cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Autonomous robot using infrared thermal camera to discriminate objects in outdoor scene

A complete autonomous legged robot is beig designed at Carnegie Mellon University to perform planetary exploration without human supervision. This robot must traverse unknown and geographically diverse areas in order to collect samples of materials. This paper describes how thermal imaging can be used to identify materials in order to find good footfall positions and collection sites of material. First, a model developed for determining the temperature of materials in an outdoor scene is presented. By applying this model, it is shown that it is possible to determine a physical characteristic of the material: thermal inertia. Second, experimental results are described that consist in recording thermal images of an outdoor scene constituted with sand and rock. Third, results and limitations of applying the model to experimental images are analyzed. Finally, the paper analyzes how basic segmentation algorithms can be combined with the thermal inertia segmentation in order to improve the discrimination of different kinds of materials.
Is antibody clustering predictive of clinical subsets and damage in systemic lupus erythematosus

Objective To examine autoantibody clusters and their associations with clinical features and organ damage accrual in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods The study group comprised 1,357 consecutive patients with SLE who were recruited to participate in a prospective longitudinal cohort study. In the cohort, 92.6% of the patients were women, the mean ± SD age of the patients was 41.3 ± 12.7 years, 55.9% were Caucasian, 39.1% were African American, and 5% were Asian. Seven autoantibodies (anti–double-stranded DNA [anti-dsDNA], anti-Sm, anti-Ro, anti-La, anti-RNP, lupus anticoagulant (LAC), and anticardiolipin antibody [aCL]) were selected for cluster analysis using the K-means cluster analysis procedure. Results Three distinct autoantibody clusters were identified: cluster 1 (anti-Sm and anti-RNP), cluster 2 (anti-dsDNA, anti-Ro, and anti-La), and cluster 3 (anti-dsDNA, LAC, and aCL). Patients in cluster 1 (n = 451), when compared with patients in clusters 2 (n = 470) and 3 (n = 436), had the lowest incidence of proteinuria (39.7%), anemia (52.8%), lymphopenia (33.9%), and thrombocytopenia (13.7%). The incidence of nephrotic syndrome and leukopenia was also lower in cluster 1 than in cluster 2. Cluster 2 had the highest female-to-male ratio (22:1) and the greatest proportion of Asian patients. Among the 3 clusters, cluster 2 had significantly more patients presenting with secondary Sjogren's syndrome (15.7%). Cluster 3, when compared with the other 2 clusters, consisted of more Caucasian and fewer African American patients and was characterized by the highest incidence of arterial thrombosis (17.4%), venous thrombosis (25.7%), and livedo reticularis (31.4%). By using the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index, the greatest frequency of nephrotic syndrome (8.9%) was observed in patients in cluster 2, whereas cluster 3 patients had the highest percentage of damage due to cerebrovascular accident (12.8%) and venous thrombosis (7.8%). Osteoporotic fracture (11.9%) was also more common in cluster 3 than in cluster 2. Conclusion Autoantibody clustering is a valuable tool to differentiate between various subsets of SLE, allowing prediction of subsequent clinical course and organ damage.
Use of endovascular stents in congenital heart disease.

BACKGROUNDBalloon expandable intravascular stents have been used to support vessel walls in coronary and peripheral arteries in adults. The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy and safety of these stents in the treatment of congenital heart disease.METHODS AND RESULTSForty-five stents were placed in 30 patients, who were 0.2-30.2 years old (weight, 3.5-76 kg). Patients with areas of stenosis that were difficult to approach surgically were chosen. Stents were mounted over balloons and placed by standard catheterization techniques. Twenty-three patients had branch pulmonary artery stenosis. Thirty-six stents were placed successfully and had reduced pressure gradients from 50.6 +/- 24 to 15.9 +/- 13.4 mm Hg. Five patients had stents placed after atrial surgery: three in obstructed Fontan repairs, one at the superior vena cava-right atrial junction after sinus venous defect repair, and one at the site of a Glenn shunt. Atrial stents reduced pressure gradients from 9.8 +/- 8.2 to 2.0 +/- 2.6 mm Hg...
Efficient cuts in Lagrangean ‘Relax-and-cut’ schemes

Abstract Lagrangean relaxation produces bounds on the optimal value of (mixed) integer programming problems. These bounds, together with integer feasible solution values, provide intervals bracketing the optimal value of the original problem. When the residual gap, i.e., the relative size of the interval, is too large for the approximations to be deemed satisfactory, it is desirable to ‘strengthen’ the Lagrangean bounds. One possible strengthening technique consists of identifying cuts which are violated by the current Lagrangean solution, and dualizing them. Unfortunately not every valid inequality that is currently violated will improve the Lagrangean relaxation bound when dualized. This paper investigates what makes a violated cut ‘efficient’ in improving bounds. It also provides examples of efficient cuts for several (mixed) integer programming problems.
An infinite-dimensional Borsuk-Ulam-type generalization of the Leray-Schauder fixed-point theorem and some applications

A generalization of the classical Leray-Schauder fixed-point theorem based on the infinite-dimensional Borsuk-Ulam-type antipode construction is proposed. A new nonstandard proof of the classical Leray-Schauder fixed-point theorem and a study of the solution manifold of a nonlinear Hamilton-Jacobi-type equation are presented.
The structural basis of pathogenic subgenomic flavivirus RNA (sfRNA) production

Flaviviruses are emerging human pathogens and worldwide health threats. During infection, pathogenic subgenomic flaviviral RNAs (sfRNAs) are produced by resisting degradation by the 5'→3' host cell exonuclease Xrn1 through an unknown RNA structure-based mechanism. Here, we present the crystal structure of a complete Xrn1-resistant flaviviral RNA, which contains interwoven pseudoknots within a compact structure that depends on highly conserved nucleotides. The RNA's three-dimensional topology creates a ringlike conformation, with the 5' end of the resistant structure passing through the ring from one side of the fold to the other. Disruption of this structure prevents formation of sfRNA during flaviviral infection. Thus, sfRNA formation results from an RNA fold that interacts directly with Xrn1, presenting the enzyme with a structure that confounds its helicase activity.
Development of Multi-Stack Exhaust System for Laboratory Buildings

A multi-stack exhaust system has been developed for use in laboratory buildings. The multi-stack system activates different stacks and uses a variable speed drive (VSD) to change the fan speed when the laboratory exhaust airflow changes. This system satisfies safety requirements and uses less fan power than a conventional system. The typical fan power savings is 40% or higher, depending on the flow usage profile and the exhaust system duct design characteristics. This paper presents the system models and optimization procedures for the design of a multi-stack system.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Separation of benzo[a]pyrene sulfate isomers by reversed-phase liquid chromatography

Abstract A liquid chromatographic (LC) method has been developed for the separation of five isomers of benzo[a]pyrene sulfate. This method utilizes a polymeric C18 column and isocratic elution with acetonitrile-water and triethylammonium acetate. Temperature, mobile phase composition, pH, type of C18 stationary phase and triethylamine concentration were found to influence retention and selectivity, and separations were optimized by proper choice of these parameters.
Characteristic lichen products in cultures of chemotypes of the Ramalina siliquosa complex

Sixteen characteristic aromatic lichen products were identified in alga-free fungal cultures derived from single-spore isolates of four chemotypes of the Ramalina siliquosa species complex. The chemistries of many cultures are more complex than those of natural thalli. The compounds identified include the major f-orcinol depsidones that characterize the chemotypes as well as biogenetically reasonable precursors not yet proved in natural thalli. Single-spore progeny from natural thalli can be assigned to chemotype without being lichenized with an alga. This result simplifies the use of secondary-product chemistry as a genetic marker to assess the limits of gene flow between chemotypes in natural populations.
Proteoglycan synthesis by fibroblasts from different regions of bovine tendon cultured in alginate beads.

Abstract The ability of cell shape to modulate proteoglycan synthesis in tendon fibroblasts was investigated by placing freshly isolated tendon fibroblasts and chondrocytes into primary culture either as adherent cells on a polystyrene substratum or as rounded cells in alginate beads. Chondrocytes and cells from the compressed region of adult tendon synthesized predominantly large proteoglycan when maintained either as dense monolayers, where actin stress fibers in the cytoskeleton were prominent, or in alginate beads, where actin fibers could not be detected. After three rounds of proliferation as elongated adherent cells the synthesis of large proteoglycan was greatly reduced, i.e. the chondrocytic cells underwent `dedifferentiation'. Cells from the tensional region of adult tendon synthesized predominantly small proteoglycan when in primary culture as a monolayer, after proliferation on a flat substratum, or as round cells in alginate beads. Fibroblasts from the tensional region of newborn tendon showed no tendency toward increased synthesis of large proteoglycan when maintained as round cells in alginate beads for 7 weeks. In tendon there appears to be a mechanically induced developmental transition from fibroblastic to chondrocytic cells. However, neither the change to a rounded cell shape nor the lack of organized cytoskeletal actin fibers was sufficient to induce chondrocyte-like proteoglycan synthesis in differentiated tendon fibroblasts in culture.
Emphysematous pyelonephritis in a polycystic kidney.

Emphysematous pyelonephritis is a lifethreatening complication of renal infection. Most patients previously reported have been diabetics. An unusual patient is reported who experienced emphysema in an infected polycystic kidney. The case is unusual in the radiographic findings and in that the patient was a nondiabetic with renal failure who survived an emergency nephrectomy.
Differential regulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase gene expression by ethanol in the human intestinal epithelial cell line DLD-1.

We have examined the regulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) gene expression by ethanol in monolayers of DLD-1 cells, an epithelial cell line derived from human intestinal adenocarcinoma. Optimum induction of iNOS mRNA in these cells was obtained with IFN-gamma and IL-1beta treatment, while further addition of TNF-alpha did not have significant effect. In a set of experiments to study ethanol effects, DLD-1 monolayers were pretreated with ethanol for 24 h and were then treated with IFN-gamma + IL-1beta for an additional 24 h. Cells pretreated with ethanol showed decreased iNOS mRNA levels, indicating that ethanol may inhibit cytokine-induced iNOS transcription or affect mRNA destabilization. The suppression was ethanol-dose dependent with an IC50 of 50 mM. In another set of experiments to study ethanol effects, DLD-1 monolayers were pretreated with 66 mM ethanol for 24 h. These cells showed significant upregulation of IL-1beta mRNA and protein as detected in the supernatants. Aliquoted supernatants from these cells (i.e., conditioned media) were added to naive DLD-1 monolayers together with IFN-gamma. Conditioned medium from ethanol-treated cells increased the IFN-gamma-induced iNOS mRNA of naive cells by threefold. Two different effects of ethanol are now reported: (a) ethanol inhibits IFN-gamma + IL-1beta-induced iNOS mRNA of the same DLD-1 cells and (b) ethanol induces cellular paracrine signals by releasing IL-1beta into the medium, which in combination with IFN-gamma increases iNOS mRNA levels of the recipient naive DLD-1 cells. Because IFN-gamma and IL-1beta are produced by intestinal immune cells, these findings may have implications for differential in vivo regulation of epithelial iNOS genes by ethanol, depending on the inflammatory and immune status of the host.
Structure, electronic relaxation and vibrational predissociation of the electronically excited SO2(C̃)Ar complex

Abstract Fluorescence excitation spectra of SO 2 Ar generated in a supersonic expansion near the SO 2 C → X , 0 0 0 , 2 0 1 , and 3 0 2 bands have been obtained. Three features red-shifted by 82, 60 and 41 cm −1 from monomer bands are assigned to the SO 2 Ar complex. The rotational constants of SO 2 (C)Ar are determined to be A = 0.2769 cm −1 , B = 0.0520 cm −1 and C = 0.0488 cm −1 . The corresponding complex structure is obtained. Rapid non-radiative decay induced by the Ar atom has been observed for the 0 0 0 level of the C state complex. Vibrational predissociation is identified for the (010) and (002) levels, 377 and 560 cm −1 above the band origin.
Dissimilarities as indices of individual perceptual structure

The generality of dissimilarity judgments and of configurations obtained by multidimensional scaling (MDS) as indices of perceptual structure was examined. The Ss made magnitude estimates of dissimilarity of pairs of photos, and MDS configurations were constructed separately for each S. The compatability of dissimilarities (judgments or distances in MDS configurations) with two other tasks Ss performed was then examined. These additional tasks, an “encoding” and a “decoding” task, required the S to first construct a message by making use of a set of four photos and, a week later, to decode the messages. Results obtained were interpreted as indicating a degree of generality of the dissimilarities and supporting a hypothesis of individual differences in perceptual structure for the stimulus set. A “data-purification” hypothesis for MDS was discussed and examined.
ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTING GLASSES - INCORPORATION OF POLYPYRROLE IN A POROUS SIO2 MATRIX

Abstract Electrically conducting glasses have been synthesized by incorporating polypyrrole in an SiO2 sol-gel derived glass matrix. Adsorption of pyrrole in the porous network of Cu2+-containing silica gels, in both bulk and thin film form, results in an oxidative polymerization to polypyrrole as demonstrated by electronic, infrared and Raman spectroscopies. Upon doping with iodine vapors, the polypyrrole-glass hybrids become electrically conducting with an average room temperature dc conductivity of 2 × 10−3 S/cm in the bulk and 3 × 10−4 S/cm in thin film form. DC conduction is described by a variable-range hopping model. The dielectric response of the hybrids is characteristics of conductor-insulator composites.
Long-term effects of pubertal anabolic–androgenic steroid exposure on reproductive and aggressive behaviors in male rats

The current study examined acute and long-term effects of anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) exposure during puberty on copulation, vocalizations, scent marking, and intermale aggression, both with and without tail pinch, in intact male rats. Animals received 5 mg/kg of testosterone, nandrolone, stanozolol, or vehicle, beginning at puberty. After 5 weeks, behavior tests were performed while continuing AAS injections. AAS treatment was then discontinued. Behaviors were tested during 3-5 weeks, 9-11 weeks, and 15-17 weeks of withdrawal. During AAS administration, stanozolol males showed significant reductions in all behaviors compared with controls, except aggression with tail pinch. Nandrolone treatment significantly reduced vocalizations and scent marking, and testosterone had no significant effect on behavior. During withdrawal, behaviors in stanozolol males recovered to control levels at variable rates: aggression at 4 weeks; mounts, vocalizations, and scent marking at 9 weeks; and ejaculations at 15 weeks of withdrawal. Stanozolol males showed significantly higher levels of tail pinch-induced aggression during every withdrawal test. Nandrolone-treated males scent-marked at control levels by 9 weeks withdrawal but displayed significantly fewer vocalizations and significantly more tail pinch-induced aggression than controls for the entire study. Testosterone-treated males scent-marked significantly below controls at 3 weeks withdrawal and showed significantly more tail pinch-induced aggression at 5 weeks withdrawal. All three AAS significantly increased tail pinch-induced aggression compared with corresponding nontail pinch tests, even at study endpoint. These results suggest that alterations in androgen-dependent behaviors by pubertal AAS exposure can persist long after drug exposure, and some effects may even be permanent.
The Torbernite Minerals as Model Compounds for the Hydrous Layer Silicates

A number of minerals and compounds of the torbernite group are represented by the formula A(UO2)(As,P)O4·3H2O where A = K+, NH4+ and/or H3O+. Crystal-structure analyses of K(UO2AsO4)·3H2O, NH4(UO2AsO4)·3H2O, and K0·45(H3O)0·55(UO2AsO4)· 3H2O recently completed by Ross and Evans (1964) reveal the exact nature of their atomic arrangements. All three compounds have interlayer structures formed by hydrogen bonding of water molecules into infinite sheets composed of four- and eight-membered rings, isostructural with the [Si8O20]n8n− layers of apophyllite. The interlayer K+, NH4+, and H3O+ ions, instead of entering in between the [UO2AsO4]nn− layers co-ordinated by a hydration sphere of water molecules, are randomly distributed over the water molecule sites. The formula of the interlayer structure is written [(H2O)3A]nn+.
Censura y prensa periódica a finales del siglo XVIII: El caso del Semanario erudito (1787-1791)

How did censorship operate in Spain in the last decades of the eighteenth century? This article considers one periodical—the Semanario Erudito —as a case study. Extant correspondence between the editor (Antonio Valladares de Sotomayor), the Consejo de Castilla, and the censors (primarily Ignacio Lopez de Ayala and Santos Diez Gonzalez) allow us to view the censorship process and the attitudes of the participants in the process. After introducing Valladares and reviewing the laws that regulated the printing of periodicals, we examine requests for printing licenses made by the editor and the justifications of the censors and the Consejo for their decisions. While the censors and the Consejo sought to maintain ideological and legal control over what was published, the correspondence shows that they were also interested in making important, useful documents available to the reading public and in insuring that what was printed was correct and accurate.
The Use of Clinical Decision-Support Tools to Facilitate Geriatric Education

Innovative methods are needed to incorporate effective geriatric education into internal medicine residency programs. The purpose of this report is to describe the development and use of clinical decision-support (CDS) tools to facilitate geriatric education and improve the care delivered to older adults in an academic internal medicine residency ambulatory care clinic. Starting in 2009, CDS tools were implemented as a major strategy of an initiative to improve resident physician clinical competencies in geriatrics and improve the quality of care and quality of life of older adults. These tools, designed to improve resident assessment and action for each of three educational modules (falls, vision, and dementia) were embedded within the ambulatory electronic medical record (EMR) and provided a method of point-of-care training to residents caring for older adults. One hundred internal medicine residents supervised by 17 general internal medicine faculty members participated. Data regarding CDS use and associated outcomes were recorded and extracted from the ambulatory clinic EMR. Residents screened between 67% and 88% of eligible patients using CDS algorithms; rates of additional assessment and referral or further examination reflected the prevalence of the condition in the patient population. Although further development may be necessary, CDS tools are a promising modality to supplement geriatric postgraduate education while simultaneously improving patient care.
A Typology of American Restitutionism: From Frontier Revivalism and Mormonism to the Jesus Movement

in the study of the religious life of the American people as their religious heritage has developed under peculiarly American historical and social conditions. Second, it is an instance of the phenomenology of comparative western (in this case, Christian) movements. Finally, some reference is made to the contrast between the forms in which Christian restitutionist bodies in this country have sought to bring the reality and meaning of the primitive events into the present, on the one hand, and the more classical vehicles for forging that connection, on the other. This last endeavor is related to the first in that it is, in part, another way of looking at the distinctive American cultural influences on religious life here. Given the focus on the theme of Restitutionism in the Christian tradition,' the principal item of significance concerning developments in religion in America is the role of history, or really of historical awareness. That role turns out to be laced with irony. Restitutionism as a theme, after all, takes the historical character of the Christian religion with the utmost seriousness, in its own specialized way, of course. It exists by a knowledge of the precise nature of original Christianity that is to say, of Christianity as it was in one historical period and claims to have reproduced that phenomenon in the present. The movements to be highlighted here are all preoccupied with the historical, in that sense. At the same time, the relation to historical data and concerns is typically American inasmuch as the predominating vision is of present and future things. Herein lies the irony. Popular Christianity in this country is noted for its indifference to history "historylessness" is what Sidney Mead calls this trait. What tends to be important to Americans is such questions as what is the Lord showing us, will it work, and what are we called to do. Nevertheless, the Mormons, the Disciples of Christ and the Churches of Christ, Christian Science, Adventism, Pentecostalism, Frontier Revivalism, and the Jesus Movement, among other sizeable and notable
Monterey security enhanced architecture project

This research project has produced an innovative architecture and corresponding engineering prototype consisting of trusted security services and integrated operating system mechanisms for the protection of distributed multi-domain computing environments from malicious code and other attacks. These security services and mechanisms extend and interoperate with existing workstations, applications and open source operating systems, providing new capabilities for composing secure distributed systems using commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components. The latter construct results from the realization that unless a secure system offers users comfortable and familiar interfaces for handling routine information, the secure system will fail due to lack of user acceptability. The work was supported in part by the MYSEA project of the DARPA/ATO CHATS program.
Triangulation and Parent–Adolescent Relationships: Implications for Adolescent Dating Competence and Abuse

This study focuses on family predictors of conflict behavior in adolescent dating relationships, drawing on family systems and socialization perspectives. Mother-adolescent, father-adolescent, and triadic relationships each was examined as predictors of adolescent dating outcomes that hold importance for developmental and prevention science (positive conflict resolution, verbal abuse, and physical abuse). We conducted a longitudinal analysis using a 6-month longitudinal design with 236 ethnically diverse high school students. Findings indicate that triangulation into parental conflicts was related to increases in positive conflict resolution and with increases in verbally abusive behavior with dating partners over time. Parent-adolescent closeness and conflict each was related to positive conflict resolution and verbal abuse, but these associations were only found for boys.
Assessing Planning Approaches by Watershed Streamflow Modeling:Case Study of The Woodlands, Texas

The Woodlands, Texas, is well known as a town created following Ian McHarg’s ecological planning approach that uses soil permeability to coordinate development densities and land use. Very few studies have quantitatively measured the effect of this planning approach on stormwater management. In this study, watershed stream flow modeling was conducted to assess five hypothetical land use scenarios. These scenarios were compared with The Woodlands’ 2005 condition using the Automated Geospatial Watershed Assessment (AGWA) tool that simulates watershed long-term stream flow and peak discharges during single storms. The objectives are to: (1) assess The Woodlands development conditions during 1974–2005 on whether land use locations are based on soil infiltration capacities and (2) compare stormwater runoff generated in different planning approaches (conventional low-density, clustered high-density, and The Woodlands approaches) using watershed streamflow modeling. Stream flow data from U.S. Geological Survey gauge stations were used for AGWA model calibration and validation. The result of percent development on different soil types indicates that McHarg’s approach was more closely followed before 1997. After The Woodlands’ ownership was sold in 1997, later developments did not follow McHarg’s approach. The departure from McHarg’s approach after 1997 is also reflected in the stream flow simulation results. The 2005 observed stream flow volume is around 50% higher than that of the simulated condition that would result if McHarg’s approach was kept. Overall, McHarg’s approach using soil permeability to coordinate development densities and land use is effective in mitigating flood, especially during intense storm events. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Dynamic Nuclear Power Plant Simulations Using Single-Board Peripheral Array Processors:

The application of a host/ coprocessor system, consisting of an IBM PC/AT and a Marinco peripheral array proc essor, to the simulation of nuclear power plant transients is described. The simulation...
Power Quality Assessment and Management in an Electric Ship Power System

For the proper maintenance of power quality in an electric ship power system, new harmonic metrics are introduced to assess the propagation of disturbances in the system. Classical frequency-based power quality indices are implemented into a harmonic distance metric that measures how much of a disturbance is transmitted from one particular node to another. The harmonic similarity metric is also introduced to provide a measure of how similar two disturbances are based on the magnitudes and phases of their common frequency components. The combination of these metrics leads to the proper assessment of the harmonic configuration of an electric ship power system and to the strategic placement of passive filters to alleviate the effects of harmonic disturbances in the system.
LITERACY AS A LIFESTYLE: NEGOTIATING THE CURRICULUM TO FACILITATE MOTIVATION

A description of processes, challenges, and opportunities associated with negotiating the literacy curriculum will be used to highlight ways in which students' learning and motivation can be supported. Negotiating the literacy curriculum involves (1) respecting evolving identities, (2) establishing mutual respect for students' and teachers' expertise, and (3) fostering open communication among teachers, students, parents, and members of the larger community. Findings from exploratory research will be used to challenge assumptions about the knowledge and wisdom that learners bring to the classroom and the view that there are universal standards of literacy that students must be “motivated” to attain. To facilitate literacy as a lifestyle, motivation is better constituted as a matter of persisting in the difficult struggle to communicate with and understand one another. Sample negotiations from actual classrooms will be used to illustrate how feelings of alienation and isolation can be reduced in this diffi...
Random projection trees and low dimensional manifolds

We present a simple variant of the k-d tree which automatically adapts to intrinsic low dimensional structure in data without having to explicitly learn this structure.
Carotid endarterectomy after a completed stroke: reduction in long-term neurologic deterioration.

Abstract The merit of carotid endarterectomy for patients who previously have sustained a completed stroke remains controversial. Between January 1976 and December 1983, 118 stroke patients with mild to severe permanent neurologic deficits were evaluated. Fifty-nine patients were managed nonoperatively and 59 operatively. Both cohorts were similar in age and sex distribution, incidence of hypertension (69%), diabetes mellitus (25%), and cardiac disease (39%). In the long-term follow-up (medical cohort average was 44.1 ± 5.0 months; surgical cohort average, 41.8 ± 3.7 months) the overall survival rate was comparable, that is, there were nine medical deaths and eight surgical deaths. However, there was a significant difference in the development of new neurologic deficits. Twelve of the 59 unoperated patients had new neurologic deficits and three patients died at 12, 36, and 48 months as a result of a recurrent stroke. New neurologic deficits developed in only two of the 59 surgical patients and there were no stroke-related deaths. When the cumulative probability of remaining free from recurrent deficits was examined in the surviving patients at 6 years, all of the patients in the operated group remained free from recurrent deficits, whereas only 58% of the patients in the unoperated group were free of new neurologic deficits (p = 0.02). These data suggest that stroke patients with fixed mild to moderate neurologic deficits and with carotid lesions may be protected from recurrent neurologic complications by carotid endarterectomy. (J VASC SURG 1985;2:7-14.)
Massed practice versus massed practice with stimulation: effects on upper extremity function and cortical plasticity in individuals with incomplete cervical spinal cord injury.

Objective. To determine the effect of massed practice (MP) versus massed practice combined with somatosensory stimulation (MP+SS) on cortical plasticity and function in persons with incomplete tetraplegia. Methods. Ten subjects were assigned to either MP or MP+SS. Median nerve stimulation (500 ms train, 10 Hz, 1 ms pulse duration) was delivered at the intensity eliciting a motor threshold response. Training sessions were 5 d/week for 3 weeks at 2 h/session. Outcome measures included 1) motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) elicited via transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), motor threshold (MT) and MEP amplitude at 1.2 MT; 2) maximal pinch grip force; 3) Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT) and Jebsen Hand Function Test. Results .T he MP+SS group demonstrated significant improvements (P < 0.05) in pinch grip strength (190%), WMFT scores (52%), and Jebsen test scores (33%), whereas the MP group demonstrated significant improvement (P < 0.05) only in Jebsen test scores (11%). No significant changes were detected in cortical excitability in the MP+SS or MP group. Conclusions. The findings of this preliminary study suggest that MP+SS results in greater increases in pinch strength and timed functional test scores than MP. Optimal stimulation paradigms and training methods are needed to further test this strategy.
Delivery of FGF from nanofiber-microsphere composites for meniscus tissue engineering

A polymeric composite of electrospun PCL fibers and entrapped PLGA microspheres containing FGF was formulated for application in meniscus tissue engineering. Both in vitro and preliminary in vivo findings demonstrate that the growth factor remains bioactive within the composite and stimulates cell division upon in vitro release and tissue development after subcutaneous implantation. Ongoing work will optimize this novel delivery system and introduce additional factors to foster a regenerative environment for directed meniscus repair.
VIBRATION ANALYSIS OF HYPOID TRANSMISSIONS APPLYING AN EXACT GEOMETRY-BASED GEAR MESH THEORY

A new kinematic model based on exact gear geometry that is derivable from a set of manufacturing parameters is developed for analyzing the hypoid gear-mesh-coupling mechanism. The approach involves a discretization of the contact lines in the plane of action assuming an unperturbed quasi-static gear meshing state to obtain the effective mesh excitation and position vectors. This mesh formulation forms the basis for a three-dimensional multiple-degrees-of-freedom (d.o.f.s) dynamic model of the hypoid gear pair, which is used to simulate the rotation and translation response spectra due to the harmonically driven transmission error excitation. From the free and forced vibration results, the unique elastic modes that contribute to the generation of gear-mesh-induced vibrations are identified. The mesh force response function is also analyzed to examine the sensitivity of dynamic coupling and vibratory response to critical design parameters. This study demonstrates the superiority of the proposed theory compared to the simpler gear-mesh representations utilized in previous studies, and leads to the conclusion that all 6 d.o.f.s of each gear body must be modelled explicitly. Numerous parametric studies are performed to quantify the dependence of vibration modes and response trends to selected design values and operating conditions.
Social Inequalities and Emerging Infectious Diseases

Although many who study emerging infections subscribe to social-production-of-disease theories, few have examined the contribution of social inequalities to disease emergence. Yet such inequalities have powerfully sculpted not only the distribution of infectious diseases, but also the course of disease in those affected. Outbreaks of Ebola, AIDS, and tuberculosis suggest that models of disease emergence need to be dynamic, systemic, and critical. Such models--which strive to incorporate change and complexity, and are global yet alive to local variation--are critical of facile claims of causality, particularly those that scant the pathogenic roles of social inequalities. Critical perspectives on emerging infections ask how large-scale social forces influence unequally positioned individuals in increasingly interconnected populations; a critical epistemology of emerging infectious diseases asks what features of disease emergence are obscured by dominant analytic frameworks. Research questions stemming from such a reexamination of disease emergence would demand close collaboration between basic scientists, clinicians, and the social scientists and epidemiologists who adopt such perspectives.
Partnering: key to early-stage biotech survival, but at what cost?

To understand the nuances of biotech partnering, it is helpful first to define biotechnology: any technological application that uses biological systems, living organisms or derivatives thereof, to make or modify products or processes for specific use (Wikipedia 2004). One use would be genetically altered microorganisms in the production of insulin, antibiotics, and other molecules; another would be to manufacture pharmaceuticals by using transgenic animals and plants or genetically altered mammalian cells. Although publicly associated with cloning and genetic engineering, the goal of biotechnology is to advance medicine’s tools and solve problems related to the production of biologically derived products, such as DNA chips that are used in genetic determinations or radioactive tracers that are used in medication. Indeed, readers are familiar with the 2000 completion of the human genome project, the potential consequence of which is vast. Another important example of biotechnology’s reach can be seen in patients dependent on insulin and allergic to animal products who thus depend on recombinant DNA technology to produce human-derived insulin (Wikipedia 2004). If the process involved in taking a new biotech discovery from bench to commercial arena was a straightforward one, the biotech arena might be overflowing with small, emerging corporate entities, flush with revenue and an ever-increasing pipeline of products for marketplaces too numerous to mention. What, then, makes the path to commercial success for a biotech discovery so tortuous?
Investigation of heterogeneities in solid polyethylene by small angle neutron scattering

Small angle neutron scattering was applied to the investigation of heterogeneities in solid poly-ethylene. The heterogeneities arise from the contrast between amorphous and crystalline regions and also from the presence of a small fraction of voids. The method is easily put on an absolute basis by calibration with an incoherent scatterer, in this case, cyclohexane.
Numerical study of the problem of synthesis of offset dual-shaped reflector antennas

For a given feed illumination and desired aperture field distribution, an exact formulation of the problem of simultaneously synthesizing the shapes of the main and subreflectors exists in terms of a set of nonlinear first-order differential equations. A numerical approach to solving these equations is reported. >
Quantitative vibronic coupling calculations. The visible spectrum of propadienylidene

High-level ab initio calculations that employ the equation-of-motion coupled-cluster method in the singles, doubles and triples approximation (EOMEE-CCSDT) have been used in conjunction with a quasidiabatic ab initio approximation to construct a vibronic Hamiltonian for the strongly coupled A1A2 and 1B1 states of propadienylidene (CCCH2). Simulations based on the model Hamiltonian reproduce all of the major features of the visible absorption spectrum of this molecule, with regard to both intensities and band positions, especially in the region that is more than 1000 cm−1 above the 1B1 origin. Despite the fact that a great number of individual vibronic levels contribute to each major band in this higher energy region, the spectrum is qualitatively similar to that from a Franck–Condon treatment, apart from a consequent broadening of the features. By contrast, the range from 15 800–16 500 cm−1, which comprises the 1B1 ← 1A1 origin, is profoundly affected in appearance by the vibronic interaction. The simulations do a credible job of accounting for the spectrum in this region, although a thorough analysis of all features cannot be made at this time. A combination of ab initio calculations, experimental observations and the spectral simulation allows an estimate for the position of the (electric dipole forbidden) A1A2 ← 1A1 origin: 13 600 ± 200 cm−1.
PLEDs following Control of Seizures and at the End of Life

Periodic lateralized epileptiform discharges (PLEDs), an EEG pattern that is highly correlated with seizures, may represent an ictal pattern in some patients, but in other patients PLEDs persist despite the absence of seizures or after seizures have been controlled by anti-epileptic drugs. The tenacity of PLEDs was illustrated by continuous EEG recording in a 95-year-old woman with multiple old cerebral infarctions who had been admitted to the hospital because of seizures. The EEG showed PLEDs that were maximal in the left central region. These sometimes evolved into EEG seizure patterns, which were correlated with facial twitching. The seizures were controlled by anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs), but the PLEDs continued. The patient subsequently expired, with EEG monitoring still in progress. The PLEDs persisted as the patient developed agonal respirations. The interval between the epileptiform complexes gradually increased, and they stopped 40 seconds before disappearance of the other EEG background rhythms; cardiac arrest ensued less than 1 minute later. The resistance of the PLEDs to hypoxia reflects the robustness of the mechanisms that produced them, which may also account for their persistence in the face of AED treatment that stopped the seizures.
Microfractures, aftershocks, and seismicity

Laboratory investigation of microfracturing in brittle rock has revealed that microfracturing events can be detected after brittle fracture of rock in compression, provided the specimen remains intact. If the sample is isolated after fracture, microfracturing activity decays hyperbolically in a manner similar to typical earthquake aftershock sequences. If reloaded, the sequence is disturbed and a cumulative aftershock pattern develops which is similar to that described by Benioff as strain release due to shear creep. These two types of sequences are discussed with respect to a Markovian model of time dependent fracture in an inhomogeneous brittle medium. This model is then expanded to apply to earthquake aftershock sequences. According to this theory aftershocks are produced by creep rupture due to stress corrosion in the regions of stress concentration following the main shock. The conclusions from laboratory investigations of microfracturing are summarized with respect to the implications regarding the sequence of earthquakes.
Adhesion-Based Capture and Separation of Cells for Microfluidic Devices

Cell separation and sorting in micro-assay devices must be performed using minimal sample sizes and few processing steps. To meet these requirements, a biomimetic approach to cell sorting is proposed based on adhesive rolling of cells along surfaces. This type of interaction is mediated by a special class of adhesion proteins on cell membranes and is responsible for localizing cells to particular tissues in vivo . To perform cell capture in a microdevce, raw sample can be flowed through microstructured fluidic channels, which serve as chromatographic “separation columns” and whose surfaces are coated with adhesion proteins. Targeted cells are captured by the flow structures and are permitted to roll slowly under shear from passing fluid. Among captured cells, differences in rolling speed provide the basis for segregating different populations. In this study, two prospective designs for microstructured fluidic channels were coated with E-selectin IgG chimera. The capture and enrichment of HL-60 and U-937 cells from flowing samples were demonstrated. Additionally, the difference in transit speed through one of the fluidic channels indicates that separation of enriched populations of these cells is feasible.
Going 'Bald on Record': Relationships among Public Officials' Social Media Behavior and Language Use

Public officials use polarizing language – supporting language for one’s self versus pejorative language for others – as a means of establishing clear boundaries on certain issues. This has been explored to some degree in terms of how such language is conveyed in the traditional media, but minimal research has been done with regard to the role of polarizing language within social media. This paper explores how elected U.S. officials use potentially polarizing language (“civility,” “politeness,” and related forms) to draw in supporters. We analyze the content and behavior of more than 30,000 tweets from the available Twitter accounts of each elected member of Congress, particularly in terms of the nature (size and party composition) of Twitter networks for officials who use polarizing language. Network analysis via Network Workbench and NodeXL confirms that officials’ use Twitter for much more than broadcasting, officials’ interaction networks differ from their follower/friends networks, and polarizing language cannot be correlated with peripheral locations in a network. These indicate that Twitter plays a more nuanced role in political communication than previously expected.
Automatic detection of depth of cut during end milling operation using acoustic emission sensor

Any shortfall in the required depth during milling machining can affect the dimensional accuracy of the part produced and can cause a catastrophic failure to the machine. Corrective remedies to fix the dimensions inaccuracy will increase the machining time and costs. In this work, a depth-of-cut monitoring system was proposed to detect depth of cut in real time using an acoustic emission sensor and prediction model. The characteristics of the sensor signal obtained in machining processes can be complex in terms of both nonlinearity and nonstationarity. To overcome this complexity, a regression model and an artificial neural network model were used to represent the relationship between the acoustic emission signal and the depth of cut. The model was tested under different machining cases and found to be efficient in predicting the depth of cut.
Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Therapy for the Community Oncologist

UNLABELLED : The field of cancer immunotherapy has rapidly progressed in the past decade as several therapeutic modalities have entered into the clinic. One such immunotherapy that has shown promise in the treatment of cancer is the use of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified T lymphocytes. CARs are engineered receptors constructed from antigen recognition regions of antibodies fused to T-cell signaling and costimulatory domains that can be used to reprogram a patient's T cells to specifically target tumor cells. CAR T-cell therapy has demonstrated sustained complete responses for some patients with advanced leukemia, and a number of CAR therapies are being evaluated in clinical studies. CAR T-cell therapy-associated toxicities, including cytokine release syndrome, macrophage activation syndrome, and tumor lysis syndrome, have been observed and effectively managed in the clinic. In patients with significant clinical responses, sustained B-cell aplasia has also been observed and is a marker of CAR T-cell persistence that might provide long-term disease control. Education on CAR T-cell therapy efficacy and safety management is critical for clinicians and patients who are considering this novel type of treatment. In the present report, the current landscape of CAR T-cell therapy, the effective management of patients undergoing treatment, and which patients are the most suitable candidates for current trials are discussed. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE The present report describes the current status of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T lymphocytes as an immunotherapy for patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell malignancies. CAR T cells targeting CD19, a protein expressed on many B-cell malignancies, typically induce high complete response rates in patients with B-cell leukemia or lymphoma who have very limited therapeutic options. Recent clinical trial results of CD19 CAR T-cell therapies and the management of CAR T-cell-associated adverse events are discussed. The present report will therefore inform physicians regarding the efficacy and safety of CAR T cells as a therapy for B-cell malignancies.
Measurement of the second derivative of left ventricular pressure using a fiberoptic catheter.

SummaryA new high fidelity fiberoptic pressure catheter has been used to measure the second derivative of left ventricular pressure, which constitutes an index of myocardial contractility. It may provide new information about the early phase of isometric ventricular contraction.