cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Alternative political economy models of transition

The collapse of centrally administered socialism in Russia and Eastern Europe resulted in what is commonly referred to as the transition problem: the transformation from a centrally administered socialist economic system to one that is market-based. Economic science has been faced with the challenge of developing an appropriate body of analysis, advice, and direction to help other nations that may be undergoing this process. In this volume, John Marangos adopts a political economy approach that yields alternative models of transition. The volume develops transition models from what Marangos defi nes as the primary elements of six variables: (1) economic analysis; (2) defi nitions of the Good Society; (3) speed of transition; (4) political structure; (5) ideological structure; and (6) initial conditions. The models developed include: the shock therapy model, the neoclassical gradualist model of transition, the post Keynesian model, the pluralistic market, the socialist model, and the non-pluralistic market socialist model. After identifying the primary elements of each transition model, Marangos considers the elements of each model with respect to the desirable reforms. An essential element of the transition process is not only to identify the necessary reforms but also a sequence in which the reforms should be introduced. For each transition model developed in this book, a set of primary and secondary elements were provided in conjunction with a sequence of reforms. Analyzing the transition problem from a political economy perspective, Marangos shows that it is possible to have inconsistencies within each transition model and between transition models yet be able to identify the potential for implementation and maintenance of necessary reforms each model recommends. This volume contributes to the understanding of the process of transition, with the objective of identifying an optimal model of transition.
Synthesis and Volume Phase Transition of Poly(methacrylic acid-co-N-isopropylacrylamide) Microgel Particles in Water

A series of lightly cross-linked, nearly monodisperse, and random copolymerized microgel particles, based on methacrylic acid (MAA) and N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) of various content, were synthesized in aqueous solution with sodium dodecyl sulfate at pH = 3.1 ± 0.2 and 70 °C. The polymerization kinetics, the colloidal stability, and the size of the microgel particles varied with the comonomer composition. The volume phase transitions of the MAA/NIPAM copolymer microgel particles with different PMAA contents in very dilute aqueous solution (C< 1 × 10-5 g/mL) were investigated by laser light scattering (LLS), as a function of both pH at 25 °C, and temperature at two different pH values of 3.4 and 7.5. To our knowledge, the volume phase transition of such submicron-sized hydrogels sensitive to multiple environmental changes was studied for the first time by LLS. The equilibrium swelling ratio, the critical transition pH, and the critical transition temperature (Tc) were strongly dependent on the comonomer...
Temperature statistics in particle-laden turbulent homogeneous shear flow

Abstract Direct numerical simulation is utilized to generate temperature field statistics in particle-laden incompressible homogeneous shear turbulent flows in the presence of mean temperature gradients. The particle density is much larger than the fluid density and the particle volume fraction is small. The particle–particle collisions are ignored, however, both one- and two-way couplings are considered. The effects of the mass loading ratio, the particle time constant, the ratio of specific heats, and the orientation of the mean temperature gradient on the fluid and particle temperature statistics are investigated. The results indicate that the increase of the mass loading ratio or the particle time constant generally tends to decrease the magnitudes of the temperature variance and the turbulent heat flux of both the carrier and the dispersed phases. The increase of the ratio of specific heats increases the particle temperature variance but demonstrates an opposite effect on the fluid. The magnitude of the turbulent heat flux of the fluid is not influenced by the change of the ratio of specific heats whereas that of the particles increases with the increase of this ratio. Further analysis of the results shows that the correlation of the temperature of the particles and the temperature of the fluid at the location of the particles decreases with the increase of the ratio of specific heats or the particle time constant and increases with the increase of the mass loading ratio. The mechanisms responsible for these variations are discussed by examining the budgets of the temperature variance and turbulent heat flux for both phases.
A framework for feature-based indexing for spatial databases

We propose a data-driven method for efficient retrieval of objects as well as similar shapes with a given query object in the spatial database environment. The idea is to find some features from the image object in order to build an index search structure. For the sake of similarity matching among shapes, the features must be invariant to rotation, translation and scaling. We propose a set of generic features that are invariant to these transformations. Each feature in the feature vector is associated with a weight based on the application, which is used in the search process. Any multidimensional point access method can then be used to build an index. In this paper, a variant of the K-D-B tree is used to construct the index structure. Finally, we define a similarity measure to find objects similar to a given query object, and discuss how similarity queries can be processed using the index structure. >
Rain-Sea Interaction Facility description

The Rain-Sea Interaction Facility (RSIF) at GSFC's Wallops Flight Facility provides a controlled environment for studies of (a) microwave scattering from rain generated features and (b) physical processes at the air-water interface and in the adjacent boundary layers. A notable feature of the RSIF is the ability to systematically examine water surfaces roughened by artificial rain, for which the droplets are at terminal velocity. Future investigations will be directed towards deriving models to support applications of remote sensing data and the authors encourage those interested in receiving further information or participating in cooperative research to contact them.
Ethics Guidelines for Destination Therapy

The introduction of the left ventricular assist device as a destination therapy for patients with heart failure introduces several ethical issues. These issues are discussed to help destination therapy teams design ethically sound policies and procedures. This article addresses ethical issues pertaining to informed decision making, device failure, and change out, as well as guidelines for deactivation, fair employment of medical and psychosocial criteria, the nature of destination therapy as an elective end-of-life therapy, and advance care planning strategies.
Seasonal regulation of the growth hormone-insulin-like growth factor-I axis in the American black bear (Ursus americanus)

The American black bear maintains lean body mass for months without food during winter denning. We asked whether changes in the growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor-I (GH-IGF-I) axis may contr...
Heart rate wavelet coherence analysis to investigate group entrainment

Unobtrusive, wearable sensors that measure physiological signals can provide useful information on an individual's autonomic response. In this paper, we propose techniques to jointly analyze heart rate variations from a group of individuals in order to study group dynamics. We use wavelet coherence to analyze the RR interval signals from a group of N ? 2 individuals and uncover shared frequency components as a function of time. We study the intrinsic delay and accuracy limitations of a possible real time implementation. We substantiate our analysis with data obtained from Kundalini yoga meditation sessions that reveal a coherence pattern among the individuals as they perform particular prescribed activities. The methodology proposed in this paper may help quantify coherence of the autonomic response of groups involved in numerous everyday activities.
Germline BAP1 mutations misreported as somatic based on tumor-only testing

We present three unrelated patients with germline mutations in BAP1 misreported as somatic mutations. All had strong family histories of cancer. One of these patients presented with an invasive breast cancer with the tumor tissue showing partial loss of the mutant rather than the wild type allele, suggesting that the germline BAP1 mutation didn't contribute to breast cancer development in this patient. This data highlights the importance of sequencing matching germline and tumor DNA for proper assessment of somatic versus germline mutation status. In patients with somatic mutations reported from laboratories carrying out tumor-only genomic testing, the possibility that a variant may be a germline mutation should be considered, especially if the personal and/or family history suggests hereditary cancer predisposition. Since tumor-only testing can reveal germline mutations, ethical issues for patients being tested should be considered including proper consent and genetic counseling.
THE VOLATILE COMPOSITION OF COMET C/2003 K4 (LINEAR) AT NEAR-IR WAVELENGTHS—COMPARISONS WITH RESULTS FROM THE NANÇAY RADIO TELESCOPE AND FROM THE ODIN, SPITZER, AND SOHO SPACE OBSERVATORIES

We observed comet C/2003 K4 (LINEAR) using NIRSPEC at the Keck Observatory on UT 2004 November 28, when the comet was at 1.28 AU from the Sun (post-perihelion) and 1.38 AU from Earth. We detected six gaseous species (H2O, OH*, C2H6, CH3OH, CH4, and HCN) and obtained upper limits for three others (H2CO, C2H2, and NH3). Our results indicate a water production rate of (1.72 ± 0.18) × 1029 molecules s−1, in reasonable agreement with production rates from SOHO (on the same day), Odin (one day earlier), and Nancay (about two weeks earlier). We also report abundances (relative to water) for seven trace species: CH3OH (∼1.8%), CH4 (∼0.9%), and C2H6 (∼0.4%) that were consistent with mean values among Oort cloud (OC) comets, while NH3 (<0.55%), HCN (∼0.07%), H2CO (<0.07%), and C2H2 (<0.04%) were “lower” than the mean values in other OC comets. We extracted inner-coma rotational temperatures for four species (H2O, C2H6, CH3OH, and CH4), all of which are consistent with 70 K (within 1σ). The extracted ortho-para ratio for water was 3.0 ± 0.15, corresponding to spin temperatures larger than 39 K (at the 1σ level) and agreeing with those obtained with the Spitzer Space Telescope at the 2σ level.
Explaining Lateral Interactions in the Retina with the Help of Models

Making models of the nervous system can be an invaluable and often essential step in understanding how it works. Before describing a particular example of modeling it is perhaps worthwhile to inquire a little more deeply into the relationship between modeling and understanding.
Sonographically Identified Echogenic Renal Masses Up to 1 cm in Size Are So Rarely Malignant They Can Be Safely Ignored.

Objectives The purpose of this study was to determine whether small echogenic renal masses up to 1 cm in size incidentally detected by sonography are rarely malignant and thus do not need further workup. Methods We reviewed approximately 13,600 reports of all abdominal sonographic examinations performed between November 2001 and October 2007 that identified a small echogenic mass in a kidney. Patients with known malignancy of any kind, tuberous sclerosis, lesions larger than 1.0 cm, lesions with heterogeneous echogenicity, and lesions with posterior ring-down artifacts or posterior acoustic shadowing were excluded. All patients without magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomographic scans that completely characterized the lesions were excluded unless a follow-up study (sonography, magnetic resonance imaging, or contrast-enhanced computed tomography) at least 5 years later was available for comparison to prove that the lesion was benign. Results A total of 120 lesions in 111 patients satisfied the inclusion criteria. Lesion sizes were 0 to 5 mm (n = 16) and 6 to 10 mm (n = 104). Of these, 54 lesions were characterized as definitely benign (47 angiomyolipomas and 7 other benign entities: calcifications in stones or within a cyst or calyx and cysts that were either simple on follow-up studies or complicated with hemorrhagic or proteinaceous content). For the remaining 66 lesions, follow-up results after at least 5 years were normal in 24 cases (which meant that the lesion was no longer visible), and the remaining 42 lesions were stable in size. The mean duration of follow-up for these 66 lesions was 7.4 years. Conclusions Small echogenic renal masses up to 1 cm in size that fulfill our study criteria are so likely to be benign that they can be safely ignored.
Complications of castration and ovariectomy

This article discusses the complications of castration and ovariectomy and their treatment and prevention. These two procedures were chosen because castration is the most common surgical procedure performed by the equine practitioner and ovariectomy is associated with a high number of complications.
Multicultural Education: Teachers Perceptions And Preparation

In this study, the researcher has explored and described K-12 school teachers’ perceptions of multicultural education and their professional preparation to teach culturally diverse students in a Northwest Florida school district. This was a descriptive study, combining quantitative and qualitative research methods. A proportionate stratified random sample of 150 K-12 teachers was used for the survey and a case study of 15 teachers for the interviews. Correlation coefficients and ANOVA results determined overall significantly low correlations between teachers’ demographics and their perceptions. Previous research and the findings from this study indicate a need for effective preparation in multicultural education for teachers of culturally diverse students.
A Reconsideration of Spanish Colonial Culture

The interpretation of Spanish colonial history has ever ranged to extremes. A political observer once remarked that on the subject of James G. Blaine men went crazy in pairs. And on the subject of Spain Spaniards have shown the same flair from Charles V to Franco. How else can we reconcile “the proud Spaniard” so fixed in popular psychology and the revealing verse of Batrina? Hearing a. man speak, it is easy to tell where he first saw the light of day. If he praises England, he will be an Englishman; If he speaks evil of Prussia, he will be a Frenchman; If he speaks evil of Spain, he is a Spaniard.
Contamination status and virulence gene detection of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in aquatic products in Taiyuan

Objective To investigate the contamination and virulence gene of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in aquatic products in Taiyuan and provide evidence for preventing Vibrio parahaemolyticus related food poisoning. Methods Samples were collected from supermarkets and wholesale markets in Taiyuan for isolation and identification of Vibrio parahaemolyticus. PCR was used to detect the virulence genes tdh and trh in these Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolates. Results In the 150 aquatic product samples, 15 samples were found Vibrio parahaemolyticus positive( 10%); Fresh aquatic products and cooked aquatic foods showed obvious difference in Vibrio parahaemolyticus contamination; Freshwater aquatic products were significantly more contaminated by Vibrio parahaemolyticus than fresh sea aquatic products. Virulence genes tdh and trh were not detected in the isolates from the 15 samples. Conclusion Aquatic products should be cooked for eating,or there might be a risk of food poisoning; Vibrio parahaemolyticus contamination was found serious in freshwater aquatic products,so surveillance for freshwater aquatic products should be strengthened.
Fault Tree Analysis of Adjacent Track Accidents on Shared-Use Rail Corridors

Adjacent-track accidents (ATAs) have been identified as an important hazard on shared-use rail corridors. In these train accidents derailed railroad equipment intrudes on (fouls) an adjacent track, disrupts operations, and potentially causes a collision with trains operating on the fouled tracks. Derailments without intrusion may cause equipment and infrastructure damage, passenger casualties, and disturbances to system operation; however, an intrusion may be even more severe because of the potential involvement of multiple trains. Opportunities for ATAs have increased in recent years because of expanded passenger and transit service on freight railroad trackage, right-of-way, and corridors and because of increased multiple tracks related to capacity expansion projects. This paper presents a probabilistic risk assessment methodology for analyzing ATA risk. An event tree is created to identify scenarios for ATAs, and a fault tree analysis is performed to identify basic events that contribute to such accide...
Activation of human neutrophils by monoclonal antibody PMN7C3: cell movement and adhesion can be triggered independently from the respiratory burst

Anti-neutrophil monoclonal antibody PMN7C3 (IgG3) recognizes glycoproteins bearing the oligosaccharide lacto-N-fucopentaose III, including the C3bi receptor, LFA-1, and p150,95 on the plasma membrane and a group of granule-associated glycoproteins. We have previously shown that binding of this antibody to polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) stimulates a transient rise in cytosolic free calcium concentration but does not trigger the neutrophil respiratory burst. We now demonstrate that binding of PMN7C3 (and five other monoclonal antibodies recognizing the same antigen) to human neutrophils activates several other cellular responses. Addition of PMN7C3 to monolayers of neutrophils induces a rapid change in cell shape followed by pseudopod formation and increased migration. With incubation at 37 degrees C, the neutrophils aggregate in clusters (leukoagglutination). Quantitation of cell movement in a multiwell chemotaxis assembly or by migration of PMNs under agarose revealed that PMN7C3 is both chemotactic and chemokinetic. Pretreatment with the antibody inhibits subsequent chemotactic response to other stimuli. Monoclonal antibodies binding to other neutrophil antigens do not mimic these effects. These data suggest that cell movement and adhesion can be triggered independently from the respiratory burst. PMN7C3 may be a useful probe with which to study the events that link receptor-ligand binding to cellular response.
How do sunflowers follow the Sun—and to what end?

A field of domesticated sunflowers ( Helianthus annuus ) fully in bloom is a striking sight. The large and showy flowering heads face east, positioned toward the rising Sun. Before floral development, however, elongating vegetative stems move their apices steadily from facing east in the morning to facing west in the afternoon, following the Sun—a process known as solar tracking or heliotropism ( 1 ). During the night, the shoots reorient their apices to face east again at sunrise (see the figure). As flower development is initiated, solar tracking diminishes and finally ceases, with the developing flowering heads at rest and facing east. On page 587 of this issue, Atamian et al. ( 2 ) provide mechanistic insights into this tracking phenomenon and postulate an evolutionary link to pollination.
Affective Well-Being Viewed Through a Lens of Race and Ethnicity

This chapter focuses on racial and ethnic differences in the affective component of well-being, such as subjective happiness and positive/negative emotions. How culture influences the definition and experience of affective well-being is briefly discussed. Race and ethnicity have been tested as a predictor and a moderator in the relations between affective well-being and other variables, and empirical findings from these studies are critiqued. This chapter also highlights methodological issues relevant to studying well-being of individuals with different racial and ethnic backgrounds as well as directions for future research. Finally, an exemplar is included to demonstrate how some of the methodological issues could be addressed to obtain reliable and valid findings.
Identification of Coal and Gangue by Feed-forward Neural Network Based on Data Analysis

ABSTRACTWhile coal is the major power source around the globe, gangue is unwanted in power plants. Thus, separating gangue from coal is a crucial part in the preprocessing step of mining. With the development of the computational technologies, it is possible to find one way to enhance the effect of gangue separation. By establishing a coal-gangue separation system based on the difference between coal and gangue in their surface texture and grayscale feature, this paper proposes a method of combining image feature extraction and artificial neural network, to identify gangue. In addition, this method will enable robots, instead of human, to pick the gangue. Ultimately, the automated separation of coal-gangue and increased efficiency of raw coal sorting and quality of coal can be achieved if the method proposed in this paper can be applied in coal industry.
Morphine-induced angiogenesis is blocked by methylnaltrexone

965 Introduction: Although morphine (MS) is widely used in patients with advanced cancer, prior in vitro studies have demonstrated that MS, in clinically relevant doses, promotes neovascularization in human breast cancer xenografts. 1 However, the opiate antagonist naloxone (N) did not inhibit the proangiogenic activity of MS. We utilized a modified chemotaxis assay 2 to quantitatively assess whether clinically relevant doses of MS stimulate or inhibit endothelial cell migration, and to assess whether this activity could be blocked by N and methylnaltrexone (MNTX), a peripheral opiate antagonist in Phase 3 clinical trials for opiate induced constipation in advanced medical illness. 3 We further wished to assess the concentration of MNTX required to attenuate MS at a therapeutically relevant concentration (10 -7 M). Methods:: The endothelial cell migration assay was performed as previously described. 2 Human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (Cell Systems, Kirkland, WA) were starved overnight in media containing 0.1% bovine serum albumin (BSA), harvested, resuspended into DME with 0.1% BSA, and plated on a semi-porous gelatinized membrane in a modified Boyden chamber (Nucleopore Corporation, MD). Test substances were then added to the wells of the upper chamber and cells were allowed to migrate for four hours at 37° C. Membranes were recovered, fixed, and stained and the number of cells that had migrated to the upper chamber per ten high power fields counted by a blinded observer. Background migration to DME + 0.1% BSA was subtracted and the data reported as the number of cells migrated per 10 high power fields (400x). Each substance was tested in quadruplicate in each experiment and all experiments were repeated at least twice. VEGF (RD 62:4491-8. 2. Methods Mol Med 2003; 78:337-47. 3. ASA Refresher Courses in Anesthesiology Vol. 33, 2005, pp. 175-186 (in press)
Novel Lyn-Mediated Regulation of CLEC-2 Signaling By Gq-Coupled Receptors in Platelets

The CLEC-2 agonist, rhodocytin, elicits powerful platelet activation signals in conjunction with Src family kinases, Syk, and PLCg2. Previous reports have shown that rhodocytin-induced aggregation is dependent on secondary mediators. However, the role of secondary mediators in CLEC-2 signaling is not defined. In this study we report that CLEC-2-induced Syk activation is aspirin-sensitive and that TxA2 plays an important role in the most proximal events such as CLEC-2 phosphorylation and Syk activation. We also show that the activation of other GPCRs, such as the ADP receptors and PARs, can also potentiate CLEC-2 signaling. By using the Gq-inhibitor, UBO-QIC, or P2Y1/P2Y12 antagonists, we show that the Gq-signaling, but not G12/13 or Gi, is essential for GPCR-induced Syk phosphorylation downstream of CLEC-2. We further elucidated the signaling involved in Gq-mediated Syk phosphorylation and identified an important role for PKCs downstream of PLCb regulating SFK activation (Figure 1A). Using Lyn-knock out murine platelets we identified a potential role for Lyn downstream of the Gq-pathway in potentiating CLEC-2 signaling by using. We suggest that, at low concentration of CLEC-2 agonist, the unclustered CLEC-2 receptors are phosphorylated by the Gq-activated Lyn resulting in the potentiation of the initial CLEC-2 signal (Figure 1B). However, Gq receptors by themselves cannot phosphorylate CLEC-2 receptors and require minimal levels of ITAM-containing receptor stimulation in order to initiate unclustered CLEC-2 receptor phosphorylation. Together, these results provide evidence for a novel Lyn-mediated regulation of CLEC-2 signaling by Gq-coupled receptors thereby leading to potentiation of CLEC-2-induced signaling (Figure 1C). Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Mechanism characterization of bacterial inactivation of atmospheric air plasma gas and activated water using bioluminescence technology

Abstract We assessed the efficacy of bacterial inactivation using a dielectric barrier discharge in three different plasma setups: plasma gas (PG), and direct and indirect plasma activated water (PAW), where deionized water was placed either between or away from the electrodes, respectively. We used bioluminescent Escherichia coli K12 lux as a model bacteria in a biosensor format to study the inactivation kinetics and mechanism of action of produced PG and PAW. The results showed that uninterrupted application of PG decreased bioluminescence rapidly by 1-log within the first minute and 3.6-log after 10 min of treatment. Exposing the bacterial culture with a sublethal dose of PAW (1 mL) rapidly decreased the bioluminescence; however, luminescence slowly recovered after exposure. Subsequent treatment with PAW decreased the bioluminescence to a lesser extent. In addition, direct PAW induced a greater decrease in bioluminescence compared to indirect treatments for both single and multiple exposures. In contrast to the PG, PAW treatments induced a lower bactericidal effect with 0.11 to 0.22-log reduction for indirect PAW and 0.2 to 0.32-log for direct PAW. Our results also indicate that antimicrobial activity of PAW decreased slowly within 20 min of its preparation. The rapid decrease in bioluminescence followed by a partial recovery in a repeatable pattern suggests an incomplete inactivation, and that the reducing power of the cell helps them to survive. Moreover, the complete and partial oxidation of NADH solutions in vitro by PG and PAW, respectively, strongly suggest that the lux fluorophore FMNH2 and other reducing cofactors could be the target of such treatment before other cell components. This hypothesis was supported by the tendency to recover luminescence by potentially replenishing the pool of FMNH2 after plasma treatment. It is also important to consider that the reducing power of the cell (NADH, NADPH, and FMNH2) is crucial for cell viability mostly due to reducing potential for critical metabolic reactions. Therefore, in situ bioluminescence monitoring technology can potentially serve as a unique approach to elucidate the mechanism of bacteria inactivation in real time. Industrial relevance The present study developed three dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma setups to produce plasma gas and plasma activated water, which can disinfect both food products and their contact surfaces regardless of geometry. Our in situ bioluminescent technology elucidated bacterial inactivation mechanisms of plasma treatments, which may potentially suggest sufficient exposures to plasma resulting in safe food products without deteriorating their quality. The results will help food manufacturers apply new plasma-based disinfection methods with appropriate treatments.
Low-Complexity Universal-Filtered Multi-Carrier for Beyond 5G Wireless Systems

In this paper, we introduce a computationally efficient multi-carrier waveform to be used for future generations of wireless communication systems. In the proposed technique, we first divide the resource blocks (RB) into two groups, namely odd and even. The filtering operation will then be applied only to these two groups in contrast to the standard UFMC system where a filtering operation is applied to each individual RB. This reduces the number of inverse Fourier transforms and filtering convolutions, resulting in a much lower complexity which is crucial especially with a large number of subcarriers. The results indicate that the proposed scheme outperforms the OFDM system while retaining the same level of performance as the standard UFMC system.
A low-cost indoor testbed for multirobot adaptive navigation research

Conventional navigation typically focuses on guiding a vehicle along a pre-defined path or through a series of waypoints. In contrast, Adaptive Navigation techniques determine how to move based on environmental measurements collected during the navigation process. The most studied version of this is navigation through a scalar field, where a single point measurement such as temperature is associated with each point in the field, in order to find the location of minimum or maximum value. Many proposed adaptive navigation techniques use multiple robots, exploiting their spatial distribution in order to improve the navigation process. The potential of such methods is compelling, enabling navigation to/along a variety of critical field features relevant to a wide range of applications, and doing so more efficiently than conventional navigation techniques. Unfortunately, most of these methods have not advanced beyond the simulation phase given the challenge of having access to a convenient experimental testbed that can support maturation of these techniques and their experimental verification. In addition to supporting multirobot operation, such a testbed should allow the scalar field of interest to be explicitly specified and customized in order to evaluate the navigation task of interest. To address this challenge, our team has developed a low-cost indoor multirobot adaptive navigation testbed with several intriguing features; these include a suite of 12 small omnidrive robots tracked via an optical tracking system, on-board sensors that measure the reflectivity of a printed mat on which the robots drive and which graphically represents a scalar field of interest, and a virtual reality visualization system for graphically presenting complex scalar fields and navigation performance. This paper reviews adaptive navigation, summarizes challenges in establishing experimental testbeds, and presents the design and functionality of our testbed.
Sustained Improvement for Specialty Clinic Access

Article-at-a-Glance Background Veterans Affairs New Jersey Health Care System (VA NJHCS) used the advanced clinic access (ACA) strategies and applied "facility communication model" principles to improve access to care at two medical centers and a community-based outpatient clinic. Implementation of the facility model included the integration of a performance improvement (PI) structure, use of the technology, and staff participation. Methods VA NJHCS participated in a Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN 3) collaborative consisting of five network facilities from June 2001 to January 2002. Specialty clinics were to develop the capacity to schedule a specialty clinic appointment in less than 30 days. ACA strategies were as follows: reduction of appointment types, reduction of demand, development of service agreement with primary care, and standardized documentation using templates. Results The VA NJHCS average waiting time for a next-available urology clinic appointment decreased 85.9%, versus a 26.2% reduction in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) national average. In June 2005, the average days waiting time for a next-available urology clinic appointment at VA NJHCS was 14.2 days, or 24.6 days (63.4%) better than the VHA average of 38.8 days. Discussion Waiting time reduction for urology clinic appointments at VA NJHCS is similar to results reported elsewhere using the collaborative model and ACA strategies. Yet, the added dimension of a facility model resulted in a waiting time reduction for urology clinics at VA NJHCS that exceeded the VHA national average.
Abstract 1102: Differential Effect of Wall Tension on Matrix Metalloproteinase Promoter Activation in the Thoracic Aorta

Vascular remodeling relies upon extracellular matrix restructuring by the matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Induction of MMP-2, MMP-9, and the membrane type-1 MMP (MT1-MMP) by biological signaling molecules has been defined, but whether a mechanical stimulus such as elevated wall tension may generate MMP promoter activation remains unknown. Accordingly, this study examined whether MMP promoter activation would occur as a function of wall tension. The MMP-2, MMP-9, or MT1-MMP promoter sequences were fused to a reporter gene (lacZ or luciferase) and inserted into the mouse genome. Thoracic aortic rings were harvested (4 – 6 preparations/construct) and maintained under physiological conditions at predetermined tension values corresponding to 69, 83 and 99 mmHg for 3 hours. Relative gene expression of lacZ or luciferase, directly reflecting MMP promoter activity, was then quantified by RT-PCR. MMP-2 promoter activity increased at the greatest wall tension application, whereas MMP-9 was unaffected (Figure). MT1-MMP activity was increased at both 83 and 99 mmHg. Using unique transgenic constructs with homology to human MMP promoters, this study demonstrated that a physiologically relevant mechanical stimulus was sufficient to differentially induce MMP promoter activation. MT1-MMP activates proMMP-2, and parallel induction of these specific MMPs would cause heightened proteolytic activity. Moreover, these data suggest that selective MMP induction occurs at wall tension values concordant with hypertension and that a mechanical-molecular set point exists which triggers adverse remodeling within the vascular wall.
Electrically Assisted Turbocharger as an enabling technology for improved fuel economy in New European Driving Cycle operation

An Electrically Assisted Turbocharger (EAT) is one of the effective tools for improving transient response and fuel consumption. This paper describes the effects of an EAT mounted on a passenger car diesel engine (D/E) on fuel consumption during the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) and on engine transient response, as predicted by means of engine simulation. The validity of the calculation model is confirmed by comparing simulation results against results of transient and steady tests conducted on an engine test bench.
Commentary on Stanley J. Reiser’s ‘Critical Care in an Historical Context’

The history of critical care is not an overworked topic. As I waited for Dr. Reiser’s paper to arrive, I wondered how I would go about writing such a paper, if our roles in this conference had been reversed. This mental exercise created a bit of anxiety largely because so few articles and books on the history of critical care sprang quickly to mind, even fewer that approached the material from an ethical point of view.
A Framework for CPS-Based Real-Time Mobile Crane Operations

Construction machinery have long been associated with high accident rates. Mobile cranes are widely used in construction projects and represent one of the main items of machinery that contribute to a large number of construction accidents. While many of these accidents occur due to inadequate planning and a lack of foresight on the potential hazards on site, few of the mobile crane safety issues have been well addressed. This study seeks to address this problem by leveraging the use of Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) for planning and monitoring mobile crane operations on the construction site. A framework for a CPS-based approach is developed and the key components and enabling technologies are discussed. With a focus on how the virtual interface of the CPS approach was developed and how the system provides safety assistance in mobile crane operations, the modelling process and analytical algorithms are explained in detail. The capability of enhancing bi-directional communication and coordination between virtual components and their physical representations enables CPS to change the way mobile crane planning and monitoring could be done. By enabling pro-active planning and real-time monitoring of crane operations, CPS manages to provide rich multi-modal feedback to crane operators and workers on site, and thus, helps to reduce/avoid mobile crane failures and mobile crane-related accidents.
Detrended connectometry analysis to assess white matter correlates of performance in childhood.

Abstract The white matter of the brain develops in a robust, regionally-variant, nonlinear manner during childhood. To relate white matter connectivity to performance, these regional nonlinear effects of age must be accounted for. Here, we identify white matter correlates of gross intellectual functioning using cutting-edge diffusion analyses inside a data-driven two-step regression framework. A total of 98 participants, ages 3–18 years, were included in the analyses. First, white matter connectivity was modeled as a function of age for each fiber direction at each voxel, extracted from the spin distribution function, using a 6th-order B-spline. The smoothing parameter for each direction was chosen by minimizing generalized cross-validation (GCV), which prevents overfitting while remaining sensitive to potentially nonlinear effects of age. In the second step, the resulting Gaussian residuals were modeled as a function of either full-scale IQ (FSIQ), or of verbal IQ (VIQ) and performance IQ (PIQ), using a linear regression framework (connectometry). Graph theoretical analyses were also performed to assess how each predictor relates to global topological changes, including average clustering coefficient, characteristic path length, global efficiency, average local efficiency, and small worldness. Analyses revealed widespread positive associations between white matter connectivity and FSIQ, including regions of the corpus callosum, fornix, and corticothalamic tracts (FDRq
Emotional Environments of Energy Extraction in Russia

The association among extraction, emotion, and governance has received little attention in human and environmental geography and social science more generally. Extraction in authoritarian environme...
Application of lung ultrasound surface wave elastography for assessment of extravascular lung water in patients hospitalized with congestive heart failure

Lung ultrasound (LUS) detects the presence of extravascular lung water (EVLW) through the visualization of B-Line artifacts. However, the qualitative nature of LUS limits its effectiveness in serial or longitudinal studies such as evaluating changes in EVLW at different time points in patients undergoing diuretic therapy for congestive heart failure. Lung ultrasound surface wave elastography (LUSWE) is a novel technique using a small handheld device that can measure superficial lung tissue elastic properties. We aimed to evaluate the use of LUSWE to measure quantitative changes in lung elasticity caused by acute changes in EVLW. We performed LUSWE on consecutive days in 14 patients hospitalized for acute congestive heart failure with evidence of pulmonary edema (clinical EVLW). From day#1 to day#2, the patients had an average diuresis of net negative 2.1 l associated with an average decrease in 13 B-Lines by lung ultrasound, signifying a reduction in EVLW. LUSWE analysis demonstrated a significant reduction (p < 0.05) in surface wave velocity in all interrogated intercostal spaces from day#1 to day#2. In summary, LUSWE performed at the bedside was able to demonstrate improvement in lung compliance (decreased elasticity) correlating with a reduction in EVLW in hospitalized patients being treated for congestive heart failure.
Regenerative Repair of Volumetric Muscle Loss Injury is Sensitive to Age.

In this study, the influence of age on effectiveness of regenerative repair for the treatment of volumetric muscle loss (VML) injury was explored. Tibialis anterior (TA) VML injuries were repaired ...
Laboratories of Liberalism: American Higher Education in the Arabian Peninsula and the Discursive Production of Authoritarianism

American university globalization has increasingly targeted and been courted by authoritarian states. While the reasons for these partnerships are manifold—including the ease of top-down large-scale monetary investment, “knowledge economy” development strategies, social engineering programs, and other corporate and imperial entanglements—an overwhelming discourse has emerged around higher education initiatives in places like the Arabian Peninsula, China, Singapore, and Central Asia that juxtaposes liberalism (in the form of higher education) with the illiberal, authoritarian contexts it is supposedly encountering within the framework of neoliberal globalization. Through a discussion of American branch campuses in Qatar and the UAE, this article traces a more complex web of actors whose interests may include neoliberal and imperial inclinations but are not reducible to them. By focusing on the discursive framings of these branch campus initiatives, we show how the notion of “liberal education” operates as a global discourse of power through American branch campuses in the Arabian Peninsula and, by extension, other nondemocratic states around the world. Specifically, we argue that the very concept of “authoritarianism” is discursively produced in and through these university projects, and simultaneously builds (upon) an idealized narrative about the national self in the United States that erases existing and emerging inequalities—indeed, authoritarianisms—within the home spaces of American academia.
GSK3‐like kinase BIN2 phosphorylates RD26 to potentiate drought signaling in Arabidopsis

Plant steroid hormones brassinosteroids (BRs) regulate plant growth and development at many different levels. Recent research has revealed that stress-responsive NAC (petunia NAM and Arabidopsis ATAF1, ATAF2, and CUC2) transcription factor RD26 is regulated by BR signaling and antagonizes BES1 in the interaction between growth and drought stress signaling. However, the upstream signaling transduction components that activate RD26 during drought are still unknown. Here, we demonstrate that the function of RD26 is modulated by GSK3-like kinase BIN2 and protein phosphatase 2C ABI1. We show that ABI1, a negative regulator in abscisic acid (ABA) signaling, dephosphorylates and destabilizes BIN2 to inhibit BIN2 kinase activity. RD26 protein is stabilized by ABA and dehydration in a BIN2-dependent manner. BIN2 directly interacts and phosphorylates RD26 in vitro and in vivo. BIN2 phosphorylation of RD26 is required for RD26 transcriptional activation on drought-responsive genes. RD26 overexpression suppressed the brassinazole (BRZ) insensitivity of BIN2 triple mutant bin2 bil1 bil2, and BIN2 function is required for the drought tolerance of RD26 overexpression plants. Taken together, our data suggest a drought signaling mechanism in which drought stress relieves ABI1 inhibition of BIN2, allowing BIN2 activation. Sequentially, BIN2 phosphorylates and stabilizes RD26 to promote drought stress response.
Implementation of a pediatric trauma cervical spine clearance pathway

Pediatric cervical spine injuries are rare events. Missed injuries must be weighed against radiation exposure and excess resource utilization in a young population. A universal pediatric cervical spine clearance algorithm does not exist. The study objective is to determine if care improved after the implementation of a standardized cervical spine clearance pathway by evaluating imaging rates, length of stay, speciality consultation, and injury detection. A multidisciplinary group reviewed relevant literature to develop an algorithm for cervical spine clearance in pediatric trauma patients. We reviewed patient charts 15 months before and after implementation. Categorical comparisons were tested with Chi-square. A p value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The pre- and post-implementation groups were homogenous when comparing demographics, mechanism and severity of injury. Using the cervical spine clearance pathway, patients received fewer plain cervical spine radiographs (34% vs 16%), fewer spine speciality consults (28% vs 13%), and more patients were cleared clinically (44% vs 62%) (p < 0.05). There were 2 (1.7%) documented injuries in the pre-implementation group and 3 (3%) documented injuries in the post-implementation group. There were no missed injuries. Use of a standardized pathway allows more patients’ cervical spines to be cleared clinically and better utilizes resources without compromising patient care. Level III. Care Management Study.
Postoperative Opioid Consumption in Thoracic Surgery Patients: How Much Is Actually Used?

Background The objective of this initiative was to perform a prospective, multicenter survey of patients after lung resection to assess the amount of opioid medication consumed and the disposition of unused opioids to inform the development of evidence-based prescribing guidelines. Methods Adults undergoing lung resection with either minimally invasive surgery (MIS; n = 108) or thoracotomy (n = 45) were identified prospectively from 3 academic centers (from March 2017 to January 2018) to complete a 28-question telephone survey 21 to 35 days after discharge. Discharge opioids were converted into morphine milligram equivalents (MME) and were compared across patient and surgical details. Results Of the 153 patients who completed the survey, 89.5% (137) received opioids at discharge with a median prescription of 320 MME (interquartile range [IQR], 225, 450 MME) after MIS and 450 MME (IQR, 300, 600 MME) after thoracotomy (P = .001). Median opioid consumption varied by surgical approach: 90 MME (IQR, 0, 262.5) after MIS and 300 MME (IQR, 50, 382.5 MME) after thoracotomy (P Conclusions Although patients undergoing MIS lung resection used significantly less opioid medication over a shorter duration of time than did patients after thoracotomy, they had relatively more excess opioid prescription. Evidence-based, procedure-specific guidelines with tailored pain regimens should be developed and implemented to reduce the amount of postoperative opioid medication remaining in the community.
Consolidation of Irrigation Companies and Systems

Problems of old irrigation systems diverting water from common source; advantages gained by consolidation of irrigation companies and systems; information developed by Committee on Consolidation and Progressive Betterment of Old Irrigation Systems is presented.
Global and National Networks and Their Role in Fighting Disparity in Allergic Diseases

Health disparities exist in allergic disease. The existing health disparities cause an undue burden on disadvantaged populations. There are many reasons for these health disparities. Given the vastness of the problem, networks on a national and international level are working to identify the scope of health disparity in allergic diseases and provide tailored solution for these problems. The purpose of this chapter is to recognize some of the major national and global networks fighting to reduce health disparities in allergic disease.
Value of oncologist generated “surprise question” in predicting survival in metastatic cancer.

12082Background: Treating patients with metastatic cancer (MCA) requires timely integration of palliative and hospice care (PHC). The Surprise Question (SQ-“Would you be surprised if your patient d...