cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Using Video Conferencing to Deliver a Brief Motivational Intervention for Alcohol and Sex Risk to Emergency Department Patients: A Proof-of-Concept Pilot Study.

Brief motivational intervention (MI) is an efficacious approach to reduce heavy drinking and associated sexual risk behavior among Emergency Department (ED) patients, but the intensity of demands placed on ED staff makes the implementation of in-person MIs logistically challenging. This proof-of-concept pilot study examined the acceptability and logistic feasibility of using video-conferencing technology to deliver an MI targeting heavy drinking and risky sexual behavior to patients in an ED setting. Rigorous screening procedures were employed to ensure that the pilot sample represents the target portion of ED patients who would benefit from this multi-target MI. Mixed qualitative and quantitative data from a sample of seven ED patients (57% Female; Mage = 35 years) who received MI by video conference consistently demonstrated high levels of satisfaction, engagement, and acceptability. The observed completion rate supports logistic feasibility, and patient feedback identified methods to improve the experience by using high-definition hardware, ensuring stronger network connectivity, and effectively communicating information regarding protection of privacy. Post-intervention patient ratings and independent ratings of the audio-recorded sessions (using the Motivational Interviewing Skills Coding system) were very high, suggesting that intervention fidelity and MI adherence was not compromised by delivery modality. Collectively, these data suggest video conferencing is a viable technology that can be employed to implement brief evidence-based MIs in ED settings.
Effects of human cytomegalovirus infection on radiation-induced cytogenetic damage in peripheral blood lymphocytes from a glioma case-control study

AACR Annual Meeting-- Apr 14-18, 2007; Los Angeles, CA 1749 Introduction: Malignant gliomas are the most common and most lethal primary brain tumor in adults. However, significant gaps exist in the current understanding of the molecular pathways involved in their genesis and clinical behavior. Therapeutic irradiation and chronic immunosuppression remain the only established risk factors, but viral infections and host genetic susceptibility have also been implicated. An association between human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and malignant gliomas was recently reported suggesting that HCMV may play an active role in gliomagenesis. To examine this further, we used standard cytogenetic assays to measure the effects of HCMV infection on genetic instability. Methods: 35 glioma cases and 25 controls from an ongoing brain tumor study in Harris County, Texas, completed an epidemiologic questionnaire and gave a blood sample for cytogenetic analysis. Peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) were isolated from each specimen, and 4 separate cultures were established for each participant. One culture was analyzed for baseline levels, one was infected with HCMV, one was treated with gamma radiation, and the last was infected with HCMV and then irradiated. The micronucleus (MN) assay was used to determine levels of chromosome breaks and rearrangements, and chromosomal aberrations were also measured as total chromatid breaks. Cells in apoptosis and stages of the cell cycle were measured by TUNEL assay. A repeated-measure analysis of variance with one between subjects factor (case-control) and one within subjects factor (treatment) was used to determine differences in mean values of the cytogenetic outcomes based on treatment type and case-control status. Results: The prevalence of chromosome breaks was higher for cultures treated with both the virus and radiation. Cultures treated with the virus alone or in conjunction with radiation showed significant increases in chromosomal rearrangements. The number of chromatid breaks was significant for each level of treatment with those being co-treated having more damage than those treated with radiation alone. Apoptosis was increased for treatment with both HCMV and radiation, and cases exhibited higher levels than controls. There was also a non-significant increase in the percentage of cells in S phase and decrease in the percentage in G1. Conclusions: Cytogenetic assays estimate the amount of damage normal cells undergo by certain stressors. We show that the amount of apoptosis and chromosomal damage in PBLs is greatly enhanced by infection with HCMV, especially with the additional stress of gamma radiation. This strengthens the argument that HCMV could modulate gliomagenesis through induction of chromosomal damage. This could be especially true for patients in which p53-modulated apoptotic pathways have been altered.
Fiber from DDGS and Corn Grain as Alternative Fillers in Polymer Composites with High Density Polyethylene from Bio-based and Petroleum Sources

The steady increase in production of corn based ethanol fuel has dramatically increased the supply of its major co-product known as distiller’s dried grain with solubles (DDGS). Large amount of DDGS and corn flour are used as an animal feed. The elusieve process can separate DDGS or corn flour into two fractions: DDGS fraction with enhanced protein and oil content or corn flour fraction with high starch content, and hull fiber. This study investigated the feasibility of using fiber from DDGS and corn grain as alternative fillers to wood fiber in high density polyethylene (HDPE) composites made with two different sources of polymers. Two fiber loading rates of 30 and 50% were evaluated for fiber from DDGS, corn, and oak wood (control) to assess changes in various physical and mechanical properties of the composite materials. Two HDPE polymers, a bio-based HDPE made from sugarcane (Braskem), and a petroleum based HDPE (Marlex) were also compared as substrates. The biobased polymer composites with DDGS and corn fibers showed significantly lower water absorption than the Marlex composite samples. The Braskem composite with 30% DDGS fiber loading showed the highest impact resistance (80 J/m) among all the samples. The flexural properties showed no significant difference between the two HDPE composites.
Compressive temporal focusing microscopy (Conference Presentation)

Multiphoton microscopes are of paramount importance in capturing neural activity with cellular resolution. However, the imaging speed and field-of-view of traditional two-photon microscopes is limited by raster scanning technologies. Temporally-focused two-photon (TFTP) microscopy is a wide-field scan-free approach to increase the speed of two-photon microscopy. In conventional TFTP microscopy, wide-field depth sectioning is obtained by compressing a spatially pre-chirped pulse at the focal plane of the objective. Unfortunately, the greater imaging speed of TFTP microscopes comes at the expense of poor imaging depth in tissue due to scattering of the short-wavelength fluorescence photons en-route to the imaging camera. Here we demonstrate a compressive high-speed two-photon microscope based on wide-field temporally-focused structured illumination, which eliminates the loss of image contrast from scattering of the fluorescence signal by leveraging a single-pixel detector. Specifically, we illuminate the sample with a rapid sequence of randomly structured temporally-focused wide-field illumination pulses and integrate the net two-photon fluorescence response on a single photomultiplier tube (PMT). Notably, the longer wavelength structured illumination is significantly less susceptible to scattering and the use of integrated measurements on a single PMT provides immunity to fluorescence scattering since these measurements are solely concerned with the net fluorescence. Furthermore, our approach provides greater speed than point scanning two-photon microscopes through the use of wide-field illumination and compressive image acquisition. Experimentally we demonstrate this system operating over a 200×250-μm field-of-view and at a compression rate of 10%, which provides an order of magnitude increase in speed over a comparable point scanning architecture.
GRANULOCYTE COLONY STIMULATING FACTOR AS A THERAPY FOR PNEUMONIA AND SEPSIS IN THE NONNEUTROPENIC HOST: PRECLINICAL AND CLINICAL TRIALS

Outcome associated with severe pneumonia, especially when it is complicated by sepsis and septic shock remains poor in the nonneutropenic host despite our best conventional therapies (30 to 50%) (1,2). New modes of therapy are needed. An alternative to blocking the intense inflammatory response of sepsis, an approach which has not shown convincing benefit in clinical trials thus far, is to administer agents to augment host defense and better control the underlying infection. One such agent is recombinant granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), a potent stimulator of neutrophil number and function (3,4). Similar to antiinflammatory agents however, despite promising results in preclinical studies, G-CSF has not shown convincing benefit in early clinical trials in nonneutropenic patients presenting with pneumonia or sepsis (5,6). While disappointing, our evolving preclinical and clinical experience with G-CSF may provide insight into ways to increase the effectiveness of this therapeutic approach in the future.
Integument und seine Derivate

Das Integument und seine Derivate bilden ein ausergewohnlich variables und anpassungsfahiges Organsystem. Gewichtsmasig kann dieses System oft das groste Organ des Korpers darstellen, und kein anderes ubt so viele Funktionen aus. Es bietet physikalischen Schutz fur die empfindlichen, darunter liegenden Gewebe, schotzt so gegen den Eintritt der meisten schadlichen Organismen und Materialien und dampft den Zusammenprall mit der Umgebung, wie z. B. unter den Fusen. Es tragt ganz wesentlich zum Wasserhaushalt bei. So konnen Amphibien Wasser uber die Haut und sogar Feuchtigkeit aus der feuchten Luft oder aus feuchtem Boden aufnehmen, wahrend die Haut von Wustenreptilien resistent gegen Wasserverlust ist. Die Abgabe von Warme an die Umgebung kann durch die Erweiterung von oberflachlichen Blutgefasen und durch die Verdunstung von Schweis erhoht werden, wahrend Warmeabgabe durch Fettdepots und das Aufrichten von isolierenden Haaren oder Federn vermindert wird. Das Integument ist Trager der Farbung, die fur Identifikation, Aggressions- und Sexualverhalten und zur Tarnung wichtig ist. Es dient der Fortbewegung durch Reibungspolster, durch das Ineinandergreifen von Schuppen oder Klauen mit dem Substrat, durch Bildung von Tragflachen und uber andere Wege. Auch Gasaustausch fur die Atmung findet durch die feuchte Haut der Amphibien statt, so dass bei einigen lungenlosen Salamandern die Haut sogar die Lungen ersetzen kann. Die Sekrete der Hautdrusen konnen anlocken oder abschrecken, die Jungen ernahren, Salz und Harnstoff ausscheiden und der Thermoregulation dienen. Das Integument beherbergt viele Sinnesorgane, bestimmt nicht unwesentlich die Korpergestalt, wehrt verletzende Energieformen ab und kann auserdem Fett und Glykogen speichern, wesentlich zur Unterstutzung und Verteidigung des Korpers beitragen und Vitamin D synthetisieren.
Curvature of Smooth Surfaces

Just as we defined curvature for simplicial surfaces in Section 3.9 and for smooth curves in Section 4.5, in the present chapter we define curvature for smooth surfaces—technically more difficult than the previous cases, but more rewarding as well. Throughout this section, let M ⊂ ℝ3 be a smooth surface, let x: U → M be a coordinate patch and let p ∈ x(U) be a point.
Privacy-Preserving Speaker Verification Using Gaussian Mixture Models

In this chapter, we present an adapted UBM-GMM based privacy preserving speaker verification (PPSV) system, where the system is not able to observe the speech data provided by the user and the user does not observe the models trained by the system. We present protocols for speaker enrollment and verification which preserve privacy according to these requirements and report experiments with a prototype implementation on the YOHO dataset. We assume that the user represents the speech samples using mel-frequency cepstral coefficients (MFCC). We consider the MFCC features as the user input.
Abstract LB-A15: An Ex-vivo Platform Predicts Anti-tumor Outcome of Metabolically-Targeted, Algorithm-Driven Combination Therapy in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Abstract: Cancer cells undergo phenotypic cell state transitions in response to chemotherapy as a mechanism that can confer transient resistance. However, such cell state transitions can also unlock unique vulnerabilities that can be exploited using temporally-sequenced combination chemotherapy. Here, utilizing a primary breast cancer ex-vivo functional assay (CANScriptTM) that captures tumor heterogeneity, we report that in response to a chemotherapeutic agent, a subset of cancer cells can mount an acutely-induced phenotypic adaptive resistance to future cytotoxic pressure via the transient acquisition of a unique metabolic state defined by augmented glycolysis together with mitochondrial proficiency. These cells activate two complex, temporally-interdependent pathways that enable a glucose shunt towards the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), which confers an adaptive cross-tolerance to different chemotherapeutic agents. Mathematically modeling these pathways, and simulating drug schedules, we define a rationally-designed 3-drug combination therapy of metabolic inhibitors and cytotoxic agents, which results in improved cancer survival. Our findings highlight a new bioenergetics-based adaptive resistance mechanism through which cancer cells can survive combinations of chemotherapy. Administration of metabolic inhibitors in rational, temporal sequence with existing chemotherapy can emerge as a new paradigm in the treatment of cancer. Citation Format: Aaron J. Goldman. An Ex-vivo Platform Predicts Anti-tumor Outcome of Metabolically-Targeted, Algorithm-Driven Combination Therapy in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference: Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2017 Oct 26-30; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2018;17(1 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-A15.
BWO and IMATT Millimeter Wave Probing of c-Si, and Perovskite

In this paper, we provide a short review of electrovacuum microwave generator “carcinotron” (backward wave oscillator, BWO) and other microwave sources that are used for materials characterization. Time averaged photoresponse transients of c-silicon, and hybrid perovskite obtained using electrovacuum probe source BWO are compared with photo-responses of the same samples using solid-state Impact Ionization Avalanche Transit-time (IMPATT) diode cavity oscillator probe. We discuss outcomes of using two different probing sources operated at 140 GHz. IMPATT probe source yields a slightly higher crest factor than the BWO source as evidenced from perovskite response to light, and no systematic relationship was found between mmw transmissivity and stimulating laser (pump) fluence.
Modal Proofs As Distributed Programs

We develop a new foundation for distributed programming languages by defining an intuitionistic, modal logic and then interpreting the modal proofs as distributed programs. More specifically, the proof terms for the various modalities have computational interpretations as remote procedure calls, commands to broadcast computations to all nodes in the network, commands to use portable code, and finally, commands to invoke computational agents that can find their own way to safe places in the network where they can execute. We prove some simple meta-theoretic results about our logic as well as a safety theorem that demonstrates that the deductive rules act as a sound type system for a distributed programming language.
Psychiatric Care of the Post-September 11 Combat Veteran: A Review

Background Post-September 11, 2001 combat veterans represent a growing cohort of patients with unique mental health needs, particularly around post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI). The United States (US) remains engaged in conflicts around the globe, so this patient cohort will continue to grow in number. With around 40% of American combat veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan seeking mental health care outside of the Veterans Affairs, understanding the psychiatric needs of the post-September 11 combat veteran is an important goal for all psychiatrists. These patients are relevant to consultation-liaison (C-L) psychiatrists because of their high comorbidity of conditions such as TBI, obstructive sleep apnea, insomnia, and chronic pain. This article reviews the current literature on mental health care for the post-September 11 combat veteran, emphasizing PTSD and TBI treatment, and culling evidence-based recommendations from randomized controlled trials of combat veterans. Emphasis is also placed on the Veterans Affairs/Department of Defense Clinical Practice Guidelines. The authors also bring unique clinical expertise of having served on active duty as psychiatrists for the US Army, including in a combat zone, and both currently work in a Veterans Affairs Iraq and Afghanistan combat veteran mental health clinic. Objective This review outlines useful treatment approaches for PTSD and TBI and briefly covers the comorbid conditions of major depression, chronic pain, and substance use disorders. This review will prepare C-L psychiatrists to care for this challenging patient cohort.
Supercapacitive Strain Sensor With Ultrahigh Sensitivity and Range

This article develops a novel strain sensor with ultrahigh sensitivity and range that can be easily fabricated using a paper-based electrolyte and two metal pins bought from a local hardware store. No cleanroom facilities are needed. The sensor utilizes a new sensing principle consisting of a paper-based solid-state electrolyte, which deforms in response to strain and changes its contact area with a pair of electrodes. This results in a highly sensitive capacitance change in a double-layer supercapacitor. The new sensor is shown to have a monotonically increasing response for strains as large as 25%, while at the same time providing a high measurement resolution of 0.025% strain. The new sensor could enable a new generation of ubiquitous monitoring applications by replacing more expensive traditional strain sensors.
Molecular identity of Ito: Kv1.4 redux.

Our understanding of the function of the Kv1.4 K+ channel in cardiac physiology has changed over time. The Kv1.4 gene was the first mammalian gene identified that encoded a rapidly inactivating or transient K+ channel.1 2 Previous attempts at cloning mammalian K+ channels based on homology to the Drosophila Shaker gene, which encodes a rapidly inactivating channel, had unexpectedly turned up several delayed rectifier channels. There were high expectations, therefore, when the Kv1.4 gene was shown to encode a transient channel, and it was quite reasonably suggested that the Kv1.4 channel could underlie the transient outward K+ current ( I to) in cardiac muscle.2 A rival for the affections of I to aficionados soon appeared, however, with the identification of a second family of transient channels, which contained two members known as Kv4.1 and Kv4.2.3 4 On the basis of the observation that the Kv4.2 gene was expressed in heart, it was suggested that these channels also might underlie the I to.5 Initial interest in the molecular basis of the I to focused almost exclusively on Kv1.4,6 7 8 however, and the Kv4.2 channel languished largely unnoticed. There were several reasons for this. The Kv4.2 channel, when expressed in Xenopus oocytes, was something of an ugly duckling. It activated more slowly than I to, and its inactivation phase was complex and incomplete, with multiple inactivation rates and a noninactivating sustained component.4 This unfavorable aesthetic appearance was largely due to the limitations of the Xenopus oocyte expression system used in the initial studies, which appears to lack a factor that can modify the kinetic properties of the channel.9 The molecular identity of this factor remains a mystery, but it …
Case 3: Abdominal Distention in a Preterm Infant

A 5-day-old, preterm monochorionic-monoamniotic twin girl is brought to the NICU for large-volume, bilious gastric residuals. The infant was born via scheduled cesarean section to a 25-year-old gravida 2, para 1 woman at 32 weeks’ gestation because of evidence of cord entanglement on prenatal ultrasonography. The infant weighed 1,390 g at birth and received nasal continuous airway pressure in the delivery room for respiratory distress. The infant starts enteral feedings of 10 mL/kg per day on postnatal day zero and advances per protocol to 70 mL/kg per day on day 5. She was weaned to room air by day 4. Because the mother had difficulty producing breast milk, the infant primarily receives formula. She has negative findings on infectious disease evaluation, with an age-appropriate complete blood cell count and C-reactive protein values in the first 48 hours after birth. The infant has unremarkable physical examination findings until day 5 when the abdominal girth increased by 4 cm (Fig 1). With onset of abdominal distention and new-onset bilious gastric residuals, feedings are stopped, and a gastric tube is placed via suction to decompress the intestine. Blood …
Validation of Histoplasmosis Enzyme Immunoassay to Evaluate Suspicious Lung Nodules

Background Granulomas caused by infectious lung diseases can present as indeterminate pulmonary nodules (IPN). This study aims to validate an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for Histoplasma immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin M (IgM) for diagnosing benign IPN in areas with endemic histoplasmosis. Methods Prospectively collected serum samples from patients at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC [n = 204]), University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (n = 71), and University of Cincinnati (n = 51) with IPN measuring 6 to 30 mm were analyzed for Histoplasma IgG and IgM with EIA. Diagnostic test characteristics were compared with results from the VUMC pilot cohort (n = 127). A multivariable logistic regression model was developed to predict granuloma in IPN. Results Cancer prevalence varied by cohort: VUMC pilot 60%, VUMC validation 65%, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center 35%, and University of Cincinnati 75%. Across all cohorts, 19% of patients had positive IgG titers, 5% had positive IgM, and 3% had positive both IgG and IgM. Of patients with benign disease, 33% were positive for at least one antibody. All patients positive for both IgG and IgM antibodies at acute infection levels had benign disease (n = 13), with a positive predictive value of 100%. The prediction model for granuloma in IPN demonstrated an area under the receiver-operating characteristics curve of 0.84 and Brier score of 0.10. Conclusions This study confirmed that Histoplasma EIA testing can be useful for diagnosing benign IPN in areas with endemic histoplasmosis in a population at high risk for lung cancer. Integrating Histoplasma EIA testing into the current diagnostic algorithm where histoplasmosis is endemic could improve management of IPN and potentially decrease unnecessary invasive biopsies.
Body size allometry impacts flight-related morphology and metabolic rates in the solitary bee Megachile rotundata.

Abstract Body size is related to many aspects of life history, including foraging distance and pollination efficiency. In solitary bees, manipulating the amount of larval diet produces intraspecific differences in adult body size. The goal of this study was to determine how body size impacts metabolic rates, allometry, and flight-related morphometrics in the alfalfa leafcutting bee, Megachile rotundata. By restricting or providing excess food, we produced a range of body sizes, which allowed us to test the effect of body size on allometry, the power required for flight, and amount of energy produced, as measured indirectly through CO2 emission. The power required during flight was predicted using the flight biomechanical formulas for wing loading and excess power index. We found larger bees had higher absolute metabolic rates at rest and during flight, but smaller bees had higher mass-specific metabolic rates at rest. During flight, bees did not have size-related differences in mass-specific metabolic rate. As bees increase in size, their thorax and abdomens become disproportionately larger, while their wings (area, and length) become disproportionately smaller. Smaller bees had more power available during flight as demonstrated by flight biomechanical formulas. Smaller body size was advantageous because of a reduced power requirement for flight with no metabolic cost.
Insight into the effects of pore size and distribution on mechanical properties of austenite stainless steels

While conventional Gibson–Ashby models provide a general insight into how elastic modulus and yield strength degrade with increasing overall porosity in materials, very limited work has investigated the effects of pore size and distribution on the mechanical properties of metals. One key question is whether and how pores can be utilized for improved mechanical properties rather than being eliminated or minimized for full densification. To fill in this gap, austenitic stainless steel 316L samples with intentional pores of varying diameters and distributions were fabricated by spark plasma sintering using starting powders with different morphologies. Characterization of pore features was not limited to the total volume percentage but also addressed the pore size, shape, interpore spacing, and pore surface area. The mechanical properties of those samples were investigated at multiple length scales to investigate the effect of pore characteristics, including macro-scale compression testing, Vickers micro-indentation, nanoindentation, and nanoscratch. Results suggested incorporating submicron pores improved both the yield strength and strength to weight ratio. The sample containing submicron pores represented an outlier in the classical Hall–Petch relation between yield strength and grain size, and it achieved a yield strength of 482 MPa, compressive strength of ~ 1.4GPa at a strain of 0.3 without fracture, and a specific yield strength of 67.7 MPa cm3/g. The mechanism was attributed to local stiffening and (Cr, Mn)-rich precipitates surrounding the submicron pores. It was discovered, for the first time, the specific yield strength and the pore diameter followed a Hall–Petch type correlation.
Secure XOR-CIM Engine: Compute-In-Memory SRAM Architecture With Embedded XOR Encryption

Compute-in-memory (CIM), where information can be processed and stored at the same locations, is emerging as a promising paradigm to address the memory wall bottleneck in traditional Von Neumann architectures. Static random-access memory (SRAM) has been demonstrated as a mature candidate for CIM accelerator for deep neural networks (DNNs) due to its availability in advanced technology nodes. However, as SRAM is volatile and could not hold weight after power down, the necessity for downloading models from the cloud to inference engine causes potential threats such as model leaking. Also, saving raw weights of the DNN model stationary in the memory cells will increase the vulnerabilities. This work aims at developing a secure inference engine with a lightweight yet effective countermeasure to protect the DNN models in SRAM-based CIM architecture. We propose a secure XOR-CIM engine with a modified reverse secure sketch protocol to enable on-chip authentication and key processing for XOR-based stream cipher encrypted models. In the XOR-CIM core, we modify the six-transistor SRAM bit cell with dual wordlines to implement XOR decryption without sacrificing the parallel computation's efficiency. The evaluations at 28 nm show that the XOR-CIM could enhance security, achieving comparable energy efficiency and no throughput loss, with negligible area overhead compared with the normal-CIM design without encryption.
Residual learning rates in lead-acid batteries: Effects on emerging technologies

Abstract The low price of lead-acid, the most popular battery, is often used in setting cost targets for emerging energy storage technologies. Future cost reductions in lead acid batteries could increase investment and time scales needed for emerging storage technologies to reach cost-parity. In this paper the first documented model of cost reductions for lead-acid batteries is developed. Regression to a standard experience curve using 1989–2012 data yield a poor fit, with R2 values of 0.17 for small batteries and 0.05 for larger systems. To address this problem, battery costs are separated into material and residual costs, and experience curves developed for residual costs. Depending on the year, residual costs account for 41–86% of total battery cost. Using running-time averages to address volatility in material costs, a 4-year time average experience curve for residual costs yield much higher R2, 0.78 for small and 0.74 for large lead-acid batteries. The learning rate for residual costs in lead-acid batteries is 20%, a discovery with policy implications. Neglecting to consider cost reductions in lead-acid batteries could result in failure of energy storage start-ups and public policy programs. Generalizing this result, learning in incumbent technologies must be understood to assess the potential of emerging ones.
A local adaptive algorithm for microaneurysms detection in digital fundus images

Microaneurysms (MAs) detection is a critical step in diabetic retinopathy screening, since MAs are the earliest visible warning of potential future problems. A variety of thresholding based algorithms have been proposed for MAs detection in mass screening. Most of them process fundus images globally without a mechanism to take into account the local properties and changes. Their performance is often susceptible to nonuniform illumination and locations of MAs in different retinal regions. To keep sensitivity at a relatively high level, a low grey value threshold must be applied to the entire image globally, resulting in a much lower specificity in MAs detection. Therefore, post-processing steps, such as, feature extraction and classification, must be followed to improve the specificity at the cost of sensitivity. In order to address this problem, a local adaptive algorithm is proposed for automatic detection of MAs, where multiple subregions of each image are automatically analyzed to adapt to local intensity variation and properties, and furthermore prior structural features and pathology, such as, region and location information of vessel, optic disk and hard exudate are incorporated to further improve the detection accuracy. This algorithm effectively improves the specificity of MAs detection, without sacrificing the achieved sensitivity. It has potential to be used for automatic level-one grading of diabetic retinopathy screening.
Atlas of cancer surgery

Part I. Head and Neck Surgical anatomy of the thyroid. Thyroid lobectomy. Surgical anatomy of the parotid gland. Parotidectomy. Surgical anatomy for radical neck dissection. Radical neck dissection. Clinical case: desmoid tumor. Part II. Chest: Surgical anatomy of the right chest. Thoracic incision. Right upper lobectomy. Right lower lobectomy. Surgical anatomy of the left lung. Left upper lobectomy. Left lower lobectomy. Clinical case: thymoma. Clinical case: thoracic soft tissue mass. Transhiatal esophageal resection and gastric pullup. Thoracic esophagectomy. Esophagogastrectomy. Part III. Upper abdomen Surgical anatomy of the upper abdomen. Gastric surgery. Case study: Gastrectomy. Hepatic resections. Left hepatic lobectomy. Trisegmentectomy. Clinical case: hepatic lobectomy. Radical cholycystectomy. Pancreatectomy: Whipple procedure. Distal pancreatectomy. Clinical case: retroperitoneal sarcoma. Sarcoma. Right adrenalectomy. Clinical case. Part IV. Lower Abdomen Surgical anatomy of the abdomen. Right hemicolectomy. Left hemicolectomy. Transverse colectomy. Sigmoid colectomy. Low anterior resection. Surgical anatomy of the perineum. Abdominal perineal resection. Surgical anatomy for pelvic exteneration (female). Pelvic exteneration (female). Urinary diversion. Surgical anatomy for pelvic exteneration (male). Pelvic exteneration (male). Clinical case. Part V. Radical Amputations: Surgical anatomy for radical resections of the upper extremity Forequarter amputation. Tikoff Lindberg procedure. Surgical anatomy of the pelvis. Hemipelvectomy. Clinical case: chondrosarcoma of the pubis. Clinical case: chondrosarcoma of the iliac wing. Part VI. Soft Tissues Surgical anatomy of the breast. Modified radical mastectomy. Clinical case. Surgical anatomy of the groin. Groin dissection.
Seed Formation and Development

Seed formation begins with the combination of a male and female gamete: a process known as fertilization. Fertilization, or syngamy, can occur when both male and female gametophytes are fully mature. This usually occurs in a dual fusion process known as double fertilization (Figure 2.1). When the pollen grain lands on the stigma, it germinates by sending out a pollen tube, which grows down the style, through the micropyle and into the embryo sac, with the tube nucleus closely following the tube apex downward. The tube nucleus soon degenerates, but the two pollen sperm cells enter the embryo sac, one fusing with the diploid (2N) polar nucleus to form a triploid (3N) endosperm nucleus and the other fusing with the egg cell to form a diploid (2N) zygote, or fertilized egg.
Financial Constraints and the Real Effects of Monetary Stabilization Policies under Alternative Exchange Rate Regimes

A common argument against monetary stabilization policies in developing countries is that they lead to short-run output contractions. This paper shows that, in economies facing financial constraints, such results only need to hold in a fixed exchange rate system. Under flexible exchange rates, reductions in the nominal stock of money will be contractionary only if they are temporary. Permanent decreases in the stock of money will leave output unchanged or might even be expansionary. These conclusions will be valid, however, only if the stabilization policies are fully announced and followed by the governments in those economies.
Afferent vagal C fibre innervation of the lungs and airways and its functional significance

We have attempted in this review to give an account of an afferent vagal input from the lower respiratory tract that has still to be explored fully, and to present experimental evidence that this fine fibre afferent system plays a significant role in the neural control of respiratory function in both normal and pathological circumstances.
The structure and bonding of 4f and 5f series organometallic compounds

This paper will focus on the molecular structures of organo-actinides and -lanthanides (as determined primarily by x-ray diffraction). To the extent that these structures or comparison of structural parameters tell us something about the bonding, the details of these structure results will be discussed in this light. Fortunately the science of x-ray diffraction has advanced to the stage where it can be used as a general structural probe in the investigation of series of compounds in addition to the character­ization of individual examples. In the area of organoactinides and -lanthanides this has been a particularly important tool for the characterization of the basic chemistry of these species. Un­like the classic d transition metal organometallic compounds there appeared no early, unifying law such as the 18 electron rule. However it became clear that the chemistry of these compounds was more extensive and complex than would be expected of simple ionic salts. In several cases the structures found have been completely unanticipated — no stronger statement can be made about the role of crystallography in the understanding that we have today of this area of chemistry.
Genetic Algorithms, Clustering, and the Breaking of Symmetry

This paper introduces clustering as a tool to improve the effects of recombination and incorporate niching in evolutionary algorithms. Instead of processing the entire set of parent solutions, the set is first clustered and the solutions in each of the clusters are processed separately. This alleviates the problem of symmetry which is often a major difficulty of many evolutionary algorithms in combinatorial optimization. Furthermore, it incorporates niching into genetic algorithms and, for the first time, the probabilistic model-building genetic algorithms. The dynamics and performance of the proposed method are illustrated on example problems.
LOSS OF SELF AS ETHICAL LIMIT

This Comment argues that Stephen Bush's critique of Georges Bataille's meditative practice fails to recognize how the disruption of the self, and the challenge to goal-oriented activity that comprise the heart of that practice, serve as an ethical limit that protects against sadistic and violent engagement with the world. The ethical disposition fostered by Bataille's practice is a dissolution of the self.
Educational Psychology and Educational Transformation

As we move into a new era of collaborative research and improving the relevancy of our research contributions in educational psychology for solving a variety of pressing real-world educational issues, it is clear that we are no longer just reforming education with our research findings. I argue in this chapter that we are now in an era of educational transformation that has been enriched with recent findings from educational psychology researchers studying a variety of relevant topics from a big picture, multiple-methods research models. Research from those studying learning, teaching, cognition, motivation, development, and individual differences now suggests a dramatic paradigm change with research-validated findings informing stakeholders of the important changes that must be made to address pressing national and international issues regarding student learning performance and achievement outcomes. Prior research is updated and what has changed in our understanding of important factors to consider in educational transformation are emphasized and what has been further corroborated by more recent research is highlighted in each section of this chapter. What has been learned and new directions in the decade following the first edition of this handbook are summarized, with particular attention given to what an integration of these findings mean for the future of our field and the future of our 21st-century educational system. Keywords: educational transformation; 21st-century learning and teaching paradigms; motivational and cognitive interventions that work; research-validated pedagogical principles; systemic approaches to educational transformation
Cover Picture: Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles Mimic Catalytic Activity of a Polysiloxane‐Synthesizing Enzyme (Adv. Mater. 10/2005)

A system that acts as a biomimetic of the silica-synthesizing enzyme found in a marine sponge is reported by Morse and co-workers on p. 1234. Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) are functionalized with the same organic moieties that are found in the enzyme's catalytic site. Interaction between the nucleophilic (OH-terminated) and hydrogen-bonding (imidazole-terminated) GNPs, as shown on the cover, is required for the hydrolysis of a silicon alkoxide precursor and subsequent polycondensation to form silica at a low temperature and near-neutral pH. Replacement of either of the required functional groups by a non-reactive methyl group abolishes catalysis in this synthetic system, as it does in the biological enzyme. Cover art provided by Peter Allen.
Helical and polymeric nanostructures assembled from benzene tri- and tetracarboxylic acids associated with terpyridine copper(II) complexes.

A ladder-like framework was derived from benzene-1,2,4,5-tetracarboxylic acid with CuII and terpyridine; whereas with benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylic acid, a helical structure was formed with two CO2− groups bridging opposing (terpyridine)CuII units and the other CO2H connecting the helical cylinders via H-bonding.
Cosmic optimism in some Genesis myths.

Myths are statements in metaphor about rigorous life problems; thus they project emotional realities. Among Genesis myths are etiologic rationalizations for: harsh toil for sustenance; woman's pain in childbirth; the unequal struggle against conscience; punishment for murder; world destruction and rebirth. A good God rules; the dominant tone is optimism.
EFFECTS OF CULTIVARS, BLANCHING TECHNIQUES, AND COOKING METHODS ON QUALITY OF FROZEN GREEN BEANS AS MEASURED BY PHYSICAL AND SENSORY ATTRIBUTES

Effects of cultivars, blanching techniques, and cooking methods on the color, texture, and sensory characteristics of frozen green beans were investigated. Provider beans were firmer than the Contender cultivar following frozen storage and cooking when evaluated instrumentally and by a sensory panel. Microwave-blanched beans were harder according to Instron measurements, and sensory scores for firmness and toughness were higher than beans blanched by boiling water or steam. Green beans blanched or cooked by microwaves had grassy aromas and strong off-flavors that were not detected in those blanched or cooked by conventional methods. Microwave cooked beans were greener and firmer than those conventionally cooked.
Viscosity of n-hexadecane, n-octadecane and n-eicosane at pressures up to 243MPa and temperatures up to 534K

Abstract Viscosity data are reported for n-hexadecane (C16), n-octadecane (C18), and n-eicosane (C20) at pressures between (3 and 243) MPa and temperatures between (304 and 534) K. These extreme conditions are representative of those encountered in ultra-deep petroleum formations beneath the deepwaters of the Gulf of Mexico. The measurements are taken with a novel windowed Inconel rolling-ball viscometer designed by our team that is calibrated with n-decane. A comparison of the reported viscosity values with the available literature data that cover limited pressure and temperature ranges, shows that the mean absolute percentage deviation, δ, ranges between 1.1% and 4.8%. The reported data extend the database of viscosity to the high-temperature, high-pressure region where most gaps occur in the literature data for n-hexadecane and n-octadecane. To the best of our knowledge, the results for n-eicosane are the first reported viscosity values at pressures above 2 MPa over the entire temperature range. The viscosity results are modeled with the free volume theory model in conjunction with density values obtained using the Peng–Robinson equation of state (EoS) and the PC-SAFT EoS. The δ values obtained with this model range from 2.0% to 3.5%. The data are also correlated by a non-linear surface fit as a simultaneous function of temperature and pressure that yields δ values of 0.40%, 0.43%, and 0.38% for C16, C18, and C20, respectively.
Gadolinium-substitution induced effects on the structure and AC electrical properties of cobalt ferrite

Abstract We report on the frequency ( f =20 Hz–1 MHz) and temperature ( T =300–600 K) dependent electrical properties of gadolinium (Gd) substituted cobalt ferrite (CoF 2− x Gd x O 4 (CFGO); x =0.00–0.40). Gd-substituted cobalt ferrites crystallize in cubic inverse spinel phase. CFGO materials exhibit lattice parameter expansion from 8.373 A ( x =0.0) to 8.422 A ( x =0.4) due to the larger ionic radius of Gd 3+ compared to Fe 3+ . The effect of Gd-substitution is significant on the electrical properties; electrical conductivity decreases with increasing Gd-concentration. A two-layer model consisting of semiconducting-CFGO-grains separated by insulating grain-boundaries was able to account for the observed temperature and frequency dependent electrical properties.
Inflationary finance in an open economy

Abstract Models of inflationary finance that consider trade and capital flows generally conclude that openness curtails the ability of governments to impose the inflation tax due to currency substitution. This paper models two channels that allow central banks to increase inflation tax revenue by opening the economy. First, central banks can open the capital account subject to a reserve requirement on capital inflows. Revenue maximization produces a smaller reserve requirement on foreign capital inflows that on domestic deposits. Second, central banks can impose prior import deposits to broaden the monetary base in order to use the inflation tax on imports as an alternative to tariff revenue.
Remote monitoring of cardiovascular devices: a time and activity analysis

Background Expanding indications for cardiovascular implantable electronic devices are accompanied by an increasing burden of device clinic follow-up. Remote monitoring (RM) may be less time-consuming compared to in-office follow-up; however, its effect on the device clinic workflow has not been clarified. Objective To determine the impact of RM on device clinic workflow. Methods Detailed workflow data were prospectively collected over a 2-week period in a busy device clinic. Results Five hundred remote transmissions were received from 434 patients between March 1 and March 16, 2011—346 implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, 84 pacemaker, and 70 implantable loop recorder transmissions—on 4 RM platforms (CareLink 56.4%, Merlin.net 21.4%, LATITUDE 17.8%, and Home Monitoring 4.4%). The mean time spent per transmission was 11.5 ± 7.7 minutes, which was less than in-person interrogations (27.7 ± 9.9 minutes; P P = .0001). A total of 5.8% of the transmissions were duplicate. Transmissions that revealed clinically important findings took longer to process than those that did not (21.0 ± 7.4 minutes vs 10.1 ± 2.1 minutes; P Conclusions Analysis of RM transmissions has significant implications for the device clinic workflow. Nonactionable transmissions are rapidly processed, allowing clinicians to focus on clinically important findings. However, poor patient compliance complicates the workflow efficiency of currently available systems.
Watch On The Right: Conservative Intellectuals In The Reagan Era

The ascendancy of conservatism in the last 20 years is an unprecedented episode in American intellectual and political history. In "Watch on the Right", J.David Hoeveler Jr, gives us enlightening, often immensely entertaining portraits of the key thinkers behind this revolution". As Hoeveler writes, "conservative thinkers hang their hats on many different racks", and this book dramatizes for us the breadth of the conservative coalition as exemplified by the eight writers surveyed: William F.Buckley, Jr, George Will, Robert Nisbet, Irving Kristol, Hilton Kramer, Jeanne Tyrrell Jr, and Michael Novack. These eight "gurus" of the right represent a very wide spectrum of conservative thought, but Hoeveler also considers the present-day conservative renaissance against the literary background that has given the movement its identity since Edmund Burke. Amid the multiple voices unifying themes do emerge. American conservatives share a hostility toward the liberal "new class" - the professional media and academic elites and the entrenched government bureaucracies that still believe in the perfectibility of society by enforced social engineering. Moreover, conservatives of all persuasions are united in struggling to sustain traditional values against the onslaught of revolutionary capitalism and technology, and all are profoundly hostile to imperialistic communism on the Soviet model.