cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Role of Duplex Arteriography as the Sole Preoperative Imaging Modality Prior to Lower Extremity Revascularization Surgery in Diabetic and Renal Patients

The limitations and complications associated with contrast angiography (CA) prior to lower extremity revascularization have led to an increased interest in duplex arteriography (DA) as a potential replacement. We report our experience with DA in patients with diabetes and/or chronic renal insufficiency (CRI) that would particularly benefit from a noninvasive approach to preoperative evaluation of the arterial tree. From January 1998 to November 2000, DA was performed in 145 patients with diabetes mellitus and/or CRI prior to 180 arterial reconstructions. One hundred twenty-one procedures were performed on 91 patients with diabetes alone, 41 on 33 patients with diabetes and CRI, and 18 on 15 patients with CRI alone. Patient ages ranged from 36 to 98 years (mean 72 ± 12 years). Indications for surgery were severe claudication in 33 (18%), rest pain in 37 (21%), nonhealing ischemic ulcers in 52 (29%), and limb gangrene in 58 (32%). Optimal inflow and outflow anastomotic sites were selected according to a diagram based on DA that included arterial tree imaging from mid-aorta to the pedal vessels. Preoperative contrast arteriography was performed in 16 cases (9%) because of extremely poor runoff based on DA and limited visualization of outflow vessels. The distal anastomosis was to the popliteal artery in 89 cases (49%) and to the tibial and pedal arteries in 91 (51%). Intraoperative findings confirmed the preoperative DA results with the exception of one (0.6%) where the distal anastomosis was placed proximal to a significant stenosis requiring an extension graft. The use of DA presents a safe and reliable option to prebypass CA for many patients with diabetes or CRI. The ease of use and favorable patient outcomes achieved by this imaging modality may rival the use of CA for these patients.
Improving poststroke recovery: Neuroplasticity and task-oriented training

Neurorehabilitation is a critical part of the overall process to achieve optimal outcome after stroke. Presently, the field of neurorehabilitation is in transition. New research suggesting novel approaches to optimize functional recovery after stroke is on the horizon, but clear knowledge of the underlying mechanisms of this recovery is still being unraveled. In practice, many rehabilitation centers continue to provide traditional compensatory rehabilitation training while many others are practicing newer, “task-oriented” approaches. A few centers are incorporating new technology, such as computer-based training devices or robotics, into rehabilitation care. This transition is happening because neuroscientific research has shown that neuroplastic changes in the cerebral cortex and in other parts of the central nervous system (CNS) are necessarily linked to motor skill retraining in the affected limbs. Task-oriented training that focuses on the practice of skilled motor performance is the critical link to facilitating neural reorganization and “rewiring” in the CNS. Therefore, whenever possible, task-oriented training at an intense level should be incorporated into the rehabilitation program of any patient with stroke-related motor deficits. Two such task-oriented therapies that should be available at all neurorehabilitation centers are constraint-induced movement therapy and body weight-supported treadmill training. The optimal intensity of training (frequency and duration) is still not clear but is certainly greater than that available in clinical programs. Therefore, the incorporation of automated training devices will be necessary in the future. However, the engineering necessary to make these devices effective, easy to use, affordable, and portable remains a challenge for the next decade of neurologic bioengineering research.
Effect of online social networking on student academic performance

Online social networks (OSNs) have permeated all generations of Internet users, becoming a prominent communications tool, particularly in the student community. Thus, academic institutions and faculty are increasingly using social networking sites, such as Facebook and LinkedIn, to connect with current and potential students and to deliver instructional content. This has led to a rise in questions about the impact of OSN on academic performance and the possibility of using it as an effective teaching tool. To learn more about the impact on academic performance, we conducted a survey of business students at a large state university. Survey results were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results revealed a statistically significant negative relationship between time spent by students on OSN and their academic performance. The time spent on OSN was found to be heavily influenced by the attention span of the students. Specifically, we determined that the higher the attention span, the lower is the time spent on OSN. Further, attention span was found to be highly correlated with characteristics that predict or influence student behavior, such as their perceptions about society's view of social networking, their likes and dislikes of OSN, ease of use of OSN, etc.
A New Inherited Character in Man.

Observations on more than 280 human subjects show the existence of two fairly distinct classes with respect to the ability to turn up the lateral edges of the tongue. In typical positive cases the edges can be rolled together over a considerable portion of the distal area of the tongue, while the organ is slightly protruded. In negative cases there is no turning up of the edges at all. A few intermediates have been encountered; and in numerous cases the ability, at first absent, has been acquired by practice. This latter phenomenon is most frequent in children, only one clear case having been found in an adult-and here prolonged efforts were necessary, whereas in children a few hours are sometimes enough. One man reports that he learned the trick as a child, but now has forgotten it and can no longer do it. It should be added that some children, like most negative adults, appear to be unable to learn. In the data that follow, all cases where the ability was at first absent are entered as negative.
Talk-Story: A Quest for New Research Methodology in Neocolonial Hawai‘i

Many elementary schools in Hawai‘i host May celebrations showcasing performance traditions of Hawai‘i and the various ethnic groups that populate the islands. This article focuses on talk-story as an approach to researching and creating dialogue among multiple perspectives of May Day. Talk-story is a Creole English phrase commonly used in Hawai‘i to refer to casual exchanges of personal narratives with a sense of mutuality. I borrowed strategies from collaborative, narrative, autoethnographic and performance traditions to develop a talk-story sensibility that would confront the power and privilege of my voice, the voice of an outside researcher, within the context of neocolonial Hawai‘i.
Effects of pulsed ultrasound on the adsorption of n-alkyl anionic surfactants at the gas/solution interface of cavitation bubbles.

Sonolysis of argon-saturated aqueous solutions of the nonvolatile surfactants sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and sodium 1-pentanesulfonate (SPSo) was investigated at three ultrasonic frequencies unde...
Leading a university during controversy: Challenges faced by a new president

In her first month in office, a president learns of charges of racial discrimination in the university's intercollegiate athletic program to which she must respond at the same time as she is learning her way around campus and establishing herself in the community.
Recent Advances in Computational Epidemiology

Public health epidemiology aims to understand the spatiotemporal spread of diseases and to develop methods to control such spread. Computational epidemiology has become increasingly multidisciplinary and has led to novel computational methods for understanding and controlling spatiotemporal disease spread. Recent advances focus specifically on modeling, data mining, and inferential and planning questions.
Subgroup Formation in Teams Working with Robots

Teams are increasingly adopting robots to accomplish their work. Despite this, more research is needed to understand what makes these teams effective. One such topic not fully explored is the formation of subgroups in teams that work with robots. We conducted a pilot study to explore this topic. The study examined 15 teams of 2 people, each team member working with a robot to accomplish a team task. Results of the pilot study showed that subgroups formed between humans and their robots were negatively correlated with various team outcomes. Although our results are preliminary, we believe our findings can initiate future research on the topic of subgroup formation in teams working with robots.
Sex Differences in Simple Visual Reaction Time: A Historical Meta-Analysis

To test the hypothesis that the magnitude of sex differences in simple visual reaction time (RT) has narrowed across time, a meta-analysis was conducted on 72 effect sizes derived from 21 studies (n=15,003) published over a 73-year period. The analysis provided strong evidence for the hypothesized change. In addition, the analysis indicated that the sex difference in RT was on average smaller with non-U.S. samples than with U.S. samples. No relation was found between the magnitude of the sex difference in RT and age or presence vs. absence of a warning signal. Two factors–-participation in fast-action sports and driving–-are proposed as having been responsible for the decrease in the magnitude of the sex differences in simple visual RT across time.
Conceptual Metaphor as Rhetorical Response: A Reconsideration of Metaphor

Writing studies has been all but silent on the subject of metaphor because no theory has sufficiently forged a connection between the way metaphor works and what we actually say and write. Even the best accounts of metaphor put forward by proponents of conceptual metaphor do not consider important patterns of variation that concrete data reveal. Presenting findings from a study of the conceptual metaphor trade is war, the author offers a reconsideration of metaphor that refutes the standard Aristotelian view of metaphor and substantially expands upon current understandings of conceptual metaphor. Like all language, metaphors are fundamentally responsive. They are therefore implicated in a rhetorically constituted give and take among related groupings of metaphors and literal concepts. Moreover, metaphors are inflected by speakers' and writers' social commitments and are constrained by a concomitant rhetorical etiquette.
Study of HLA alloantigens of the Navajo Indians of North America. II. HLA-A, B, C, DR and other genetic markers.

This report presents the antigen frequencies for HLA-A, B, C, DR, immunoglobulin, and red blood cell systems for the Navajo Indians of North America. HLA-A-B, B-C, and B-DR haplotype frequencies and significant delta values are given. These data are compared with similar data for other American Indians and major non-Indian ethnic groups. Very restricted HLA polymorphism is unique for the Navajo as well as American Indians in general and this feature has important implications with regard to disease association and transplantation.
Generation of lymphokine-activated killer cell activity by low-dose recombinant interleukin-2 and tumor cells.

Abstract The generation of lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells in vitro has been reported to require 100–1000 units of recombinant interleukin-2 (IL2). In this study we investigated the generation of human LAK cells with low-dose IL2 (1–10 U) in combination with human tumor cell lines. A significant LAK activity was generated within 3- to 5-days culture of PBL. Among six human tumor cell lines tested, the K562 cell line had the greatest stimulating activity, and the degree of cytotoxicity was comparative to that of PBL stimulated with higher doses of IL2 alone. The origin of this LAK activity was primarily the E (−) resetting cell population. Cocultures of E − cells with 1 U/ml IL2 plus K562 had significantly higher cytotoxicity ( P + cells. Phenotypic analysis indicated that 1 U/ml IL2 plus K562 cell stimulation enhanced CD56 + and CD16 + cells. These studies suggest that very low dosages of IL2 with stimulator tumor cells can generate LAK activity comparable to that generated with high dosages of IL2 alone.
Interface strength of incremental placement of visible light-cured composites

The strength of bond at the interface was determined when a visible light-cured composite resin is immediately added to a previously cured surface. In general, small particle composites (Aurafill excepted) tend to lose a small amount of strength at the interface, whereas the microfilled and hybrid composites do not.
A testing platform for validation of overhead conductor aging models and understanding thermal limits

Power system equipment manufacturers and researchers continue to experiment with novel overhead electric conductor designs that support better conductor performance and address congestion issues. To address the technology gap in testing these novel designs, Oak Ridge National Laboratory constructed the Powerline Conductor Accelerated Testing (PCAT) facility to evaluate the performance of novel overhead conductors in an accelerated fashion in a field environment. Additionally, PCAT has the capability to test advanced sensors and measurement methods for accessing overhead conductor performance and condition. Equipped with extensive measurement and monitoring devices, PCAT provides a platform to improve/validate conductor computer models and assess the performance of novel conductors. The PCAT facility and its testing capabilities are described in this paper.
Stem cells: balancing resistance and sensitivity to DNA damage

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are known to be very sensitive to DNA damage and undergo rapid apoptosis even after low-damage doses. By contrast, adult stem cells show variable sensitivity to damage. Here we describe the multiple pathways that have been proposed to affect the sensitivity of stem cells to damage, including proximity to the apoptotic threshold (mitochondrial priming) and the p53 signaling pathway, through activation of transcription or direct interaction with proapoptotic proteins in the cytoplasm. We also discuss which cellular factors might connect mitochondrial priming with pluripotency and the potential therapeutic advances that can be achieved by better understanding of the molecular mechanisms leading to sensitivity or resistance of embryonic or adult stem cells from different tissues.
Specificity of attachment and neurite outgrowth of dissociated basal forebrain cholinergic neurons seeded on to organotypic slice cultures of forebrain

Development and differentiation of basal forebrain-derived cholinergic neurons were studied using a new technique that combines dissociated cell cultures with organotypic slice cultures. Slices of cerebral cortex or entire forebrain hemispheres were taken from early postnatal rat pups and maintained as organotypic cultures on membranes. Dissociated cell suspensions of basal forebrain tissue, taken from rat or mouse fetuses at gestational day 15-17, were seeded on to the slice cultures. Combined cultures were maintained for two to 14 days in vitro. Cultures processed for acetylcholinesterase histochemical staining demonstrated that stained neurons display regional variation in attachment to the slice, with most attachment occurring on cortex and with no detectable attachment on the caudate-putamen. Regional differences in attachment occur between cortical areas, with medial (cingulate) cortex showing much denser cell attachment than lateral (parietal) cortex, and across cortical layers, with layer I and deep layers showing more attachment than middle cortical layers. Similar patterns were observed on slices from rat brain irrespective of whether rat or mouse dissociated cells were used. Tyrosine hydroxylase-stained dissociated cells from ventral midbrain displayed a different pattern of attachment, with prominent attachment to the caudate putamen and less apparent specificity of regional and cortical laminar attachment. Little evidence of neurite outgrowth occurred during the first two days in vitro, but by four days, acetylcholinesterase-positive basal forebrain cells displayed several short and thick neurites that appeared to be dendrites, and one long process that appeared to be an axon. By seven days in vitro, dendrites are well developed and the presumed axon has extended branches over wide areas of cortex. These studies revealed several different types of cell-tissue interaction. The degree of cell growth and differentiation ranged from robust growth when dissociated cells were seeded on to slice cultures of normal target tissue, to apparently no attachment or growth when cells were seeded on to non-target tissue. This combined technique appears to be a useful method for studies of specificity of cell attachment and patterns of neurite outgrowth.
Elevated dark-adapted thresholds in hypopigmented mice measured with a water maze screening apparatus.

In previous electrophysiological experiments from hypopigmented animals (mice, rats, rabbits), single-unit recordings from both retinal ganglion axons and cells in the superior colliculus have demonstrated an increase in threshold in the dark-adapted state which is roughly proportional to the ocular melanin concentration. In the present study we compared an albino mouse strain which is relatively resistant to light damage and the beige mouse mutant to their wild-type controls in a situation that involved unanesthetized, unrestrained mice as a control to the electrophysiological single unit experiments. We used a six-chambered water maze. Animals were trained to swim to an illuminated ramp until their performances leveled off (about 10 days). The animals were then dark-adapted for 24 h and tested after reducing the luminance level of the water maze. We found that the albino mice failed to find the ramp when the luminance fell to 1.58×10−3 cd/m2 (p≤.0001), the beige mice failed at 2.00×10−4 cd/m2 (p≤.0001), and the normally pigmented controls performed to 5.00×10−5 cd/m2 (p≤.0001). These results support our previous findings that the sensitivity defect in hypopigmented animals is proportional to the degree of ocular hypopigmentation.
Solution of linear two-point boundary value problems via Taylor series

Abstract An approximate method based on Taylor series is proposed and extended to solve the linear ordinary differential equation of the two-point boundary value problem. The linear ordinary differential equation of boundary value problems are reduced to the linear functional differential equation of the initial-value problem, and using the Taylor series operational matrix of integration, the solution of the linear functional ordinary differential equation of the initial-value problem is derived. Two illustrative examples are presented.
The division potential of cells in continuous growth as compared to cells subcultivated after maintenance in stationary phase

Abstract Evidence is presented indicating that chick cell strains in culture have a limited survival time not directly related to the number of cell doublings undergone. It is suggested that the finite survival time is an expression either of a limited cell synthetic capacity or of the progressive accumulation of growth inhibitors or toxins with time in culture. Supporting evidence from other work with chick, mouse and human cell strains is discussed.
Use of fracture size and soft tissue herniation on computed tomography to predict diplopia in isolated orbital floor fractures.

Abstract Purpose To determine the role of fracture size and soft tissue herniation as measured by computed tomography in predicting the development of persistent diplopia in patients with isolated orbital floor fractures. Methods A retrospective chart review identified patients presenting between March 2009 and 2012 with isolated orbital floor fractures. Computed tomographic scans were assessed for transverse fracture size and absence or presence of soft tissue herniation and rectus involvement. Presence of diplopia at 6–10 days, decision for surgical repair, and presence of diplopia were recorded. Results Fifty-six patients fulfilled inclusion criteria. Eighteen of 56 patients (32%) had preoperative diplopia. In Type A fractures, 0/9 (0%) small, 1/8 (12.5%) medium, and 2/14 (14%) large fractures had diplopia. For Type B fractures, 3/4 (75%) small, 9/13 (69%) medium, and 4/8 (50%) large fractures had diplopia. Type B fractures were significantly more likely to cause diplopia than Type A fractures in the small (p = 0.003) and medium (p = 0.007) size groups but not in the large groups (p = 0.07). Conclusion Transverse fracture size and presence of soft tissue herniation on CT imaging can predict development of persistent diplopia in isolated orbital floor fractures. Small and medium sized fractures with soft tissue herniation are more likely to cause diplopia than large sized fractures. We recommend early repair or closer observation of small and medium sized orbital floor fractures with soft tissue herniation due to the high risk of diplopia.
Why is paper-and-pencil multiplication difficult for many people?

Abstract In school, at least in the US, we were taught to multiply by hand according to a standard algorithm. Most people find that algorithm difficult to use, and many children fail to learn it. We propose a new way to make sense of this difficulty: to treat explicit computation as perceptually supported physical and mental action. Based on recent work in neuroscience, we trace the flow of arithmetic information to emphasize demands on visual working memory and attention. We predict that algorithms that make moderate demands on memory and attention will work better than others that make stronger demands. We suggest that the judicious use of spatial schemas can reduce such cognitive demands. Experimental evidence from children in an inner-city school supports this claim. Our work suggests new ways to think about instruction. The goal should be to minimize demands that present obstacles and maximize instead what human eyes, bodies, and brains do well.
Measuring Democratic Change in Latin America

rT HE CONTINUING STRUGGLE between democracy and various forms of totalitarianism for control of men's minds and actions does not, as time passes, lose either intensity or interest. The conflict is focused and dramatized by the nature of international politics in what we earlier referred to as a bipolarized world. The sharpness of the competition makes it important, even imperative, that we study, as carefully and thoroughly as may be, not only the form and philosophy of one or another system of political control but also the component elements of different types, how and why they change, and what trends may be deduced from as penetrating analysis as is possible. We like to think that the United States is a democratic country, perhaps "the great exemplar of the democratic way of life and government." At times the claims become even more grandiose and perfervid. And yet, a hundred miles south of Florida a highly vocal Latin American spokesman-probably more vocal than logicalmaintains that democracy in the United States is a sham and a pretense. Fidel Castro holds that Cuba provides the genuine illustration of democracy in the hemisphere and that progress toward democratic goals is more viable and significant by far in his country than in ours. Such is the semantic value of the word "democracy." In perhaps oversimple fashion, most persons in the United States would be willing to define democracy in Lincoln's homely phrase, "government by the people." More thoughtful ones add some elementary corollaries: majority control but respect for minority rights,
An important source of4He (and3He) in diamonds

A large data base has recently accumulated on the concentrations of helium isotopes in diamonds mined from various regions. It was noted earlier (Ozima et al. (1985) [1]; Lal et al. (1989) [2]) that the frequency distribution of the4He concentrations is a fairly narrow one, whereas that of3He concentrations is a broad one with no pronounced peaks. The ratios 3He/4He, on the other hand show a broad maximum around 2 Ra (Ra equals atmospheric 3He/4He ratio, = 1.40 × 10−6) with a slow decrease over two orders of magnitude on either side. Does this imply that the diamonds sample a wide variety of helium reservoirs having a range of 3He/4He ratios but somehow attain similar4He concentrations? We propose that in a majority of the diamonds studied,4He is primarily due to implantation of radiogenic alpha particles from the host material after emplacement in the crust, usually kimberlite, and that the concentrations of4He in diamonds often get appreciably altered by this process. Thus the4He trapped in the diamond at the time of its crystallization is usually overwhelmed by the implanted helium and the measured 3He/4He ratios do not generally correspond to any “sources” in the mantle. However, the implanted4He resides in the outer 16 μm of the diamond, and the intrinsic4He and 3He/4He ratios in the diamond can be studied if its outer layers are removed. The wider implications of diamond being the “target” material for nuclear reaction products from the host material are discussed. Radiogenic3He produced in the host material is also implanted in the diamond, but this contribution is small on a gross basis. However, since the depth of implantation of3He is greater than that of4He, some of the very high 3He/4He ratios observed in diamonds could be due to the “implantation” of radiogenic3He. The radiogenic reactions in the host material can also contribute to appreciable21Ne in diamonds.
Observational analysis of moisture evolution and variability in the boundary layer during the dryline on 22 May 2002

An observational analysis of boundary layer moisture evolution during the dryline on 22 May 2002 is presented. This dryline occurred during the International H2O Project (IHOP) and was well observed by a variety of instruments at the intensive observing region (IOR), Homestead site. Although the observed strong upward air motion and the well-mixed boundary layer favored convection, the dryline did not trigger a convective storm. Several operational and research forecast models predicted deep convection at the IOR. High spatial and temporal resolution observational data from National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) lidar instruments, Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometer (AERI), sounding profiles and simulation results are used to investigate the role of moisture during this dryline. It is hypothesized that in addition to convection and lifting, abundant, deep and persistent moisture is required for a dryline to trigger convection. The possible reason why the dryline failed to trigger convection over the IOR is discussed.
Short-Term Effects of Prosocial Television Viewing on Play of Preschool Boys and Girls

A field observational experiment was performed to assess the impact of prosocial television on the free play of preschool children over a 4-day period. Analysis of the data indicated that boys were...
Origin and phylogenetic distribution of Alu DNA repeats: irreversible events in the evolution of primates.

Over the past 60 million years, or so, approximately one million copies of Alu DNA repeats have accumulated in the genome of primates, in what appears to be an ongoing process. We determined the phylogenetic distribution of specific Alu (and other) DNA repeats in the genome of several primates: human, chimpanzee, gorilla, orangutan, baboon, rhesus, and macaque. At the population level studied, the majority of the repeats was found to be fixed in the primate species. Our data suggest that new Alu elements arise in unique, irreversible events, in a mechanism that seems to preclude precise excision and loss. The same insertions did not arise independently in two species. Once inserted and genetically fixed, the DNA elements are retained in all descendant lineages. The irreversible expansion of Alu s introduces a vector of time into the evolutionary process, and provides realistic (rather than statistical) answers to questions on phylogenies. In contrast to point mutations, the present distribution of individual Alu s is congruent with just one phylogeny. We submit that only irreversible and taxonomically relevant events are at the molecular basis of evolution. Most point mutations do not belong to this category.
Modeling and probabilistic design optimization of a nanofiber-enhanced composite cylinder for buckling

Abstract Micromechanical approaches are used in mathematical modeling of randomly distributed carbon nanofibers (CNFs) in a thermoset polymer material. Both CNF waviness and CNF-matrix interphase properties are included in the model. The interphase mechanical properties are considered to vary in a manner similar to functionally graded materials. The effects of stochastic uncertainties on the overall properties of the composite material are represented using the probability theory. The uncertainties are propagated in calculating the axial buckling load probability of a thin-walled composite cylinder, which is then optimized for minimum material volume. The probabilistic design optimization results are presented and discussed.
The colonoscope in cecal volvulus: Report of three cases

Colonoscopy was employed to attempt detorsion of volvulus of the right colon in four patients considered to be high-risk surgical patients. In one patient detorsion was accomplished, so that emergency laparotomy became unnecessary. The site of torsion was reached in every patient. When detorsion does not occur reasonably soon after the colonoscope enters the right colon, persistent efforts are more likely to be harmful than helpful.
Kinetics of aluminum extraction from Ti3AlC2 in hydrofluoric acid

Abstract Herein we report on the influence of particle size, time and temperature on the kinetics – quantified by X-ray diffraction – of the selective extraction of Al from the ternary layered transition metal carbide, Ti3AlC2, when powders of the latter are immersed in hydrofluoric acid. Transmission and scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis were also used to characterize the resulting powders. Increasing the temperature and immersion times, and decreasing the Ti3AlC2 particle size, led to faster conversion of Ti3AlC2 to its 2-D Ti3C2 counterpart. Arch-shaped edges at the ends of some Ti3C2 layers resembled graphene, corroborating the single-sheet structure of exfoliated Ti3C2. The removal of water and/or OH surface groups from Ti3C2 using drying in vacuum was also attempted.
Response of Breath-Alcohol Analyzers to Acetone

Quantitative evidential breath-alcohol analyzers and screening testers in each of the five current categories of analytical principle were examined for response to dynamically-generated acetone vapor concentrations of 3, 100, 150, 350, and 600 micro g/210 Liters. Nine of the 13 instruments tested were unaffected by acetone at any of these concentrations; three solid-state (Taguchi) sensing devices and one device employing single-wavelength infrared spectrometry displayed responses to acetone at the two highest tested concentrations. In view of a breath-acetone literature survey for ambulatory subjects and other considerations, response of the tested devices to acetone is not considered to be a significant problem in breath-alcohol analysis for traffic law enforcement purposes.
Equilibrium partitioning of Ficoll in composite hydrogels.

Abstract Equilibrium partition coefficients ( Φ , the concentration in the gel divided by that in free solution) of fluorescein-labeled Ficolls in pure agarose and agarose–dextran composite gels were measured as a function of gel composition and Ficoll size. The four narrow fractions of Ficoll, a spherical polysaccharide, had Stokes–Einstein radii ranging from 2.7 to 5.9 nm. Gels with agarose volume fractions of 0.040 and 0.080 were studied, with dextran volume fractions (calculated as if the chain were a long fiber) up to 0.011. As expected, Φ generally decreased as the Ficoll size increased (for a given gel composition) or as the amount of dextran incorporated into the gel increased (for a given agarose concentration and Ficoll size). The decrease in Φ that accompanied dextran addition was predicted well by an excluded volume theory in which agarose and dextran were both treated as rigid, straight, randomly positioned and oriented fibers. Modeling dextran as a spherical coil within a fibrous agarose gel produced much less accurate predictions. The diffusional permeabilities of these gels were assessed by combining the current partitioning data with relative diffusivities ( K d , the diffusivity in the gel divided by that in free solution) reported previously. The values of ΦK d for a synthetic gel with 8.0% agarose and 1.1% dextran (by volume) were found to be very similar to those for the glomerular basement membrane, a physiologically important material which also has a total solids content of ∼10%.
A Novel On-Demand Framework for Collaborative Object Detection in Sensor Networks

Quality of object detection and network lifetime hold critical importance to many sensor network applications such as military surveillance. Unfortunately, improving one of these aspects comes at the expense of the other. In this paper, based on the probabilistic sensing model, we propose a novel framework for object detection in sensor networks, called DeCODe (on-demand framework for collaborative object detection), which provides a desired object detection performance (characterized in terms of detection probability and false detection probability), while attempting to prolong the network lifetime. The design of DeCODe is motivated by a counterintuitive observation that simple collaboration among active sensors indeed degrades the object detection performance. By contrast, each active sensor in DeCODe can trigger its neighboring inactive sensors to participate in the detection process in an on-demand fashion, so as to achieve the same low false detection probability while increasing the probability of detection. The effectiveness of the proposed DeCODe framework is supported by theoretical analysis and simulation-based validation.
Discovery of a rare ileocecal plasmacytoma

Here we report the discovery of an extramedullary ileocecal plasmacytoma, a rare entity reported only ∼60 times in the literature. This finding occurred during management of a patient who had sustained an occult perforation during diagnostic colonoscopy. We explored the patient finding a large ileocecal perforation, and thus a right hemicolectomy was performed. Interestingly, the pathology of the mass was consistent with an extramedullary plasmacytoma, which is a very rare gastrointestinal diagnosis. We end by summarizing the presentation and work-up of extramedullary plasmacytoma.
Fast carry free adder design using QSD number system

A high speed parallel full adder is designed which can perform carry-free addition of two modified signed digit quaternary numbers. For digital implementation, the sign digit quaternary numbers are represented using 3-bit 2's complement notation. The adder truth table with possible schemes of the electronic and optical implementation are provided. >
MODELO PARA LA ELABORACIÓN DE UN PLAN DE NEGOCIOS PARA LAS EMPRESAS PEQUEÑAS Y MEDIANAS

Las microempresas y las empresas medianas y pequenas, conocidas con la sigla Pymes, han venido cobrando cada vez mas importancia tanto en su contribucion a la economia de Colombia, como al bienestar de sus habitantes, al ir ganando participacion a las grandes empresas en el volumen de produccion y las plazas de empleo generadas en el pais. Igualmente, las empresas de estas categorias han venido aumentando su participacion en la cantidad de puestos de trabajo en Colombia, en la produccion, en el Producto Interno Bruto y en las exportaciones. En 1998, segun el estudio desarrollado por el Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo y el Centro de Desarrollo Empresarial se encontro que la principal debilidad que tienen las Pymes colombianas es la planeacion. Para efectos de llevar a cabo la planeacion de sus negocios, los empresarios cuentan con algunos recursos externos a la empresa. Las entidades que pueden prestar ayuda a los empresarios en sus procesos de planeacion son de dos tipos: instituciones cuyo objetivo es promover la creacion y desarrollo de empresas y empresas privadas dedicadas a actividades de consultoria, con fines comerciales. No obstante, hay un vacio en lo referente a recursos que les permitan llevar a cabo sus propios procesos de planeacion.
Yesterday's war; tomorrow's technology: peer commentary on 'Ethical, legal, social and policy issues in the use of genomic technologies by the US military'.

A recent article by Maxwell J. Mehlman and Tracy Yeheng Li, in the Journal of Law and the Biosciences, sought to examine the ethical, legal, social, and policy issues associated with the use of genetic screening and germ-line therapies (‘genomic technologies’) by the US Military. In this commentary, we will elaborate several related matters: the relationship between genetic and non-genetic screening methods, the history of selection processes and force strength, and the consequences and ethics of, as Mehlman and Li suggest, engineering enhanced soldiers. We contend, first, that the strengths of genomic testing as a method of determining enrollment in the armed forces has limited appeal, given the state of current selection methods in the US armed forces. Second, that the vagaries of genetic selection, much like other forms of selection that do not bear causally or reliably on soldier performance (such as race, gender, and sexuality), pose a systematic threat to force strength by limiting the (valuable) diversity of combat units. Third, that the idea of enhancing warfighters through germ-line interventions poses serious ethical issues in terms of the control and ownership of ‘enhancements’ when members separate from service.
Utilizing Graph Theory to Select the Largest Set of Unrelated Individuals for Genetic Analysis

Many statistical analyses of genetic data rely on the assumption of independence among samples. Consequently, relatedness is either modeled in the analysis or samples are removed to “clean” the data of any pairwise relatedness above a tolerated threshold. Current methods do not maximize the number of unrelated individuals retained for further analysis, and this is a needless loss of resources. We report a novel application of graph theory that identifies the maximum set of unrelated samples in any dataset given a user-defined threshold of relatedness as well as all networks of related samples. We have implemented this method into an open source program called Pedigree Reconstruction and Identification of a Maximum Unrelated Set, PRIMUS. We show that PRIMUS outperforms the three existing methods, allowing researchers to retain up to 50% more unrelated samples. A unique strength of PRIMUS is its ability to weight the maximum clique selection using additional criteria (e.g. affected status and data missingness). PRIMUS is a permanent solution to identifying the maximum number of unrelated samples for a genetic analysis.
Melt-Coolant Interaction

After the Three-Mile Island and Chernobyl accidents the attention of the nuclear plant designers has been drown to understand in dept the physical processes behind accidents leading to violent core degradation. One important class of such processes is the interaction of molten nuclear material with the coolant water. The phenomenon of pouring hot liquid into cold liquid can be associated with violent interaction especially if the temperature of the hotter liquid is much higher than the boiling temperature of the colder liquid. That is why in the cooking it is not recommended to pour hot oil into cold water. There is variety of interaction modes ranging from steady cooling of millions of particles in a cubic meter in the nickel production for instance, where molten nickel is first fragmented and then pored into large water pools trough the violent detonation - if aluminum dioxide is injected into water with high velocity. All this type of interaction is some times designated with melt-water interaction, melt-coolant interaction (MCI), steam explosion etc. Some geologists believe that one of the volcano explosion modes is caused by the mixing of lava with water after earthquake. In any case for real nuclear plants the melt-coolant interaction has to be quantitatively estimated in order to realize the damage potential of such interactions and in this light to judge the strength of the structures and then to design mitigation measures. Volumes 1, 2 and 3 of this monograph contain the basics haw such complex physical phenomena can be mathematically described. The subject of this Chapter is to give some guides for practical use of all these methods.
Neighborhood disorder and telomeres: Connecting children's exposure to community level stress and cellular response

Our objective was to explore the utility of salivary telomere length (sTL) as an early indicator of neighborhood-level social environmental risk during child development. We therefore tested the hypothesis that sTL would be associated with markers of social stress exposure in children. Children age 4-14 from 87 neighborhoods were recruited through five urban schools in New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. Data were collected at the level of the child, family/household, and neighborhood. DNA was obtained from saliva using commercially available kits and sTL was determined for 104 children using quantitative PCR. Analysis was performed on 99 children who had complete data including sTL, social environmental stress, and additional covariates. The mean sTL value was 7.4 T/S (telomere signal/single-copy signal) ratio units (±2.4, range = 2.5-18.0), and 4.7% of the variance in sTL was attributed to differences across neighborhoods. Children living in neighborhoods characterized by high disorder had an sTL value 3.2 units lower than children not living in high disordered environments (p < 0.05) and their odds of having low relative sTL (defined as <1 standard deviation below standardized Z-score mean) values was 3.43 times that of children not living in high disorder environments (adjusted OR = 3.43, 95% CI = 1.22, 9.62). Our findings are consistent with previous studies in adults demonstrating a strong link between psychosocial stress and sTL obtained from peripheral blood, consistent with previous studies in youth demonstrating an association between early life stress and sTL obtained from buccal cell DNA and offer increased support for the hypothesis that sTL represents a non-invasive biological indicator of psychosocial stress exposure (i.e., neighborhood disorder) able to reflect differences in stress exposure levels even in young children.
Ractopamine, a Livestock Feed Additive, is a Full Agonist at Trace Amine-Associated Receptor 1

Ractopamine (RAC) is fed to an estimated 80% of all beef, swine, and turkey raised in the United States. It promotes muscle mass development, limits fat deposition, and reduces feed consumption. However, it has several undesirable behavioral side effects in livestock, especially pigs, including restlessness, agitation, excessive oral-facial movements, and aggressive behavior. Numerous in vitro and in vivo studies suggest RAC’s physiological actions begin with its stimulation of β1- and β2-adrenergic receptor–mediated signaling in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue; however, the molecular pharmacology of RAC’s psychoactive effects is poorly understood. Using human cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (hCFTR) chloride channels as a sensor for intracellular cAMP, we found that RAC and p-tyramine (TYR) produced concentration-dependent increases in chloride conductance in oocytes coexpressing hCFTR and mouse trace amine–associated receptor 1 (mTAAR1), which was completely reversed by the trace amine–associated receptor 1 (TAAR1)–selective antagonist EPPTB [N-(3-ethoxyphenyl)-4-pyrrolidin-1-yl-3-trifluoromethylbenzamide]. Oocytes coexpressing hCFTR and the human β2-adrenergic receptor showed no response to RAC or TYR. These studies demonstrate that, contrary to expectations, RAC is not an agonist of the human β2-adrenergic receptor but rather a full agonist for mTAAR1. Since TAAR1-mediated signaling can influence cardiovascular tone and behavior in several animal models, our finding that RAC is a full mTAAR1 agonist supports the idea that this novel mechanism of action influences the physiology and behavior of pigs and other species. These findings should stimulate future studies to characterize the pharmacological, physiological, and behavioral actions of RAC in humans and other species exposed to this drug.
Anesthesia for ambulatory surgery in a child with hyposensitivity to pain

Congenital hyposensitivity to pain is a condition with predisposition to injury. In these patients, knowledge regarding anesthetic requirements and complications derives from individual case reports, or small case series. Different categories have been described. In patients with hyposensitivity to pain, preventing and treating anxiety as well as insuring immobilization, avoidance of triggering of autonomic reflexes, and sedation are integral aspects for a safe and adequate anesthetic management. © 2014 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
Fault-induced perturbed stress fields and associated tensile and compressive deformation at fault tips in the ice shell of Europa: implications for fault mechanics

Secondary fractures at the tips of strike-slip faults are common in the ice shell of Europa. Large magnitude perturbed stress fields must therefore be considered to be a viable driving mechanism for the development of part of the fracture sequence. Fault motions produce extensional and compressional quadrants around the fault tips. Theoretically, these quadrants can be associated with tensile and compressive deformational features (i.e. cracks and anti-cracks), respectively. Accordingly, we describe examples of both types of deformation at fault tips on Europa in the form of extensional tailcracks and compressional anti-cracks. The characteristics of these features with respect to the plane of the fault create a fingerprint for the mechanics of fault slip accumulation when compared with linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) models of perturbed stress fields around fault tips. Tailcrack kink angles and curving geometry can be used to determine whether opening accompanies sliding motion. Kink angles in the 50e70 � range are common along strike-slip faults that resemble ridges, and indicate that little to no opening accompanied sliding. In contrast, tailcrack kink angles are closer to 30 � for strike-slip faults that resemble bands, with tailcrack curvatures opposite to ridge-like fault examples, indicating that these faults undergo significant dilation and infill during fault slip episodes. Anti-cracks, which may result from compression and volume reduction of porous near-surface ice, have geometries that further constrain fault motion history, corroborating the results of tailcrack analysis. The angular separation between anti-cracks and tailcracks are similar to LEFM predictions, indicating the absence of cohesive end-zones near the tips of Europan faults, hence suggesting homogeneous frictional properties along the fault length. Tailcrack analysis can be applied to the interpretation of cycloidal ridges: chains of arcuate cracks on Europa that are separated by sharp kinks called cusps. Cusp angles are reminiscent of tailcrack kink angles along ridge-like strike-slip faults. Cycloid growth in a temporally variable tidal stress field ultimately resolves shear stresses onto the near-tip region of a growing cycloid segment. Thus, resultant slip and associated tailcrack development may be the driving force behind the initiation of the succeeding arcuate segment, hence facilitating the ongoing propagation of the cycloid chain. 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.