed with resource release. The results demonstrate that flexible handling of resource use can be safely extended to the execution layer to provide more effective deployment of consumable resources.
Adam Smith, Aristóteles y la Ética de la Virtud

En este articulo se sostiene que la teoria moral de Adam Smith se entiende mejor como una contribucion a la etica de la virtud que como una contribucion a cualquiera de las dos escuelas rivales de la filosofia moral contemporanea, el utilitarismo y la deontologia. Para demostrarlo, el autor examina la concepcion que tiene Smith de los metodos y fines apropiados de la etica. Se centra aqui en el lugar que Smith le asigna a la retorica en la etica, y en como, para Smith, la etica se relaciona mas con la formacion del caracter que con el establecimiento de reglas y preceptos. Se concluye, sobre esa base, que Smith debe ser considerado junto a Hutcheson y Hume como uno de los fundadores en el siglo XVIII de la etica de la virtud contemporanea, y que, al igual que los cultores de esta ultima, le debe mucho a Aristoteles y, de hecho, bien puede servir de interlocutor en los actuales debates neo-aristotelicos.
How do providers discuss the results of pediatric exome sequencing with families

Aim: This study provides preliminary data on the process and content of returning results from exome sequencing offered to children through one of the Clinical Sequencing Exploratory Research (CSER) projects. Materials & methods: We recorded 25 sessions where providers returned diagnostic and secondary sequencing results to families. Data interpretation utilized inductive thematic analysis. Results: Typically, providers followed a results report and discussed diagnostic findings using technical genomic and sequencing concepts. We identified four provider processes for returning results: teaching genetic concepts; assessing family response; personalizing findings; and strengthening patient–provider relationships. Conclusion: Sessions should reflect family interest in medical management and next steps, and minimize detailed genomic concepts. As the scope and complexity of sequencing increase, the traditional information-laden counseling model requires revision.
Using simulated family presence to decrease agitation in older hospitalized delirious patients: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract Background Simulated family presence has been shown to be an effective nonpharmacological intervention to reduce agitation in persons with dementia in nursing homes. Hyperactive or mixed delirium is a common and serious complication experienced by hospitalized patients, a key feature of which is agitation. Effective nonpharmacological interventions to manage delirium are needed. Objectives To examine the effect of simulated family presence through pre-recorded video messages on the agitation level of hospitalized, delirious, acutely agitated patients. Design Single site randomized control trial, 3 groups×4 time points mixed factorial design conducted from July 2015 to March 2016. Setting Acute care level one trauma center in an inner city of the state of Connecticut, USA. Participants Hospitalized patients experiencing hyperactive or mixed delirium and receiving continuous observation were consecutively enrolled (n=126), with 111 participants completing the study. Most were older, male, Caucasian, spouseless, with a pre-existing dementia. Methods Participants were randomized to one of the following study arms: view a one minute family video message, view a one minute nature video, or usual care. Participants in experimental groups also received usual care. The Agitated Behavior Scale was used to measure the level of agitation prior to, during, immediately following, and 30min following the intervention. Results Both the family video and nature video groups displayed a significant change in median agitation scores over the four time periods ( p 0.001), whereas the control group did not. The family video group had significantly lower median agitation scores during the intervention period (p 0.001) and a significantly greater proportion (94%) of participants experiencing a reduction in agitation from the pre-intervention to during intervention ( p 0.001) than those viewing the nature video (70%) or those in usual care only (30%). The median agitation scores for the three groups were not significantly different at either of the post intervention time measurements. When comparing the proportion of participants experiencing a reduction in agitation from baseline to post intervention, there remained a statistically significant difference (p=0.001) between family video(60%) and usual care (35.1%) immediately following the intervention Conclusion This work provides preliminary support for the use of family video messaging as a nonpharmacological intervention that may decrease agitation in selected hospitalized delirious patients. Further studies are necessary to determine the efficacy of the intervention as part of a multi-component intervention as well as among younger delirious patients without baseline dementia.
“Names Are the Guest of Reality”: Apophasis, Mysticism, and Soteriology in Daoist Perspective

How does one speak the unspeakable, say the unsayable, name the unnamable? How does one subvert the human tendency to become mired in intellectual constructs, philosophical rumination, and psychological confusion, especially with respect to matters of ultimate concern? This chapter examines Daoist uses of “apophatic discourse” and “grammars of ineffability,” or the way in which (apparent) negation is central to Daoist approaches. In addition to providing a foundational introduction to Daoism in general and the Zhuangzi (Book of Master Zhuang) in particular, I explore Daoist meditation and mystical experience, with attentiveness to representative modes of expression and description. In the process, I suggest that one must understand Daoist contemplative practice and mystical experience as the root of “Daoist philosophy.” Daoist apophatic discourse presupposes a contemplative and mystical perspective on being and sacrality. It is a praxis-based and experiential perspective. Daoist views of language in turn reveal alternative uses of linguistic expression, beyond mere communication and description. We may begin to imagine “soteriological linguistics.”
Influence of Age on Warfarin Dose, Anticoagulation Control, and Risk of Hemorrhage

OBJECTIVE We assessed the influence of age on warfarin dose, percentage time in target range (PTTR), and risk of major hemorrhage. DESIGN Warfarin users recruited into a large prospective inception cohort study were categorized into three age groups: young (younger than 50 yrs), middle aged (50-70 yrs), and elderly (older than 70 yrs). The influence of age on warfarin dose and PTTR was assessed using regression analysis; risk of major hemorrhage was assessed using proportional hazards analysis. Models were adjusted for demographic, clinical, and genetic factors. SETTING Two outpatient anticoagulation clinics. PARTICIPANTS A total of 1498 anticoagulated patients. OUTCOMES Warfarin dose (mg/day), PTTR, major hemorrhage. RESULTS Of the 1498 patients, 22.8% were young, 44.1% were middle aged, and 33.1% were elderly. After accounting for clinical and genetic factors, compared with young warfarin users, warfarin dose requirements were 10.6% lower among the middle aged and an additional 10.6% lower for the elderly. Compared with young patients, middle-aged and elderly patients spent more time in target international normalized ratio (INR) range (p<0.0001), despite having fewer INR assessments (p<0.0001). Compared with young warfarin users, absolute risk of hemorrhage was marginally higher among the middle aged (p=0.08) and significantly higher among the elderly (p=0.016). Compared with young warfarin users, after adjustment, the relative risk of hemorrhage increased by 31% for each age category (p=0.026). CONCLUSIONS In a real-world setting, despite achieving better anticoagulation control, elderly patients had a higher risk of major hemorrhagic events. As the population ages and the candidacy for oral anticoagulation increases, strategies that mitigate the elevated risk of hemorrhage need to be identified.
Vision Quest: The Intersection of Native American Spirituality and Family Therapy

In the following narrative, family therapists are offered an insider’s view of a Native American vision quest. It is contextualized in a way that connects the experience with spiritual perspectives of non-Native religious and psychological thinkers who see the psychological value of the “varieties of religious experience.” Though there is much descriptive detail of the vision quest, the focus is on the psychological emergency that it addresses in a ritualistic way. It challenges the stereotype of transpersonal experiences as the product of individual quests, as it demonstrates the critical roles of family and community members before, during, and after the vision quest. Practitioners are given suggestions on how they might better understand and support families with members having transpersonal experiences. The writer calls on the reader to exercise cultural sensitivity grounded in appreciation of the complex historical relationship between indigenous peoples and currently dominant cultural discourses.
Does higher background illumination lessen the effect of media opacities on visual fields

Visual field function of the right eyes of five normal subjects was evaluated on the Digilab 350 automated perimeter at background illuminances of 3.15 asb and 31.5 asb. Serial visual field evaluations were repeated under four conditions of retinal illumination at each of the two backgrounds. Threshold sensitivities significantly decreased with increasing neutral density effect at both backgrounds and the effect was greater at 3.15 asb. The choice of background illuminance may be important in obtaining accurate visual fields in patients with decreased retinal illumination, however, the difference in threshold sensitivities obtained at the two backgrounds may be unmeasurable on currently available automated perimeters.
Ethograms, Activity Profiles and Energy Budgets

Good science begins with the definitions of terms. In behavioral research, we operationally define elements of behavior in an ethogram, or dictionary, for all of the items to be scored and analyzed. Data collection must be systematic to produce quantitative data suitable for statistical analysis. Summary statistics can produce an Activity Profile that indicates how much time a particular subject class allots to each of the defined behavioral items under specified data collection conditions. An energy budget, in contrast, indicates the theoretically minimum and maximum times that must be allocated to each item under specified conditions.
Exploiting Hierarchy for Scalable Decision Making in Autonomous Driving

A major challenge in autonomous driving has been the intractability of planning algorithms. Research has largely focused on simple, short-term scenarios with few interacting traffic participants. We propose a hierarchical approach for long-horizon tactical planning in large-scale autonomous driving settings. Our approach exploits the locality of interactions with other agents by sequentially setting and accomplishing short-term goals involving fewer agents and hence is able to scale to more traffic participants. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach on an example highway driving problem where the ego vehicle must safely transit to the farthest lane in order to exit the highway at a designated exit.