cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Resource scarcity and outcome conflict in time-sharing performance

The efficacy of the resource-scarcity and outcome-conflict views in explaining dual-task interference was examined. A discrete—continuous task pair was purposely chosen to allow fine-grained analysis of time-shared performance. The relative priority of the dual task was manipulated by a secondary task technique to test for performance tradeoff that would be indicative of resource allocation. The temporal predictability of the discrete stimuli was manipulated to examine possible strategic avoidance of interference. The moment-by-moment data did not reveal any evidence for a switching strategy. It was concluded that the intricate interference patterns could be more easily interpreted within the resource framework than within the outcome-conflict framework.
Autocorrelation measurements of femtosecond ultraviolet pulses using two-photon conductivity in wide-gap dielectrics

We report on the application of planar photoconductive switches on wide-gap dielectrics to measurements of the intensity autocorrelation of femtosecond pulses at 270 nm. In our scheme, metal layers were deposited on the wafers of fused silica and magnesium fluoride (bandgaps of approximately 8 eV and 11 eV, respectively). These large bandgaps allow for the observation of two-photon conductivity for pulses with wavelengths below 300 nm. The third harmonic of the output of a Ti:sapphire regenerative laser system was injected into a Michelson-type autocorrelator, and the output was focused by a mirror onto the structure. The interferometric single-scan and accumulated (averaged) autocorrelation traces are presented for the SiO/sub 2/ substrate. The averaged trace fitted by a Gaussian function corresponds to pulses of 380-fs duration. The photocurrent became saturated for incident pulse energies above 400-600 pJ for the SiO/sub 2/ wafer. We have also made measurements using MgF/sub 2/ substrates and observed nonlinear response in the photoconductivity, but the signal and saturation current were found to be lower, which resulted in noisier autocorrelation traces with reduced contrast ratio. The simplicity of the device and its sensitivity are promising for accurate ultrashort pulse duration measurements in the UV and should allow for pulse characterization at wavelengths below 200 nm.
Role of aging on the martensitic transformation in a cast cobalt alloy

Abstract In this work, the FCC→HCP martensitic transformation was investigated during isothermal aging at 850°C in an as-cast Co-base alloy. It was found that the transformation kinetics exhibited a sigmoidal behavior as evidenced by the determinations of e-martensite vs. time, which in turn indicated a thermally activated nucleation process.
A 39-year-old man with hip pain and respiratory failure.

(CHEST 2002; 121:1345–1349) A 39-year-old man presented with progressive shortness of breath and a 1-day history of decreased urine output. He had a history of mild COPD for which he occasionally used albuterol inhalers. Over the prior 3 months, however, he had developed gradually increasing dyspnea and was using his inhalers several times a day with little relief. He also described 3 months of progressive lower extremity weakness. He had suffered a series of falls, the last resulting in continuous right hip pain. Prior to hospital admission, he had been in bed for 2 months because of weakness and pain. His sister brought him to the emergency department because of dyspnea. He had a 75-pack-year smoking history and a distant history of alcohol abuse. Physical Examination The patient was tachypneic with a respiratory rate of 26 breaths/min but could speak in full sentences. His heart rate was 113 beats/min, and BP was 138/80 mm Hg. He was afebrile. The patient’s hemoglobin oxygen saturation while breathing room air was 38%. His examination was also notable for jugular vein distention, a prominent S2, decreased breath sound intensity at the bases, and pitting edema. He had no skin lesions, lymphadenopathy, or murmurs, and the findings of his abdominal examination were normal. A neurologic examination demonstrated intact cranial nerves, moderate upper and severe lower extremity weakness that was more prominent distally, burning dysesthesias elicited with palpation of the lower extremities, decreased vibratory sense and proprioception, generalized muscle wasting, and areflexia.
VICTOR: A three-layer over-the-cell router

A new algorithm, VICTOR, is presented for three-layer over-the-cell routing. VICTOR is designed to maximize track utilization in the over-the-cell routing region using graph theoretic approach combined with a channel decomposition and analysis scheme. VICTOR has been implemented in C on a SUN Sparc 1+ workstation and tested on several benchmarks. For the MCNC benchmark PRIMARY 1, VICTOR produces 92% and 91% reductions as compared to the two-layer over-the-cell routers presented by J. Cong et al. (Proc. 27th ACM/IEEE Design Automation Conf., p.709-715) and by N. Holmes et al. (Proc. 28th ACM/IEEE Design Automation Conf., p.126-131), respectively, and a 74% reduction as compared to the three-layer over-the-cell router of N. Holmes et al. (TCCAD-91, p.428-431). >
From Outsider To Insider: A Case Study Of Anticipatory Socialization And Its Impact On Role Expectation And Transition Of An Outside CEO

The number of CEO successions is on the rise. Despite its importance to business scholars, what underlies successful or failed successions is not well understood. This paper examines this topic by looking at an under researched area of CEO transitions, the socialization process of an outsider CEO into a new organization and how this process may impact role expectation and transition into an organization. As an initial qualitative and exploratory piece, the goal of this paper is two-fold. First, this paper looks at how a CEO engages in the socialization process into a firm and its broader implications in a leader’s willingness to identify with an organization. Second, this paper proposes a potential model that can be applied to explain this process for future research and application to other CEO succession studies.
Purifying Selection, Sequence Composition, and Context-Specific Indel Mutations Shape Intraspecific Variation in a Bacterial Endosymbiont

Comparative genomics of closely related bacterial strains can clarify mutational processes and selective forces that impact genetic variation. Among primary bacterial endosymbionts of insects, such analyses have revealed ongoing genome reduction, raising questions about the ultimate evolutionary fate of these partnerships. Here, we explored genomic variation within Blochmannia vafer, an obligate mutualist of the ant Camponotus vafer. Polymorphism analysis of the Illumina data set used previously for de novo assembly revealed a second Bl. vafer genotype. To determine why a single ant colony contained two symbiont genotypes, we examined polymorphisms in 12 C. vafer mitochondrial sequences assembled from the Illumina data; the spectrum of variants suggests that the colony contained two maternal lineages, each harboring a distinct Bl. vafer genotype. Comparing the two Bl. vafer genotypes revealed that purifying selection purged most indels and nonsynonymous differences from protein-coding genes. We also discovered that indels occur frequently in multimeric simple sequence repeats, which are relatively abundant in Bl. vafer and may play a more substantial role in generating variation in this ant mutualist than in the aphid endosymbiont Buchnera. Finally, we explored how an apparent relocation of the origin of replication in Bl. vafer and the resulting shift in strand-associated mutational pressures may have caused accelerated gene loss and an elevated rate of indel polymorphisms in the region spanning the origin relocation. Combined, these results point to significant impacts of purifying selection on genomic polymorphisms as well as distinct patterns of indels associated with unusual genomic features of Blochmannia.
Viscosity and temperature effects on the rate of DNA strand separation in alkali.

The time required for the completion of the process of strand separation in λ bacteriophage DNA preparations exposed to strongly alkaline conditions in aqueous glycerol solutions was directly proportional to the viscosity of the solvent. This finding supports the idea that the rate-limiting step in the denaturation of high molecular weight DNA is the uncoiling of the strands and in the course of this uncoiling the forces arising from electrostatic and entropic factors must overcome the hydrodynamic viscous drag of the solvent resisting the translation of the polynucleotide strands.
Shock-free transonic rotor design

An evaluation of Sobieczky's fictitious gas technique is presented as applied to the design of a transonic rotor. A representative transonic compressor rotor was redesigned using Sobieczky's technique in an ‘onion peel’ fashion. The design was followed by a full three-dimensional inviscid analysis of the new rotor, to determine whether spanwise redistribution of the streamlines in the new flow would invalidate the technique by causing shocks to reappear. This analysis verified the suppression of shocks present in the initial flow field. This demonstrates that the technique can be used in practice to improve the design of transonic rotors and stators with subsonic flow at the inlet and exit.
Pyelonephritis as a complication of hypertension

I N 1882 WAGNER recognized the association of contraction of the kidneys and hypertension. In 1939 Weiss and Parker’ described the vascular changes associated with pyelonephritis and reported the incidence of coexistent hypertension was 45 per cent. Interest in studying the association of hypertension and pyelonephritis has recently been rekindled by the introduction of percutaneous needle biopsy of the kidney. Renal biopsy studies in hypertensive patients have reported pyelonephritis in 10 to 50 per cent of cases.2-4 An exhaustive study5 of 200 consecutive autopsies in hypertensive Australians revealed 103 patients with histologic evidences of chronic pyelonephritis, 92 with benign nephrosclerosis and 10 with other renal lesions. The histologic diagnosis of chronic pyelonephritis was based on findings of periglomerular fibrosis, colloid casts of the tubules, pelvic mucosal inflammation and interstitial plasma cells. Elsewhere in this symposium, Smythee reports 12 cases of pyelonephritis among 25 patients with hypertension and bacteriuria.
Multi-resolution texture analysis of self-similar textures using hierarchical Gaussian Markov random field models

Modeling textures using Gaussian Markov random fields (GMRF) has been successfully used in classifying textures. However, these models do not perform well for self-similar textures such as those generated from fractional Brownian motion. The authors show that by using the difference images at different scales instead of the original image, one can significantly increase the performance of classifying self-similar texture patterns using GMRF models. >
Utilize target motion to cover clinical target volume (ctv)--a novel and practical treatment planning approach to manage respiratory motion.

Abstract Purpose To use probability density function (PDF) to model motion effects and incorporate this information into treatment planning for lung cancers. Material and methods PDFs were calculated from the respiratory motion traces of 10 patients. Motion effects were evaluated by convolving static dose distributions with various PDFs. Based on a differential dose prescription with relatively lower dose to the clinical target volume (CTV) than to the gross tumor volume (GTV), two approaches were proposed to incorporate PDFs into treatment planning. The first approach uses the GTV-based internal target volume (ITV) as the planning target volume (PTV) to ensure full dose to the GTV, and utilizes the motion-induced dose gradient to cover the CTV. The second approach employs an inhomogeneous static dose distribution within a minimized PTV to best match the prescription dose gradient. Results Motion effects on dose distributions were minimal in the anterior–posterior (AP) and lateral directions: a 10-mm motion only induced about 3% of dose reduction in the peripheral target region. The motion effect was remarkable in the cranial–caudal direction. It varied with the motion amplitude, but tended to be similar for various respiratory patterns. For the first approach, a 10–15 mm motion would adequately cover the CTV (presumed to be 60–70% of the GTV dose) without employing the CTV in planning. For motions 15-mm. An example of inhomogeneous static dose distribution in a reduced PTV was given, and it showed significant dose reduction in the normal tissue without compromising target coverage. Conclusions Respiratory motion-induced dose gradient can be utilized to cover the CTV and minimize the lung dose without the need for more sophisticated technologies.
A New Statistical Analysis of Capital Punishment Incorporating U.S. Postmoratorium Data

Objective. This article reports on a basic regression analysis of the deterrence hypothesis incorporating U.S. data that has accumulated since the resumption of capital punishment in 1977. Methods. The cross-sectional approach employs data on state homicide rates and estimated execution rates between 1976 and 1997 across 50 states and the District of Columbia. The time series approach employs annual data on the U.S. national homicide rate and estimated national execution rate between 1930 and 1997. Results. Using state data, statistically weak support is found for the deterrence hypothesis. Using national time series data, considerably stronger statistical support is found for the deterrence hypothesis. It is also shown that the same time series regression using data from 1930 to 1976 does not support the deterrence hypothesis, thus showing the probative value of the more recent data. Conclusions. Statistical data from the postmoratorium period are likely to be useful in evaluating the deterrence hypothesis, and therefore social scientists should be carefully examining this evidence.
Regulation of fosB and ΔfosB mRNA expression: In vivo and in vitro studies

The transcription factor DeltaFosB, a truncated splice isoform of FosB, accumulates in brain after several types of chronic stimulation. This accumulation is thought to be mediated by the unique stability of DeltaFosB compared to all other Fos family proteins. The goal of the present study was to determine if the relative expression of the two fosB isoforms is also regulated at the mRNA level, thereby further contributing to the selective accumulation of DeltaFosB after chronic stimulation. First, unlike the protein, the half-life of DeltafosB mRNA is only slightly longer than that of full-length fosB mRNA both in cultured cells in vitro and in the brain in vivo. Additionally, similar to c-fos, both fosB isoforms are induced abundantly in striatum after acute administration of amphetamine or stress, and partially desensitize after chronic exposures. Surprisingly, the relative ratio of DeltafosB to fosB mRNA increases most significantly after acute, not chronic, stimulation. Finally, overexpression of polypyrimidine tract binding protein (PTB1), which regulates RNA splicing, in cultured cells decreases the relative expression of DeltafosB compared to fosB mRNA. Together, these findings suggest that splicing of fosB pre-mRNA is regulated by the quantity of unspliced transcript available to the splicing machinery. These data provide fundamental information concerning the generation of DeltafosB mRNA, and indicate that the selective accumulation of DeltaFosB protein with chronic stimulation does not involve its preferential generation by RNA splicing.
ENCODE Data in the UCSC Genome Browser: year 5 update

The Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE), http://encodeproject.org, has completed its fifth year of scientific collaboration to create a comprehensive catalog of functional elements in the human genome, and its third year of investigations in the mouse genome. Since the last report in this journal, the ENCODE human data repertoire has grown by 898 new experiments (totaling 2886), accompanied by a major integrative analysis. In the mouse genome, results from 404 new experiments became available this year, increasing the total to 583, collected during the course of the project. The University of California, Santa Cruz, makes this data available on the public Genome Browser http://genome.ucsc.edu for visual browsing and data mining. Download of raw and processed data files are all supported. The ENCODE portal provides specialized tools and information about the ENCODE data sets.
Spatial Representation, Modified by Ecology: From Hunter-Gatherers to City Dwellers in Indonesia

Performance with the Kohs Block Design and Face Drawing Tests were assessed in two ecologically distinct groups of healthy Indonesians: 196 urbanized subjects and 130 near "hunter-gatherers" (Dani and Asmat from inland West New Guinea). Analysis of subjects' error patterns on the block design construction tasks revealed disproportionally and significantly higher percentages of "nonrandom" configuration-preserving errors by Dani and Asmat subjects (22.18%) than by urbanized subjects, whose errors were fewer but significantly more random and unrelated to the target design. Relations, ratios, and orientation among features within a design pattern tended to be neglected by the Dani and Asmat but rarely by the urbanized subjects (9.78%). On the face drawing task, 81% of Asmat and Dani subjects drew schematized versions (the "neolithic" face pattern), whereas only 39% of urbanized subjects did so. Results suggest that the impact of ecological context on neuropsychologic functioning is profound, influencing even...
Analyzing reconfigurable antenna structure redundancy using graph models

This paper investigates the redundancy and loss reduction in reconfigurable antenna structures. We use graph models as tools to understand and optimize reconfigurable antenna structures. Examples are given and formulas are suggested to be used by reconfigurable antenna designers to obtain non redundant structures.
Pit distribution in the equatorial region of Titan

Cassini radar images of Titan's surface reveal numerous dark circular features in the equatorial region. These may be related to methane sublimation and have been interpreted as pits. In the T8 equatorial swath, we identify 199 individual pits and estimate their diameters. We analyze the observed spatial distribution and size to characterize these features and understand their formation. Chi-square analysis confirms a significant deviation from a random distribution and shows clustering over the entire swath. However, analysis of the densest cluster of pits, a group of 50, shows a more random distribution. Fractal analysis and comparison with a same-sized random set find only a hint of linearity. A Poisson distribution fits the observed pit-sizes, although resolution limits size determination for the smallest pits, those less than 1 km in diameter. Models for random pit generation and evolution simulate the observed Poisson distribution of pit sizes, with larger pits forming by the coalescing of smaller, overlapping ones. Pits, estimated to cover 0.5% of the equatorial T8 swath, could be an erosion mechanism that significantly contributes to the negative skew that has been observed in Titan's hypsography.
Cell density dependent reduction of dihydroceramide desaturase activity in neuroblastoma cells

We applied a metabolic approach to investigate the role of sphingolipids in cell density-induced growth arrest in neuroblastoma cells. Our data revealed that sphingolipid metabolism in neuroblastoma cells significantly differs depending on the cells' population context. At high cell density, cells exhibited G0/G1 cell-cycle arrest and reduced ceramide, monohexosylceramide, and sphingomyelin, whereas dihydroceramide was significantly increased. In addition, our metabolic-labeling experiments showed that neuroblastoma cells at high cell density preferentially synthesized very long chain (VLC) sphingolipids and dramatically decreased synthesis of sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P). Moreover, densely populated neuroblastoma cells showed increased message levels of both anabolic and catabolic enzymes of the sphingolipid pathway. Notably, our metabolic-labeling experiments indicated reduced dihydroceramide desaturase activity at confluence, which was confirmed by direct measurement of dihydroceramide desaturase activity in situ and in vitro. Importantly, we could reduce dihydroceramide desaturase activity in low-density cells by applying conditional media from high-density cells, as well as by adding reducing agents, such as DTT and L-cysteine to the media. In conclusion, our data suggest a role of the sphingolipid pathway, dihydroceramides desaturase in particular, in confluence-induced growth arrest in neuroblastoma cells.
Monthly Mean Diurnal Cycles in Surface Temperatures over Land for Global Climate Studies

Abstract Monthly mean diurnal cycles (MDCs) of surface temperatures over land, represented in 3-h universal time intervals, have been analyzed. Satellite near-global data from the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) with a (280 km)2 resolution (C-2 product) are available for seven individual years and as a climatology derived thereof. Surface 19-yr climatologies on ground and air temperatures, separately for all-sky and clear-sky conditions, matched with the ISCCP data, are employed to better understand satellite-derived MDCs. The MDCs have been converted to local solar time, refined to a regular 1-h time grid using cubic splines, and subjected to principal component analysis. The first two modes approximate MDCs in air and ground–satellite temperatures with rmse’s of about σ = 0.5° and 1°C, respectively, and these accuracies are improved by 20%–35% if the third mode is added. This suggests that two to three temperature measurements during the day allow reconstruction of the full MDC...
Quicksilver: A Quasi-Static Java Compiler for Embedded Systems

This paper presents a compilation framework that enables efficient use of volatile (e.g. RAM) storage while executing compiled Java code on an embedded device. Traditionally, Java Virtual Machines (JVM’s) have relied on dynamic compilation for performance. These JVMs suffer from large memory footprints and high startup costs, both of which are serious problems for embedded devices such as hand held personal digital assistants and cellular phones. Our quasi-static compilation overcomes these difficulties by reusing precompiled binary images after performing validation checks on them, and falling back to interpretation or dynamic compilation when necessary. Our approach adapts the pre-compiled binary to a new execution context by using an indirection table to hold relocated values, leaving the executable code unmodified and able to be placed in read-only memory. On embedded devices, this saves precious space in writable memory. Furthermore, we describe a novel technique for dynamically linking classes that uses traps to detect when a class should be linked and initialized. The technique allows all accesses after the first to proceed at full speed while avoiding the modification of running code. We have implemented this approach in the Quicksilver quasi-static compiler for the Jalapeno JVM. On the SPEC JVM98 benchmark suite, our approach obtains code space savings, in writable memory, of between 82% to 89% of that from our previous quasi-static compiler, while delivering performance that is typically within 1% to 7% of that approach, all while delivering performance that is competitive with the Jalapefio adaptive optimization system.
Reactions of Fungicides with Cellular Constituents

Most agricultural fungicides react with functional groups of the cell. The functional group most frequently attacked is thiol. Glutathione, a free thiol in the cellular fluid, bathes the organelles of the cell. Its presence protects other thiols. Cystevl branches on proteins serve as functional groups for enzymic activity and determine, in part, the structural form and characteristics of the proteins. Coenzyme A, lipoic acid and possibly thiamine act through functional thiols.
Autonomy after Autonomy, or, The Novel beyond Nation: Roberto Bolaño's 2666

"Bolano offers a blueprint of sorts for the “postnational” Latin American novel. But if Bolano would, for this reason, become the “guru of new generations”...of writers, in what follows, we will see that Bolano’s fictions also suggest that, far from resulting in a more complete embrace of the market, the hollowing-out of this “Bolivarian conviction” has instead given rise to the possibility of a literary autonomy after autonomy."
Distinguishing between GPR subsurface reflections and surface/air waves at cluttered urban sites

At sites where relatively deep exploration is desired for GPR, 100 MHz or lower frequencies are required. These large antenna are either unshielded, or their shielding is not 100% effective, allowing radiation to escape parallel to the earth’s surface in all directions. At typical industrial sites with linear or planar grounded structures, such as power lines, chain-link fences, railroads, and metal-sheathed buildings, reflections of the air and surface waves are common. While the experienced user can recognize many of these events on a profile, particularly those reflections returning from directly in front of, and from behind the antennas, the patterns from lateral reflectors whose distance from the survey line is not constant may be mistaken for real undulating subsurface reflectors. The early use of true CMP or expansion surveys is used to recognize which reflectors on the GPR display are actually from the subsurface. The horizontal reflections arrive at nearly constant times at all expansions regardless of their direction from the center of the CMP survey, while the true geologic reflections arrive in the expected half-hyperbola pattern. An example from Michigan is shown, where only two shallow reflectors were found to be valid using the CMP, while the profiles showed numerous other realistic apparent deep reflections.
Normal Development and Experimental Treatment of the Opossum Mammary Gland Primordium.

SummaryA study was made of the normal development of the mammary gland in the male and female opossum up to the age of 100 days. It was found possible to modify the normal growth pattern of the mammary primordia by treatment with estradiol, testosterone and testosterone propionate. Gonadotropic substances at the ages and dosages used did not affect the development of the g1ands.
Preparation and cycloaddition chemistry of 1-amino substituted isobenzofurans

A new strategy for the synthesis of the core skeleton of the benzophenanthridine alkaloid corynoline has been developed which is based on an intramolecular [4+2]-cycloaddition of an amino substituted isobenzofuran derivative.
The Psychological Lives of the Poor.

Abstract All individuals rely on a fundamental set of mental capacities and functions, or bandwidth, in their economic and non-economic lives. Yet, many factors associated with poverty, such as mal...
Efficacy of tofacitinib in patients with rheumatoid arthritis stratified by background methotrexate dose group

Tofacitinib is an oral Janus kinase inhibitor for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This post hoc analysis investigated the effect of methotrexate (MTX) dose on the efficacy of tofacitinib in patients with RA. ORAL Scan (NCT00847613) was a 2-year, randomized, Phase 3 trial evaluating tofacitinib in MTX-inadequate responder (IR) patients with RA. Patients received tofacitinib 5 or 10 mg twice daily (BID), or placebo, with low (≤12.5 mg/week), moderate (>12.5 to <17.5 mg/week), or high (≥17.5 mg/week) stable background MTX. Efficacy endpoints (at months 3 and 6) included American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 20/50/70 response rates, and mean change from baseline in Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI), Disease Activity Score in 28 joints (DAS28)–4(erythrocyte sedimentation rate [ESR]), Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index (HAQ-DI), and modified Total Sharp score. 797 patients were treated with tofacitinib 5 mg BID (N = 321), tofacitinib 10 mg BID (N = 316), or placebo (N = 160); 242, 333, and 222 patients received low, moderate, and high MTX doses, respectively. At months 3 and 6, ACR20/50/70 response rates were greater for both tofacitinib doses vs placebo across all MTX doses. At month 3, mean changes from baseline in CDAI and HAQ-DI were significantly greater for both tofacitinib doses vs placebo, irrespective of MTX category; improvements were maintained at month 6. Both tofacitinib doses demonstrated improvements in DAS28–4(ESR), and less structural progression vs placebo, across MTX doses at month 6. Tofacitinib plus MTX showed greater clinical and radiographic efficacy than placebo in MTX-IR patients with RA, regardless of MTX dose.
Maximum Quantum Entropy for Classical Density Functions

Maximum Quantum Entropy (MQE), recently introduced by Richard Silver and also known as Quantum Statistical Inference (QSI), is a method of estimating smooth, non-quantummechanical (“classical”) densities, given information about those densities. It is formally analogous to Maximum Entropy (ME), the difference being that the Shannon entropy is replaced by the quantum entropy. We present a concise description of MQE from a mathematical perspective, not relying on physical analogy. We introduce density matrices and the quantum entropy, compare MQE with ME, discuss the nature of constraints in MQE and show how these constraints influence the density estimate. We conclude with a discussion of the status of MQE as a maximum entropy method.
HEALTH FOODS VERSUS TRADITIONAL FOODS: A COMPARISON

Health and traditional foods ( 24 of each) were compared for proximate composition, cost, microbial content, pesticide levels, and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contamination. Only minor differences were detected for proximate composition and microbial content. No pesticides were detected but 7 samples of health and 3 of traditional foods contained PCBs. The major difference between the samples was the greater cost of the health foods.
Point-plane SLAM based on line-based plane segmentation approach

This paper presents a simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) system using point and plane features for RGB-D type sensor. To achieve a fast plane segmentation, a novel plane segmentation approach based on line primitives using range image is proposed. Due to the limitation of RGB-D sensor, global plane map usually contains reduplicate landmarks. A refinement step is designed to merge reduplicate plane landmarks for better mapping performance. Experimental results with dataset and hand-held RGB-D sensor validate the robustness and efficiency of the proposed SLAM system.
Soil hydrology, physical and chemical properties and the distribution of carbon and mercury in a postglacial lake-plain wetland

Abstract Northern wetland soils hold globally significant carbon (C) and mercury (Hg) stocks whose cycling feeds back to atmospheric pollution, climate change, and the trophic dynamics of adjacent aquatic ecosystems. At a more local level, patterns of variation in the hydrologic, physical and chemical properties of wetland soils inform the appreciation of these ecosystems in their own right; describing patterns of variation, their potential drivers and consequences is a key step towards placing wetland soils in the context of broader landscape-level processes, such as C and Hg export to aquatic ecosystems. In this case study, we investigated a 10 ha, 3000 year old lake-plain wetland in the Great Lakes region (U.S.A.), located at the interface between a 120 ha, first-order watershed and a 6700 ha inland lake. We monitored water tables, measured soil morphology and physical characteristics, applied interpolation and mapping to model hydrologic flowpaths and spatial variation in soil depth, morphology, total C and Hg stocks, and used chemical analyses (elemental concentrations and isotope signatures, UV–Vis and FTIR spectroscopy) to quantify relationships between soil C and Hg pools, organic matter composition, and C cycling rates. Key findings from this site include: 1) whole-profile soil C and Hg stocks are readily predicted from soil depth; 2) soil saturation is semipermanent but spatially and temporally variable; 3) accumulated organic soil materials are dominated by aromatic moieties, but possess considerable amounts of labile polysaccharides; 4) subtle, topography- mediated hydrologic flowpaths create profiles of interbedded organic and mucky sand horizons with sharp discontinuities in their C and Hg concentrations. Compared to peatlands across the region and North America, soil depths and C stocks are rather low, averaging 84 cm and 394 Mg ha− 1, respectively. On the contrary, total Hg concentrations of organic soil materials (137 and 191 ng g− 1 for fibric vs. sapric, respectively) are at the high end for wetlands of the Great Lakes region, and more representative of those observed in areas of the eastern U.S. with historically elevated atmospheric deposition. Given past and potentially increased future variation in hydrologic regimes due to climate change, the presence of banded (sandy) profiles that may act as preferential flowpaths, and the large quantities of Hg and labile C held in these soils, they may act as significant sources of C and Hg to the atmosphere or adjacent aquatic ecosystems.
Improved selection of optimal acoustic output power for subharmonic aided pressure estimation of portal hypertension

Subharmonic aided pressure estimation (SHAPE) is based on the inverse relationship between the subharmonic amplitude of contrast microbubbles and the ambient pressure. A noninvasive ultrasound based pressure estimation procedure would be a major development in the diagnosis of portal hypertension and less invasive than the current hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) measurement. The hypothesis of this study was that portal vein pressures could be monitored and quantified noninvasively in humans using SHAPE. For maximum SHAPE sensitivity, the optimum acoustic power is currently selected using an algorithm, which collects subharmonic data at power levels increasing from 0 % to 100 % in 8 cine clips. The ROI is selected on a common Maximum Intensity Projection (MIP) for all these 8 clips, data is plotted against the power levels and the point of maximum inflection gives the optimum power. However, this algorithm is prone to motion due to breathing and can greatly affect the results, hence was improved to minimize the error.
Implementing Group Prenatal Counseling for Expanded Noninvasive Screening Options

Recently, practices have begun integrating cell-free DNA-based noninvasive prenatal screening as a screening option for a variety of genetic conditions. According to the National Society of Genetic Counselors, the integration of cfDNA screening into clinical prenatal practice may "significantly shift the paradigm of prenatal testing and screening for all women." The purpose of this study was to determine whether group information sessions can feasibly serve as an alternative to extended one-on-one genetic counseling for the increasing number of women making decisions about prenatal testing and screening. This study assessed the effect of group genetic information sessions coupled with abbreviated counseling on pregnant women's knowledge about and attitudes toward prenatal testing and screening.
Intracranial dural, calvarial, and skull base metastases

Metastatic disease to the intracranial dura, the calvarium, and the skull base is relatively uncommon but presents unique diagnostic and management challenges in the patient with cancer. Modern imaging techniques have facilitated the detection of intracranial tumor deposits, leading to increased incidence. While dural and calvarial metastases often present with nonspecific symptoms, skull base metastases present with distinct clinical syndromes dependent on the local neurovascular structures affected. Intracranial dural metastases can often be confused with meningioma and pose a diagnostic challenge, as well as significant neurologic morbidity, especially in the setting of hemorrhage. Surgical intervention may be helpful in selected patients for symptomatic relief as well as survival benefit. Management paradigms need to take into account the relative risks, benefits, and likely outcomes for each possible modality of treatment. Surgical excision is useful in many patients and in combination with radiation therapy can provide significant palliation. While medical therapy is rarely an initial therapy in these entities, it may be of added benefit dependent on the underlying tumor histology and prior treatment history. Occasionally treatment with curative intent is justified.
Lanthana-promoted RhSiO2: I. Studies of CO and H2 adsorption and desorption

Promotion of a RhSiO2 catalyst with lanthana results in a partial coverage of the supported Rh crystallites with LaOx islands. These moieties reduce the capacity of Rh to adsorb CO but have little effect on the chemisorption of H2 because of spillover of H atoms from the exposed Rh sites onto the surface of the LaOx islands. At elevated temperatures, the LaOx islands promote the dissociation of CO. It is proposed that this process occurs preferentially at Rh sites located along the perimeter of the LaOx islands. Support for this interpretation is provided by infrared spectra of CO adsorbed on lanthana-promoted RhSiO2.
Susceptibility of Intestinal Crypt Epithelium to Hydroxyurea and Other Antitumor Agents

The outstanding limitation in the effective use of most antitumor agents is selective damage in normal cell renewal systems in vivo. These systems contain undifferentiated or partially differentiated precursors of various mature cells such as leukocytes, erythrocytes, villar epithelium of intestine, sperm, and non-germinal components of epidermis. Normally the systems operate to maintain a steady balance between the birth of differentiated descendants and their continuous loss from the organism (6). The susceptibility of two of the cell renewal populations, that is, hematopoietic tissues and digestive tract epithelium, commonly determines the upper limit of doses of antitumor drugs. It is likely that lesions in the digestive tract are the major determinant of maximal dosage since these give rise to distressing symptoms such as oropharyngitis, nausea, and abdominal cramps and cause alarming signs of intoxication such as diarrhea and ulceration of pharyngeal and intestinal mucosa.
Discharge to Inpatient Care Facility After Vertebroplasty/Kyphoplasty: Incidence, Risk Factors, and Postdischarge Outcomes.

Introduction Vertebral compression fractures are a common clinical occurrence in elderly individuals with osteoporosis. No current evidence exists on risk factors and clinical impact of discharge to inpatient (IP) care facility after vertebral augmentation procedures. Materials and Methods The 2012–2014 American College of Surgeons–National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) database files were queried using Current Procedural Terminology codes for vertebroplasty (22520, 22521, and 22522) and kyphoplasty (22523, 22524, and 22525). Discharge to IP care facility included skilled-care facilities and IP rehabilitation units. A total of 2361 patients were included in the final cohort. Results Of 2361 patients, 1962 (83.1%) were discharged home and 399 (16.9%) were discharged to an IP care facility. Multivariate analysis identified age ≥65 years (P 1 day (P Conclusions Discharge to IP care facilities after vertebroplasty/kyphoplasty is associated with a 3.6 times greater odds of mortality as compared with home discharge. Providers can use the risk profile data to better allow preoperative stratification of patients to ensure that discharge location is appropriate to a patient's need to minimize the risk of adverse outcomes.
Recent advances in quantum dot optoelectronic devices and future trends

Publisher Summary Quantum dots are zero-dimensional quantum structures whose carriers are found in three-dimensional potential confinement. The physical properties of quantum dots differ in the density of states as the confinement increases. Electron and hole states could be obtained through a complicated process that considers strong electron and hole coupling and interactions. Therefore, the peculiar optical and electrical characteristics of quantum dot devices are predicted in the chapter. The realization of quantum dots (or boxes) with small enough size to be comparable to the de Broglie wavelength was first made by electron-beam lithography and etching. However, this method yielded limited device performance, mainly because of surface damage and difficulties with postgrowth. Since the Stranski–Krastanow growth mode was rediscovered, successful fabrication of quantum dot device structures has been achieved. The chapter demonstrates quantum dot optoelectronic devices—such as quantum dot infrared photodetectors and quantum dot lasers—based on self-assembling quantum dots. Quantum dot lasers could demonstrate thresholdless operation, temperature-insensitive threshold current, and high-speed laser modulation. In addition, highly strained self-assembled quantum dots can be used to obtain 1.3-μm laser diodes on a gallium arsenide (GaAs) substrate for optical-communications applications.
Pathophysiology and Behavioral Treatment of Scleroderma

Scleroderma (progressive systemic sclerosis or PSS) is a connective tissue disorder distinguished by symmetric thickening of the skin, by abnormalities of the microvasculature and large blood vessels, and by degenerative fibrotic changes in the viscera, muscles and joints (Rodnan, 1979a). Although the etiology of the disease is unknown, mechanisms involving the vascular, immune, and connective tissue systems have been proposed (LeRoy, 1981). The vasospastic attacks of Raynaud’s phenomenon, consisting of pallor, cyanosis, and rubor in the fingers and sometimes the toes, occur in over 95% of patients with progressive systemic sclerosis (Rodnan, 1979a).
Hispanic Secondary Stroke Prevention Initiative Design: Study Protocol and Rationale for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Hispanic-Latino populations face a disproportionate stroke burden and are less likely to have sufficient control over stroke risk factors in comparison with other ethnic populations. A promising approach to improving chronic health outcomes has been the use of community health workers (CHWs). Objective: The objective of this randomized controlled trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of a CHW intervention among Latino patients at risk of recurrent stroke. Methods: The Hispanic Secondary Stroke Prevention Initiative (HiSSPI) is a randomized clinical trial of 300 Latino participants from South Florida who have experienced a stroke within the last 5 years. Participants randomized into the CHW intervention arm receive health education and assistance with health care navigation and social services through home visits and phone calls. The intervention also includes a mHealth component in which participants also receive daily text messages (short message service). The primary outcome is change in systolic blood pressure at 12 months. Other secondary outcomes include changes in low-density lipoprotein, glycated hemoglobin, and medication adherence. Results: Study enrollment began in 2015 and will be completed by the end of 2018. The first results are expected to be submitted for publication in 2020. Conclusions: HiSSPI is one of the first randomized controlled trials to examine CHW-facilitated stroke prevention and will provide rigorous evidence on the impact of CHWs on secondary stroke risk factors among Latino individuals who have had a stroke. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02251834; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02251834 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/72DgMqftq) International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): RR1-10.2196/11083
Quantitative proteomics of MDCK cells identify unrecognized roles of clathrin adaptor AP-1 in polarized distribution of surface proteins

The current model of polarized plasma membrane protein sorting in epithelial cells has been largely generated on the basis of experiments characterizing the polarized distribution of a relatively small number of overexpressed model proteins under various experimental conditions. Thus, the possibility exists that alternative roles of various types of sorting machinery may have been underestimated or missed. Here, we utilize domain-selective surface biotinylation combined with stable isotope labeling with amino acids in cell culture (SILAC) and mass spectrometry to quantitatively define large populations of apical and basolateral surface proteins in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells. We identified 313 plasma membrane proteins, of which 38% were apical, 51% were basolateral, and 11% were nonpolar. Silencing of clathrin adaptor proteins (AP) AP-1A, AP-1B, or both caused redistribution of basolateral proteins as expected but also, of a large population of apical proteins. Consistent with their previously reported ability to compensate for one another, the strongest loss of polarity was observed when we silenced AP-1A and AP-1B simultaneously. We found stronger evidence of compensation in the apical pathway compared with the basolateral pathway. Surprisingly, we also found subgroups of proteins that were affected after silencing just one adaptor, indicating previously unrecognized independent roles for AP-1A and AP-1B. While AP-1B silencing mainly affected basolateral polarity, AP-1A silencing seemed to cause comparable loss of apical and basolateral polarity. Our results uncover previously overlooked roles of AP-1 in polarized distribution of apical and basolateral proteins and introduce surface proteomics as a method to examine mechanisms of polarization with a depth not possible until now.
Considerations for Systemic and Topical Treatment of Morganella morganii Septicemia Arising from Maggot Infestation.

Introduction Live maggot infestation (myiasis) of wounds can present a host of ailments. Loosely associated with maggot excreta, Morganella morganii is a widespread, gram-negative rod bacterium commonly found in the intestinal tracts of humans. M morganii has been observed as being pathogenic, particularly in nosocomial and postoperative environments, as well as in immunosuppressed and elderly populations. Case report Herein, the authors present a rare, previously unreported case of M morganii septicemia (as confirmed by positive blood culture), secondary to myiasis of the lower extremities. The patient was successfully treated with both systemic and topical interventions. Posttreatment examination revealed resolution of myiasis and negative blood cultures. Conclusions Myiasis can be invasive, leading to severe systemic infection. In these cases, a broad-spectrum antibiotic combined with systemic and topical antiparasitic therapy should be considered.