cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Narrowband disturbance rejection using adaptive feedback algorithms

Two adaptive algorithms that reject narrowband disturbances of unknown frequency are compared. The first is based on an adaptive implementation of the internal model principle. The second is based on a phase-locked loop structure and generates a signal whose magnitude and phase match those of the disturbance. The adaptive internal model principle algorithm provides global stability under ideal conditions, tracks reference inputs, and can stabilize unstable plants. However, the algorithm suffers from convergence and robustness problems in simulations and does not appear to be well-suited to high-order systems or systems with unknown time delays, two situations that are typically encountered in active noise control applications. The algorithm based on the phase-locked loop concept has better convergence and robustness properties and can be applied to aborad range of stable systems. Some prior information is required about the magnitude and frequency of the disturbance and about the frequency response of the plant, however. A real-time implementation of the phase-locked loop scheme in an active noise control task provides a 25 dB reduction of a sinusoidal tone of unknown frequency.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Editorial: Indicator Hierarchy and Scaling∗

The recent 14th International Conference on Environmental Bioindicators featured a roundtable discussion on indicators of the condition of coral reef ecosystems. Most readers of this Journal would ...
Hypertension, Heart Failure, and Ejection Fraction

More than three quarters of patients with heart failure (HF) have antecedent hypertension.1 Hypertension appears to play an especially important role in HF associated with a preserved ejection fraction (EF) >0.50 (HFPEF). No proven specific therapy exists for HFPEF, but treatment of systolic hypertension in the elderly (the group at greatest risk for developing HFPEF) reduces the risk of developing HF by about one half.2,3 The current issue of Circulation contains an important analysis of the Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial (ALLHAT) on the effect of the initial drug used to treat hypertension on the subsequent risk of HF requiring hospitalization stratified by EF.4 Article p 2259 ALLHAT studied >42 000 hypertensive patients over 55 years of age with at least 1 other coronary artery disease risk factor.5 The patients were randomized to receive the initial treatment of their hypertension with a calcium channel blocker (amlodipine), an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor (lisinopril), an α-adrenergic blocker (doxazosin), or a thiazide diuretic (chlorthalidone). As expected, many of the patients (40% at 5 years) required the addition of other medications to control their hypertension. Davis et al4 identified in the ALLHAT patients 1367 hospitalizations classified as being for HF on the basis of a review of the hospital records. Two thirds of these patients had a determination of their EF. This study includes 3 key findings. First, nearly one half of the patients had HFPEF. As expected, these were frequently older women. Second, the patients with HFPEF had a high mortality, but not as high as those who subsequently …
The evolution from components to integrated optoelectronics circuits

Recent improvements in fiber optic semiconductor components (i.e. lasers and detectors) will lead to the rapid deployment of fiber optic systems in the next few years. This does not, however, signal the end of research in semiconductor optoelectronics, but rather the opening of new and ultimately more widespread application of optoelectronic devices. New and powerful signal processing and data transmission functions will become possible by the marriage of optical and electronic functions on a single monolithic wafer. Applications will range from simple single channel integrated repeaters to repeaters with error correcting electronics and switching capabilities to complex distributed computer data bus networks capable of interconnecting dozens of the computers of the 1990's with a circulating data stream operating in excess of 100 Gigabits/sec.
Vasoconstrictor-induced hypertension following multiple blood transfusions in children with congenital hemolytic anemia.

Introduction. The mechanism by which blood transfusion increases blood pressure in a substantial proportion of patients with congenital hemolytic anemia is unknown. Vascular endothelium dysfunction and increased endogenous vasoactive substances have been postulated in the pathogenesis of hypertension following multiple blood transfusions. The present study was undertaken to test the hypothesis whether increased circulating vasoconstrictors following blood transfusions, if documented, is a potent modulator of hypertension in patients with congenital anemia. Materials and Methods. Four children with congenital hemolytic anemia developed severe hypertension and convulsions 2 to 4 days after they received multiple blood transfusions. None had a history of prior hypertension, kidney disease or seizures before the blood transfusion. Baseline blood and urine samples were obtained for routine renal function studies. Blood samples were also drawn during and 2 weeks after the clinical events for determination of epinephrine, norepinephrine, dopamine, and plasma renin activity. Results. Kidney function was normal in all the 4 patients. All had elevated plasma renin activity and increased blood epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine concentrations during hypertensive crises. Hypertension responded to antihypertensive drugs with the patients remaining normotensive 3 to 6 days after commencing therapy. All recovered without further seizures. The elevated plasma renin activity, epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine levels returned to reference levels 2 weeks after completion of the last blood transfusion. Conclusions. These data suggest that increased activity of vasoconstrictors in the recipient plasma may be responsible for the development of hypertension after multiple blood transfusions.
Estimation of Resilient Modulus of Subgrade Soils Using Falling Weight Deflectometer

Field and laboratory testing programs were conducted to develop models that predict the resilient modulus (Mr) of subgrade soils from the falling weight deflectometer (FWD) test results. Mr is used in the design and evaluation of pavement structures. The field testing program included testing various sections in 10 pavement projects within Louisiana. The tested sections covered the common subgrade soil types found in Louisiana. Three backcalculation software packages were used to interpret the FWD data: ELMOD 5.1.69, MODULUS 6.0, and EVERCALC 5.0. In addition, the AASHTO and Florida backcalculation equations were used for comparison. The laboratory testing program consisted of conducting repeated load triaxial Mr tests, physical properties, and compaction tests on soil samples obtained from tested sections. Statistical models were developed that can relate the laboratory measured Mr to FWD moduli backcalculated (EFWD) using each of the methods considered. The results of this study showed that the EFWD/Mr ...
Demonstration-Based Training: A Review of Instructional Features

Objective: This article reviews instructional features used in demonstration-based training (DBT).Background: The need for fast and effective training and performance support that can be accessed from anywhere is a growing need for organizations. DBT programs are one method to address these needs, but a better understanding of how to maximize the effectiveness of DBT activities is needed. Specifically, beyond the content of the demonstration (i.e., the dynamic example of task performance), what instructional features (i.e., information and activities in addition to the demonstration) can be used to improve the effectiveness of DBT interventions?Method:The authors conducted a systematic review of the applied and basic science literatures relevant to DBT.Results: Instructional features in DBT can be categorized according to the degree to which they encourage active learner involvement (i.e., active vs. passive), when they occur relative to viewing the demonstration (i.e., pre-, during-, and postdemonstratio...
Migration and Agricultural Change: The Case of Smallholder Agriculture in Highland Ecuador

A large and growing number of agricultural households in less developed countries are also engaged in international migration. Thousands of farmers from the highland provinces of Canar and Azuay, Ecuador, have immigrated to metropolitan New York, where they work in menial jobs and remit, as a group, millions of dollars annually. This paper examines the effects of international migration on agricultural production and land-use in two regions of Canar Province. An agricultural survey was administered in two communities to determine land-use and agricultural production of migrant and nonmigrant households. Contrary to most reports on the subject, migration has neither led to agricultural abandonment nor have remittances been dedicated to agricultural improvements. Semisubsistence agriculture remains an important riskaverse economic and cultural activity, but cultivation is a poor investment. A large investment in housing and land has converted much of the region into a peri-urban landscape of cultivated real estate.
Monovalent Ion Selectivity Sequences of the Rat Connexin43 Gap Junction Channel

The relative permeability sequences of the rat connexin 43 (rCx43) gap junction channel to seven cations and chloride were examined by double whole cell patch clamp recording of single gap junction channel currents in rCx43 transfected neuroblastoma 2A (N2A) cell pairs. The measured maximal single channel slope conductances (gammaj, in pS) of the junctional current-voltage relationships in 115 mM XCI were RbC1 (103) > or = CsC1 (102) > KC1 (97) > NaC1 (79) > or = LiC1 (78) > TMAC1 (65) > TEAC1 (53) and for 115 mM KY were KBr (105) > KC1 (97) > Kacetate (77) > Kglutamate (61). The single channel conductance- aqueous mobility relationships for the test cations and anions were linear. However, the predicted minimum anionic and cationic conductances of these plots did not accurately predict the rCx43 channel conductance in 115 mM KC1. Instead, the conductance of the rCx43 channel in 115 mM KC1 was accurately predicted from cationic and anionic conductance-mobility plots by applying a mobility scaling factor Dx/Do, which depends upon the relative radii of the permeant ions to an estimated pore radius. Relative permeabilities were determined for all of the monovalent catious and anions tested from asymmetric salt reversal potential measurements and the Goldman-Hodgkin-Katz voltage equation. These experiments estimate the relative chloride to potassium permeability to be 0.13. The relationship between the relative cation permeability and hydrated radius was modeled using the hydrodynamic equation assuming a pore radius of 6.3 +/- 0.4 A. Our data quantitatively demonstrate that the rCx43 gap junction channel is permeable to monovalent atomic and organic cations and anions and the relative permeability sequences are consistent with an Eisenman sequence II or I, respectively. These predictions about the rCx43 channel pore provide a useful basis for future investigations into the structural determinants of the conductance and permeability properties of the connexin channel pore.
THE PALEOBIOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS OF HERBIVOROUS DINOSAUR COPROLITES FROM THE UPPER CRETACEOUS TWO MEDICINE FORMATION OF MONTANA: WHY EAT WOOD?

Rare assemblages of woody coprolites from different strata of the Two Medicine Formation provide surprising perspectives on the feeding behavior of Late Cretaceous ornithischian dinosaurs. Most of the irregularly shaped, calcareous specimens are largely composed of fragmented conifer wood (13%–85%) and can be identified as coprolites by the presence of distinctive backfilled dung beetle burrows. The large size (up to 7 L in volume), fibrous contents, and associated bones and eggshell strongly suggest that the source animals at one site were Maiasaura hadrosaurs. The wood-bearing coprolites occur in strata ranging in age from ∼74–80 Ma, revealing a recurring (possibly seasonal) habit of wood ingestion. The preponderance of wood in the specimens and the absence of recognizable small-diameter twig fragments suggest that wood ingestion was intentional—that the coprolite producers had not merely consumed wood inadvertently when feeding on the leaves and bark of terminal branches. Because undegraded wood provides inconsequential nutritive value for vertebrates, it is unlikely that ornithischians would have expended the energy to masticate intact wood for little benefit. Furthermore, patterns of tissue damage in the fecal wood fragments suggest fungal degradation. Thus, the most parsimonious explanation for the high fecal wood content is that the coprolite producers consumed decomposing wood to capitalize on resources released by fungal attack, along with the tissues of the decomposers and associated invertebrate detritivores. These multiple coprolite deposits provide direct fossil evidence of recurring dinosaur diets and suggest that some ornithischians at least occasionally tapped detrital resources. Although such feeding behavior is rare in large extant herbivores, utilization of rotting wood would have augmented the resource options of Cretaceous ecosystems that lacked fodder provided by grasses and other derived angiosperms.
NFκB signaling regulates embryonic and adult neurogenesis

Both embryonic and adult neurogenesis involves the self-renewal/proliferation, survival, migration and lineage differentiation of neural stem/progenitor cells. Such dynamic process is tightly regulated by intrinsic and extrinsic factors and complex signaling pathways. Misregulated neurogenesis contributes much to a large range of neurodevelopmental defects and neurodegenerative diseases. The signaling of NFκB regulates many genes important in inflammation, immunity, cell survival and neural plasticity. During neurogenesis, NFκB signaling mediates the effect of numerous niche factors such as cytokines, chemokines, growth factors, extracellular matrix molecules, but also crosstalks with other signaling pathways such as Notch, Shh, Wnt/β-catenin. This review summarizes current progress on the NFκB signaling in all aspects of neurogenesis, focusing on the novel role of NFκB signaling in initiating early neural differentiation of neural stem cells and embryonic stem cells.
A hybrid Bayesian hierarchical model combining cohort and case-control studies for meta-analysis of diagnostic tests: Accounting for partial verification bias.

To account for between-study heterogeneity in meta-analysis of diagnostic accuracy studies, bivariate random effects models have been recommended to jointly model the sensitivities and specificitie...
ACUTE DESTRUCTION BY HUMORAL ANTIBODY OF RAT SKIN GRAFTED TO MICE : THE ROLE OF COMPLEMENT AND POLYMORPHONUCLEAR LEUKOCYTES

A study has been made of the roles played by complement and polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) in the acute destruction of xenografts of rat skin that follows injection of their hosts with antisera specifically reactive with graft antigens. The rat skin was grafted onto mice whose immune responses were suppressed by removal of the thymus and a brief course of treatment with rabbit antimouse lymphocyte serum. At about 2 wk after grafting the mice were injected intravenously or intraperitoneally with mouse antirat serum (MARS). This time interval was chosen because it avoided the complications that might be associated with either the process of healing in or with incipient rejection. Signs of graft damage were evident as early as 10 min after the injection of MARS, and in most animals so injected the grafts were completely destroyed within 24–48 h. The role of complement (C) in this acute destructive process is indicated by the results of three lines of experimentation. (a) Non-C-fixing antibodies or antibody fragments failed to cause damage to the grafts. Indeed, both chicken antirat serum and F(ab')2 fragments from rabbit antirat serum completely protected the grafts against the effects of MARS that was administered 24 h later. (b) When mice were depleted of hemolytic C by treatment with cobra venom factor or heat-aggregated gamma globulin, the damage caused by MARS was greatly reduced or completely inhibited. (c) In mice with a genetically determined absence of C5 much greater quantities of MARS were required to cause graft damage; the tempo of the destructive process was consistently slower; and a greater number of grafts recovered from the initial inflammatory process than was the case for animals with an intact complement system. The participation of PMN in serum-mediated destruction of grafts was initially suggested by the results of microscope examination of fixed tissues. The essential role of these cells in the process is indicated by the failure of MARS to cause tissue damage in mice whose circulating PMN have been reduced to very low levels by treatment with nitrogen mustard or more specifically with an anti-PMN serum. The absence of tissue damage when circulating PMN are reduced but C levels are normal suggests that C-mediated cytolysis is unimportant in graft destruction and that the role of C lies in its ability to generate chemotactic factors. The latter may then attract the PMN that provide mediators of tissue damage.
Heavy Metal Halide Glasses

Optical fibers with attenuations much lower than those attainable in present-day silicate waveguides are possible in theory if mid-infrared operating wavelengths are used. The loss mechanisms, materials, and problems inherent in obtaining such fibers are discussed. Among several candidates, heavy metal fluoride glasses are suggested as being must suited to low and moderate loss fiber applications in the 2-5 micrometer spectral region.
Noninvasive quantitative assessment of bone healing after distraction osteogenesis

One of the greatest challenges of limb lengthening and deformity correction is deciding when the bone has healed enough to remove the external fixator. Standard radiography is the most common imaging method used to assess bone healing after distraction osteogenesis because it is widely available, cheap, and relatively safe. However, other imaging technologies and methods are being investigated that will help quantify bone healing after distraction osteogenesis, providing an objective method for deciding when it is appropriate to remove an external fixator. This review will examine the latest techniques used to assess bone healing after distraction osteogenesis including dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scans, ultrasound, quantitative computed tomography, and digital radiography (X-ray). Recommendations for clinical practice will be outlined.
Electronic and Steric Effects on the Photoisomerization of Dimethylsulfoxide Complexes of Ru(II) Containing Picolinate

Calculations were performed on [Ru(tpy)(bpy)(dmso)]2+ (tpy = 2,2′:6′,2′′-terpyridine; bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine, dmso = dimethylsulfoxide, 1), cis-[Ru(tpy)(Me-pic)(dmso)]+ (Me-pic = 6-methylpicolinate,...
Lynch syndrome: History and current status

The annual worldwide incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) is 944,717 with a mortality of 492,411 [1]. Approximately 5% to 10% of this total CRC burden is due to primary Mendelian inheritance factors, making hereditary CRC a major public health problem throughout the world. These estimates of the hereditary burden of CRC may be conservative when considering the existence of low-penetrant genes such as the Ashkenazi I1307K mutation [2], the recently described autosomal recessive form of familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP)-like families due to the MYH mutation [3, 4], and the hereditary breast and colon cancer (HBCC) syndrome [5,6]. Understanding the role of genetics in the etiology of CRC has increased rapidly during the past decade, due to the prodigious advances in molecular genetics [7]. Indeed, this information has evolved so rapidly that it has outpaced the ability of physicians to keep abreast of these fast-breaking events.
Factories: Getting Rid of Learning.

The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act has been the main focus of educational debate since we entered the 21 st Century. It has left educators in dispute about the reasonableness of federally-ordered reforms and the necessity for holding all students to the same academic standards. The 2001 legislation expanded the federal government’s role in public education and required greater school accountability and teacher qualifications with little concern for mandate funding. The NCLB requirements have resulted in larger public schools and rural school consolidation. This development has placed unnecessary burden on public schools and has forced many districts to eliminate educational programming. This article will discuss the ramifications of NCLB in public school settings, as well as the specific problems of schools in rural areas.
Photo-controlled absorption in Bacteriorhodopsin films for medical image processing

Light modulation between B and M states of Bacteriorhodopsin films is controlled photo-dynamically for optical Fourier spatial filtering. The technique is applied to display only microcalcifications while filtering out the background in mammograms in real-time.
Reconsidering Bohr’s Reply to EPR

Although Bohr’s reply to the EPR argument is supposed to be a watershed moment in the development of his philosophy of quantum theory, it is difficult to find a clear statement of the reply’s philosophical point. Moreover, some have claimed that the point is simply that Bohr is a radical positivist. In this paper, we show that such claims are unfounded. In particular, we give a mathematically rigorous reconstruction of Bohr’s reply to the original EPR argument that clarifies its logical structure, and which shows that it does not rest on questionable philosophical assumptions. Rather, Bohr’s reply is dictated by his commitment to provide “classical” and “objective” descriptions of experimental phenomena.
The insect growth regulator pyriproxyfen terminates egg diapause in the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus.

The Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, is a highly invasive mosquito species that transmits chikungunya and dengue. This species overwinters as diapausing eggs in temperate climates. Early diapause termination may be a beneficial strategy for winter mosquito control; however, a mechanism to terminate the diapause process using chemicals is not known. We tested the hypothesis that a hormonal imbalance caused by the administration of juvenile hormone analog would terminate egg diapause in A. albopictus. We tested the insect growth regulator pyriproxyfen on all developmental stages to identify a susceptible stage for diapause termination. We found that pyriproxyfen treatment of mosquito eggs terminated embryonic diapause. The highest rates of diapause termination were recorded in newly deposited (78.9%) and fully embryonated (74.7%) eggs at 0.1 and 1 ppm, respectively. Hatching was completed earlier in newly deposited eggs (25–30 days) compared to fully embryonated eggs (71–80 days). The combined mortality from premature diapause termination and ovicidal activity was 98.2% in newly deposited and >98.9% in fully embryonated eggs at 1 ppm. The control diapause eggs did not hatch under diapausing conditions. Pyriproxyfen exposure to larvae, pupae and adults did not prevent the females from ovipositing diapausing eggs. There was no effect of pyriproxyfen on diapausing egg embryonic developmental time. We also observed mortality in diapausing eggs laid by females exposed to pyriproxyfen immediately after blood feeding. There was no mortality in eggs laid by females that survived larval and pupal exposures. In conclusion, diapausing eggs were the more susceptible to pyriproxyfen diapause termination compared to other life stages. This is the first report of diapause termination in A. albopictus with a juvenile hormone analog. We believe our findings will be useful in developing a new control strategy against overwintering mosquito populations.
Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator Waste Heat System for the Cassini Propulsion Module

Complete article can be located in Library Journal Stacks SAE 1994 Transactions Journal of Aerospace
Constitutional Choices: The Ratification of the Twenty-First Amendment through State Conventions

The factors that weigh into the choices groups make about pursuing their policy goals legislatively, administratively, or judicially is a matter of great scholarly debate. The 21st Amendment, which repealed the eighteenth amendment and is the only amendment ratified by state conventions, offers a unique opportunity to determine why groups and politicians chose that method of ratification. In this paper, I trace the evolution of the 18th and 21st Amendments. What factors led to the decision to choose the state convention path? It especially matters because the decision to ratify the constitution through the 21st Amendment has affected alcohol policy throughout the states (through the uneven development of the beverage industries and beverage distribution politics) and has implications for the normative debate over whether the US is in need of a Constitutional Convention.
Capillary density of skeletal muscle in Andean dogs.

SummaryHigh capillary density and small muscle fiber diameters were found in the sternothyroid muscle of dogs native to 4350 m. The number of capillaries per square millimeter was three times greater while the diameter was less than half of those obtained in the same muscle of nor-moxic dogs. These findings suggest that tis-sular adaptative mechanisms are important in the process of acclimatization to hypoxia, contributing to the maintenance of adequate levels of Po2 in the tissue in the presence of hypoxemia.
Simultaneous quantification of mycophenolic acid and its glucuronide metabolites in human plasma by an UPLC–MS/MS assay

The aim of this study was to develop a reliable UPLC-MS/MS assay for accurate quantification of mycophenolic acid (MPA) and its glucuronide conjugates in human plasma. Plasma proteins were precipitated with acetonitrile and the chromatographic separation was achieved on a C18 column with a gradient elution. The detection was performed by a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer in the positive electrospray ionization and multiple reaction monitoring mode. Linearity of the assay was demonstrated over the range of 20-10,000 ng/mL for MPA and MPA glucuronide (MPAG), and 2-1000 ng/mL for acyl MPA glucuronide in human plasma. The assay was precise and accurate with coefficient of variation and bias <15%. MPA and MPAG were stable at 25 °C up to 1 day in both heparin- and EDTA-treated blood. In heparin- and EDTA-plasma, MPA and MPAG were stable for at least 1 week at 25 and 4 °C, and 1 month at -20 °C. However, 99% acyl MPA glucuronide degraded in both heparin- and EDTA-blood as well as plasma when stored at room temperature for 1 day. All the analytes remained stable for at least 3 months in acidified EDTA-plasma at -80 °C. The assay was successfully applied on patients post hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Diet and Nutrition in the Treatment of Crohn’s Disease

Diet and nutrition both play a role in the treatment of Crohn’s disease (CD). Diet is defined as the food a person eats whereas nutrition is the process by which the body uses nutrients from the diet. Research suggests that there is an epidemiologic association between diet and CD, yet to date there is no consistent evidence that any specific food or diet causes the development of or induces a flare of CD. Nor is there evidence that diet can cure CD (Diet, nutrition, and inflammatory bowel disease. Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America). However, diet can have a significant impact on patient symptoms. In addition, CD is associated with protein calorie malnutrition and vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Therefore, adequate diet and nutrition are essential to the management of CD and should be used in conjunction with medical and surgical treatments for the most effective outcome. In this chapter we will explore diet recommendations, common nutritional complications, how to identify and treat nutrient deficiencies, and explore some of the growing evidence for a connection between diet and development of CD.
A Comparison of the Outcomes for Cartilage Defects of the Knee Treated With Biologic Resurfacing Versus Focal Metallic Implants

Purpose To compare the results of focal metallic resurfacing with biologic procedures in patients more than 35 years of age with isolated, full thickness defects of the femoral condyle. Methods A total of 61 patients met the selection criteria resulting in 30 patients treated with biological procedures, including debridement, microfracture, osteochondral autograft transplantation, osteochondral allograft, and autologous chondrocyte implantation (BIO group), and 32 patients treated with focal metallic resurfacing (CAP group). The BIO and CAP groups were matched according to treatment location, defect grade and size, and age profile. Outcomes included Western Ontario and McMaster Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), Short Form-12, and satisfaction. The primary combination endpoint was determined as a 20% improvement (minimum clinically important difference-20) on WOMAC pain and function at 2 years and no additional index lesion-related surgical intervention. Safety and effectiveness were also reported. Results Thirty patients in the BIO group (mean age of 44.6, range 35-64) had an average follow-up of 2.6 years and 32 patients in the CAP group (mean age 47.9, range 37-68) were followed for 2.0 years. Fifty-three percent in the BIO group and 75% in the CAP group achieved success per the endpoint definition. The mean total WOMAC score improved significantly for both groups (BIO: 57-78; P P P Conclusions Careful patient selection can achieve high satisfaction rates with both biological and focal metal resurfacing procedures for the treatment of isolated focal chondral lesions of the femoral condyle in the knee. Focal metallic resurfacing results in similar clinical outcomes and provides excellent success rates at short-term follow-up. Level of Evidence Level III comparative study.
Decision Making With Quantized Priors Leads to Discrimination

Racial discrimination in decision-making scenarios such as police arrests appears to be a violation of expected utility theory. Drawing on results from the science of information, we discuss an information-based model of signal detection over a population that generates such behavior as an alternative explanation to taste-based discrimination by the decision maker or differences among the racial populations. This model uses the decision rule that maximizes expected utility-the likelihood ratio test-but constrains the precision of the threshold to a small discrete set. The precision constraint follows from both bounded rationality in human recollection and finite training data for estimating priors. When combined with social aspects of human decision making and precautionary cost settings, the model predicts the own-race bias that has been observed in several econometric studies.
Enhanced Apoptosis to Chemotherapeutic Agents Is Dependent on NFκB and Bcl2-Related Proteins but Is Independent of P53 and Bax in Burkitt’s Lymphoma Cells.

Abstract Deregulated expression of c-Myc is involved in the pathogenesis and growth of Burkitt's lymphoma cells. Aberrant NFκB activation has been linked to several forms of cancers, including Hodgkin's lymphoma, breast cancers, and B-cell malignancies. The cytoplasmic retention of NFκB is mediated by a family of inhibitor proteins, the IκBs. We showed that expression of a super-repressor form of IκBα, IκBα-SR, resulted in decreased proliferation and an increased G0/G1 population of Raji Burkitt's cells. No spontaneous apoptosis was observed, but there was increased sensitivity to apoptosis following treatment with chemotherapeutic agents. Further studies were performed to determine the mechanisms involved in the induction of apoptosis. Interference with NFκB activity decreased the levels of c-Myc and Bcl-xL, but there was no change in the levels of Bax, Bak, Mcl-1, or p53. Treatment with chemotherapeutic agents alone resulted in decreased expression of Mcl-1 with no change in the other proteins measured. Decreased expression of both Bcl-xL and Mcl-1 following inhibition of NFκB activity and chemotherapy (vincristine, 4HC or doxorubicin) treatment resulted in apoptosis. In support of the important role of Bcl-xL and Mcl-1, siRNA experiments revealed that decreased expression of either one alone did not lead to apoptosis, while decreased expression of both Bcl-xL and Mcl-1 resulted in the induction of apoptosis. Many Burkitt's lymphoma cells have mutations in p53. We found that the mutated p53 was able to bind to IκBα and Iκ Bα-SR as well as to Bcl-xL, however, no up-regulation of Bax or p53 was observed in response to a chemotherapeutic agent. This indicates that mutated p53 retains the ability to bind the other proteins but has lost transcriptional function. Introduction of high levels of wild-type p53 into Raji Burkitt's cells was able to restore the induction of Bax and Mdm2 and induce apoptosis, whereas the mutant was not. These results suggest that sensitization of Burkitt's cells to apoptotic death with chemotherapeutic agents requires interference with NFκB activity and changes in the expression of Bcl2-family members but is independent of p53. Inhibition of NFκB activity could be useful in combination with chemotherapy for the treatment of Burkitt's lymphoma.
Fluorescence spectroscopy of vibronic polaritons of molecular aggregates in optical microcavities

Abstract We compute the fluorescence spectrum of a molecular aggregate with electronic and vibrational degrees of freedoms, described by Holstein model, in an optical cavity. The redistribution of oscillator strength among the vibronic polaritons due to strong interaction with the cavity mode and its effect on superradiance is investigated. Simulations demonstrate the scaling of spectra with the coupling strength to cavity and with aggregate size.
Educating the whole child: Social-emotional learning and ethics education.

Research supporting social and emotional learning (SEL) in schools demonstrates numerous benefits for students, including increased academic achievement and social and emotional competencies. Howev...
Frequency of surgery in black patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma.

e17571 Background: We evaluated the role of race in presentation, treatment, and survival of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) in the Survival Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database. Metho...
Diabetes as an Independent Predictor for Extended Length of Hospital Stay and Increased Adverse Post-Operative Events in Patients Treated Surgically for Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy.

Background Diabetes as an independent driver of peri-operative outcomes, and whether its severity impacts indications is conflicted in the research. The purpose of this study is to evaluate diabetes as a predictor for postoperative outcomes in cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) patients. Methods A retrospective review was performed of patients treated surgically for CSM (ICD-9 721.1) from 2010-2012 in the prospectively-collected American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database. Outcome measures were length of stay, and the presence of complications. Diabetic patients were stratified based on whether or not their diabetes was insulin- or non-insulin-dependent. Results A total of 5,904 surgical CSM patients were included, 1101 (19%) had diabetes. 722 (65%) were non-insulin-dependent diabetics, and 381 (35%) were insulin-dependent diabetics. Diabetes was found to be an independent predictor of extended LOS (OR: 1.878[2.262-1.559], p 0.05), however, patients with insulin-dependent diabetes were associated with an increased incidence of wound complications (p=0.027); severity of diabetes was not associated with any other individual complications. Conclusions Type and severity of diabetes is not a predictor for complication. Diabetes is associated with extended LOS and peri-operative morbidity. Level of evidence: Class 2b. Clinical relevance: Our findings support the view of many spine surgeons, who believe that diabetes has a negative impact on the outcome of surgery for CSM. Our findings support those cohort studies that found an association between diabetes and worst post-operative outcomes following surgical treatment of CSM. These findings lend support to the importance of monitoring preoperative serum glucose levels, as prevention of peri-operative hyperglycemia has been linked to improved postoperative outcomes in spine, joint and colon surgery.
Immune Response to Toxoplasma Gondii in the Central Nervous System

Toxoplasma gondii is a major opportunistic infection of the central nervous system (CNS) in AIDS patients and increasingly is a problem in other immunocompromised patients. In these patients clinical disease results from a reactivation of the latent tissue cyst stage in the brain. Tissue cysts contain bradyzoites, a slowly replicating form of the parasite. Tissue cysts are located primarily in muscle and brain and persist throughout the lifetime of the host. Cyst rupture and bradyzoite differentiation in to the rapidly replicating tachyzoite stage are thought to occur intermittently in the brain in the immunocompetant host, but replication of the parasite is limited due to the hosts. immune response. In the immunocompromised host however, when tissue cysts rupture, parasites replicate freely in the brain resulting in necrotic foci leading to encephalitis and other neurologic complications. In this review, an overview of the immune response, the role and function of the cells involved in the cell mediated immune response and the Immoral response in the brain, cytokine regulation of the immune response and the impaired action in AIDS and other immunocompromised patients will be discussed.
Internal Wave Scattering in Continental Slope Canyons, Part 1: Theory and Development of a Ray Tracing Algorithm

Abstract When internal waves interact with topography, such as continental slopes, they can transfer wave energy to local dissipation and diapycnal mixing. Submarine canyons comprise approximately ten percent of global continental slopes, and can enhance the local dissipation of internal wave energy, yet parameterizations of canyon mixing processes are currently missing from large-scale ocean models. As a first step in the development of such parameterizations, we conduct a parameter space study of M2 tidal-frequency, low-mode internal waves interacting with idealized V-shaped canyon topographies. Specifically, we examine the effects of varying the canyon mouth width, shape and slope of the thalweg (line of lowest elevation). This effort is divided into two parts. In the first part, presented here, we extend the theory of 3-dimensional internal wave reflection to a rotated coordinate system aligned with our idealized V-shaped canyons. Based on the updated linear internal wave reflection solution that we derive, we construct a ray tracing algorithm which traces a large number of rays (the discrete analog of a continuous wave) into the canyon region where they can scatter off topography. Although a ray tracing approach has been employed in other studies, we have, for the first time, used ray tracing to calculate changes in wavenumber and ray density which, in turn, can be used to calculate the Froude number (a measure of the likelihood of instability). We show that for canyons of intermediate aspect ratio, large spatial envelopes of instability can form in the presence of supercritical sidewalls. Additionally, the canyon height and length can modulate the Froude number. The second part of this study, a diagnosis of internal wave scattering in continental slope canyons using both numerical simulations and this ray tracing algorithm, as well as a test of robustness of the ray tracing, is presented in the companion article.
Editorial: JM3 Begins ‘‘e-First’’ Publication

This PDF file contains the editorial “Editorial: JM3 Begins ‘‘e-First’’ Publication” for JM3 Vol. 4 Issue 01
Cooperative Behavior Emerges among Drosophila Larvae

Spectacular examples of cooperative behavior emerge among a variety of animals and may serve critical roles in fitness [1, 2]. However, the rules governing such behavior have been difficult to elucidate [2]. Drosophila larvae are known to socially aggregate [3, 4] and use vision, mechanosensation, and gustation to recognize each other [5-8]. We describe here a model experimental system of cooperative behavior involving Drosophila larvae. While foraging in liquid food, larvae are observed to align themselves and coordinate their movements in order to drag a common air cavity and dig deeper. Large-scale cooperation is required to maintain contiguous air contact across the posterior breathing spiracles. On the basis of a directed genetic screen we find that vision plays a key role in cluster dynamics. Our experiments show that blind larvae form fewer clusters and dig less efficiently than wild-type and that socially isolated larvae behave as if they were blind. Furthermore, we observed that blind and socially isolated larvae do not integrate effectively into wild-type clusters. Behavioral data indicate that vision and social experience are required to coordinate precise movements between pairs of larvae, therefore increasing the degree of cooperativity within a cluster. Hence, we hypothesize that vision and social experience allow Drosophila larvae to assemble cooperative digging groups leading to more effective feeding and potential evasion of predators. Most importantly, these results indicate that control over membership of such a cooperative group can be regulated.
Infused autograft lymphocyte to monocyte ratio and survival in T-cell lymphomas post-autologous peripheral blood hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

e19500 Background: We recently reported that the infused autograft lymphocyte to monocyte ratio (A-LMR) is a prognostic factor for survival in B-cell lymphomas post-autologous peripheral hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (APHSCT). Thus, we set out to investigate if the A-LMR is also a prognostic factor for survival post-APHSCT in T-cell lymphomas. Methods: From 1998 to 2014, 109 T-cell lymphoma patients that underwent APHSCT were studied. Receiver operating characteristic and area under the curve identified an A-LMR ≥ 1 as the best cut-off value and validated by the k-fold cross-validation. Results: . Multivariate analysis showed A-LMR to be an independent prognostic factor for overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Patients with an A-LMR ≥ 1.0 experienced a superior OS and PFS versus patients with an A-LMR < 1.0 [median OS was not reached vs 17.9 months, 5-year OS rates of 87% (95 CI, 75%-94%) vs 26% (95 CI, 13%-42 %), p < 0.0001, respectively; median PFS was not reached vs 11.9...
Percutaneous Epidural Hydrogel Sealant for the Treatment of Spontaneous Intracranial Hypotension: A Case Report of Chronic Thoracic Neuralgia and Technical Lessons Learned

We report a case in which a 34-year-old female with refractory intracranial hypotension headaches due to a spontaneous dural tear was ultimately treated with CT-guided transforaminal epidural placement of a synthetic absorbable sealant (DuraSeal®). The procedure successfully resolved her headaches; however she subsequently developed thoracic neuralgia presumably due to mass effect of the sealant material on the lower thoracic spinal cord and nerve roots. This case report describes the potential for significant spinal cord and nerve root compression as well as the development of chronic neuralgia with the placement of epidural hydrogel and fibrin glue sealants. Careful consideration should be taken into the needle gauge, needle position, injectate volumes, and injection velocity when delivering the sealant to the epidural space. Use of an 18-gauge Tuohy needle with a slow but steady injection pressure, constant patient feedback, and a conservative injectate volume (less than 2 ml per level) may best optimize sealant delivery to minimize the risk of spinal cord compression and neurologic injury.
Monte Carlo Simulation of Dynamical Systems of Engineering Interest in a Massively Parallel Computing Environment: an Application of Genetic Algorithms

The evolution of a stochastic dynamical system is governed by a Fokker-Planck equation if its response process is Markovian. An analytical solution for nonstationary response does not exist for any but the simplest systems of engineering interest. The evolution of the transition probability density function over the phase space has been solved numerically for various two- and three-state systems subjected to additive and multiplicative white noise excitation using the finite element method [27,28]. Systems of higher order, however, can pose significant difficulty when using standard finite element formulations due to memory requirements and computational expense, leading to the use of various economization measures, a discussion of which lies beyond the scope of this paper.
Evaluation of a Worksite-Based Small Group Team Challenge to Increase Physical Activity:

Purpose:To investigate whether participants in a small group team challenge had greater completion rates in an institution-wide step-challenge than other participants.Design:A quasi-experimental, p...
First-Order Logic Without Bound Variables: Compositional Semantics

A strict version of compositional semantics would have all composite meaningful expressions be of the form \(XY\), where \(X\) and \(Y\) are meaningful and the concatenation expresses application of a function (\(X\)) to an argument (\(Y\)). In proof theory, compositionality is violated because of bound variables both in formulas (quantification) and in deductions (introduction rules). Two applications of typed combinator theory are used to introduce a proof theory for first-order predicate logic without identity in which there are no bound variables.
‘Marching from all governorates’: labour lacunae in Mubarak’s Egypt

AbstractStarting in 1991, Egypt undertook ‘structural adjustment’ reforms at the behest of international financial institutions and the country’s foreign donors. These reforms have often been inclu...
Gender stereotypes in deliberation and team decisions

Abstract We explore how groups deliberate and decide on ideas in an experiment with communication. We find that gender biases play a significant role in which group members are chosen to answer on behalf of the group. Conditional on the quality of their ideas, individuals are less likely to be selected in gender incongruent domains (i.e. male-typed domains for women; female-typed domains for men). Individuals are also less likely to promote themselves when they are in the gender minority within their group. These patterns are not well-explained by objective or subjective differences in conversational behavior, nor by differences in beliefs about idea quality. Our results seem most consistent with a preference for promoting and rewarding group members in a way that conforms with gender norms.