cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Firefighting Robot Stereo Infrared Vision and Radar Sensor Fusion for Imaging through Smoke

Firefighting robots are actively being researched to reduce firefighter injuries and deaths as well as increase their effectiveness on performing tasks. There has been difficulty in making firefighting robots autonomous because the commonly used sensors for autonomous robot navigation do not perform well in fire smoke-filled environments where low visibility and high temperature are present. In order to overcome these limitations, a multi-spectral vision system was developed that uses sensor fusion between stereo thermal infrared (IR) vision and frequency modulated-continuous wave (FMCW) radar to locate objects through zero visibility smoke in real-time. In this system, the stereo IR vision was used to obtain 3-D information about the scene while the radar provided more accurate distances of objects in the field of view. Through globally matching radar objects with those in the 3-D image, the accuracy of the stereo IR vision map was updated removing the far-field inaccuracy of the stereo IR as well as ghost objects created due to stereo mismatch. The system was sufficiently fast to provide real-time matching of objects in the scene allowing for dynamic reaction object tracking and locating. Through large-scale fire experiments with and without smoke in the field of view, the distance error for the stereo IR vision was reduced from 1% to 19.0% to 1% to 2% due to sensor fusion of the stereo IR with FMCW radar.
The Discontinuity in Schmeidler's Esp-Rorschach Data

(1961). The Discontinuity in Schmeidler's Esp-Rorschach Data. The Journal of Psychology: Vol. 52, No. 1, pp. 87-97.
The effect of ACTH therapy upon infantile spasms

Fifty-five infants with infantile spasms and hypsarrhythmia, who were treated with ACTH using 80 units im every other day for a mean period of ten months, were studied retrospectively and showed better results than infants using so-called nonsteroidal anticonvulsants or ACTH and steroids in other doses and with other time intervals. The study showed that the treatment with ACTH within the first month of onset of spasms produced a higher incidence of spasm-free state while on treatment, a shorter duration of spasms while on treatment, and a higher incidence of a spasm-free state when off treatment, compared to a similar regimen of ACTH begun after seizures had persisted for more than a month. The value of early treatment of infantile spasms suggesis that the treatment of this disease should be regarded as a medical emergency.
Synthesis of Pentafluorophenyl-Substituted Cyclopentadienes and Their Use as Transition-Metal Ligands

The reaction of NaC5H5 (NaCp) and hexafluorobenzene (1:1 ratio) in THF at 25 °C for 15 h afforded, after hydrolysis, a mixture of regioisomeric (pentafluorophenyl)cyclopentadienes. This mixture was isolated as a monoisomeric dimer of 1-(pentafluorophenyl)cyclopentadiene. The structure of the dimer was determined crystallographically. Flash vacuum thermolytic cracking of the dimer at 200 °C regenerated (pentafluorophenyl)cyclopentadiene as a mixture of regioisomers. In contrast, the reaction of NaCp, NaH, and C6F6 (1:2:5 ratio) in THF at reflux for 3 d affords, after hydrolysis, 1,4-bis(pentafluorophenyl)cyclopentadiene, which does not dimerize. Either the mono- or the disubsubstituted diene reacts with NaH in THF to afford the corresponding stable substituted sodium cyclopentadienides in high yields. Sodium (pentafluorophenyl)cyclopentadienide, (C6F5)C5H4Na, reacted with FeBr2, Re(CO)5Br, and ZrCl4(THF)2, to afford the transition metal complexes (η5-C5H4C6F5)2Fe, (η5-C5H4C6F5)Re(CO)3, and (η5-C5H4C6F5)2Zr...
Immunodeficiency due to defects in store-operated calcium entry

Mutations in genes encoding the calcium-release activated calcium (CRAC) channel abolish calcium influx in cells of the immune system and cause severe congenital immunodeficiency. Patients with autosomal recessive mutations in the CRAC channel gene ORAI1, its activator stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1), and mice with targeted deletion of Orai1, Stim1, and Stim2 genes reveal important roles for CRAC channels in adaptive and innate immune responses to infection and in autoimmunity. Because CRAC channels have important functions outside the immune system, deficiency of either ORAI1 or STIM1 is associated with a unique clinical phenotype. This review will give an overview of CRAC channel function in the immune system, examine the consequences of CRAC channel deficiency for immunity in human patients and mice, and discuss genetic defects in immunoreceptor-associated signaling molecules that compromise calcium influx and cause immunodeficiency.
The impact of endometrial ablation technique at a large university women's hospital.

Objective To determine the effect of ThermaChoice uterine balloon system on the practice patterns of endometrial ablations performed at a large university-based teaching hospital. Study design A retrospective chart review was conducted of 226 patients who underwent endometrial ablation. Data were analyzed to determine any change in the type and rate of ablations performed since the introduction of second-generation technologies. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to estimate adjusted risk factors for subsequent admission. Results A total of 72.1% of all cases were performed with the ThermaChoice uterine balloon. The postoperative admission rate was significantly higher after a balloon procedure (13.7% versus 3.1%, P =.02), with a 10.6% overall incidence of admission. Adjusting for confounding variables, more women were admitted after a balloon procedure, compared with women undergoing hysteroscopic ablation (odds ratio 5.0; 95% CI: 1.1, 22). Conclusion Second-generation endometrial ablation technologies represent frequently utilized and proficient treatment modalities for dysfunctional uterine bleeding. Notwithstanding their facilitative design, clinicians should not lose sight of potential limitations of these new procedures.
Synthesis and characterization of in situ anionically polymerized p-aminobenzoylcaprolactam using di-and tri-functional initiator systems

p-Aminobenzoylcaprolactam has been polymerized anionically in a two-step process to produce aramide-amide copolymers. Both drawn fibers and unoriented films may be produced using this method. The samples were characterized using FTIR, solution NMR, thermal analysis, viscosity, and mechanical testing. FTIR and NMR revealed the incorporation of both the aramid and amide linkages into the polymer backbone. TGA results gave a lower decomposition temperature than that of both aramide and nylon 6 materials. Intrinsic viscosities averaged 0.5 dL/g for the drawn copolymer samples polymerized by the di-functional initiator. Light microscopy displayed crystalline domains that did not appear to melt even up to 300°C. Mechanical testing showed that the initial moduli of drawn fiber samples to be in the range of 30–80 MPa, while homopolymers of nylon 6 and p-benzamide possessed values of 25 MPa and 2.70×103 MPa, respectively.
Theoretical Model for Tetragonal-to-Cubic Phase Transformations in Transition Metal Spinels

The origin of the large tetragonal distortions which occur in a number of transition metal oxides having the spinel structure has been examined recently by Dunitz and Orgel in terms of the crystal field theory. According to these authors the macroscopic distortions arise as a consequence of a Jahn-Teller type distortion in the immediate environment of certain transition metal ions. Thus, all the observed large distortions in spinels have been correlated with the results of this crystal field treatment on the basis of the spatial ordering of the local distortions.In this communication we investigate the detailed properties of the transformations from tetragonal to cubic phases which are observed at elevated temperatures. An approximate model has been constructed which explicitly takes into account the interactions between local Jahn-Teller distortions about neighboring octahedral site cations. The configurational energy of the model has been derived in a completely general form in terms of occupation variables, and has been used to deduce the structure of the stable low-temperature phase. By the use of the usual methods of statistical mechanics it has proved possible to derive the thermodynamic behavior of the model, and hence to contribute to an understanding of the cooperative nature of these phase transformations. The temperature and composition dependence of the long-range order parameter, the thermodynamic functions, and the lattice parameters are calculated explicitly. The principal result of importance is the demonstration that the transformations from tetragonal to cubic spinel phases are thermodynamic transitions of the first order type. That is, a latent heat, a volume discontinuity, lattice parameter discontinuities, and a lambda anomaly in the heat capacity are to be observed at the transformation temperature. The available experimental evidence supports the conclusions drawn from the theoretical model. The agreement between theory and experiment is found to be semiquantitative in most of the cases considered.
Joint Commission of Accreditation of Healthcare Organization Accreditation for the Office-Based Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon

Office-based surgery has become a vital component of the practice of oral and maxillofacial surgeons and periodontists. It has enabled these specialties to provide needed service to patients in an outpatient setting, including the option of intravenous sedation. It is the stance of this article to promote professional oversight and quality assurance through accreditation by the Joint Commission to maintain a standard in the delivery of office-based surgical services, thus upholding the integrity of the profession in the clinical setting.
Studies on the cleavage of bacteriophage lambda DNA with EcoRI Restriction endonuclease.

The five EcoRI† restriction sites in bacteriophage lambda DNA have been mapped at 0.445, 0.543, 0.656, 0.810, and 0.931 fractional lengths from the left end of the DNA molecule. These positions were determined electron-microscopically by single-site cleavage of hydrogen-bonded circular λ DNA molecules and by cleavage of various DNA heteroduplexes between λ DNA and DNA from well defined λ mutants. The DNA lengths of the EcoRI fragments are in agreement with their electrophoretic mobility on agarose gels but are not in agreement with their mobilities on polyacrylamide gels. These positions are different from those previously published by Allet et al. (1973). Partial cleavage of pure λ DNA by addition of small amounts of EcoRI endonuclease does not lead to random cleavage between molecules. Also, the first site cleaved is not randomly distributed among the five sites within a molecule. The site nearest the right end is cleaved first about ten times more frequently than either of the two center sites.
Altered Resting State Complexity in Schizophrenia

The complexity of the human brain's activity and connectivity varies over temporal scales and is altered in disease states such as schizophrenia. Using a multi-level analysis of spontaneous low-frequency fMRI data stretching from the activity of individual brain regions to the coordinated connectivity pattern of the whole brain, we investigate the role of brain signal complexity in schizophrenia. Specifically, we quantitatively characterize the univariate wavelet entropy of regional activity, the bivariate pairwise functional connectivity between regions, and the multivariate network organization of connectivity patterns. Our results indicate that univariate measures of complexity are less sensitive to disease state than higher level bivariate and multivariate measures. While wavelet entropy is unaffected by disease state, the magnitude of pairwise functional connectivity is significantly decreased in schizophrenia and the variance is increased. Furthermore, by considering the network structure as a function of correlation strength, we find that network organization specifically of weak connections is strongly correlated with attention, memory, and negative symptom scores and displays potential as a clinical biomarker, providing up to 75% classification accuracy and 85% sensitivity. We also develop a general statistical framework for the testing of group differences in network properties, which is broadly applicable to studies where changes in network organization are crucial to the understanding of brain function.
Screening carotid artery duplex in patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

Background We sought to determine the prevalence of carotid artery stenosis (CAS) >50% in a large, multi-institutional health maintenance organization found during duplex ultrasonography screening before cardiac surgery and to identify risk factors to increase the yield of a preoperative screening program. Methods This retrospective review study was conducted on 722 patients who had undergone duplex ultrasonography screening of the carotid artery before cardiac surgery between June 2008 and February 2011. The primary outcome was CAS >50% detected on duplex ultrasonography screening. Results Seven hundred twenty-two patients (66.2% men; median age: 71 years) underwent duplex ultrasonography screening of the carotid artery before cardiac surgery. The main indications for cardiac surgery were valvular disease (39.5%) and coronary artery disease (36.3%). One hundred eighteen patients (16.3%) had CAS ≥50%. Among the patients found to have carotid stenosis, 38 patients (32.2%) had bilateral stenosis >50% and 37 patients (31.4%) had at least 70% unilateral stenosis. The presence of peripheral vascular disease (odds ratio [OR]: 2.93 [95% confidence interval {CI}: 1.87–4.60]; P P = 0.028) were risk factors associated with CAS. Patients who have coronary artery disease with cardiac catheterization showing left main disease (OR: 6.80 [95% CI: 3.02–15.29]; P P = 0.003), or both (OR: 4.13 [95% CI: 1.89–9.06]; P 50%. Conclusions Independent risk factors that are predictive of the presence of CAS are peripheral vascular disease, having had a previous cerebrovascular accident, and coronary artery disease with left main or 3-vessel disease. Routine carotid duplex ultrasonography scanning may not be necessary for all patients undergoing cardiac surgery, and selective carotid screening programs may be considered in patients with symptomatic atherosclerosis disease or advanced coronary artery disease.
Independent assembly of virions in tobacco doubly infected by potato virus X and potato virus Y or tobacco mosaic virus.

Abstract Enhancement of potato virus X (PVX) synthesis in tobacco cells doubly infected by PVX and potato virus Y (PVY) or by PVX and tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) is not a consequence of encapsidation of PVX-RNA by a protein coat containing the capsid subunits of PVY or TMV. Serology, electrophoresis, sedimentation analysis, and infectivity tests did not detect heterologous encapsidation of PVX-RNA, PVY-RNA, or TMV-RNA in doubly infected leaves.
Determinants of interpersonal attraction: A clarification.

Discussions of interpersonal attraction should attend closely to the manner in which likability is operationalized. In accordance with New-comb's (1956) original distinction, this paper provides ev...
Developmental and Behavioral Disorders Through the Life Span

Developmental and behavioral disorders including intellectual disability, learning disabilities, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder are highly prevalent, chronic health conditions. Despite being versed in caring for children with these conditions, pediatricians might be less prepared for challenging questions from families about the long-term course of these conditions and what can be done to improve outcomes. Through this state-of-the-art review, we provide clinicians with an understanding of the course of these conditions and adult outcomes in several areas including vocational, social, and health domains. We also provide a review of the most current research examining factors that predict or mediate adult outcomes for people with intellectual disability, learning disabilities, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. On the basis of the current literature, we offer practice recommendations aimed at optimizing adult outcomes for those with these disorders.
From Olmecs to Zapatistas: a once and future history of souls

Etudiant l'identite collective des Maya Chamula du Mexique, l'A. s'interesse au concept mesoamericain du « soi » et au lien avec les « co-essences » individuelles ou « âmes-animales » qui existe depuis longtemps en tant que source de controle social interne et de resistance a la conquete occidentale.
A Descriptive Analysis of Mathematics Curricular Materials from a Pedagogical Perspective A Case Study of Fractions

In this article, we present six pedagogical criteria, five of which were gleaned from research related to effective teaching practices, followed by a narrative description of the extent to which the early 1990s editions of three basal mathematics programs applied these criteria in designing instructional sequences. Specifically, the purpose of the descriptive study was to compare lessons that taught adding and subtracting fractions in the fifth-grade books of each of the three basals. The present analysis of traditional basals revealed areas of serious concern: big ideas were rarely identified, introduced, or integrated; content was introduced too rapidly; teaching demonstrations were often not explicit or straightforward; manipulative activities were open-ended and ineffective; and review was inadequate. Finally, we propose recommendations for using the six curriculum design criteria to evaluate and modify mathematics curricular materials.
Family context and young children's responses to earthquake.

Background: Family context can affect children's vulnerability to various stresses, but little is known regarding the role of family variables on children's reactions to natural disaster. This prospective study examined the influence of predisaster observed parenting behaviors and postdisaster parental stress on young children's distress following an earthquake. Methods: Participants were 117 two-parent families with a child age 4-5 at the initial assessment. The families experienced different degrees of impact from the earthquake. Pre-earthquake family context comprised observations of parents' positive and negative behaviors during a parent-child play task. Eight months after the earthquake, mothers reported symptoms of parental stress and children's distress. Results: Earthquake impact and children's distress symptoms were moderately correlated (r = .44), but certain pre-earthquake parental behaviors moderated the relationship. The dose-response association between earthquake impact and children's symptoms did not hold for families in which fathers showed high levels of negative behaviors with daughters, or mothers showed low levels of positive behaviors with sons. In addition, results consistent with full mediation for boys (and partial mediation for girls) indicated that 86% of the total effect of earthquake impact on boys' distress (and 29% on girls' distress) occurred through the mediator of reported parental stress. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that young children's responses to an abrupt, negative environmental event, such as an earthquake, are influenced in part by the nature of the parent-child relationship prior to the event as well as by the responses parents exhibit following the event. Language: en
Direct Lyapunov approach for tracking control of underactuated mechanical systems

A direct Lyapunov method is applied to tracking problems for underactuated mechanical systems. The method involves reformulating the problem in terms of a sliding mode vector and then designing a control law that stabilizes the sliding mode vector to a lower bound. The design of the tracking control law utilizes the authors' previous work on stabilization of underactuated mechanical systems using a direct Lyapunov method. One of the attractive features of the approach presented is that it requires no inverse dynamics. The efficacy of the method is demonstrated with applications to the ball and beam, where the unactuated axis is made to track a specified path, and to the inverted pendulum cart, where the actuated axis is made to track a specified path while maintaining stability of the pendulum.
Low pleural fluid-to-serum glucose gradient indicates pleuroperitoneal communication in peritoneal dialysis patients: presentation of two cases and a review of the literature

Background Transudative pleural effusions due to pleuroperitoneal communication occur in 1.6-10% of patients receiving peritoneal dialysis (PD) and usually have overtly elevated glucose concentrations. Methods We report two cases of verified pleuroperitoneal communication with minimally elevated pleural fluid glucose levels. We reviewed the literature of all PD patients with pleuroperitoneal communication that reported pleural glucose levels to assess their clinical and laboratory features and pleural fluid-to-serum glucose gradients. Results We evaluated a total of 47 reported patients on PD with diagnosed pleuroperitoneal communication. Onset of the transudative pleural effusion after initiating PD was 100 mg/dL. All pleural fluid-to-serum glucose ratios were >1. Conclusions With a transudative pleural effusion in patients receiving PD, a pleural fluid-to-serum glucose ratio >1 is consistent with a pleuroperitoneal communication. In questionable cases, independent verification is necessary.
The Relationship between Trait and State Communication Apprehension and Interpersonal Perceptions during Acquaintance Stages

The primary purpose of the research was to examine the effect of trait and state communication apprehension on interpersonal perceptions (credibility, attraction, and opinion leadership) during initial and later acquaintance stages of dyadic linkages. The results of the investigation indicated that the results of previously reported simulated studies may not generalize to real, interacting dyads. Trait CA was found to account for little variance in interpersonal perceptions. However, state CA was found to be a potent predictor of such perceptions, particularly in a later stage of acquaintance. It was found that trait and state CA were significantly correlated in the early acquaintance stage, but were unrelated at a later stage. It was also found that state CA did not decline as a function of length of acquaintance, nor did interpersonal perceptions become more positive as a function of increased interaction.
Gbx2 regulates thalamocortical axon guidance by modifying the LIM and Robo codes

Combinatorial expression of transcription factors forms transcriptional codes to confer neuronal identities and connectivity. However, how these intrinsic factors orchestrate the spatiotemporal expression of guidance molecules to dictate the responsiveness of axons to guidance cues is less understood. Thalamocortical axons (TCAs) represent the major input to the neocortex and modulate cognitive functions, consciousness and alertness. TCAs travel a long distance and make multiple target choices en route to the cortex. The homeodomain transcription factor Gbx2 is essential for TCA development, as loss of Gbx2 abolishes TCAs in mice. Using a novel TCA-specific reporter, we have discovered that thalamic axons are mostly misrouted to the ventral midbrain and dorsal midline of the diencephalon in Gbx2-deficient mice. Furthermore, conditionally deleting Gbx2 at different embryonic stages has revealed a sustained role of Gbx2 in regulating TCA navigation and targeting. Using explant culture and mosaic analyses, we demonstrate that Gbx2 controls the intrinsic responsiveness of TCAs to guidance cues. The guidance defects of Gbx2-deficient TCAs are associated with abnormal expression of guidance receptors Robo1 and Robo2. Finally, we demonstrate that Gbx2 controls Robo expression by regulating LIM-domain transcription factors through three different mechanisms: Gbx2 and Lhx2 compete for binding to the Lmo3 promoter and exert opposing effects on its transcription; repressing Lmo3 by Gbx2 is essential for Lhx2 activity to induce Robo2; and Gbx2 represses Lhx9 transcription, which in turn induces Robo1. Our findings illustrate the transcriptional control of differential expression of Robo1 and Robo2, which may play an important role in establishing the topography of TCAs.
Confirmation bias in a simulated research environment: An experimental study of scientific inference

Numerous authors (e.g., Popper, 1959) argue that scientists should try to falsify rather than confirm theories. However, recent empirical work (Wason and Johnson-Laird, 1972) suggests the existence of a confirmation bias, at least on abstract problems. Using a more realistic, computer controlled environment modeled after a real research setting, subjects in this study first formulated hypotheses about the laws governing events occurring in the environment. They then chose between pairs of environments in which they could: (I) make observations which would probably confirm these hypotheses, or (2) test alternative hypotheses. Strong evidence for a confirmation bias involving failure to choose environments allowing tests of alternative hypotheses was found. However, when subjects did obtain explicit falsifying information, they used this information to reject incorrect hypotheses.
Left ventricular dysfunction, exercise capacity and activity recommendations

There is lack of consistent correlation between left ventricular function at rest, haemodynamic measurements at rest, symptomatic status and exercise tolerance. Haemodynamic data appear comparable in patients whose exercise tolerance is limited clinically by fatigue and by breathlessness. Selected patients with left ventricular dysfunction and compensated congestive heart failure can safely undergo both exercise testing and training, and an improvement in functional status can be anticipated to result from exercise training.
Towards large-scale mobile network emulation through spatial switching on a wireless grid

Experimentation with large mobile networks is notoriously tedious and expensive. We present the architecture and work-in-progress implementation of the m-ORBIT testbed, a mobility emulator using spatial switching, which facilitates mobile system experiments with 802.11a/b/g wireless network interfaces. The emulator does not require any physically moving parts---it emulates mobility by switching over an array of 128 spatially distributed radios. Instead of using hardware antenna switches, we implement spatial switching in software over Gigabit Ethernet links to the radio nodes. Preliminary results support the scaling of this approach to a large number of radios at relatively low cost. Packet error rate measurements also indicate that an experimenter can create multi-hop topologies by injecting additive white Gaussian noise into the environment. We demonstrate through an Ad hoc On Demand Distance Vector routing case study how this emulator enables mobile systems experiments and plan to make the emulator available for remote access by the research community.
High dose rate intraoperative radiation therapy (HDR-IORT) as part of the management strategy for locally advanced primary and recurrent rectal cancer

Abstract Purpose: Primary unresectable and locally advanced recurrent rectal cancer presents a significant clinical challenge. Local failure rates are high in both situations. Under such circumstances, there is a significant need to safely deliver tumoricidal doses of radiation in an attempt to improve local control. For this reason, we have incorporated a new approach utilizing high dose rate intraoperative radiation therapy (HDR-IORT). Methods and Materials: Between 11/92–12/96, a total of 112 patients were explored, of which 68 patients were treated with HDR-IORT, and 66 are evaluable. The majority of the 44 patients were excluded for unresectable disease or for distant metastases which eluded preoperative imaging. There were 22 patients with primary unresectable disease, and 46 patients who presented with recurrent disease. The histology was adenocarcinoma in 64 patients, and squamous cell carcinoma in four patients. In general, the patients with primary unresectable disease received preoperative chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and leucovorin, and external beam irradiation to 4500–5040 cGy, followed by surgical resection and HDR-IORT (1000–2000 cGy). In general , the patients with recurrent disease were treated with surgical resection and HDR-IORT (1000–2000 cGy) alone. All surgical procedures were done in a dedicated operating room in the brachytherapy suite, so that HDR-IORT could be delivered using the Harrison-Anderson-Mick (HAM) applicator. The median follow-up is 17.5 months (1–48 mo). Results: In primary cases, the actuarial 2-year local control is 81%. For patients with negative margins, the local control was 92% vs. 38% for those with positive margins ( p = 0.002). The 2-year actuarial disease-free survival was 69%; 77% for patients with negative margins vs. 38% for patients with positive margins ( p = 0.03). For patients with recurrent disease, the 2-year actuarial local control rate was 63%. For patients with negative margins, it was 82%, while it was 19% for those with positive margins ( p = 0.02). The disease-free survival was 47% (71% for negative margins and 0% for positive margins) ( p = 0.04). Prospective data gathering indicated that significant complications occurred in approximately 38% of patients and were multifactorial in nature, and manageable to complete recovery. Conclusion: HDR-IORT using our technique is versatile, safe, and effective. The local control rates for primary disease compare quite well with other published series, especially for patients with negative margins. For patients with recurrent disease, locoregional control and survival are especially encouraging in patients with negative resection margins. Further follow-up is needed to see whether these encouraging data will continue.
Design of a Four-DOF Modular Self-Reconfigurable Robot With Novel Gaits

Throughout the modern age, exploration of the unknown has been an attractive pursuit to seekers of knowledge. One of the primary frontiers for exploration today involves planetary and lunar environments. Exploration in these environments can involve many different types of tasks in a broad range of environmental conditions. Modular Self-Reconfigurable Robots (MSRs) would be beneficial for completing these tasks in unstructured environments, while having the ability to complete multiple assigned functions. Since payload is a critical concern, a lighter and more dexterous MSR is preferable. This research focuses on the design of a robot that has these qualities. A chain-type modular robot with four degrees of freedom per module has been designed with the goal of reducing weight and size while increasing range of motion. Forward kinematic transformations were derived to analyze the available workspace provided by the MSR. Radio communication and proximity sensing ability were provided in the individual MSR modules to locate each other. The modules are designed to maneuver independently using their individual navigation capability as well as connect to each other by means of a docking mechanism. Locomotion gaits for such multi-module robot chains are also described.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Team Spirits: The Native American Mascot Controversy

Team Spirits: The Native American Mascot Controversy. C. Richard King and Charles Fruehling Springwood. eds. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2001. 356 pp.
The effects of incorrect modeling on noise and resolution properties of ML-EM images

The effects of incorrect compensation for collimator blur in single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) images are studied in terms of the noise and resolution properties of the reconstructed images. Qualitative analysis of images of the largelyHoffman brain phantom reconstructed using nonlinear maximum-likelihood-expectation maximization (ML-EM) show the behavior of longer noise correlations for high-pass filtered images. These qualitative observations are confirmed with more quantitative noise measures. The differences also appear in images reconstructed using linear Landweber iteration. However, the signal-to-noise ratio, in terms of the noise-equivalent quanta, remains largely unchanged. We conclude that the compensation model affects SPECT image properties, though the effect on human task performance remains to be studied.
Evaluation of correlations between precipitation, groundwater fluctuations, and lake level fluctuations using spectral methods (Wisconsin, USA)

Spectral methods and 2 years of daily data were used to estimate the phase lag between precipitation and groundwater-level response, and two decades of quarterly data were used to analyze the interaction between precipitation, lake levels and groundwater in the Trout Lake watershed located in Vilas County, Wisconsin, USA. The phase-lag function between precipitation and groundwater response is used to estimate recharge travel time. The recharge travel time and precipitation–groundwater–lake interactions have been traditionally studied using time-domain methods such as physically-based modeling. In this article, the innovative and efficient use of spectral methods is demonstrated to uncover the time scales that are significant in those interactions and estimate the recharge travel time, which is extracted from the underlying daily time series data. The results consistently show that precipitation leads groundwater-level response by up to 5 days in all cases. The effects of precipitation on lake and groundwater levels display strong similarities. Both the precipitation–lake level and the precipitation–groundwater level coherency functions show significant peaks at interannual and seasonal frequencies. The groundwater level–lake level coherency function shows a significant, broad peak at interannual frequencies, and no significant peak at seasonal frequencies, demonstrating the predominance of annual and lower frequencies in groundwater–lake interaction.
An Image Based Auto-Focusing Algorithm forDigital Fundus Photography

In fundus photography, the task of fine focusing the image is demanding and lack of focus is quite often the cause of suboptimal photographs. The introduction of digital cameras has provided an opportunity to automate the task of focusing. We have developed a software algorithm capable of identifying best focus. The auto-focus (AF) method is based on an algorithm we developed to assess the sharpness of an image. The AF algorithm was tested in the prototype of a semi-automated nonmydriatic fundus camera designed to screen in the primary care environment for major eye diseases. A series of images was acquired in volunteers while focusing the camera on the fundus. The image with the best focus was determined by the AF algorithm and compared to the assessment of two masked readers. A set of fundus images was obtained in 26 eyes of 20 normal subjects and 42 eyes of 28 glaucoma patients. The 95% limits of agreement between the readers and the AF algorithm were -2.56 to 2.93 and -3.7 to 3.84 diopter and the bias was 0.09 and 0.71 diopter, for the two readers respectively. On average, the readers agreed with the AF algorithm on the best correction within less than 3/4 diopter. The intraobserver repeatability was 0.94 and 1.87 diopter, for the two readers respectively, indicating that the limit of agreement with the AF algorithm was determined predominantly by the repeatability of each reader. An auto-focus algorithm for digital fundus photography can identify the best focus reliably and objectively. It may improve the quality of fundus images by easing the task of the photographer.
Effect of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor blockade on plasticity of frontal cortex after cholinergic deafferentation in rat

Abstract Cholinergic projections from the nucleus basalis play a critical role in cortical plasticity. For instance, cholinergic deafferentation increases dendritic spine density and expression of the GluR1 subunit of the α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionate receptor in frontal cortex. Acetylcholine modulates glutamatergic activity in cortex, and the N -methyl- d -aspartate subtype of glutamate receptor plays a role in many forms of synaptic plasticity. To assess whether N -methyl- d -aspartate receptors mediate the increase in GluR1 and spine density resulting from cholinergic deafferentation, we examined the effect of N -methyl- d -aspartate receptor blockade on nucleus basalis lesion-induced upregulation of GluR1 and dendritic spines. Rats received unilateral sham or 192 IgG saporin lesions of the nucleus basalis. Half of the rats in each group were treated with the N -methyl- d -aspartate antagonist MK-801 or phosphate-buffered saline. Two weeks later, brains were processed for either immunohistochemical staining of the GluR1 subunit or Golgi histology. In layer II–III of frontal cortex, neuronal GluR1 expression was assessed using an unbiased stereological technique, and spine density was assessed on basilar branches of pyramidal neurons. GluR1 expression was increased after nucleus basalis lesion, but this increase was prevented with MK-801. Similarly, nucleus basalis-lesioned animals had significantly higher spine densities, and this effect was also prevented by treatment with MK-801. Thus, N -methyl- d -aspartate receptor blockade prevented both GluR1 and spine density upregulation following cholinergic deafferentation, suggesting that these effects are N -methyl- d -aspartate receptor-mediated.
Inference in the space of topological maps: an MCMC-based approach

While probabilistic techniques have been considered extensively in the context of metric maps, no general purpose probabilistic methods exist for topological maps. We present the concept of probabilistic topological maps (PTMs), a sample-based representation that approximates the posterior distribution over topologies given the available sensor measurements. The PTM is obtained through the use of MCMC-based Bayesian inference over the space of all possible topologies. It is shown that the space of all topologies is equivalent to the space of set partitions of all available measurements. While the space of possible topologies is intractably large, our use of Markov chain Monte Carlo sampling to infer the approximate histograms overcomes the combinatorial nature of this space and provides a general solution to the correspondence problem in the context of topological mapping. We present experimental results that validate our technique and generate good maps even when using only odometry as the sensor measurements.
Echocardiography-based hemodynamic management of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction: a feasibility and safety study.

Background Patients with left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) are at increased risk of postoperative adverse events. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and feasibility of using echocardiography-guided hemodynamic management (EGHEM) during surgery in subjects with LVDD compared to conventional management. The feasibility of using echocardiography to direct a treatment algorithm and clinical outcomes were compared for safety between groups. Methods Subjects were screened for LVDD by preoperative transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and randomized to the conventional or EGHEM group. Subjects in EGHEM received hemodynamic management based on left ventricular filling patterns on transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). Primary outcomes measured were the feasibility to obtain TEE images and follow a TEE-based treatment algorithm. Safety outcomes also compared the following clinical differences between groups: length of hospitalization, incidence of atrial fibrillation, congestive heart failure (CHF), myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular accident, transient ischemic attack and renal failure measured 30 days postoperatively. Results Population consisted of 28 surgical subjects (14 in conventional group and 14 in EGHEM group). Mean subject age was 73.4 ± 6.7 years (36% male) in conventional group and 65.9 ± 14.4 years (36% male) in EGHEM group. Procedures included orthopedic (conventional = 29%, EGHEM 36%), general (conventional = 50%, EGHEM = 36%), vascular (conventional = 7%, EGHEM = 21%), and thoracic (conventional = 14%, EGHEM = 7%). There was no statistically significant difference in adverse clinical events between the 2 groups. The EGHEM group had less CHF, atrial fibrillation, and shorter length of stay. Conclusions Echocardiography-guided hemodynamic management of patients with LVDD during surgery is feasible and may be a safe alternative to conventional management.
Case Finding and Screening

As discussed in Chapters 1 and 2, the early onset form of schizophrenia (EOS) is rare with a prevalence rate of approximately one in 10,000; however, schizophrenia occurs in approximately 1% of the adult population, and in about one third of cases, individuals begin experiencing psychotic symptoms in adolescence (Findling & Schulz, 2005; Kodish & McClellan, 2008). Schizophrenia is often preceded by subclinical symptoms and adjustment problems with a gradual deterioration in functioning over a period of months or years (Walker, Kestler, Hochman, & Bollini, 2005). More specifically, adults with a diagnosis of schizophrenia demonstrate increased social withdrawal, anxiety, academic difficulties, and thought problems that frequently begin in adolescence (Findling & Schulz, 2005). This suggests that school psychologists and other school-based mental health professionals are on the front line to identify and intervene for students who currently have or who are at risk of developing schizophrenia in the early stages of functional decline.
A case of refractory Hashimoto’s encephalopathy demonstrating improvement with plasmapheresis

Hashimoto’s encephalopathy (HE) can present with multiple neurologic manifestations and various neuroimaging findings. While its progressive form is often well-recognized, patients with a waxing and waning course may provide diagnostic difficulty. Treatment with corticosteroids has been well-documented, but the benefit of immune-related therapies such as plasmapheresis has not been solidified. Here we describe a patient with waxing and waning signs and symptoms as well as significant fluctuations in neuroimaging findings that initially caused uncertainty regarding her diagnosis. After undergoing several largely negative tests including two brain biopsies, high levels of serum anti-thyroid antibodies as well as her symptoms and their initial responsiveness to corticosteroids helped solidify her diagnosis as HE. However, due to refractory symptoms and signs, this patient required plasmapheresis. We demonstrate clinical, serological, and radiological improvement with this yet unconfirmed therapy, thus raising questions about the appropriateness of the term “steroid-responsive encephalopathy.”
Human Placental MicroRNAs and Preeclampsia

MicroRNAs are a class of noncoding small RNAs that regulate the expression of nearly 30% of all the human genes and participate in all fundamental cell processes. Genome-wide analysis has revealed that human placenta expresses more than 600 miRNA species, including placenta-specific ones with high levels of expression. Comparative analysis also has revealed many differentially expressed miRNAs with either high or low levels of expression in human placentas from normal versus preeclamptic pregnancies, indicating an important role of miRNAs in normal and pathological placental physiology. Although limited information is currently available as to how miRNA regulates human placental development and function, there are studies suggesting that preeclampsia-associated differentially expressed miRNAs possess critical roles in regulating placental development and function via targeting specific genes with diverse known functions. Herein we summarize the current findings regarding the expression of placental miRNAs and their function, especially in the trophoblast cells. We have recently found that the angiogenesis-associated miR-17-family miRNAs are upregulated in preeclamptic compared with normotensive placentas and they target the ephrin-B2/Eph receptor B4 (EPHB4) system. Because ephrin-B2 and EPHB4 has been previously shown to play a crucial role in trophoblast invasion into maternal spiral artery and vascular patterning during early human placental development, the miR-17-ephrin-B2/EPHB4 pathway seems to be a novel miRNA pathway for regulating normal and aberrant placental development during preeclampsia.
Genetic Evaluation of Supplementation-Assisted American Shad Restoration in the James River, Virginia

AbstractHatchery supplementation programs have been implemented for several populations of American Shad Alosa sapidissima, which are declining across the species’ native range due to disrupted access to spawning grounds, habitat degradation, and overfishing. The genetic impacts of stocking Pamunkey River-origin larvae into the James River American Shad population since 1994 were investigated, and the effects were considered within a regional context by including American Shad populations from other Chesapeake Bay tributaries that also received interbasin stockings from various rivers over the same period. Levels of genetic diversity for microsatellite markers were high in all populations except the Susquehanna River population, which showed a significant decline in diversity between the 1990s and 2007. Before supplementation of James River American Shad, the James and Pamunkey River populations exhibited subtle standardized differentiation among groups (F′CT = 0.012), whereas differentiation was reduced ...
Beyond the ‘French Fries and the Frankfurter’ An agenda for critical theory

Debates between Habermas and the poststructuralists - specifically, Derrida, Foucault and Lyotard - over the nature of critiques of Enlightenment rationality and modernity are investigated in order to argue for an agenda for critical theory beyond the ‘French Fries and the Frankfurter’.1 Part I interrogates key elements of Habermas’ theory of communicative rationality in his reconstruction of Enlightenment modernity and his critique of the poststructuralists. This orients the discussion toward an evaluation of Habermas’ neo-Kantianism, theory of language (discourse ethics), and the ‘critique’ he employs in his bid to defend and complete the project of modernity.Part II delineates some common ground between Habermas and the post-structuralists and argues for the value of maintaining a fruitful tension among their critiques of Enlightenment modernity. Points of unproductive tension among their critiques are taken up in light of the above value. These generally pertain to commitment to neo-Kantian approaches...