cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Along came a spider who sat down beside her: Perceived predation risk, but not female age, affects female mate choosiness.

Organisms often exhibit behavioral plasticity in response to changes in factors, such as predation risk, mate density, and age. Particularly, female mate choosiness (the strength of female’s attraction to male traits as they deviate from preferred trait values) has repeatedly been shown to be plastic. This is due to the costs associated with searching for preferred males fluctuating with changes in such factors. Because these factors can interact naturally, it is important to understand how female mate choosiness responds to these interactions. We studied the interaction between perceived predation risk and female age on the variable field cricket, Gryllus lineaticeps. Females were either exposed or not exposed to predation cues from a sympatric, cursorial, wolf spider predator, Hogna sp. We then tested the females at one of three adult ages and measured their choosiness by recording their responsiveness to a low quality male song. We found female choosiness plasticity was affected by neither age nor the interaction between age and perceived predation risk. Perceived predation risk was the only factor to significantly affect the plasticity of female mate choosiness: females were less choosy when they perceived predation risk and were more choosy when they did not. Predation may be such a strong source of selection that, regardless of differences in other factors, most individuals respond similarly.
Withholding and Withdrawing Dialysis in the Intensive Care Unit: Benefits Derived from Consulting the Renal Physicians Association/American Society of Nephrology Clinical Practice Guideline, Shared Decision-Making in the Appropriate Initiation of and Withdrawal from Dialysis

Despite advances in the technology of dialysis, mortality in patients who develop acute renal failure remains high. Scoring systems have been developed to improve the ability to define prognosis in seriously ill patients with acute renal failure but predicting outcomes for individual patients is uncertain. Decisions to withhold or withdraw dialysis in seriously ill patients are difficult for patients, families, and health care providers. The clinical practice guideline, Shared Decision-Making in the Appropriate Initiation of and Withdrawal from Dialysis, provides evidence-based recommendations to aid nephrologists in discussions and the process of medical decision-making about starting and stopping dialysis. Estimating prognosis and addressing the issues of advance directives and patient and family preferences through the process of shared decision-making can clarify appropriate strategies for clinical management and interventions. Time-limited trials of dialysis may be an invaluable tool in this process. Increasing nephrologists' awareness of the guideline may facilitate decision-making around the issues of withholding and withdrawing dialysis in part by clarifying patients and situations in which it may be appropriate to withhold or withdraw dialysis.
Dispersed central-place foraging in the polydomous odorous house ant, Tapinoma sessile as revealed by a protein marker

The odorous house ant, Tapinoma sessile, is a native ant species common throughout North America. In urban areas, this ant is classified a pest species and exhibits several attributes characteristic of invasive “tramp” ants (sensu Passera, 1994). These include: extreme polygyny, colony reproduction by budding, reduced internest aggression, generalist diet, and polydomy. Here we explore the organization of foraging and the pathways of food distribution in polydomous colonies of T. sessile in the laboratory and field using a novel marking technique (rabbit IgG protein) and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Laboratory assays revealed patterns of food allocation from foragers to other castes and developmental stages. Foragers distributed the IgG- labelled sucrose to the majority of workers within 24 h, and workers retained significantly more sucrose than either queens or larvae. Approximately 50% of queens tested positive for the IgG marker and some queens received significantly more sucrose than others, indicating a possible reproductive dominance hierarchy. Larvae received little sucrose demonstrating their minor reliance on carbohydrates. The results of field experiments showed that odorous house ants are dispersed central-place foragers whereby ants from individual nests exhibit high foraging site fidelity, travel along well-established trails, and forage on a local scale. Dispersed central-place foraging most likely allows the odorous house ant to more efficiently secure both clumped and dispersed food sources and possibly increases its competitive ability. As a result, colonies become numerically large and ecologically dominant. The results of our study contribute to our understanding of the social behavior and colony organization in T. sessile. In addition, they provide a framework for designing more effective ant control programs based on liquid baits.
Room temperature variable slow light using semiconductor quantum dots

We demonstrate slow light at room temperature using a quantum-dot semiconductor optical amplifier with a controllable delay by forward and reverse bias below the transparency current level.
Alternating projection neural networks

The authors consider a class of neural networks whose performance can be analyzed and geometrically visualized in a signal space environment. Alternating projection neural networks (APNNs) perform by alternatively projecting between two or more constraint sets. Criteria for desired and unique convergence are easily established. The network can be configured as either a content-addressable memory or classifier. Convergence of the APNN can be improved by the use of sigmoid-type nonlinearities and/or increasing the number of neurons in a hidden layer. >
DEMOGRAPHIC EFFECTS OF HABITAT FRAGMENTATION ON A TROPICAL HERB: LIFE‐TABLE RESPONSE EXPERIMENTS

Habitat fragmentation is a leading cause of extinction, with effects that may be particularly pronounced in tropical ecosystems. However, little is known regarding the demographic mechanisms underlying changes in abundance in fragmented landscapes. Us- ing six years of demographic data collected from .6600 individuals of the Amazonian understory herb Heliconia acuminata, we calculated population growth rate (l) in exper- imentally isolated 10-ha forest fragments, 1-ha forest fragments, and continuous forest. We then used life-table response experiment analyses to elucidate the mechanisms responsible for observed differences in l. On average, l 1.05 in continuous forest, while l 1i n both 1-ha and 10-ha fragments. However, while the differences in l between 10-ha fragments and continuous forest were largely attributable to the negative contribution of stage-specific fertility rates, reduced l in 1-ha fragments was due to both reductions in reproductive rates and changes in the rate of plant growth. Our results show that similar reductions in l in fragments of different sizes can be driven by distinct demographic mechanisms. Without comprehensive demographic data, attempts to mitigate the decline of populations in frag- mented landscapes could be unsuccessful because they might be focusing on inappropriate demographic targets.
Optical second-harmonic generation with coupled surface plasmons from a multilayer silver-quartz grating

We report a theoretical and experimental study of enhanced optical second-harmonic generation due to excitation of coupled surface plasmons from a thin silver grating bounded by two quartz crystals. With incident radiation from a Nd:YAG laser, diffracted second-harmonic generation in the n = 1, 0, and −1 modes is observed for the coupled surface plasmon fundamental modes. Nonlinear reflectance ratios calculated by using the reduced Rayleigh equations are in good agreement with the experimental results. Enhancement of the second-harmonic generation is limited by the scattering of the long-range surface plasmon mode in the thinnest silver films studied.
Prevalence of mild apparent mineralocorticoid excess in mennonites

We have studied an unusual patient with mild low-renin hypertension due to a homozygous mutation in the HSD11B2 gene (PNAS 95:10200–10205, 1998). The patient came from an inbred Mennonite family, and though the mutation identified her as an AME patient, she had a normal birth weight and did not demonstrate the typical features of AME, such as hypokalemic alkalosis, low birth weight, failure to thrive, poor growth, and in many cases nephrocalcinosis. Biochemically, typical patients with AME have abnormal cortisol metabolites and an exceedingly diminished ability to convert [11-3H] cortisol to cortisone. In this patient with mild AME, the conversion of cortisol to cortisone was 58% compared to 0 to 6% in typical AME patients, while the normal conversion is 90 to 95%. Molecular analysis of the HSD11B2 gene of this patient showed a homozygous mutation in codon 227 (P227L). We studied this Mennonite population for the prevalence of the P227L mutation. Our hypothesis was that this mild form of AME would be prev...
Simulation of a switched series-resonant receiver for wireless power transfer applications

There has recently been considerable renewed interest in commercial development of wireless power transfer (WPT) through magnetically-coupled resonant circuits. One of the problems inherent in WPT is the large variation in power delivered to the load if the flux-coupling coefficient from primary to secondary resonators is allowed to vary. Power delivery may be regulated by either supply-side or load-side regulation, but load-side regulation is less complex as it does not require feedback from the load to the source. The paper analyzes through state equations a proposed method of load-side regulation and develops and validates a linearized model.
The impact of inner‐city life on adolescent development implications for social work

Abstract This paper examines how the unique dilemmas of inner‐city life (substandard housing, inferior schools, and deteriorating neighborhoods) affect the socioemotional development of adolescents. Those protective factors within individuals or their environments that either promote successful development or buffer them from the risk factors that might otherwise compromise development are described. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications of this information for social work practice and future research initiatives.
Visual Responses in Monkey Areas V1 and V2 to Three-Dimensional Surface Configurations

The visual system uses information about the relative depth of contours and surfaces to link and segment elements of visual scenes. The integration of form and depth information was studied in areas V1 and V2 of the alert macaque. Neurons in area V2 used contextual depth information to integrate occluded contours, signal the presence of object boundaries, and segment surfaces: (1) Amodal contour completion occurs when a contour passes behind an occluder. The basis of contour completion, the facilitation of neuronal responses to stimuli located within their receptive fields (RFs) by contextual lines lying outside their RFs, was blocked by orthogonal lines intersecting the contours but was recovered when the orthogonal line was placed in the near depth plane. (2) An illusory contour will modally complete separated elements located across an isoluminant field if the elements are placed in the near depth plane. V2 neurons responded when line segments were placed outside the RF in the near depth plane and a field of uniform luminance covered the RF. (3) Texture elements within a surface will “capture” the perceived depth consistent with the disparity of the surface9s boundary, even when given no disparity themselves. V2 neurons responded to the center elements of a grating as if they contained disparity, even though disparity was present only for the grating9s end elements located beyond the RF borders. These results, which were more common in V2 than in V1, demonstrate a role for V2 in the three-dimensional representation of surfaces in space.
Semantic Smoothing for Model-based Document Clustering

A document is often full of class-independent "general" words and short of class-specific "core " words, which leads to the difficulty of document clustering. We argue that both problems will be relieved after suitable smoothing of document models in agglomerative approaches and of cluster models in partitional approaches, and hence improve clustering quality. To the best of our knowledge, most model-based clustering approaches use Laplacian smoothing to prevent zero probability while most similarity-based approaches employ the heuristic TF*IDF scheme to discount the effect of "general" words. Inspired by a series of statistical translation language model for text retrieval, we propose in this paper a novel smoothing method referred to as context-sensitive semantic smoothing for document clustering purpose. The comparative experiment on three datasets shows that model-based clustering approaches with semantic smoothing is effective in improving cluster quality.
Bone accrual in children: adding substance to surfaces.

The mass of growing bones increases through changes in outer dimensions and through the net addition of tissue on inner bone surfaces. In this overview I examine bone accrual as it occurs on trabecular (inner) and periosteal (outer) surfaces. In the axial skeleton, the amount of trabecular bone increases during development, because trabeculae grow thicker as a result of bone remodeling with a positive balance. Remodeling is a process in which osteoblasts and osteoclasts are tightly linked (“coupled”) in time and space. In contrast to trabecular thickness, trabecular number and material density change little throughout development. Bone accrual on periosteal surfaces leads to an increase in bone size, which is a crucial determinant of bone strength throughout life. Periosteal osteoblasts deposit new bone on an extended surface area and over an extended period of time without being interrupted by osteoclasts. This type of bone metabolic activity is called modeling, which is much more efficient than remodeling for increasing bone mass. In the past, research has focused on bone remodeling on trabecular surfaces. However, the key to an improved understanding of bone mass and strength development in children will lie with studies on bone modeling on periosteal surfaces.
Genetic analysis of ffh f rom Escherichia coli

The Ffh protein of Escherichia coli is a 48kd protein that is homologous to the 54kd subunit of the eukaryotic signal recognition particle (SRP). Ffh, similar to its eukaryotic counterpart, is important for localization of proteins to the bacterial inner membrane. Studies to understand Ffh function have largely depended on the use of E. coli strains that allow depletion of the wild type gene product. As an alternative approach to studying Ffh function, we have isolated a temperature-sensitive jfh mutant using a plasmid shuffling system developed to improve the efficiency of isolation of conditional mutations in essential genes. The mutant is the result of two amino acid changes in conserved regions of the Ffh protein. Characterization of the temperature-sensitive mutant revealed that the thermolabile protein is defective at the permissive temperature of 30°C, but cells rapidly lose viability upon growth at the non-permissive temperature of 42°C. While the jfh73 mutant is defective in insertion of inner membrane proteins, the export of proteins with cleavable signal sequences is not impaired. Furthermore, the mutant shows elevated expression of heat shock proteins, and accumulates increased levels of insoluble proteins, especially at 42°C. Collectively these results are consistent with a model that ffh is required only for the insertion and translocation of inner membrane proteins. The temperature sensitivity of the ffh15 mutant was suppressed by overproduction of 4.5S RNA, the RNA component of the bacterial signal recognition particle. The suppression was due to stabilization of the thermolabile Ffh protein in the presence of elevated levels of 4.5S RNA. This observation can be exploited as a means to isolate and characterize 4.5S
A Phase II study of anti-epidermal growth factor receptor radioimmunotherapy in the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme.

Object This single-institution Phase II study tests the efficacy of adjuvant radioimmunotherapy with 125I-labeled anti–epidermal growth factor receptor 425 murine monoclonal antibody (125I-mAb 425) in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Methods A total of 192 patients with GBM were treated with 125I-mAb 425 over a course of 3 weekly intravenous injections of 1.8 GBq following surgery and radiation therapy. The primary end point was overall survival, and the secondary end point was toxicity. Additional subgroup analyses were performed comparing treatment with 125I-mAb 425 (RIT, 132 patients), 125I-mAb 425 and temozolomide (TMZ+RIT, 60 patients), and a historical control group (CTL, 81 patients). Results The median age was 53 years (range 19–78 years), and the median Karnofsky Performance Scale score was 80 (range 60–100). The percentage of patients who underwent debulking surgery was 77.6% and that of those receiving temozolomide was 31.3%. The overall median survival was 15.7 mont...
Cranberry Proanthocyanidins are Cytotoxic to Human Cancer Cells and Sensitize Platinum-Resistant Ovarian Cancer Cells to Paraplatin

Polyphenolic extracts of the principal flavonoid classes present in cranberry were screened in vitro for cytotoxicity against solid tumor cells lines, identifying two fractions composed principally of proanthocyanidins (PACs) with potential anticancer activity. Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) analysis of the proanthocyanidins (PACs) fractions indicated the presence of A-type PACs with 1-4 linkages containing between 2-8 epicatechin units with a maximum of 1 epigallocatechin unit. PACs exhibited in vitro cytotoxicity against platinum-resistant human ovarian, neuroblastoma and prostate cancer cell lines (IC50 = 79-479 microg/mL) but were non-cytotoxic to lung fibroblast cells (IC50 > 1000 microg/ml). SKOV-3 ovarian cancer cells treated with PACs exhibited classic apoptotic changes. PACs acted synergistically with paraplatin in SKOV-3 cells. Pretreatment of SKOV-3 cells with PACs (106 microg/ml) resulted in a significant reduction of the paraplatin IC50 value. Similarly, in a BrdU incorporation assay, co-treatment of SKOV-3 cells with PACs and paraplatin revealed reduced cell proliferation at lower concentrations than with either individually. In SKOV-3 cell cultures co-treated with PAC-1 and paraplatin, an HPLC analysis indicated differential quantitative presence of various PAC oligomers such as DP-8, -9, -11 and -14 indicating either selective binding or uptake. Cranberry proanthocyanidins exhibit cell-line specific cytotoxicity, induce apoptotic markers and augment cytotoxicity of paraplatin in platinum-resistant SKOV-3 ovarian cancer cells.
FDG-PET Imaging for Radiation Therapy in Head and Neck Cancer

Imaging of the accumulation of 18F-labeled fluoro deoxyglucose (FDG) using positron emission tomography (PET) is being used clinically for the evaluation of the physiological and pathological status of tissues in situ. FDG-PET imaging studies of patients with head and neck lesions have previously been shown to be useful for staging of the disease and for evaluating changes in tumor metabolism during a course of radiotherapy [1–3]. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the volume of elevated uptake of FDG in head and neck tumors and correlate these findings with the planning target volume (PTV) delineated on CT and MR images.
Packaging of a Fingerprint Based Access Control System

Verification for access control is faster and cheaper than identification based access control systems. The aim of this project was to develop a fingerprint based access control system, where the verification or validation of the entry is based upon the data from a RFID card. The multi-hop unit is controlled by a PIC 18F series, RISC processor. The capacitive sensor employed extracts 40 minutiae points, which are verified based on the pre-stored data in the RFID card. The capacitive sensor is capable of detecting human tissue, eliminating brute-force or latent print attacks. The low power RFID reader makes the unit portable. The use of RFID cards and verification mechanisms eliminate the use of a centralized database to store the data of every valid entry. The Infineon RFID card has an operating distance of 5mm, as opposed to 0.5mm normally used in swipe based RFID systems, making it easier to use. The packaged fabricated unit was successfully designed to program new RFID cards with minutiae data obtained...
Regulation of the erythroid transcription factor NF-E2 by cyclic adenosine monophosphate-dependent protein kinase.

Activation of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent protein kinase (A-kinase) promotes hemoglobin synthesis in several erythropoietin-dependent cell lines, whereas A-kinase–deficient murine erythroleukemia (MEL) cells show impaired hemoglobin production; A-kinase may regulate the erythroid transcription factor NF-E2 by directly phosphorylating its p45 subunit or by changing p45 interactions with other proteins. We have mapped the major A-kinase phosphorylation site of p45 to Ser 169 ; Ala substitution for Ser 169 resulted in a protein that was no longer phosphorylated by A-kinase in vitro or in vivo. The mutant protein formed NF-E2 complexes that bound to DNA with the same affinity as wild-type p45 and functioned normally to restore β-globin gene expression in a p45-deficient MEL cell line. Transactivation properties of the (Ser 169 → Ala) mutant p45 were also indistinguishable from wild-type p45 when Gal4-p45 fusion constructs were tested with a Gal4-dependent reporter gene. Transactivation of the reporter by both mutant and wild-type p45 was significantly enhanced when A-kinase was activated by membrane-permeable cAMP analogs or when cells were cotransfected with the catalytic subunit of A-kinase. Stimulation of p45 transactivation by A-kinase required only the N-terminal transactivation domain of p45, suggesting that A-kinase regulates the interaction of p45 with downstream effectors.
Voice, Visibility, and Recognition: Vertical and Horizontal Trajectories of Human Rights and Social Justice Media

Historically, the articulation of human rights and social justice discourses has typically coalesced around topics of peace and conflict, governance, transparency, and accountability. News media ha...
Improvement of Land Titles

The proper determination of the ownership and use of land requires a system which synthesizes data relating to ownership of the physical characteristics of, and the public records relating to, land. The present system of keeping land records is antiquated and uncoordinated. Although modern equipment is solving problems of transcription, accessibility, retrievability and storage of land records, it is not performing the essential function of coordination or synthesis. The lack of coordination among land records hampers the work of the engineer, surveyor, lawyer, governmental administrator, land-planner and all other persons who are concerned with the ownership, characteristics and uses of land. CULDATA is a suggested modern system for determining, classifying and recording land data, which should achieve the desired synthesis. CULDATA utilizing the state plane coordinate system, modern surveying techniques and equipment, electronic data-processing and computerized land data banks.
Effects of hypertrophy on left atrial and ventricular compliance and plasma ANF levels in conscious dogs

Alterations in left atrial (LA) and left ventricular (LV) compliance and arterial and coronary sinus atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) concentrations at baseline and in response to both volume deplet...
Size-Controlled Synthesis of Granular Polyphosphate Nanoparticles at Physiologic Salt Concentrations for Blood Clotting

Size-controlled granular polyphosphate (PolyP) nanoparticles were synthesized by precipitation in aqueous solutions containing physiological concentrations of calcium and magnesium. We demonstrate using dynamic light scattering (DLS) that the solubility is correlated inversely with PolyP chain length, with very long chain PolyP (PolyP1000+, more than 1000 repeating units) normally found in prokaryotes precipitating much more robustly than shorter chains like those found in human platelet dense granules (PolyP80, range 76–84 repeating units). It is believed that the precipitation of PolyP is a reversible process involving calcium coordination to phosphate monomers in the polymer chain. The particles are stable in aqueous buffer and albumin suspensions on time scales roughly equivalent to catastrophic bleeding events. Transmission electron microscopy images demonstrate that the PolyP nanoparticles are spherical and uniformly electron dense, with a particle diameter of 200–250 nm, closely resembling the cont...
Abstract 5175: Predictors of metastatic spread and progression free survival in uterine papillary serous carcinoma: A pilot study

Background: Uterine Papillary Serous Carcinoma (UPSC) comprises 5-10% of all endometrial cancers but is responsible for nearly 40% of all endometrial cancer-related deaths. Progression-free survival (PFS) controlled for stage is also markedly shorter in UPSC compared to Type 1 endometrial cancers. Unlike endometrioid carcinoma, in which depth of myometrial invasion, grade, and lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI) are risk factors for extrauterine spread, UPSC often metastasizes in those with no myometrial invasion. Objective: The objective of this study is to identify markers that may predict metastatic disease in women with non-invasive UPSC or portend a shorter progression free survival. Materials: A retrospective chart review was performed on women diagnosed with Stage IA or Stage III/IV UPSC without myometrial invasion from 1995-2008. Examined factors include age, parity, race, weight, LVSI, CA125 levels, and tumor location within the endometrium. Tissue microarrays (TMAs) were constructed using paraffin blocked specimens and stained for ER, PR, p53, VEGF, Claudin 3, Claudin 4, Her-2/neu, Her-3, Synuclein gamma, and Maspin. Chi-square analysis, Student9s t-test, and Fisher9s Exact analysis were used where appropriate to detect statistically significant differences in these 2 groups with Kaplan-Meyer analysis used to determine PFS. Significance was represented at p Results: Thirty-two patients were identified to have UPSC without myometrial invasion, 24 (75%) comprising Stage IA and 8 (25%) having Stage III/IV disease. Pathology blocks were available for 21 patients (14 Stage I and 7 Stage III/IV). CA125 was the only factor to achieve significance (p=0.04) in predicting metastatic spread; biomarkers, either alone or in combination, were not predictive of metastatic disease. In Stage I disease, positive ER status was associated with a significantly longer PFS (p Conclusions: In addition to traditional risk factors not being predictive of metastatic disease, molecular markers that have been associated with metastatic disease and a worsening prognosis do not appear to be predictive in UPSC. However, the contribution of ER status and Her-3 needs to be further evaluated as this may offer new insight into therapeutic options for treatment. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5175. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-5175
Evidence of a recombination rate valley in human regulatory domains

Human recombination rate varies greatly, but the forces shaping it remain incompletely understood. Here, we study the relationship between recombination rate and gene-regulatory domains defined by a gene and its linked control elements. We define these links using methylation quantitative trait loci (meQTLs), expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs), chromatin conformation, and correlated activity across cell types. Each link type shows a “recombination valley” of significantly-reduced recombination rate compared to control regions, indicating preferential co-inheritance of genes and linked regulatory elements as a single unit. This recombination valley is most pronounced for gene-regulatory domains of early embryonic developmental genes, housekeeping genes, and constitutive regulatory elements, which are known to show increased evolutionary constraint across species. Recombination valleys show increased DNA methylation, reduced double-stranded break initiation, and increased repair efficiency, specifically in the lineage leading to the germ line, providing a potential molecular mechanism facilitating their maintenance by exclusion of recombination events.
Prediction of Structural Deficiency Ratio of Bridges Based on Multiway Data Factorization

AbstractPrediction of future bridge conditions is essential in bridge management as this provides guidance for strategic planning. The National Bridge Inventory (NBI) database has been used by researchers for this purpose by utilizing Markov Chains and regression approaches. This paper introduces a hybrid method for predictions based on multiway data decomposition and simple exponential smoothing (SES). Multiway decomposition is used due to the multidimensional nature of the utilized bridge data. The simple exponential smoothing technique is utilized to predict the future proportions of structurally deficient bridges, known as the structural deficiency ratio (SD ratio) across the United States. The mean absolute error (MAE) values declined with increasing smoothing factor values, which implies bridge conditions can be reliably predicted based on recent SD ratios and not on distant past ones. With prediction metrics yielding relatively low values, this hybrid approach involving multiway data decomposition ...
Correlation between a 2D simple image analysis method and 3D bony motion during the pivot shift test

Abstract Background The pivot shift test is the most specific clinical test to detect anterior cruciate ligament injury. The purpose of this study was to determine the correlation between the 2D simple image analysis method and the 3D bony motion of the knee during the pivot shift test and assess the intra- and inter-examiner agreements. Methods Three orthopedic surgeons performed three trials of the standardized pivot shift test in seven knees. Two devices were used to measure motion of the lateral knee compartment simultaneously: 1) 2D simple image analysis method: translation was determined using a tablet computer with custom motion tracking software that quantified movement of three markers attached to skin over bony landmarks; 2) 3D bony motion: electromagnetic tracking system was used to measure movement of the same bony landmarks. Results The 2D simple image analysis method demonstrated a good correlation with the 3D bony motion (Pearson correlation: 0.75, 0.76 and 0.79). The 3D bony translation increased by 2.7 to 3.5 times for every unit increase measured by the 2D simple image analysis method. The mean intra-class correlation coefficients for the three examiners were 0.6 and 0.75, respectively for 3D bony motion and 2D image analyses, while the inter-examiner agreement was 0.65 and 0.73, respectively. Conclusions The 2D simple image analysis method results are related to 3D bony motion of the lateral knee compartment, even with skin artifact present. This technique is a non-invasive and repeatable tool to quantify the motion of the lateral knee compartment during the pivot shift test.
Fabrication of wear-resistant layers with lamellar eutectic structure by laser surface alloying using the in situ reaction between Cr and B 4 C

To improve the wear resistance of Cr5 steel, wear-resistant layers with lamellar eutectic microstructure were fabricated by laser surface alloying (LSA), which is dependent on the in situ reaction between Cr and B4C. Our results indicated that the hypoeutectic structures of the LSA layers were divided into interdendritic eutectic structures and dendrites. The area fraction of the eutectic structures increased with increasing laser scanning speed, which improved the hardness and wear resistance of the LSA layers. The average hardness of the LSA layer prepared at a scanning speed of 8 mm/s was HV0.2 883.9, which was 1.8 times greater than that of the traditional quenched layer (approximately HV 480). After sliding for 659.4 m, the specimen prepared at a scanning speed of 8 mm/s exhibited a volume loss of 0.0323 mm3, which was only 29.5% of the volume loss of the traditional quenched specimen.
Predictors of Major Improvement after Intravenous Thrombolysis in Acute Ischemic Stroke (IN7-1.010)

OBJECTIVE: To determine predictors of major neurological improvement 24 hours following thrombolysis. BACKGROUND: Intravenous thrombolysis improves outcomes of stroke patients. The immediate response to thrombolysis is variable. There is limited data on predictors of major neurological improvement (MNI) 24 hours following thrombolysis. DESIGN/METHODS: We reviewed the prospective database of patients treated through our telestroke network and at our institution between November 2008 and June 2012. We included all patients who received IV t-PA and had 24-hour NIHSS score available. Similar to prior studies, MNI was defined as a reduction in NIHSS score by ≥8, or a score of 0 or 1 at 24 hours. We divided patients into two groups based on whether or not they had MNI at 24 hours which were compared for risk factors, time to treatment, clinical and laboratory data. 3-month mRS was determined via telephone; good outcome was defined as mRS ≤2. For statistical analysis, we used independent t, and Fisher9s exact tests, and performed multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Out of 316 patients, 310 had 24-hour NIHSS scores; 38% of them experienced MNI. Patients with MNI were less likely to be older than 80 years (16% vs. 29%, p=0.008) and have atrial fibrillation (9% vs. 24%, p=0.001). Risk factors, blood glucose, blood pressure, and NIHSS score were similar between both groups. On multivariate analysis, independent predictors of MNI were age CONCLUSIONS: Younger patients without atrial fibrillation more likely exhibited MNI 24 hours following thrombolysis. MNI could serve as an early marker of thrombolytic activity and outcome after stroke which may be used in clinical trials. It may also help select patients for early endovascular treatment after intravenous thrombolysis. Disclosure: Dr. Bianchi has nothing to disclose. Dr. Hinduja has nothing to disclose. Dr. Hall-Barrow has nothing to disclose. Dr. Johsnon has nothing to disclose. Dr. Rayaz has nothing to disclose. Dr. Yaghi has nothing to disclose.
Investigating the Consequences of Boundary Permeability at Work and Home

Given the increasing demands of the contemporary workplace, managing the demands of work and home is an important topic for individuals and organizations alike. Viewing work and home as separate ye...
Tragedy “Before” Pity and Fear

This essay proposes an affective approach to the genre of tragedy through what it calls “tragic affects.” Tragic affects are the somatic and emotional feelings that tragedies incite but that classical theory of tragedy hides by emphasizing the social productivity of emotions like pity and fear. As I demonstrate in brief readings of Aristotle, Aeschylus, Seneca, Shakespeare, and Chekhov, the tragic tradition as given in various delineations of its genre conceals a history of affect. This essay draws attention to the ways that tragic drama traffics—sometimes overtly—wayward emotions in the forms of character, spectacle, and thought, drawing attention to the gratuitousness and autonomy of tragic affects.
PULMONARY ARTERY TUMOR MISTAKEN AS PULMONARY THROMBUS: MULTIPARAMETRIC CARDIAC MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING

Pulmonary artery sarcomas (PAS) are rare entity. Signs and symptoms are nonspecific and include dyspnea, cough, or chest pain, leading to a potential diagnosis of pulmonary embolism. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI) is a definitive noninvasive tool in the diagnosis. A 44-year old active
Schizophrenia: neural mechanisms for novel therapies.

Although valuable antischizophrenic drugs exist, they only partially ameliorate symptoms and elicit substantial side effects. Classic neuroleptic drugs act by blocking dopamine receptors. They can relieve some symptoms but not behavioral withdrawal features that are designated “negative” symptoms. Clozapine and related newer atypical neuroleptics may be more efficacious in relieving negative symptoms. Understandng their actions may facilitate new drug discovery. Agents influencing glutamate neurotransmission and N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors, especially the cotransmitter d-serine, are promising. Stimulation of the α7 subtype of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor may also be efficacious. The search for genes linked to schizophrenia has revealed several leads that may permit development of novel therapeutic agents. Promising genes include disrupted-in-schizophrenia-1, dysbindin, and neuregulin.
Communicating Astronomy to the Media

The wide dissemination of astrophysical research results is perhaps an even greater priority in the current era than ever before. We discuss trends in communicating with the general public via the mass media, efforts that transfer news about astronomy to much wider audiences than those who read professional journals or the popular magazines for amateur astronomers and “science buffs.” Mediated by professional journalists, astronomers’ reports are carried widely, and sometimes very effectively, by print, broadcast and internet media. This process is enhanced and facilitated by careful preparations and an understanding of how the news media work.
Computationally Efficient Design of Semiactive Structural Control in the Presence of Measurement Noise

Designing control strategies for smart structures, such as those with semiactive devices, is complicated by the nonlinear nature of the feedback control, secondary clipping control, and other additional requirements such as device saturation. The authors have previously developed an approach for semiactive control system design, based on a nonlinear Volterra integral equation (NVIE) that provides a low-order computationally efficient simulation of such systems, for state feedback semiactive clipped-optimal control. This paper expands the applicability of the approach by demonstrating that it can also be adapted to accommodate more realistic cases when, instead of full-state feedback, only a limited set of noisy response measurements is available to the controller. This extension requires incorporating a Kalman filter estimator, which is linear, into the nominal model of the uncontrolled system. The efficacy of the approach is demonstrated by a numerical study of a 100-DOF frame model, excited by a filtered Gaussian random excitation, with noisy acceleration sensor measurements to determine the semiactive control commands. The results show that the proposed method can achieve more than two orders of magnitude improvement in computational efficiency while retaining a comparable level of accuracy.
10 Context-Dependent Interaction Hierarchies and the Organization of Ectomycorrhizal Fungal Communities

Interspecific interactions, such as competition, occur among members of ectomycorrhizal fungal communities and serve as structuring forces in the development and maintenance of such communities. Under a stable set of environmental conditions, competitive hierarchies (or, in the more general case, interaction hierarchies) become established, resulting in the expression of dominance hierarchies. However, interaction hierarchies are context-dependent; competitive rankings among species, for example, depend on environmental conditions. Context-dependency occurs because of species-specific tolerances to and preferences (traits) for environmental conditions. Therefore, dominance within communities shifts from one species to another as environmental conditions shift in time or space. Phenomena such as habitat partitioning and host specificity, as well as community responses to disturbance and shifts in community structure along environmental gradients, can be explained by the context-dependence of interaction hierarchies among ectomycorrhizal fungi. Understanding the context-dependence of interaction hierarchies in terms of the relationships between species traits and environmental heterogeneity can elucidate general principles involved in the structuring of biological communities.
High-Efficiency Multiplexing of Quantum Information in Optical Temporal Modes

Information can be encoded using temporal modes—sets of field-orthogonal wave- packet shapes. Using a two-stage frequency-conversion scheme in MgO:PPLN, we demonstrate improved mode selectivity for the first three natural (“Schmidt”) modes of the FC process.
Monetary and fiscal interactions in the USA during the 1940s

It is generally assumed that the buildup of liquid assets in the USA during WWII played a large role in generating postwar economic activity. Contrary to this assumption, I establish that military contract spending during the war slowed down the growth of bank balance sheets at the state level during the period 1940–1955. State-level bank balance sheets are 10.8 cents smaller per $1 of total military spending by 1949 and 5.8 cents smaller by 1955. This is primarily driven by slower growth of demand deposits. The adjustment on the asset side is largely through reserves and Treasury holdings. Local lending also grows more slowly after the war, but this decrease is relatively small and temporary. This suggests that the local real economy was largely insulated from the slower growth in deposits by the wartime buildup of paper assets. Historical evidence points to the fact that slower growth of deposits is likely driven by a relative decline in demand for deposits by large corporations in war industries.
LatinX studies: Variations and velocities:

At the core of this Cultural Dynamics special issue on “LatinX Studies: Variations and Velocities” are new conceptual approaches, epistemological workings, “keywords,” and modes of inquiry that ena...
Temperature impacts community structure and function of phototrophic Chloroflexi and Cyanobacteria in two alkaline hot springs in Yellowstone National Park

Photosynthetic bacteria are abundant in alkaline, terrestrial hot springs and there is a long history of research on phototrophs in Yellowstone National Park (YNP). Hot springs provide a framework to examine the ecophysiology of phototrophs in situ because they provide natural gradients of geochemistry, pH and temperature. Phototrophs within the Cyanobacteria and Chloroflexi groups are frequently observed in alkaline hot springs. Decades of research has determined that temperature constrains Cyanobacteria in alkaline hot springs, but factors that constrain the distribution of phototrophic Chloroflexi remain unresolved. Using a combination of 16S rRNA gene sequencing and photoassimilation microcosms, we tested the hypothesis that temperature would constrain the activity and composition of phototrophic Cyanobacteria and Chloroflexi. We expected diversity and rates of photoassimilation to decrease with increasing temperature. We report 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing along with carbon isotope signatures and photoassimilation from 45 to 72°C in two alkaline hot springs. We find that Roseiflexus, Chloroflexus (Chloroflexi) and Leptococcus (Cyanobacteria) operational taxonomic units (OTUs) have distinct distributions with temperature. This distribution suggests that, like phototrophic Cyanobacteria, temperature selects for specific phototrophic Chloroflexi taxa. The richness of phototrophic Cyanobacteria decreased with increasing temperature along with a decrease in oxygenic photosynthesis, whereas Chloroflexi richness and rates of anoxygenic photosynthesis did not decrease with increasing temperature, even at temperatures approaching the upper limit of photosynthesis (~72-73°C). Our carbon isotopic data suggest an increasing prevalence of the 3-hydroxypropionate pathway with decreasing temperature coincident with photoautotrophic Chloroflexi. Together these results indicate temperature plays a role in defining the niche space of phototrophic Chloroflexi (as has been observed for Cyanobacteria), but other factors such as morphology, geochemistry, or metabolic diversity of Chloroflexi, in addition to temperature, could determine the niche space of this highly versatile group.
Thermal and morphological characterization of poly(ethylene terephthalate)/calcium carbonate nanocomposites

Nanocomposites composed of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) filled with calcium carbonate particles of nanometer scale were prepared by polymerizing the polyester in the presence of the nanosized fillers. Besides plain calcium carbonate, carbonate nanoparticles coated with stearic acid were also used, in order to improve the compatibility between the polymeric matrix and nanofillers. Morphological analysis evidenced a good dispersion of both the nanopowders into the PET matrix, especially in the case of coated calcium carbonate. The strong interfacial adhesion between the two phases is also responsible for the increase of the glass transition and melting temperatures in the nanocomposites compared to plain PET. Finally, non-isothermal crystallization studies revealed that the coated CaCO3 is a good nucleating agent for PET. Analysis of non-isothermal crystallization data with the Ozawa theory was successful for plain PET and PET/un-CaCO3, but this method failed to describe the dynamic solidification of the PET/c-CaCO3 nanocomposite.
Direct Polymerization Approach to Synthesize Acid-Degradable Block Copolymers Bearing Imine Pendants for Tunable pH-Sensitivity and Enhanced Release

The development of effective approaches to synthesize smart amphiphilic block copolymers (ABPs) exhibiting acid-responsive degradation through the cleavage of acid-labile imine bonds is extensively explored for controlled release of encapsulated biomolecules, particularly in drug delivery. Here, a new approach based on direct polymerization utilizing a controlled radical polymerization technique to synthesize acid-degradable ABPs bearing pendant imine linkages in hydrophobic block is reported. The approach centers on the synthesis of a novel methacrylate bearing benzoic imine group that can be polymerized to form the hydrophobic imine pendant block. The formed ABPs respond to mild acidic pHs equivalent to tumoral and endosomal/lysosomal acidic environments. This causes the dissociation of self-assembled nanoassemblies through change in their hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance upon the cleavage of pendant imine linkages to the corresponding aldehyde and primary amine, thus leading to the enhanced release of encapsulated drugs. The proof-of-concept results suggest that this robust approach is versatile to further design advanced nanoassemblies responding to dual/multiple stimuli, thus being more effective to intracellular drug delivery.