cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Utilization of Leftover Autologous Peripheral Blood Stem Cells (PBSCs) in Patients with Multiple Myeloma (MM)

Autologous PBSCT remains an integral part of therapy for MM patients (pts) but the sequencing and repeat applications of this intervention vary among transplant centers. Current NCCN guidelines (V 2.2014) and expert panels (e.g. IMWG Consensus Statement, Leukemia10: 1904) recommend collecting sufficient PBSCs for 2 transplants and indefinite storage. As MM survival continues to improve, the period between initial treatment and first or salvage PBSCT may span years. Many centers face issues of overflowing freezers, unreimbursed storage costs and referring providers opting for salvage treatment options other than PBSCT. Outside providers may also be unaware or forget that previously collected PBSCs are available for transplant or doubt the usefulness of the treatment. We therefore analyzed the fate of PBSCs collected for MM pts from 2005-2013 at our center. METHODS: All MM pts who underwent any attempt at PBSCT collection between 2005 and 2013 (n=304) were included. UW Stem Cell lab provided storage records, medical records were reviewed to establish current clinical status, treating physicians and patients were also contacted. RESULTS: 304 MM pts had PBSCs collected between 2005-2013. This accounted for 479 apheresis procedures, median 2/pt., range 1-4, with a median of 2 aliquots per procedure stored totaling 930 aliquots (median 2/pt.; range 1-10). Ultimately, 267 underwent PBSCT. Of those pts, 98 (32%) used all collected cells. Leftover cells remained for 206 pts (68%) during this 9 year time span. Of those, 37 pts (18% of those with leftover cells) have never undergone transplant (Table 1) PD= progressive disease; The remaining 169 pts had a least one PBSCT and had leftover aliquots (82%) (Table 2) *Secondary malignancy-4, accidental death-1 CONCLUSIONS: The collection and prolonged storage of PBSCs for patients with MM has become routine. We found that 12% of patients with stored PBSCs never used any cells collected, but the majority of these pts had not progressed. In addition, 30% of previously transplanted pts with stored cells either refused or were not referred back for second transplant consideration despite disease progression, with 44% dying of MM. Patients and providers should be educated regarding the availability of these products for first or salvage PBSCT and favorable outcomes that have been reported with these interventions, even in the era of novel agents. Transplant centers should consider periodic notification of MM providers and patients underscoring the availability of their stored cells for use. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Hybridizing Personal and Impersonal Machine Learning Models for Activity Recognition on Mobile Devices

Recognition of human activities, using smart phones and wearable devices, has attracted much attention recently. The machine learning (ML) approach to human activity recognition can broadly be classified into two categories: training an ML model on (i) an impersonal dataset or (ii) a personal dataset. Previous research shows that models learned from personal datasets can provide better activity recognition accuracy compared to models trained on impersonal datasets. In this paper, we develop a hybrid incremental (HI) method with logistic regression models. This method uses incremental learning of logistic regression, to combine the advantages of both impersonal and personal approaches. We investigate two essential issues in this method, which are the selection of the learning rate schedule and the class imbalance problem. Our experiments show that the model learned using our HI method give better accuracy than the model learned from personal or impersonal data only. Besides, the techniques of adaptive learning rate and cost-sensitive learning give faster updates and more robust ML models in incremental learning. Our method also has potential benefits in the area of privacy preservation.
System Test Methodologies Using IEEE 1149.4

This chapter discusses applications of the IEEE 1149.4 Mixed-signal Test Bus Standard in system testing, chip design, and in-situ measurement. The reader is assumed to: understand the basic issues in mixed-signal system test (see Chap 1) be familiar with IEEE 1149.1 Boundary-scan standard ([1] and Chap 2) understand the key features of the architecture and instruction set of IEEE 1149.4 ([2] and Chap 3).
Peak Oil, EROI, Investments, and Our Financial Future1

The expansion of the human population and the economies of the United States and many other nations in the past 100 years have been facilitated by a commensurate expansion in the use of fossil fuels. To many energy analysts that expansion of cheap fuel energy has been far more important than business acumen, economic policy, or ideology, although they too may be important [1–15]. Although we are used to thinking about the economy in monetary terms, those of us trained in the natural sciences consider it equally valid to think about the economy and economics from the perspective of the energy required to make it run. When one spends a dollar, we do not think just about the dollar bill leaving our wallet and passing to someone else’s. Rather, we think that to enable that transaction, to generate the good or service being purchased, an average of about 8,000 kiloJoules of energy (roughly the amount of oil that would fill a standard coffee cup) must be extracted and turned into roughly a half kilogram of carbon dioxide. Take the money out of the economy and it could continue to function through barter, albeit in an extremely awkward, limited, and inefficient way. Take the energy out and the economy would immediately contract. Cuba found this out in 1991 when the Soviet Union, facing its own oil production and political problems, cut off Cuba’s subsidized oil supply. Both Cuba’s energy use and its GDP declined immediately by about one third, groceries disappeared from market shelves within a week, and soon the average Cuban lost 20 lb [16]. Cuba subsequently learned to live, in some ways well, on about half the oil as previously, but the impacts were significant and the transition was difficult. Yet Cuba moved away from monocrop agriculture to food production. There are more rooftop gardens per capita in Havana than in any other city. The United States has become more efficient in using energy in recent decades, however, most of this is due to using higher-quality fuels, exporting heavy industry, and switching what we call economic activity (e.g., [15]), and many other countries, including efficiency leader Japan, are becoming substantially less efficient [17–20].
A pilot study on cold-formed steel framed shear wall assemblies with corrugated sheathing

Flat steel sheet is the common steel sheathing for cold-formed steel (CFS) framed shear walls. Compared to wood sheathing, the practical sheet steel sheathing gives lower shear strength and it tends to fail in the shear buckling which results in large out of plane deformation. On the other hand, sheet steel sheathing is non-combustible material which has great applications in mid-rise residential or commercial buildings. In order to develop a high strength CFS shear wall assemblies with steel sheathing, a pilot research was conducted at University of North Texas to experimentally investigate the behaviour and shear strength of CFS framed wall assemblies with 0.027 in. (22 gauge) corrugated sheet steel sheathing. The parameters considered in the test program included the framing member thickness, the fastener size and spacing, and the boundary stud configurations. Both monotonic and cyclic tests were conducted. The test results indicated that with appropriate framing members and the fastener configurations, the corrugated steel sheet can provide much higher shear strength than the flat steel sheet having the same thickness. This paper presents the test details, test results, and the analysis on the ductility of the shear wall system under monotonic and cyclic loading.
Hiemenz stagnation-point flow impinging on a biaxially stretching surface

The normal impingement of Hiemenz stagnation-point flow on a surface executing biaxial stretching is studied. The problem is governed by two parameters, $$\alpha $$ the stretching rate in the streamwise direction of the stagnation-point flow and $$\beta $$ the stretching rate in the cross-flow direction. Numerical solutions as a function of $$\beta $$ are given for values of $$\alpha $$ over the range $$-2 \le \alpha \le 2$$ . Dual solutions are found everywhere and triple solutions exist for all $$\beta > 0$$ over a range of $$\alpha $$ and the boundaries for the dual and triple solutions are shown in graphical form. The points of zero wall shear stress in the streamwise and cross-flow directions are also plotted in ( $$\alpha $$ , $$\beta $$ ) parameter space. Sample similarity velocity profiles for the dual and triple solutions are also presented.
Is There an App for That? Are Medical Apps Helpful to Clinical Librarians?

Clustered in the hallway of patient care floor in a hospital, a group of white-coated clinicians discuss a new overnight admission. The patient, the intern reports, presented with acute melena that...
A Scalable, Low-Cost, and Interactive Shape-Changing Display

We describe the design and implementation of a robotic interactive shape-changing display. Our shape-changing display is comprised of custom-built actuators and sensors made possible by advances in 3D printing technology, which makes our display substantially less costly and more scalable than other shape-changing displays. Specifically, the pixelated surface of our display is formed by the termini of a large number of linear actuators of our own design and fabrication, where each linear actuator is essentially a linear potentiometer. The robot display’s surface is made tangible by way of low-density foam embedded with electrically conductive polyurethane fibers. Presented in this paper are details of the design and implementation of our display, use cases (including gesture control of the surface and its capacity for transporting heavier loads), and a cost comparison with existing displays.
A STUDY OF MILKING MACHINE INFLATIONS MADE OF NEOPRENE COMPARED WITH THOSE Of NATURAL RUBBER

Several types of neoprene inflations for milking machines were compared under actual form conditions with those of natural rubber. Physical changes in volume and weight were measured and bacteriolo...
Selective Reductions. 59. Effective Intramolecular Asymmetric Reductions of α-, β-, and γ-Keto Acids with Diisopinocampheylborane and Intermolecular Asymmetric Reductions of the Corresponding Esters with B-Chlorodiisopinocampheylborane

A comparison of the stereochemistry of the products obtained from the intramolecular asymmetric reduction of a series of keto acids with (−)-diisopinocampheylborane and intermolecular asymmetric re...
Caloric restriction and cardiovascular disease

Cardiovascular disease is a main cause of morbidity and a leading cause of death of the elderly in Western societies. It is widely accepted that the dietary regimen known as caloric restriction, undernutrition without malnutrition, delays the onset of aging and extends lifespan in laboratory animal models. Evidence supporting the role of caloric restriction intervening in the cardiovascular aging process by preventing the development of cardiovascular disease is presented in detail in this review. The theme that emerges from this overview is that neuroendocrine factors induced by caloric restriction attenuate age-related reactive oxygen species (ROS) overproduction and prevent inflammatory phenotypic alterations in the cardiovascular system. Also discussed are some of the possible caloric restriction-induced cellular mechanisms by which age-related vascular oxidative stress and inflammation can be delayed or reversed thereby improving cardiovascular health in the elderly.
Three Key Principles for Revising the Horizontal Merger Guidelines

The analytical framework of the Horizontal Merger Guidelines, first introduced by Bill Baxter in 1982, has been adopted by numerous Assistant Attorney Generals and Federal Trade Commission Chairmen of both political parties. For example, former Assistant Attorney General Charles James called the 1982 Merger Guidelines “Giant Steps” in the development of antitrust analysis, with no other policy document “more enduring or far-reaching” and past FTC Chairman Robert Pitofsky, stated that “the guideline process, in many ways, has had the most important influence on American antitrust policy in the last fifty years.” We agree with these distinguished observers that the Guidelines’ influence is (rightly) considerable; this influence extends to the federal courts, foreign competition agencies, and state enforcement and regulatory agencies in the United States.
Theoretical study of the optical and thermodynamic properties of LaxSr1−xCo1−yFeyO3−δ (x/y = 0.25, 0.5, 0.75) perovskites

The performance of LaxSr1−xCo1−yFeyO3−δ perovskite systems in applications such as solid oxide fuel cells and catalysis is related to the proportion of substitution atoms. Using a density functional theory method, we investigate the doping effect on the electronic, optical, and thermodynamic properties of LaxSr1−xCo1−yFeyO3−δ (x/y = 0.25, 0.5, 0.75). Our results show that La doping introduces an empty state and pushes the Fermi level upwards. The doping Fe derived states locate away from the Fermi level as compared with Co states. From the results of optical absorption, the peak at 200–300 nm is enhanced and experiences a blue-shift with increasing La concentration. The corresponding peak at 400–700 nm also shows a blue-shift induced by both La and Fe doping, and it could be enhanced by Fe doping while being suppressed by La doping. And the peak above 1500 nm is enhanced by the cooperation of La and Fe doping. From thermodynamic calculations via an Ellingham diagram, it is found that the parent SrCoO3 is the most favorable composition for releasing O2, with both La and Fe doping hampering the reduction reaction. Therefore, the optical and thermodynamic properties of LaxSr1−xCo1−yFeyO3−δ could be adjusted by special doping values.
High efficiency hexagonal boron nitride neutron detectors with 1 cm2 detection areas

We report the realization of 1 cm2 hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) thermal neutron detectors with an unprecedented detection efficiency of 59%. This was achieved through improvements in material quality, as reflected in a sixfold enhancement in the electron mobility and lifetime product and a threefold reduction in the surface recombination field, which resulted in a higher detection efficiency at a lower applied electric field over that of a previous state-of-the-art lateral detector with a detection area of 30 mm2. The attainment of 1 cm2 h-BN neutron detectors capable of retaining a high detection efficiency represents a significant milestone toward the practical applications of h-BN detectors.
Proteins and Antibody in Lavage Fluid of Guinea Pigs with Legionella pneumophila Pneumonia

Abstract Guinea pigs were infected in an inhalation facility that limited an aerosol of L. pneumophila to the snout, as previously reported in detail (Davis et al., 1982). Individual animals were sacrificed for study either immediately after exposure, at 16 hours, at days one through seven, or at 11 days. Bronchoalveolar lavage was carried out to obtain fluid to study the following: total protein, albumin and immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentrations, and the titer of antibody to L. pneumophila. Antibody also was measured in serum obtained at the time of sacrifice. Concentrations of total protein, albumin, and IgG in lavage fluids peaked 2 days after exposure and correlated with the appearance of maximal numbers of polymorphonuclear cells in the lung. Presumably, this increased protein resulted from exudation of serum across the alveolar-capillary membrane, which loses its integrity secondary to pneumonia. However, the ratio of IgG/albumin was elevated in animals studied 11 days after exposure even though the concentration of albumin was normal by this time. One possible explanation for this observation is that IgG was being produced in the lung. Antibody in lavage fluid was detected 7, and 11 days post-exposure, and might be important in the recovery of guinea pigs from this infection.
Mechanisms by Which Membrane and Nuclear ER Alpha Inhibit Adipogenesis in Cells Isolated From Female Mice

Mesenchymal stem cells can differentiate into mature chondrocytes, osteoblasts, and adipocytes. Excessive and dysfunctional visceral adipocytes increase upon menopause and importantly contribute to altered metabolism in postmenopausal women. We previously showed both plasma membrane and nuclear estrogen receptors alpha (ERα) with endogenous estrogen are required to suppress adipogenesis in vivo. Here we determined mechanisms by which these liganded ER pools collaborate to inhibit the peroxisome proliferator-activated gamma (PPARγ) gene and subsequent progenitor differentiation. In 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes and adipose-derived stem cells (ADSC), membrane ERα signaled through phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-protein kinase B (AKT) to enhance ERα nuclear localization, importantly at the PPARγ gene promoter. AKT also increased overall abundance and recruitment of co-repressors GATA3, β-catenin, and TCF4 to the PPARγ promoter. Membrane ERα signaling additionally enhanced wingless-integrated (Wnt)1 and 10b expression. The components of the repressor complex were required for estrogen to inhibit rosiglitazone-induced differentiation of ADSC and 3T3-L1 cells to mature adipocytes. These mechanisms whereby ER cellular pools collaborate to inhibit gene expression limit progenitor differentiation to mature adipocytes.
Public Opinion of the Police in 1930s America: A Qualitative Historiographical Study

Public opinion polls largely developed post-WWII and questions about the police did not appear until the late 1960s. Since then, over 100+ studies have assessed the modern-day public opinion of the police, but none have looked to public opinion from an earlier time period. This study uses a qualitative historiographical approach for assessing public opinion of the police in the 1930s by drawing on the primary source of a letter exchange between two of that eras greatest pulp writers: Robert E. Howard and H.P. Lovecraft. Findings suggest similarities between the 1930s and present day public opinion of the police.
Pressure effect on band inversion in A E Cd 2 As 2 (A E =Ca , Sr , Ba )

Recent studies have predicted that magnetic ${\mathrm{EuCd}}_{2}{\mathrm{As}}_{2}$ can host several different topological states depending on its magnetic order, including a single pair of Weyl points. Here we report on the bulk properties and band inversion induced by pressure in the nonmagnetic analogs $AE{\mathrm{Cd}}_{2}{\mathrm{As}}_{2}$ $(AE=\mathrm{Ca}, \mathrm{Sr}, \mathrm{Ba})$ as studied with density functional theory calculations. Under ambient pressure we find that these compounds are narrow band gap semiconductors, in agreement with experiment. The size of the band gap is dictated by both the increasing ionicity across the AE series which tends to increase the band gap, as well as the larger nearest neighbor Cd-As distance from increasing atomic size which can decrease the band gap because the conduction band edge is an antibonding state derived mostly from Cd $5s$ orbitals. The combination of these two competing effects results in a nonmonotonic change of the band gap size across the AE series with ${\mathrm{SrCd}}_{2}{\mathrm{As}}_{2}$ having the smallest band gap among the three compounds. The application of negative pressure reduces this band gap and causes the band inversion between the Cd $5s$ and As $4p$ orbitals along the $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Gamma}}\text{\ensuremath{-}}A$ direction to induce a pair of Dirac points. The topological nature of the Dirac points is then confirmed by finding the closed Fermi arcs on the $(10\overline{1}0)$ surface.
Animal Models of Drug Relapse and Craving after Voluntary Abstinence: A Review

Relapse to drug use during abstinence is a defining feature of addiction. During the last several decades, this clinical scenario has been studied at the preclinical level using classic relapse/reinstatement models in which drug seeking is assessed after experimenter-imposed home-cage forced abstinence or extinction of the drug-reinforced responding in the self-administration chambers. To date, however, results from studies using rat relapse/reinstatement models have yet to result in Food and Drug Administration-approved medications for relapse prevention. The reasons for this state of affairs are complex and multifaceted, but one potential reason is that, in humans, abstinence is often self-imposed or voluntary and occurs either because the negative consequences of drug use outweigh the drug's rewarding effects or because of the availability of nondrug alternative rewards that are chosen over the drug. Based on these considerations, we and others have recently developed rat models of relapse after voluntary abstinence, achieved either by introducing adverse consequences to drug taking (punishment) or seeking (electric barrier) or by providing mutually exclusive choices between the self-administered drug and nondrug rewards (palatable food or social interaction). In this review, we provide an overview of these translationally relevant relapse models and discuss recent neuropharmacological findings from studies using these models. We also discuss sex as a biological variable, future directions, and clinical implications of results from relapse studies using voluntary abstinence models. Our main conclusion is that the neuropharmacological mechanisms controlling relapse to drug seeking after voluntary abstinence are often different from the mechanisms controlling relapse after home-cage forced abstinence or reinstatement after extinction. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: This review describes recently developed rat models of relapse after voluntary abstinence, achieved either by introducing adverse consequences to drug taking or seeking or by providing mutually exclusive choices between the self-administered drug and nondrug rewards. This review discusses recent neuropharmacological findings from studies using these models and discusses future directions and clinical implications.
The curious nature and humanity of ‘permanently’ frozen ground: The Life of Permafrost: A History of Frozen Earth in Russian and Soviet Science, Pei-yi Chu, Toronto, Canada, University of Toronto Press, 2021, 304 pp., $75.00 (hardback). ISBN-10: 1487501935; ISBN-13: 978-1487501938

Permafrost as structure, permafrost as a system, permafrost as a cultural construction. In her fascinating book, The Life of Permafrost, Pei-yi Chu examines the life of vechnaia merzlota, or permaf...
Taking phototherapeutics from concept to clinical launch.

More than four decades have passed since the first example of a light-activated (caged) compound was described. In the intervening years, a large number of light-responsive derivatives have been reported, several of which have found utility under a variety of in vitro conditions using cells and tissues. Light-triggered bioactivity furnishes spatial and temporal control, and offers the possibility of precision dosing and orthogonal communication with different biomolecules. These inherent attributes of light have been advocated as advantageous for the delivery and/or activation of drugs at diseased sites for a variety of indications. However, the tissue penetrance of light is profoundly wavelength-dependent. Only recently have phototherapeutics that are photoresponsive in the optical window of tissue (600–900 nm) been described. This Review highlights these recent discoveries, along with their limitations and clinical opportunities. In addition, we describe preliminary in vivo studies of prospective phototherapeutics, with an emphasis on the path that remains to be navigated in order to translate light-activated drugs into clinically useful therapeutics. Finally, the unique attributes of phototherapeutics is highlighted by discussing several potential disease applications. The current scope and limitations, path to the clinic and therapeutic applications of long-wavelength-responsive, light-activated drugs are discussed in this Review.
Geostatistical mapping of salinity conditioned on borehole logs, Montebello Oil Field, California.

We present a geostatistics-based stochastic salinity estimation framework for the Montebello Oil Field that capitalizes on available total dissolved solids (TDS) data from groundwater samples as well as electrical resistivity (ER) data from borehole logging. Data from TDS samples (n = 4,924) was coded into an indicator framework based on falling below four selected thresholds (500, 1,000, 3,000, and 10,000 milligrams per liter (mg/L)). Collocated TDS-ER data from the surrounding groundwater basin were then employed to produce a kernel density estimator to establish conditional probabilities for ER data (n = 8 boreholes) falling below the selected TDS thresholds within the Montebello Oil Field area. Directional variograms were estimated from these indicator coded data, and 500 TDS realizations from conditional indicator simulation were generated for the subsurface region above the Montebello Oil Field reservoir. Simulations were summarized as 3D maps of median TDS, most likely salinity class, and probability for exceeding each of the specified TDS thresholds. Results suggested TDS was below 500 mg/L in most of the study area, with a trend toward higher values (500-1,000 mg/L) to the southwest; consistent with the average regional groundwater flow direction. Discrete localized zones of TDS greater than 1,000 mg/L were observed, with one of these zones in the greater than 10,000 mg/L range; however, these areas were not prevalent. The probabilistic approach used here is adaptable and is readily modified to include additional data and types and can be employed in time-lapse salinity modeling through Bayesian updating. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
SU-E-J-34: Setup Accuracy in Spine SBRT Using CBCT 6D Image Guidance in Comparison with 6D ExacTrac

Purpose Volumetric information of the spine captured on CBCT can potentially improve the accuracy in spine SBRT setup that has been commonly performed through 2D radiographs. This work evaluates the setup accuracy in spine SBRT using 6D CBCT image guidance that recently became available on Varian systems. Methods ExacTrac radiographs have been commonly used for Spine SBRT setup. The setup process involves first positioning patients with lasers followed by localization imaging, registration, and repositioning. Verification images are then taken providing the residual errors (ExacTracRE) before beam on. CBCT verification is also acquired in our institute. The availability of both ExacTrac and CBCT verifications allows a comparison study. 41 verification CBCT of 16 patients were retrospectively registered with the planning CT enabling 6D corrections, giving CBCT residual errors (CBCTRE) which were compared with ExacTracRE. Results The RMS discrepancies between CBCTRE and ExacTracRE are 1.70mm, 1.66mm, 1.56mm in vertical, longitudinal and lateral directions and 0.27°, 0.49°, 0.35° in yaw, roll and pitch respectively. The corresponding mean discrepancies (and standard deviation) are 0.62mm (1.60mm), 0.00mm (1.68mm), −0.80mm (1.36mm) and 0.05° (0.58°), 0.11° (0.48°), −0.16° (0.32°). Of the 41 CBCT, 17 had high-Z surgical implants. No significant difference in ExacTrac-to-CBCT discrepancy was observed between patients with and without the implants. Conclusion Multiple factors can contribute to the discrepancies between CBCT and ExacTrac: 1) the imaging iso-centers of the two systems, while calibrated to coincide, can be different; 2) the ROI used for registration can be different especially if ribs were included in ExacTrac images; 3) small patient motion can occur between the two verification image acquisitions; 4) the algorithms can be different between CBCT (volumetric) and ExacTrac (radiographic) registrations.
Versatility of DNA Double Strand Break Repair

The generation of DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) is considered a lethal insult to the integrity of chromosomes. If not repaired, DSBs can lead to daunting consequences such as chromosome fragmentation, deletion, or rearrangement. While a plethora of DSB repair activities are available to cells, inappropriate execution of DSB repair pathways can also be a source for chromosome aberrations. It is proposed that inaccurate joining of DSBs is involved in the generation of the extraordinarily clustered chromosome rearrangements, i.e. chromothripsis, in primary tumors and cancer cell lines [1,2]. Cells are commonly equipped with at least two major DSB repair pathways – homologous recombination (HR) and non-homologous end joining (NHEJ). These two repair pathways are necessitated for the maintenance of genome stability. Although physiologic DSBs are essential for meiosis and immunoglobulin gene rearrangements, the majority of them are pathologic. It is estimated that 10 DSBs can occur in an average human cell per day [3]. Generally, two-ended DSBs are preferred substrates for NHEJ, and the repair of one-ended DSBs can only be carried out by HR [4].
Cold “Fusion”: The Transmission Resonance Model Fits Data on Excess Heat, Predicts Optimal Trigger Points, and Suggests Nuclear Reaction Scenarios

The transmission resonance model (TRM) is combined with some electrochemistry of the cathode surface and found to provide a good fit to new data on excess heat. For the first time, a model for cold...
Applied soft computing strategies for autonomous field robotics

This chapter addresses computing strategies designed to enable field mobile robots to execute tasks requiring effective autonomous traversal of natural outdoor terrain. The primary focus is on computer vision-based perception and autonomous control. Hard computing methods are combined with applied soft computing strategies in the context of three case studies associated with real-world robotics tasks including planetary surface exploration and land survey or reconnaissance. Each case study covers strategies implemented on wheeled robot research prototypes designed for field operations.
Predictability of chromatographic protein separations

Abstract It is shown that existing models of differential chromatography are capable of predicting the behavior of polydisperse packings in commercially available columns in terms of separately determined transport and equilibrium properties. Experiments conducted using proteins on size-exclusion media with a narrow particle size distribution indicate that such packings perform as well as predicted by theory of their more expensive monodisperse counterparts. These results confirm theoretical studies and previous data suggesting that a modest degree of polydispersity has no significant effect on separation efficiency, thus allowing the direct design of large columns from basic transport and equilibrium data.
CEO Age and Outside Directors: A Hazard Analysis

This paper examines the relationship between CEO tenure, CEO age, the firm's industry group, the proportion of directors from outside the firm, and the cost of firing the CEO. A Cox proportional hazard model of CEO survival is used to study the length of the CEO's stay at the firm. We find that, contrary to previous studies, a greater proportion of outsiders has a positive effect on CEO tenure. The significance of this result is however sensitive to the inclusion of age and performance variables. We test for the effects of heterogeneity of industry, and find that firms in homogeneous industries exhibit lower durations. As the cost of firing the CEO rises, tenure also rises.
Effects of Valproic Acid on β-adrenergic Receptors, G-proteins, and Adenylyl Cyclase in Rat C6 Glioma Cells

Valproic acid (VPA) is an anticonvulsant drug with demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of mania. In the present study, we found that chronic exposure of rat C6 glioma cells to VPA induces a coordinate decrease in multiple components of the beta-adrenergic receptor- (beta-AR) coupled cyclic adenosine 3'-5'monophosphate (cAMP) generating system. Chronic VPA decreased the number of beta-ARs in a time- and concentration-dependent manner; the decrease of beta-ARs was largely beta 1-AR selective and affected beta-ARs in both the high- and low-affinity states. Chronic VPA also significantly attenuated receptor- and postreceptor-stimulated cAMP production, [3H]forskolin binding sites, immunolabeling of G alpha s 45, and cholera toxin catalyzed ADP-ribosylation of G alpha s 52 and 45. Although the precise underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated, such profound long-term changes in the functioning of this key signaling pathway may help explain the antimanic effects of chronic VPA treatment and are worthy of further study.
Neuropathology of Alzheimer's disease.

Publisher Summary This chapter emphasizes that neurofibrillary tangles correlate tightly with anatomical regions affected clinically and correlate well numerically with both neuronal loss and severity of cognitive changes. The initial involvement by neurofibrillary tangles involves the entorhinal cortex and subsequently CA1/ subiculum of hippocampus, other limbic and high order association cortices, and ascending neurotransmitter specific systems. This parallels in a general way the initial symptoms of short-term memory impairments followed by more generalized dementia with prominent language impairments and so forth. The chapter also focuses on the neurofibrillary tangles that are most prominent in a laminar distribution matching well with putative cortical-cortical projection neurons. There is a loss of synapses, dendritic spines, and marked abnormalities of dendrite and axonal morphology that leads to disconnection phenomena and at least loss of synchrony in major cortical projections. The chapter concludes that recent evidence suggests that dystrophic neurites around plaques, which are often axonal in origin, and even morphologically changed axons, have functional impairments in axon trafficking, although the details of this are still uncertain. To this effect on neural processes, plaques clearly attract and activate astrocytic or microglial cells in their immediate vicinity, leading to a wide cascade of potentially damaging inflammatory phenomena.
Lumbar degenerative disk disease: Prospective comparison of conventional T2-weighted spin-echo imaging and T2-weighted rapid acquisition relaxation- enhanced imaging

PURPOSE To compare conventional T2-weighted spin-echo imaging with a rapid acquisition relaxation enhanced (RARE) technique in the routine evaluation of lumbar degenerative disk disease. METHODS Thirty consecutive patients referred for evaluation of the lumbar spine for suspected degenerative disk disease were evaluated with sagittal and axial T1-weighted spin-echo, conventional T2-weighted spin-echo, and T2-weighted RARE "turbo spin-echo" sequences (4000/93/2 (repetition time/echo time/excitations), 192 x 256, echo train length of 8). Conventional T2-weighted and RARE images were evaluated independently by two neuroradiologists for image quality, presence of artifacts, cerebrospinal fluid signal intensity, extradural interface conspicuity, intradural nerve root conspicuity, soft-tissue detail, and signal intensity of normal and degenerated intervertebral disks. RESULTS Both readers rated the cerebrospinal fluid signal higher, the extradural interface conspicuity higher, and the nerve root detail greater on the turbo spin-echo than on conventional spin-echo images. Neither reader had a significant difference in ranking "normal" or "degenerated" disk signal on the two sequences. Both readers rated soft-tissue detail higher for conventional than for turbo spin-echo. CONCLUSION RARE sequences can replace conventional T2-weighted spin-echo sagittal studies for degenerative lumbar disk disease.
Three phosphatidylglycerol-phosphate phosphatases in the inner membrane of Escherichia coli

The phospholipids of Escherichia coli consist mainly of phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol (PG), and cardiolipin. PG makes up ∼25% of the cellular phospholipid and is essential for growth in wild-type cells. PG is synthesized on the inner surface of the inner membrane from cytidine diphosphate-diacylglycerol and glycerol 3-phosphate, generating the precursor phosphatidylglycerol-phosphate (PGP). This compound is present at low levels (∼0.1% of the total lipid). Dephosphorylation of PGP to PG is catalyzed by several PGP-phosphatases. The pgpA and pgpB genes, which encode structurally distinct PGP-phosphatases, were identified previously. Double deletion mutants lacking pgpA and pgpB are viable and still make PG, suggesting the presence of additional phosphatase(s). We have identified a third PGP-phosphatase gene (previously annotated as yfhB but renamed pgpC) using an expression cloning strategy. A mutant with deletions in all three phosphatase genes is not viable unless covered by a plasmid expressing either pgpA, pgpB, or pgpC. When the triple mutant is covered with the temperature-sensitive plasmid pMAK705 expressing any one of the three pgp genes, the cells grow at 30 but not 42 °C. As growth slows at 42 °C, PGP accumulates to high levels, and the PG content declines. PgpC orthologs are present in many other bacteria.
Effect of mucosal potassium on the intestinal glucose transport.

The extracellular space (inulin or raffinose space) and the intracellular concentration of sodium and potassium were determined in the intestinal mucosal scrapings of rats following a perfusion of the intestine with isosmotic solutions of electrolytes or non-electrolytes. Following a perfusion with K2SO4 or mannitol, the intracellular concentration of potassium increased significantly. Perfusion with sorbitol or raffinose did not produce such change. Mannitol (but not sorbitol or raffinose) increased the rate of mediated diffusion (but not that of active transport) of glucose from the gut lumen. It is concluded that the increased glucose absorption is due to the high intracellular concentration of potassium which causes an enhanced metabolic disappearance of the free intracellular glucose. In light of modern concepts regarding the intestinal absorption of glucose and of the findings of present and related studies, Verzar's theory concerning the role of intracellular metabolism (phosphorylation) in the absorption is reassessed.
A novel dataset-similarity-aware approach for evaluating stability of software metric selection techniques

Software metric (feature) selection is an important pre-processing step before building software defect prediction models. Although much research has been done analyzing the classification performance of feature selection methods, fewer works have focused on their stability (robustness). Stability is important because feature selection methods which reliably produce the same results despite changes to the data are more trustworthy. Of the papers studying stability, most either compare the features chosen from different random subsamples of the dataset or compare each random subsample with the original dataset. These either result in an unknown degree of overlap between the subsamples, or comparing datasets of different sizes. In this work, we propose a fixed-overlap partition algorithm which generates a pair of subsamples with the same number of instances and a specified degree of overlap. We empirically evaluate the stability of 19 feature selection methods in terms of degree of overlap and feature subset size using sixteen real software metrics datasets. Consistency index is used as the stability measure, and we show that RF is the most stable filter. Results also show that degree of overlap and feature subset size do affect the stability of feature selection methods.
Comparison of atherosclerotic lesions and HDL-lipid levels in male, female, and testosterone-treated female mice from strains C57BL/6, BALB/c, and C3H

In order to determine whether male and female mice differed in HDL-lipid levels or in atherosclerotic response to a high fat diet, we examined 3 inbred strains which differed in susceptibility to atherosclerosis; C57BL/6, BALB/c, and C3H. Mice were fed normal chow or an atherogenic diet containing 1.25% cholesterol, 15% fat, and 0.5% cholic acid. Lesion number and size were determined after 14 weeks on the diet; plasma HDL-lipid levels were determined at 0 and 4 weeks on the diet. For C3H, the most atherosclerosis-resistant strain, HDL-lipid levels were very high and not affected by sex or diet. For BALB/c, HDL-lipid levels were intermediate between the other two strains. Male levels were significantly higher than the females, and the atherogenic diet caused a drop in HDL-lipid levels of 14-27% depending on sex. For C57BL/6, the most atherosclerosis-susceptible strain, HDL-lipid levels were low compared to the other two strains. Males and females on normal chow did not differ in HDL-lipid, but females showed a 50% decrease in HDL when fed the atherogenic diet. For both BALB/c and C57BL/6, testosterone-treated females resembled the males. The HDL-lipid levels in mice on atherogenic diet differed over a 3-fold range among the nine groups. When HDL-lipid levels were compared to the number of atherosclerotic lesions or the total lesion area, a high degree of correlation was observed (r = -0.95 for lesion number and -0.93 for total lesion area). This suggests that HDL-lipid levels are important in determining atherosclerosis susceptibility in mice.
A function theory for thin elastic shells

It is well known in the theory of elastic shells that a first order approximation using the shell thickness as an expansion parameter leads to the membrane theory of shells. The membrane equations have as solutions thegeneralized analytic functions. These functions have been exhaustively studied by Ilya N. Vekua [6], [7] and his students. R.P. Gilbert and J. Hile [3] introduced an extension of these systems to include elliptic systems of 2n equations in the plane and named the solutions of these systemsgeneralized hyperanalytic functions. It is shown in this paper that the next order approximation to the shell, which permits, moreover, the introduction of bending, may be described in terms of the generalized hyperanalytic functions. It is strongly suspected that the higher order approximations may also be described in terms of corresponding hypercomplex systems.
Modeling and Observability Analysis of DPF Regeneration

A Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) is a necessary component on all modern Diesel vehicles in order to achieve the emission targets for particulate matter. A key problem in this context is the accurate real-time estimation of the soot in the DPF during or after a regeneration event. In this paper, a lumped parameter model for the regeneration regime of a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) is proposed which can be used as a starting point for the above purpose. Sensitivity of this model to various model parameters is discussed and significant parameters are identified. An observation problem is identified and a preliminary observability analysis is performed. Results of model performance and implications of the observability analysis are presented.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Effects of generation mode in fMRI adaptations of semantic fluency: Paced production and overt speech

Verbal fluency is a widely used neuropsychological paradigm. In fMRI implementations, conventional unpaced (self-paced) versions are suboptimal due to uncontrolled timing of responses, and overt responses carry the risk of motion artifact. We investigated the behavioral and neurofunctional effects of response pacing and overt speech in semantic category-driven word generation. Twelve right-handed adults (8 females), ages 21-37 were scanned in four conditions each: paced-overt, paced-covert, unpaced-overt, and unpaced-covert. There was no significant difference in the number of exemplars generated between overt versions of the paced and unpaced conditions. Imaging results for category-driven word generation overall showed left-hemispheric activation in inferior frontal cortex, premotor cortex, cingulate gyrus, thalamus, and basal ganglia. Direct comparison of generation modes revealed significantly greater activation for the paced compared to unpaced conditions in right superior temporal, bilateral middle frontal, and bilateral anterior cingulate cortex, including regions associated with sustained attention, motor planning, and response inhibition. Covert (compared to overt) conditions showed significantly greater effects in right parietal and anterior cingulate, as well as left middle temporal and superior frontal regions. We conclude that paced overt paradigms are useful adaptations of conventional semantic fluency in fMRI, given their superiority with regard to control over and monitoring of behavioral responses. However, response pacing is associated with additional non-linguistic effects related to response inhibition, motor preparation, and sustained attention.
Meta-level programming and knowledge representation

The nature of a metalevel extension of Prolog is outlined. The key features include the treatment of theories (databases) and metalevel names as first-class objects which may be the values of variables. The use of the power of these constructs in traditional knowledge representation is explored. In particular, it is shown how frames, semantic nets, scripts, message passing, and non-standard control can be represented.
Neuroserpin polymorphisms and stroke risk in a biracial population: the stroke prevention in young women study

Neuroserpin, primarily localized to CNS neurons, inhibits the adverse effects of tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) on the neurovascular unit and has neuroprotective effects in animal models of ischemic stroke. We sought to evaluate the association of neuroserpin polymorphisms with risk for ischemic stroke among young women. A population-based case-control study of stroke among women aged 15–49 identified 224 cases of first ischemic stroke (47.3% African-American) and 211 age-matched control subjects (43.1% African-American). Neuroserpin single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) chosen through HapMap were genotyped in the study population and assessed for association with stroke. Of the five SNPs analyzed, the A allele (frequency; Caucasian = 0.56, African-American = 0.42) of SNP rs6797312 located in intron 1 was associated with stroke in an age-adjusted dominant model (AA and AT vs. TT) among Caucasians (OR = 2.05, p = 0.023) but not African-Americans (OR = 0.71, p = 0.387). Models adjusting for other risk factors strengthened the association. Race-specific haplotype analyses, inclusive of SNP rs6797312, again demonstrated significant associations with stroke among Caucasians only. This study provides the first evidence that neuroserpin is associated with early-onset ischemic stroke among Caucasian women.