cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Vascular cognitive impairment: disease mechanisms and therapeutic implications.

The prevalence of vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) is likely to increase as the population ages and cardiovascular disease survival improves. We provide an overview of the definition and disease mechanisms of VCI and present a systematic literature review of the current evidence for the pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic therapies used to treat the VCI symptoms of cognitive dysfunction or to modify VCI through primary and secondary prevention. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews was searched from 2005 to October 2010 using the keywords “vascular dementia” or “vascular cognitive impairment and therapy.” MEDLINE was searched for English-language articles published within the last 10 years using the combined Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) “therapeutics and dementia,” “vascular” or “vascular cognitive impairment.” Although cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine produce small cognitive improvements in patients with VCI, these drugs do not improve global clinical outcomes and have adverse effects and costs. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers may improve short-term cognitive function in patients with VCI. Anti-hypertensive therapy with an ACE inhibitor-based regimen and statins may prevent the major subtype of VCI known as poststroke cognitive decline. Clinical and effectiveness studies with long-term follow-up are needed to determine the benefits and risks of pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic therapies to prevent and treat VCI. Given its growing health, social, and economic burden, the prevention and treatment of VCI are critical priorities for clinical care and research.
FLT3 target practice

Comment on Levis et al, page [1145][1], and on Li et al, page [1137][2] Preclinical data are reported that provide novel approaches to targeting the transmembrane FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) by combining a small molecule inhibitor of FLT3 (CEP-701) with
Rapid Sequences of Population Activity Patterns Dynamically Encode Task-Critical Spatial Information in Parietal Cortex

We characterized the temporal dynamics of population activity in parietal cortex of monkeys as they solved a spatial cognitive problem posed by an object construction task. We applied pattern classification techniques to characterize patterns of activity coding object-centered side, a task-defined variable specifying whether an object component was located on the left or right side of a reference object, regardless of its retinocentric position. During a period in which the value of object-centered side, as defined by task events, remained constant, parietal cortex represented this variable using a dynamic neural code by activating neurons with the same spatial preference in rapid succession so that the pattern of active neurons changed dramatically while the spatial information they collectively encoded remained stable. Furthermore, if the neurons shared the same spatial preference, then their pretrial activity (measured before objects were shown) was correlated to a degree that scaled as a positive linear function of how close together in time the neurons would be activated later in the trial. Finally, we found that while parietal cortex represented task-critical spatial information using a dynamic neural code, it simultaneously represented task-irrelevant spatial information using a stationary neural code. These data demonstrate that dynamic spatial representations exist in parietal cortex, provide novel insight into the synaptic mechanisms that generate them, and suggest they may preferentially encode task-critical spatial information.
Structure of chlorohydroxonitrosyl(terpyridine)ruthenium(II) hexafluorophosphate

The title complex has the NO grouptrans to the hydroxyl ligand and the chloride ion in the plane of the tripyridyl ligand. The Ru−O and Ru−N(O) distances are 1.939(5) A and 1.764(6) A, respectively; the Ru−N−O bond angle is 171.7(6)0. These values are consistent with previously reported shortening of Ru−O distances whentrans to a linear NO ligand. The space group of the structure isP21/c, witha=9.7213(9) A,b=13.9318(11) A,c=14.523(4) A, and β=105.820(13)0.
Autoconfocal transmission microscopy based on two-photon-induced photocurrent of Si photodiodes

We describe a simple, self-aligned confocal transmission microscopy technique based on two-photon-induced photocurrents of silicon photodiodes. Silicon detectors produce photocurrents in quadratic dependence on incident intensity under the pulsed illumination of light with wavelengths longer than 1.2 μm. We exploit this nonlinear process to reject out-of-focus background and perform depth-sectioning microscopic imaging. We demonstrate a comparable background rejection capability of the technique to linear confocal detection and present three-dimensional imaging in biological specimens.
Changes in detrusor contractility after incontinence surgery.

Abstract To study the effects of incontinence surgery on detrusor contractility, a group of 24 women who preoperatively voided without a detrusor contraction during voiding urethrocystometry were re-evaluated for detrusor contractility three months after surgery for stress urinary incontinence. Twelve women regained detrusor contractility during voiding and were able to resume spontaneous voiding after incontinence surgery. The remaining 12 patients, representing true detrusor atony, continued to void without a detrusor contraction, and the majority (10112) needed prolonged postoperative bladder drainage prior to resumption of spontaneous voiding. Presence of reduced flow rates and absence of detrusor contraction during preoperative voiding indicated true detrusor hypotonicity. Two thirds of the patients voiding with normal flow rates but without a detrusor contraction during preoperative voiding regained detrusor contraction after incontinence surgery (p
Protein transport through membranes based on toluene diisocyanate surface-modified poly(vinyl alcohol) gels

Abstract Protein transport and separation properties of a novel, surface-modified poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) gel membrane were studied. Permeation experiments with bovine serum albumin (BSA) and lysozyme were performed in a stirred diffusion cell through unmodified and surface-modified PVA gels. The PVA gels were cross-linked with glutaraldehyde and surface modified by interfacial polymerization with toluene 2,4-diisocyanate (TDI) in hexane. The TDI concentration and interfacial contact time were varied to find the optimum selectivity and permeability conditions. It was found that a reaction time of 14 min at a 1% TDI concentration resulted in the highest selectivity, 105, for the flux of lysozyme relative to that for BSA. Compared to an unmodified gel, the surface-modified membrane exhibited a 4.5-fold enhancement in selectivity for lysozyme versus BSA while the lysozyme flux retained 76% of its value. The surface modification was useful in increasing membrane selectivity while still maintaining good permeability. A modified version of the multiple-membrane technique was used to determine liquid-phase resistances, so the intrinsic membrane resistance could be evaluated. These boundary layer resistances were found to be negligible.
Emergency diagnosis of subarachnoid hemorrhage: an evidence-based debate.

Abstract Background The diagnosis of subarachnoid hemorrhage is of paramount concern in patients presenting to the Emergency Department (ED) with acute headache. Computed tomography followed by lumbar puncture is a time-honored practice, but recent technologic advances in magnetic resonance imaging with magnetic resonance angiography and computed tomography with computed tomography angiography can present alternatives for clinicians and patients. Objective The aim of this article was to compare diagnostic strategies for ED patients in whom subarachnoid hemorrhage is suspected. Methods We analyze and discuss current protocols, in addition to summarizing the advantages and disadvantages of each method. Results Through our residency's journal club, we organized an evidence-based debate that pitted proponents of the three subarachnoid hemorrhage diagnostic strategies against one another. Proponents of each strategy described its advantages and disadvantages. Briefly, computed tomography/lumbar puncture is time honored and effective, but is limited by complications and indeterminate lumbar puncture results. Magnetic resonance imaging with magnetic resonance angiography might be more effective in late presentations and can visualize aneurysms, yet has limited availability. Computed tomography with computed tomography angiography offers rapid diagnosis and is considered the most sensitive for diagnosing aneurysms, but has the highest radiation exposure. Conclusions Each of the three strategies used to diagnose subarachnoid hemorrhage has advantages and disadvantages with which clinicians should be familiar. Patient factors (e.g., age, body habitus, and risk factors), presentation factors (e.g., time from headache onset and severity of presentation), and institutional factors (availability of magnetic resonance imaging with magnetic resonance angiography) can influence the choice of protocol.
Political orientation and the resonance of ethnic mobilization: Understanding the prospects for reducing ethnic politics in Fiji:

How do attempts to politically mobilize support on the basis of ethnicity resonate with the people targeted? This paper develops theory about the affinities between institutionalized political orientations—how individuals understand their place in political processes and how they make decisions about political issues—and the ways that ethnic appeals may make sense to people. By focusing on institutionalized orientations as a form of consciousness, this theory enables analysis of how orientations of different segments of a polity facilitate the resonance of ethnic appeals and relate to one another, which holds implications for attempts to counter ethnic mobilization. The paper applies this theory to Fiji, a country that has experienced divisive ethnic politics and attempts to forge alternate models of national unity. Based on in-depth interviews with a sample of citizens from across Fiji, I conclude that distinct political orientations characterize different parts of the population and find within-orientat...
Characterization of investigators' approach to translational research: a qualitative study.

Background Little is known about how investigators approach their research programs along the translational research continuum. Many consider the translational continuum to be linear, with research beginning at the bench and concluding with research at the bedside or in the community. We aimed to understand if translational investigators approach and view their research in this fashion. Methods We conducted semistructured individual interviews with 16 graduates of the University of Pittsburgh's Multidisciplinary Clinical Research Scholars Program (KL2) in 2012. Results Our research revealed three characteristic models. The first model we called “linear” and represented the traditional approach. The second we called “holistic”; these investigators began with central research questions and sought to explore them in every direction of translation, not necessarily taking linear steps. The third model we called “technical”; in this model, investigators focused on a unique technology or methodology and applied it across multiple research contexts. Conclusion This study found that there are multiple ways that translational investigators approach their research program. Better understanding of these models can help educators and mentors guide investigators so that they can be more productive in their clinical or translational research career.
Negative Income Tax The Impact on Children from Low-Income Families

The general purpose of the four negative income tax (NIT) experiments was to evaluate the impact of a guaranteed income on labor participation. Beyond this general objective, certain subobjectives can be identified, three of which define the purpose of this analysis. The first is to determine what effect an income maintenance experiment program can have on the health and educational status of children from low-income families, the second is to examine the long-range effects of such a program, and the third is to complete a policy analysis using these results to consider the relative effectiveness of service programs and income maintenance programs in promoting child development and stability. The results show that the NIT experiments were effective in reducing a child's risk of being at poverty. The implications of this are discussed from several policy perspectives.
Simultaneous microsurgical vasal reconstruction and varicocele ligation: Safety profile and outcomes

Abstract Objectives Simultaneous varicocele ligation and vasal reconstruction has previously been avoided because of concern regarding testicular devascularization. This study sought to investigate the safety of a simultaneous combined approach in the hands of an experienced microsurgeon. Methods A retrospective review was conducted of the records of 47 men who underwent vasal reconstruction, 10 (21%) of whom had simultaneous ligation of a clinically palpable varicocele. Specific attention was focused on the development of postoperative testicular atrophy and hydrocele and the analysis of postoperative semen parameters. Results No patient developed postoperative testicular atrophy or hydrocele. No statistically significant difference existed in postoperative seminal parameters between those patients who had vasal reconstruction alone and those who had a combined procedure. Conclusions In the hands of an experienced microsurgeon, simultaneous vasal reconstruction and varicocele ligation is a management strategy that has an excellent safety profile. This approach is not recommended for the occasional microsurgeon.
GPU facilitated unsupervised visual feature acquisition

This paper examines the effects of parallelizing an unsupervised feature acquisition algorithm using General-Purpose computing on Graphics Processing Units (GPGPU). Previous work in feature learning has established the effectiveness of hierarchical learning methods that refine large quantities of elementary features into small numbers of intermediate-level features. Some of the most effective of these methods alternate between template matching layers that combine features and sub-sampling layers that perform feature scale and/or position invariance. This approach is inspired by the mammalian ventral visual pathway. One such approach that produces highly informative features is a spiking convolutional network trained with STDP-based learning [1]. When using a serial implementation, however, this approach is costly in time and consequently is difficult to scale to a large library of internally complex features. The present paper demonstrates that GPGPU parallelism can be leveraged to overcome the scaling limitations of the serial version. Highly informative features can then be generated in large quantities. By scaling the number of features learned the maximum complexity of learnable classes is significantly increased.
Feature‐recognizing MRI

We describe a new theory of MR imaging that utilizes prior information in the form of a set of "training" images thought to be similar to the "unknown" objects to be scanned. First, the training images are processed to find an orthonormal series representation of these images that is more convergent than the usual Fourier series. The coefficients in this new series can be calculated from a subset of the phase-encoded signals needed to construct the Fourier image representation. The characteristics of the training images also determine exactly which phase-encoded signals should be measured in order to minimize error in the image reconstruction. The optimal phase-encodings are usually scattered nonuniformly in kappa-space. Good results were obtained when this theory was applied to imaging data from simulated objects and to experimental data from phantom scans. This theory provides the basis for developing efficient scanning and image reconstruction techniques that are "tailored" to each body part or to particular disease states.
The Criminal Personality as a DSM-III-R Antisocial, Narcissistic, Borderline, and Histrionic Personality Disorder

The controversial Criminal Personality described by Yochelson and Samenow is diagnosed by DSM-III-R criteria as sufferingfromfourpersonality disorders: Antisocial, narcissistic, borderline and histrionic. Additionally, the Criminal Personality meets most criteria of the Cleckley psychopath, the Kernberg psychopath, and the DSM-II antisocial personality disorder. The congruence of the Criminal Personality with other criminal typologies provides modest validity to the construct. The interrelationship of the DSM-III-R quadruple diagnoses implies a shared pathogenesis of these disorders. The clinical and research implications of differentiating between subtypes of antisocial personality based upon multiple Axis II diagnoses are discussed.
The Southern Ocean Momentum Balance: Evidence for Topographic Effects from Numerical Model Output and Altimeter Data

Abstract The momentum balance of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current is investigated using both output from a high-resolution primitive equation model and sea surface height measurements from the Geosat altimeter. In the Semtner–Chervin general circulation model, run with approximately one-quarter degree resolution and time-varying ECMWF winds, topographic form stress is the dominant process balancing the surface wind forcing. Detailed examination of form stress in the model indicates that it is due to three large topographic obstructions located at Kerguelen Island, Campbell Plateau, and Drake Passage. The difference between wind stress and form stress represents the lateral transfer of momentum into and out of the ACC. It is examined both in zonal coordinates to conform to the model architecture and along mean streamlines in order to reduce the effects of standing eddies. In this particular model, in stream coordinates, biharmonic friction dominates the lateral transfer of momentum. Since biharmonic frict...
Mechanical strain increases velocity and extent of shortening in cultured airway smooth muscle cells

Abnormal mechanical stress on lung tissue is associated with increased mass and contractility of airway smooth muscle (ASM). We have reported that cultured ASM cells subjected to cyclic strain exhi...
Histories Distorted by Partial Isometries

In quantum dynamical systems, a history is defined by a pair (M,?), consisting of a type I factor M, acting on a Hilbert space H, and an E0-group ? = (?t)t?R, satisfying certain additional conditions. In this paper, we distort a given history (M,?), by a finite family G of partial isometries on H. In particular, such a distortion is dictated by the combinatorial relation on the family G. Two main purposes of this paper are (i) to show the existence of distortions on histories, and (ii) to consider how distortions work. We can understand Sections 3, 4 and 5 as the proof of the existence of distortions (i), and the properties of distortions (ii) are shown in Section 6. MSC 2010: 05C21, 05C25, 16T20, 22A22, 46N50, 47L15, 47L75, 47L90, 81Q12.
Histologic regression in malignant melanoma: an interobserver concordance study

Histologic evidence for regression as a prognostic indicator in melanoma has shown conflicting results. To assess if melanoma regression is a consistently identifiable histologic feature, an interobserver concordance study was undertaken. Fifty histologic slides of melanoma with Breslow thickness of 1 mm or less were non-randomly selected from the Massachusetts General Hospital Melanoma Registry. The selection was in favor of those with regression present in 44 of 50 slides (88%). Two dermatopathologists working independently evaluated a 2 mm wide bracketed area in each tissue section and then the remainder of the non-bracketed tissue section for regression. Before and after each slide review, the evaluators were required to read criteria for early, intermediate, and late regression explicitly outlined. The overall concordance rate for the presence and absence of regression was 96% (48/50) in the bracketed area and 90% for the outside area. When the group with regression was subdivided into three stages, interobserver agreement fell to 86% for the bracketed, and 66% for the outside area. In at least 30% of cases where regression was detected in the bracketed area, both reviewers observed two or more stages of regression in the remainder of tissue section. Therefore, subdividing the process is impractical and unrealistic. Consistent histologic identification of regression in melanoma requires a simple and systematic approach which should be applied to future studies that include melanoma regression as a prognostic factor.
Data speculation support for a chip multiprocessor

Thread-level speculation is a technique that enables parallel execution of sequential applications on a multiprocessor. This paper describes the complete implementation of the support for threadlevel speculation on the Hydra chip multiprocessor (CMP). The support consists of a number of software speculation control handlers and modifications to the shared secondary cache memory system of the CMP This support is evaluated using five representative integer applications. Our results show that the speculative support is only able to improve performance when there is a substantial amount of medium--grained loop-level parallelism in the application. When the granularity of parallelism is too small or there is little inherent parallelism in the application, the overhead of the software handlers overwhelms any potential performance benefits from speculative-thread parallelism. Overall, thread-level speculation still appears to be a promising approach for expanding the class of applications that can be automatically parallelized, but more hardware intensive implementations for managing speculation control are required to achieve performance improvements on a wide class of integer applications.
(Not quite) Beyond belief: Intentionality and materialism in the study of religion

This paper examines the recent debate on the value of ‘belief’ as a category of analysis in the study of religion. I begin with a critical appraisal of the critique of ‘belief’ in the current literature, examining what I take to be the most serious charges while also giving voice to the reasons why we find the category of belief so intuitively appealing. Conversely, this paper considers the problematic nature of Terry Godlove's approach to the identification and ascription of religious belief, particularly in regard to the ambiguity and contextual nature of intentional states. I then draw a distinction between what I call ‘actual’ and ‘possible’ intentionality to get at how religious agents, while perhaps not possessing the ‘right sort of self-understanding’, can still be indexed as ‘religious’ if we examine the broader discursive context of their dispositional grammar. This paper will end with a constructive proposal for a middle way between intentionality and materialism in the study of religion which d...
A numerical investigation of domain wall overshoot in thin films with perpendicular anisotropy

The dynamic structure of a magnetic domain wall in a stripe compression experiment is investigated by numerical investigation of the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation. Domain walls of the type found in thin films with a large uniaxial anisotropy perpendicular to the plane of the material are considered. It is found that a single horizontal Bloch line (HBL) is formed in the domain wall and is responsible for wall overshoot and saturation of the wall velocity. These results compare favorably with experimental data. >
RHODODENDRON LORANTHIFLORUM ( ERICACEAE ) FROM MAINLAND NEW GUINEA. A DISTRIBUTIONAL RECORD AND NEW SUBSPECIES

Rhododendron loranthiflorum was previously regarded as an archipelagic endemic, with known stations in the Solomon Islands and New Britain. An exploratory survey of the Lakekamu Basin has now established the plant's presence on the southern side of the New Guinea mainland. The Lakekamu provenance represents a geographical disjunction distinguishable as a separate subspecies, and is formally described as subsp. lakekamuensis.
Design and Implementation of Vehicle Pedestrian Detection System Based on FPGA

The vehicle pedestrian detection system is a kind of solution to car driver assistance. The system can detect pedestrian in dangerous and send early warning to drivers automatically. Therefore, it has practical significance to develop a robust, real-time and stability pedestrian detection system which can reduce and avoid pedestrian accidents effectively. This article completes the vehicle pedestrian detection system based on FPGA. It used the cyclone II EP2C70 DSP development board provided by the Altera Corporation. By testing, the system can determine a size of 320 × 240 grayscale image takes about 723ms at the clock frequency in the 100MHZ. It achieves the desired functionality. The system has better real-time and reliability. At the same time, it has small size, easy to control and the most important is that it has broad application prospects.
Social Decision Making with Multi-Relational Networks and Grammar-Based Particle Swarms

Social decision support systems are able to aggregate the local perspectives of a diverse group of individuals into a global social decision. This paper presents a multi-relational network ontology and grammar-based particle swarm algorithm capable of aggregating the decisions of millions of individuals. This framework supports a diverse problem space and a broad range of vote aggregation algorithms. These algorithms account for individual expertise and representation across different domains of the group problem space. Individuals are able to pose and categorize problems, generate potential solutions, choose trusted representatives, and vote for particular solutions. Ultimately, via a social decision making algorithm, the system aggregates all the individual votes into a single collective decision
Increased risk of revision for high flexion total knee replacement with thicker tibial liners

The outcome of total knee replacement (TKR) using components designed to increase the range of flexion is not fully understood. The short- to mid-term risk of aseptic revision in high flexion TKR was evaluated. The endpoint of the study was aseptic revision and the following variables were investigated: implant design (high flexion vs non-high flexion), the thickness of the tibial insert (≤ 14 mm vs > 14 mm), cruciate ligament (posterior stabilised (PS) vs cruciate retaining), mobility (fixed vs rotating), and the manufacturer (Zimmer, Smith & Nephew and DePuy). Covariates included patient, implant, surgeon and hospital factors. Marginal Cox proportional hazard models were used. In a cohort of 64 000 TKRs, high flexion components were used in 8035 (12.5%). The high flexion knees with tibial liners of thickness > 14 mm had a density of revision of 1.45/100 years of observation, compared with 0.37/100 in non-high flexion TKR with liners ≤ 14 mm thick. Relative to a standard fixed PS TKR, the NexGen (Zimmer, Warsaw, Indiana) Gender Specific Female high flexion fixed PS TKR had an increased risk of revision (hazard ratio (HR) 2.27 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.48 to 3.50)), an effect that was magnified when a thicker tibial insert was used (HR 8.10 (95% CI 4.41 to 14.89)). Surgeons should be cautious when choosing high flexion TKRs, particularly when thicker tibial liners might be required. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:217–23.
Mechanical Properties of Nano-Scale Mechanically-Milled NiAl

This work reports on the mechanical properties of nanocrystalline NiAI materials. Mechanically- milled NiAl with and without Al2O3 additions was forged to 94% of the theoretical density of stoicheometric NiAl at < 0.5 Tm in air. Mechanical properties were investigated by microhardness measurements and the Miniaturized Disk-Bend Test (MDBT). Analysis of the hardness data indicates that most of the compression strengthening is due to the refined microstructure. MDBT results are consistent with tensile tests indicating that the tensile strength is controlled by the strength of grain boundaries.
CASE in the 21st Century: challenges facing existing CASE vendors

Established CASE vendors face a number of major challenges in upgrading their product lines to support the development and maintenance of large-scale distributed, web-based applications. This paper describes the characteristics of future applications, examines the challenges they pose to established CASE vendors, and suggests activities within the software research community that can help to address these challenges. As a result, the main contributions of the paper include a vision of how CASE products will evolve as we enter the 21st Century, and an analysis of the problems that will need to be overcome by established CASE vendors to realize that vision.
Comparison of population genetic diversity between a rare, narrowly distributed species and a common, widespread species of Alnus (Betulaceae)

Comparisons of population genetic diversity between related rare and widespread species provide valuable insights to the consequences of rarity and are critical for conservation planning. Population genetic diversity of A. maritima, a rare species, was compared with its common, widespread congener A. serrulata to evaluate the impacts of small population size and high isolation on genetic diversity in A. maritima and to provide population genetic data to be used in conservation planning for A. maritima. Genetic data were also used to evaluate whether the disjunct distribution of A. maritima was due to range reduction or anthropogenic dispersal. Genetic diversity was lower in A. maritima (H(e) = 0.217) than in A. serrulata (H(e) = 0.268), and there is also higher inbreeding within A. maritima populations (f = 0.483) than A. serrulata populations (f = 0.269). The partitioning of genetic variation was also higher among A. maritima populations (Θ = 0.278), but not significantly different from that of A. serrulata (Θ = 0.197). Significant genetic differences among A. maritima populations support using local populations as seed sources for regional conservation efforts. The results also indicate that the highly disjunct distribution of A. maritima is due to natural range reduction in the past and not anthropogenic establishment of Oklahoma and Georgia populations.
The IBM Mandarin Broadcast Speech Transcription System

This paper describes the technical and system building advances in the automatic transcription of Mandarin broadcast speech made at IBM in the first year of the DARPA GALE program. In particular, we discuss the application of minimum phone error (MPE) discriminative training and a new topic-adaptive language modeling technique. We present results on both the RT04 evaluation data and two larger community-defined test sets designed to cover both the broadcast news and the broadcast conversation domain. It is shown that with the described advances, the new transcription system achieves a 26.3% relative reduction in character error rate over our previous best-performing system, and is competitive with published numbers on these datasets.
Quality assessment and vascular disease: The analytic imperatives confronting vascular surgeons in the new era

Vascular Surgery is poised at the edge of a rare moment in medical care. Energy, intelligence, innovation, and resources are available to improve greatly the methods of vascular disease correction. Precedent exists for the overzealous application of technologies. Poor study design and inadequate tracking of outcomes can dilute the value, discredit a critical therapy, and undermine proper patient selection. The proper analysis of our new technologies will be obtained only through well-organized studies, information systems, and informed organizational oversight. Our analysis must extend beyond procedure-specific outcomes to include quality of life issues measured in a validated and relevant fashion. The present and future of vascular disease therapeutics must reside under the control of those who have devoted their lives to its theory and practice.
Effect of silica and alumina promoters on co-precipitated Fe–Cu–K based catalysts for the enhancement of CO2 utilization during Fischer–Tropsch synthesis

Abstract Silica and alumina were used as structural promoters to increase the catalytic activity of a co-precipitated Fe–Cu–K catalyst for the CO2 and CO hydrogenation during Fischer–Tropsch (FT) synthesis. The doubly-promoted Fe–Cu–K–Si–Al catalyst achieved higher CO and CO2 conversions than the Fe–Cu–K catalyst and singly-promoted Fe–Cu–K–Al and Fe–Cu–K–Si catalysts. The CO and CO2 conversions of the syngas with 54% H2/10% CO/29% CO2/7% N2 over the doubly-promoted catalyst were 88.3% and 25.2%, respectively, compared to 81.8% and 18.5% for the Fe–Cu–K catalyst. In this case, the C5+ selectivity of the doubly-promoted catalyst was 71.9%, which was slightly lower than 75.5% for the Fe–Cu–K catalyst. The CO2 was converted to hydrocarbons using the doubly-promoted catalyst when the CO2/(CO + CO2) ratio was higher than 0.35 for H2-balanced syngas at H2/(2CO + 3CO2) = 1.0, and 0.5 for H2-deficient syngas at H2/(2CO + 3CO2) = 0.5. The increase of hydrogen content in the syngas increased the methane selectivity at the expense of decrease in the liquid hydrocarbon selectivity.
Law as Intermediary

When we think of intermediaries, we are often drawn to images of publishers, broadcasters and librarians, among others. These are the people who determine what we see, what we hear, what we read, and at some level, who shape what we know and who we are. Some help us find goods, while others provide us with goods. While not necessarily self-evident, this article makes the primarily descriptive claim that law is also an intermediary, a real intermediary, and an important one at that. Law has a number of effects on content, which this article categorizes as follows: the stopping effect; the forcing effect; the anti-silencing effect; and, the silencing effect. After making the argument that law is an intermediary, the article looks at the way this role has changed and is likely to change in an age of technological challenges to intermediaries.
Primary hyperparathyroidism and vitamin D in African Americans.

ABSTRACT Objectives Vitamin D deficiency is more common in African Americans than in the general population or other ethnicities. Vitamin D deficiency also occurs more frequently in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) than in the general population. Currently, the limited data on vitamin D deficiency in African Americans with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is inconsistent as to whether the vitamin D deficiency observed in PHPT is yet even more pronounced in Africans with PHPT relative to non-African Americans with PHPT. Methods On the basis of biochemical, radiological, and surgical (adenoma weight) parameters, African Americans have been reported to have a more severe form of PHPT than non-African Americans. However, comparative clinical manifestations of PHPT in African Americans have not been well described. Results Current guidelines recommend vitamin D repletion in mild, asymptomatic PHPT when levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D are less than 20 ng/mL. Studies that reported vitamin D repletion with ergocalciferol or cholecalciferol in PHPT have not stratified data according to ethnicity. Discrepancies therefore exist between repleting vitamin D in African Americans who may potentially have a more severe PHPT profile, but simultaneously a more pronounced vitamin D deficiency. Conclusion Effectively designed clinical trials are necessary to evaluate the indications, efficacy, and safety of vitamin D in African Americans with PHPT. (Endocr Pract. 2012;18:947-953)
Multi-Modality Imaging in a Mammary Window Chamber Mouse Model

A mammary window chamber model, compatible with optical, MRI and nuclear techniques, has been developed that allows multiple imaging modalities to be employed in a single animal study and comparison of results between different modalities.
Atrial natriuretic factor in dogs with one-kidney, one-clip Goldblatt hypertension

The temporal changes in the plasma concentration of immunoreactive atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) were studied in dogs (n = 5) before and after renal artery constriction to produce one-kidney, one-clip renovascular hypertension. Three days after renal artery constriction, circulating ANF increased from 34 +/- 7 to 344 +/- 129 pg/ml (P less than 0.05) in association with a 38-mmHg elevation of mean arterial pressure and increases in plasma renin and aldosterone levels. Plasma renin and aldosterone remained elevated for 9 days after renal artery constriction. Arterial pressure stabilized at this elevated level of 35-40 mmHg above base line for the duration of the 4 wk after renal artery constriction. Right atrial filling pressure did not change significantly (P greater than 0.05) after constriction of the renal artery. This observation suggests that volume expansion with right atrial distention is not the only stimulus for release of ANF in these hypertensive dogs. Plasma ANF remained significantly elevated above base-line levels for 7 days postconstriction even though a twofold decrease from the maximal response of 344 +/- 129 pg/ml on day 3 to 168 +/- 48 pg/ml on day 7 was observed during this same time interval. Plasma ANF continued to decrease toward prehypertensive levels throughout the remainder of the established phase of the hypertension lasting an additional 21 days of observation. The mechanisms for this observed pattern of plasma ANF are unclear but may involve changes in left atrial distention and stretch as a stimulus for hormone secretion with progression of the hypertension.
Reading Conor McPherson’s The Weir through Raymond Carver’s “A Small Good Thing”

A crucial episode from American author Raymond Carver’s short story “A Small Good Thing” echoes in the conclusion of Irish playwright Conor McPherson’s play The Weir, suggesting both the loneliness...
What's happening at the centre of our galaxy?

Our attention is drawn naturally to the centre of the Milky Way, the galaxy in which our Solar System resides. A sense of symmetry alone gives a special significance to the dynamical centre – the point about which the galactic mass is concentrated, and around which our entire disc-shaped galaxy rotates.
Age-related reduction of BOLD modulation to cognitive difficulty predicts poorer task accuracy and poorer fluid reasoning ability.

Abstract Aging is associated with reduced resources needed to perform difficult cognitive tasks, but the neural underpinnings are not well understood, especially as there is scant evidence linking functional brain differences to aging cognition. Therefore, the current study examined modulation of fMRI activation from easier to harder spatial distance judgments across a large lifespan sample ( N =161; ages 20–94) to identify when in the lifespan modulation to difficulty begins to show deficits and if age-related modulation predicts cognition. Analyses revealed two sets of regions in which modulation increased with difficulty due to either more activation (positive modulation) or more deactivation (negative modulation) to difficulty. These two networks evidenced differential aging trajectories: a right-lateralized fronto-parietal network that decreased in modulation to difficulty between middle- and older-age, and a network of regions in ventromedial prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate, left angular and middle frontal gyri that showed decreased modulation at the transition from younger to middle-age. Critically, older adults who maintained negative modulation to difficulty showed higher task accuracy. Further, individuals who showed greater coupling between positive and negative modulation performed better on a fluid reasoning task. Age-related preservation of coupled modulation in both cognitive control regions and regions typically associated with default network may be a salient marker of how the brain adapts to maintain cognitive function as we age.
Materials science: Crystals aligned through graphene.

Graphene has been used as a 'transparent' layer that allows single crystals of a material to be grown on a substrate, and then lifted off — in much the same way that baking paper lets cakes be removed easily from tins. See Letter p.340 Epitaxy is widely used by the semiconductor industry to produce materials for many devices, but its application is limited by the materials it can be applied to in a cost-effective manner. Yunjo Kim et al. now overcome this limitation by placing a monolayer of graphene between the substrate and the so-called epilayer grown on top. The graphene layer does not interfere with the epitaxial growth, yet allows rapid release of films that perform as well as conventionally prepared semiconductor films in optical devices. The ability to 'copy and paste' semiconductor films from underlying substrates through two-dimensional materials and rapidly release and transfer them to a substrate of interest enables cost savings because the graphene-coated substrates can be re-used. This could have a substantial effect on advanced electronics and photonics made from unconventional materials.
Nonlinear Control of Underactuated Multi-Body Space Vehicles

Abstract This paper provides an overview of dynamics and control issues for a class of multi-body space vehicles, that is space vehicles consisting of an interconnection of a rigid base body and a finite number of connected bodies that derme the shape of the vehicle. A summary of multi-body space vehicle dynamics is provided that describes the coupling between the dynamics of the base body and the shape dynamics. Several categories of underactuated multi-body space vehicle models are introduced and it is shown that they are in a standard normal form for underactuated mechanical control systems. A number of control problems are posed and references to available literature are given. The development is motivated by rest-to-rest maneuvering problems for underactuated multi-body space vehicles.
The Law of Nations and Britain’s Quest for Naval Security International Law and Arms Control, 1898–1914

Historians and practitioners have long acknowledged the importance of international law to the actions of navies and others operating in the maritime sphere. Recent works focusing on the prewar and...
A STUDY OF INTERCURRENT CONDITIONS OBSERVED DURING PREGNANCY.

R E c E N T obstetric literature is fairly replete with studies concerning the effect of certain individual diseases on the course and outcome of pregnancy and also the counter effect of the pregnancy on the disease. This is particularly true with reference to the more common chronic conditions, such as tuberculosis, cardiac disease, and diabetes. A few acute disease conditions such as pneumonia have been simiIarly studied. Information is lacking, however, on the broader subject of accidental complications of pregnancy, in general, although it is obvious that any condition which may attack the nonpregnant woman during her childbearing years is equally as likely to affect her during gestation, An important reason for the difficulty encountered in studies of this sort has been that most groups available for investigation have not been representative of the childbearing population as a whole. Furthermore, a complete picture of their medical as contrasted with their obstetrical care has been lacking.
The development of heart and brain function in low-birth-weight infants fed with taurine-supplemented formula.

Taurine is important for the development of the nervous (7,18) and cardiovascular system (1,8). The biosynthesis of taurine seems to be reduced in preterm and term infants (3,18). The taurine content of human breast milk is high compared to infant formula or bovine milk, from which such formulas are prepared (2,16), The taurine concentrations of plasma and urine were found to be lower in formula-fed infants than in those fed human milk or taurine-supplemented formula (3,11,17), but there were no differences in growth of the infants. In contrast, infant monkeys raised from birth on an infant formula showed growth depression, which could be prevented by taurine supplementation (5). According to these studies taurine was thought to be essential for human infants, and was added to infant formulas. But clinical data supporting this hypothesis are still lacking, especially those regarding the need of supplemental taurine for the development of the nervous and cardiovascular system. We, therefore, investigated the effect of dietary taurine deficiency and supplementation on heart and brain function in low-birth-weight infants.
Wavelet Transform and Filter Banks

To adopt the Fourier basis functions \(e^{i \omega x}\) or \(e^{i n x}, \cos n x\), and \( \sin n x\), where \(\omega \in \mathbb R \) and \(n \in \mathbb Z \), for investigating the frequency contents of functions \(f (x)\), for \( f \in L_1 (\mathbb R )\) or \(f \in PC^* [a,b]\), in some desirable neighborhood of any \(x = x_0\), called “region of interest (ROI)” in engineering applications, a suitable window function is used to introduce the localized Fourier transform (LFT) and to construct time-frequency basis functions in Sects. 7.4 and 7.5, respectively, of the previous chapter.
Abstract 26: Disparities in Post-Acute Stroke Rehabilitation Services Delivery: Preliminary Findings From the COMprehensive Post-Acute Stroke Services (COMPASS) Study

Background: Timely rehabilitation after stroke is essential for optimizing recovery. Patients discharged home can experience unnecessary service delays and gaps in care. Our aim was to examine soci...
What Is Technology? Development and Evaluation of a Simple Instrument for Measuring Children's Conceptions of Technology.

ABSTRACTTechnology is important to all aspects of our lives, so helping students develop an accurate understanding of technology should be an educational goal at the K-12 level. Assessments are important tools in reaching this goal. We developed an instrument to measure the technology conceptions of children ages 8–11, the ‘What is Technology’ (WT) instrument. We gathered evidence for the validity of using the WT instrument to measure children's conceptions of technology, including changes due to an intervention, and we describe those changes. We used exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to establish scales, and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with new samples of subjects to confirm our hypothesised model of children's conceptions. For further evidence, we analyzed and coded the written responses children gave to open-ended questions asking them to explain their understanding of technology, then calculated correlations between these codes and the CFA-confirmed scale measures. We found that children tend t...
Communication-efficient private distance calculation based on oblivious transfer extensions

Abstract We propose a general framework for computing privacy-preserving distance metrics (PPDM) in the two-party setting in order to improve communication complexity by benefiting from 1-out-of-n oblivious transfers. We implement privacy-preserving Euclidean distance, Cosine similarity and Edit distance protocols while the PPDM framework is easily extendable to address other distance measures. These protocols have direct applications in privacy-preserving one-to-many biometric identification in which two parties known as the client and the server want to find the best match between their inputs. The client’s input is compared to all the records in the server’s database. We use the semi-honest adversary threat model. We extensively evaluate our PPDM framework. And, we theoretically show the improvement of PPDM over related work.
Management of induction failures in newly diagnosed transplant-eligible multiple myeloma.

In this issue of Leukemia & Lymphoma, Blocka et al. report a retrospective case series of newly diagnosed transplant-eligible myeloma patients. They focus on a population of patients that failed to...