cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A probabilistic observer for visual tracking

This paper describes an observer for estimation of the rigid pose and shape states associated to an object being tracked in an image sequence. The defined observer utilizes standard estimation strategies for the finite-dimensional rigid pose sub-states, and a novel strategy for the shape sub-states. In particular, the shape sub-state observer utilizes an implicit probability field, where the 50% probability iso-contour defines the object shape. A general purpose second-order model and a corresponding correction scheme are defined for the observer state. The observer is applied to recorded imagery and its performance is examined using objective error metrics.
Successful Treatment of a Recalcitrant Pleural Effusion with Rib Fracture Fixation

Pulmonary complications of rib fractures typically occur in the immediate postinjury period, as a result of the forces causing the injury or subsequent rib fracture displacement. Pneumothorax, hemothorax, pulmonary contusions, or parenchymal lacerations are frequently seen with significant chest wall trauma. Hemopneumothorax is typically treated with tube thoracostomy, and full resolution of the pleural injury is expected; continued pleural fluid accumulation despite these measures is unanticipated, rare, and quite problematic. We report a case of hemorrhagic pleural effusion after rib fractures that were recurrent despite several tube thoracostomies and computed tomography-guided aspirations. The patient subsequently underwent operative fixation of her rib fractures, with successful resolution of her symptomatic pleural effusion.
Destabilization of neuronal calcium homeostasis by factors secreted from choroid plexus macrophage cultures in response to feline immunodeficiency virus.

Abstract The choroid plexus contains a major reservoir of macrophages poised for efficient delivery of virus and neurotoxins to the brain after infection by lentiviruses such as human or feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). However, their contribution to neurotoxicity is poorly understood. Medium from FIV-infected, choroid plexus macrophages applied to cultured feline cortical neurons induced a small acute calcium rise followed by either a delayed calcium deregulation (41%) or swelling and bursting (23%). NMDA glutamate receptor blockade prevented the acute calcium increase and antagonists to the IP 3 receptor, voltage-gated calcium channels and sodium channels suppressed both the acute and late increases. Analysis of intracellular calcium recovery in toxin-treated neurons after a brief exposure to glutamate, revealed a decrease in the rate and extent of recovery. The apparent diverse pharmacological contributions to intracellular calcium destabilization may be due to the ability of macrophage toxins to interfere with recovery of intracellular calcium homeostasis.
Association of Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction Myocardial Perfusion Grade with cardiovascular magnetic resonance measures of infarct architecture after primary percutaneous coronary intervention for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

Background Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) routinely restores normal epicardial flow among patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). However, impairment of myocardial perfusion frequently persists. The goal of this analysis was to determine whether impaired myocardial perfusion was associated with cardiovascular magnetic resonance–defined abnormalities in infarct architecture, including infarct size (IS), infarct surface area (ISA), infarct border zone (IBZ), and infarct complexity (IC). Methods Thirty-one patients with STEMI treated with pPCI were included in the analysis. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance was performed within 7 days of presentation and repeated at 3 months. Infarct complexity was defined as the ratio of actual ISA to an idealized smooth ISA and normalized to IS. Results Impaired Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction Myocardial Perfusion Grade (TMPG) ( 2 vs 40.3 ± 30.3 cm 2 , P = .02) and follow-up (58.8 ± 27.5 cm 2 vs 26.3 ± 20.2 cm 2 , P = .03) and larger IBZ at follow-up (7.8% ± 2.7% vs 4.1% ± 3.3%, P = .02). At follow-up, ISA, when normalized to IS, was significantly higher among patients with impaired myocardial perfusion (TMPG 2 /%, P = .03). Thrombolysis in MI myocardial perfusion grade P = .01). Conclusions Impaired TMPG is associated with larger ISA, IBZ, and increased IC. At 3 months, TMPG remained associated with ISA and IC after adjusting for IS, suggesting that impaired TMPG after pPCI is associated with infarct architecture after healing, independent of IS.
Somaesthetics and Burke's Sublime

Burke is an important exception to Nietzsche's claim that philosophical aesthetics ignores physiology and the role of practical interest. Grounded on the powerful interest of survival, Burke's theory of the sublime also offers a physiological explanation of our feelings of sublimity that explicitly defines certain conditions of our nerves as the 'efficient cause' of such feelings. While his general account of sublimity is widely appreciated, its somatic dimension has been dismissed as hopelessly misguided. In examining Burke's views in relation to contemporary somaesthetics, cognitive psychology, and physiology, this paper shows that though Burke's somatic arguments can be criticized as overly simplistic and mechanistic, his recognition of the crucial bodily dimensions of aesthetic experience should be taken more seriously. In refining Burke's insight that bodily factors can help explain our aesthetic reactions, somaesthetics further urges that improved somatic understanding and performance can provide valuable means for enhancing our aesthetic response.
Progress in the development of an adenovirus 26 vector platform for HIV vaccines

Evaluation of: Baden LR, Walsh SR, Seaman MS et al. First-in-human evaluation of the safety and immunogenicity of a recombinant adenovirus serotype 26 HIV-1 Env Vaccine (IPCAVD 001). J. Infect. Dis. 207(2), 240–247 (2013).A novel replication-deficient recombinant adenovirus serotype 26 vector expressing the envelope protein of a clade A HIV type 1 was evaluated in a group of 60 healthy human volunteers. Three different doses of the recombinant adenovirus vector were used to assess its safety and immunogenicity. The vaccine was found to be generally safe, with no vaccine-related serious adverse events. Although all vaccinated subjects developed neutralizing antibodies against the adenovirus 26 vector, these antibodies did not interfere with the boosting of immune responses against the expressed HIV envelope protein. HIV envelope-specific binding antibodies as well as cellular immune responses were detected in the majority of individuals, persisting for at least 1 year. These results are discussed in the co...
Assistive Technology and the Newly Disabled Adult: Adaptation to Wheelchair Use

A naturalistic, ethnographic, phenomenological study of adaptation to wheelchair use was conducted with one key informant, a 30-year-old white man with acquired paraplegia who was undergoing acute rehabilitation. Primary staff members served as additional informants. It was found that adaptation to wheelchair use had both pragmatic and emotional components. The latter appeared in alternating phases of resistance and neutrality or detente. Therapist and patient had conflicting goals relative to wheelchair use, which occasioned considerable friction. The patient's initial attitudes regarding wheelchairs were prejudicial, which hampered his ability to see the chair as a useful tool for mobility and independence. Successful pragmatic adaptation hinged in part on emotional acceptance of the wheelchair.
Factors Leading Patients to Discontinue Multiple Sclerosis Therapies

ABSTRACT Objectives To determine the percentages of patients who discontinued treatment with the multiple sclerosis medications intramuscular interferon beta-1a (IFN-beta-1a; Avonex—Biogen), interferon beta-1b (IFN-beta-1b; Betaseron—Berlex), and glatiramer acetate (Copaxone—Teva) and to determine the factors that led to discontinuation of the medications. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting University-based neurology clinic. Patients 108 patients with multiple sclerosis who were prescribed intramuscular interferon beta-1a, subcutaneous interferon beta-1b, or subcutaneous glatiramer acetate. Intervention Telephone survey. Main Outcome Measures Discontinuation percentages and the factors that contributed to discontinuation. Results There was no significant difference between the percentages of patients who discontinued and did not restart treatment with the products (interferon beta-1b, 41%; intramuscular interferon beta-1a, 34%; and glatiramer acetate, 28%). Four main reasons for medication discontinuation emerged: adverse effects (52%), physician-documented disease progression (40%), patient perception of drug ineffectiveness (20%), and cost (4%). No statistical differences were identified among the three agents for any of the reasons for discontinuation. Conclusion Patient education on adverse effects and realistic patient expectations may be potential areas of study to improve discontinuation percentages with these agents.
Assessing autonomic activity from the EKG related to seizure onset detection and localization

Methods are presented for the detection and analysis of heart period variation (HPV) in both the time domain and the frequency domain. Fractal analysis and rate-change detection procedures are used for the recognition of transients in the HPV random variable. The power spectra of HPV are used to quantify relative autonomic input to the heart, with power at high frequencies (sinus arrhythmia) sensitive to parasympathetic input and low frequency power due to a combination of sympathetic and parasympathetic activities. Spectral analysis of HPV is used to study the dynamic activity of the autonomic nervous system, under conditions observed clinically which are considered to be risk factors for sudden death in epileptics. Results and conclusions from a study of a population of epilepsy patients are also presented. >
Large Area Nanocrystalline Graphite Films on SiC for Gas Sensing Applications

Large area nanocrystalline graphite films are formed by solid state decomposition of the surface of a semi-insulating 6 H SiC substrate at 2000degC. The temperature dependences of the sheet resistance and carrier concentration are measured. The change in resistance of these large area films in response to polar molecules acetone, water and varying concentrations (9-100 ppm) NO2 gas is investigated. NO2 concentrations as low as 9 ppm are detected at a power budget <9muW. The time derivative of the resistance change is found to be a strong function of NO2 concentration, and can be used as a metric to quantify the gas concentration. NO2 concentrations as low as 600 ppb were detected using scanning Kelvin probe microscopy (SKPM) to monitor the surface potential in response to the NO2 gas. The sensitivity of this large area film shows, for the first time, the potential for mass-produced carbon-based films on SiC for sensing applications.
An In Situ Electrochemical Study of Electrodeposited Nickel and Nickel-Yttrium Oxide Composite Using Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy

Electrodeposited nickel and nickel-yttrium oxide composite samples were studied in situ using scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM). The monitored probe currents in phosphate-citrate buffer (pH 4.2) in the presence or absence of Ru( NH 3 ) 3+ 6 as an oxidizing mediator near the Ni surface show that the SECM is a useful tool for studying the electrochemical activity of heterogeneous metal surfaces at micrometer scales. The SECM ultramicroelectrode probe tip provides information about the shape, activity, and location of particles, such as Y 2 O 3 introduced (codeposited) in the Ni matrix of the composite. Experiments show that the Ni matrix in the composite coating is more active than the pure Ni coating. This fact is expected, because of texture changes in the Ni structure upon introduction (by codeposition) of Y 2 O 3 particles. In the absence of a mediator in the solution, the electrochemical activity of heterogeneous metal surface at a microlevel is investigated by using O 2 concentration changes. The rate of reaction for O 2 reduction was found to vary locally at electrodes floating at the open-circuit potential (OCP) when compared to an electrode potentiostatically polarized at a more positive potential than the OCP. This behavior suggests that local anode and cathode regions are being observed at the OCP sample.
Structure and integrity of a plasma sprayed hydroxylapatite coating on titanium

Plasma sprayed hydroxylapatite (HA) coatings on titanium substrates were analyzed for process-induced compositional and structural changes. The HA starting powder and the resulting HA coatings were characterized using x-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Raman spectroscopy. The integrity of the ceramic-to-substrate bond strength was also determined, by subjecting plasma sprayed HA coatings to shear/cantilever bond testing. The ceramic coatings retained the basic apatitic crystal structure of the starting powder; however, a considerable amount of amorphous material was created during the plasma spray process. FTIR and Raman spectroscopy revealed that the resulting coatings were partially dehydroxylated. Both XRD and FTIR spectroscopy results also suggested that amorphous material, as well as additional calcium phosphate phases such as alpha-tricalcium phosphate (TCP) not in the starting powder, were present in the HA coating. Average bond strengths of the HA coatings to Ti were determined to be 14.8 MPa +/- 3.5, with fracture occurring at the interface and within the coating itself.
DavidConceptual competition in physics learning

Physics learning is often conceptualized as involving either progress from absence to presence of relevant physics concepts or progress from naive theories to theories consistent with physics principles. Although these views present a simple before‐and‐after depiction, neither of them may accurately describe understanding during the prolonged period during which competence is being acquired. For years after encountering physics concepts, students may possess not a single coherent understanding but rather a variety of alternative understandings that coexist and compete with one another. The study reported in this paper indicates that both science majors and non‐majors bring to bear a variety of understandings in solving kinetic energy and momentum problems. This was evident within, as well as between students and among students who had taken many physics courses, as well as among students who had taken only one or two. Explicit mention within the problem of the relevant physics concept was found to influen...
Hierarchical Inter-Domain Routing in Optical DWDM Networks

As DWDM technology proliferates there is a growing need to address distributed inter-domain lightpath provisioning issues. Although inter-domain provisioning has been well-studied for packet/cell- switching networks, the wavelength dimension presents many additional challenges. This paper develops a novel hierarchical GMPLS-based framework for provisioning all-optical and opto-electronic multi-domain DWDM networks. The scheme adapts topology abstraction schemes to aggregate domain-level state to improve routing scalability and lower inter-domain blocking. Related inter-domain lightpath RWA and signaling schemes are also tabled. Performance analysis results are presented along with directions for future work.
Consistent queries over cardinal directions across different levels of detail

Current models for cardinal directions, such as north and northeast, are either point-based or region-based, but no models exist that apply equally, independent of the geometric data types (be it points, lines, or polygons). To allow users to formulate queries such as "Find all towns in Maine that are northeast of Augusta" without pondering about the cities' geometric data types, we extend the model of the model of the direction-relation matrix to handle arbitrary pairs of points, lines, and polygons. This new model, called the deep direction-relation matrix, retains the 3/spl times/3 structure of the direction-relation matrix with empty and non-empty tiles, while it records additionally neighbor codes for empty tiles to capture whether the tiles' boundaries are empty or not. This extension covers all intricacies imposed by line and point objects, yielding a unifying and consistent model for cardinal directions. It enables the use of cardinal directions in spatial query languages independent of the objects' geometric data types.
Defectiveness of Interferon Production and of Rubella Virus Interference in a Line of African Green Monkey Kidney Cells (Vero)

Vero cells, a line of African green monkey kidney cells, failed to produce interferon when infected with Newcastle disease, Sendai, Sindbis, and rubella viruses, although the cells were sensitive to interferon. Further, infection of Vero cells with rubella virus did not result in interference with the replication of echovirus 11, Newcastle disease virus, or vesicular stomatitis virus, even in cultures where virtually every cell was infected with rubella virus. Under the same conditions, BSC-1 cells and other cells of primate origin produced interferon and showed rubella virus interference. The results indicate that the presence of rubella virus in the cell does not in itself exclude multiplication of other viruses and that rubella virus interference appears to be linked to the capability of the cell to produce interferon.
A frequency-sensitive point hierarchy for images and volumes

This paper introduces a method for converting an image or volume sampled on a regular grid into a space-efficient irregular point hierarchy. The conversion process retains the original frequency characteristics of the dataset by matching the spatial distribution of sample points with the required frequency. To achieve good blending, the spherical points commonly used in volume rendering are generalized to ellipsoidal point primitives. A family of multiresolution, oriented Gabor wavelets provide the frequency-space analysis of the dataset. The outcome of this frequency analysis is the reduced set of points, in which the sampling rate is decreased in originally oversampled areas. During rendering, the traversal of the hierarchy can be controlled by any suitable error metric or quality criteria. The local level of refinement is also sensitive to the transfer function. Areas with density ranges mapped to high transfer function variability are rendered at higher point resolution than others. Our decomposition is flexible and can be used for iso-surface rendering, alpha compositing and X-ray rendering of volumes. We demonstrate our hierarchy with an interactive splatting volume renderer, in which the traversal of the point hierarchy for rendering is modulated by a user-specified frame rate.
Properties of Soda Aluminosilicate Glasses: II, Internal Friction

Internal friction measurements of soda aluminosilicate glasses, the physical properties of which were reported in Part I of this series, are discussed. The low- and intermediate-temperature internal friction peaks were studied in detail and are shown to be due to the stress-controlled movement of the sodium and nonbridging oxygen ions, respectively. A close correlation was found between the temperature shift of the low-temperature peak and the activation energy for electrical conduction in the soda aluminosilicate glasses. The magnitude of the low-temperature peak was found to depend more on the structural environment of the sodium ions than on the actual soda content. Changes in the intermediate-temperature peak are explained on the basis of the structural model proposed for these glasses.
In the fun house: visions of information technology in the domestic sphere

The paper examines the marketing and advertising of information technologies in the domestic sphere by examining a number of new publications aimed at the home market. By considering representations of the new "wired" households imaged in sources like HomePC and FamilyPC. I explore the ways in which these magazines call into play a number of other cultural discourses about home, family and gender and question whether these new stories of the domestic cyberfuture are really so new after all. Looking at these newly developing images can help us understand how popular discourses, while managing cultural anxieties about technology, also construct specific subject positions along gendered and familial lines. Such an understanding is the first step in challenging visions of the future which reproduce power hierarchies familiar from the past. Finally, this project, by examining popular representations of new technologies, offers a way to add a new level of specificity and detail to the often ungrounded theorizations of cyberspace which proliferate today.
Two ply tubular scaffolds comprised of proteins/poliglecaprone/polycaprolactone fibers

Electrospun bi-layer tubular hybrid scaffolds composed of poliglecaprone (PGC), polycaprolactone (PCL), elastin (E), and gelatin (G) were prepared and thereafter crosslinked by 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC). Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) images revealed a highly porous micro-structure comprising randomly distributed non-woven fibers with the majority of fibers in submicron diameters. The EDC-crosslinking yielded an average crosslinking degree of 40%. Uni-axial tensile test of hydrated scaffolds in both longitudinal and circumferential directions revealed tensile properties, comparable to those of native arteries. The graft (PGC:PCL = 1:3) did not demonstrate significant difference before and after EDC-crosslinking in tensile strength or % strain in either longitudinal or circumferential directions. However, crosslinking increased the Young’s modulus of the graft along the longitudinal direction (from 5.84 to 8.67 MPa). On the contrary, the graft (3:1) demonstrated a significant decrease in maximum strain in both directions. Cyto-assay using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) showed excellent cell viability.
Catastrophic windthrow in the southern Appalachians: characteristics of pits and mounds and initial vegetation responses.

We characterized pit and mound (PM) topography resulting from catastrophic wind in the Coweeta Basin, and located 48 PMs across a variety of forest types. Our measurements included pit length, width, and depth; and mound height, thickness, and width. Species of fallen trees were identified, and DBH (diameter at breast height, 1.37m) was measured for biomass determination. We identified five distinct microsites at each PM: mound face, mound top, pit bottom, pit-wall, and intact forest floor. On each microsite, we measured photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), soil temperature, and soil moisture, and took soil samples from four microsites (intact forest floor, pit wall, pit bottom, mound top) to determine carbon and nitrogen concentrations. Treefall direction was marginally non-random. Three PM dimensions were significantly related to fallen tree biomass: mound width; mound height; and pit width. Other relationships failed because (1)
Wet-stamped precipitant gradients control the growth of protein microcrystals in an array of nanoliter wells.

Wet stamping initiated from a hydrogel reservoir soaked in a salt precipitant sets-up multiple conditions for the growth of protein crystals over an array of nanoliter wells. Diffusive delivery of the precipitant translates into time- and space-varying fluxes of the precipitant in the wells. These fluxes, in turn, control the numbers of seeded crystals as well as their dimensions. Reaction-diffusion equations with a nucleation term are developed to model the process of crystal growth and to relate the “schedules” of precipitant delivery to the dimensions and habits of the protein microcrystals in the array.
Utilization of Residual Helium to Extend Satellite Lifetimes and Mitigate Space Debris

A new electric propulsion device concept takes advantage of residual helium gas that is trapped in the chemical propellant feed system and currently unused at end of life. The helium ion thruster provides additional propellant resources to extend satellite lifetimes and transfer geostationary orbit space assets to ultrasafe disposal orbits. The predicted capability, if fully allotted to the disposal, allows for perigee heights above the geostationary altitude that are one order of magnitude greater than existing international guidelines of 250 km. Furthermore, the proposed helium ion thruster concept makes the classic propellant gauge uncertainty problem moot, as satellite operators could use all of their conventional propellant for nominal station-keeping operations. The helium ion thruster concept therefore mitigates future space debris arising from depleted assets in the geostationary orbit belt through both aggressive orbit raising and depressurization of satellites at end of life. An analysis of the helium ion thruster theoretical performance shows that the device could raise the altitude of an end-of-life 2500 kg, 5 kW spacecraft by 2200 km in two months using 2 kg of residual helium.
Reply to S. Fuselier et al.'s comment on "Energetic particle sounding of the magnetospheric cusp with ISEE-1"

In their comment, Fuselier et al. (2008, hereafter FPT) provide an alternative interpretation to the study done by Whitaker et al. (2007, hereafter WFC). WFC concludes that energetic ions observed in the cusp were accelerated locally, while FPT argues that the ions could have been accelerated at the bow shock and then transported to the cusp. The two analyses interpret observations made by the International Sun Earth Explorer (ISEE)-1 on 30 October 1978 as the spacecraft travelled through the high altitude cusp. ISEE-1 observed an area of depressed and turbulent magnetic field as well as increased energetic (>10 keV) ion and electron flux. FPT identifies the quasi-parallel bow shock as the location of particle acceleration. To show this FPT presents a model that traces particles along magnetic field lines from the cusp to the solar wind at the bow shock. This model argues energized particles from the bow shock gain entry to the magnetosphere through low latitude reconnection, propagate along reconnected field lines to the ionosphere, mirror, and return to high latitudes where they are observed flowing anti-parallel to the magnetic field by ISEE-1. We agree with the FPT model to the extent that with these IMF conditions, reconnection opens the cusp to the solar wind plasma, and newly reconnected field lines will convect tailward, but observations do not support particles being energized at the bow shock and transported to the cusp. We present three inconsistencies between the FPT model and the observations made by ISEE-1: (1) the absence of parallel flowing particles, (2)
Specific photosynthetic rate enhancement by cyanobacteria coated onto paper enables engineering of highly reactive cellular biocomposite "leaves".

We describe a latex wet coalescence extrusive coating method that produces up to 10-fold specific photosynthetic rate enhancements by nitrate-limited non-growing cyanobacteria deposited onto paper, hydrated and placed in the gas-phase of small tube photobioreactors. These plant leaf-like biocomposites were used to study the tolerance of cyanobacteria strains to illumination and temperature using a solar simulator. We report sustained CO2 absorption and O2 production for 500 h by hydrated gas-phase paper coatings of non-growing Synechococcus PCC7002, Synechocystis PCC6803, Synechocystis PCC6308, and Anabaena PCC7120. Nitrate-starved cyanobacteria immobilized on the paper surface by the latex binder did not grow out of the coatings into the bulk liquid. The average CO2 consumption rate in Synechococcus coatings is 5.67 mmol m−2 h−1 which is remarkably close to the rate reported in the literature for Arabidopsis thaliana leaves under similar experimental conditions (18 mmol m−2 h−1). We observed average ratios of oxygen production to carbon dioxide consumption (photosynthetic quotient, PQ) between 1.3 and 1.4, which may indicate a strong dependence on nitrate assimilation during growth and was used to develop a non-growth media formulation for intrinsic kinetics studies. Photosynthetic intensification factors (PIF) (O2 production by nitrate-limited cyanobacteria in latex coatings/O2 produced by nitrate-limited cell suspensions) in cyanobacteria biocomposites prepared from wet cell pellets concentrated 100- to 300-fold show 7–10 times higher specific reactivity compared to cells in suspension under identical nitrate-limited non-growth conditions. This is the first report of changes of cyanobacteria tolerance to temperature and light intensities after deposition as a thin coating on a porous matrix, which has important implications for gas-phase photobioreactor design using porous composite materials. Cryo-fracture SEM and confocal microscopy images of cell coating distribution on the paper biocomposite suggest that the spatial arrangement of the cells in the coating can affect photoreactivity. This technique could be used to fabricate very stable, multi-organism composite coatings on flexible microfluidic devices in the gas-phase capable of harvesting light in a broader range of wavelengths, to optimize thermotolerant, desiccation tolerant, or halotolerant cyanobacteria that produce O2 with secretion of liquid-fuel precursors synthesized from CO2. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2014;111: 1993–2008. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Frailty, profile likelihood, and medfly mortality

Unobserved heterogeneity is an increasingly common feature of statistical survival analysis where it is often referred to as frailty. Parametric mixture models are frequently used to capture these effects, but it is sometimes desirable to consider nonparametric mixture models as well. We illustrate the latter approach with a reanalysis of the well-known large scale medfly mortality study of Carey et al. (Science 258:457–61, 1992). Recent developments in convex optimization are exploited to expand the applicability of the Kiefer–Wolfowitz nonparametric maximum likelihood estimator for mixture models. Some ensuing problems of profile likelihood are also addressed.
Effects of Naled and Zectran on the Budworm Choristoneura occidentalis and Associated Insects in Montana

Two relatively nonpersistent insecticides, Zectran® (4-dimethylamino-3,5-xylyl methylcarbamate) and naled, were applied to Choristoneura occidentalis Freeman and associated insect populations on 2 small drainages. Zectran was more effective than naled against C. occidentalis , and it was uniformly effective against all its larval stages. Naled was not so toxic to 6th-instar larvea as to previous instars. Zectran reduced C. occidentalis populations to a much greater extent than it did most populations of associated insects.
Some Notes on the Ethnic Dimension in the Silent Film

Immigrant and ethnic portraiture constantly appears on the screen from the earliest days of the Edison and Biograph studios. As every movie buff knows, these movies abound with stereotypes, but these menacing Indians and shuffling Blacks were not new creations of the new art form. Most of the early film-makers merely turned to popular literature, especially the best-selling romance and the stage melodrama and glibly appropriated the familiar themes so dear to the genteel middle-class audience.
Hot Deserts: Engineering, Geology and GeomorphologyBook Reviews

MJ Walker Hot Deserts: Engineering, Geology and Geomorphology was first published in 2012 by the Geological Society of London, UK, in response to a need identified by the Engineering Group Working Party on hot deserts. When I was approached to review Hot Deserts , I was initially reluctant to accept, as I thought that the book's approach would deal exclusively with Middle Eastern and African deserts, given that the authors are consultants and academics from the UK. It was a pleasant surprise to discover that the book thoroughly discusses the worldwide desert regions, their distinct geomorphology, reflecting water, climate, geology, topography, etc., and the engineering assessment and design required for a successful project. Another pleasant surprise was the manner in which the members of the working group took ownership for all the chapters in addition to the designated chapter authors, making for “a good read” with all chapters clearly related to each other. Often, books without this approach exhibit weak editing, and chapters are stand alone and only loosely relate to each other and the book title. Figures, illustrations, and photographs in this volume are relevant and of excellent quality. An expanded glossary of engineering and geological terms combined with an extensive index assist readers who may not practice in geology and/or engineering. This book continues the relationship between geomorphology and the engineering behavior of earth materials first discussed extensively by Selby (1982) in his book Hillslope Materials and Processes and later in Geomorphological Techniques (Goudie …
Barriers to Employment of African American Professionals in Hospice: A Qualitative Study With African American Social Work Students

A major barrier to African American hospice utilization is the lack of African American hospice professionals. This qualitative study with 10 female African American social work students in a Midwestern university explored whether the participants were interested in hospice employment. Results provided information about reasons for the overall lack of diversity in hospice, reasons for the lack of African American staff in hospice, reasons for the lack of African American patients in hospice, and avenues toward knowledge about hospice by African American professionals. Barriers to African American employment included a lack of hospice content in social work education, differences between African American cultural and religious beliefs and hospice philosophy, and that the lack of African American hospice patients resulted in a lack of desire for employment in hospice. Strategies for recruiting and retaining African American hospice social workers are proposed.
Surgical Treatment of Spinal Deformity in Patients With CLOVES Syndrome: A Report of 4 Cases.

Background CLOVES syndrome is a rare genetic condition manifested by lipomatous overgrowth of the trunk, vascular, and epidermal abnormalities, and skeletal anomalies including spinal deformity. The treatment of spinal deformity in these patients has not been described in the literature. Methods A retrospective review of the clinical and radiographic data on patient with CLOVES syndrome. Results Four patients were operated on at our institutions with CLOVES syndrome and resultant spinal deformity. One patient had postlaminoplasty cervical kyphosis and 3 patients had thoracic spinal deformities. All patients had paraspinal/intraspinal infiltration with high-flow vascular lesions and 3 of the patients had previous neurosurgical treatment for intraspinal disease. All patients obtained fusion with no neurological sequelae from deformity surgery. There was 1 complication, a patient had an intraoperative pulmonary embolus despite having an inferior caval filter requiring termination of surgery. The patient survived and underwent posterior fusion 4 months later, after recovery and placement of a superior caval filter. The unique characteristics of this disorder and resultant challenges encountered during care are described. Conclusions CLOVES syndrome is a rare and challenging disorder with unique characteristics placing patients at risk for complications related to surgery for spinal deformity. Multidisciplinary approaches along with understanding of the potential pitfalls in treatment are paramount to successful treatment.
Design of Pneumatic Blower Muffler Based on FLUENT

The exhaust noise of pneumatic blower underground mine is large.If an orifice muffler is used to reduce noise,higher supply pressure will be required due to greater resistance.But gas supply pressure underground mine is generally low.In order to reduce the resistance of the muffler,a resistance muffler design is put forward.It is simulated and improved by using the FLUENT software.After prototype verification,good results are achieved.
Economic optimization of operations for hybrid energy systems under variable markets

Abstract Hybrid energy systems (HES) have been proposed to be an important element to enable increasing penetration of clean energy. This paper proposes a methodology for operations optimization to maximize their economic value based on predicted renewable generation and market information. A multi-environment computational platform for performing such operations optimization is also developed. To compensate for prediction error, a control strategy is accordingly designed to operate a standby energy storage element (ESE) to avoid energy imbalance within HES. The proposed operations optimizer allows systematic control of energy conversion for maximal economic value. Simulation results of two specific HES configurations illustrate the proposed methodology and computational capability. Economic advantages of such operations optimizer and associated flexible operations are demonstrated by comparing the economic performance of flexible operations with that of constant operations. Sensitivity analysis with respect to market variability and prediction error are also performed.
Advanced Heart Failure: Prevalence, Natural History, and Prognosis

Heart failure is a complex clinical syndrome. The natural history of this syndrome is progressive. Advanced heart failure is present when a patient has signs and symptoms of heart failure that are refractory to therapy. Patients with the most advanced disease and worst prognosis can be identified using iterative, integrated clinical assessment of symptom burden, effort intolerance, and cardiac dysfunction. Recognizing the transition to advanced heart failure is necessary for referral to an advanced heart disease program. Advanced heart disease specialists can tailor medical therapies, perform risk stratification, and evaluate candidacy for mechanical support, transplantation, or end-of-life palliative treatment options.
OW/WH/WO: Wilfred Owen as Symbolic Son of Oscar Wilde

To retrace our steps momentarily to Chapter 4, Oscar Wilde had two literal sons. The youngest, Vyvyan, was only nine years old at the time of his father’s criminal conviction. Vyvyan’s autobiography describes the estrangement and repression that dominated his later childhood: his mother changed the family name to Holland and abandoned England to live on the continent. After her death in 1898, two years prior to that of her husband, Vyvyan represents his mother’s relatives as actively hiding his true identity, telling him to forget his former name, and even intimating that his father was dead well before his actual demise in 1900. Only after his eventual friendship with Robert Ross was Vyvyan able to come to terms with the legacy of his family. Both he and his own son, Merlin Holland, became instrumental in the gradual rehabilitation of Wilde’s literary reputation over the course of the twentieth century.
Radiosurgery Dose Distributions: Theoretical Impact of Inhomogeneities on Lesion Control

Objective: To develop a mathematical model to predict the impact of dose heterogeneities on tumor/lesion control during radiosurgery. It is necessary to be able to estimate these effects in order to quantitatively and objectively assess competing treatment plans.
Effects of molasses and crude glycerol combined in a liquid supplement on ruminal fermentation in beef steers consuming bermudagrass hay

Two experiments were performed to evaluate the effects of 1) increasing supplementation doses of a 50:50 (as-fed) liquid supplement of molasses and crude glycerol (M:G) on ruminal fermentation parameters and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) in beef steers consuming Tifton 85 bermudagrass ( spp.) hay and 2) different proportions of molasses and crude glycerol in a liquid supplement on in vitro fermentation and gas production kinetics. For Exp. 1, 8 ruminally cannulated, Angus-crossbred steers were used in a duplicated 4 × 4 Latin square design, had ad libitum access to Tifton 85 bermudagrass hay, and were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatments: 1) CTRL, no supplementation; 2) SUP1, 0.45 kg/d (as fed) of 50:50 M:G; 3) SUP3, 1.36 kg/d (as fed) of 50:50 M:G; and 4) SUP5, 2.27 kg/d (as fed) of a 50:50 M:G. For Exp. 2 in vitro batch cultures were conducted to test the same treatments from Exp. 1 and effects of different proportions of a M:G mixture (100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, and 0:100) when added to a hay substrate simulating the proportions of hay and liquid supplement used in SUP5. In Exp. 1, increasing doses of liquid supplement linearly decreased ( < 0.001) concentrations of NH-N, BUN, and acetate molar proportions, whereas propionate ( = 0.002) and butyrate ( < 0.001) molar proportions increased linearly. Treatment × time interactions were observed for ruminal pH ( < 0.001), where the greatest decrease was observed at 3 h postfeeding for animals consuming SUP5 (from 6.82 at 0 h to 6.32 at 3 h). In Exp. 2, decreases in acetate molar proportions ( < 0.001) and increases ( < 0.001) in propionate and butyrate molar proportions were also observed for either increasing doses of a 50:50 mixture or increasing proportions of glycerol in the mixture. Total VFA and in vitro organic matter digestibility were increased linearly ( < 0.001) as doses of a 50:50 mixture increased. Increasing doses of 50:50 M:G to growing beef heifers consuming bermudagrass hay caused a shift in VFA profile toward increases in propionate and decreases in acetate molar proportions. This was also confirmed in vitro, as the proportions of crude glycerol increased in a molasses:crude glycerol mix. Thus, molasses and crude glycerol combined seem to be useful to enhance performance in growing cattle consuming forage-based diets.
Cancer of the Esophagus and the Gastroesophageal Junction: Transhiatal Approach

Laparoscopic versions of transhiatal esophagectomy have been described since the early 1990s. While feasibility has been well documented, the exact place of laparoscopic transhiatal esophagectomy is not well defined. It appears that it offers some immediate recovery benefit and, in spite of its technical demands, it makes sense as a treatment for benign and near benign diseases requiring esophagectomy. Its role for a curative treatment of more advanced cancer demands careful study, but it may offer to a patient benefits and perhaps even a survival advantage over an open resection. This chapter describes current indications and our operative approach step by step.
Dynamic In Vivo Imaging Reveals That Leukemia-Induced Changes in the Bone Marrow Microenvironment Alter Mechanisms of Metastasis.

Abstract Tissue microenvironments have been shown to critically regulate cancer cell survival and proliferation. Conversely, while tumor growth can induce neovascularization, the impact of other tumor-induced changes in the microenvironment are less well understood. Here we utilize a xenograft model of Nalm-6 pre-B acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in SCID mice to examine how tumor growth alters the bone marrow (BM) microenvironment. Using dynamic confocal and multiphoton in vivo imaging, we find that tumor growth dramatically down-regulates expression of the chemokine SDF-1 in the BM microvasculature in areas of leukemic proliferation. SDF-1 has been shown to play a key role in cancer cell metastasis for numerous cell types including Nalm-6, and directs initial Nalm-6 homing to specific SDF-1-positive vascular beds. In contrast, we found that Nalm-6 introduced in mice previously engrafted with leukemia home to SDF-1-negative vasculature, predominantly at the advancing tumor margin. Furthermore, inhibition of chemokine signaling by pertussis toxin pre-treatment of Nalm-6 cells demonstrates that Nalm-6 homing in engrafted mice is chemokine-independent. In summary, these findings suggest that leukemic growth profoundly alters the mechanisms underlying the metastatic process by inducing changes in the host vascular microenvironment. These changes may increase the efficiency of the metastatic process and/or the advancement of the tumor margin. Therapies directed at blocking tumor metastases, therefore, may need to be tailored according to tumor stage.
Three centuries of fire and forest vegetation transitions preceding Texas’ most destructive wildfire: Lost Pines or lost oaks?

Abstract In 2011, the most destructive wildfire in Texas history (Bastrop County Complex Fire, BCCF) burned 34,000 acres including most of Bastrop State Park. We used dendrochronological analysis of vegetation paired with documentary information to reconstruct the historical fire regime, changes in forest composition, and possible human influences leading up to this seemingly unique event. In addition, demographics of fire-killed and immediate post-fire regenerating trees were determined through stem aging and a regeneration census. Historical fire frequency was lower during the pre-EuroAmerican Settlement period (pre-1830) compared to later time periods before the 1920s. Since the 1920s, fire occurrence has significantly decreased. Historical fire characteristics appeared to change with local and regional cultural and land use changes. Within the BCCF area were extensive areas of very old (up to 359 yrs old) open-grown post oaks ( Quercus stellata ) that had been overtopped by 60 year old loblolly pines ( Pinus taeda ). Historically, oak woodlands likely persisted in the study area due to recurring fire and, though less well documented, by grazing and selective logging for loblolly pines. This region is an ecotone between the oak woodlands and Lost Pines and our data show transitions between the two types through time. It is unclear how this vegetation interaction may have affected the destructive BCCF, but its severity and effects were unprecedented during at least the last three centuries. Little to no loblolly pine natural regeneration existed despite being dominant in the pre-fire forest overstory. Based on stump sprout abundance, blackjack oak ( Q. marilandica ) will likely be the dominant tree species in the next few decades.
On the Mechanisms by Which Neurotrophic Factors Regulate Neuronal Survival and Cell Death

Publisher Summary Neuronal cell death is a naturally occurring component of the orderly ontogeny of the nervous system. Approximately half of all neurons born ultimately die during development. Access to limiting amounts of target-derived trophic factors, the paradigmatic example of which is nerve growth factor, appears to be a major element in the regulation of this process. Unfortunately, the death of neurons is not limited to perinatal periods. Even in the adult, experimental intervention or injury that interferes with neuronal-target interactions and consequent supply of trophic support can result in neuronal loss. Neuronal death also occurs in a variety of well-described neurodegenerative disorders of which Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Parkinsonism are notable examples. There has been speculation that such disorders may involve specific components of the trophic factor supply or response mechanism and/or that trophic factors may be useful as ameliorative agents. This chapter reviews and draws somewhat speculative conclusions about recent work on the mechanisms by which neuronal cells are maintained by trophic factors and by which they die when such support is withdrawn.