cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spatial Heterogeneity of Endothelial Phenotypes Correlates With Side-Specific Vulnerability to Calcification in Normal Porcine Aortic Valves

Calcific aortic valve sclerosis involves inflammatory processes and occurs preferentially on the aortic side of endothelialized valve leaflets. Although the endothelium is recognized to play critical roles in focal vascular sclerosis, the contributions of valvular endothelial phenotypes to aortic valve sclerosis and side-specific susceptibility to calcification are poorly understood. Using RNA amplification and cDNA microarrays, we identified 584 genes as differentially expressed in situ by the endothelium on the aortic side versus ventricular side of normal adult pig aortic valves. These differential transcriptional profiles, representative of the steady state in vivo, identify globally distinct endothelial phenotypes on opposite sides of the aortic valve. Several over-represented biological classifications with putative relevance to endothelial regulation of valvular homeostasis and aortic-side vulnerability to calcification were identified among the differentially expressed genes. Of note, multiple inhibitors of cardiovascular calcification were significantly less expressed by endothelium on the disease-prone aortic side of the valve, suggesting side-specific permissiveness to calcification. However, coexisting putative protective mechanisms were also expressed. Specifically, enhanced antioxidative gene expression and the lack of differential expression of proinflammatory molecules on the aortic side may protect against inflammation and lesion initiation in the normal valve. These data implicate the endothelium in regulating valvular calcification and suggest that spatial heterogeneity of valvular endothelial phenotypes may contribute to the focal susceptibility for lesion development.
School Choice, Charter Schools, and White Flight

The “choice” movement of the 1990s culminated in a proliferation of charter schools. However, school choice and charter school options may have future consequences for racial segregation given the potential for white flight similar to that which occurred in the 1960s and 1970s. Drawing from racial competition theory, this article contributes to literature on education and stratification in a broader sense by examining white enrollment in charter schools and its possible consequences for racial segregation. Data are drawn from the Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS), the Common Core of Data (CCD), and a unique dataset on district academic quality. Analyses suggest that relatively even distributions of white and nonwhite students within districts and corresponding competitive pressures spur white charter school enrollment. We suggest that such racial competition within the educational arena may indeed be bolstering the “return to school segregation.”
A possible explanation for the effect of magnetic fields on biological systems

ALTHOUGH there is considerable controversy over the validity of any given example of the influence of a magnetic field on a biological system, the number of such reported phenomena1 continue to make it a useful task to speculate on mechanisms which are reasonable on a molecular level. The direct influence of magnetic fields on chemical equilibrium or rate of reaction has occasionally been reported; however, this cannot usually be reproduced, and the general weight of evidence is that such effects are insignificant2. No satisfactory picture of what a weak magnetic field can do to molecular-level phenomena seems to have been advanced.
Presence of carbaryl in the smoke of treated lodgepole and ponderosa pine bark

Abstract Lodgepole and ponderosa pine trees were treated with a 2% carbaryl solution at recreational areas near Fort Collins, CO, in June 2010 as a prophylactic bole spray against the mountain pine beetle. Bark samples from treated and untreated trees were collected one day following application and at 4-month intervals for one year. The residual amount of carbaryl was determined, and bark samples were burned to examine the smoke for the active ingredient. Smoke recovered from spiked bark samples showed a very high correlation between the treated rate and the concentration recovered from the smoke. Residual carbaryl on the bark was relatively stable throughout the study and carbaryl was detected in the smoke throughout the duration of the test.
Measurement of Dielectric Constant to Quantitate Solute Water in the Sucrose-Starch-Water System

A quantitative analysis for the measurement of solute water (SOL) in the presence of polymer water (POL) by dielectric measurements was developed. Sucrose, starch and their mixtures at known moisture content and water activity (aw) were measured. Dielectric constant (K) was relatively insensitive to polymer water (POL) but very sensitive to capillary water (CAP). K was very sensitive to the amount of water in a supersaturated sucrose solution but not to dilution of the saturated solution. A given increment of solute water (SOL) in a mixture gave the same K over the whole aw range, independent of sorbent composition. A model was developed to quantitate SOL in a mixture with POL by measuring K at 1000 KHz.
Laboratory accelerated and natural weathering of styrene—ethylene—butylene—styrene (SEBS) block copolymer

Abstract Indoor accelerated and outdoor weathering of polystyrene- b -(ethylene- co -butylene)- b -styrene (SEBS) was studied by infrared spectroscopy. Accelerated conditions involved simultaneous exposure of specimens to ultraviolet–visible radiation between 295 nm and 450 nm and each of four temperature/relative humidity (RH) environments, i.e., (a) 30 °C ± 1 °C at
Flow injection analysis of H2O2 in natural waters using acridinium ester chemiluminescence: method development and optimization using a kinetic model.

Chemiluminescence (CL) of acridinium esters (AE) has found widespread use in analytical chemistry. Using the mechanism of the reaction of H2O2 with 10-methyl-9-(p-formylphenyl)acridinium carboxylate trifluoromethanesulfonate and a modified flow injection system, the reaction rates of each step in the mechanism were evaluated and used in a kinetic model to optimize the analysis of H2O2. Operational parameters for a flow injection analysis system (reagent pH, flow rate, sample volume, PMT settings) were optimized using the kinetic model. The system is most sensitive to reaction pH due to competition between AE hydrolysis and CL. The optimized system was used to determine H2O2 concentrations in natural waters, including rain, freshwater, and seawater. The lower limit of detection varied in natural waters, from 352 pM in open ocean seawater (mean, 779 pM ± 15.0%, RSD) to 58.1 nM in rain (mean, 6,340 nM ± 0.92%, RSD). The analysis is specific for H2O2 and is therefore of potential interest for atmospheric chem...
Intermediate-term follow-up after ankle distraction for treatment of end-stage osteoarthritis.

Ankle osteoarthritis is a debilitating condition with an increasing prevalence in the U.S. Current estimates of the burden of ankle osteoarthritis in the U.S. suggest that there are more than 50,000 new cases annually1. The consequences of ankle osteoarthritis include not only poor ankle function but also poor general health status2. The physical disability associated with end-stage ankle osteoarthritis is equivalent to that associated with end-stage hip osteoarthritis3, end-stage kidney disease, or congestive heart failure4. Ankle osteoarthritis is more frequently of posttraumatic origin (70% to 80%) than is osteoarthritis of the hip or knee1. Despite the best current efforts at fracture treatment, posttraumatic osteoarthritis develops in 12% of patients after lower-extremity trauma1. A study of posttraumatic ankle osteoarthritis showed the condition to be attributable to a previous rotational ankle fracture in 37.0% of cases, recurrent sprains in 14.6%, a single sprain in 13.7%, a pilon fracture in 9.0%, a tibial shaft fracture in 8.5%, and an osteochondral lesion of the talus in 4.7%5. Ankle osteoarthritis mostly affects a younger population, which makes treatment options challenging. Ankle arthrodesis, which has been considered the gold-standard surgical treatment because of its fairly predictable results, can lead to alterations in gait, loss of function, and adjacent joint arthritis6-9. Total ankle arthroplasty is usually reserved for older, less active individuals10. Because of the notable limitations of joint-sacrificing surgical procedures, much interest has been paid recently to joint-preserving surgical options11. Short-term results in Europe and the U.S., including those at our institution, have been encouraging12-21. Ankle distraction is a way to treat symptoms while keeping arthrodesis and total ankle arthroplasty as viable options if the distraction ultimately fails. We prospectively followed a cohort of patients who had undergone ankle distraction and report here the clinical results at five to ten years postoperatively.
Induction of rat-hepatic microsomal cytochrome P-450 and aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase by 1,3-benzodioxole derivatives.

Several 1,3-benzodioxoles (BD) and related compounds were studied in relation to their ability to generate metabolite complexes with hepatic cytochrome P-450 following administration in vivo to rats. BD derivatives that formed stable metabolite complexes with cytochrome P-450 were considerably more effective inducers of cytochrome P-450 and aryl hydrocarbon (benzo[alpha]pyrene) hydroxylase (AHH) activity than derivatives that did not form stable complexes. Linear regression analysis showed that AHH activity was well correlated (r = 0.980) with total (i.e. complexed plus uncomplexed) cytochrome P-450 content and was not correlated with levels of uncomplexed cytochrome P-450. Aminopyrine N-demethylase (APDM) activity in hepatic microsomes from rats treated with 1,3-benzodioxoles was moderately correlated in a linear relationship with uncomplexed levels of cytochrome P-450 and not with total cytochrome P-450.
Crystallization behavior of isotactic propylene‐1‐hexene random copolymer revealed by time‐resolved SAXS/WAXD techniques

The crystallization behavior of isotactic propylene-1-hexene (PH) random copolymer having 5.7% mole fraction of hexene content was investigated using simultaneous time-resolved small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) techniques. For this copolymer, the hexene component cannot be incorporated into the unit cell structure of isotactic polypropylene (iPP). Only {alpha}-phase crystal form of iPP was observed when samples were melt crystallized at temperatures of 40 C, 60 C, 80 C, and 100 C. Comprehensive analysis of SAXS and WAXD profiles indicated that the crystalline morphology is correlated with crystallization temperature. At high temperatures (e.g., 100 C) the dominant morphology is the lamellar structure; while at low temperatures (e.g., 40 C) only highly disordered small crystal blocks can be formed. These morphologies are kinetically controlled. Under a small degree of supercooling (the corresponding iPP crystallization rate is slow), a segmental segregation between iPP and hexene components probably takes place, leading to the formation of iPP lamellar crystals with a higher degree of order. In contrast, under a large degree of supercooling (the corresponding iPP crystallization rate is fast), defective small crystal blocks are favored due to the large thermodynamic driving force and low chain mobility.
ACR Appropriateness Criteria® on Acute Respiratory Illness

In a patient with acute respiratory illness (cough, sputum production, chest pain, and/or dyspnea), the need for chest imaging depends on the severity of illness, age of the patient, clinical history, physical and laboratory findings, and other risk factors. Chest radiographs seem warranted when one or more of the following are present: age ≥ 40; dementia; a positive physical examination; hemoptysis; associated abnormalities (leukocytosis, hypoxemia); or other risk factors, including coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, or drug-induced acute respiratory failure. Chest CT may be warranted in complicated cases of severe pneumonia and in febrile neutropenic patients with normal or nonspecific chest radiographic findings. Literature on the indications and usefulness of radiologic studies for acute respiratory illness in different clinical settings is reviewed.
Lysine Residue 114 in Human Antithrombin III Is Required for Heparin Pentasaccharide-mediated Activation

Recombinant native antithrombin III (ATIII) and two genetic variants with glutamine substitutions at lysine residues 114 and 139 were expressed in insect cells using a baculovirus-driven expression system. The purified proteins were used to evaluate the potential role(s) of these residues in the pentasaccharide-mediated activation of ATIII. The second order rate constants for the inhibition of factor Xa by both of the genetic variants were nearly identical to those of recombinant native ATIII, indicating that the glutamine substitutions did not result in serious protein conformational changes. The glutamine substitution at lysine 139 had no effect on the pentasaccharide-mediated activation of ATIII toward factor Xa. In contrast, lysine 114 was found to be critical in the activation of ATIII toward factor Xa. No activation was observed, even at a pentasaccharide concentration 10 times higher than that required to activate recombinant native ATIII. These data are the first to demonstrate a pivotal role for lysine 114 in the pentasaccharide-mediated activation of ATIII.
Limbic networks and associative learning: II. Entorhinal contributions to spontaneous alternation, passive avoidance, and taste aversion learning

The hippocampus plays an important role in learning and memory, but the precise nature of that involvement remains uncertain. Transection of the perforant path, a primary input pathway to the hippocampus, has been shown to produce changes in reaction to novelty and acquisition of active avoidance; the nature and magnitude of these changes vary with lateral or medial perforant path damage. In a series of experiments on adult rats, the role of these pathways in spontaneous alternation, exploration, acquisition and extinction of conditioned responses, passive avoidance, and conditioned taste aversion was investigated. Lateral transection reduced exploration while medial transection facilitated acquisition of an active avoidance response; no effects were observed on any other measure. Results are discussed in terms of what perforant path damage might reveal regarding the interactions of the hippocampus with other brain regions.
The Ethics of False Implicature in Technical and Professional Writing Courses

In taking “existing practice” in the workplace as their standard, technical and professional writing courses risk leaving students with the impression that whatever is done and is rhetorically effective is right. One way of countering the sophistry of this tendency is to raise questions about the ethics of common but suspect rhetorical practices. This article examines the ethics of one such practice: fostering false inference. Out of H. Paul Grice's analysis of how participants in a conversation correctly interpret what is only implied, it evolves a framework for judging the fostering of false inference. The article presents and discusses a hypothetical case in which a firm's proposal seems intended to mislead, while actually stating nothing that is not literally true.
Terahertz response of microfluidic-jetted fabricated 3D multilayer metamaterials

The metamaterials (MTMs) are defined as artificial materials which will achieved extraordinary electromagnetic properties that are not available in natural material. Due to their embryonic nature, MTMs evolve in rapid speed in this few years. The science of MTMs, particularly left-handed metamaterials (LH MTMs), has been well established theoretically, numerically, and experimentally in the literature.
Iterative classification for multiple target attributes

Many real-world applications require the simultaneous prediction of multiple target attributes. The techniques currently available for these problems either employ a global model that simultaneously predicts all target attributes or rely on the aggregation of individual models, each predicting one target. This paper introduces a novel solution. Our approach employs an iterative classification strategy to exploit the relationships among multiple target attributes to achieve higher accuracy. The computation scheme is developed as a wrapper in which many standard single-target classification algorithms can be simply "plugged-in" to simultaneously predict multiple targets. An empirical evaluation using eight data sets shows that the proposed method outperforms (1) an approach that constructs independent classifiers for each target, (2) a multitask neural network method, and (3) ensembles of multi-objective decision trees in terms of simultaneously predicting all target attributes correctly.
Pharmacological and autoradiographical characterization of serotonin transporter-like activity in sporocysts of the human blood fluke, Schistosoma mansoni

The present study focuses on the role of the biogenic monoamine serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) in the biology of sporocyst stages of the human blood fluke, Schistosoma mansoni, and its importance during obligate development within its snail host Biomphalaria glabrata. Based on previous work demonstrating that snails infected with S. mansoni have reduced levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine, we hypothesized that sporocysts actively transport this molecule from the host milieu. Intact sporocysts isolated in vitro take up exogenous 5-hydroxytryptamine via a high-affinity mechanism (K m=1.4 μmol l−1), and this serotonin transporter-like activity is dependent upon extracellular Na+ and Cl− and is highly sensitive to previously characterized serotonin transporter inhibitors. Autoradiography suggests that transported [3H]5-hydroxytryptamine localizes within the body of the sporocyst, and in many cases is found in apical gland cells. Moreover, serotonin transporter-like activity is absent in free-swimming miracidia, the infective stage for the snail host, and the increase in larval serotonin transporter-like activity after miracidium-to-sporocyst transformation is accompanied by a corresponding decrease in steady-state levels of transcripts for tryptophan hydroxylase, the rate-limiting enzyme in serotonin biosynthesis. Overall our data suggest that S. mansoni larvae express surface-exposed serotonin transporter-like molecules, and that the transition from free-living miracidium to parasitic mother sporocyst is characterized by an increased dependence upon exogenous 5-hydroxytryptamine.
Lysine 445 is a molecular indicator of subunit‐specific AMPA receptor binding domains

Despite strong homology between subunits of AMPA-type glutamate receptors, heteromeric assemblies in different brain regions vary in subunit composition and functional properties. We have previously shown that charge substitution at K445 decreases the apparent potency of AMPA for GluR-A receptors, although an analogous mutation is a low conductance B subunit of AB heteromers did not diminish AMPA potency. To examine the subunit selectivity of K445, we now measure the apparent potency of AMPA and glutamate at recombinant homomeric receptors containing the high-conductance, unedited (586Q) GluR-B subunit (GluR-B(Q)) using two-electrode voltage-clamp. We find the decrease in apparent potency of AMPA is recapitulated for homomeric GluR-B(Q)K449E receptors, and is rescued by coexpression with wild-type GluR-A. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that AMPAR subunit composition is critical to agonist-dependent receptor activation, and suggest that GluR-A plays a dominant role in mediating receptor activation by AMPA.
Fundamentals of convolutional coding [Book Reviews]

This book provides a comprehensive coverage of almost all the major research results in convolutional coding since their introduction by Elias 45 years ago. The authors are well respected senior researchers who have spent almost their entire career in this field. The book was developed over a period of more than ten years and has been thoroughly tested in the doctoral program at Lund University, Sweden. The result of this painstaking effort is a first-class graduate textbook and research resource that sets very high standards for depth and breadth of coverge, attention to detail, and clarity. As a graduate textbook, it is ideal for an advanced, doctoral level course on convolutional coding. It would best be preceded by a course in the basics of block coding theory, but the brief coverage of block codes included in Chapter 1 would be sufficient for highly motivated students. The book is too long to be covered in one semester, because much of the material is heavy in detail and not easy to comprehend. Despite my obvious like and appreciation for this book, there are, in my opinion, a few shortcomings. Most unfortunate, perhaps, is the lack of any coverage of so-called turbo codes. I also was somewhat disappointed in the relatively brief coverage given to trellis-coded modulation. These practically important codes deserve more attention than they received here. Finally, I would have liked to see the authors develop the concept of punctured convolutional codes, also very important in practice, to the same depth that they covered, say, tail biting codes. All in all, though, these shortcomings should not detract from what is on the whole an excellent book.
Relation of structural properties of beta-lactam antibiotics to antibacterial activity

There has been remarkable progress in the development of new antimicrobial agents as the result of structural modifications of the cephalosporin nucleus. It has been possible to predict many aspects of the antimicrobial activity of new agents and to recognize the structural modifications that contribute to overcoming the continued problem of bacterial resistance. The activity of beta-lactams against gram-positive species depends primarily on their affinity for the enzymes referred to as penicillin-binding proteins. Resistance of gram-positive species to beta-lactams is either due to altered penicillin-binding proteins or, more commonly, due to the presence of beta-lactamases, which are usually plasmid-mediated and inducible. The activity of beta-lactams against gram-negative aerobic and anaerobic bacteria is the result of the way in which the compounds pass through the porin channels in the outer wall, resist inactivation by beta-lactamases, and bind to the penicillin-binding proteins. The basic cephalosporin nucleus consists of the essential beta-lactam ring fused to a dihydrothiazine ring. It is possible to modify this structure to increase antibacterial activity. Changes in moieties at position 3 affect pharmacologic activity but can also cause a marked increase or decrease in activity against staphylococci and Pseudomonas species. The presence of the thiomethyltetrazole group at position 3 has been associated with an alteration in prothrombin synthesis and with disulfiram reactions. Modifications of the cephem nucleus at position 7 by addition of methoxy groups increase beta-lactamase stability but decrease activity against gram-positive species because of lower affinity for penicillin-binding proteins. The more useful acyl side chains have been those that contain a 2-aminothiazolyl moiety, which causes increased affinity of the molecules for penicillin-binding proteins of gram-negative bacteria and streptococcal species. Iminomethoxy groups provide beta-lactamase stability against the common plasmid beta-lactamases such as those of Staphylococcus aureus and the TEM, SHV-1, OXA, and PSE enzymes found in Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, as well as the chromosomally mediated K-1 and P99 enzymes of Enterobacter. A propylcarboxy group increases beta-lactamases stability and also provides activity against P. aeruginosa and some Acinetobacter. Conversely, this particular grouping reduces the beta-lactamase induction capabilities of a compound, as well as its ability to function as a beta-lactamase inhibitor.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Applications of Geodesy to Geodynamics: 1. Geodesy for Geodynamics, Progress and Problems

The Ninth Geop (Geodesy/Solid Earth and Ocean Physics) Research Conference was sponsored by IAG and Cospar and cosponsored by AGU, DMA, NASA, NOAA, USGS, and the Department of Geodetic Science of the Ohio State University. It took place in the Fawcett Center for Tomorrow, at Columbus, Ohio, October 2–5, 1978 and was attended by 209 persons from 16 countries. The meeting was divided into eight scientific sessions, each dealing with geodynamic phenomena to which geodesy can be applied. This report is based on the last session which was devoted to general applications.
Zein as a film-type coating for medicinal tablets.

Zein, with and without certain additives, was added to isopropyl alcohol. Tablets coated with the resultant nonenteric fluids adequately withstand heat, abrasion, and humidity. Tastes and odors of the original tablets are concealed by the coating. Grooves and emblems on the tablet surface are retained and remain visible through the coating. The differences in solubility between the coated and uncoated tablets are negligible.
Network motif comparison rationalizes Sec1/Munc18-SNARE regulation mechanism in exocytosis

Background: Network motifs, recurring subnetwork patterns, provide significant insight into the biological networks which are believed to govern cellular processes. Methods: We present a comparative network motif experimental approach, which helps to explain complex biological phenomena and increases the understanding of biological functions at the molecular level by exploring evolutionary design principles of network motifs. Results: Using this framework to analyze the SM (Sec1/Munc18)-SNARE (N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor activating protein receptor) system in exocytic membrane fusion in yeast and neurons, we find that the SM-SNARE network motifs of yeast and neurons show distinct dynamical behaviors. We identify the closed binding mode of neuronal SM (Munc18-1) and SNARE (syntaxin-1) as the key factor leading to mechanistic divergence of membrane fusion systems in yeast and neurons. We also predict that it underlies the conflicting observations in SM overexpression experiments. Furthermore, hypothesis-driven lipid mixing assays validated the prediction. Conclusion: Therefore this study provides a new method to solve the discrepancies and to generalize the functional role of SM proteins.
Effectiveness of Counter Flow Microchannel Heat Exchangers Subjected to External Heat Transfer and Internal Heat Generation

The effect of external heat transfer and internal heat generation on the thermal performance of a balanced counter flow microchannel heat exchanger is theoretically analyzed in this paper. External heat transfer occurs due to the thermal interaction between ambient and the fluids. Internal heat generation takes into account the heat generated inside the channels due to the conversion of pumping power into heat. One-dimensional governing equations for both fluids were developed and solved to obtain the axial temperatures. The governing equations were solved using a 2nd order finite difference scheme. The effectiveness of the fluids is dependent on NTU, the ambient temperature, the thermal resistance between the individual fluids and the ambient and the pumping power. With increase in ambient temperature the effectiveness of the hot and cold fluid decreased and improved, respectively. On the other hand, reductions in the ambient temperature always lead to the improvement and degradation of the hot and cold fluid effectiveness, respectively. Depending on the ambient temperature, the thermal resistance between the individual fluids and the ambient increased or decreased the effectiveness of the fluids. Internal heat generation always reduced and improved the hot and cold fluid effectiveness, respectively. The combined effect of external heat transfer and internal heat generation on the effectiveness of the fluids depends on the net amount of heat gained/lost by the individual fluids. The effectiveness of a microchannel counter flow heat exchanger is found to be better than of a parallel flow heat exchanger subjected to the same set of external conditions. The model developed in this paper has been verified using existing models that consider each of these effects individually.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
In-vitro myoglobin clearance by a novel sorbent system.

Rhabdomyolysis may lead to acute kidney injury following deposition of myoglobin in renal tubules. Although high-flux dialysis membranes may remove a substantial amount of myoglobin from plasma, this may still not be sufficient to prevent renal damage. We tested a new polymer sorbent, X-Sorb®, in vitro to determine its potential to clear myoglobin from solutions. Normal saline or human serum in which myoglobin was dissolved was perfused by a peristaltic pump through a column packed with the sorbent. After a 4-hour perfusion, the myoglobin level in normal saline fell from 200,000 ng/ml to virtually undetectable ( 90% over 4 hours. X-Sorb appears to be an effective sorbent for myoglobin and warrants a trial in vivo to determine whether it is equally effective and safe.
Endovascular management of adjacent tandem intracranial aneurysms: utilization of stent-assisted coiling and flow diversion.

Tandem intracranial aneurysms are aneurysms located along a single intracranial vessel. Adjacent tandem aneurysms arise within the same vascular segment and their presence often suggests diffuse parent vessel anomaly. Endovascular management of these rare lesions has not been well studied. In this retrospective observational study, we describe our experience treating adjacent tandem intracranial aneurysms with endovascular embolization. We retrospectively reviewed records of patients with these lesions who underwent endovascular treatment between 2008 and 2013. Thirteen patients (mean age 60.8 years; 12 women) with 28 adjacent tandem aneurysms were treated during the study timeframe. Aneurysms were located along the clinoidal, ophthalmic, and communicating segments of the internal carotid artery in 12 patients and at the basilar apex in one patient. Average size was 8.4 mm. Six patients (12 aneurysms) were treated by flow diversion via the Pipeline embolization device (PED) and seven (16 aneurysms) by stent-assisted coiling, with coils successfully placed in 11 aneurysms. Clinical follow-up was available for an average of 26.1 months; postprocedural angiography was performed for 12 patients. Complete occlusion was achieved in nine of ten (90 %) PED-treated aneurysms and eight of 11 (72.7 %) treated by stent-assisted coiling (p = 0.44). Two patients treated by stent-assisted coiling required re-coiling for aneurysm recanalization. Overall, modified Rankin scale scores were 0–1 for 12 patients and 3 for one patient. Adjacent tandem intracranial aneurysms can be safely and effectively treated by either stent-assisted coiling or flow diversion. We prefer PED flow diversion due to better parent vessel reconstruction and lower recanalization risk.
Postoperative bleeding in transoral laser microsurgery for upper aerodigestive tract tumors.

OBJECTIVES: To report the incidence, cause, and outcome of bleeding after transoral laser microsurgery. STUDY DESIGN: A two-center prospective case series analysis. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Seven hundred one patients underwent transoral laser microsurgery for tumors of the oral cavity, pharynx, and larynx from June 1996 through September 2006. RESULTS: Ten patients (1.4%) experienced postoperative bleeding between 0 and 17 days after surgery. Five patients had previously untreated tumors, and five patients had salvage surgery. Two patients (0.3%) had minor bleeding and required observation only. Five patients (0.7%) experienced major bleeding requiring exploration under general anesthesia. Three patients (0.4%) had catastrophic life-threatening bleeds, two of whom died. The bleeding vessel was identified as the lingual artery in four patients, the superior laryngeal artery in two, the facial artery in two, and unknown in two. CONCLUSIONS: Bleeding after transoral laser microsurgery is rare but potentially life-threatening.
EXTRACTING INFORMATION FROM INTERIMPACT INTERVALS IN A MECHANICAL OSCILLATOR

Monitoring all the state variables in dynamic experiments may be difficult or even impossible. It is also desirable to reduce the coupling between the system under study and the measuring device to as low a level as possible. To these ends, we investigated the use of interimpact interval as a discrete state variable. It is well established that topological information can be obtained from delay coordinate embedding and thus not all of the state variables, or even a continuous set of a single variable, need to be measured. In the case of impacting systems, the impacts can be viewed as discrete events that can then be used to reconstruct more general features of the behavior. The success of such reconstruction techniques will be assessed in this paper.
Real-time postprocessing technique for compression artifact reduction in low-bit-rate video coding

A computationally efficient postprocessing technique to reduce compression artifacts in low-bit-rate video coding is proposed in this research. We first formulate the artifact reduction problem as a robust estimation problem. Under this framework, the artifact-free image is obtained by minimizing a cost function that accounts for smoothness constraints as well as image fidelity. Instead of using the traditional approach that applies the gradient descent search for optimization, a set of nonlinear filters is proposed to determine the approximating global minimum to reduce the computational complexity so that real-time postprocessing is possible. We have performed experimental results on the H.263 codec and observed that the proposed method is effective in reducing severe blocking and ringing artifacts, while maintaining a low complexity and a low memory bandwidth.
Central Limit Theorem for Time to Broadcast in Radio Networks

We study the problem of broadcasting in a system where nodes are equipped with radio transmitters with constant radius of transmission. A message originating at a node has to be transmitted to all the other nodes in the system. We prove the central limit theorem and the law of large numbers for the number of time steps required to complete a broadcast for the case when the nodes are placed on a line independently uniformly distributed. We show that the number of time steps required to broadcast is 3 n /4 in probability.
Multiple ICD discharges associated with lead fracture without triggering of high impedance alert.

The Sprint Fidelis® lead has an increased incidence of lead fracture. The manufacturer has recommended programming alerts to preempt lead malfunction due to fracture. The current trigger for an alert is an increase in the right ventricular pacing impedance to greater than 1,000 Ω. Our patient suffered multiple inappropriate implantable cardioverter defibrillator therapies with stable impedance less than 1,000 Ω. This case of lead fracture would not have been detected with these programming alerts. Additional programming measures may detect lead fractures, including changing the lower detection for impedances, arranging for a percentage change in the impedance trend to trigger an alarm, or programming the device to warn if there is an increase in nonphysiologic short R-R interval counts.
Self and Other Ratings of Dyadic Empathy as Predictors of Relationship Satisfaction

In this study, self and other ratings of dyadic empathy are proposed to predict relationship satisfaction. One-hundred and fifty-one individuals over the age of eighteen who were in a relationship of at least six months in length at the time of the survey completed the Interpersonal Reactivity Index for Couples (Peloquin & Lafontaine, 2010) and the Couples Satisfaction Index (Funk & Rogge, 2007). Total scores for self and other rated dyadic empathy as well as scores of the congruity between self and other were assessed for each respondent. The results indicated that total perceived dyadic empathy and perceived dyadic empathic congruity were significant predictors of relationship satisfaction.
Simulating IBM Watson in the Classroom

IBM Watson exemplifies multiple innovations in natural language processing and question answering. In addition, Watson uses most of the known techniques in these two domains as well as many methods from related domains. Hence, there is pedagogical value in a rigorous understanding of its function. The paper provides the description of a text analytics course focused on building a simulator of IBM Watson, conducted in Spring 2014 at UNC Charlotte. We believe this is the first time a simulation containing all the major Watson components was created in a university classroom. The system achieved a respectable (close to) 20% accuracy on Jeopardy! questions, and there remain many known and new avenues of improving performance that can be explored in the future. The code and documentation are available on GitHub. The paper is a joint effort of the teacher and some of the students who were leading teams implementing component technologies, and therefore deeply involved in making the class successful.
Simple and efficient BURS table generation

A simple and efficient algorithm for generating bottom-up rewrite system (BURS) tables is described. A small prototype implementation produces tables 10 to 30 times more quickly than the best current techniques. The algorithm does not require novel data structures or complicated algorithmic techniques. Previously published methods for the on-the-fly elimination of states are generalized and simplified to create a new method, triangle trimming, that is employed in the algorithm.
A multicomponent, multilayer model of surface segregation in alloy catalysts

Abstract A model for the quantitative prediction of surface segregation in alloy systems is presented. A chemical thermodynamic approach is used in the development of the model, and a multilayer surface region is assumed. Features of this model include multicomponent capability (the components may be different sizes) and the ability to use virtually any mixing model. Surface free energy data are incorporated and no adjustable parameters are needed. The modeling method is discussed in detail with examples given for the AgAu, CuNi, and AuNi binary systems and the CuNiPt ternary system. Both regular and Margules solution models were used, but the Margules model agreed more closely with experimental data for the CuNi system. The segregating element in the AuNi binary was found to be gold. Greater segregation of gold and better agreement with experimental data resulted when the size differences between the elements were accounted for. In the CuNiPt system, copper was predicted to segregate to the surface, causing a relative depletion of both nickel and platinum in the first atomic layer. The second layer was enriched in platinum and depleted in both nickel and copper.
Transfer-free batch fabrication of single layer graphene transistors

Full integration of graphene into conventional device circuitry would require a reproducible large scale graphene synthesis that is compatible with conventional thin film technology. We report the synthesis of large scale single layer graphene directly onto an evaporated copper film. A novel fabrication method was used to directly pattern these graphene sheets into devices by simply removing the underlying copper film. Raman and conductance measurements show that the mechanical and electrical properties of our single layer graphene are uniform over a large area, ( Ferrari, A. C. et al. Phys. Rev. Lett. 2006, 97, 187401.) which leads to a high device yield and successful fabrication of ultra long (>0.5 mm) graphene channels. Our graphene based devices present excellent electrical properties including a promising carrier mobility of 700 cm(2)/V.s and current saturation characteristics similar to devices based on exfoliated graphene ( Meric, I.. et al. Nat Nanotechnol. 2008, 3, 654-659).
Number of neutrinos in the standard model and its extensions to supersymmetry.

The measured ratio of production cross sections of $W$ to $Z$, $R=\frac{{\ensuremath{\sigma}}^{{W}^{+}+{W}^{\ensuremath{-}}}B(W\ensuremath{\rightarrow}e\ensuremath{\nu})}{{\ensuremath{\sigma}}^{Z}B(Z\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}})}$, is barely consistent with the standard model with three families, and puts stringent limits on the number of neutrinos ${N}_{\ensuremath{\nu}}$. The effect of supersymmetric extension of the standard model is to strengthen these limits further. Improvement in the measured value of $R$ could not only limit ${N}_{\ensuremath{\nu}}$, but also remove from contention some extensions of the standard model.
Structural study of the Si(111)-(√3 × √3 )R30°-Au surface using medium-energy ion scattering

On propose plusieurs modeles differents qui varient dans le couvrement en Au et dans la localisation des atomes d'Au par rapport au substrat Si. Les resultats fournissent plusieurs contraintes rigides sur des modeles acceptables de cette surface
Yb5In2Sb6: A New Rare Earth Zintl Phase with a Narrow Band Gap

Abstract The new Zintl phase Yb5In2Sb6 was obtained from a direct element combination reaction in a sealed graphite tube at 700°C and its structure was determined. It crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pbam (No. 55), in the Ba5Al2Bi6 structure type, with a unit cell of a=7.3992(5) A, b=23.001(6) A, c=4.5139(4) A, and Z=2. Yb5In2Sb6 has a one-dimensional structure with infinite anionic double chains (In2Sb6)10− separated by Yb2+ ions. Each single chain is made of corner-sharing InSb4 tetrahedra. Two such chains are bridged by Sb2 groups to form double chains 1 ∞ [In2Sb10−6]. The compound satisfies the classical Zintl concept and is a narrow gap semiconductor. Band structure calculations suggest an direct band gap. Polycrystalline ingots of Yb5In2Sb6 showed electrical conductivity of 100 S/cm and a Seebeck coefficient of ∼+30 μV/K at room temperature. The thermal conductivity of Yb5In2Sb6 is about 1.7 W/mK in the temperature range of 150–300 K.
A student-centered, classroom-based approach to collection building

While surveys are a popular method for assessing the quality of library collections, they are usually administered in the library or are sent to a sampling of students. Surveying students in the classroom using course-specific questionnaires and interviewing their instructors adds value to this method of collection building.
The Construction, Surgical Implantation, and Use of Gastric Catheters and a Pyloric Cuff

Surgically implantable gastric catheters and a pyloric cuff have been developed for the rat for experimentation on the regulation of food intake. The implants are suitable for chronic or acute use. The catheters allow for the infusion of solutions directly into the lumen of the stomach as well as for the evacuation or sampling of contents. Intraluminal pressure and motility may also be monitored through the catheters. The pyloric cuff permits the experimental occlusion of the pylorus for selected periods of time. These devices are of importance when elucidating the peripheral and central regulation of food intake in the rat.
Reduced Ca2+ flux in synaptosomes from cats with GM1 gangliosidosis.

Ca2+ transport was studied in synaptosomes prepared from normal cats and cats with GM1 gangliosidosis. The influx of Ca2+ was found to be a biphasic process in synaptosomes from both GM1 mutant and normal cats. Both the fast and slow phases of voltage-dependent Ca2+ uptake were significantly reduced in cats with the lysosomal storage disease, however the inhibitory mechanisms differed. The fast phase of Ca2+ uptake was inhibited uncompetitively, whereas the slow phase was inhibited competitively. In addition, Na+-dependent Ca2+ efflux was reduced significantly in cats with GM1 gangliosidosis. Since it is well established that maintenance of Ca2+ homeostatis is essential for normal neuronal function, a ganglioside-induced disruption of Ca2+ transport across synaptic membranes may be responsible, in part, for the neuronal dysfunction characteristic of GM1 gangliosidosis.
Topical flagellin protects the injured corneas from Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection

Abstract Among bacterial pathogens, Pseudomonas (P.) aeruginosa infection is the most sight threatening. The corneal innate immune responses are key mediators of the host’s defense to P. aeruginosa . Using a mouse model of Pseudomonas keratitis, we evaluated the protective effects of topical application of flagellin, a ligand for Toll-Like receptor 5 (TLR5), on the development of Pseudomonas keratitis and elucidated the underlying mechanisms. Topical application of purified flagellin 6 and 24 h prior to P. aeruginosa inoculation on injured mouse corneas significantly attenuated clinical symptoms of P. aeruginosa keratitis, decreased bacterial burden, and suppressed infection induced inflammation in the B6 mouse cornea. Topical application of flagellin on wounded cornea induced PMN infiltration and markedly upregulated cathelicidin-related antimicrobial peptide (CRAMP) expression. In PMN depleted mice, flagellin promoted bacterial clearance in the cornea compared to that of the PBS treated mice, but was unable to prevent corneal perforation and systemic bacterial dissemination and sepses. Deletion of CRAMP increased corneal susceptibility to P. aeruginosa and abolished flagellin-induced protection in B6 mice. Our findings illustrate the profound protective effect of flagellin on the cornea innate defense, a response that can be exploited for prophylactic purposes to prevent contact lens associated Pseudomonas keratitis.
The test suite generation problem: Optimal instances and their implications

In the test suite generation (TSG) problem for software systems, I is a set of n input parameters where each I@?I has @k(I) data values, and O is a collection of subsets of I where the interactions of the parameters in each O@?O are thought to affect the outcome of the system. A test case for (I,O,@k) is an n-tuple (t"1,t"2,...,t"n) that specifies the value of each input parameter in I. The goal is to generate a smallest-sized test suite (i.e., a set of test cases) that covers all combinations of each O@?O. The decision version of TSG is known to be NP-complete. In this paper, we present new families of (I,O,@k) for which optimal test suites can be constructed efficiently. They differ from the ones already known by the way we characterize (I,O) and @k. We then use these instances to generate test suites for arbitrary software systems. When each O@?O has |O|=2, the sizes of the test suite are guaranteed to be at most @?log"2n@?xOPT, matching the current best bound for this problem. Our constructions utilize the structure of (I,O) and @k; consequently, the less ''complex''(I,O) and @k are, the better are the bounds on the sizes of the test suites.
“Google Reigns Triumphant”?: Stemming the Tide of Googlitis via Collaborative, Situated Information Literacy Instruction

Googlitis, the overreliance on search engines for research and the resulting development of poor searching skills, is a recognized problem among today's students. Google is not an effective research tool because, in addition to encouraging keyword searching at the expense of more powerful subject searching, it only accesses the Surface Web and is driven by advertising. American higher education unwittingly fosters the use of search engines in research by emphasizing results rather than process. Academic librarians emulate teaching faculty in their reliance on lectures, and their course-related instruction is limited in its effectiveness because it is constrained to one-shot, lecture-driven sessions. A more effective way to teach research is to collaborate with faculty via problem-based and project-oriented learning tasks that incorporate authentic discipline-specific information finding and critical thinking into assignments.