cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Automatic Fine-Grained Localization of Utility Pole Landmarks on Distributed Acoustic Sensing Traces Based on Bilinear Resnets

In distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) on aerial fiber-optic cables, utility pole localization is a prerequisite for any subsequent event detection. Currently, localizing the utility poles on DAS traces relies on human experts who manually label the poles’ locations by examining DAS signal patterns generated in response to hammer knocks on the poles. This process is inefficient, error-prone and expensive, thus impractical and non-scalable for industrial applications. In this paper, we propose two machine learning approaches to automate this procedure for large-scale implementation. In particular, we investigate both unsupervised and supervised methods for fine-grained pole localization. Our methods are tested on two real-world datasets from field trials, and demonstrate successful estimation of pole locations at the same level of accuracy as human experts and strong robustness to label noises.
Surgical Rib Fixation in Isolated Flail Chest Improves Survival.

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND The presence of severe associated injuries in flail chest complicates the interpretation of outcomes and the role of rib fixation. This study aimed to examine the impact of fixation in isolated flail chest patients. METHODS All patients diagnosed with flail chest injuries were queried from the National Trauma Data Bank (2016-2017). Patients who died within 72 hours, transferred from an outside hospital, had associated thoracic aortic injuries or significant extrathoracic injuries were excluded. Patients with rib fixation were propensity score matched 1:3 with similar patients treated nonoperatively and outcomes were evaluated. Multivariate analysis was used to identify independent predictors for mortality and prolonged mechanical ventilation. RESULTS Of 287,947 patients with rib fractures, there were 12,110 (4.2%) patients with flail chest. After exclusion, 5,293 patients with isolated blunt flail chest injuries were included in the analysis. Rib fixation was performed in 575 (10.9%) and 4,718 (89.1%) were managed nonoperatively. After matching, the mortality rate was significantly lower in the fixation group (2.0% vs 5.5%, p= 0.001). On multivariate analysis, rib fixation was associated with improved mortality (OR 0.355, p= 0.002). The timing of operation was not a significant independent risk factor for mortality. However, early fixation (≤72 hours) was associated with a significantly lower need for prolonged ventilation (>7 days). CONCLUSIONS Operative fixation in patients with isolated flail chest is associated with improved survival and should be considered liberally. The timing of fixation did not affect mortality, but early fixation was associated with a reduced need for prolonged mechanical ventilation.
Labour-Centred Design for Sustainable and Just Transitions

This chapter wrestles with the tensions and insights that can emerge drawing together design and environmental labour studies into conversation. If design has long been allied with fulfilling the needs of capital, there have been moments in its history where socialists, anarchists, feminists, environmentalists, decolonialists and others have proposed visions for how our worlds could be redesigned for more worker-friendly and sustainable futures. Critical issues remain concerning whose labour should be acknowledged and recognized when we speak of a ‘politics of design’ and how relations between designers and publics should be conceptualized. The possibility of design to play a central role in moving the Green New Deal forward and allow greater alignment between struggles for industrial democracy, design democracy, just transitions and climate justice is discussed.
Residual Tumor Volume and Tumor Progression after Subtotal Resection and Observation of WHO Grade I Skull Base Meningiomas

Objective This study investigated the impact of residual tumor volume (RTV) on tumor progression after subtotal resection and observation of WHO grade I skull base meningiomas. Study Design This study is a retrospective volumetric analysis. Setting This study was conducted at a single institution. Participants Patients who underwent subtotal resection of a WHO grade I skull base meningioma and postsurgical observation (July 1, 2007–July 1, 2017). Main Outcome Measure The main outcome was radiographic tumor progression. Results Sixty patients with residual skull base meningiomas were analyzed. The median (interquartile range) RTV was 1.3 (5.3) cm3. Tumor progression occurred in 23 patients (38.3%) at a mean duration of 28.6 months postsurgery. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year actuarial progression-free survival (PFS) rates were 98.3, 58.6, and 48.7%, respectively. The Cox multivariate analysis identified increasing RTV (p = 0.01) and history of more than 1 previous surgery (p = 0.03) as independent predictors of tumor progression. In a Kaplan–Meier analysis for PFS, the RTV threshold of 3 cm3 maximized log-rank testing significance between groups of patients dichotomized at 0.5 cm3 thresholds (p 3 cm3 were 76.2 and 32.1%, respectively. When RTV >3 cm3 was entered as a covariate in the Cox model, it was the only factor independently associated with tumor progression (p Conclusion RTV was associated with tumor progression after subtotal resection of WHO grade I skull base meningioma in this cohort. An RTV threshold of 3 cm3 was identified that minimized progression of the residual tumor when gross total resection was not safe or feasible.
The diversification of developmental biology

Abstract In the 1960s, “developmental biology” became the dominant term to describe some of the research that had previously been included under the rubrics of embryology, growth, morphology, and physiology. As scientific societies formed under this new label, a new discipline took shape. Historians, however, have a number of different perspectives on what changes led to this new field of developmental biology and how the field itself was constituted during this period. Using the General Embryological Information Service, a global index of post-World War II development-related research, we have documented and visualized significant changes in the kinds of research that occurred as this new field formed. In particular, our analysis supports the claim that the transition toward developmental biology was marked by a growth in new topics and forms of research. Although many historians privilege the role of molecular biology and/or the molecularization of biology in general during this formative period, we have found that the influence of molecular biology is not sufficient to account for the wide range of new research that constituted developmental biology at the time. Overall, our work creates a robust characterization of the changes that occurred with regard to research on growth and development in the decades following World War II and provides a context for future work on the specific drivers of those changes.
Abstract 14007: Insulin Resistance Expressed by Homa2 Predicts Risk for Recurrent Coronary Events in Post Infarction Patients

We investigated risk for recurrent coronary events associated with insulin resistance in post infarction patients from the Thrombogenic Factors and Recurrent Coronary Events (THROMBO) study. The association between insulin resistance expressed by Homeostatic Model Assessment 2 for Insulin Resistance (HOMA2-IR) and risk for recurrent coronary events was investigated in a cohort of 1,035 patients evaluated 2 months after myocardial infarction with an average follow-up of 26 months. The end point for the study was recurrent coronary event defined as death, nonfatal myocardial infarction and unstable angina whichever occurred first. We used time dependent survival analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression method to determine the association between HOMA2 categorized as high >75th percentile and endpoints after adjustment for relevant clinical covariates. High HOMA2-IR defined as in fourth quartile(> 2.4) was associated with increased risk for recurrent coronary events (hazard ratio [HR] 1.54; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.10-2.14; P
MARIAN: Flexible Interoperability for Federated Digital Libraries

Federated digital libraries are composed of distributed, autonomous, and often heterogeneous information services but provide users with a transparent, integrated view of collected information. In this paper we discuss a federated system for the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (NDLTD), an international consortium of universities, libraries, and other supporting institutions focused on electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs). Federation requires dealing flexibly with differences among systems, ontologies, and data formats while respecting information sources' autonomy. Our solution involves adapting the object-oriented digital library system MARIAN to serve as mediation middleware for the federated NDLTD collection. Components of the solution include: 1) the use and integration of several harvesting techniques; 2) an architecture based on object-oriented ontologies of search modules and metadata; 3) reconciliation of diversity within the harvested data joined to a single collection view for the user; and 4) an integrated framework for addressing such questions as data quality, flexible and efficient search, and scalability.
Genetic Transfer of Episomic Elements Among Erwinia Species and Other Enterobacteria: F′lac+

The episomic element F'lac(+) was transferred, probably by conjugation, from Escherichia coli to Lac(-) strains of Erwinia herbicola, Erwinia amylovora, and Erwinia chrysanthemi (but not to several other Erwinia spp. In preliminary trials). The lac genes in the exconjugants of the Erwinia spp. showed varying degrees of stability depending on the strain (stable in E. herbicola strains Y46 and Y74 and E. amylovora strain EA178, but markedly unstable in E. chrysanthemi strain EC16). The lac genes and the sex factor (F) were eliminated from the exconjugants by treatment with acridine orange, thus suggesting that both lac and F are not integrated in the Erwinia exconjugants. All of the tested Lac(+) exconjugants of E. herbicola strains Y46 and Y74 and E. amylovora strain EA178, but not of E. chrysanthemi strain EC 16, were sensitive to the F-specific phage M13. The heterogenotes (which harbored F'lac(+)) of E. herbicola strains Y46 and Y74, E. amylovora strain EA178, and E. chrysanthemi strain EC16 were able to transfer lac genes by conjugation to strains of E. herbicola, E. amylovora, E. chrysanthemi, Escherichia coli, and Shigella dysenteriae. The frequency of such transfer from Lac(+) exconjugants of Erwinia spp. was comparable to that achieved by using E. coli F'lac(+) as donors, thus indicating the stability, expression, and restriction-and-modification properties of the sex factor (F) in Erwinia spp.
Long‐term management of acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura using serial plasma ADAMTS13 measurements

Although significant advances in the understanding of TTP pathophysiology have been made in the last 15 yr, none have yet impacted the empiric treatment paradigm for this disease for which plasmapheresis is the mainstay. Laboratory assays for ADAMTS13 activity and inhibitors can be used to confirm a clinical diagnosis, but the assays are not routinely used to guide treatment. The routine availability of ADAMTS13 testing has allowed our group to tailor plasmapheresis and immunosuppressive therapy in patients under active treatment for TTP. In addition, the concept of establishing immune tolerance, similar to the eradication of a factor VIII inhibitor in patients with congenital or acquired hemophilia, has emerged as an important strategy to prevent early relapse of TTP. With the expected incorporation of recombinant ADAMTS13 into the treatment algorithm over the next several years, we anticipate that readily available ADAMTS13 testing will play an important role in individualized therapy that incorporates enzyme replacement and establishment of immune tolerance.
Control of T cell tolerance by phosphatase and tensin homolog

The in vivo maintenance of immune tolerance is critically dependent on regulatory T (Treg ) cells, a lineage of CD4(+) T cells expressing the transcription factor Foxp3 that exerts immunoregulatory function. Because of the potential benefit of using Treg cells for cellular immunotherapy in clinical settings, including autoimmune disease and transplantation, much attention has been directed at understanding the signals that govern Treg cell development, function, and homeostasis. Studies with genetically modified mouse models have shown that the lipid phosphatase PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homolog), the predominant negative regulator of the PI3K/Akt pathway in T cells, has multiple functions in sustaining T cell-mediated immune tolerance in vivo. In addition to its role in maintaining T cell homeostasis, the PI3K/Akt pathway also has an essential role in T cell development and lineage commitment, contributing to the cell fate decision between conventional and regulatory T cells.
Chapter 3 Computational methods for macroeconometric models

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses computational methods for the estimation and analysis of macroeconometric models. The chapter focuses on methods that, while possibly computationally routine, are not trivial. Most of the methods discussed are methods for complete models. The results reported in Fair and Taylor (1990) using the methods discussed in this chapter are encouraging regarding the use of models with rational expectations. FIML estimation seems computationally feasible using the procedure of computing derivatives, for the expectations and stochastic simulation , when done in the manner described in the chapter. FIML estimation is particularly important, because it takes into account all the nonlinear restrictions implied by the rational expectations hypothesis. It is hoped that the methods discussed in this chapter will open the way for many more tests of models with rational expectations.
Airline flight planning - The weather connection

The history of airline flight planning is briefly reviewed. Over half a century ago, when scheduled airline services began, weather data were almost nonexistent. By the early 1950's a reliable synoptic network provided upper air reports. The next 15 years saw a rapid growth in commercial aviation, and airlines introduced computer techniques to flight planning. The 1970's saw the development of weather satellites. The current state of flight planning activities is analyzed. It is found that accurate flight planning will require meteorological information on a finer scale than can be provided by a synoptic forecast. Opportunities for a new approach are examined, giving attention to the available options, a mesoscale numerical weather prediction model, limited area fine mesh models, man-computer interactive display systems, the use of interactive techniques with the present upper air data base, and the implementation of interactive techniques.
Cardiovascular and respiratory responses to intravenous infusion of prostaglandin F2α in the pregnant woman

Abstract Because of the occurrence of an asthmatic attack in a patient undergoing therapeutic abortion with intravenous prostaglandin F 2α (PGF 2α ) the cardiovascular and respiratory systems were studied by a strict protocol in 11 physically healthy gravid women infused intravenously with PGF 2α . Cardiac output was measured by the indocyanine green dye-dilution and direct Fick oxygen techniques. Pulmonary function studies, i.e., vital capacity (VC), forced expiratory volume in the first second of expiration (FEV 1 ), maximal mid-expiratory flow rate (MMEF), and maximal expiratory flow rate (MEFR), were performed with a Stead-Wells recording spirometer. Studies were conducted before and after premedication, during infusion of PGF 2α at 50 μg per minute and at 200 μg per minute, and after discontinuation of the infusion. No significant changes in cardiac output, central venous pressure, blood pressure, or heart rate were noted. In contrast, pulmonary function studies revealed a significant average decrease in VC of 15.5 per cent; FEV 1 , 15.7 per cent; MMEF, 18.8; and MEFR, 26.9 per cent during the infusion of PGF 2α at 200 μg per minute. These results suggest that intravenous PGF 2α in high dosage increases airway resistance, probably by producing bronchoconstriction.
Electrogenesis of Membrane Excitability

Membrane excitability is a fundamental property of nerve and muscle cells (skeletal, cardiac and smooth), as well as certain other cell types, such as some endocrine cells. An excitable cell is one that, in response to certain environmental stimuli (electrical, chemical or mechanical), generates an all-or-none electrical signal or action potential (AP). The AP is sometimes called an “impulse”, e.g. a nerve impulse. The AP is triggered by a depolarization of the membrane, which is produced by the applied stimulus. The depolarization initiates an increase in the membrane permeability to Na + ions, which then flow into the cell, causing a transient reversal in the membrane potential (i.e. the spike). A slower increase in the permeability of the membrane to K + ions contributes to the repolarization of the membrane, in addition to the spontaneous inactivation of the Na + channels. Some cells display the property of automaticity; i.e. they produce APs spontaneously without any externally-applied stimulus.
The interaction of infectious ribonucleic acids with mammalian cells: III. Comparison of infection and RNA uptake in the HeLa cell-polio RNA and L cell-Mengo RNA systems☆

Abstract Studies concerning the optimal conditions for and the kinetics of the interaction of poliovirus (strain Mahoney) RNA and HeLa cells in the previously described suspended cell system are described. The maximum number of infectious centers are produced when cell-RNA mixtures are incubated for 8 minutes at 37° in 0.9 M sodium chloride-0.02 M phosphate buffer, pH 7.3. Sucrose solutions are much less efficient than saline solutions in promoting infectious center formation. However the optimal sucrose and saline solutions have identical osmotic pressures: 5.7 times that of physiological saline. The number of infectious centers produced in polio RNA-HeLa cell mixtures is directly proportional to the concentration of RNA and to the total number of cells employed. The reaction is strongly temperature dependent, with an apparent activation energy of 34,000 cal/mole over the temperature range 6–37°. The sharp decrease in the number of infectious centers recovered when Mengo RNA-L cell and polio RNA-HeLa cell mixtures are incubated (at 37°) in their optimal sucrose and saline media for longer than 15 and 8 minutes, respectively, has been shown to be due to a sharp decline in the viability of the cells at about these times. The relationship was established by an examination of the survival of viral-induced infectious centers after incubation in solutions of elevated osmolarity. The uptake of RNA-P32 by L and HeLa cells was investigated. The study revealed that, under the conditions used for the assay of viral RNA, the cells take up a minute percentage of the total RNA present. The results have been used to develop the premise that viral RNA preparations may contain at least as many infectious units as do the corresponding viral suspensions. The similarities and differences between the Mengo RNA-L cell and polio RNA-HeLa cell systems are discussed, with particular emphasis on the different responses of the two cell types to ionic and nonionic hypertonic environments. Data regarding the thermal stability of Mengo RNA are presented.
Algorithmic Solutions to Two-Dimensional Birth---Death Processes with Application to Capacity Planning

Capacity planning of modern telecommunication systems using the Erlang-B or Erlang-C models is hampered by the inability of these models to capture critical system characteristics. Two-dimensional birth---death models offer the opportunity to remedy this. The steady state behavior of two-dimensional birth---death processes is found by numerically solving a linear matrix equation whose special structure is exploited to substantially speed its solution. Two detailed applications drawn from telecommunications capacity planning are presented.
On the algebraic geometry of polynomial dynamical systems

This paper focuses on polynomial dynamical systems over finite fields. These systems appear in a variety of contexts, in computer science, engineering, and computational biology, for instance as models of intracellular biochemical networks. It is shown that several problems relating to their structure and dynamics, as well as control theory, can be formulated and solved in the language of algebraic geometry.
Telerobotic control by virtual fixtures for surgical applications

We present a new method to generate spatial motion constraints for surgical robots that provide sophisticated ways to assist the surgeon. Surgical robotic assistant systems are human-machine collaborative systems (HMCS) that work interactively with surgeons by augmenting their ability to manipulate surgical instruments in carrying out a variety of surgical tasks. The goal of “virtual fixtures” (VF) is to provide anisotropic motion behavior to the surgeon’s motion command and to filter out tremor to enhance precision and stability. Our method uses a weighted, linearized, multi-objective optimization framework to formalize a library of virtual fixtures for task primitives. We set the objective function based on user input that can be obtained through a force sensor, joystick or a master robot. We set the linearized subject function based on five basic geometric constraints. The strength of this approach is that it is extensible to include additional constraints such as collision avoidance, anatomy-based constraints and joint limits, by using an instantaneous kinematic relationship between the task variables and robot joints. We illustrate our approach using three surgical tasks: percutaneous needle insertion, femur cutting for prosthetic implant and suturing. For the percutaneous procedures we provide a remote center of motion (RCM) point that provides an isocentric motion that is fundamental to these types of procedures. For femur cutting procedures we provide assistance by maintaining proper tool orientation and position. For the suturing task we address the problem of stitching in endoscopic surgery using a circular needle. We show that with help of VF, suturing can be performed at awkward angles without multiple trials, thus avoiding damage to tissue.
Deoxyribonucleic Acid Base Composition of Lactobacilli Determined by Thermal Denaturation

Moles per cent guanine plus cytosine content of 16 lactobacilli provided three taxonomic groups: I, 32.4 to 38.3% with five species; II, 42.7 to 48.0% with six species; III, 49.0 to 51.9% with five species.
A fluid interface for personal digital libraries

An advanced interface is presented for fluid interaction in a personal digital library system. The system employs a zoomable planar representation of a collection using hybrid continuous/quantum treemap visualizations to facilitate navigation while minimizing cognitive load. The system is particularly well suited to user tasks which, in the physical world, are normally carried out by laying out a set of related documents on a physical desk — namely, those tasks that require frequent and rapid transfer of attention from one document in the collection to another. Discussed are the design and implementation of the system as well as its relationship to previous work.
Using approximate reasoning to represent default knowledge

Abstract We discuss the issue of default inference rules. We introduce the reasoning mechanism of the theory of approximate reasoning. We show how we can represent default knowledge in the framework of this theory.
Simultaneous Photoacoustic Spectroscopy of Aerosol and Oxygen A-Band Absorption for the Calibration of Aerosol Light Absorption Measurements

The calibration of photoacoustic aerosol optical absorption measurements through simultaneous photoacoustic spectroscopy of the oxygen A-band absorption is demonstrated. While aerosol absorption shows no sharp spectral structures for size-distributed aerosols, the molecular oxygen A-band has sharp absorption lines in the near-infrared (i.e., 760–770 nm) spectral region. Line-strength, shape, and broadening of these lines are well known and molecular oxygen is ubiquitous with a constant concentration in the troposphere. Simultaneous photoacoustic spectroscopy of aerosol and molecular oxygen A-band absorption with a tunable, external cavity diode laser yields a convenient calibration for the photoacoustic measurement of aerosol absorption coefficients without the need for pressurized and potentially toxic calibration gases.
Developing a Risk and Needs Assessment Instrument for Prison Inmates: The Issue of Outcome

The assessment of inmate risk and need in prison poses a unique challenge to correctional policy makers because it is used for two purposes: classification and case management. Classification and case management require assessment instruments that are designed to predict two separate outcomes: institutional misconduct and community recidivism. The current research examines differences between a prison classification instrument developed to predict misconduct and a case management instrument developed to predict community recidivism using a sample of 414 inmates in Ohio. The results indicated substantial differences between assessment instruments and that separate risk and needs assessments should be conducted. A hybrid assessment system is suggested that seeks to maximize accuracy and efficiency by including select factors from each instrument.
Detection of microcalcifications by characteristic magnetic susceptibility effects using MR phase image cross-correlation analysis.

Purpose: To develop and evaluate a new method for detecting calcium deposits using their characteristic magnetic susceptibility effects on magnetic resonance (MR) images at high fields and demonstrate its potential in practice for detecting breast microcalcifications. Methods: Characteristic dipole signatures of calcium deposits were detected in magnetic resonance phase images by computing the cross-correlation between the acquired data and a library of templates containing simulated phase patterns of spherical deposits. The influence of signal-to-noise ratio and various other MR parameters on the results were assessed using simulations and validated experimentally. The method was tested experimentally for detection of calcium fragments within gel phantoms and calcium-like inhomogeneities within chicken tissue at 7 T with optimized MR acquisition parameters. The method was also evaluated for detection of simulated microcalcifications, modeled from biopsy samples of malignant breast cancer, inserted in silico into breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRIs) of healthy subjects at 7 T. For both assessments of calcium fragments in phantoms and biopsy-based simulated microcalcifications in breast MRIs, receiver operator characteristic curve analyses were performed to determine the cross-correlation index cutoff, for achieving optimal sensitivity and specificity, and the area under the curve (AUC), for measuring the method’s performance. Results: The method detected calcium fragments with sizes of 0.14–0.79 mm, 1 mm calcium-like deposits, and simulated microcalcifications with sizes of 0.4–1.0 mm in images with voxel sizes between (0.2 mm)3 and (0.6 mm)3. In images acquired at 7 T with voxel sizes of (0.2 mm)3–(0.4 mm)3, calcium fragments (size 0.3–0.4 mm) were detected with a sensitivity, specificity, and AUC of 78%–90%, 51%–68%, and 0.77%–0.88%, respectively. In images acquired with a human 7 T scanner, acquisition times below 12 min, and voxel sizes of (0.4 mm)3–(0.6 mm)3, simulated microcalcifications with sizes of 0.6–1.0 mm were detected with a sensitivity, specificity, and AUC of 75%–87%, 54%–87%, and 0.76%–0.90%, respectively. However, different microcalcification shapes were indistinguishable. Conclusions: The new method is promising for detecting relatively large microcalcifications (i.e., 0.6–0.9 mm) within the breast at 7 T in reasonable times. Detection of smaller deposits at high field may be possible with higher spatial resolution, but such images require relatively long scan times. Although mammography can detect and distinguish the shape of smaller microcalcifications with superior sensitivity and specificity, this alternative method does not expose tissue to ionizing radiation, is not affected by breast density, and can be combined with other MRI methods (e.g., dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI and diffusion weighted MRI), to potentially improve diagnostic performance.
The effect of radiation on the fracture repair process. A biomechanical evaluation of a closed fracture in a rat model

The effects of a single dose of irradiation on the biomechanical parameters of the fracture healing process were studied in a rat model. Intramedullary pinning was performed before production of a closed femoral midshaft fracture. The experimental group was exposed to 900 rad 3 days after fracture and was compared with a control group with a similar fracture that received no irradiation. Animals were killed at intervals ranging from 2-16 weeks after surgery and the bones were tested until failure in torsion. In the irradiated groups, a delay of 4 weeks was noted in the biomechanical parameters associated with fracture healing (torque to failure, torsional stiffness, angle to failure, and biomechanical stage). Despite this delay in the normal temporal progression, the staging and stiffness approached normal controls within an 8-week period. However, the torque to failure remained below normal levels at the conclusion of this study. These results differ from a previous study using an open fracture model.
IDENTIFICATION OF TWO GERMLINE POINT MUTATIONS IN THE 5′UTR OF THE ANDROGEN RECEPTOR GENE IN MEN WITH PROSTATE CANCER

ABSTRACTPurpose: As part of an ongoing study to identify germline mutations and/or polymorphisms in the androgen receptor (AR) gene which might be associated with prostate cancer, the 5′-untranslated region (5′UTR) of the AR gene was screened in genomic DNA of prostate cancer cases. This region, which is > 1kb in length, might modulate AR expression by affecting transcription and/or translation rates. A life-time exposure to enhanced AR expression, in turn, could potentially predispose to prostate cancer.Materials and Methods: Genomic DNA samples from 38 prostate cancer cases were analyzed for mutations in the 5′UTR of the AR gene.Results: Two mutations were identified. One mutation, G2T, is located within the AR transcription initiation site 1 (AR-TIS I), and the second, C214A, within a GC rich region of the 5′UTR.Conclusions: Although 5′UTR mutations in the AR gene might only rarely occur in men with prostate cancer, the occasional mutation in this area may contribute to the disease by altering rates of...
The Intermetacarpal Angle Screening Test for Ulnar-sided Carpometacarpal Fracture-Dislocations

Purpose Ulnar-sided carpometacarpal injuries can be difficult to diagnose radiographically. We hypothesized that the resting position of the normal hand during lateral radiography provides a consistent relationship between the rays and that dorsal subluxation of the metacarpal base in fracture-dislocations increases the angle between the uninjured index and long metacarpals and the injured small metacarpal. Methods A control group of 100 consecutive patients with normal hand radiographs and a series of 12 patients with known carpometacarpal fracture-dislocations were examined. Angles between the index and small metacarpal shaft (I-S IMA) and between the long and small metacarpal shaft (L-S IMA) were measured on the lateral hand radiograph. Results In the control group, the mean I-S IMA and L-S IMA were both 6°. In the study group, the mean I-S IMA was 18°, and the mean L-S IMA was 16°. Intraobserver and interobserver reliability was good to excellent for both groups, and a statistical difference existed between the normal and study groups. Based on box-plot analysis of normal and abnormal IMAs, a natural dividing line existed at 10°. With this dividing line, the I-S IMA had a sensitivity of 92% and a specificity of 81%, and the L-S IMA had a sensitivity of 83% and a specificity of 84%. Conclusions Both the I-S IMA and the L-S IMA were useful screening measurements on lateral hand radiographs for detection of ulnar-sided carpometacarpal fracture-dislocations. When evaluating posttraumatic ulnar-sided hand pain, advanced imaging should be considered if the I-S IMA or the L-S IMA is greater than 10°. Type of study/level of evidence Diagnostic III.
A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE ON RESEARCH IN PROBABILISTIC CONCEPTS OF AGING

In this note, the early research in reliability is reviewed. The focus is on the theoretical development of aging and reliability bounds. Some conceptual issues with the interpretation of subjective reliability are also discussed.
Viscoelastic Properties of Human Tympanic Membrane

The tympanic membrane or eardrum of human ear transfers sound waves into mechanical vibration from the external ear canal into the middle ear and cochlea. Mechanical properties of the tympanic membrane (TM) play an important role in sound transmission through the ear. Although limited resources about linear elastic properties of the TM are available in literature, there is a lack of measurement or modeling of viscoelastic properties of the TM at low stress levels. In this study, the uniaxial tensile, stress relaxation, and failure tests were conducted on fresh human cadaver TM specimens to explore mechanical properties of the TM. The experimental results were analyzed using the hyperelastic Ogden model and digital image correlation method. The constitutive equation and non-linear elastic properties of the TM were presented by functions of the stress and strain at the stress range from 0 to 1 MPa. Viscoelastic properties of the TM were described by the stress relaxation function and hysteresis. The results show that the uniaxial tensile test with the aid of digital image correlation analysis is a reliable and useful approach for measuring mechanical properties of ear tissues. The data presented in this paper contribute to ear biomechanics in both experimental measurement and theoretical analysis of ear tissues.
Magnetic resonance spectroscopy in Alzheimer’s disease

Aging is the primary risk factor for dementia. With increasing life expectancy and aging populations worldwide, dementia is becoming one of the significant public health problems of the century. The most common pathology underlying dementia in older adults is Alzheimer’s disease. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) may provide a window into the biochemical changes associated with the loss of neuronal integrity and other neurodegenerative pathology that involve the brain before the manifestations of cognitive impairment in patients who are at risk for Alzheimer’s disease. This review focuses on proton MRS studies in normal aging, mild cognitive impairment, and dementia, and how proton MRS metabolite levels may be potential biomarkers for early diagnosis of dementia-related pathologic changes in the brain.
A multiscale multiplicative decomposition for elastoplasticity of polycrystals

Abstract A new kinematic formulation of polycrystalline elastoplasticity is proposed, based on principles of multiscale volume averaging. The homogenized macroscopic deformation gradient for an aggregate of grains consists of three terms: the elastic or recoverable deformation associated with the average stress and lattice rotation, the volume-averaged residual plastic deformation attributed to the history of dislocation glide, and an additional term consisting of residual local (mesoscopic) elastic and plastic deformation gradients associated with the single to polycrystal transition. This additional term, typically neglected in the phenomenological macroscopic multiplicative decomposition, indicates the presence of heterogeneous residual local elastoplastic deformations among constituent grains and sub-grains. Finite element simulations of deforming polycrystals, employing crystal plasticity theory for the local, mesoscopic constitutive behavior, serve to demonstrate the descriptive capabilities of the macroscopic model. Two-dimensional finite element meshes encompassing on the order of 100 grains, constructed from an enhanced optical image of a sample of polycrystalline OFHC Cu, are subjected to finite tension, compression, and shear deformation. Initial lattice misorientation distributions are varied among simulations. Positive correlation is found between the deformation gradient term associated with mesoscopic heterogeneity and the residual lattice energy density in the macroscopic stress-free intermediate configuration. Furthermore, relatively large magnitudes of effective stress and elastic energy density associated with local plastic incompatibility are found in the vicinity of high-angle grain boundaries and triple points, serving as potential driving forces for damage initiation in materials prone to intergranular separation modes.
Statistical and Physical Analysis of the Vertical Structure of Precipitation in the Mountainous West Region of the United States Using 11+ Years of Spaceborne Observations from TRMM Precipitation Radar

AbstractThis study presents a statistical analysis of the vertical structure of precipitation measured by NASA–Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s (JAXA) Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) precipitation radar (PR) in the region of southern California, Arizona, and western New Mexico, where the ground-based Next-Generation Radar (NEXRAD) network finds difficulties in accurately measuring surface precipitation because of beam blockages by complex terrain. This study has applied TRMM PR version-7 products 2A23 and 2A25 from 1 January 2000 to 26 October 2011. The seasonal, spatial, intensity-related, and type-related variabilities are characterized for the PR vertical profile of reflectivity (VPR) as well as the heights of storm, freezing level, and bright band. The intensification and weakening of reflectivity at low levels in the VPR are studied through fitting physically based VPR slopes. Major findings include the following: precipitation type is the most significant factor determining the charac...
A coefficient of multiple association based on ranks

A generalization of Kendall's tau is formulated for describing the association between a dependent variable and a collection of independent variables. The coefficient may be defined in terms of the proportional reduction in prediction errors obtained by predicting the ordering of pairs of observations on the dependent variable based on orderings of the pairs on the independent variables. The coefficient is formulated both for continuous and discrete variables. Approximate large-sample distributions are considered for both cases. Some of the properties of this coefficient are discussed and compared with those of other multiple measures of association based on ranks.
Exercise effects on hip bone mineral density in older, post-menopausal breast cancer survivors are age dependent

We evaluated whether age moderated the effect of impact + resistance exercise on hip BMD in older post-menopausal breast cancer survivors (BCS). Exercise was more beneficial among younger than older women within our sample, suggesting that much older BCS may require different training programs to improve hip health. Previously, we reported that a program of resistance + impact training stopped bone loss at the spine in older, post-menopausal BCS but had no effect on bone mineral density (BMD) at the hip. Aging may blunt the responsiveness of the hip to mechanical loading, so we conducted a secondary data analysis to evaluate whether age moderated the effect of exercise on hip BMD. We analyzed data from our randomized, controlled trial in older (≥ 50 years of age at diagnosis), post-menopausal, post-adjuvant treatment BCS (n = 106) comparing women assigned to impact + resistance exercise (POWIR) or to a control program of low-intensity stretching (FLEX). We examined effect modification by age on BMD at three hip sites (greater trochanter, femoral neck, and total hip) using hierarchical linear modeling adjusting for time since diagnosis and use of adjuvant hormone therapy. Age moderated the effect of exercise on total hip BMD such that younger women in POWIR were more likely to see a positive net benefit than FLEX compared to older women where there was little difference between groups (p = 0.02). The skeletal response to loading at the hip within post-menopausal BCS diminishes with age. Whether more vigorous exercise programs and/or longer training periods are required to favorably change hip health in older BCS will require future study and careful thought about the risks and benefits of tougher training programs.
The moral status of the embryonal stem cell: inherent or imputed?

(2002). The Moral Status of the Embryonal Stem Cell: Inherent or Imputed? The American Journal of Bioethics: Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 57-59.
T cell activation signals upregulate CBP-dependent transcriptional activity.

The transcriptional coactivator CREB-binding protein (CBP) is known to play an important role in coupling signal transduction pathways to changes in gene expression. In many cases, this is achieved by the stimulus-specific recruitment of CBP to promoter-bound transcription factors. However, a number of recent studies have suggested that signal transduction pathways can also directly influence CBP-mediated transcriptional activity. Here we show that in Jurkat cells the activity of the CBP C-terminal transactivation domain is strongly upregulated in response to either T cell receptor stimulation or the combination of ionomycin and phorbol ester. We further show that maximal stimulation of CBP-mediated transcription requires the synergistic activation of both the calcineurin and Ras-MAPK signaling pathways. These results indicate that CBP can function as a T cell activation-inducible transcriptional coactivator and is therefore likely to play an important role in T cell activation-induced gene expression.
On combination therapy with benzoate and piridoxilate.

Sir .—It has been amply demonstrated that administration of sodium benzoate moderates hyperammonemia in children born with genetic defects in the urea cycle, 1 but the efficacy of benzoate therapy has been questioned on the basis of the limited ability of the body to generate the glycine needed to dispose of waste nitrogen as hippurate. 2 Accordingly, it was recommended that piridoxilate be administered with benzoate to improve the effectiveness of benzoate therapy. Piridoxilate is a European cardiac drug found to stimulate the conversion of benzoate to hippurate in suspensions of hepatocytes, presumably because piridoxilate metabolism gives rise to glyoxylate and, by transamination, glycine. 2 Piridoxilate is unavailable in the United States, so we tested the interaction of the active metabolite, glyoxylate, and benzoate. We found glyoxylate to potentiate benzoate toxicity in vivo and both drugs to inhibit pyruvate carboxylase in vitro, by apparently different mechanisms. 3,4 The combination inhibited
Alcohol Use, Stigmatizing/Discriminatory Attitudes, and HIV High-Risk Sexual Behaviors among Men Who Have Sex with Men in China

Objective. This research was conducted to assess the correlates of alcohol consumption and HIV/AIDS-related stigmatizing and discriminatory attitudes among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Shandong province, China. Methods. A cross-sectional survey provided demographics, sexual behaviors, illicit drug use, alcohol consumptions, and service utilization. Results. Of 1,230 participants, 82.8% were single, 85.7% aged 3 times per week in the past six months. The average total score of stigmatizing and discriminatory attitude was 37.4 ± 4.4. More frequent episodes of alcohol use were independently associated with higher levels of HIV/AIDS-related stigma and discrimination, unprotected anal sex, bisexual identity, multiple male sex partners, drug use, and lower levels of education. Expressing higher levels of HIV/AIDS-related stigmatizing and discriminatory attitudes was independently associated with alcohol use, unprotected male anal sex, bisexuals, more male sex partners, commercial sex with men, and non-receipt of peer education in the past year. Conclusion. HIV/AIDS-related stigmatizing and discriminatory attitudes are common and associated with alcohol use and unprotected sex among MSM. The finding highlights the needs to develop programs that would reduce HIV/AIDS-related stigmatizing and discriminatory attitudes and strengthen alcohol use prevention and risk reduction initiatives among MSM.
Spondylitis in chronic ulcerative colitis

A review of the roentgen films and hospital charts in 100 examples of chronic ulcerative colitis showed a 6 per cent prevalence of ankylosing spondylitis. There were no differences in the course or severity of the colitis that distinguished the patients with spondylitis from the entire group. The radiologic features of the spinal involvement were identical to those seen in ankylosing spondylitis. The concurrence of these two diseases is of interest from an etiologic viewpoint but is not explained. Le scrutinio del roentgenogrammas e del tabulationes hospitalari in 100 casos de chronic colitis ulcerative revelava un incidentia de 6 pro cento de spondylitis ankylosante. Esseva notate nulle differentias in le curso o le severitate del colitis inter le casos con spondylitis e le gruppo total. Le aspectos radiologic del affection spinal esseva identic con illos incontrate in spondylitis ankylosante in general. Le occunentia concornitante de iste duo morbos es de interesse ab le puncto de vista etiologic, sed illo remane sin explication.
Characteristics of three-dimensional turbulent jets in crossflow

Three-dimensional turbulent jets in crossflow at low to medium jet-to-crossflow velocity ratios are computed with a finite volume numerical procedure which utilizes a second-moment closure model to approximate the Reynolds stresses. A multigrid method is used to accelerate the convergence rate of the procedure. Comparison of the computations to measured data show good qualitative agreement. All trends are correctly predicted, though there is some uncertainty on the height of penetration of the jet. The evolution of the vorticity field is used to explore the jet-crossflow interaction.
Phenobarbital and neonatal seizures affect cerebral oxygen metabolism: A near-infrared spectroscopy study

Phenobarbital and neonatal seizures affect cerebral oxygen metabolism: a near-infrared spectroscopy study
Ion and water turnover in the fresh-water elasmobranch Potamotrygon sp.

Abstract 1. 1. Gross turnover rates of sodium, chloride and water were measured with the use of radioisotopes. Rates were determined to be 0·28%/hr for sodium, 0·%/hr for chloride and 96%/hr for water. 2. 2. Calculated urine flow values indicate that despite high water permeability and supposed concomitant urine flow rates, urinary loss of chloride is only about 25 per cent of the total chloride loss.
Do Learning Communities Effect Academic Outcomes? Evidence From an Experiment in a Community College

Abstract Many postsecondary institutions utilize learning communities to increase social engagement and attachment to the college community. In recent years, these communities have proliferated as part of a trend fueled by low retention and persistence rates, increasing reluctance of 4-year institutions to provide remedial education, and pressure on colleges to be accountable for their outcomes. This article reports the findings of a randomized experiment of a learning communities program that operated in an urban community college. The 1-semester learning community, which focused largely on remedial English, had modest effects on full-time enrollment, the number of courses attempted and passed, remedial English pass rates, and credits earned during the semester in which it operated. Impacts diminished in postprogram semesters.