cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Automatic quantification of left ventricular ejection fraction from gated blood pool SPECT.

Cardiac gated blood pool single photon emission computed tomography (GBPS) better separates cardiac chambers compared with planar radionuclide ventriculography (PRNV). We have developed a completely automatic algorithm to measure quantitatively the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) from gated technetium 99m-red blood cells (RBC) GBPS short-axis 3-dimensional image volumes. The algorithm determines an ellipsoidal coordinate system for the left ventricle and then computes a static estimate of the endocardial surface by use of counts and count gradients. A dynamic surface representing the endocardium is computed for each interval of the cardiac cycle by use of additional information from the temporal Fourier transform of the image data sets. The algorithm then calculates the left ventricular volume for each interval and computes LVEF from the end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes. The algorithm was developed in a pilot group (N=45) and validated in a second group (N=89) of patients who underwent PRNV and 8-interval GBPS. Technically inadequate studies (N=38) were rejected before grouping and processing. Automatic identification and contouring of the left ventricle was successful in 121/172 patients (70%) globally and in 76/89 patients (85%) in the validation group. Correlation between LVEFs measured from GBPS and PRNV was high (y=2.00+1.01x, r=0.89), with GBPS LVEF significantly higher than PRNV LVEF (average difference=2.8% P<.004). Our automatic algorithm agrees with conventional radionuclide measurements of LVEF and provides the basis for 3-dimensional analysis of wall motion.
By word of mouth: historical performance comes of age

Since Clive Brown’s 1991 accusation that many twentieth-century manifestations of historical performance lacked an appropriate degree of musical sensitivity, the historical performance movement has truly come of age. In the arena of Western Art music, historical performance is now an essential component of musical training and education. Successful performers must be able to seamlessly function across the widest possible range of musical styles, accommodating an equally wide gamut of tastes, both individually and collectively. In 1982, nine years earlier, Walter Ong’s Orality and Literacy: The Technologizing of the Word explored differences between oral and literate cultures. Of particular interest to me, a musician working across both practice and theory primarily in the arena of historical performance, is Ong’s identification and definition of some characteristics of orally-based thought and expression. In the 21st century, particularly at an institution such as London’s Royal College of Music, fluency across both practice and theory is the norm. Applying Ong’s work to the teaching and learning, rehearsing and performing of Western Art music, and through this, reflecting on the nature of orality and literacy, can give us a far greater understanding of the dynamics of practice and theory. In considering Ong alongside the work of performer/scholars, musicologists, and other writers, this paper suggests that the current success of the historical performance movement lies in its ability to embrace both oral and literate modes.
Outcome of endoscopic balloon dilation of strictures after laparoscopic gastric bypass

Stricture formation at the gastrojejunal anastomosis is a relatively common complication after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB). The objective of this study was to report the incidence of stomal strictures after LRYGB in our institution and report our experience with their management by endoscopic balloon dilatation. This is a retrospective study of 1012 patients who underwent LRYGB from January 2001 to May 2004. Patients with nausea and vomiting after the surgery, suspected of having gastrojejunal (GJ) anastomotic stricture, had upper endoscopy. Stomas less than 10 mm in diameter, or those not allowing passage of the scope were considered significant strictures and were treated with balloon dilations. Dilations were performed with a through-the-scope (TTS) balloon, with sizes ranging from 6 to 18 mm. The following data were collected from these patients: age, sex, body mass index (BMI), comorbidities, size of balloon catheter, time from surgery until symptoms onset, number of endoscopies needed to relief symptoms, and complications of the procedure. Sixty-one patients (46 females and 15 males) were found to have anastomotic strictures, corresponding to an incidence of 6%. In total, 134 upper endoscopies were performed, with 128 dilatations. The average age was 41.7 years (range: 19–68 years); mean preoperative BMI was 45 kg/m2 (range: 42–61 kg/m2). Mean time from surgery to symptoms onset was 2 months (range: 1–6 months). The number of dilations per patient was as follows: a single dilation in 28% of patients, two dilations in 33%, three dilations in 26%, four dilations in 11.5%, and five dilations in 1.5% of patients. All the patients responded to dilation without need for formal surgical revision. However, after balloon dilatation three patients (4.9%), all females, had bowel perforation by radiological criteria (free air on X-ray), which corresponded to 2.2% of all dilatations. The maximum balloon size used in this group was 13.5 mm. All three patients had exploratory laparoscopy without finding of perforation site. They were treated with bowel rest, intravenous antibiotics for 7 days, and drain placement. No factors were identified to predict a risk of perforation. This is the largest study to evaluate the outcome of endoscopic dilatations of GJ strictures after RYGB. Endoscopic balloon dilation is a safe and effective treatment for anastomotic strictures. However, it carries a small risk of perforation. Further case studies are needed to determine risk factors for perforation and if the patients can be managed conservatively in this setting.
A physically-based constitutive model for BCC crystals with application to polycrystalline tantalum

Abstract Based on the results of an extensive series of systematic experiments on commercially pure tantalum (bcc crystals), a physically-based, rate- and temperature-dependent constitutive model is proposed for bcc single crystals and is applied to simulate the experimental results, using the Taylor averaging method. The model calculation is based on a new efficient algorithm for the numerical solution of the finite deformation of bcc single crystals, involving up to 48 potentially active slip systems. The accuracy and efficiency of the proposed algorithm are checked through comparison with the results of the conventional explicit Euler time-integration scheme, using a very large number of timesteps. The model effectively simulates a large body of experimental data, over a broad range of strain rates (10−3 − 4 × 104/s), and temperatures (77 to 1300 K), with strains exceeding 100%, using very few adjustable parameters whose values are fixed at the outset for a given material. All other involved constitutive parameters are estimated based on the crystal structure and the physics of plastic flow.
Advances In The Prevention And Treatment Of Cardiovascular Disease

Over the past thirty-five years, U.S. age-adjusted mortality from cardiovascular disease declined 50 percent. This marked reduction reflects advances in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of common cardiovascular conditions. Pharmaceutical agents play a major role in prevention of atherosclerosis and its consequences: heart attack, stroke, and heart failure. Additionally, novel device-based therapies contribute to the decline in cardiac morbidity and mortality. Whereas innovative strategies based on accurate imaging of the heart and blood vessels are implemented widely now, hope exists that lifestyle changes, early risk-factor screening, and more efficacious drugs will strikingly reduce cardiovascular disease in the future.
Fever without source in children. Recommendations for outpatient care in those up to 3.

PREVIEWManagement of fever without source in young children, especially those between birth and 3 years of age, needs to be structured to minimize unfafvorable outcomes and to avoid undue pain to the child and inconvenience to the family from often unnecessary hospital admission. In this article, Dr Park provides practical recommendations for the care of such children and comments on differences between the approach in an emergency department and that in a physician's office.
Quantitative evaluation of fracture, healing and re-healing of a reversibly cross-linked polymer

Abstract The repeated fracture–healing characteristics of 2MEP4F polymer, a cross-linked polymer based on Diels–Alder cycloaddition, are systematically and quantitatively evaluated using a sample geometry that allows for controlled incremental crack growth so that the cracked sample remains in one piece after the test, improving our ability to realign the fracture surfaces prior to healing. The specimens have been pre-cracked to a repeatable length to enable accurate comparison between virgin and healed fracture loads, and hence fracture toughness. Moreover, multiple data points are extracted from a single sample. In this paper, we report the results of our repeated fracturing and healing cycles. We have shown that healing at temperatures between 85 and 95 °C, after repeated fracture–healing cycles, results in full fracture toughness recovery and no dimensional changes due to creep. We have then calculated the fracture toughness after each fracturing and healing cycle, using a previously developed and tested model, arriving at consistent results for repeatedly healed 2MEP4F polymer. These results show a fracture toughness of about 0.71 MPa m 1/2 for this material at room temperature. We have also examined healing for shorter periods, as little as 30 min, using the same temperature–pressure cycle, arriving at essentially the same final results, i.e., full toughness recovery. That the healing process is largely independent of time is in contrast to the diffusion-controlled healing observed in the welding of thermoplastic polymers. Rather, it shows that the healing in the 2MEP4F polymer results from the repair of the broken Diels–Alder (cross-linking) bonds that seems to restore a molecular structure similar to that of the original virgin polymer with the same (or even slightly improved) overall macroscopic fracture resistance.
Alterations of Pulse Pressure Stimulate Arterial Wall Matrix Remodeling

The effect of pulse pressure on arterial wall remodeling remains unclear, although remodeling of the arterial wall under hypertensive pressure and elevated flow has been well documented. The objective of this study was to evaluate matrix remodeling in arteries under nonpulsatile and hyperpulsatile pressure as compared to arteries under normal pulsatile pressure. Using a novel ex vivo organ culture model that allowed us to change pressure pulsatility without changing mean pressure or flow, arteries were cultured for 7 days under normal, nonpulsatile, and hyperpulsatile pressures with the same mean pressure and flow rate. Fenestrae in internal elastic lamina (IEL), collagen content, connexin 43, and fibronectin proteins were examined in these arteries using confocal microscopy, immunoblotting, and immunohistochemistry. Our results showed that the mean fenestrae size and area fraction of fenestrae to total area of IEL decreased 51 % and 45 % in arteries cultured under nonpulsatile pressure and decreased 45 % and 54 % under hyperpulsatile pressure, respectively, compared to arteries under normal pulsatile pressure. There was no difference in fibronectin (FN) and collagen III levels among the three pulse groups, while collagen I and connexin 43 expression increased 80.8% and 35.3% in the hyperpulsatile arteries, respectively, but not in nonpulsatile arteries. In conclusion, our results demonstrated, for the first time, that an increase or elimination in pulse pressure from its normal physiologic level stimulates arterial wall matrix structural changes. Hyperpulsatile pressure has a more pronounced effect than the diminished pulse pressure, which may provide a mechanism for increased wall stiffness in arteries under hyperpulsatile pressure.
Potential genetic improvement due to supplemental mass pollination management in conifer seed orchards

Abstract Enhancement of the genetic value of conifer seeds produced in open-pollinated conifer seed orchards by supplemental mass pollination (SMP) is affected by the timing of the application, orchard flowering phenologies, and background pollen values. Ambient pollen cloud genetic values are often only marginally different from the genetic value of the SMP pollen and the level of improvement is low. Large gains can be made by intensive applications of high genetic quality pollen during periods of low value ambient pollen. The time and expense involved with the intensive application programs needs to be weighed against the potential genetic gains prior to initiating the program.
Role of quinones in toxicology.

Quinones represent a class of toxicological intermediates which can create a variety of hazardous effects in vivo, including acute cytotoxicity, immunotoxicity, and carcinogenesis. The mechanisms by which quinones cause these effects can be quite complex. Quinones are Michael acceptors, and cellular damage can occur through alkylation of crucial cellular proteins and/or DNA. Alternatively, quinones are highly redox active molecules which can redox cycle with their semiquinone radicals, leading to formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), including superoxide, hydrogen peroxide, and ultimately the hydroxyl radical. Production of ROS can cause severe oxidative stress within cells through the formation of oxidized cellular macromolecules, including lipids, proteins, and DNA. Formation of oxidatively damaged bases such as 8-oxodeoxyguanosine has been associated with aging and carcinogenesis. Furthermore, ROS can activate a number of signaling pathways, including protein kinase C and RAS. This review explore...
Cadaverine in the brain of axenic mice

CADAVERINE has been shown to be present in the central nervous system (CNS) (refs 1, 2 and personal communication from M. Wiechmann). Its concentration in the whole brain varies during behavioural sleep in mammals and during hibernation in molluscs1,2. It is a precursor of piperidine, which has been linked with some functional stages of the CNS. Cadaverine is the source of much of the piperidine excreted in the urine3. Cadaverine has been considered a non-metabolite of the brain, and its presence in the body was believed to be due almost entirely to bacterial decarboxylation of lysine in the intestine4. In slices of mouse brain, exogenous cadaverine accumulates against a concentration gradient and can reach a concentration ten times greater in the tissue than in the surrounding medium4. The question has been therefore: does the cadaverine in the brain originate from an exogenous source; is it formed and resorbed in the intestine? Assaying cadaverine in axenic mice, we have now found that this is not the case, and that there is an endogenous source of cadaverine in the mouse.
Image properties of list mode likelihood reconstruction for a rectangular positron emission mammograph with DOI measurements

A positron emission mammography scanner is under development at our Laboratory. The tomograph has a rectangular geometry consisting of four banks of detector modules. For each detector, the system can measure the depth of interaction information inside the crystal. The rectangular geometry leads to irregular radial and angular sampling and spatially variant sensitivity that are different from conventional PET systems. Therefore, it is of importance to study the image properties of the reconstructions. We adapted the theoretical analysis that we had developed for conventional PET systems to the list mode likelihood reconstruction for this tomograph. The local impulse response and covariance of the reconstruction can be easily computed using FFT. These theoretical results are also used with computer observer models to compute the signal-to-noise ratio for lesion detection. The analysis reveals the spatially variant resolution and noise properties of the list mode likelihood reconstruction. The theoretical predictions are in good agreement with Monte Carlo results.
Strategies for diminishing katanin-based loss of microtubules in tauopathic neurodegenerative diseases

It is commonly stated that microtubules gradually disintegrate as tau becomes dissociated from them in tauopathies such as Alzheimer's disease. However, there has been no compelling evidence to date that such disintegration is due to depolymerization of microtubules from their ends. In recent studies, we have shown that neurons contain sufficient levels of the microtubule-severing protein termed katanin to completely break down the axonal microtubule array if not somehow attenuated. The presence of tau on axonal microtubules renders them notably less sensitive to katanin, prompting us to posit that microtubule disintegration in tauopathies may result from elevated severing of the microtubules as they lose tau. In support of this hypothesis, we demonstrate here that pathogenic tau mutants that bind less strongly to microtubules than wild-type tau provide correspondingly less protection against katanin-based severing. Using cultured rat hippocampal neurons, we pursued two potential therapies for fortifying axonal microtubules against excess severing by katanin, under conditions of tau depletion. We found that either deacetylating the microtubules via overexpression of HDAC6 or treating the neurons with NAP, a microtubule-interacting neuroprotective peptide, resulted in notable protection of the microtubules against katanin-based loss. In both cases, we found that these treatments also diminished the characteristic increase in axonal branching that normally accompanies tau depletion, an effect that is also known to be directly related to the severing of microtubules. These observations may be useful in developing therapeutic regimes for preserving microtubules against loss in the axons of patients suffering from tauopathies.
A 16Gb/s Source-Series Terminated Transmitter in 65nm CMOS SOI

A half-rate source-series terminated TX, operating at data-rates up to 16Gb/s, targets chip-to-chip on-board interconnects. The TX features a 4-tap FFE, tunable termination, and clock-cleanup circuitry for low duty-cycle distortion, and is capable of driving loads referenced to a variable termination voltage, including Gnd, VDD, and VDD/2. Implemented in 65nm SOI, it occupies an area of 230 times 56mum2 and draws 57.5mA from a 1V supply at 16Gb/s.
Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH): Measurement of intracellular, secreted, and circulating hormone in Xenopus laevis and Xenopus tropicalis

Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) is an important regulator of the hypothalamic–pituitary–thyroid (HPT) axis in Xenopus laevis. To evaluate the role of this hormone on developing tadpoles, immunologically-based Western blots and sandwich ELISAs were developed for measuring intracellular (within pituitaries), secreted (ex vivo pituitary culture), and circulating (serum) amounts. Despite the small size of the tadpoles, these methods were able to easily measure intracellular and secreted TSH, and circulating TSH was measurable in situations where high levels were induced. The method was validated after obtaining a highly purified and enriched TSH sample using anti-TSH-β antibodies conjugated to magnetic beads. Subsequent mass-spectrometric analysis of the bands from SDS–PAGE and Western procedures identified the presence of amino acid sequences corresponding to TSH subunits. The purified sample was also used to prepare standard curves for quantitative analysis. The Western and ELISA methods had limits of detection in the low nanogram range. While the majority of the developmental work for these methods was done with X. laevis, the methods also detected TSH in Xenopus tropicalis. To our knowledge this is the first report of a specific detection method for TSH in these species, and the first to measure circulating TSH in amphibians. Examples of the utility of the methods include measuring a gradual increase in pituitary TSH at key stages of development, peaking at stages 58–62; the suppression of TSH secretion from cultured pituitaries in the presence of thyroid hormone (T4); and increases in serum TSH following thyroidectomy.
The effect of predation on begging-call evolution in nestling wood warblers.

I combined a comparative study of begging in ground- and tree-nesting wood warblers (Parulidae) with experimental measures of the predation costs of warbler begging calls. Throughout their development, ground-nesting warbler nestlings had significantly higher-frequency begging calls than did tree-nesting warblers. There was also a trend for ground-nesting birds to have less rapidly modulated calls. There were no consistent associations between nesting site and the amplitude of the calls. Using miniature walkie-talkies hidden inside artificial nests, I reciprocally transplanted the begging calls of 5- and 8-day-old black-throated blue warblers,Dendroica caerulescens(tree-nesting) and ovenbirds,Seiurus aurocapillus(ground-nesting) and measured the corresponding changes in rates of nest predation. For the begging calls of 8-day-old nestlings, but not those of 5-day-olds, the calls of the tree-nesting species coming from ground nests incurred greater costs than did the calls of ground nesters. The reciprocal transplant had little effect on the rate of predation. Tooth imprints on clay eggs placed in artificial nests indicated that eastern chipmunks,Tamias striatus, were responsible for the increased cost of begging for black-throated blue calls coming from the ground. These data suggest that nest predation may be responsible for maintaining some of the interspecific differences in the acoustic structure of begging calls.
Networked Exchanges, Identity, Writing

This article argues for a rhetoric of networked exchanges that focuses on the response. Working from Spinuzzi's call for a rhetoric of horizontal learning, it examines two kinds of online writing s...
Zoetrope: interacting with the ephemeral web

The Web is ephemeral. Pages change frequently, and it is nearly impossible to find data or follow a link after the underlying page evolves. We present Zoetrope, a system that enables interaction with the historicalWeb (pages, links, and embedded data) that would otherwise be lost to time. Using a number of novel interactions, the temporal Web can be manipulated, queried, and analyzed from the context of familar pages. Zoetrope is based on a set of operators for manipulating content streams. We describe these primitives and the associated indexing strategies for handling temporal Web data. They form the basis of Zoetrope and enable our construction of new temporal interactions and visualizations.
The Exact Analytical Solution for Large Circular Loops Radiating Around a Dielectric Coated Conducting Sphere

In this paper, the electromagnetic field of electrically large circular loop antennas, with different radii and different nonuniform current values, around a dielectric coated conducting sphere is considered. One or more loop antennas are located on the outer surface of a spherical dielectric shell covering a conducting sphere. Eigenfunction series solutions for the field are assumed in two regions. The current distribution on the wire loop, driven by a voltage source, is determined by Fourier series expansion and all necessary harmonics are taken into account. Exact analytical field expressions in closed forms are derived and field patterns are plotted. The antenna model and formulation presented in this paper offer exact analytical solutions to several loop antenna problems.
NADPH oxidase activity is necessary for acute intermittent hypoxia-induced phrenic long-term facilitation.

Phrenic long-term facilitation (pLTF) following acute intermittent hypoxia (AIH) is a form of spinal, serotonin-dependent synaptic plasticity that requires reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation. We tested the hypothesis that spinal NADPH oxidase activity is a necessary source of ROS for pLTF. Sixty minutes post-AIH (three 5-min episodes of 11% O2, 5 min intervals), integrated phrenic and hypoglossal (XII) nerve burst amplitudes were increased from baseline, indicative of phrenic and XII LTF. Intrathecal injections (∼C4) of apocynin or diphenyleneiodonium chloride (DPI), two structurally and functionally distinct inhibitors of the NADPH oxidase complex, attenuated phrenic, but not XII, LTF. Immunoblots from soluble (cytosolic) and particulate (membrane) fractions of ventral C4 spinal segments revealed predominantly membrane localization of the NADPH oxidase catalytic subunit, gp91phox, whereas membrane and cytosolic expression were both observed for the regulatory subunits, p47phox and RAC1. Immunohistochemical analysis of fixed tissues revealed these same subunits in presumptive phrenic motoneurons of the C4 ventral horn, but not in neighbouring astrocytes or microglia. Collectively, these data demonstrate that NADPH oxidase subunits localized within presumptive phrenic motoneurons are a major source of ROS necessary for AIH-induced pLTF. Thus, NADPH oxidase activity is a key regulator of spinal synaptic plasticity, and may be a useful pharmaceutical target in developing therapeutic strategies for respiratory insufficiency in patients with, for example, cervical spinal injury.
Post-Traumatic Aneurysm of the Left Ventricle

Three cases of left ventricular aneurysm secondary to external violence are reported. Each patient presented with a pseudoaneurysm of the left ventricle, following penetrating trauma in two instances and blunt trauma in the third instance. The interval between injury and diagnosis ranged from 5 months to 24 years. Two patients underwent successful resection of the aneurysm. Repair was not attempted in the third patient. Only 16 cases of post-traumatic left ventricular aneurysm have previously been reported. In 13 of the 19 cases available for review, the trauma was blunt and in six penetrating. The aneurysm could be determined to be a true aneurysm in five instances and a false aneurysm in eight instances. Complications (rupture, cardiac failure, embolism, and arrhythmia) proved fatal in eight cases. Each of the eight patients subjected to aneurysmectomy survived.
Mapping between ASN.1 and XML

Abstract Syntax Notation One (ASN.1) is a framework for representing tree structured data. Since ASN.1 data are structured data, it should be possible to represent the same information in Extensible Markup Language (XML). The translation between ASN.1 and XML will enable us to manipulate efficient ASN.1 data in a user-friendly manner. We develop a Java library for such translation, called ASN.1/XML translator. We also confirm actual ASN.1 data were translated into expected XML documents and these documents were translated back into the original data if the data were encoded according to Distinguished Encoding Rules (DER). Moreover we discuss still existing issues and try to address them, especially support of XML Schema.
Patterning the early Xenopus embryo

Developmental biology teachers use the example of the frog embryo to introduce young scientists to the wonders of vertebrate development, and to pose the crucial question, 'How does a ball of cells become an exquisitely patterned embryo?'. Classical embryologists also recognized the power of the amphibian model and used extirpation and explant studies to explore early embryo polarity and to define signaling centers in blastula and gastrula stage embryos. This review revisits these early stages of Xenopus development and summarizes the recent explosion of information on the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that are responsible for the first phases of embryonic patterning.
Symbolic execution with abstract subsumption checking

We address the problem of error detection for programs that take recursive data structures and arrays as input. Previously we proposed a combination of symbolic execution and model checking for the analysis of such programs: we put a bound on the size of the program inputs and/or the search depth of the model checker to limit the search state space. Here we look beyond bounded model checking and consider state matching techniques to limit the state space. We describe a method for examining whether a symbolic state that arises during symbolic execution is subsumed by another symbolic state. Since subsumption is in general not enough to ensure termination, as the number of symbolic states may be infinite, we also consider abstraction techniques for computing and storing abstract states during symbolic execution. Subsumption checking determines whether an abstract state is being revisited, in which case the model checker backtracks – this enables analysis of an under-approximation of the program behaviors. We illustrate the technique with abstractions for lists and arrays. The abstractions encode both the shape of the program heap and the constraints on numeric data. We have implemented the techniques in the Java PathFinder tool and we show their effectiveness on Java programs.
Reply to Ligthart-Melis et al.

reply: we want to thank Lighart-Mellis et al. ([3][1]) for their kind compliments on our recent publication as well as their feedback. We agree with their comments that results obtained in rodents might not be directly translated to humans and that all results obtained with animal models should be
Absent, Full and Partial Responsibility of the Psychopaths

The research into the typical behavioral pattern, motivational structure, and the value system of psychopaths can shed light on at least three aspects related to the analysis of the moral agency. First, it can help elucidating the emotive and cognitive conditions necessary for moral performance. Secondly, it can provide empirical evidence supporting the externalist theories of moral motivation. Finally, it can bring into greater focus our intuitive notion of the limits of moral responsibility. In this paper I shall concentrate on the last one¯the question of responsibility of the amoralists, but the discussion will have an indirect bearing on the other two themes as well. My main reason for holding psychopaths morally responsible breaks down into two claims: the assumption that most ordinary people are morally responsible for their intentional actions (i.e., the rejection of hard determinism) and the denial that the psychopaths are qualitatively different from the non-psychopaths. This thesis is further defended against two objections. First, I am arguing that the genetically based emotive deficiency of the psychopaths cannot be seen the factor condemning them to amoral existence, and thus cannot be cited as an exempting condition. Secondly, my position is defended against the claim that psychopaths are partly responsible for their actions. It is argued that the notion of partial responsibility is either incoherent or else rests on a false empirical premise. My conclusion is in agreement with, and provides a theoretical justification for, the position of most classifications of the persons with antisocial personality disorder in the DSM IV.
Computing quadtree medial axis transform by a multi-layered pyramid of LISP-processor arrays

The authors explore the potential of using the quadtree image-representation scheme in a multiprocessor pyramid and present algorithms for computing the quadtree medial-axis transform of a binary image on the basis of a bottom-up multilayered pyramid of LISP-processor arrays. All the data structures are represented in the list form. There are three layers of processors at each level of the pyramid: PYRAMID layer, DIST layer, and QMAT layer. The first two layers form the quadtree data structure and compute the chess-board distance transform values, and the QMAT layer computes the quadtree medial-axis transform. >
Neonatal Coronoid Hyperplasia: A Report of a Case and Concepts to Promote Early Diagnosis and Treatment

Limited mouth opening in the neonatal patient is primarily caused by either soft tissue or hard tissue pathologic features. Differentiation between the two can usually be elicited by physical examination with the patient under anesthesia. Limited opening from soft tissue pathologic features can be increased with stretching. In contrast, osseous pathologic features will produce an anatomic stop. Syndromic cases with hard tissue pathologic features are primarily due to coronoid hyperplasia. Our aims are to help clinicians evaluate and identify mandibular hypomobility in the pediatric patient resulting from coronoid hyperplasia and to promote early treatment to improve long-term oral function. We present the case of a 2-month-old male who was born premature at 30 weeks by emergency cesarean section. Examination revealed multiple anomalies, including significant trismus with a maximal opening of 4 mm. A computed tomography scan revealed significant bilateral coronoid hyperplasia. At the age of 90 days, the patient underwent bilateral coronoidectomies with endoscopic guidance under general anesthesia. After resection, the patient was able to open his mouth to 25 mm. This opening was maintained with postoperative physiotherapy. Clinical problems can arise from the potential sequelae of neonatal trismus. Acutely, these problems can range from feeding difficulty and potential malnutrition to aspiration and emergent airway compromise. Long-term consequences include growth restrictions because of malnutrition, speech delay, muscle contracture and atrophy, facial asymmetry, and the risk of infection owing to poor oral hygiene. Information is limited about neonatal treatment of condylar hyperplasia in the published data. Treatment tends to be delayed owing to a late diagnosis and referral, and patients are prone to developing relapse. Postoperative physical therapy will help to prevent relapse and allows for maintenance of the improved jaw range of motion.
The importance of energetic versus pelvic constraints on reproductive allocation by the eastern fence lizard ( Sceloporus undulatus )

In ectothermic species, females often produce larger eggs in colder environments. Models based on energetic con- straints suggest that this pattern is an adaptation to compensate for the slower growth of offspring in the cold. Yet, females in cold environments also tend to be larger than females in warm environments. Consequently, thermal clines in egg size could be caused by pelvic constraints, which stem from the inability of large eggs to pass through a small pelvic aperture. Models based on energetic constraints and models based on pelvic constraints predict similar relationships between maternal size and egg size. However, pelvic constraints should produce these relationships both within and among populations, whereas energetic constraints would not necessarily do so. If pelvic constraints are important, we might also expect small females to compensate by producing eggs that are relatively rich in lipids (i.e. high energy density). The present study aimed to assess whether energetic or pelvic constraints generate geo- graphical variation in egg size of the lizard Sceloporus undulatus . Pelvic width is very highly correlated with body length in S. undulatus , making maternal size a suitable measure of pelvic constraint. Although maternal size and egg mass (dry and wet) covaried among populations, these variables were generally not related within populations. Energetic density of eggs tended to increase with decreasing egg mass (dry and wet), but this relationship was stron- gest in populations where no relationship between maternal size and egg mass was observed. Our results do not sup- port the pelvic constraint model and thus indicate energetic constraints play a greater role in generating geographical variation in egg size. © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 91 , 513-521.
Response of experimental hypertension to a rice and fruit juice diet.

SummaryIn 11 dogs with experimental hypertension the blood pressure fell in every animal following Kempner diets.
Analyzing Space–Time Crime Incidents Using Eigenvector Spatial Filtering: An Application to Vehicle Burglary

Poisson models generally are utilized in analyzing spatial patterns of crime count data. When spatial autocorrelation is present, these models are extended to account for it. Among various methods, eigenvector spatial filtering (ESF) furnishes an efficient means of analysis. However, because space–time crime data have temporal components as well as spatial components, Poisson models need to be further adjusted to reflect the two types of components simultaneously. This article discusses how the ESF method can be utilized to model space–time crime data, extending the generalized linear mixed model specification for it. This approach is illustrated with an application to space–time vehicle burglary incidents in the city of Plano, Texas, during 2004–2009. Los modelos de Poisson generalmente se utilizan en el analisis de los patrones espaciales de los datos de recuento de crimen. Cuando hay autocorrelacion espacial, estos modelos son modificados para dar cuenta de ello. Entre los diversos metodos existentes, el metodo Eigenvector (autovector, vector propio) de filtrado espacial (Eigenvector Spatial Filtering-ESF) proporciona un medio eficaz para dicho analisis. Sin embargo, dado que los datos de criminalidad espacio-temporales tienen tanto componentes temporales como espaciales, los modelos tipo Poisson requieren de un ajuste adicional para reflejar ambos tipos de componentes de manera simultanea. El articulo presente expone como el metodo ESF puede ser utilizado para modelar datos espacio-temporales sobre delitos mediante la modificacion del modelo mixto lineal generalizado (Generalized Linear Mixed Model-GLMM). El procedimiento propuesto se ilustra con el caso de incidentes espacio-temporales de robos de vehiculos en la ciudad de Plano, Texas, durante 2004–2009. 泊松模型一般用于犯罪计数数据的空间模式分析中，当空间自相关关系呈现时，这类模型可扩展以解释潜在的分布特征。在各种模型中，特征向量空间滤波（ESF）提供了一种有效的分析方法。然而，由于时空犯罪数据包含时间和空间组分，因此泊松模型需要进一步调整以同时反映这两种不同类型的数据。本文讨论了如何利用特征向量空间滤波(ESF)模型对时空犯罪数据进行建模，并采用扩展广义线性混合模型(GLMM)进行规范。最后，以德克萨斯州普莱诺市2004-2009年的车辆盗窃案数据进行了实证验证。
Midshaft clavicular fractures: comparison of intramedullary pin and plate fixation.

Background Intramedullary pin and plate fixation for midshaft clavicular fractures both have their proponents, but little comparative data are available. We performed a retrospective comparison of these 2 techniques. Materials and methods A retrospective review was performed on 40 consecutive patients with closed, simple, or wedge-type midshaft clavicular fractures that were identified from a prospectively collected orthopedic trauma database. Eight patients were excluded due to incomplete follow-up. Intramedullary pins were used in 18 patients and plates in 14; of these, 7 plates were placed superiorly, 6 anteriorly, and 1 inferiorly. Treatment method was determined by preference of the treating surgeon. Results Among the patients treated with intramedullary pin fixation, all 18 fractures healed, and each underwent a planned procedure for pin removal. Complications included 1 intraoperative pin breakage, 1 superficial wound infection, 2 prominent symptomatic pins, and 1 transient brachial plexopathy. Among the patients treated with plating, delayed union occurred in 1, and refractures occurred in 2 (1 required a second procedure). Three patients underwent plate removal for symptomatic hardware. No patients in either group had significant loss of shoulder motion. Conclusion Intramedullary pin fixation for acute, simple, or wedge-type midshaft clavicular fractures provides a safe and predictable alternative to plate and screw fixation.
Aspects of the Lubrication Requirements for an Automatic Capsule Filling Machine

AbstractAspects of the lubrication requirements for an automatic capsule filling machine, instrumented to monitor compression and ejection forces, were studied under various filling conditions. Three common capsule fillers (compressible starch, micro-crystalline cellulose, and anhydrous lactose) were filled into No. 1 gelatin capsules. Two main sets of runs were made. The first set was designed to study the influence of powder bed height, piston height and compression force on the ejection forces generated during the filling process. The second set was aimed at comparing lubricant type and levels. It was shown that the ejection force is increased by increasing the powder bed height, piston height and compression force. Compressible starch and micro-crystalline cellulose required relatively low levels of magnesium stearate as compared to anhydrous lactose. The performance of stearic acid and especially magnesium lauryl sulfate compared favorably with magnesium stearate in compressible starch.
Crossopriza lyoni (Araneae: Pholcidae), a synanthropic cellar spider newly discovered in Kansas

Abstract Populations of Crossopriza lyoni (Blackwall), a common synanthropic spider in many tropical and subtropical regions of the world, were discovered at two locations in Lawrence, Douglas County, Kansas. These records represent a significant northward range extension of the species in the western hemisphere and document its presence within the state.
Follicular lymphoma infiltrating the skin

A 71 year old woman presented with a persistent facial rash consisting of several papulo-nodular erythematous lesions⇑. Clinical examination showed …
Deformation Analysis of Axisymmetric Sheet Metal Forming Processes by the Rigid-Plastic Finite Element Method

The paper describes the development of a finite-element model for analyzing the sheet-metal forming processes. Materials are assumed to be rigid-plastic with the view that the usefulness of an analysis method depends largely on solution accuracy and computation efficiency.
Optical surgical navigation for nodal staging: to see or not to see?

The success of optical surgical navigation depends upon being able to intraoperatively employ a contrast agent and an imaging device to successfully guide surgery. Development of devices and contrast agents typically occur separately even though it is their combined performance that ultimately determines success and clinical adoption. Herein, we review critical issues and summarize our strategies and approaches for validating molecularly-targeted, near-infrared fluorescent contrast agents and the devices sufficiently sensitive enough for their detection in order to guide lymph node dissection.
Communication of Energy Efficiency Information to Remodelers. Lessons From Current Practice

The effective communication of energy efficiency and building science information to remodeling contractors is achieved through varying formats, timelines, and modes depending on who is delivering the information, who is intended to receive it, and what technical, intellectual,and time resources the recipients have at their disposal. Determining what type of communication is effective does not lend itself to a clearly quantifiable test but rather a qualitative one. That qualitative judgment can be supported by the research of current practices deemed effective for one or more of the following reasons: it has led to the successful completion of a certifying test or other evaluation, it has been widely used for the remodeling industry, it has been considered effective by a sampling of remodeling contractors, and/or it has proven effective in the field for the BARA team. These criteria were used to create a select list of communications to be further analyzed to determine why they are effective and how less successful formats or strategies can be revised for greater effectiveness.
Mice defective in the DNA mismatch gene PMS2 are hypersensitive to MNU induced thymic lymphoma and are partially protected by transgenic expression of human MGMT.

DNA mismatch repair (MMR) stabilizes the cellular genome. Mice defective in the MMR gene PMS2 are susceptible to spontaneous thymic lymphoma and sarcomas. To determine the sensitivity of PMS2 knockout mice to environmental carcinogens and the protective effect of O6-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase (MGMT), heterozygous PMS2 knockout mice and human MGMT (hMGMT) transgenic mice were mated and the PMS2−/− and PMS2+/+ with or without hMGMT offspring were treated at 5 weeks of age with 50 mg/kg N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU). MNU produces carcinogenic O6-methylguanine (O6-meG) adducts, resulting in thymic lymphoma in mice, which can be prevented in normal mice by overexpression of hMGMT. A significantly higher incidence of thymic lymphomas was observed in MNU-treated PMS2−/− mice, compared to wildtype PMS2+/+ mice (100 vs 52%; P<0.001). The mean latency of lymphomas was also significantly shortened in PMS2−/− mice (81 vs 102 days, P<0.01). Transgenic expression of hMGMT significantly but incompletely blocked MNU lymphomagenesis in PMS2−/− mice. The incidence of lymphomas in PMS2−/−/hMGMT+ mice was reduced to 80% (P<0.01) and mean latency increased to 91 days (P<0.05). Thymic lymphomagenesis was efficiently blocked in PMS2+/+/hMGMT+ mice with rapid repair of O6-meG. Since O6-meG:T mismatches in MMR+ cells may trigger mismatch repair resulting in abortive repair and cell death whereas in the absence of MMR, these mismatches are converted to A:T, we predicted that G to A point mutations in codon 12 of the K-ras gene would occur. In this study, we found G to A point mutations in codon 12 of the K-ras gene in many tumors. Thus, in MMR deficient tissues, methylating agents induce point mutations in cells with a higher rate of cell survival which together are potently carcinogenic in the thymus. These data suggest that PMS2 defective lymphomas may arise by the concerted action of environmental and perhaps endogenous methylation of DNA coupled to genomic instability.
Genistein Treatment Increases Bone Mass in Obese Diabetic Mice

Genistein, a phytoestrogen that demonstrates bone-protective properties, is currently being investigated as a treatment for a number of conditions that affect skeletal health, including type 2 diab...
Epithelioid Sarcoma of the Penis

Abstract A rare case of penile epithelioid sarcoma in a 26-year-old white man is presented. The patient had a firm, slow growing, painless mass associated with penile deviation on erection, which was initially misdiagnosed as Peyronie’s disease 5 years previously. With the onset of decreased urinary stream the lesion was biopsied, with a resultant diagnosis of epithelioid sarcoma. The patient underwent radical penectomy and perineal urethrostomy, and received 6,000 cGy. external beam radiotherapy postoperatively. Two years postoperatively the patient remained free of clinical disease. We review the pathophysiology, clinical characteristics and treatment of penile epithelioid sarcoma.
How aging and bilingualism influence language processing: Theoretical and neural models

Healthy non-pathological aging is characterized by cognitive and neural decline, and although language is one of the more stable areas of cognition, older adults often show deficits in language production, showing word finding failures, increased slips of the tongue, and increased pauses in speech. Overall, research on language comprehension in older healthy adults show that it is more preserved than language production. Bilingualism has been shown to confer a great deal of neuroplasticity across the life span, including a number of cognitive benefits especially in executive functions such as cognitive control. Many models of bilingual language processing have been proposed to explain bilingual language processing. However, the question remains open of how such models might be modulated by age-related changes in language. Here, we discuss how current models of language processing in non-pathological aging, and models of bilingual language processing can be integrated to provide new research directions.