cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Audience Reactions to Local TV News

A survey measuring audience reactions to local television news was administered to middle school/high school students, college students, and senior citizens. The majority in each population reported watching the news to learn about the world. They agreed that news is mostly about violent events and that such news causes them to worry and to feel that the world is not a safe place. Significant sex differences were found indicating that women were more likely to report turning the news off and worrying about news content, whereas college men were more likely to watch to see coverage of violent events. The possibility of modifying news content was raised.
Active Relearning for Robust Supervised Training of Emphysema Patterns

Radiologists are adept at recognizing the character and extent of lung parenchymal abnormalities in computed tomography (CT) scans. However, the inconsistent differential diagnosis due to subjective aggregation necessitates the exploration of automated classification based on supervised or unsupervised learning. The robustness of supervised learning depends on the training samples. Towards optimizing emphysema classification, we introduce a physician-in-the-loop feedback approach to minimize ambiguity in the selected training samples. An experienced thoracic radiologist selected 412 regions of interest (ROIs) across 15 datasets to represent 124, 129, 139 and 20 training samples of mild, moderate, severe emphysema and normal appearance, respectively. Using multi-view (multiple metrics to capture complementary features) inductive learning, an ensemble of seven un-optimized support vector models (SVM) each based on a specific metric was constructed in less than 6 s. The training samples were classified using seven SVM models and consensus labels were created using majority voting. In the active relearning phase, the ensemble-expert label conflicts were resolved by the expert. The efficacy and generality of active relearning feedback was assessed in the optimized parameter space of six general purpose classifiers across the seven dissimilarity metrics. The proposed just-in-time active relearning feedback with un-optimized SVMs yielded 15 % increase in classification accuracy and 25 % reduction in the number of support vectors. The average improvement in accuracy of six classifiers in their optimized parameter space was 21 %. The proposed cooperative feedback method enhances the quality of training samples used to construct automated classification of emphysematous CT scans. Such an approach could lead to substantial improvement in quantification of emphysema.
Find the Best Path: An Efficient and Accurate Classifier for Image Hierarchies

Many methods have been proposed to solve the image classification problem for a large number of categories. Among them, methods based on tree-based representations achieve good trade-off between accuracy and test time efficiency. While focusing on learning a tree-shaped hierarchy and the corresponding set of classifiers, most of them [11, 2, 14] use a greedy prediction algorithm for test time efficiency. We argue that the dramatic decrease in accuracy at high efficiency is caused by the specific design choice of the learning and greedy prediction algorithms. In this work, we propose a classifier which achieves a better trade-off between efficiency and accuracy with a given tree-shaped hierarchy. First, we convert the classification problem as finding the best path in the hierarchy, and a novel branch-and-bound-like algorithm is introduced to efficiently search for the best path. Second, we jointly train the classifiers using a novel Structured SVM (SSVM) formulation with additional bound constraints. As a result, our method achieves a significant 4.65%, 5.43%, and 4.07% (relative 24.82%, 41.64%, and 109.79%) improvement in accuracy at high efficiency compared to state-of-the-art greedy "tree-based" methods [14] on Caltech-256 [15], SUN [32] and Image Net 1K [9] dataset, respectively. Finally, we show that our branch-and-bound-like algorithm naturally ranks the paths in the hierarchy (Fig. 8) so that users can further process them.
Single-event-induced charge collection and direct channel conduction in submicron MOSFETs

The single-event (SE) charge collection of an n-channel submicron MOSFET is described using three dimensional device simulations. Ion hits in the drain and in the channel region are considered. For submicron MOSFETs, we show simulation evidence that there may exist a direct source-drain conduction process induced by the ion, called ion-triggered channeling (ITC), which may be an important SE upset mechanism in deep submicron scaling. The further study of increased ion-track-length to device-gate-length ratios indicate that the direct source-drain conduction process assumes increased importance for increased scaling. >
Screen design for printing

To display or print a continuous tone image on a bi-level device, the image goes through a halftoning process. For best rendition, the halftoning algorithm should adapt to the output device. We review printer dot models, and the utilization of printer dot model in generating halftone screens, especially frequency-modulated (FM) screens. We also show the possibility of accurate control over tone reproduction using density measurement data without quantization errors.
Synapse classification and localization in Electron Micrographs

Classification and detection of biological structures in Electron Micrographs (EM) is a relatively new large scale image analysis problem. The primary challenges are in modeling diverse visual characteristics and development of scalable techniques. In this paper we propose novel methods for synapse detection and localization, an important problem in connectomics. We first propose an attribute based descriptor for characterizing synaptic junctions. These descriptors are task specific, low dimensional and can be scaled across large image sizes. Subsequently, techniques for fast localization of these junctions are proposed. Experimental results on images acquired from a mammalian retinal tissue compare favorably with state of the art descriptors used for object detection.
PERUVIAN FEMALE INDUSTRIALISTS AND THE GLOBALIZATION PROJECT Deindustrialization and Women's Independence

This study presents a sociological profile of Peruvian female industrialists and some narratives of their struggle for personal independence and entrepreneurial success within the context of global restructuring and local deindustrialization. The study adopts the classical definition of woman's economic independence as a result of women's participation in the world of paid labor.
Effect of information formats on information services: analysis of four selected agricultural commodities in the USA

We analyze sources of information in agricultural markets to understand patterns of demand for decision support services and the division of labor in the supply of these services. Information formatting--qualitative variation that determines accessibility and relevance of information in specific contexts--prohibits universal access to informational content. Information formats give rise to both transaction costs and complementarities reflected in patterns of information exchange in commodity systems. Controlling for actors' structural roles and levels of education, we develop a hedonic model of information demand such that actors seek information that is formatted to meet their needs and capabilities. Employing survey data, we explain elements of observed patterns of information exchange in four commodity systems in the USA. Results point to opportunities to expand our understanding of socioeconomic processes underlying production and consumption of decision support.
Dimethylsulfoniopropionate Biosynthesis in Spartina alterniflora : Evidence That S-Methylmethionine and Dimethylsulfoniopropylamine Are Intermediates

The osmoprotectant 3-dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) occurs in Gramineae and Compositae, but its synthesis has been studied only in the latter. The DMSP synthesis pathway was therefore investigated in the salt marsh grass Spartina alterniflora Loisel. Leaf tissue metabolized supplied [ 35 S]methionine (Met) to S -methyl-l-Met (SMM), 3-dimethylsulfoniopropylamine (DMSP-amine), and DMSP. The 35 S-labeling kinetics of SMM and DMSP-amine indicated that they were intermediates and, consistent with this, the dimethylsulfonium moiety of SMM was shown by stable isotope labeling to be incorporated as a unit into DMSP. The identity of DMSP-amine, a novel natural product, was confirmed by both chemical and mass-spectral methods. S. alterniflora readily converted supplied [ 35 S]SMM to DMSP-amine and DMSP, and also readily converted supplied [ 35 S]DMSP-amine to DMSP; grasses that lack DMSP did neither. A small amount of label was detected in 3-dimethylsulfoniopropionaldehyde (DMSP-ald) when [ 35 S]SMM or [ 35 S]DMSP-amine was given. These results are consistent with the operation of the pathway Met → SMM → DMSP-amine → DMSP-ald → DMSP, which differs from that found in Compositae by the presence of a free DMSP-amine intermediate. This dissimilarity suggests that DMSP synthesis evolved independently in Gramineae and Compositae.
A new aqueous molybdenum cluster with a Mo3(μ3-CCH3)(μ3-O) trinuclear core

Reaction of Mo(CO)6 with propionic acid and propionic anhydride gives the expected l3-propylidyne capped molybdenum cluster as well as the unanticipated l3-ethylidyne capped molybdenum cation with bridging propionates, [Mo3(l3-CR)(l3-O)(l-O2CCH2CH3)6(H2O)3]Br4H2O; R = CH3 and CH2CH3. Due to the similarity in structure, both complexes crystallize together in the triclinic crystal system upon slow evaporation of NaBr solutions (T = 277 K). Herein, we report the synthesis, characterization, and crystallographic study of the carbon-capped clusters. To our knowledge, this study is the first to report a trinuclear molybdenum cation in which thel3-alkylidyne ligand is not the same chain length as the carboxylic acid used in the synthesis.
Size limitation of cross-point memory array and its dependence on data storage pattern and device parameters

Cross-point memory structure suffers from a substantial sneak path leakage and a large degradation of output signal due to the parasitic resistance of the interconnects. In this work, we study the parameter requirements of resistive cross-point memory array under the worst case write and read operation. We focus on the pattern dependence of the memory array and compare the effect of resistance values and resistance ratio on determining the maximum array size. When R on is beyond 3MΩ and R off /R on is greater than 2, the number of cells in the array can reach 106 with a signal swing >50% of the reading voltage. Furthermore, small ratio of resistance states is found to be acceptable as long as the resistance values of both states are large enough.
To See Is to Attend

The ability of the primate brain to encode visual stimuli requires that the organism also pay attention. In his Perspective, [Yantis][1] discusses new work ([Bisley and Goldberg][2]) that identifies the parietal lobes of the primate brain as the region responsible for generating a map depicting where attention is focused during vision. [1]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/299/5603/54 [2]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/short/299/5603/81
The Bogus Pipeline and Motivations to Respond without Prejudice: Revisiting the Fading and Faking of Racial Prejudice

The current work draws upon recent developments in attitude and prejudice theory as well as the assessment of people’s motivation to respond without prejudice in order to reexamine the classic bogus pipeline technique. Specifically, the present study examines the joint impact of individual differences in the source of motivation to respond without prejudice and the social context in which racial beliefs are reported (i.e. private, public, pipeline) on stereotype endorsement scores. Results revealed that stereotype endorsement scores in the various reporting conditions were moderated by participants’ source of motivation to respond without prejudice. The findings are consistent with the argument that responses under bogus pipeline conditions assess people’s awareness of their experience of bias, whereas private reports assess people’s personal beliefs about the appropriateness of the stereotype of Black people.
Towards a General Framework for Web Service Composition

Service-oriented computing (SOC) has emerged as the eminent market environment for sharing and reusing service-centric capabilities. The underpinning for an organization's use of SOC techniques is the ability to discover and compose Web services. In this paper we present a generalized semantics-based technique for automatic service composition that combines the rigor of process-oriented composition with the descriptiveness of semantics. Our generalized approach extends the common practice of linearly linked services by introducing the use of a conditional directed acyclic graph (DAG) where complex interactions, containing control flow, information flow and pre/post conditions, are effectively represented.
The Development of Alternative Molds for Micromolding

Micromolding is a recently developed technique for fabricating parts in the millimeter size range with minimum features and dimensional tolerances less than 10 μm. This degree of precision is achieved by fabricating a master using the LiGA process. The molds made from the master are then filled with powder of the desired material to form parts that are then released from the mold and sintered to high density. Currently, molds are made of either poly(methyl)methacrylate (PMMA) or poly(dimethylsiloxane) (silicone rubber, PDMS). The PMMA molds must be dissolved to release the parts using a solvent that limits the choice of binder used to hold together the powder in the part. The PDMS molds are soft and therefore not suitable for lapping the parts prior to removal from the mold. Recently, two new types of molds materials have been investigated that can be removed utilizing a phase change, either melting or sublimation. The development of these new mold materials, which allow a wider choice of binders, will be described.
Adaptive Immune Resistance: How Cancer Protects from Immune Attack.

Adaptive immune resistance is a process in which the cancer changes its phenotype in response to a cytotoxic or proinflammatory immune response, thereby evading it. This adaptive process is triggered by the specific recognition of cancer cells by T cells, which leads to the production of immune-activating cytokines. Cancers then hijack mechanisms developed to limit inflammatory and immune responses and protect themselves from the T-cell attack. Inhibiting adaptive immune resistance is the mechanistic basis of responses to PD-1 or PD-L1–blocking antibodies, and may be of relevance for the development of other cancer immunotherapy strategies. Significance: Several new immunotherapy strategies to treat cancer are based on inhibiting processes through which cancer adapts and evades from an immune response. Recognizing the specific adaptive resistance mechanisms in each case is likely to allow the personalized development of immunotherapies tailored to block how a particular cancer protects itself from the immune system. Cancer Discov; 5(9); 915–9. ©2015 AACR .
Effect of central administration of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist on protein synthesis in skeletal muscle, kidney, and liver during sepsis.

Inflammatory cytokines may mediate the host response to infection via central nervous system (CNS), endocrine, and/or paracrine pathways. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether intracerebroventricular (ICV) infusion of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) influences the effects of sepsis on protein metabolism in peripheral organs (skeletal muscle, kidney, and liver). A constant ICV infusion of IL-1ra (100 μg/h) or saline was begun immediately before the induction of sepsis or sterile inflammation and continued for 5 days. ICV infusion of IL-1ra did not alter protein metabolism in animals with a sterile abscess. Sepsis reduced muscle weight, protein content, and rates of protein synthesis in gastrocnemius. ICV infusion of IL-1ra attenuated the sepsis-induced loss of muscle mass and protein and the inhibition of protein synthesis in gastrocnemius by augmenting the translational efficiency. Similar results were observed in kidney, with respect to kidney weight, total protein, rates of protein synthesis, and translational efficiency. However, central infusion of IL-1ra did result in a small (12%) increase in the renal RNA content in either sterile or septic abscess rats. In liver, ICV infusion of IL-1ra prevented the sepsis-induced inhibition of protein synthesis and reduction in translational efficiency. These results suggest that central administration IL-1ra can modulate protein metabolism in peripheral organs during sepsis by preventing the sepsis-induced defects in the translational efficiency.
Variation in Diapause Responses Between Geographic Populations of the Predator Geocoris punctipes (Heteroptera: Geocoridae)

Abstract The effect of photoperiod on preimaginal development and diapause induction (for reproductive diapause) was evaluated for two geographic populations of the predator Geocoris punctipes (Say). One population was from Lexington, KY (N38° 04′, W84° 29′), and the other from Tifton, GA (N31° 28′, W83° 31′). Six photoperiods were used in the experiment (all at 24 ± 1°C): 10:14, 11:13, 12:12, 13:11, 14:10, and 15:9 (L:D) h. Photoperiod and population had significant effects on the developmental times of embryos and nymphs. However, the developmental differences had no apparent relationship with photoperiod, and those between populations were slight (<1 d). The incidence of diapause increased for both populations as photoperiod decreased, but at daylengths shorter than 14:10 (L:D) h, the frequency of diapause increased much more steeply in the Kentucky population than in the Georgia one. At its peak, the incidence of diapause in the Georgia population (40.9%; 10:14 [L:D] h) was about half that of the peak...
Misoprostol attenuates acetic acid-induced increases in mucosal permeability and inflammation: role of blood flow

The objectives of this study were 1) to quantify the effects of misoprostol (Miso; prostaglandin E1 analogue) on acetic acid-induced increases in mucosal permeability and inflammation; 2) to determine what effect acetic acid, Miso, or the combination of Miso plus acetic acid has on colonic blood flow; and 3) to assess whether the protective effect of Miso may be attributable to its vasodilatory properties. We found that intrarectal administration of acetic acid produced a 6.4-fold increase in colonic myeloperoxidase activity (an index of granulocyte infiltration), an 8.2-fold increase in mucosal permeability, a 1.6-fold increase in colonic weight, and a 6.8% decrease in body weight 48 h after enema. Miso pretreatment significantly attenuated the increases in colonic myeloperoxidase activity, mucosal permeability, and colon weight as well as prevented the loss of body weight. In a different series of experiments, we found that blood flow in the descending, transverse, and ascending colon increased 2.5- to 3.5-fold immediately after the acetic acid enema; however, it returned to control values at 1 and 4 h after enema. Miso pretreatment, followed by acetic acid, resulted in a further increase (2.5-fold) in blood flow in the descending colon 1 h after enema compared with acetic acid alone. This Miso-induced increase in blood flow at 1 h could not account for its protective effect inasmuch as colonic mucosal permeability (i.e., injury) in Miso-pretreated animals was not significantly different from values obtained in animals pretreated with vehicle and then given the enema.
Convective Heat and Mass Transfer: Internal Turbulent Flow

General Remarks Near-wall phenomena in internal turbulent flow has much in common with external turbulent flow, and the discussions of property fluctuations and near-wall phenomena in the previous chapter all apply to internal flow as well. The confined nature of the flow field, however, implies that, unlike external flow in which the free-stream conditions are not affected by what happens at the wall, the transport phenomena at the wall do affect the mean flow properties. Consider fully developed internal flow in a smooth pipe, shown in Fig. 7.1. Similar to external flow, the entire flow field in the pipe can be divided into three zones: the viscous sublayer, the buffer zone, and the turbulent core. The mean thickness of the viscous sublayer is equal to y + = 5, where y + = yU τ / v is the distance from the wall in wall units and the buffer zone extends to y + = 30. Close to the wall, where the effect of wall curvature is small and the fluid is not aware that the overall flow field is actually confined, the universal velocity profile presented in Eqs. (6.5.1)–(6.5.3) apply. Only when we approach the centerline does Eq. (6.5.3) deviate from measurements. Similar observations can be made about noncircular ducts.
Lymphoid and myeloid differentiation of single human CD34+, HLA-DR+, CD38- hematopoietic stem cells

Multilineage differentiation of human fetal bone marrow CD34+ cell subsets was examined using a single-cell liquid culture assay. Four CD34+ cell populations, ie, (1) CD38-, HLA-DR+, (2) CD38-, HLA-DR-, (3) CD38+, HLA-DR-, and (4) CD38+, HLA-DR+ cells, were sorted as single cells into 96-well flat-bottom culture plates containing long-term culture medium supplemented with interleukin-3, interleukin-6, stem cell factor (SCF), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, erythropoietin, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). Single CD34+, CD38-, HLA-DR+ cells had the highest replating efficiency as well as the highest replating efficiency. The cellular composition of the single-cell progeny was studied by morphologic and/or flow cytometric examination. Only the progeny of single CD34+ cells that lacked CD38 could give rise to each of the hematopoietic cell lineages. The expansion of the progeny of single CD34+, CD38-, HLA-DR+ cells was examined in more detail and showed three clearly distinguishable growth patterns: 28% (SD, +/- 10%; n = 14) of the single cells formed cell clusters/colonies; 9% (SD, +/- 4%; n = 14) formed dispersed cells; and 11% (SD, +/- 6%; n = 14) gave rise to a mixture of cell clusters and dispersed cells. The dispersed cell growth pattern was reduced when SCF or bFGF and IGF-1 was absent in the growth factor cocktail. The replating ability of the dispersed cells was considerably larger than that of cells with other growth patterns, in that 76% of the cells that gave rise to dispersed cells and 54% of the cells that gave rise to dispersed cells as well as cell clusters gave rise to a second generation, but only 7% of the cells that gave rise to cell clusters gave rise to a second generation. The second generation of cells continued to produce third and fourth generations after repetitive replating, except for the replated cells from cell clusters. In contrast with the first-generation progeny, SCF did not have an influence on the replating ability of the cells. Only in the progeny of single CD34+, CD38-, HLA-DR+ cells that gave rise to dispersed cells was each of the hematopoietic cell lineages found, ie, B lymphocytes, neutrophils, monocytes, macrophages, osteoclasts, basophils/mast cells, eosinophils, erythrocytes, megakaryocytes, and platelets.
Generalized Kähler–Ricci flow and the classification of nondegenerate generalized Kähler surfaces

Abstract We study the generalized Kahler–Ricci flow on complex surfaces with nondegenerate Poisson structure, proving long time existence and convergence of the flow to a weak hyperKahler structure.
Lagrangian methods for blood damage estimation in cardiovascular devices - How numerical implementation affects the results

SummaryThis paper evaluated the influence of various numerical implementation assumptions on predicting blood damage in cardiovascular devices using Lagrangian methods with Eulerian computational fluid dynamics. The implementation assumptions that were tested included various seeding patterns, stochastic walk model, and simplified trajectory calculations with pathlines. Post processing implementation options that were evaluated included single passage and repeated passages stress accumulation and time averaging. This study demonstrated that the implementation assumptions can significantly affect the resulting stress accumulation, i.e., the blood damage model predictions. Careful considerations should be taken in the use of Lagrangian models. Ultimately, the appropriate assumptions should be considered based the physics of the specific case and sensitivity analysis, similar to the ones presented here, should be employed.
ANG II-related myocardial damage: role of cardiac sympathetic catecholamines and β-receptor regulation

The objectives of this study were1) to determine whether ANG II-induced myocardial damage (ANG Dam) is mediated via the β1-adrenergic receptor,2) to elucidate whether adrenal medulla or cardiac sym...
Contractile and metabolic effects of increased creatine kinase activity in mouse skeletal muscle

The effects of increased expression of creatine kinase (CK) in skeletal muscle were studied in control and transgenic animals homozygous for expression of the B subunit of CK. CK activity was 47% higher in transgenic gastrocnemius muscle. The CK activity was distributed as follows: 45 +/- 1% MM dinner, 31 +/- 4% MB dimer, and 22 +/- 5% BB dimer. No significant differences in metabolic or contractile proteins were detected except for a 22% decrease in lactate dehydrogenase activity and a 9% decrease in adenylate kinase activity. The only significant effect in contractile activity was that the rise time of a 5-s isometric contraction was 28% faster in the transgenic muscle. 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra were obtained from control and transgenic muscles during mechanical activation, and there were no NMR measurable differences detected. These results indicate that a 50% increase in CK activity due to expression of the B subunit does not have large effects on skeletal muscle metabolism or contractile function. Therefore, control muscle has sufficient CK activity to keep up with changes in cellular high-energy phosphates except during the early phase of intense contractile activity.
Grammatical deficiencies in writing: An investigation of learning disabled college students

The writing of learning disabled college students was examined to account for their difficulty with grammatical structure. Junior college students of average intelligence who were enrolled in a program for the learning disabled volunteered as subjects. A sample of writing was taken together with a parallel oral sample. Additional parallel tasks designed to measure both linguistic and orthographic components of the writing process were administered as well. Grammatical acceptability in the written sample correlated significantly with that of two other tasks — sentence transcription and the spoken sample, which were themselves also significantly correlated. Common factors underlying this three-way task relationship among the written sample, sentence transcription, and the spoken sample tasks were explored by analyzing differences in performance between two subgroups of subjects formed on the basis of their performance on the written sample. Both linguistic and orthographic demands were found to be related to the grammatical problems in the writing of these students. The increasing level of demand on verbal short-term memory seemed to play a role in the decrease in level of grammatical acceptability for the three related tasks. Teaching approaches should strengthen skills and reduce the processing load during writing.
Seismic Refraction Study of Faulting in Villa Park, Orange County, California

Many geologic faults have been mapped previously around the Villa Park area, northern Santa Ana Mountains, the longest and perhaps dominant being the El Modeno fault. The trace of this normal fault was mostly inferred to trend northward south of Villa Park, veer to the west in Villa Park, and then to enter the Los Angeles Basin and possibly connect with the Norwalk fault. The Peralta Hills, just north of Villa Park, were presumed to have been formed as a result of vertical movement along the west-trending portion of the fault. The objective of the present study was to better locate the trace of the fault, in particular to determine whether or not it turns west in Villa Park. The locale was a considerable challenge since the few outcrops present during the original mapping are now covered by residential development and the entire area has been urbanized so that access is severely restricted. Seismic refraction was used and the interpretations indicate that the El Modeno fault does not veer west. Rather, it apparently continues a northward trend toward the Peralta Hills and the area is underlain by several north-trending faults.
Degradation of RNA in Escherichia coli. A hypothesis.

A hypothesis to explain RNA degradation in Escherichia coli is proposed. In this hypothesis all classes of RNA are potentially degradable unless they are protected. The proposed mechanism for mRNA degradation requires a combination of endonuclease(s) and exonuclease(s) which degrades RNA in the 3′ to 5′ direction. Ribosomes attached to the newly synthesized 5′ end of an mRNA molecule protect it from being attacked endonucleolytically; a delay in attachment of ribosomes to this end exposes it to endonucleolytic cleavage, followed by exonucleolytic digestion from the newly exposed 3′ end to the 5′ end. This mechanism is consistent with an overall 5′ to 3′ direction of degradation for mRNA. Exoribonucleases that degrade polyribonucleotides from the 5′ end to 3′ end are not required. The 3′ end of the messenger is protected by its association with DNA. In order to enable the mRNA to remain anchored to the DNA while serving as an efficient template for protein synthesis, a special region near the 3′ end of the mRNA is envisaged. This hypothetical region would not be translated.
BIASED BLOOD FLOW: CORONARY SUBCLAVIAN STEAL SYNDROME, A RARE CAUSE OF CORONARY FLOW HETEROGENEITY DEMONSTRATED ON VASODILATOR STRESS TESTING

Coronary Subclavian Steal Syndrome (CSSS) is a rare entity that results in reversal of blood flow towards the left subclavian artery (LSA) with a potential of inducing myocardial ischemia. Demonstration of the physiological significance of CSSS can be challenging. A 61-year-old female, with a
A CASE OF THE RESECTABLE HUGE MALIGNANT FIBROUS HISTIOCYTOMA OF THE RETROPERITONEUM

A 60-year-old female, noted left lower quadrant abdominal pain and genital bleeding, visited a nearly clinic of Gynecology. she was underwent an operation under a diagnosis of adnexal tumor, but was judged to be unresectable. She was referred to the hospital for chemotherapy. CT scan revealed a huge tumor which compressed a kidney, aorta and intestine. Abdominal angiography showed a hypervascular tumor, feeded by right colic artery and ileal artery. On gastrointestinal series and barium-enema, small and large intestines were compressed, without obstruction. From these findings, the tumor was thought to be resectable. The tumor weighed 4800 g and was microscopically diagnosed as malignant fibrous histiocytoma. Further operations of 2 times were necessary in order to resect the local recurrences. It seems that the best treatment option is wide surgical excision because chemotherapy provides little help at present.
DNA vaccine encoding a prostate-specific protein elicits CD8 T cell immunity and tissue-specific inflammation

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 45, 2004 1244 Prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP) is a prostate cancer tumor antigen and a prostate-specific protein shared by rats and humans. Previous studies in Copenhagen rats have indicated that rats immunized with vaccinia expressing human PAP developed a cross-reactive cytotoxic T cell response (CTL) activity to rat PAP that results in prostate inflammation. However, a problem with some viral-based immunizations has been that immune responses elicited to the viral vector limit the possibility of multiple immunizations. We hypothesized that DNA vaccines would provide an efficient immunization method to elicit an antigen-specific CD8 T cell immune response without a secondary immune response to the viral carrier. In order to test this hypothesis, Lewis rats were immunized twice with either a DNA-based (pTVG-HP) or vaccinia-based (VV-HP) vaccine each encoding human PAP. We determined that rats immunized with a DNA vaccine encoding PAP resulted in PAP-specific antibodies, antigen-specific CD4 and CD8 T cells, IFNγ production, and CTL activity. Some animals developed a cross-reactive response that led to prostate tissue inflammation and destruction. Rats immunized with VV-HP did not develop proliferating PAP-specific T cells but had a strong vaccinia-specific CD4 and CD8 T cell immune response. Thus, the immune response elicited by means of a DNA vaccine was qualitatively similar to that elicited by means of a viral vaccine, but the DNA vaccine permitted multiple immunizations that resulted in the generation of a PAP-specific immune response. Overall, DNA vaccines provide a safe and effective method of generating prostate antigen-specific T cell responses. These findings support the investigation of PAP-specific DNA vaccines in human clinical trials.
ROLE OF THALAMOTOMY IN TREATMENT OF CHRONIC SEVERE PAIN.

Bilateral thalamotomy may be effective when other neurosurgical procedures have failed to relieve chronic severe pain, such as pain secondary to advanced cancer. An illustrative case is described. Parafascicular electrodes are placed bilaterally even in cases of unilateral pain. In some cases it is unnecessary to add the destructive effect of radiofrequency current. Three clinical-anatomic syndromes representing the effects of surgically produced thalamic lesions are described. Each was reconstructed from examination of several similar cases in which a particular nuclear complex was the chief site of the lesions.
Dental Students’ Perceptions of Digital Assessment Software for Preclinical Tooth Preparation Exercises

Objective self-assessment is essential to learning and continued competence in dentistry. A computer-assisted design/computer-assisted manufacturing (CAD/CAM) learning software (prepCheck, Sirona) allows students to objectively assess their performance in preclinical prosthodontics. The aim of this study was to evaluate students' perceptions of CAD/CAM learning software for preclinical prosthodontics exercises. In 2014, all third-year dental students at Harvard School of Dental Medicine (n=36) were individually instructed by a trained faculty member in using prepCheck. Each student completed a preclinical formative exercise (#18) and summative examination (#30) for ceramometal crown preparation and evaluated the preparation using five assessment tools (reduction, margin width, surface finish, taper, and undercut) in prepCheck. The students then rated each of the five tools for usefulness, user-friendliness, and frequency of use on a scale from 1=lowest to 5=highest. Faculty members graded the tooth preparations as pass (P), marginal-pass (MP), or fail (F). The survey response rate was 100%. The tools for undercut and taper had the highest scores for usefulness, user-friendliness, and frequency of use. The reduction tool score was significantly lower in all categories (p<0.01). There were significant differences in usefulness (p<0.05) and user-friendliness (p<0.05) scores among the P, MP, and F groups. These results suggest that the prepCheck taper and undercut tools were useful for the students' learning process in a preclinical exercise. The students' perceptions of prepCheck and their preclinical performance were related, and those students who performed poorest rated the software as significantly more useful.
Observer-Based Adaptive Sliding Control of Robotic Manipulators

Abstract An observer-based adaptive sliding control technique is developed for precise motion control of robotic manipulators driven by electric motors. The proposed controller only uses the measurements of the joints positions and the motors currents. The observer provides the estimate of the states as well as the estimate of the model uncertainties, which are then used in the control law. Digital signal processors (DSP) are used to implement the corresponding algorithm for real time motion control applications. Simulation results show that such advanced DSP-based control systems with integrated electric power drives provide enhanced motion control for robotic manipulators.
Assessing Preschoolers' Beverage Consumption Using the Theory of Planned Behavior.

Childhood obesity and caries are linked to sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) and excessive juice consumption. We assessed psychosocial factors influencing children’s beverage consumption and strategies to promote healthier choices. Using a quantitative and qualitative approach guided by the theory of planned behavior, we surveyed and interviewed 37 parents of preschool-aged children on barriers and facilitators of children’s beverage consumption. Most children (83.8%) consumed SSBs, 67.6% drank >4 to 6 oz of juice per day. Parent’s self-efficacy was the strongest correlate of parent’s behavioral intention to limit SSB (0.72, standard error 0.08, P = .03). Parents’ motivations to limit their child’s SSB intake extended beyond simply preventing caries and obesity; they also considered the implications of these conditions on children’s self-image, future health, and quality of life. Yet, the influence of multidimensional barriers made it difficult to reduce children’s SSB consumption. Interventions that address...
Effects of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) on fat accumulation, activity, and proteomics analysis in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) has been reported to reduce fat storage in cell culture and animal models. In the current study, the effects of CLA on the fat accumulation, activities, and proteomics were investigated using Caenorhabditis elegans. 100 µM CLA-TG nanoemulsion significantly reduced fat accumulation by 29% compared to linoleic acid (LA)-TG treatment via sir-2.1 (the ortholog of Sirtuin 1), without altering the worm size, growth rate, and pumping rate of C. elegans. CLA significantly increased moving speed and amplitude (the average centroid displacement over the entire track) of wild type worms compared to the LA group and these effects were dependent on aak-2 (AMPKα ortholog) and sir-2.1. Proteomics analysis showed CLA treatment influences various proteins associated in reproduction and development, translation, metabolic processes, and catabolism and proteolysis, in C. elegans. We have also confirmed the proteomics data that CLA reduced the fat accumulation via abs-1 (ATP Synthase B homolog). However, there were no significant effects of CLA on brood size, progeny numbers, and hatchability compared to LA treatment.
Early detection of necrotizing enterocolitis using broadband optical spectroscopy

Abstract Purpose The definitive diagnosis of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is typically at an advanced stage, indicating the need for sensitive and noninvasive diagnostic modalities. Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) has been utilized to noninvasively measure intraabdominal tissue oxygenation and to diagnose NEC, but specificity is lacking, in part because sensors are limited to a narrow band of the electromagnetic spectrum. Here, we introduce the concept of broadband optical spectroscopy (BOS) as a noninvasive method to characterize NEC. Methods NEC was induced in 7-day old mice by gavage feeding with formula supplemented with enteric bacteria plus hypoxia. Transabdominal spectroscopy was performed daily using a broad-spectrum halogen light source coupled with a spectroradiometer capable of detection from 400 to 1800nm. Results A feature extraction algorithm was developed based on the spectral waveforms from mice with NEC. When subsequently tested on cohorts of diseased and control mice by a blinded examiner, noninvasive BOS was able to detect disease with 100% specificity and sensitivity. Conclusions We reveal that the use of BOS is able to accurately and noninvasively discriminate the presence of NEC in a mouse model, thus introducing a noninvasive early diagnostic modality for this devastating disease.
Optimizing Makespan and Ergonomics in Integrating Collaborative Robots Into Manufacturing Processes

As collaborative robots begin to appear on factory floors, there is a need to consider how these robots can best help their human partners. In this paper, we propose an optimization framework that generates task assignments and schedules for a human–robot team with the goal of improving both time and ergonomics and demonstrate its use in six real-world manufacturing processes that are currently performed manually. Using the strain index method to quantify human physical stress, we create a set of solutions with assigned priorities on each goal. The resulting schedules provide engineers with insight into selecting the appropriate level of compromise and integrating the robot in a way that best fits the needs of an individual process. Note to Practitioners —Collaborative robots promise many advantages on the shop and factory floor, including low-cost automation and flexibility in small-batch production. Using this technology requires engineers to redesign tasks that are currently performed by human workers to effectively involve human and robot workers. However, existing quantitative methods for scheduling and allocating tasks to multiple workers do not consider factors, such as differences in skill between human and robot workers or the differential ergonomic impact of tasks on workers. We propose a method to analyze how the inclusion of a collaborative robot in an existing process might affect the makespan of the task and the physical strain the task places on the human worker. The method enables the engineer to prioritize and weigh makespan and worker ergonomics in creating schedules and inspect the resulting task schedules. Using this method, engineers can determine how the addition of a collaborative robot might improve makespan and/or reduce job risk and potential for occupational hazard for human workers, particularly in tasks that involve high physical strain. We apply our method to six real-world tasks from various industries to demonstrate its use and discuss its practical limitations. In our future work, we plan to develop a software tool that will assist engineers in the use of our method.
Minimally Elevated Cardiac Troponin T and Elevated N-Terminal Pro-B-Type Natriuretic Peptide Predict Mortality in Older Adults: Results From the Rancho Bernardo Study

Objectives This study investigated the prognostic value of detectable cardiac troponin T (TnT) and elevated N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels in a population of community-dwelling older adults. Background Minimally elevated levels of TnT, a marker of cardiomyocyte injury, have been found in small subsets of the general population, with uncertain implications. A marker of ventricular stretch, NT-proBNP has clinical utility in many venues, but its long-term prognostic value in apparently healthy older adults and in conjunction with TnT is unknown. Methods Participants were 957 older adults from the Rancho Bernardo Study with plasma NT-proBNP and TnT measured at baseline (1997 to 1999) and followed up for mortality through July 2006. Results Participants with detectable TnT (≥0.01 ng/ml, n = 39) had an increased risk of all-cause and cardiovascular death (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] by Cox proportional hazards analysis: 2.06; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.29 to 3.28, p = 0.003 for all-cause mortality; HR: 2.06, 95% CI: 1.03 to 4.12, p = 0.040 for cardiovascular mortality); elevated NT-proBNP also predicted an increased risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality (adjusted HR per unit-log increase in NT-proBNP: 1.85, 95% CI: 1.36 to 2.52, p Conclusions Apparently healthy adults with detectable TnT or elevated NT-proBNP levels are at increased risk of death. Those with both TnT and NT-proBNP elevations are at even higher risk, and the increased risk persists for years.
The Influence of Structural Position and Lithology on the Fracture Distribution in the East Kaibab Monocline, SE Utah: Implications for Fluid Flow Properties

The fracture distribution in the Paleozoic and Mesozoic sediments exposed in the East Kaibab monocline, Utah, has been documented for the purpose of developing a conceptual model for the spatial distribution of the fractures, understanding the mechanical evolution of the monocline, and evaluating the effects of the fractures on the fluid flow properties of the rocks.
The Next Generation Internet: Where Technologies Converge and Policies Collide

It is clear today that the Internet Revolution is less than five percent complete. It does not matter how you measure the impact of the Internet. The total number of people in the world who use the Internet on a regular basis is still only about five percent of the world’s population. Normal people don’t spend more than five percent of their time online.
Applying a Response-to-Intervention Model to Literacy Instruction for Students who are Blind or have Low Vision:

IntroductionResponse to intervention (RTI) has become widely recognized and used in education. Propelling its significance is its systematic and schoolwide approach and emphasis on using a problem-...
Biotic injuries on conifer seedlings planted in forest understory environments

We investigated how partial overstory retention, understory vegetationmanagement, and protective Vexar® tubing affected the frequency andseverityof biotic injuries in a two-storied stand underplanted with western redcedar(Thuja plicata Donn ex D. Don), Douglas-fir(Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco, grand fir(Abies grandis (Dougl.) Lindl), and western hemlock(Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.). The most prevalentsource of damage was browsing by black-tailed deer (Odocoileushemionis columbiana); deer browsed over 74% of Douglas-fir and over36% of western redcedar seedlings one or more times over the four years of thisstudy. Neither the spatial pattern of thinning (even or uneven) nor the densityof residual overstory affected browsing frequency. Spraying subplots may haveslightly increased browsing frequency, but the resulting reduction of theadjacent understory vegetation increased the volume of all seedlings by 13%,whether or not they were browsed. Vexar® tubing did not substantiallyaffectseedling survival, browsing damage frequency, or fourth-year volume. Greaterlevels of overstory retention reduced frequency of second flushing. Chafing bydeer and girdling by rodents and other small mammals began once seedlingssurpassed 1 m in height. Essentially all grand fir seedlingsexhibited a foliar fungus infection.
Reflections on Bioanalytical Techniques for Detecting Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals

The 1996 amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act and the 1996 Food Quality Protection Act required the US EPA to develop a programme to screen and test chemicals used in large volumes that may contaminate water and food, to assess their potential activity as endocrine disrupters. More specifically, the chemicals are to be tested for their ability to affect oestrogenic, androgenic and thyroid functions. It is not yet possible to determine which chemicals are oestrogenic from their molecular structures. Therefore, bioassays are an important tool to determine whether or not a compound has oestrogenic activity.
Finite Presentation for Undirected Wiring Diagrams

In this chapter we establish a finite presentation for the operad of undirected wiring diagrams involving 6 operadic generators and 17 relations.