cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of sustained oxygen depletion on tissue pyruvate kinase activities in the freshwater turtle, Pseudemys scripta elegans.

Abstract 1. 1. The effect of sustained (48 hr) oxygen depletion on tissue (brain, heart, skeletal muscle) pyruvate kinase (PyKi) activities was examined in the pond turtle (Pseudemys scripta elegans). 2. 2. PyKi activities in skeletal muscle are significantly increased (from 322 ± 84 to 450 ± 95 ) following 48 hr of tissue hypoxia. PyKi activities in brain may already be elevated under ambient conditions but do not change following prolonged submersion ( 334 ± 75 vs 325 ± 77 ). Cardiac muscle PyKi is actually decreased (from 135 ± 35 to 94 ± 18 ) under anaerobic conditions. 3. 3. The data suggest that prolonged O2 depletion may increase PyKi biosynthesis in turtle skeletal muscle (subserving enhanced glycolysis), but also demonstrate that factors other than oxygen availability are involved in the regulation of tissue PyKi activities in intact vertebrates.
A TEST FOR ACCURACY OF NUMERICAL SOLUTIONS OF STEADY-STATE HEAT TRANSFER PROBLEMS

Abstract White the number of techniques for numerically approximating steady-state heat transfer problems continues to grow ( e.g., domain methods and variants such us finite differences and finite elements, boundary integral methods, and collocation methods), there still is a need for a procedure that develops exact solutions to simplified domain configurations to provide a family of test problems for use in evaluating the merits of a particular technique. In this paper an analytic solution to a family of mixed boundary value problems of the two-dimensional Laplace equation over the unit square is developed. Associated with this family of solutions is an error bound based on a lemma by Hopf. The mathematical development enables the numerical analyst to test the accuracy of other numerical techniques and evaluate the merits of a particular new development or variant of the base method.
Atrial Fibrillation Associated with Anesthesia in a Standardbred Gelding

A Standardbred gelding was anesthetized on three occasions over a 3 year period. Anesthesia was induced with xylazine and thiamylal on the first occasion, with xylazine, guaifenesin, and thiamylal on the second, and with acepromazine, guaifenesin, and ketamine on the third. Anesthesia was maintained with halothane during each episode. The horse had atrial fibrillation (AF) after induction of anesthesia on the first two occasions. Because arterial blood pressure remained within normal limits during AF and anesthesia, conversion to normal sinus rhythm with quinidine was not attempted. Reversion to normal sinus rhythm occurred within 12 hours of recovery after each of the first two anesthetic episodes. The gelding remained in normal sinus rhythm throughout the third anesthetic period and recovered uneventfully. Potential causes for AF in anesthetized horses are discussed.
Conservation of Hymenocallis coronaria genetic diversity in the presence of disturbance and a disjunct distribution

Evidence shows that dam construction has affected faunal species distribution and diversity in the southeastern U.S. However, the effects of this perturbation on aquatic flora of the region are heretofore uninvestigated. The objective for this research is to examine the effects of hydroelectric power generation and habitat characteristics on the size and distribution of populations of Hymenocallis coronaria (J. LeConte) Kunth (Amaryllidaceae), an emergent aquatic plant found in the southeastern United States, and to characterize its genetic variability in an effort to target conservation priorities. Multiple linear and logistic regression analyses show that hydropeaking does not have a significant effect on H. coronaria populations located downstream of dams, while other habitat variables associated with the streams are significantly positively related to population size and distribution. Analysis of 24 populations using seven universal cpDNA markers and six nDNA microsatellite markers indicates that the genetic structure for both genomes correlates with the location of a major gap in the species’ range, showing deep divergences in haplotype and population dendrograms between eastern and western regions. An AMOVA confirms that a substantial amount of genetic variation is found among regions, and very little variation is found within regions. The eastern and western regions have diverged for a significant time period, potentially due to the presence of a gene flow barrier in the middle of the species’ range caused by sub-standard habitat. Individual drainage basins contain unique cpDNA haplotypes and should be managed appropriately.
Small subunit ribosomal RNA sequences unite alternate actinosporean and myxosporean stages of Myxobolus cerebralis the causative agent of whirling disease in salmonid fish

The alternating myxosporean and actinosporean stages of the myxozoan parasite Myxobolus cerebralis (Hofer 1903) from its salmonid fish and aquatic oligochaete hosts, respectively, were compared for sequence homology of the small subunit (18S) ribosomal RNA genes. A 99.8% similarity between the sequences of these two stages was substantially greater than that of M. cerebralis compared to two other Myxobolus sp. from salmonid fish. Our results are the first molecular evidence confirming the alternating stages, initially described by Wolf and Markiw [25] for the life cycle of M. cerebralis but found in two different taxonomic classes (Myxosporea and Actinosporea) are indeed forms of the same organism. Sequencing of rRNA genes of the actinosporean stage followed by development of specific primers for DNA amplification of the myxosporean stage, as in our study, should be applied to solve other myxozoan life cycles. Additionally, these approaches will in the future provide useful diagnostic reagents for the detection and study of this important group of fish pathogens.
Impact of biomass emissions on particle chemistry during the California Regional Particulate Air Quality Study

Abstract This paper describes aerosol time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ATOFMS) measurements of the size and chemical composition of individual particles during the California Regional Particulate Air Quality Study (CRPAQS) (December 2000–February 2001). In Fresno, biomass particles display distinct diurnal variations, peaking at night and reaching a minimum during the day. These biomass particles are small ( D a ≤ 1.0 μm) and comprise 25% of the total analyzed particles with fractions ranging from 5% during the day to more than 60% at night. In addition, a unique collection of high mass organic carbon (HMOC) particles was identified with similar diurnal variations. The HMOC particles contain characteristic peaks between mass-to-charge ( m / z ) 100 and 200 in both the positive and negative ion mass spectra. HMOC particles only appear at night and have larger aerodynamic diameters ( D a ≤ 1.0 μm). Furthermore, the HMOC particles show fragment ions of organic carbon, aromatic compounds, as well as non-mineral potassium, levoglucosan, and marker ions indicative of fog processing. We hypothesize the observed diurnal variations are due to an increase in direct biomass emissions followed by gas/particle partitioning of semivolatile species which undergo aqueous phase processing at night.
How usable are operational digital libraries: a usability evaluation of system interactions

This paper reports a usability evaluation of three operational digital libraries (DLs): the ACM DL, the IEEE Computer Society DL, and the IEEE Xplore DL. An experiment was conducted in a usability lab and 35 participants completed the assigned tasks. The results demonstrate that all three DLs have more or less usability problems by various measures. Searching in Xplore by inexperienced users was problematic, and browsing in IEEE CS was extremely difficult for all users. Interaction design features that caused these usability problems were identified and discussed. The study implies there is still large room for operational DLs to improve in order to provide more satisfactory services.
Finite element analysis of plasticity-induced fatigue crack closure: an overview

Abstract Finite element analysis is perhaps the most commonly used numerical method to model plasticity-induced fatigue crack closure. The state-of-the-art is reviewed and a comprehensive overview is presented, summarizing issues which must be considered and emphasizing potential difficulties. These include mesh refinement level, crack advancement schemes, crack shape evolution, geometry effects, and crack opening value assessment techniques.
Teaching Cost-Effective Research Skills: Have We Overemphasized Its Importance?

Surveys of law librarians show concern with the lack of cost-effective research skills of law students and new associates. Some commentators call for greater emphasis on the subject in legal research classes. To explore whether the subject merits increased instructional attention, the author surveyed second- and third-year law students at the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law about their summer research experiences. The purpose of the survey was to find out how much importance summer employers placed on containing online research costs. The student survey results contradict the commonly expressed view that employers are greatly concerned with containing online research costs. The author posits that law library surveys generally reflect the experiences of large firm librarians, whereas the great majority of students and practicing attorneys do not work at these organizations. The concerns of these librarians might not be as relevant for students who work at smaller firms and government o...
System life data analysis with dependent partial knowledge on the exact cause of system failure

Abstract Because of cost and time factors the exact cause of system failure may be known only partially. For example, the cause is narrowed down to a component in a subsystem or a smaller set of components. This is called “masking” of the exact failure mode. Our paper focuses on reliability estimation when the masking probability is dependent on the particular cause of failure.
Thucydides’ critique of realpolitik

(1995). Thucydides’ critique of realpolitik. Security Studies: Vol. 5, Roots of Realism, pp. 105-141.
Epidural analgesia in labour performed by obstetricians.

Summary: The use of epidural analgesia by obstetricians in 2,645 women in labour is reported. The use of this technique as one of the routine methods is proposed even in those centres where no anaesthetist for pain relief is available for the 24-hour period. This is possible by the previous training of obstetricians. Advantages, side-effects and complications of epidural analgesia are discussed.
Galactosyl(α1→4)galactosylceramide: Galactosyl hydrolase activity in normal and Fabry plasma

Abstract An α-galactosidase fraction which hydrolyzes galactosyl(α1→4)galactosylceramide and 4-methylumbelliferyl-α-galactoside has been isolated from normal human plasma by affinity chromaography. It was partially separated into two enzymatically active proteins by isoelectric focusing or cellulose acetate electrophoresis. The protein fraction obtained by affinity chromatography of Fabry plasma also was divided into two proteins, but only the protein of slower electrophoretic mobility had detectable enzymatic activity. These results indicate that the accumulation of galactosyl(α1→4)galactosylceramide in certain organs in Fabry's disease is due to an alteration of a specific α-galactosidase.
Changing attitudes toward day care and maternal employment as portrayed in women's magazines: 1977–1990

The treatment of day care and maternal employment effects on children was examined in 88 articles from seven popular women's magazines between 1977 and 1990. Coverage of these topics increased over the 14 years. Attitudes concerning effects on children changed from all or mostly positive between 1977 and 1983 to more negative and mixed between 1984 and 1990. This increasingly negative trend reversed an earlier pattern of increasingly positive attitudes expressed in these same magazines from 1956 to 1976 (Etaugh, 1980). The mixed views of recent years appear to reflect the conflicting opinions of child care experts regarding effects of early day care on infant development.
Red blood cell stimulation of platelet nitric oxide production indicated by quantitative monitoring of the communication between cells in the bloodstream

ATP is a recognized stimulus of nitric oxide synthase and is released from red blood cells (RBCs) upon deformation. The objective of this work is to demonstrate that RBCs stimulate nitric oxide production in platelets by employing a continuous flow analysis system in which the stream contains both RBCs and platelets. Here, two drugs known to improve blood flow in vivo (pentoxyfilline and iloprost) are shown to increase both the release of RBC-derived ATP and the production of platelet-derived NO. A flow-based chemiluminescence assay (in vitro) was employed to quantitatively determine the amount of ATP released from erythrocytes subjected to flow-induced deformation. Prior to being subjected to flow, erythrocytes were incubated in the absence or presence of 4.8 μM pentoxyfilline or 80 nM iloprost. Erythrocytes obtained from rabbits (n = 22) that were subjected to flow released 239 ± 29 nM ATP. When treated with pentoxyfilline, the ATP released from the flowing RBCs increased to 450 ± 94 nM ATP. An increase...
Barriers and facilitators to providing incarcerated youth with a quality education

The authors aimed to compile a list of barriers and facilitators to providing incarcerated youth with a quality education. They asked 78 teachers in the juvenile justice system what they perceived to be the top 3 barriers and facilitators to providing incarcerated youth with a quality education. The authors used the constant comparative method to analyze the data, and they developed the following 9 themes: personnel concerns, academics, student concerns, discipline, materials and supplies, parental involvement, funding, communication, and facilities. These themes serve as a foundation for discussing how to improve the quality of education for incarcerated youth. The authors discuss results in terms of what teachers and administrators can do to improve the quality of education of incarcerated youth.
Proactiveness, Stakeholder–Firm Power Difference, and Product Safety and Quality of Chinese SMEs

Despite an abundance of research on entrepreneurial orientation and various dimensions of firm financial performance, very little is known about the specific influence of proactiveness on performance. In the current research, we explore the role of proactiveness in firms' interaction with the external environment. In particular, we examine the influence of proactiveness in stakeholder�firm power difference. Further, we investigate the extent to which stakeholder�firm power difference affects product safety and quality. Using a sample of 144 Chinese small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), we found that proactiveness can decrease government� and media�firm power differences. Government�firm power difference reduces product concerns, yet media�firm power difference deteriorates the purported product strengths for Chinese SMEs.
Assessment of pulmonary vasculature and right heart by invasive haemodynamics and echocardiography

Understanding the haemodynamical profile of the right ventricle and pulmonary circulation is critical to not only the initial evaluation of, but also the continued management of pulmonary hypertension. Despite advances in non-invasive imaging techniques, right heart catheterisation (RHC) remains the gold standard for diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension and its various causes. Even so, integration of invasive haemodynamical data with the echo-Doppler exam provides the most comprehensive assessment of the pathophysiology of pulmonary hypertension in the individual patient. Here, we review technical aspects of basic RHC as well as specialised procedures including exercise and fluid challenge in the evaluation of pulmonary hypertension. Interpretation of data in the context of pulmonary vascular disease is discussed. Echocardiographical assessment of the right ventricular structure and function in pulmonary vascular disease are discussed along with the integration of haemodynamical and echocardiographical data in the clinical context.
Benefits from agricultural development projects: Another lesson from Nigeria

Abstract This study assesses the impact of a World Bank assisted agricultural development project on rural farmers in Igaland. The data indicate that regardless of rural farmers' level of education, those directly employed in the project are more likely to be in the high-income bracket than their peers who are not so employed. The analysis also suggests that those rural farmers in direct contact with the project were more likely to feel positive about its various benefits to Igalaland than the uninvolved.
Equivalent neutrinos, light WIMPs, and the chimera of dark radiation

According to conventional wisdom, in the standard model (SM) of particle physics and cosmology the ``effective number of neutrinos'' measured in the late Universe is ${N}_{\mathrm{eff}}=3$ (more precisely, 3.046). For extensions of the standard model allowing for the presence of $\ensuremath{\Delta}{N}_{\ensuremath{\nu}}$ ``equivalent neutrinos'' (or ``dark radiation''), it is generally the case that ${N}_{\mathrm{eff}}g3$. These canonical results are reconsidered, demonstrating that a measurement of ${N}_{\mathrm{eff}}g3$ can be consistent with $\ensuremath{\Delta}{N}_{\ensuremath{\nu}}=0$ (``dark radiation without dark radiation''). Conversely, a measurement consistent with ${N}_{\mathrm{eff}}=3$ is not inconsistent with the presence of dark radiation ($\ensuremath{\Delta}{N}_{\ensuremath{\nu}}g0$). In particular, if there is a light weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP) that annihilates to photons after the SM neutrinos have decoupled, the photons are heated beyond their usual heating from ${e}^{\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}$ annihilation, reducing the late time ratio of neutrino and photon temperatures (and number densities), leading to ${N}_{\mathrm{eff}}l3$. This opens the window for one or more equivalent neutrinos, including ``sterile neutrinos,'' to be consistent with ${N}_{\mathrm{eff}}=3$. By reducing the neutrino number density in the present Universe, this also allows for more massive neutrinos, relaxing the current constraints on the sum of the neutrino masses. In contrast, if the light WIMP couples only to the SM neutrinos and not to the photons and ${e}^{\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}$ pairs, its late time annihilation heats the neutrinos but not the photons, resulting in ${N}_{\mathrm{eff}}g3$ even in the absence of equivalent neutrinos or dark radiation. A measurement of ${N}_{\mathrm{eff}}g3$ is no guarantee of the presence of equivalent neutrinos or dark radiation. In the presence of a light WIMP and/or equivalent neutrinos, there are degeneracies among the light WIMP mass and its nature (fermion or boson, as well as its couplings to neutrinos and photons), the number and nature (fermion or boson) of the equivalent neutrinos, and their decoupling temperature (the strength of their interactions with the SM particles). As the analysis here reveals, there's more to a measurement of ${N}_{\mathrm{eff}}$ than meets the eye.
Clock cycle oriented data bandwidth aware merge mode motion vector selection algorithm for HEVC

The latest video coding standard called high efficient video coding (HEVC) has been standardized recently to provide higher coding performance than previous state-of-the-art video coding standard H264/AVC. However, the near 50% bitrate reduction compared to H.264/AVC mainly comes from the adoption of several advanced coding techniques but at the expense of increased coding complexity as well as hardware design difficulty. In addition, the system bus uncertainty caused by multiple system module accesses also noticeably determinates the overall system throughput. Therefore, this paper proposes a clock cycle oriented data bandwidth aware merge mode motion vector selection algorithm for HEVC. In this paper, the merge mode motion vector candidates are first prioritized for guiding the upcoming motion vector candidate selection process. Afterward, the clock cycles during video coding system operation are considered to evaluate the current data bandwidth condition, and the current data bandwidth condition is adopted to decide the prioritized merge mode motion vector candidate. Simulation results demonstrate that our proposed algorithm can achieve higher throughput requirement with ignorable rate distortion performance degradation.
Long-term Protection of Bridge-deck Systems With Structural Latex-modified Concrete Overlays

This article provides useful recommendations and guidelines about the practices involved in the design and construction of fibrous latex-modified concrete (LMC) overlays based on the findings of a 4-year comprehensive experimental research program as well as other reliable studies. Structural advantages of fibrous LMC overlays and quantification of the live load and shrinkage-induced deck-overlay interfacial stresses are also discussed.
Fissile and fusile breeding in the thorium fusion fission hybrid

The thorium fuel cycle fissile and fusile breeding in a molten salt and a solid fuel blanket for a system consisting of fusion fuel factories coupled to fission satellites burners, is considered. The use of the thorium cycle in a fusion fission hybrid could bypass the stage of fourth generation fission breeder reactors in that the energy multiplication in the fission island allows the satisfaction of energy breakeven and the Lawson condition in magnetic and inertial fusion reactor experiments, hence an early introduction of fusion energy.
Role of nutrition and exercise in osteoporosis

Both adequate nutrition and exercise are essential for development of peak adult bone mass and maintenance of bone during aging. The optimal dietary level of a nutrient may vary from individual to individual and may change with age, intake of other nutrients, disease, drug therapy, or sex hormone status. Effects on spinal trabecular bone may not parallel effects on axial cortical bone. Calcium nutrition is important in the prevention of osteoporosis, as calcium is a major constituent of bone. The intake of calcium among most American adults is below the levels recommended by public health agencies. There have been no adequate prospective studies to determine the optimal intake of calcium for preservation of bone mass in young or middle-aged adults, although calcium balance studies indicate that premenopausal women require approximately 1,000 mg of calcium per day. The negative calcium balance of early menopause may be ameliorated by 1,000 mg of calcium per day; however, there is no proof that greater intakes fully reverse the effects of estrogen deficiency. Calcium requirements of both elderly men and women are likely to be greater (between 1,000 and 1,500 mg per day) due to an age-related decrease in the efficiency of intestinal calcium absorption. The optimal level of weight-bearing exercise for maintenance of bone mass in old age is probably similar to that of an active young adult. Maintenance of this activity level in middle and old age improves bone mass. An exercise prescription for elderly individuals must include an appraisal of cardiovascular and muscular-skeletal health and be designed to minimize the risk of trauma during exercise.
Meningococcal Disease among United States Military Service Members in Relation to Routine Uses of Vaccines with Different Serogroup-Specific Components, 1964–1998

Historically, military recruits have been at high risk of acquiring meningococcal disease. Beginning in the 1940s, the US military relied on mass treatment with sulfadiazine to control outbreaks in training camps. In the 1960s, a vaccine was developed in response to the emergence of sulfadiazine-resistant strains. Since 1971, all new recruits in the US military have been immunized against Neisseria meningitidis during their first days of service. Serogroups represented in vaccines given to service members have changed over time: the quadrivalent (A, C, Y, W135) vaccine has been given since 1982. In the US military, meningococcal disease rates decreased by approximately 94% from 1964 to 1998. After initiating routine immunization in 1971, crude rates decreased sharply and have remained low; in addition, there have been few cases of disease caused by serogroups represented in contemporaneously administered vaccines. In the US military, immunizations have been effective for the prevention of disease caused by vaccine-homologous serogroups of N. meningitidis.
A First-Order Model Of A Photo-Activated Liquid Crystal Light Valve

A first order theoretical model of a thin nematic liquid crystal layer mated to a CdS/CdTe heterojunction photosensor is presented. Uniform parallel alignment of the liquid crystal molecules with the light valve substrates is assumed. The response of the liquid crystals is predicted through minimization of the distortion free energy density and the operation of the photosensor is obtained by assuming it to be a back biased light activated charge storage diode. Measurements of an actual liquid crystal light valve response are presented to verify the model.
Moving load on track with Asphalt trackbed

Asphalt trackbed is gaining great popularity, as it strengthens the track tremendously and protects the subgrade. In this paper, asphalt trackbed deflection under moving dynamic load is solved analytically. The rail is modelled as an Euler beam. Tie and ballast are modelled as a discrete supporting system. Asphalt trackbed is modelled as another Euler beam on Winkler foundation (subgrade soil). One of the most important features of this model is that it can evaluate the damage to the asphalt trackbed under different train speed and/or non-uniform support conditions such as broken or missing tie case. It has the potential of serving as the design tool for asphalt trackbed as well as a track modulus back calculation tool for track structure evaluation. The solving techniques utilised in this paper can also be easily transformed to solve the dynamic responses of a track system on bridge.
Smoked Pheasant: Levels of Curing Brine and Frozen Storage Intervals

Abstract Twelve hen pheasants were cured in one of two curing brines (10% curing brine with 8% cover brine, and 24% brine with 20% cover brine) and smoked for 9 hours at 66° C. Cooked sampling was done at 0, 3, 6 and 9 months frozen storage. The breast and thigh from the left side were used for taste panel evaluations of appearance, tenderness, juiciness and flavor. Right portions were used for objective tenderness and extractable fluids. A second lot of birds of ten each for two intermediary curing brines of 20% and 15% with cover brines of 15% and 12% respectfully were similarly evaluated. Smoked pheasant after 9 months frozen storage was still acceptable. Curing brine of 20% with 15% cover brine was more acceptable to the taste panel.
Electrocorticographic frequency alteration mapping: a clinical technique for mapping the motor cortex.

Objective Electrocortical stimulation (ECS) has been well established for delineating the eloquent cortex. However, ECS is still coarse and inefficient in delineating regions of the functional cortex and can be hampered by after-discharges. Given these constraints, an adjunct approach to defining the motor cortex is the use of electrocorticographic signal changes associated with active regions of the cortex. The broad range of frequency oscillations are categorized into two main groups with respect to the sensorimotor cortex: low and high frequency bands. The low frequency bands tend to show a power reduction with cortical activation, whereas the high frequency bands show power increases. These power changes associated with the activated cortex could potentially provide a powerful tool in delineating areas of the motor cortex. We explore electrocorticographic signal alterations as they occur with activated regions of the motor cortex, as well as its potential in clinical brain mapping applications. Methods We evaluated seven patients who underwent invasive monitoring for seizure localization. Each patient had extraoperative ECS mapping to identify the motor cortex. All patients also performed overt hand and tongue motor tasks to identify associated frequency power changes in regard to location and degree of concordance with ECS results that localized either hand or tongue motor function. Results The low frequency bands had a high sensitivity (88.9-100%) and a lower specificity (79.0-82.6%) for identifying electrodes with either hand or tongue ECS motor responses. The high frequency bands had a lower sensitivity (72.7-88.9%) and a higher specificity (92.4-94.9%) in correlation with the same respective ECS positive electrodes. Conclusion The concordance between stimulation and spectral power changes demonstrate the possible utility of electrocorticographic frequency alteration mapping as an adjunct method to improve the efficiency and resolution of identifying the motor cortex.
Cyclodextrin-Enhanced Electrokinetic Removal of Phenanthrene from a Model Clay Soil

Removal of hydrophobic organic contaminants (HOCs) from saturated low-permeability subsurface environments using a solubility-enhanced electrokinetic remediation process is demonstrated for a model...
Effect of ethanol on dop amine synthesis in rat striatal synaptosomes

We have examined the effects of acute and chronic ethanol treatment and of ethanol withdrawal on dopamine synthesis in rat striatal synaptosomes in vitro. Our studies showed that acute exposure to ethanol produces a dose-related decrease in dopamine synthesis in synaptosomes. This effect of acute ethanol treatment is time-dependent, since there is an initial stimulation of dopamine synthesis, which then is followed by a depression of synthesis. Chronic exposure to ethanol in the form of a liquid diet for 2 weeks does not alter dopamine synthesis in striatal synaptosomes. After withdrawal from ethanol, dopamine synthesis in striatal synaptosomes is decreased.
SU-FF-I-35: Scatter Correction For Digital Tomosynthesis

Purpose: To investigate post acquisition scatter correction for digital tomosynthesis breast imaging.Method and Materials:Images of a composite phantom that was fabricated for evaluating digital breast tomosynthesis and used in a previous contrast‐detail (CD) study [Suryanarayanan et al., Acad Radiol 7: 1085–1097, 2000] were used to test the scatter correction method. These images were acquired using a prototype full‐field digital mammography (FFDM) system (GEMedical Systems, Milwaukee, WI) without an anti‐scatter grid. The phantom comprised of a centrally placed CD insert (MedOptics, Tucson, AZ), blocks of cluttered paraffin and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), and beeswax surrounding it to provide a total phantom thickness of 54 mm. A set of 7 projection images of the phantom were acquired over an angular range of ± 18° at 60 intervals at 26 kVp, MoMo, and 32 mAs/view. The projection data sets were corrected for scatter using the scatter correction technique described by Trotter et al. [Proc. SPIE, vol. 4682: 469–478, 2002] and processed with an adaptive noise filter. The projection images were then reconstructed using back‐projection and iterative restoration methods using Tuned Aperture Computed Tomography (TACT) [Webber et al., J. Digit. Imaging, 13: 90–97, 2000] software (developed by R.L. Webber, Wake Forest University, NC). The contrast‐to‐noise (CNR) ratio, signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR), and % contrast were computed for one of the targets (2.32 mm diameter and 0.24 mm depth). Results: The uncorrected projection data set reconstructed with back‐projection resulted in CNR = 3.0, SNR = 30.4, and % contrast = 11.1, while the scatter corrected and processed projection images yielded CNR = 10.2, SNR =60.7, and %contrast = 20.2. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate improved SNR,CNR, and % contrast after scatter correction in tomosynthesis. We are currently implementing and evaluating other scatter correction and reconstruction methods for digital tomosynthesis.
Dynamic video summarization of home video

An increasing number of people own and use camcorders to make videos that capture their experiences and document their lives. These videos easily add up to many hours of material. Oddly, most of them are put into a storage box and never touched or watched again. The reasons for this are manifold. Firstly, the raw video material is unedited, and is therefore long-winded and lacking visually appealing effects. Video editing would help, but, it is still too time-consuming; people rarely find the time to do it. Secondly, watching the same tape more than a few times can be boring, since the video lacks any variation or surprise during playback. Automatic video abstracting algorithms can provide a method for processing videos so that users will want to play the material more often. However, existing automatic abstracting algorithms have been designed for feature films, newscasts or documentaries, and thus are inappropriate for home video material and raw video footage in general. In this paper, we present new algorithms for generating amusing, visually appealing and variable video abstracts of home video material automatically. They make use of a new, empirically motivated approach, also presented in the paper, to cluster time-stamped shots hierarchically into meaningful units. Last but not least, we propose a simple and natural extension of the way people acquire video - so-called on-the-fly annotations - which will allow a completely new set of applications on raw video footage as well as enable better and more selective automatic video abstracts. Moreover, our algorithms are not restricted to home video but can also be applied to raw video footage in general.
Performance evaluation of an IEEE 802.4 LAN

An IEEE 802.4 local area network (LAN) can be analyzed by two different approaches. The first approach focuses on aspects of the network, or protocol, which affect performance. In the IEEE 802.4 token bus protocol, the key performance measurements of token rotation time and network efficiency can be altered by defining several parameters. Experiments on a real token bus network showed that by carefully selecting these parameters to match characteristics of the given application, the tradeoff between token rotation time and efficiency can be optimized. The second approach emphasizes the performance level of the individual station provided by VLSI integrated circuits. The relevant measures of performance, which were analyzed for the MC68824 Token Bus Controller (TBC), include percentage of bus bandwidth, the contribution of the TBC to station delay, and the ability of the TBC to avoid the transmit underrun and receive overrun error conditions. >
Country planning and national forests

How shall we plan to secure highest returns from our forests in timber, agriculture, health and recreation? It is a nation's job.
Nature of water in nacre: a 2D Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic study.

Abstract In this work, the interactions of aragonite and organic matrix in nacre with water are investigated using two-dimensional (2D) Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The 2D-FTIR analysis revealed four bands in the OH stretching region at around 3550, 3445, 3272 and 3074 cm −1 . Two additional bands were found at around 3616 and 3282 cm −1 after deconvolution of the nacre spectrum. The bands at around 3616 and 3550 cm −1 are assigned to asymmetric and symmetric OH stretching of partially hydrogen bonded water molecules. The bands at around 3445 and 3272 cm −1 are assigned to asymmetric and symmetric OH stretching of water molecules fully hydrogen bonded with surrounding water molecules. Presence of above bands in the nacre spectrum suggests that water, in form of clusters, is present in protein matrix and aragonite pores. Water may also hydrogen bond with the organic matrix. The bands observed at 3282 and 3074 cm −1 are assigned to asymmetric and symmetric OH stretching of water molecules, chemisorbed on surfaces of aragonite platelets. Polarization experiments suggest that H–O–H plane of water molecules is along to c -axis of aragonite platelets.
Acoustic and Perceptual Correlates of Foreign Accent Syndrome with Manic Etiology: A Case Study.

In foreign accent syndrome (FAS), changes in articulation and prosody cause listeners to perceive the speaker as “foreign-sounding.” Fewer than 100 cases of FAS have been described in the literatur...
Abstract 2660: Downregulation of Bora gene expression in human tumor cells results in radioresistance by promoting repair of double strand breaks

Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are highly cytotoxic lesions caused by genotoxin such as ionizing radiation (IR). Following DSB, cells activate the DNA-damage response pathway by activating protein kinases such as ATM, ATR and DNA-PK, which then trigger histone H2AX phosphorylation and the accumulation of proteins such as Mediator of DNA damage checkpoint protein 1 (MDC1), 53BP1, and BRCA1 into IR-induced foci. This process initiates the repair of DSB. Previously we have identified a novel biomarker for radiation response, Bora, by using a genome-wide association approach using data generated with 300 human lymphoblastoid cell liens. Bora is known as a cofactor of Aurora-A, which is involved in mitosis regulation. During G2, Aurora-A, in complex with Bora, phosphorylates Plk1 at Thr-210. Activated Plk1 phosphorylates Cdc25C and Wee1, which induces activation of cyclin B-cdk1 complexes and promotes mitotic entry. In this study, we want to determine the underlying mechanisms by which Bora regulates response to IR. We found that knockdown of Bora in human cancer cell lines including HupT3, MIAPaCa-2 and Hela (siBora) exhibit increased clonogenic survival rate in response to IR, an observation that is opposite from the effect of Plk1 knockdown, suggesting a different mechanism involved. Knockdown of Bora also desensitize cancer cells to chemotherapeutic agents including gemcitabine and oxiplatin. This enhanced resistance to genotoxin is primarily due to increased DNA DSB repair. More than 90% of DSBs were repaired in siBora cells compared with 60% in control cells 8 hours after cell exposure to 2 Gy IR. Upon IR, more cells with Bora knockdown retained in G2-M phase compared with control. Furthermore, Bora directly interacts with BRCT domain of MDC1 via its C terminus, and over expression of Bora can abolish MDC1 foci formation induced by IR. All of these observations suggested a role of Bora in DNA damage response pathway and in turn, in chemo-radio resistance. Indeed, overexpression of the full length or C-terminus of Bora sensitized cancer cells to IR treatment, while the N-terminal Bora did not have significant effect on IR response. In summary, we have identified a novel function of Bora involved in DNA damage and repair pathway, which indicates a broad role of Bora in both tumorgenesis and chemo-radio resistance. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2660. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-2660
IMMUNOLOGIC STUDIES OF CADDIS FLY. V. CROSS-REACTION WITH OTHER INSECTS.

Abstract 1.1. A purified fraction of Caddis fly extract has been shown to consist of two components, which can be separated in electrophoresis, but not in the ultracentrifuge. The electrophoretic mobilities are −7.7 and −6.1 × 10 −5 cm. 2 sec. −1 volt −1 . The sedimentation coefficient is 0.72 S. 2.2. The estimated molecular weight for each component is 3000, assuming the particles to be spherical and unhydrated. 3.3. Extinction coefficients were determined for this preparation and found to be 35.2 by ultraviolet (280 mμ) and 1.3 by biuret (540 mμ). 4.4. From the nitrogen content, spectral properties, hexose determination, and other data, it is concluded that the allergen is a peptide or glycopeptide.
Perioperative Normothermia During Major Surgery: Is It Important?

PH caused by anesthesia-induced thermoregulatory inhibition and exposure to cold operating room environments still occurs in a significant proportion of patients undergoing major surgery. Although the association between specific perioperative temperatures (in and of themselves) and postoperative morbidity remains unclear, there is fair evidence to suggest that perioperative active warming may reduce the risk of postoperative cardiac events, bleeding, and SSIs. As such, proactive efforts by surgical teams to prevent PH are warranted and have become the standard of care at many institutions. Continued intraoperative monitoring of core temperature (ideally using esophageal probes) is recommended in all cases lasting more than 30 minutes, both to detect malignant hyperthermia and to maintain normothermia. Preoperative and/or intraoperative use of warmed forced-air devices is an effective way to minimize redistribution hypothermia following induction, whereas intraoperative use of warmed i.v. fluids helps reduce the potential for fluid-induced hypothermia and, in turn, optimizes rates of perioperative normothermia.
Reconstruction of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament in the Skeletally Immature Patient

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in skeletally immature patients are being observed with increased frequency. The management of these injuries is controversial. Nonreconstructive treatment of complete tears typically results in recurrent functional instability with risk of injury to meniscal and articular cartilage. A variety of reconstructive techniques have been used, including physeal sparing, partial transphyseal, and transphyseal methods using various grafts. Conventional adult ACL reconstruction techniques risk potential iatrogenic growth disturbance because of physeal violation. Growth disturbances after ACL reconstruction in skeletally immature patients have been reported. In this review, I discuss our approach to ACL injuries in the skeletally immature patient. Specifically, surgical techniques in the prepubescent patient and in the adolescent patient are detailed.
Perceived Impacts from Wind Farm and Natural Gas Development in Northern Pennsylvania

This study examines the environmental, social, and economic impacts that landowners perceive from the simultaneous development of an industrial-scale wind farm and extensive natural gas drilling in an area of northern Pennsylvania. A mail survey (N = 1,028) reveals that the types of perceived impact from wind and natural gas are similar overall, although the perceived magnitude of positive and negative impacts is greater from natural gas drilling. Impact perception was found to explain a large portion of residents' overall attitudes toward the energy developments, and residents' place meanings for the area also explain some attitudinal variation. Addition- ally, factors such as place attachment and length and type of residency were found to have little or no effect on either the perception of impact or resident attitudes toward development.
Carbon sequestration studies in agroforestry systems: a reality-check

Given the recognized role of agroforestry systems (AFS) in climate change mitigation through carbon sequestration, it is important to have rigorous and consistent procedures to measure the extent of C sequestration. The methods used currently vary widely and the estimations entail several assumptions, some of which are erroneous. Large-scale global models that are based on such measurements and estimations are thus likely to result in serious under- or overestimations. These methodological problems, though common to most land-use systems, are of a higher order of magnitude in AFS compared with agricultural systems because of the integrated nature of AFS and the lack of rigorous data on the area under the practice. While there are no easy, fast, and pragmatic solution to these complex issues in the short term, agroforestry researchers could, at the very minimum, include accurate description of the methods and procedures they use, such as sampling scheme, analytical details, and computational methods, while reporting results. That will help other researchers to examine the datasets and incorporate them in larger databases and help agroforestry earn its deserving place in mainstream efforts. Missing the opportunity to capitalize on the environmental services of agroforestry for the lack of rigorous and consistent procedures for data collection and reporting will be a serious setback to the development of agroforestry.
TeraPaths: End-to-End Network Path QoS Configuration Using Cross-Domain Reservation Negotiation

TeraPaths is a DOE MICS/SciDAC-funded project conceived to address the needs of the high energy and nuclear physics scientific community for effectively protecting data flows of various levels of priority through modern high-speed networks. TeraPaths is rapidly evolving from a last-mile, LAN QoS provider to a distributed end-to-end network path QoS negotiator through multiple administrative domains. Developed as a web service-based software system, TeraPaths automates the establishment of network paths with QoS guarantees between end sites by configuring their corresponding LANs and requesting MPLS paths through WANs on behalf of end users. The primary mechanism for the creation of such paths is the negotiation and placement of advance reservations across all involved domains. This paper describes the status of the project, our experiences so far, as well as the directions of our continued work.
Database, heal thyself

The ability of a database management system (DBMS) to detect problems or problem trends (which have not yet manifested as problems) and either take corrective actions, and/or provide advice or an automated notification to the database administrator (DBA) is absolutely crucial to ensure the "always-on" and "always-operational" environments. Any DBMS related failure could be prohibitively expensive and extremely damaging to business prospects. Today's database management systems primarily rely on DBAs to manually take corrective actions to minimize failures and provide robust platform to run applications. This approach is not very efficient, expensive and often not feasible. The goal of this paper is to outline several research directions and approaches that will lead to scalable and efficient self-healing database management systems. In this paper, we propose a general framework design, termed the self-healing framework (SHF), that can enable automatic problem detection and problem resolution inside the database server, thus transforming the DBMS to become self-healing.
Multiple positive solutions of a semipositone singular boundary value problem on time scales

In this paper, we study the following singular semipositone boundary value problem on time scales:
Bilateral Trade in the Shadow of Armed Conflict

Does the shadow of war decrease trade? I examine the influence of conflict on bilateral trade and argue that trading firms’ expectations of armed conflict, both within and between nation-states, should decrease trade along with armed political violence. By assuming that firms care about future profits and assess the likelihood of a domestic or interstate conflict in the future that could disrupt trade, I argue that increasing the expectation of a domestic or interstate conflict raises the transportation, transaction, and production costs of trade. Empirically, contemporaneous trade levels should be negatively related to trading firms’ beliefs about the likelihood of domestic and interstate conflicts in the future. Statistical tests, using bilateral trade data from 1984 to 1997, show that expectations of domestic or interstate conflict, in addition to violent armed conflicts, are negatively correlated with bilateral trade levels. Theoretically and empirically, this research advances our understanding of the trade-conflict relationship by demonstrating how trading firms’ expectations about future conflict reduce bilateral trade levels.