cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Collective responsibility and professional roles

Flores and Johnson (Ethics 93 No. 3 (1983) pp. 537, 545.) offer a solution to the problem of individual and collective responsibility which obscures the fundamental requirement for responsibility ascriptions, namely, moral agency. Close attention to matters of individual and collective agency provides a simple yet defensible criterion for establishing when an individual is and isn't responsible for the untoward consequences of a collective act.
Significance of Persistent Cytogenetic Abnormalities on Myeloablative Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation in First Complete Remission

Abstract Risk stratification is important to identify patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) who might benefit from allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) in first complete remission. We retrospectively studied 150 patients with AML and diagnostic cytogenetic abnormalities who underwent myeloablative allo-HSCT while in first complete remission to evaluate the prognostic impact of persistent cytogenetic abnormalities at allo-HSCT. Three risk groups were identified. Patients with favorable/intermediate cytogenetics at diagnosis (n = 49) and patients with unfavorable cytogenetics at diagnosis but without a persistent abnormal clone at allo-HSCT (n = 83) had a similar 3-year leukemia-free survival of 58%-60% despite the higher 3-year relapse incidence (RI) in the latter group (32.3%, versus 16.8% in the former group). A third group of patients with unfavorable cytogenetics at diagnosis and a persistent abnormal clone at allo-HSCT (n = 15) had the worst prognosis, with a 3-year RI of 57.5% and 3-year leukemia-free survival of only 29.2%. These data suggest that patients with AML and unfavorable cytogenetics at diagnosis and a persistent abnormal clone at allo-HSCT are at high risk for relapse after allo-HSCT. These patients should be considered for clinical trials designed to optimize conditioning regimens and/or to use preemptive strategies in the posttransplantion setting aimed at decreasing RI.
Response to intravenous lidocaine infusion predicts subsequent response to oral mexiletine: A prospective study

The local anesthetic sodium-channel blockers lidocaine and mexiletine reduce spontaneous and evoked activity in experimental neuroma models and have been reported to relieve a variety of clinical neuropathic pain conditions. The predictive value of relief from an intravenous lidocaine infusion (IVL) for subsequent relief from a 4-week trial of oral mexiletine was assessed in a prospective study of nine subjects with chronic neuropathic pain of peripheral origin. Subjects received IVL, 2 mg/kg and 5 mg/kg, over 45 min during separate sessions in random order under double-blind conditions. One week later, a 4-week titrating trial of oral mexiletine was initiated. Both doses of IVL significantly reduced pain visual analogue scores (VAS) scores. Although IVL 5 mg/kg produced significantly higher pain relief scores than IVL 2 mg/kg, subjects responded in a highly consistent manner to the two IVL. Subsequent response to oral mexiletine was significantly correlated with the average response to the two IVL. Mexiletine dose and blood levels were not correlated with pain relief. The results suggest that IVL may be a valuable tool in selecting patients for oral therapy with analogous drugs.
Global variations of zonal mean ozone during stratospheric warming events

Eight years of Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SBUV) ozone data are examined to study zonal mean variations associated with stratospheric planetary wave (warming) events. These fluctuations are found to be nearly global in extent, with relatively large variations in the tropics, and coherent signatures reaching up to 50 deg in the opposite (summer) hemisphere. These ozone variations are a manifestation of the global circulation cells associated with stratospheric warming events; the ozone responds dynamically in the lower stratosphere to transport, and photochemically in the upper stratosphere to the circulation-induced temperature changes. The observed ozone variations in the tropics are of particular interest because transport is dominated by zonal-mean vertical motions (eddy flux divergences and mean meridional transports are negligible), and hence, substantial simplifications to the governing equations occur. The response of the atmosphere to these impulsive circulation changes provides a situation for robust estimates of the ozone-temperature sensitivity in the upper stratosphere.
Parent-Of-Origin Effects in Autism Identified through Genome-Wide Linkage Analysis of 16,000 SNPs

Background: Autism is a common heritable neurodevelopmental disorder with complex etiology. Several genome-wide linkage and association scans have been carried out to identify regions harboring genes related to autism or autism spectrum disorders, with mixed results. Given the overlap in autism features with genetic abnormalities known to be associated with imprinting, one possible reason for lack of consistency would be the influence of parent-of-origin effects that may mask the ability to detect linkage and association. Methods and Findings: We have performed a genome-wide linkage scan that accounts for potential parent-of-origin effects using 16,311 SNPs among families from the Autism Genetic Resource Exchange (AGRE) and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) autism repository. We report parametric (GH, Genehunter) and allele-sharing linkage (Aspex) results using a broad spectrum disorder case definition. Paternal-origin genome-wide statistically significant linkage was observed on chromosomes 4 (LODGH=3.79, empirical p,0.005 and LODAspex=2.96, p=0.008), 15 (LODGH=3.09, empirical p,0.005 and LODAspex=3.62, empirical p=0.003) and 20 (LODGH=3.36, empirical p,0.005 and LODAspex=3.38, empirical p=0.006). Conclusions: These regions may harbor imprinted sites associated with the development of autism and offer fruitful domains for molecular investigation into the role of epigenetic mechanisms in autism.
Skeletal muscle: Length-dependent effects of potentiating agents

The ability of vertebrae skeletal muscle to contract more vigorously than normal in the presence of potentiating agents depends on the initial length of a muscle cell. Other factors such as the intracellular calcium ion transient, temperature, chemical nature of the potentiating agent, and the ratio of intrinsic twitch to tetanic force influence the degree of contractile potentiation but cannot account for the length dependence. At least part of a muscle cell seems normally less than fully active during contractions not only at short lengths but also at optimal sarcomere lengths.
Temporal Annotation and Representation

The goal of temporal annotation is to mark up all elements of a text that are relevant to the temporal interpretation of that text. As such, temporal annotation reveals part of the semantics of a text. We describe recent approaches to temporal annotation, focusing on the recently developed annotation language TimeML. In addition, we describe a couple of systems aimed at temporally parsing texts. We motivate the use of temporal annotation from a question answering viewpoint and describe some earlier insights from theoretical linguistics on what the temporal properties of language constructs are.
Distributed control of multiscale microscopic chemical sensor networks

Micromachines and nanoscale devices can act together for high-resolution monitoring and action on multiple size scales within physical materials and biological organisms. Such multiscale systems require robust distributed controls responsive to heterogeneous and poorly characterized microenvironments. To develop such controls, this paper extends the partially observable Markov decision process formalism to machines operating asynchronously at multiple scales and with delays. We show how an approximation to this formalism readily provides aggregate performance measures needed for designing distributed controls. This approach identifies the aggregate behavior as arising from differential-delay equations approximating the system’s dynamics. We illustrate this approach to distributed controls for chemical sensor networks consisting of micro- and nanoscale devices in the context of high-resolution biomedical diagnostics and treatment through localized drug delivery.
Divergent Expression of IL-1 Receptor Antagonists in CD34+ Fibrocytes and Orbital Fibroblasts in Thyroid-associated Ophthalmopathy: Contribution of Fibrocytes to Orbital Inflammation

Context: Thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) manifests as inflammation of orbital connective tissue. Bone marrow–derived CD34+ fibrocytes infiltrate the orbit in TAO where they become CD34+ orbital fibroblasts. They express thyroid-specific antigens and thus may contribute to inflammation. Evidence suggests that orbital susceptibility to TAO may involve IL-1, which is modulated by IL-1 receptor antagonists, designated secreted (sIL-1RA) and intracellular (icIL-1RA). Objective: We sought to characterize the expression of sIL-1RA and icIL-1RA in TAO orbital fibroblasts compared to CD34+ fibrocytes. Design/Setting/Participants: Patients with TAO and healthy donors were recruited from an academic medical center clinical practice. Main Outcome Measures: Real-time PCR, cytokine-specific ELISA, gene promoter activities, transcriptional analysis, mRNA stability, and cytometric cell sorting were performed. Results: Orbital fibroblasts treated with IL-1β exhibit greater inductions of IL-1α, IL-1β, and prostagla...
Pseudoelastic behavior of hypostoichiometric NiAl alloys: a simple model

We studied the pseudoelastic behavior of hypostoichiometric NiAl alloys using a very simple model, with interplanar interaction parameters extracted from recent neutron-scattering experiments. The behavior of the system under shear is studied numerically both in the static (quasiequilibrium) limit and with molecular dynamic simulations. Our results indicate that anomalous phonon softening can facilitate the nucleation of the martensitic phase near boundaries or defects as the system approaches the transformation temperature. For our simple model, we found that the criical stress for the nucleation of the martensitic phase is reduced by almost a factor of 2 as a result of anomalous phonon softening near the martensitic transformation temperature.
Partial rectus muscle-augmented transpositions in abduction deficiency.

Abstract Purpose Lateral posterior fixation sutures increase the effect of full rectus extraocular muscle transpositions. Partial rectus muscle transposition may be indicated to minimize the risk of anterior ischemia when multiple rectus muscles require surgery to achieve ocular alignment. Purpose To report a modification of full vertical rectus muscle transposition with lateral posterior fixation sutures for use in patients at risk for anterior segment ischemia. Methods Ten cases of unilateral split rectus muscle transposition augmented with lateral posterior fixation sutures were analyzed. Five patients had Duane's syndrome with esotropia in primary position, and five patients had sixth-nerve palsy. Results Seven patients had a history of ipsilateral rectus muscle surgery, and three patients underwent simultaneous surgery on ipsilateral horizontal rectus muscles. In Duane's syndrome patients, the preoperative angle of deviation at distance was 15.8 ± 5.8 prism diopters (PD) (range, 10 to 25) compared with 3.2 ± 4.4 PD (range, 0 to 8) postoperatively ( P = .005). In patients with sixth-nerve palsy, the preoperative angle of deviation at distance was 45.2 ± 23.9 PD (range, 16 to 80) compared with −5 ± 14.1 PD (range, −30 to 5) postoperatively ( P = .004). Postoperative binocular single visual fields enlarged in seven of seven patients. Conclusion Partial rectus muscle–augmented transposition allows surgery on multiple ipsilateral rectus muscles in (1) Duane's syndrome patients with esotropia, marked cocontraction, and/or limitation to both horizontal rotations and in (2) sixth-nerve palsy patients with ipsilateral medial rectus tightness. Augmented partial rectus muscle transpositions improve ocular alignment and may enlarge binocular single fields in patients with persistent deviations despite previous muscle surgery.
Predicting Soil Water Content Using the “Drained to Equilibrium” Concept

This study was conducted to evaluate the accuracy of a simple model, based on the “drained to equilibrium” concept, for predicting soil water dynamics in the presence of a fluctuating, shallow, transient water table. This concept assumes that soil water is primarily due to capillary rise from the water table. Water table depth varied between 1.8 and 2.3 m (with a mean of 2.0 m) during this study. The model was evaluated under four field conditions: (i) deep soil created by trenching, with tree roots, (ii) deep soil created by trenching, without tree roots, (iii) shallow soil with tree roots, and (iv) shallow soil without tree roots. Collocated water table and soil water content data at the 10-, 20-, 40-, and 60-cm depths were collected in a lychee ( Litchi chinensis Sonn.) orchard in Homestead, FL. Hydrostatic conditions were identified and van Genuchten parameters were determined using the filtered data set and the van Genuchten equation; accuracy of the predictions was assessed with the Nash–Sutcliffe coefficient of efficiency ( C eff ). The greatest variability in soil water content was measured at the 10-cm depth, while at other depths the soil water content was more consistent. In general, for the highly permeable soils and predominantly dry conditions tested, the drained-to-equilibrium model evaluated in this study proved to be a simple one-dimensional physical expression that predicted soil water content well (median C eff = 0.85) based on a shallow water table level. This information can be used to improve irrigation scheduling and flood management in shallow groundwater systems.
Electrochemical reduction of tetraketopiperazine

Abstract Between pH 0 and 2, tetraketopiperazine exhibits three d.c. polarographic reduction waves. Wave I is a quasi-reversible, 2e—2H + reduction of tetraketopiperazine to 2-hydroxytriketopiperazine, which undergoes loss of water by a reverse Michael reaction to give triketopyrazine, i.e., wave I proceeds by an e.c. reaction. Wave II is due to further electrochemical reduction of triketopyrazine in, overall, a 6e process to give 2,5-diketopiperazine. Since wave II depends on formation of triketopyrazine by a chemical reaction of 2-hydroxytriketopiperazine, it is under kinetic control. Wave III has been shown by potentiostatic experiments to proceed by an e.c.e. mechanism. The first step in this process is a 4e—4H + reduction of tetraketopiperazine to 2,5-dihydroxydiketopiperazine which then undergoes loss of two molecules of water by reverse Michael reactions to give 2,5-diketopyrazine. This is then reduced in a further 4e—4H + reaction to give 2,5-diketopiperazine.
The synthesis of naturally occurring 4-alkyl- and 4-alkenyl-γ-lactones using the asymmetric reducing agent B-3-pinanyl-9-borabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane

4-Hydroxy-2-alkynoates of high enantiomeric purity, available from the reduction of the corresponding ketones with B-3-pinanyl-9-BBN, are converted to 4-substituted-γ-lactones found in beetle and deer pheromones.
Diagnostic Examination of Children With Voice Disorders

Children with voice disorders in the public schools are frequently cited as an underserved population. One of the reasons for this problem most often mentioned by speech-language pathologists is th...
Successful treatment of systemic and central nervous system post‐transplant lymphoproliferative disorder without the use of high‐dose methotrexate or radiation

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) describes a spectrum of conditions with highest incidence in the first year post-solid organ transplant in pediatric patients. Central nervous system (CNS) involvement with PTLD carries high mortality risk with no consensus on optimal therapeutic regimen. We present the case of a 7-year old heart transplant patient diagnosed with widespread monomorphic, CD20+, Epstein-Barr virus-positive PTLD, including CNS involvement. In addition to immunosuppression reduction and rituximab, she was treated with multiagent systemic and intrathecal chemotherapy. She achieved a prompt and complete clinical and radiologic remission, which has been sustained for over 46 months since diagnosis.
RAPID RESPONSE TOOLS AND DATASETS FOR POST-FIRE EROSION MODELING: LINKING REMOTE SENSING AND PROCESS-BASED HYDROLOGICAL MODELS TO SUPPORT POST-FIRE REMEDIATION

Post-fire flooding and erosion can pose a serious t hreat to life, property, and municipal water suppli es. Increased peak flows and sediment delivery due to the loss of surface cover and fire-induced changes in soil properties are of great concern to both resource managers and the public. To respond to this threat, interdisciplinary Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Teams are formed to assess potential erosion and flood risks. These teams are under tight deadlines as remediation plan s and treatments must be developed and implemented before the first major st orms in order to be effective. One of the primary s ources of information for making these decisions is a burn severity map deriv ed from remote sensing data (typically Landsat) tha t reflects fire induced changes in vegetative cover and soil properties. Slope, soi ls, land cover, and climate are also important para meters that need to be considered when accessing risk. Many modeling tools and datasets have been developed to assist BAER teams, but pr ocess-based and spatially explicit empirical models are currently under-utili zed compared to simpler, lumped models because they are both more difficult to set up and require spatially explicit inputs such as di gital elevation models, soils, and land cover. We a re working to facilitate the use of models by preparing spatial datasets within a web-b ased tool that rapidly modifies model inputs using burn severity maps derived from earth observation data. Automating the creatio n of model inputs facilitates the wider use of more accurate, process-based models for spatially explicit predictions of post-f ire erosion and runoff.
Review of Evidence-Based Support for Pretreatment Imaging in Melanoma

When making a new diagnosis of melanoma, clinicians often obtain imaging studies to rule out clinically occult distant disease. These studies range from inexpensive tests, such as chest radiographs, to more expensive studies, such as PET/CT. The impetus for ordering these studies is usually the desire to identify potentially resectable distant disease, avoid surgery when curative resection is not possible, and assuage patient anxiety by showing that no evidence of distant disease is present. However, some detrimental aspects to these studies are less apparent, including cost and potential for false-positive findings. Although routine use seems reasonable, the true benefit of these studies depends on the probability of clinically occult disease being present, the likelihood that disease will be detected with the available technology, and the impact of earlier detection on outcome. Contrary to current practice patterns, available evidence suggests that preoperative imaging studies are associated with significant costs and minimal benefit in most patients with melanoma. This article reviews available literature on the role of pretreatment imaging in patients with newly diagnosed cutaneous melanoma. (JNCCN 2009;7:XXX–XXX) Medscape: Continuing Medical Education Online Medscape, LLC is pleased to provide online continuing medical education (CME) for this journal article, allowing clinicians the opportunity to earn CME credit. Medscape, LLC is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide CME for physicians. Medscape, LLC designates this educational activity for a maximum of X.X AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. All other clinicians completing this activity will be issued a certificate of participation. To participate in this journal CME activity: (1) review the learning objectives and author disclosures; (2) study the education content; (3) take the post-test and/or complete the evaluation at www. medscape.com/cme/jnccn; (4) view/print certificate.
Image enhancement in the JPEG domain for people with vision impairment

An image enhancement algorithm for low-vision patients was developed for images compressed using the JPEG standard. The proposed algorithm enhances the images in the discrete cosine transform domain by weighting the quantization table in the decoder. Our specific implementation increases the contrast at all bands of frequencies by an equal factor. The enhancement algorithm has four advantages: 1) low computational cost; 2) suitability for real-time application; 3) ease of adjustment by end-users (for example, adjusting a single parameter); and 4) less severe block artifacts as compared with conventional (post compression) enhancements. Experiments with visually impaired patients show improved perceived image quality at moderate levels of enhancement but rejection of artifacts caused by higher levels of enhancement.
The Origins and Strengths of Regional Parties

Traditional explanations of the origins of regional parties as the products of regionally-based social cleavages cannot fully account for the variation in regional party strength both within and across countries. This unexplained variance can be explained, however, by looking at institutions, and in particular, political decentralization. This argument is tested with a statistical analysis of thirty-seven democracies around the world from 1945 to 2002. The analysis shows that political decentralization increases the strength of regional parties in national legislatures, independent of the strength of regional cleavages, as well as of various features of a country's political system, such as fiscal decentralization, presidentialism, electoral proportionality, cross-regional voting laws and the sequencing of executive and legislative elections.
The Numerical Solution of Singular Systems Arising in Control Problems

This paper surveys numerical methods for the solution of singular systems that arise in control theory. Methods limited to linear time invariant systems will not be discussed.
Violence and Uncertainty in Transitions

This article develops a model of the strategic interaction between a regime and its domestic opposition. The author formally explores the strategic nature of the decision to pursue a transition. Specifically, the model incorporates the notion of uncertainty in the sense that the opposition does not know whether hard-liners or soft-liners control the regime. Liberalization then becomes a signal to the opposition, which may or may not convey meaningful information about the regime's type. An important result of the analysis is that in a scenario in which the opposition seeks a transition but wishes to avoid violence, conflict between the opposition and the regime can still occur. The model also provides an explanation for the occurrence of pacted transitions (negotiated transitions without violence) as well as why some transition opportunities do not materialize even when conditions are ripe for a peaceful transition. In addition, the model explains why and under what circumstances regimes liberalize. Empir...
Comparison of the North and South Polar Caps of Mars: New Observations from MOLA Data and Discussion of Some Outstanding Questions

New high-resolution data from the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) have provided detailed topographic maps for the north and south polar regions. These new data allow one to compare the overall topography and geologic histories of the two polar regions and to highlight some specific outstanding questions in Mars polar studies, following earlier comparisons using Viking and Mars Global Surveyor data. The new data show that the centers of symmetry of the polar cap deposits in map view (which include both the layered terrain and residual ice) are offset from the current rotational pole in antipodal directions. Offset in the north appears to be due to retreat of the polar materials from predominantly one direction (180° W). Lines of evidence for movement and melting in different forms (e.g., lobes in young craters, kettle-like depressions, candidate residual mantles overlying polar layered terrain, and possible eskers) have been seen at both poles. The exact timing and causes of movement and melting is yet unknown. Differences in underlying topography (large, low, flat depression in the north; broad, cratered high and edge of a large impact basin in the south) may influence the accumulation, flow, and movement of polar material and the storage and movement of meltwater. The small number of superposed craters has been interpreted to indicate a Late Amazonian age for both caps, with the southern cap being somewhat older (7–15×106 years) than the northern cap (<100×103 years). The Late Amazonian-aged caps are surrounded and underlain by Hesperian-aged material, indicating an apparent hiatus almost 3-byr in duration. This apparent hiatus in the geologic record from the Late Hesperian to Late Amazonian at both poles may be accounted for in one of three ways. (1) Polar caps are recent events in the history of Mars: This scenario requires that conditions in the Late Amazonian changed to produce environments favorable for cap formation late in the history of Mars, or that polar wander brought the caps to their present position very recently. (2) The polar caps are oscillating: In this scenario, caps are periodically deposited and then retreat and disappear, possibly due to extremes in the obliquity cycle. In this model, the present caps are the latest example of cap deposition and represent the type of deposit that has come and gone numerous times in the Amazonian. (3) The present caps are old, but have been renewed: In this scenario, the present caps have been in their current position for much of the Amazonian, but some process (e.g., melting, flow) is periodically destroying preexisting craters to produce cap surfaces that appear very young in terms of crater retention ages. Documenting the nature of the emplacement history of the present polar deposits and distinguishing among these disparate scenarios for their history are among major challenges facing Mars polar studies in the coming years.
A FAFFA-MLFMA algorithm for electromagnetic scattering

Based on the multilevel fast multipole algorithm (MLFMA), an efficient method is proposed to accelerate the solution of the combined field integral equation in electromagnetic scattering and radiation, where the fast far-field approximation (FAFFA) is combined with MLFMA. The translation between groups in MLFMA is expensive because spherical Hankel functions and Legendre polynomials are involved and the translator is defined on an Eward sphere with many k/spl circ/ directions. When two groups are in the far-field region, however, the translation can be greatly simplified by FAFFA where only a single k/spl circ/ direction is involved in the translator. The condition for using FAFFA and the way to efficiently incorporate FAFFA with MLFMA are discussed. Complexity analysis illustrates that the computational cost in FAFFA-MLFMA can be asymptotically cut by half compared to the conventional MLFMA. Numerical results are given to verify the efficiency of the algorithm.
Oxalosis and pregnancy.

0 x A L o s I s is a rare disease characterized by hyperoxaluria and widespread deposits of oxalate crystals throughout the body.‘-’ DoIan* has recently reviewed oxalosis and was unable to find a proved case in pregnancy or the puerperium. His review includes some 39 cases and ascribes the initial description of the disease entity to Lepoutre,” in 1925. In reporting 2 cases of familial oxalosis, Edwards” states, in the family history, that one of the sisters of the patient died at 22 years of age some 3 weeks post partum without having an autopsy performed. It was stated that this sister was free of symptoms of toxemia during pregnancy, but 3 weeks post partum she developed anasarca and convulsions and died in apparent renal failure. We recently had the opportunity of observing a case of this entity with a fatal outcome in a young Negro woman 4 weeks post partum. Our purpose is to record the clinical features and pathologic findings of this case.
A Novel Calibrated Label Ranking Based Method for Multiple Emotions Detection in Chinese Microblogs

The microblogging services become increasingly popular for people to exchange their feelings and opinions. Extracting and analyzing the sentiments in microblogs have drawn extensive attentions from both academia researchers and commercial companies. The previous literature usually focused on classifying the microblogs into positive or negative categories. However, people’s sentiments are much more complex, and multiple fine-grained emotions may coexist in just one short microblog text. In this paper, we regard the emotion analysis as a multi-label learning problem and propose a novel calibrated label ranking based framework for detecting the multiple fine-grained emotions in the Chinese microblogs. We combine the learning-based method and lexicon-based method to build unified emotion classifiers, which alleviate the sparsity of the training microblog dataset. Experiment results using NLPCC 2014 evaluation dataset show that our proposed algorithm has achieved the best performance and significantly outperforms other participators’ methods.
Photoselective KTP Laser Vaporization of Obstructive BPH (PVP)

Exigencies of societal demands for alternatives to the not inconsiderable morbidity and significant and increasing cost of transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) paved the way for development of a multitude of therapies for obstructive benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Among them, laser prostatectomy (LP) attracted much attention. However, phenomenal appeal of earlier coagulative and later cutting (enucleative) or even some vaporizing LP techniques has vanished or waned largely due to some combination of mediocre outcomes, complications, or technical impediments. A recent breakthrough in technologic creation of high-power potassium-titanyl-phosphate (KTP) laser capped by its clinical development and application, pioneered by Malek at Mayo Clinic, paved the way for a new LP technique known as photoselective vaporization of the prostate (PVP).With this novel approach, high-power KTP laser is effectively utilized to vaporize obstructive BPH acutely and hemostatically. Multiple reports of experiences from Mayo Clinic and elsewhere, globally, have found uniformly that PVP is relatively bloodless even in hemostatically impaired patients and typically requires short-term catheterization or no catheterization at all. It is associated with minimal morbidity, even in the high-risk patients, little postoperative discomfort, rapid recovery, and durable long-term symptomatic, quality of life, and urodynamic outcomes that match those of TURP at signifi- cantly less cost for the health-care system. Indeed, PVP has evolved from a therapeutic curiosity at Mayo Clinic to a popular and dominant form of therapy for obstructive BPH in the United States. Current trends indicate that it is likely to achieve a similar status globally.
Realism vs. optimality: a systems-engineered wide area network design system

Research is described in modeling, analysis and design of large scale, wide area communications networks. The thrust of the work has been directed towards large scale packet-switched data communications networks employing the US Department of Defense (DoD) suite of protocols. While there are a number of peculiarities (e.g., objectives and constraints on designs) specific to DoD technology networks which may not be found in all non-DoD environments, the DoD environment embodies many of the complicating aspects of a variety of data communications technologies: uncertain traffic; dynamic, adaptive routing; multiple, conflicting, and noncommensurate objectives; a broad spectrum of network sizes and purposes; numerous network reliability and survivability concerns; and internetworking. >
The nosology of dementia

The nosology of dementia has evolved from the simple distinctions between senility, degenerative dementia, and vascular insults that existed a few decades ago. The differentiation of normal cognitive aging from very mild dementia has sharpened considerably; however, appreciation of the heterogeneity of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and its clinical and pathologic overlap with other dementing disorders has blurred previous classification systems. Rather than viewing AD and vascular dementia, for example, as dichotomous entities, it may be more relevant to consider their additive or synergistic interactions producing dementia. Further elucidation of the nature and contribution of genetic factors in AD and related disorders will accelerate the use of genotype-phenotype correlations in dementia classification.
Adaptive fuzzy logic for the characterization of AC actuators

AC actuators are considered simple devices when it comes to their construction. However, due to the coupled nature of its electromagnetic and mechanical forces; it is very difficult to accurately characterize its performance. The drawback with such approaches is that some are in accurate and make many simplifying assumptions and others are computationally intensive. As appreciated from above, these approaches are not very suitable for applications requiring generation of large database as in the case of design optimization problems. This paper describes an adaptive fuzzy logic, A-FL technique that accurately and quickly predicts the performance of AC actuators based on some knowledge of the system.
Progenitor Cell–Based Treatment of the Pediatric Myelin Disorders

The childhood leukodystrophies are characterized by neonatal or childhood deficiencies in myelin production or maintenance; these may be due to hereditary defects in genes for myelin maintenance, as in Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease, or to enzymatic deficiencies resulting in substrate misaccumulation or misprocessing, as in the lysosomal storage disorders. Regardless of their respective etiologies, these disorders are essentially all manifested by a profound deterioration in neurological function with age. A congenital deficit in forebrain myelination is also noted in children with the periventricular leukomalacia of cerebral palsy, which yields a more static morbidity. In light of the wide range of disorders to which congenital hypomyelination or postnatal demyelination may contribute, and the relative homogeneity of oligodendrocytes and their progenitors, the leukodystrophies may be especially attractive targets for cell-based therapeutic strategies. As a result, glial progenitor cells, which can give rise to new myelinogenic oligodendrocytes, have become of great interest as potential vectors for the restoration of myelin to the dysmyelinated brain and spinal cord. In addition, by distributing throughout the neuraxis after perinatal graft, and giving rise to astrocytes as well as oligodendrocytes, glial progenitor cells may be of great utility in rectifying the dysmyelination-associated enzymatic deficiencies of the lysosomal storage disorders.
Digitization, the Internet, and the Arts: eBay, Napster, SAG, and e-Books

Via four case studies we explore the extent to which digitization is transforming how people access and engage with the arts. The first case study is the online auction house eBay. We focus on a unique system whereby millions of users rate each other's integrity and reputations in a digital venue via a transparent system open to all users and visitors alike. The second case study examines the Screen Actors Guild strike against the advertising industry, which drew attention to the potential for and limitation of the replacement of human actors by digitized replicas. Third, we focus on e-books in the context of the prediction that most books, music and film entertainment will eventually be distributed electronically to the average household. The fourth case study analyzes the Napster debate over file sharing and duplication of online music. We focus on the ability of Napster to create a huge community of users sharing their “own” copies of digital music. From this point of view Napster represented a uniquely efficient and large-scale dream, a modern form of the cooperation and sharing of property envisaged by classical anarchist philosophers of the nineteenth century. On the other hand, and as always in anarchistic uprisings, another class claimed proprietary ownership in the material being shared and saw in Napster mostly collective theft on the part of ordinary citizens. Three of these four case studies centrally involve ordinary people using the digital media in creative and innovative ways. We conclude by arguing, against those who are skeptical about the transforming power of digitization, that even in the short time that it has been widely available digitization has so increased people's ability to interact creatively with products that this amounts to a qualitative change which, over the next few decades, is likely to develop so far as to justify the label “revolution.”
Density functional rationale of chemical reaction coordinate

A dynamical partitioning of the reaction field is proposed in order to study the electron density flow along the reaction coordinate. The density functional is constructed in a universal form, and a one-to-one correspondence is established between the density matrix and the electron density. The density functional is free from the constraints of N or v representability and is treated as a thermodynamic function that obeys the principle of maximum entropy. The functional derivative of the density functional with respect to the electron density is introduced as a response operator. The reaction paths are combinations of the dynamical processes of the electron density; the corresponding response operators and new type of thermodynamic functions and potentials are defined and shown to be useful. The characteristic features of the chemical reaction coordinate is discussed in terms of the new thermodynamic quantities. The importance of the softest vibrational mode as the chemical reactivity index is rationalized in terms of the density functional theory.
criteria for the existence of impulse responses and kernel representations for linear maps

Results are given that establish, for the first time, necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of impulse responses and kernel representations for linear not-necessarily-time-invariant systems described by input-output operator equations. These results concern systems whose inputs and outputs are real-valued functions on the real line R, the half-line 10, ∞) or R″′. They deal with causal as well as non-causal maps and considerably extend related previous results which concern causal maps defined on functions on the half-line.
Cross-Jet Lagrangian Transport and Mixing in a 2½-Layer Model

Abstract Cross-stream mixing and Lagrangian transport caused by chaotic advection within a baroclinic (2½ layer) meandering jet are investigated. The quasi-steady meanders arise as a result of evolution from an initial small-amplitude instability. The investigation keys on the proposition, made in earlier work, that the cross-jet mixing and transport resulting from the meandering motions are maximized at a subsurface level. It is found that the results depend largely on the size of the shear between the two active layers (which are referred to as the upper and lower layer), as measured by a parameter α. For weak vertical shear (α greater than about 0.5) the primary instability is barotropic and there is no cross-jet transport in either of the active layers. Barriers to transport are identified as plateaus in the probability density function (PDF) of potential vorticity distributions. For stronger shear (α less than about 0.4), baroclinic instability comes into play, and the lower layer experiences barrier...
Magnetic Field and Force Calculations for an SSC Detector Solenoid Using a Commercial Finite Element Code

The preliminary design of a large detector for the high energy physics program of the Superconducting Super Collider (SSC) is centered about a large superconducting solenoid magnet producing a field of 1.7 T over a volume 8 meters in diameter by 16 meters long. Reliability is emphasized due to the difficulty of performing any maintenance or replacement after installation. An important factor in determining reliability is the accuracy with which the solenoid field and electromagnetic forces can be calculated. The ANSYS general purpose finite element program, with 2-d and 3-d magnetostatic capabilites, was used to calculate magnetic field, Lorentz forces, and stored energy for the proposed solenoid geometry. Axial forces resulting from failure of individual coils were found to be much greater than those expected from initial axial offset of the solenoid from the magnetic center of the iron. Radial decentering forces were found to be negligible in comparison with the overall solenoid weight. Comparison of the 2-d and 3-d finite element results for field and forces in normal operation showed good agreement.
Polymer taper bridge for silicon waveguide to single mode waveguide coupling

Abstract Coupling of optical power from high-density silicon waveguides to silica optical fibers for signal routing can incur high losses and often requires complex end-face preparation/processing. Novel coupling device taper structures are proposed for low coupling loss between silicon photonic waveguides and single mode fibers are proposed and devices are fabricated and measured in terms of performance. Theoretical mode conversion models for waveguide tapers are derived for optimal device structure design and performance. Commercially viable vertical and multi-layer taper designs using polymer waveguide materials are proposed as innovative, cost-efficient, and mass-manufacturable optical coupling devices. The coupling efficiency for both designs is determined to evaluate optimal device dimensions and alignment tolerances with both silicon rib waveguides and silicon nanowire waveguides. Propagation loss as a function of waveguide roughness and metallic loss are determined and correlated to waveguide dimensions to obtain total insertion loss for the proposed taper designs. Multi-layer tapers on gold-sputtered substrates are fabricated through photolithography as proof-of-concept devices and evaluated for device loss optimization. Tapered waveguide coupling loss with Si WGs (2.74 dB) was experimentally measured with high correlation to theoretical results.
NLM strength and CVC-CVC response-time recall

One hundred and twenty Ss were tested for the effect of natural language mediator (NLM) strength on the retention of NLMs and paired-associate response terms over 1 week. Hypotheses were that stronger NLMs would be retained best, as would the response terms of their pairs. At three different sessions, Ss (1) generated NLMs to 50 CVC pairs, (2) learned 18 of the pairs by a drop-out procedure and had an immediate retention test, and (3) had a 1-week retention test. The main experimental group practiced the pairs along with their NLMs in Session 2, while two groups practiced only the pairs. Two amounts of practice in Session 2 was also a variable. Results were that (1) practice of pairs with their NLMs increased the frequency of NLM recall, (2) NLM and response term recall were both a function of amount of practice, and (3) presence of the NLM during Session 2 practice facilitated recall only in the immediate test.
Plücker Equations for Curves

(1981). Plucker Equations for Curves. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 88, No. 1, pp. 21-29.
AIRBORNE ELECTROMAGNETIC SURVEYS BY THE U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OVER CONCEALED GLACIAL AQUIFERS, CENTRAL UNITED STATES

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) over the last decade has performed several airborne electrical resistivity (helicopter electromagnetic, HEM) surveys over buried glacial features that constitute major aquifers in different regions of the central United States (Figure 1). These surveys have been conducted to map geology, contaminants, and hydrogeology for groundwater studies. Glacial deposits also can contain significant aggregate resources in the United States (Langer, 2002). This paper summarizes the USGS HEM applications in three different glacial terrains. The HEM systems applied in the surveys described here used frequency domain methods that, in electrically conductive areas may be limited to mapping depths less than 60 m. The frequency range typically is from about 100,000 Hz to 400 Hz.
TGF-β in the Cardiovascular System: Molecular Mechanisms of a Context-Specific Growth Factor

Transforming growth factor beta-1 is the prototypical member of a class of growth factors whose actions have been strongly implicated in a number of pathophysiologic processes including chronic vascular diseases such as atherosclerosis and hypertension. One of the hall-marks of this class of growth factors is the diverse nature of their actions; a characteristic that is thought to arise from the fact that the effects of these factors are very dependent upon the particular cellular context in which they operate. There has been substantial progress in understanding the molecular signaling mechanisms utilized by these factors. These findings are beginning to provide a mechanistic framework with which to understand the complex and pleiotropic actions of these factors on cells and tissues of the cardiovascular system.
Multi/Interdisciplinary investigations into Italy and World War I: An introduction

AbstractThis introductory article details some of the main points that characterized Italian politics and culture in the period leading up to World War I and during the war itself, and then surveys the contributions of each article in this series that further investigates the period. The authors note the febrile nature of Italian domestic politics before the war which challenged traditional liberal parliamentarism. This political challenge was accompanied by a challenge to traditional art, and no movement epitomized these twin challenges to the old order like Futurism. Yet, though the Futurists and other nationalist groups glorified war and helped push Italy into the conflict, the country was hardly united. In fact, the hope was that war would finally unify the nation and erase the shame of Italy’s lackluster military performances since unification. As such, Italy’s cultural experience of the war was somewhat unique, in that the desire to prove its martial valor did not lead to the level of denunciations ...
The genomic profile of pancreatic adenocarcinoma and its relationship to metastatic disease

• Targeted genomic testing of primary and metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma was performed using next-generation sequencing.
Extension of Water Quality Data Bases in Planning for Water Treatment

Abstract Design of water treatment facilities requires estimation of extreme values of critical water quality parameters. When water quality data for the source are sparse or non-existent a sufficient record for statistical analysis must be constructed from fragmentary records at nearby locations. a procedure is described for construction of the necessary record and derivation of a design target vector of water quality. It includes spatial correlations of partial records, time series analysis, frequency analysis and correlation of water quality parameters from both continuous and grab sampling campaigns. It is demonstrated for the example of the North Bay Aqueduct of the California State Water Project.