cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Identical tricuspid ring sizing in simultaneous functional tricuspid and mitral valve repair: A simple and effective strategy.

Objective Mitral valve repair for functional mitral regurgitation is common. Concomitant tricuspid valve repair for associated functional tricuspid regurgitation has gained favor. Controversy exists regarding annuloplasty sizing for tricuspid valve repair. Methods Patients with heart failure having functional mitral regurgitation at the University of Michigan and undergoing mitral valve repair and tricuspid valve repair using identical sized annuloplasty rings between April 2007 and January 2012 were identified. Demographic and clinical records were retrospectively reviewed. Institutional review board approval was obtained for this study. Results Fifty-three patients met inclusion criteria. Mean age was 65 ± 1.7 years. Preoperative New York Heart Association class was III or IV in 81% (43) and mean left ventricular ejection fraction was 33% ± 2.2%. All patients had moderate or greater mitral regurgitation preoperatively and moderate or severe tricuspid regurgitation or a preoperative tricuspid annulus diameter greater than 40 mm. There was no 30-day mortality. Mean immediate postoperative tricuspid valve gradient was 1.75 ± 0.12 mm Hg and was 2.3 ± 0.19 mm Hg at 4 weeks. Four weeks postoperatively 88% (42/48) of patients had tricuspid regurgitation considered to be mild or less. There was no significant decline in right ventricular function by echocardiography over this time period. Conclusions Functional tricuspid regurgitation can be repaired using an undersized rigid annuloplasty ring. Our data suggest that an identical sizing strategy can be used for tricuspid valve repair, as was used for mitral valve repair, without development of tricuspid stenosis or negative effect on right ventricular function. This method seems to prevent recurrence of significant tricuspid regurgitation. The technique we describe provides effective and reproducible results.
Enzymatic protection from autoxidation for crosslinked hemoglobins.

The autoxidation rates of hemoglobins crosslinked between the α subunits (α99XLHb A) and between the β subunits (β82XLHb A) were reduced in the presence of catalase and/or superoxide dismutase. In the presence of catalase the rate for α99XLHb A decreased 2.3 fold and for β82XLHb A, 1.9 fold. Superoxide dismutase reduced the rate 1.6 fold for α99XLHb A and 1.8 fold for β82XLHb A. In the presence of both catalase and superoxide dismutase the rate of autoxidation decreased by 3.0 fold in α99XLHb A and 4.0 fold in β82XLHb A. The presence of catalase and superoxide dismutase or both in the crosslinked hemoglobin samples increases the autoxidation half-life of oxyhemoglobins. This suggests that crosslinked hemoglobins to be used as blood substitutes could be protected from oxidation in storage by these enzymes.
Morphology and redispersion of Ir on SiO2 in oxidizing and reducing atmospheres

Abstract Structures and phases produced by heating 20- to 100-A-diameter particles of Ir on amorphous SiO2 in air or H2 at a pressure of 1 atmosphere are examined by electron microscopy. The oxide is first observed to form at ~300 °C, and by 700 °C substantial amounts of oxide form around metal particles and spread as a thin layer over the SiO2. At 750 °C the residual metal particles are observed to break up into clusters of several smaller 10–30 A particles. Oxidation is complete only at ~900 °C. Oxide forms as a very thin layer which appears to have a lower volatility than that measured for bulk IrO2. When small particles formed by heating in air to 750 °C are subsequently heated in H2, all oxide is reduced by 400 °C to form clusters of small Ir particles. These remain stable to ~600 °C, above which sintering to larger particles occurs. An oxidation-reduction cycle thus is capable of causing redispersion of Ir into smaller particles. This apparently occurs through a surface transport path, while redispersion in more mobile metals can occur only by vapor transport.
Who Performs Complex Noncardiac Thoracic Surgery in United States Academic Medical Centers

Background We hypothesized that general thoracic surgeons (GTS) predominantly perform complex noncardiac thoracic surgery in academic hospitals compared with cardiac surgeons (CS), general surgeons, and surgical oncologists. Methods Fiscal year 2007–2008 to 2009–2010 coding and work relative value unit data from the University Health System Consortium and Association of American Medical Colleges Faculty Practice Solutions Center database, which includes 86 academic institutions, was analyzed. Procedural groups for pneumonectomy, other pulmonary resection (including lobectomy, bilobectomy, segmentectomy, sleeve lobectomy, and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery lobectomy-segmentectomy), and esophagectomy were evaluated. Results Of the 1,989,055.3 total work relative value units generated for complex noncardiac thoracic surgical procedures during the study period, 77.5% were generated by GTS, compared with 9.9% by CS, 8.9% by general surgeons, and 3.7% by surgical oncologists ( p p p p Conclusions In academic hospitals, noncardiac thoracic surgery is performed mostly by GTS, supporting academic GTS as a distinct specialty. These results may help determine hospital referral and credentialing policies, and plan general and cardiothoracic surgery residency curriculum.
A scatter search-based heuristic to locate capacitated transshipment points

We consider a fixed charge two-stage location problem in which a given number of intermediate transshipment points are to be located between the supply plants and the customer locations. Both plants and transshipment points are capacitated. Scatter search is a population-based heuristic that has been applied to several combinatorial optimization problems. We develop an efficient scatter search-based heuristic approach with hybrid improvements including local search and path-relinking routines. Computational results demonstrate the effectiveness of the heuristic even for realistic problems with larger instances and tighter capacities.
The role of the chest roentgenogram in febrile neutropenic patients.

In a retrospective review of patients with neutropenia and fever, we sought to determine how often roentgenograms detected pulmonary disease, especially pneumonia, not suggested by signs and symptoms. Further, we sought to determine how often therapy was changed as a result of roentgenographic findings. Overall, 41 (22%) of 187 chest roentgenograms obtained during initial febrile episodes, recurrent fevers, or persistent fevers were abnormal. While most patients had signs and symptoms suggesting the presence of pulmonary disease, 17% had roentgenographic abnormalities detected in the absence of such findings. During initial febrile episodes, therapy was not changed in response to findings on the chest roentgenogram. However, during episodes of persistent or recurrent fever, findings on chest roentgenograms led to changes in therapy in eight (61%) of 13 episodes of which six (40%) resulted in clinical improvement. Chest roentgenograms were therefore found to be an important diagnostic tool in evaluating recurrent or persistent fever in the neutropenic patient but of little use during initial febrile episodes. ( Arch Intern Med . 1991;151:701-704)
The innervation of the juxtaglomerular apparatus and surrounding tubules: a quantitative analysis by serial section electron microscopy.

In electron micrographs of serial sections of a rat juxtaglomerular apparatus “axon segments” were analyzed for contact with the cells of the vascular component and surrounding tubules. Slightly less than one-fourth of the cells of the vascular component were innervated. Nerve endings were seen on less than one-third of the cells of the afferent arteriole and about one-third of the cells of the efferent arteriole. The mesangial region had only 3 of its 30 cells innervated. Of these 3 cells, 2 were in contact with the distal tubule. The majority of the innervated cells were contacted by nerve endings belonging to more than one axon segment. Frequently en passant nerve endings from the same axon were seen to contact several different cells (granular and agranular) of the vascular component. Individual axons also established en passant contact with granular and agranular cells of the vascular component and tubular cells. These findings support the view that the neural effect on renin secretion is t the result of a complex response to neural activity which includes, besides direct action on granular cells, indirect action mediated through its effect on arteriolar and renal tubular systems.
Regulating the Transport of DNA through Biofriendly Nanochannels in a Thin Solid Membrane

Channels formed by membrane proteins regulate the transport of water, ions or nutrients that are essential to cells' metabolism. Recent advances in nanotechnology allow us to fabricate solid-state nanopores for transporting and analyzing biomolecules. However, uncontrollable surface properties of a fabricated nanopore cause irregular transport of biomolecules, limiting potential biomimetic applications. Here we show that a nanopore functionalized with a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) can potentially regulate the transport of a DNA molecule by changing functional groups of the SAM. We found that an enhanced interaction between DNA and a SAM-coated nanopore can slow down the translocation speed of DNA molecules and increase the DNA capture-rate. Our results demonstrate that the transport of DNA molecules inside nanopores could be modulated by coating a SAM on the pore surface. Our method to control the DNA motion inside a nanopore may find its applications in nanopore-based DNA sequencing devices.
A Reflective Approach to Science Methods Courses for Preservice Elementary Teachers.

(1991). A reflective approach to science methods courses for preservice elementary teachers. Journal of Science Teacher Education: Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 1-6.
Blockade of Glycosylation Promotes Acquistion of Scrapie-like Properties by the Prion Protein in Cultured Cells

The conformational conversion of the prion protein, a sialoglycoprotein containing two N-linked oligosaccharide chains, from its normal form (PrPC) to a pathogenic form (PrPSc) is the central causative event in prion diseases. Although PrPSc can be generated in the absence of glycosylation, there is evidence that oligosaccharide chains may modulate the efficiency of the conversion process, and may also serve as molecular markers of diverse prion strains. In addition, mutational inactivation of one of the N-glycosylation sites has recently been associated with a familial spongiform encephalopathy. To investigate the role of N-glycans in determining the properties of PrP, we have expressed in transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells mouse PrP molecules in which N-glycosylation has been blocked either by treatment with the drug tunicamycin, or by substitution of alanine for threonine at one or both of the N-X-T consensus sites. We report that PrP molecules mutated at Thr182 alone or at both Thr182 and Thr196 fail to reach the cell surface after synthesis, but that those mutated at Thr196 or synthesized in the presence of tunicamycin can be detected on the plasma membrane. We also find that all three mutant PrPs, and to a limited extent wild-type PrP synthesized in the presence of inhibitor, acquire biochemical attributes reminiscent of PrPSc. We suggest that the PrP molecule has an intrinsic tendency to acquire some PrPSc-like properties, and that N-glycan chains protect against this change. However, pathogenic mutations, or presumably contact with exogenous prions, are necessary to fully convert the protein to a PrPSc state.
Beyond odds ratios — communicating disease risk based on genetic profiles

The success of genome wide association (GWA) studies raises the hope that disease-associated markers will be useful in predicting disease risk. However, the metrics used to report effect sizes in GWA studies are not useful for determining the accuracy of genetic profiles. The brisk discovery of novel inherited disease markers by genome-wide association (GWA) studies has raised expectations for predicting disease risk by analysing multiple common alleles. However, the statistics used during the discovery phase of research (such as odds ratios or p values for association) are not the most appropriate measures for evaluating the predictive value of genetic profiles. We argue that other measures — such as sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values — are more useful when proposing a genetic profile for risk prediction.
Equilibration as cognitive conflict

Abstract The suitability of taking cognitive conflict as an operational definition of equilibration is examined along with the implications for conservation training. Exceptions are taken to the B. J. Zimmerman and D. E. Blom ( Developmental Review , 1983 , 3 , 18–38) analysis of conservation and some qualifying empirical results presented. It is concluded that cognitive conflict is sufficient, but not necessary, to bring about cognitive change.
Catheter Interventions for Hemodialysis Fistulas and Grafts

More than 1 in 1,000 patients in the U.S. has end-stage renal disease, and most patients who require renal-replacement therapy undergo hemodialysis. By the year 2020, more than 750,000 patients are expected to have end-stage renal disease, and over 500,000 will require hemodialysis. The greatest limitation of hemodialysis is the finite durability of hemodialysis accesses, which on average remain patent for <3 years but are the lifeline for hemodialysis patients. Catheter-based interventions are successful in restoring flow in more than 80% of hemodialysis accesses that undergo thrombosis and have replaced surgical revision as the treatment of choice for failing or thrombosed accesses. Catheter-based interventions have improved the quality of life for hemodialysis patients by reducing the need for temporary hemodialysis catheters and have prolonged total survival time by preserving existing access sites and by saving venous segments for future access creation. This review discusses the pathophysiology of dialysis access failure, presents the success rates of catheter-based treatments, and illustrates the interventional approaches for treating failing and thrombosed fistulas and grafts.
Three Biomedical Beamlines at NSLS-II for Macromolecular Crystallography and Small-Angle Scattering

We report on the status of the development of three beamlines for the National Synchrotron Light Source-II (NSLS-II), two for macromolecular crystallography (MX), and one for wide- and small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS). Funded by the National Institutes of Health, this suite of Advanced Beamlines for Biological Investigations with X-rays (ABBIX) is scheduled to begin operation by 2015. The two MX beamlines share a sector with identical canted in-vacuum undulators (IVU21). The microfocusing FMX beamline on the inboard branch employs a two-stage horizontal source demagnification scheme, will cover an energy range of 5 – 23 keV, and at 12.7 keV will focus a flux of up to 1013 ph/s into a spot of 1 μm width. The companion AMX beamline on the short outboard branch of the sector is tunable in the range of 5 – 18 keV and has a native focus of 4 μm (h) × 2 μm (v). This robust beamline will be highly automated, have high throughput capabilities, and with larger beams and low divergence will be well suited for structure determinations on large complexes. The high brightness SAXS beamline, LIX, will provide multiple dynamic and static experimental systems to support scientific programs in solution scattering, membrane structure determination, and tissue imaging. It will occupy a different sector, equipped with a single in-vacuum undulator (IVU23). It can produce beams as small as 1 μm across, and with a broad energy range of 2.1 – 18 keV it will support anomalous SAXS.
Measuring investment distortions arising from stockholder–bondholder conflicts

We examine the importance of stockholder}bondholder con#icts in capital-structure choice. Numerical techniques are used to compute the expected wealth transfer between stockholders and bondholders when a "rm adopts a new project. We characterize the set of positive NPV projects that stockholders prefer to ignore and the set of negative NPV projects that stockholders want to accept. The results illustrate how these distortions vary with "rm and project characteristics. We also estimate the impact of stockholder}bondholder con#icts on investment decisions for 23 di!erent "rms and examine
Effect of protein intake on strength, body composition and endocrine changes in strength/power athletes.

Comparison of protein intakes on strength, body composition and hormonal changes were examined in 23 experienced collegiate strength/power athletes participating in a 12-week resistance training program. Subjects were stratified into three groups depending upon their daily consumption of protein; below recommended levels (BL; 1.0 – 1.4 g·kg-1·day-1; n = 8), recommended levels (RL; 1.6 – 1.8 g·kg-1·day-1; n = 7) and above recommended levels (AL; > 2.0 g·kg-1·day-1; n = 8). Subjects were assessed for strength [one-repetition maximum (1-RM) bench press and squat] and body composition. Resting blood samples were analyzed for total testosterone, cortisol, growth hormone, and insulin-like growth factor. No differences were seen in energy intake (3,171 ± 577 kcal) between the groups, and the energy intake for all groups were also below the recommended levels for strength/power athletes. No significant changes were seen in body mass, lean body mass or fat mass in any group. Significant improvements in 1-RM bench press and 1-RM squat were seen in all three groups, however no differences between the groups were observed. Subjects in AL experienced a 22% and 42% greater change in Δ 1-RM squat and Δ 1-RM bench press than subjects in RL, however these differences were not significant. No significant changes were seen in any of the resting hormonal concentrations. The results of this study do not provide support for protein intakes greater than recommended levels in collegiate strength/power athletes for body composition improvements, or alterations in resting hormonal concentrations.
Acceptability and Feasibility of a Visual Working Memory Task in an Ecological Momentary Assessment Paradigm

Neuropsychological performance has historically been measured in laboratory settings using standardized assessments. However, these methods may be inherently limited in generalizability. This concern may be mitigated with paradigms such as ecological momentary assessment (EMA). We evaluated the initial feasibility and acceptability of administering a visual working memory (VWM) task on handheld computers across 1 EMA study week among adolescents/young adults (N = 39). Participants also completed standardized laboratory neurocognitive measures to determine the extent to which EMA VWM performance mapped onto scores obtained in traditional testing environments. Compliance with the EMA protocol was high as participants responded to 87% of random prompts across the study week. As expected, EMA VWM performance was positively associated with laboratory measures of auditory and VWM, and these relationships persisted after adjusting for predicted intelligence. Further, discriminant validity tests showed that EMA VWM was not linked with laboratory scores of verbal abilities and processing speed. These data provide initial evidence on the convergent and discriminant validity of interpretations from this novel, ecologically valid neurocognitive approach. Future studies will aim to further establish the psychometric properties of this (and similar) tasks and investigate how momentary fluctuations in VWM correspond with contextual influences (e.g., substance use, mood) and clinical outcomes.
APC/β-Catenin Deregulation in Desmoid Tumors: Important Implications for Diagnosis, Prognosis, and Therapy

Understanding the molecular aberrations driving the inception and progression of desmoid tumors (DTs) is crucial to devising an effective management for these neoplasms. The APC/β-catenin pathway is known to be deregulated in DT. This chapter illuminates the molecular mechanisms of APC/β-catenin pathway signaling, elucidates the potential deregulations and mutations at play in DTs, and most importantly evaluates the possible implications of this pathway on DT diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy.
Comparison of the performance characteristics of three generations of membrane oxygenators: Univox®, Univox® Gold™ and SpiralGold™

With continuous enhancement in oxygenator design, the question is raised as to how these changes actually impact the performance of the oxygenator. The recent addition of two new oxygenators by the Bentley Division of Baxter Healthcare Corporation provided us with a unique opportunity to compare the performance of each device and isolate the impact of each design change on performance. While the basic design and flow patterns have remained the same, application of the Duraflo® II treatment has produced the Univox® Gold™ and a change in the fibre-winding technique has produced the SpiralGold™. This study compared the effects of heparin coating (Univox® to Univox® Gold™) and fibre-winding (Univox® Gold™ to SpiralGold™) on gas and heat transfer and resistance to blood flow (pressure drop). Six oxygenators of each model were evaluated utilizing an in vitro single pass circuit, which first conditioned bovine blood to the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) venous standards. Blood ...
TAXONOMIC FREEDOM AND THE ROLE OF OFFICIAL LISTS OF SPECIES NAMES

Abstract The sixth edition of the Scientific and Standard English Names of Amphibians and Reptiles of North America (Crother, 2008, SSAR Herpetological Circular 37:1–84) is the “Official Names List” for the three major North American herpetological societies. Although this publication is intended to aid users of scientific and common names, we argue that current practices for authoring, reviewing, and using this list, in some cases, generate taxonomic chaos. By this we mean that users are uncertain of which name to use and/or the rationale for using a particular name, and efficient communication is hindered by this confusion. Most importantly, through inadequate and inconsistent review of this list, the societies have endorsed unnecessary and arbitrary name changes and are uncritically promoting individual taxonomic viewpoints when a clear choice on the most appropriate name has not been reached by the community. This problem is exemplified by North American anurans for which 57 of the 100 species have sc...
Obesity, Inflammation, Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, and Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignancy worldwide that is increasing in incidence in the United States. Viral and alcohol-related liver diseases account for most cases; however, a significant number of patients with HCC do not have a known underlying chronic liver disease. New evidence suggests that obesity and type 2 diabetes may play a significant role in the development of HCC. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is very common in patients with obesity and diabetes and may progress to cirrhosis and HCC. Insulin resistance, adipose tissue inflammation, adipokines, and inflammatory cytokines comprise mechanistic pathways that link obesity with NAFLD and HCC.
Tlym-I, a stage specific transforming gene shares homology with MHC I region genes.

We previously reported the identification of five different stage specific transforming genes activated in T and B-lymphoid neoplasms (Lane, 1982). These genes are evolutionarily We11-conserved between mouse and man and are expressed in multiple neoplasms representative of particular stages of normal lymphoid cellular differentiation.
Associations of Intrauterine Growth Restriction Among Term Infants and Maternal Pregnancy Intendedness, Initial Happiness About Being Pregnant, and Sense of Control

Objective. Term infants (≥37 weeks’ gestation) who weigh Methods. We analyzed data from a survey of California mothers aged ≥15 years with term live births in 1999 and 2000 ( N = 5961). Mothers were asked about pregnancy intendedness before pregnancy, initial happiness about becoming pregnant, and maternal sense of control, assessed by a standardized scale. We examined the association of having an infant with IUGR and these factors in univariate and multivariate analyses. Results. Mothers with low sense of control (3.0%) and average sense of control (2.7%) were more likely to have an infant with IUGR than mothers with high sense of control (1.8%; odds ratio: 1.8; 95% confidence interval: 1.2–2.9; and odds ratio: 1.6; 95% confidence interval: 1.0–2.5). After multivariate analysis, we found no significant association between sense of control and IUGR. We also found no significant association between IUGR and pregnancy intendedness and happiness about becoming pregnant. Conclusions. We found no statistically significant association between IUGR and maternal pregnancy intendedness, initial happiness about becoming pregnant, and maternal sense of control. Although research should continue to explore associations between psychosocial factors and IUGR, prenatal care programs should focus on known risk factors for IUGR.
New infiltration method permits use of freeze substitution for preparation of wood tissues for transmission electron microscopy

Summary A new infiltration method was developed for preparation of wood tissues for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) using freeze substitution. The method included treatment of freeze-substituted samples with sodium phosphate buffer before infiltration with epoxy resin. Samples from red osier (Cornus sericea L.) and flowering dogwood (C. florida L.) were studied to assess the quality of the infiltration method. The method produced well-embedded samples with good trimming and cutting qualities. To our knowledge, this is the first report on preparation of wood tissues for TEM using freeze substitution.
Snack Food Intake of Adolescents and Caries Development

The relationship between the frequency of eating various snack foods, socioeconomic variables, and an increment in caries was studied in 143 adolescents. There were negative correlations between DMFT increments and the frequency of apples, fruit juice, and sugarless gum intake, and a positive association of DMFT increments with chocolate candy intake and spending money.
Links from Teacher Beliefs to Peer Victimization and Bystander Intervention: Tests of Mediating Processes.

In an attempt to explicate how cultural norms within a school could impact bullying, the current study assessed potential mediators of the relationship between teacher beliefs about bullying and ac...
Brief Calibration and estimation of redundant signals

This paper presents formulation and validation of an adaptive filter for real-time calibration of redundant signals consisting of sensor data and/or analytically derived measurements. The measurement noise covariance matrix is adjusted as a function of the a posteriori probabilities of failure of the individual signals. An estimate of the measured variable is obtained as a weighted average of the calibrated signals. The weighting matrix is recursively updated in real time instead of being fixed a priori. The calibration and estimation filter has been tested by injecting faults into the data set collected from an operating power plant. The filter software is presently hosted in a Pentium platform and is portable to other commercial platforms. The filter can be used to enhance the Instrumentation & Control System Software in tactical and transport aircraft, and nuclear and fossil power plants.
The Influence of SV40 polyA on Gene Expression of Baculovirus Expression Vector Systems

The simian virus 40 polyadenylation signal (SV40 polyA) has been routinely inserted downstream of the polyhedrin promoter in many baculovirus expression vector systems (BEVS). In the baculovirus prototype Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV), the polyhedrin promoter (very late promoter) transcribes its gene by a viral RNA polymerase therefore there is no supporting evidence that SV40 polyA is required for the proper gene expression under the polyhedrin promoter. Moreover, the effect of the SV40 polyA sequence on the polyhedrin promoter activity has not been tested either at its natural polyhedrin locus or in other loci in the viral genome. In order to test the significance of adding the SV40 polyA sequence on gene expression, the expression of the enhanced green fluorescent protein (egfp) was evaluated with and without the presence of SV40 polyA under the control of the polyhedrin promoter at different genomic loci (polyherin, ecdysteroid UDP-glucosyltransferase (egt), and gp37). In this study, spectrofluorometry and western blot showed reduction of EGFP protein for all recombinant viruses with SV40 polyA, whereas qPCR showed an increase in the egfp mRNA levels. Therefore, we conclude that SV40 polyA increases mRNA levels but decreases protein production in the BEVS when the polyhedrin promoter is used at different loci. This work suggests that SV40 polyA in BEVSs should be replaced by an AcMNPV late gene polyA for optimal protein production or left untouched for optimal RNA production (RNA interference applications).
Shape Augmented Regression Method for Face Alignment

There have been tremendous improvements of the face alignment algorithms, among which the regression framework becomes the most popular one recently. The regression based works start from an initial face shape, and they learn regression models to predict the face shape updates based on the shape-indexed local appearance features. However, most of the regression methods ignore the fact that the regression function should directly rely on the current shape (e.g. regression function for frontal face should be different from that for the left profile face). To utilize this information and improve over the existing regression based methods, we propose the shape augmented regression method for face alignment where the regression function would automatically change for different face shapes. We evaluated the performance of the proposed method on both the general "in-the-wild" database and the 300 Video in the Wild (300-VW) challenge data set. The results show that the proposed method outperforms the state-of-the-art works.
The utility of seasonal hindcast database for the analysis of climate variability: an example

The purpose of this paper is to elucidate a potential use of the large samples of seasonal means that hindcasts provide for investigating different aspects of climate variability. This use of hindcasts complements their traditional uses in bias correction, real-time forecast calibration, and prediction skill assessment. For seasonal hindcast data from NCEP CFSv2 we show that a sample size 5208 for each target season is achievable. To demonstrate the utility of the proposed concept, we use this large sample dataset to illustrate how it could be used in documenting spatial variability in various moments of seasonal mean precipitation PDF over the US, and further, quantify nuances in the variations in precipitation PDF at different geographical locations with the amplitude of ENSO SSTs. It is our hope that analysis presented in this paper will accelerate utilization of seasonal hindcast datasets in furthering our understanding of different aspects of climate variability. With the advantage of the large sample size, we demonstrated that the precipitation PDF at the each grid of the CONUS can be represented by gamma distribution for a more concise and effective way to summarize precipitation variability. The availability of the large sample dataset also allowed us to analyze the statistical characteristic of the precipitation responses to the different amplitudes of ENSO SSTs. The results show that for strong warm events, enhancement in precipitation has larger amplitude than decrease in precipitation for cold events in the regions of Southern California and southeastern US. The variation of the precipitation signal over the other sub-regions including the southwestern US, mid-northwest, and mid-east shows more linear relationship with the ENSO SSTs. In response to anomalous ENSO SSTs, although the PDF of December–January–February seasonal mean precipitation anomaly is shifted from its climatological PDF, there is still a large overlap between precipitation PDFs for ENSO and its climatological counterpart. This uncertainty in seasonal mean outcomes of precipitation, therefore, limits the seasonal prediction skill.
Sparse Multi-Dimensional Graphical Models: A Unified Bayesian Framework

ABSTRACTMulti-dimensional data constituted by measurements along multiple axes have emerged across many scientific areas such as genomics and cancer surveillance. A common objective is to investigate the conditional dependencies among the variables along each axes taking into account multi-dimensional structure of the data. Traditional multivariate approaches are unsuitable for such highly structured data due to inefficiency, loss of power, and lack of interpretability. In this article, we propose a novel class of multi-dimensional graphical models based on matrix decompositions of the precision matrices along each dimension. Our approach is a unified framework applicable to both directed and undirected decomposable graphs as well as arbitrary combinations of these. Exploiting the marginalization of the likelihood, we develop efficient posterior sampling schemes based on partially collapsed Gibbs samplers. Empirically, through simulation studies, we show the superior performance of our approach in compari...
HIV-1 genotype and phenotype correlate with virological response to abacavir, amprenavir and efavirenz in treatment-experienced patients.

Objective: To assess the safety and efficacy of three new drugs in patients with antiretroviral failure and to correlate retrospectively baseline factors with virological response. Design and setting: Open-label, 48-week, single-arm, multi-center phase II trial conducted at nine US university or government clinics and private practices. Patients and interventions: Patients with HIV-1 RNA ≥ 500 copies/ml despite ≥ 20 weeks of treatment with at least one protease inhibitor received abacavir 300 mg twice a day, amprenavir 1200 mg twice a day and efavirenz 600 mg once a day. Other antiretrovirals were prohibited until week 16 except for substitutions for possible abacavir hypersensitivity. Main outcome measures: HIV RNA at weeks 16 and 48. Results: A total of 101 highly treatment-experienced patients enrolled; 60 were naive to non-nucleoside analog reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTI). HIV RNA < 400 copies/ml was attained in 25 out of 101 (25%) patients at 16 weeks (35% of NNRTI-naive and 10% of -experienced patients) and 23 (23%) patients at 48 weeks (33% of naive and 7% of experienced patients). CD4 cells increased by a median of 15 × 10 6 and 43 × 10 6 cells/l at weeks 16 and 48, respectively. Drug-related rash occurred in 50 out of 99 (51%) of patients, and 17 out of 99 (17%) permanently discontinued one or more drugs as a result. Lower baseline viral load, fewer NNRTI-related mutations, absence of decreased abacavir (≥ 4-fold) and efavirenz (≥ 10-fold) susceptibility, and greater number of drugs to which virus was susceptible were associated with virological response at week 16.
Unidentified Inclusions Within the Erythrocytes in Certain Gases of Febrile Anemia

This brief report concerns 3 cases of progressive febrile anemia, 2 ending fatally, which were characterized by the presence within the red cells of unidentified coccoid and bacillary bodies. These...
Ethanol in sequestered hematomas.

When a victim of physical violence survives several hours prior to death, many uncontrolled variables can make it difficult to determine whether he was “under the influence” of ethanol at the time he was injured. In such instances, use of traumatically induced, anatomically sequestered hematomas (principally subdural and epidural hemorrhages) for chemical studies can provide illuminating data and circumvent many uncertainties.
Afterword: a research agenda for international education

Four years ago, I (with then graduate student, Aliya Rahman) published a review of scholarship in the field of international education (Dolby and Rahman 2008). Faced with multiple, conflicting hist...
The Thing-in-Itself

The problem of the concept of the thing-in-itself (Ding an sich) in Kant’s thought, its meaning and significance, became the pivotal point of philosophical thinking in the period immediately following the appearance of Kant’s Critique. All the discussions and arguments in the various philosophical schools revolved around this concept, and Maimon’s philosophy was no exception. Maimon attacked the problem of the thing-in-itself in a variety of contexts and from several different angles. Not satisfied with proving the untenability of the concept in a critical system of thought, as Jacobi and Schulze had already done, he attempted to define its positive meaning in critical philosophy. If the thing-in-itself is understood to mean, as it usually is, an object independent of a thinking subject, then it is just as contradictory as the concept of a squared circle. It is tantamount to stating that we can imagine something that is in principle unimaginable, or that we can be conscious of something that in principle transcends all consciousness. As it is impossible to know something that is in principle unknowable, and as it is inconceivable for the subject to have an idea of an object that cannot be brought within the sphere of comprehension of the subject, the thing-in-itself is an illogical concept. Our task, therefore, is to explain the origin of this self-contradictory concept in our mind by positively establishing its meaning and rightful place in the realm of consciousness.
Classifier-guided sampling for discrete variable, discontinuous design space exploration

Estimation of density algorithms (EDAs) have been developed for optimization of discrete, continuous, or mixed discrete and continuous simulation-based design problems. EDAs construct a probability distribution on the set of highest performing designs and sample the distribution for the next generation of solutions. In previous work, the authors have demonstrated how classifier-guided sampling can also be used for discrete variable, discontinuous design space exploration. In this paper we develop the rationale for using classifier-guided sampling as a simple step beyond EDAs that not only improves the characterization of the highest performing designs but also identifies the poorly performing designs and exploits that information for faster convergence to optimal solutions. The resulting method is novel in its use of Bayesian priors to model the inherent uncertainty in a probability distribution that is based on a limited number of samples from the design space. The new classifier-guided method is applied to several example problems and convergence rates are presented that compare favorably to random search and a basic EDA implementation.© 2013 ASME
Relationship between magnetic memory signal and stress

To determine the relationship between magnetic memory signal and working stress as well as residual stress,static tensile tests on plate specimens made of Q235 low carbon steel were performed.The variation regularities of normal magnetic field intensities on the surfaces of specimens with and without artificial defects under different working loads and after unloading were investigated respectively,using the magnetometer TSC1M-4.The test results show that there is a good correlation between the magnetic memory signal and working stress,and whether the specimen is in a certain critical or limit condition can be predicted via the correlation coefficient between two adjacent magnetic signals.The magnetic memory signals before and after plastic deformation after unloading can not be distinguished,but the fractured magnetic memory signal and the corresponding gradient curve have obvious characteristics to be used to identify fracture zones.
Breaking of statistical isotropy and signatures of vector fields during inflation

We review work related to the breaking of statistical isotropy during inflation due to the presence of a vector field carrying a coherent vacuum expectation value over our Hubble patch. We also review isotropic signatures of vector fields during inflation.
Regulation and Valuation

The purpose of this chapter is to survey various aspects of the methods of regulation which bear on market valuation of public utility property for ad valorem tax purposes. In effect it is a continuation and extension of the previous chapter, on the effect of regulation of value.1 The first section will consider valuation and value in relation to regulation and taxation.2 The second will consider the procedures of regulation and possible regulatory innovations and developments which may bear on market valuation of public utility property for ad valorem tax purposes.
Trauma cultural, moralidad y solidaridad. La construcción social del Holocausto y otros asesinatos en masa

A cultural trauma is produced when the members of a community feel they have gone through a dreadful event that has left indelible scars on their collective consciousness, branding forever their memories and changing their future identity in an essential and irrevocable way. Although this scientific concept suggests there are empiric/causal links among occurrences, structures, perceptions, and actions that were not previously connected, it also illuminates anew a significant domain of moral responsibility and political action. By elaborating cultural traumas, social groups, national societies and sometimes even entire civilizations may not only cognitively identify the existence and sources of human suffering, but also take certain moral responsibility for it. As groups identify the roots of trauma and assume a moral responsibility, the members of communities establish supportive relationships that may allow them -and even force them- to partake of the suffering of the others. Is the others’ suffering also our suffering? Insofar as it is deemed plausible, societies broaden the circle of the “us” and will endeavor to prevent the trauma from happening again by means of their healing process. This article considers empirically the working-through of a trauma in the case of the Holocaust -the massive extermination of Jews by the Nazis and its foundational status in the elaboration and re/signifying of the trauma-, and discusses the experiences of the Afro-Americans, the indigenous peoples, the colonial victims of Western and Japanese imperialism, the Nanking Massacre, and the victims of communist regimes of the Soviet Union and the Maoist China.
Aeolian dune interactions preserved in the ancient rock record

Abstract Interactions between individual dunes drive the evolution of a dune-field pattern. Ubiquitous in modern systems, dune interactions have increasingly been the focus in understanding dune-field dynamics through surface models and experiments. In contrast, how these dynamics are incorporated into the stratigraphic record has remained largely unaddressed. Current models for the interpretation of the architecture of sets of aeolian cross-strata and bounding surfaces do not explicitly incorporate dune interactions. Recent documentation of a common type of dune interaction and the resulting stratigraphic architecture at the White Sands Dune Field, New Mexico, has established a set of diagnostic criteria by which this architecture could be identified. In this study, five examples of interpreted interaction architecture were identified in well-known Jurassic aeolian units in the western United States. These results confirm the expected presence of dune-interaction architecture in the rock record, and highlight the need for a new generation of models that couple complex dune surface dynamics with their stratigraphic expression.
Special Section Guest Editorial: Nanoplasmonics for Biosensing and Enhanced Light-Matter Interaction

This guest editorial summarizes the Special Section on Nanoplasmonics for Biosensing and Enhanced Light-Matter Interaction.
Preliminary Evaluation of an Online Estimation Method for Organ Geometry and Tissue Stiffness

During open surgeries, surgeons use tactile palpation to form an understanding of the anatomy, including any underlying anatomical structures such as arteries or tumors. This letter explores methods for restoring this capability in the context of minimally invasive robot-assisted surgery. Previous works have demonstrated the ability of robots to use discrete palpation to characterize organ shape and, when followed with offline data processing, to produce a stiffness map of the organ. In our earlier work, we presented an offline estimation technique, independent of palpation strategy, to estimate organ shape and stiffness using Gaussian processes. This study extends our prior work by demonstrating a fast online technique for estimation of organ shape and stiffness. Our goal is to provide near video-frame-rate updates of the organ geometry and tissue stiffness during force controlled exploration. Two different palpation modes are experimentally explored: autonomous palpation and constrained semiautonomous teleoperation. We report the experimental evaluation of our approach for stiffness estimation using autonomous palpation. And we demonstrate the feasibility of using our method during interactive teleoperation in a simulated surgical scenario. We believe that future use of the online stiffness and geometry information based on our proposed method can help surgeons in improving their understanding of the surgical scene and its correlation to preoperative imaging, thereby increasing safety and improving surgical outcomes.
Honorary Authorship in Radiologic Research Articles: Assessment of Pattern and Longitudinal Evolution

Rationale and Objectives To analyze the pattern and longitudinal evolution of honorary authorship in major radiology journals. Materials and Methods In this Institutional Review Board-approved study, an electronic survey was sent to first authors of original research articles published in the American Journal of Roentgenology, European Radiology, the Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, and Radiology during 2 years (July 2014 through June 2016). Questions addressed the perception of honorary authorship and contributing factors, as well as demographic information. Univariate analysis was performed by using χ2 tests. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to assess independent factors associated with the perception of honorary authorship. Results Of 1839 first authors, 315 (17.3%) responded. Of these, 31.4% (97/309) perceived that at least one coauthor did not make sufficient contributions to merit authorship and 54.3% (159/293) stated that one or more coauthors performed only “nonauthor” tasks according to International Committee of Medical Journal Editors criteria. Of eight factors significantly associated with the perception of honorary authorship on univariate analysis, two were retained by the stepwise multivariate model: having someone suggest adding an author and a coauthor performing only a nonauthorship task. Conclusion There has been little variation in the perception of honorary authorship among first authors of original research articles in radiology. The suggestion of adding an author and having coauthors performing only nonauthorship tasks are the two most important risk factors for honorary authorship. Our findings indicate that a prolonged course of transformation of current cultural norms is required to decrease honorary authorship.