cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Telesurgery with miniature robots to leverage surgical expertise in distributed expeditionary environments

ABSTRACTThis study aimed to evaluate the capability of performing telesurgery via radio transmission for military arenas where wired internet connections may not be practical. Most existing robotic surgery systems are too large to effectively deploy with first responders. The miniature surgical platform in this study consists of a multifunctional robot suite that can fit easily into a briefcase. Methods: The focus of this study is to explore the implications of radio control of the robot. The hypothesis is that an in vivo robot and its control boards can be controlled using off-the-shelf wireless components. An experiment was designed with off-the-shelf wireless components to test the capability of our newest generation of miniature surgical robot to become battery-operated and wireless. Results: Wireless transmission of control signals has provided proof of concept and has exposed areas of the software that can be built upon to improve responsiveness. Wireless transmission of the video feed can be adequa...
Abstract 261: Foxo4 Promotes Early Inflammatory Response Upon Myocardial Infarction via Endothelial Arg1

Myocardial infarction (MI) can result in a maladaptive remodeling of the heart that leads to heart failure. The post-MI inflammation is necessary for wound healing. Unfortunately it is also a key component of subsequent heart failure pathology. Thus, understanding the mechanism of post-MI inflammation and identifying targets for intervention are of translational interests. To understand the role of FoxO4 in post-MI remodeling, we induced MI in WT and FoxO4 global knockout ( gKO ) mice by surgical ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery. FoxO4- inactivation resulted in a significantly higher post-MI survival, better cardiac function, and reduced fibrosis and infarct size compared to WT mice. FoxO4 gKO mouse hearts had significantly less mount of neutrophils, and reduced expressions of cytokines, MMP9, and Arginase 1 (Arg1). To determine the contribution of cellular FoxO4 to the post-MI phenotype, we generated cardiomyocyte and endothelial cell specific FoxO4 knockout mice ( FoxO4 cKO and eKO ). While FoxO4 cKO mice showed similar post-MI phenotype to those of WT littermates, FoxO4 eKO mice had better cardiac function with reduced inflammation, neutrophil infiltration, and Arg1 expression similar to those of FoxO4 gKO mice. Since Arg1 is a competitive inhibitor of nitric oxide (NO) synthase and NO inhibits lymphocyte adhesion and transmigration across the endothelial barrier, downregulation of neutrophils in post-MI FoxO4- null mouse hearts could be due to reduced endothelial Arg1 and thus increased NO. Consistent with this hypothesis, we show that Arg1 is a direct transcriptional target of FoxO4. Endothelial FoxO4 is necessary and sufficient to activate Arg1 expression in response to hypoxia. Knockdown of FoxO4 in human aortic endothelial cells suppressed leukocyte adhesion. Furthermore, chemical inhibition of Arg1 in WT mice had similar cardioprotection following MI as FoxO4- inactivation and administration of NOS inhibitor to FoxO4 gKO mice reversed the beneficial effects of FoxO4 -deletion on post-MI cardiac function. Our studies showed that FoxO4 promotes early inflammatory response via endothelial Arg1 and suggest a potential therapy to reduce the early post-MI inflammation and enhance cardiac function in MI-injured hearts.
The Rise and Fall of the Destination-Based Cash Flow Tax: What Was That All About? (Presentation Slides)

These slides, prepared for the keynote address at the Nordic Tax Research Council Annual Conference in Haikko Borga, Finland, on June 1, 2017, offer background regarding the reasons for the rise and fall of the destination-based cash flow tax (DBCFT) as an apparently live legislative option. They place this saga in the broader context of the U.S.'s being the only major country without a value-added tax (VAT). According to Larry Summers' well-known joke: "The U.S. has no VAT because conservatives view it as a money machine, while liberals view it as a tax on the poor. We'll get the VAT as soon as liberals figure out that it's a money machine and conservatives see that it is a tax on the poor." While the joke is often quoted, it tends not to be much analyzed. How might one explain the fact that things have not gone as Summers (seemingly reasonably) predicts? The slides address and seek to explain the apparent paradox.
THE OPT FAMILY FUNCTIONS IN LONG-DISTANCE PEPTIDE AND METAL TRANSPORT IN PLANTS

The OPT family was first described six years ago, and much progress has been made in understanding the role these transporters play in their respective organisms. Plants are the only organisms in which both YS- and PT-type transporters have been characterized, and all of these OPTs appear to be plasma membrane-bound proteins, suggesting that they import substrates from the apoplasm or the environment. YS1 is the only OPT known to translocate substrates from the rhizosphere, whereas all the other OPTs seem to function in long-distance transport of peptides or metals. The sum of all the studies covered in this review suggest the model for OPT function in plants depicted in Figure 4. Peptides, metal-NA, and metal-MAs complexes (Strategy II plants only) are loaded into the xylem stream in the root for long-distance transport. OPTs unload the xylem by importing substrates into sink tissues such as leaves and by transloading the phloem. Peptides and metal-NA complexes exit the leaf symplasmically or by importation into the phloem from the apoplasm by OPTs. The filial tissues (endosperm and embryo) are apoplasmically separated from the maternal tissues, and OPTs may also function in loading the developing seed. Similarly, seedlings are symplasmically disconnected from the endosperm and OPTs may help move nutrients to the growing plant. Much progress has been made in the last two years toward understanding OPTs in plants, although several fundamental questions remain unanswered. Namely, what is the level of redundancy? Is there any substrate overlap between YS and PT OPTs? How crucial are their respective roles? Are there additional functions beyond peptide and metal transport? Given the recent pace of discovery, we may not have to wait long to find out the answers.
The Community Pediatrics Training Initiative Project Planning Tool: A Practical Approach to Community-Based Advocacy.

Introduction To impact social determinants of health, physicians require knowledge, skills, and attitudes to work with communities beyond the clinical milieu. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AA...
Seven‐Year (2007–2013) Retention Study on Students Enrolled in Thematic and Nonthematic First‐Year Experience Seminar Courses

For more than 30 years, John Gardner has elevated the discussion about the importance of student success in the first-year of college, with a heightened emphasis on first-year seminar courses and their value. Many colleges and universities offer some version of a first-year experience seminar, which is true for the Midwestern MAC School discussed in this research study. The purpose of this seven-year retention study was: to assess the impact first-year seminar had on retention rates for students enrolled in thematic and non-thematic sections; to assess student leader post-perceptions about the course; and to examine the extent to which first-year students’ perceptions changed over a seven-year period. Overall, findings are positive and encouraging based on analysis of the data. Specifically, findings illustrate that the first-year seminar course has positively impacted student retention for both groups of students in the study, but more significantly for students enrolled in the thematic sections of the course. Additionally, the researcher’s findings also indicated that student leaders have positive post-perceptions about the course, and lastly, the First-Year Initiative survey findings show that over a seven-year period, students’ perceptions about the course have improved.
Sanctioned to Survive: How Foreign Firms Perform when Economic Sanctions Affect their Business Relationships—A Study of Contemporary Economic Sanction Actions and their Impact

The intent of this study is to examine the effects of economic sanctions on companies with significant FDI operating in the sanctioned country. Using case study methodology, we consider the impact of sanctions imposed on the Russian Federation ( RF ) by the United States of America for its intrusion into the sovereign rights of Ukraine. Past sanction events in South Africa and pre- RF formation are reviewed. Two measurable frameworks are developed to study strategies based on ‘divestment and non-divestment’ (Malone and Goodin 1997) dimensions and coupled with variables related to ‘direct and indirect’ effects on financial performance, forgone potential, (Losman 1988) and foreign direct investment (Biglaiser and Lektzian 2011). This research also relies on the historical accounts of Hufbauer et al. (2007) for the compilation of facts related to economic sanctions. Through literature review, the study asks: 1) Strategically, how does a company respond to the economic sanctions imposed by its home country on the sanctioned country in which it has significant FDI ? 2) Financially, how do economic sanctions affect the company’s performance and FDI ? and 3) Organizationally, how do economic sanctions affect the relationships with those recipient companies of FDI ? The study focus is on the energy industry in which the RF economy relies upon for 40 percent of its sustainability and the company of focus is Exxon Mobil ( XOM ). The author readily acknowledges that a single case study may not provide the degree of conclusiveness found in a cross-case study format. However, the outcome of the study does provide a template for use in future case reviews.
Subnanometer structure and function from ion beams through complex fluidics to fluorescent particles

The vertical dimensions of complex nanostructures determine the functions of diverse nanotechnologies. In this paper, we investigate the unknown limits of such structure–function relationships at subnanometer scales. We begin with a quantitative evaluation of measurement uncertainty from atomic force microscopy, which propagates through our investigation from ion beam fabrication to fluorescent particle characterization. We use a focused beam of gallium ions to subtractively pattern silicon surfaces, and silicon nitride and silicon dioxide films. Our study of material responses quantifies the atomic limits of forming complex topographies with subnanometer resolution of vertical features over a wide range of vertical and lateral dimensions. Our results demonstrate the underutilized capability of this standard system for rapid prototyping of subnanometer structures in hard materials. We directly apply this unprecedented dimensional control to fabricate nanofluidic devices for the analytical separation of colloidal nanoparticles by size exclusion. Optical microscopy of single nanoparticles within such reference materials establishes a subnanometer limit of the fluidic manipulation of particulate matter and enables critical-dimension particle tracking with subnanometer accuracy. After calibrating for optical interference within our multifunctional devices, which also enables device metrology and integrated spectroscopy, we reveal an unexpected relationship between nanoparticle size and emission intensity for common fluorescent probes. Emission intensity increases supervolumetrically with nanoparticle diameter and then decreases as nanoparticles with different diameters photobleach to similar values of terminal intensity. We propose a simple model to empirically interpret these surprising results. Our investigation enables new control and study of structure–function relationships at subnanometer scales.
Volume manufacturing and industrial applications of metamaterials: Rolling lithography, holography, laser filtering and photovoltaics

In this paper we examine different applications of metamaterials in industrial environments. We provide overview of activities in laser filtering and photovoltaics. We also stress the importance of manufacturing metamaterials and metasurfaces in high volume and affordably. Specifically, we focus on the technique of rolling lithography, which can produce nanopatterned surfaces over meter-long lengths.
Is there a Distinct Metaphilosophical Companions in Guilt Argument (and Does it Work)

Companions in guilt arguments are widespread in defenses of moral realism and criticisms of error theory. Recently, a number of philosophers have argued that the companions in guilt argument fails because it makes untenable assumptions about the existence of categorical epistemic reasons. In this article, I develop an alternative version of the companions in guilt argument that does not succumb to this criticism, as it begins with the claim that there is a presumptive case in favor of attributing a belief in categorical norms of philosophical argumentation to proponents of the error theory. I then point to an instability in the error-theoretic position and explore the extent to which this instability poses a serious philosophical problem. While this argument has a narrower scope than the traditional companions in guilt arguments, I conclude that it nonetheless poses a significant challenge to any philosophical attempt to deny the categoricity of moral reasons.
Parallel Monitoring of Design Pattern Contracts.

Design patterns are widely accepted as elements of best practice. We have previously shown that these benefits can be amplified by supplementing informal pattern descriptions with precise pattern contracts, and monitoring tools that identify runtime contract violations. In this paper, we present a parallel approach to monitoring pattern contracts that reduces the performance impact of runtime monitoring. We evaluate the performance of the approach relative to its sequential counterpart, and draw conclusions concerning its applicability to a range of systems.
Inflammatory cytokines, nitric oxide, and necrotizing enterocolitis

Numerous theories have been proposed to explain the pathogenesis of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Current evidence suggests that injury to the intestinal barrier as a result of various perinatal insults may facilitate invasion of the intestinal wall by bacteria. An inflammatory cascade ensues, characterized by local release of various cytokines that may contribute to further tissue destruction and hemodynamic instability in NEC. Molecular biological probes show increased expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and interferon-gamma in the intestine of infants with NEC. Studies are planned to define the role of these inflammatory mediators in a rat model of NEC.
Route of delivery of infants with congenital anomalies.

In the management of the pregnancy complicated by a fetal malformation, the choice of delivery method may be made on obstetrical grounds or in belief that one method offers the fetus benefit over the other. That choice must be based on knowledge of the nature of the individual malformation in question, the presence or absence of associated fetal malformations, the presence or absence of fetal karyotype abnormalities, fetal maturity, and fetal presentation.
Introduction: Conspiracy Theory Versus Theorizing Conspiracy

The term “conspiracy theorist” has been associated with pathological, irrational thinking since the term “paranoid style” was coined by historian Richard Hofstadter. His influential essays also linked the “paranoid style” to American populism in a way that echoes the Trump phenomenon today. But there no longer is unanimity about the causes and consequences of believing that conspiracy beliefs are socially dangerous, held mostly by the humbler social classes, taint all forms of populism, and hinder understanding the “real” causes of social injustice. We need to problematize, not discard Hofstadter’s approach. Many conspiracy theories promoted by Trump and his acolytes should be regarded as dangerous because of their nativist nature, including its attacks on immigrants, encouragement of white supremacy, stereotyping of minorities, and defense of traditional patriarchy. But other conspiracy theories should be judged like any other theory on their explanatory power and their ability to be justified with evidence. Armed with a better theoretical approach, we can better assess the uses and abuses of conspiracy theories by Donald Trump, by both his supporters and his opponents, and by political scientists seeking to better understand his rise and influence. A conspiracy is defined as having three characteristics (1) political activity in which two or more people collude secretly with one another to achieve an objective; (2) would be frustrated by revelation; and (3) would be sanctioned as illegal, as immoral or unethical, or as embarrassing.
Ultrastructure of meiosis in the hollyhock rust fungus,Puccinia malvacearum

Changes in the spindle pole body (SPB) and meiotic nuclei from interphase I through interphase II in the hollyhock rustPuccinia malvacearum are analyzed ultrastructurally by three-dimensional reconstructions from serial sections. Interphase I nuclei undergo a coordinated migration and rotation during which the SPBs approach the convex face of the lateral promycelial wall. During the transition from interphase I to prometaphase II, the collateral disc (co-disc) apparently enlarges and fuses with the main disc of the SPB. The resulting single SPB nucleates two confluent half spindles and about 225 astral microtubules (MTs). Co-discs and middle pieces (MPs) are absent during division II. SPBs separate and form metaphase II intranuclear spindles oriented in a predictable manner. Tubular cisternae are present within the spindle at early metaphase II. The architecture of the spindle at division II is essentially identical to that reported for division I except that the spindle is about half as long. Anaphase-telophase II nuclear envelope constriction, separation of the sibling nuclei, and externalization of the SPBs is identical to that reported for division I. Genesis of the duplicated interphase II SPB apparently occurs rapidly and involves formation of the MP followed by the three-layered SPB discs. General aspects of the division II spindle are discussed. A model for the meiotic SPB cycle in a rust is presented and its phylogenetic and functional significance in relation to other basidiomycetes and ascomycetes is discussed.
Better together: Faculty development for quality improvement in the nurse educator role

Abstract The purpose of this article is to describe the lessons learned about the challenges and benefits of using online modules to enhance the skills of novice and experienced nurse educators. Some faculty chose a self-paced experience, and some chose a group experience with discussion to complete the modules. The discussions turned out to be a very important component of the program, and future initiatives will build on this serendipitous outcome.
Contribution of TDP and hippocampal sclerosis to hippocampal volume loss in older-old persons

Objective To investigate the contribution of Alzheimer disease (AD) vs non-AD neuropathologies to hippocampal atrophy. Methods The Religious Orders Study and Rush Memory and Aging Project are clinicopathologic cohort studies of aging. The current study included 547 participants who had undergone brain autopsy and postmortem hippocampal volume measurement by November 1, 2018. Hippocampal volume was measured with postmortem MRI via a 3D region of interest applied to the hippocampal formation. Neuropathologies were measured via uniform structured evaluations. Linear regression analyses estimated the proportion of variance of hippocampal volume attributable to AD and non-AD neuropathologies. Results The average age at death was 90 years, and the average hippocampal volume was 2.1 mL. AD, transactive response DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP), hippocampal sclerosis (HS), and atherosclerosis were associated with hippocampal volume. After demographics and total hemisphere volume were controlled for, 7.0% of the variance (95% bootstrapped confidence interval [CI] 4.3%–10.5%) of hippocampal volume was attributable to AD pathology. TDP/HS explained an additional 4.5% (95% CI 2.2%–7.6%). Among individuals with Alzheimer dementia (n = 232), 3.1% (95% CI 0.6%–7.7%) of the variance was attributable to AD pathology, and TDP/HS explained an additional 6.1% (95% CI 2.2%–11.6%). Among those without Alzheimer dementia (n = 307), 3.2% (95% CI 0.9%–7.3%) of the variance was attributable to AD pathology, and TDP/HS explained an additional 1.1%, which did not reach statistical significance. Lewy bodies and vascular diseases had modest contribution to the variance of hippocampal volume. Conclusions Both AD and TDP/HS contribute to hippocampal volume loss in older-old persons, with TDP/HS more strongly associated with hippocampal volume than AD in Alzheimer dementia.
Paper-based ITP technology: An application to specific cancer-derived exosome detection and analysis

Abstract Exosomes derived from cancer cells/tissues have great potential for early cancer diagnostic use, but their clinical potential has not been fully explored because of a lack of cost-effective multiplex approaches capable of effectively isolating and identifying specific exosome populations and analyzing their content biomarkers. This study was aimed at overcoming the technical barrier by developing a paper-based isotachophoresis (ITP) technology capable of 1) rapid isolation and identification of exosomes from both malignant and healthy cells and 2) multiplex detection of selected exosomal protein biomarkers of the target exosomes. The technology integrates the focusing power of ITP and the multiplex capability of paper-based lateral flow to achieve on-board separation of target exosomes from large extracellular vesicles, followed by electrokinetic enrichment of the targets, leading to an ultrasensitive platform for comprehensive exosome analysis. For a proof of concept, the technology platform was tested with human serum samples spiked with exosomes derived from healthy human serum and a prostate cancer cell line. Under an anionic ITP condition, the device showed superior performance in simultaneous detection of the cancer exosomes and normal exosomes at concentrations as low as 1.2-2.0 × 106 exosomes/mL, which is equivalent to 2.0-3.0 × 10-18 M. The observed limit of detection was more than 30-fold better than that of enhanced ELISA. More importantly, in a subsequent step the technology was capable of the rapid profiling of a selected protein biomarker panel associated with the target exosomes. The results represent a significant step toward translating the detection of tumor-derived exosomes to a medical use at a point of care.
A twist on broken U(3) $$\times $$ × U(3) supersymmetry

What symmetry breaking would be required for gauginos from a supersymmetric theory to behave like left-handed quarks of the Standard Model? Starting with a supersymmetric SU(3) $$\times $$ SU(3) $$\times $$ U(1) $$\times $$ U(1) gauge theory, the 18 adjoint-representation gauginos are replaced with 2 families of 9 gauginos in the (3,3*) representation of the group. After this explicit breaking of supersymmetry, two-loop quadratic divergences still cancel at a unification scale. Coupling constant unification is supported by deriving the theory from an SU(3) $$\times $$ SU(3) $$\times $$ SU(3) $$\times $$ SU(3) Grand Unified Theory (GUT). $${\hbox {Sin}}^2$$ of the Weinberg angle for the GUT is 1/4 rather than 3/8, leading to a lower unification scale than usually contemplated, $$\sim 10^9 \, \hbox {GeV}$$ . After spontaneous gauge symmetry breaking to SU(3) $$\times $$ SU(2) $$\times $$ U(1), the theory reproduces the main features of the Standard Model for two families of quarks and leptons, with gauginos playing the role of left-handed quarks and sleptons playing the role of the Higgs boson. An extension to the theory is sketched that incorporates the third family of quarks and leptons.
Immunotherapy for Prostate Cancer: Treatments for the "Lethal" Phenotype

Multiple immunologic platforms have provided minimal impact in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, necessitating that novel approaches continue to be developed. Although checkpoint inhibitors have been largely ineffective, there remain small cohorts of patients who have durable responses but lack the conventional indicators for response to this class of drugs, that is, high mutational burden or significant genomic alterations, as seen in other solid tumors. This article presents an update on the evolution of immunotherapeutics that target a more lethal form of prostate cancer and provides the groundwork for future considerations as to how this field should proceed.
Analysis of the primary sources of quantitative adult plant resistance to stripe rust in U.S. soft red winter wheat germplasm

Stripe rust, or yellow rust (Puccinia striiformis Westend. f. sp. tritic), is a disease of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) historically causing significant economic losses in cooler growing regions. Novel isolates of stripe rust with increased tolerance for high temperatures were detected in the United States circa 2000. This increased heat tolerance puts geographic regions, such as the soft red winter wheat (SRWW) growing region of the southeastern United States, at greater risk of stripe rust induced losses. In order to identify sources of stripe rust resistance in contemporary germplasm, we conducted genome-wide association (GWA) studies on stripe rust severity measured in two panels. The first consisted of 273 older varieties, landraces, and some modern elite breeding lines and was evaluated in environments in the U.S. Pacific Northwest and the southeastern United States. The second panel consisted of 588 modern, elite SRWW breeding lines and was evaluated in four environments in Arkansas and Georgia. The analyses identified three major resistance loci on chromosomes: 2AS (presumably the 2NS:2AS alien introgression from Aegilops ventricosa Tausch; syn. Ae. caudata L.), 3BS, and 4BL. The 4BL locus explained a greater portion of variance in resistance than either the 2AS or 3BS loci in southeastern environments. However, its effects were unstable across different environments and sets of germplasm, possibly a result of its involvement in epistatic interactions. Relatively few lines carry resistance alleles at all three loci, suggesting that there is a pre-existing reservoir of enhanced stripe rust resistance that may be further exploited by regional breeding programs.
Effect of Two Novel Sustained-Release Drug Delivery Systems on Bleb Fibrosis: An In Vivo Glaucoma Drainage Device Study in a Rabbit Model

Purpose To evaluate two drug delivery systems, a nonbiodegradable poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (P[HEMA]) system with mitomycin C (MMC) and a biodegradable poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) system with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) with and without MMC for their ability to reduce fibrosis when attached to an Ahmed glaucoma valve (AGV) and implanted in a rabbit model. Methods New Zealand albino rabbits (48) were divided into six equal groups, and AGVs, modified as described below, were implanted in the right eye of each rabbit. The groups included (1) PLGA alone; (2) P(HEMA) plus MMC (6.5 μg); (3) PLGA plus 5-FU (0.45 mg); (4) PLGA plus 5-FU (1.35 mg); (5) PLGA plus 5-FU and MMC (0.45 mg and 0.65 μg, respectively); (6) PLGA plus 5-FU and MMC (1.35 mg and 0.65 μg, respectively). The rabbits were followed for 3 months prior to euthanasia. Results The bleb wall thickness was significantly less in groups 2, 5, and 6 compared to the rest. At 3 months, the PLGA polymer had completely disappeared, while the P(HEMA) polymer remained intact. There were no statistical differences in the degree of clinically graded conjunctival injection, histologic inflammation, or histologic fibrosis among the six groups. Conclusions We successfully created a sustained-release drug delivery system that decreased the postoperative fibrosis using both a nonbiodegradable P(HEMA) polymer and a biodegradable (PLGA) polymer. Both systems appear to work equally well with no side effects. Translational relevance These results are supportive of the antifibrotic effect of the slow-release drug delivery system following glaucoma drainage device implantation, thus paving the way for human pilot studies.
Rural-Urban Interaction

(1969). Rural-Urban Interaction. Canadian Journal of African Studies / Revue canadienne des etudes africaines: Vol. 3, Rural Africa, pp. 284-290.
Atomistic Simulation of Curvature Driven Grain Boundary Migration

We present two dimensional molecular dynamics simulations of grain boundary migration using the half-loop bicrystal geometry in the experiments of Shvindlerman et al. We examine the dependence of steady-state grain boundary migration rate on grain boundary curvature by varying the half-loop width at constant temperature. The results confirm the classical result derived by absolute reaction rate theory that grain boundary velocity is proportional to the curvature. We then measure the grain boundary migration rate for fixed half-loop width at varying temperatures. Analysis of this data establishes an Arrhenius relation between the grain boundary mobility and temperature, allowing us to extract the activation energy for grain boundary migration. Since grain boundaries have an excess volume, curvature driven grain boundary migration increases the density of the system during the simulations. In simulations performed at constant pressure, this leads to vacancy generation during the boundary migration, making the whole migration process jerky.
Hegel’s Phenomenology: Paths to Revolution

We are so used to revolutions that we accept them as normal occurrences. It is therefore difficult to remember what an immense shock the French Revolution was, not only to those who were immediately affected, but to those Europeans who merely observed its course from a distance. No writer can remind us more forcefully than Hegel of how shaking an impact these events had. Fifteen years after its outbreak Hegel saw nothing less than the end and fulfillment of the European spirit in the French Revolution. If there was to be a future, his own age, an “age of transition”, could not know it.1 Politically it was a vacuum. Europe was in an indefinable condition about which nothing could be said. Its only immediate achievement, German philosophy, had explicated the moral implication of the Revolution. As such it was a spiritual completion, and Hegel found it wanting in many respects. It was purely a triumph of intellectual fulfillment, not a sign of new possibilities. The real philosophical reward for having seen the disintegration of Europe’s religious and secular spirit was to understand its meaning. It was the historical equivalent of being at the end of time.
Kinodynamic Motion Planning by Interior-Exterior Cell Exploration

Over the last two decades, motion planning [4, 15, 17] has grown from a field that considered basic geometric problems to a field that addresses planning for complex robots with kinematic and dynamic constraints [5]. Applications of motion planning have also expanded to fields such as graphics and computational biology [16].
REPORT: 25th INTERNATIONAL NURSING RESEARCH CONGRESS

The Honour Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI) hosted the 25th International Nursing Research Congress at Hong Kong from 24-28 July 2014. The venue was the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai. The congress is held annually, with a rotation of venues internationally. The number of attendees was 824 and they came from 31 countries. We attended as an incentive with funds awarded upon completion of the mentorship programme of the College of Human Sciences at the University of South Africa and our colleague Dr Mokoboto-Zwane, delivered a paper. The theme of the congress was: 'Engaging colleagues: improving global health outcomes'. More than 700 oral and poster presentations were delivered by nurse researchers, educators and clinicians. There were also workshops and symposia. There were many interesting activities, but only a few will be highlighted in this report.
Measurements and Analysis of Phenomenology and Statistics of Sound Propagation Over Sand Dunes on Upper Slope of the Northeastern South China Sea

Abstract : My long-term research goals are: (1) The characterization, understanding, and prediction of the statistics (mean, variance and coherence) of low-frequency acoustic signals and ambient noise in the littoral zone. The signal statistics are primarily influenced by the ocean variability and bottom properties. The noise statistics are influenced by atmospheric forcing and shipping in addition to the ocean and bottom variability. (2) The development and improvement of inverse techniques for measuring the dynamics and kinematics of meso and finer-scale sound speed structure and ocean currents in coastal regions. (3) The understanding of three-dimensional sound propagation physics including horizontal refraction and azimuthal coupling and the quantification of the importance of these complex physics in the prediction of sound signals transmitted over highly variable littoral regions.
SOIL TEXTURE AND PARTICLE-SIZE DISTRIBUTION AS INPUT TO ESTIMATE SOIL HYDRAULIC PROPERTIES

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview on the way soil texture can be characterized and described, the way those data are considered in different pedotransfer functions (PTFs), and the methods that can be used to fill in missing data required by some PTFs. It also presents a study that compares different representations of soil particle-size distribution (PSD) in estimating soil water retention. Textural classification of soils is based on particle-size analyses in most parts of the world. A number of standards exist internationally for the description of soil PSD and particle-size classes. Soil texture classes are defined based on sand, silt, and clay content limits and are usually displayed in soil texture diagrams. Even when the same particle-size class system is used, texture class definitions may differ. Soil-texture-class information is primarily used as input to class PTFs. A class PTF does not use detailed particle-size data as input but gives calculated, usually averaged, values of the output variable in a tabular format for each soil class/unit. Detailed PSD and/or parameters derived from it are used in almost all PTFs. The chapter compares the usefulness of some of the most common representations of PSD in estimating water retention at -−10, −33, and −1500 kPa and the available water content (AWC) of the soil, which is defined as the difference between water contents at −33 and −1500 kPa matric potentials. To relate the above soil hydraulic properties to soil texture, a number of PTFs are developed using three databases and the group method of data handling (GMDH). The GMD and its standard deviation are also used as predictors.
Chapter 1.1 – Hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis in postnatal life

Glossary Maternal deprivation: separation of mother and infant during the stress-hyporesponsive period, which needs to last for at least 8 h for immediate and persistent effects on the neuroendocrine regulation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis. Stress-hyporesponsive period: a period of reduced adrenal corticosterone and pituitary adrenocorticotrophic hormone release in response to stress lasting in the rat from postnatal days 4–14. Based primarily on the pioneering work of the late Hans Selye, the stress response has become somewhat synonymous with the release of hormones from the pituitary and adrenal glands. Thus, in most adult mammals stimuli presumed to be stressful result in a systematic release of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) and the subsequent secretion of glucocorticoids from the adrenal. This simplistic view of the pituitary–adrenal axis as first described by Selye has been elaborated on extensively. Thus, the regulation of the so-called stress hormone clearly involves specific peptides synthesized and stored in the brain (i.e., corticotropin-releasing factor ((CRF) and arginine vasopressin (AVP)) and brain-derived neurotransmitters (i.e., noradrenaline). Thus the brain must be included as a critical stress-responsive system. However, the sequence of responses observed consistently in the adult are in many ways very different in the developing organism. Abundant evidence indicate that the rules that govern the activity of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis in the adult are very different in the neonate. This is best appreciated in rodent. Thus, in this chapter, the ontogeny and regulation of the rodent HPA is discussed. In addition, developmental aspects of the human HPA axis during the first years of life are reviewed.
Increasing the Efficacy of Anti-Inflammatory Agents Used in the Treatment of Sepsis

Excessive production of inflammatory mediators during invasive infection plays a key role in the pathogenesis of septic shock. In an attempt to improve survival of patients with this lethal syndrome, agents were developed to selectively inhibit mediators in this inflammatory response. Despite promising preclinical results, several different mediator-specific anti-inflammatory agents failed to demonstrate significant benefit in patients. There was, however, a significant difference in mortality between preclinical and clinical trials. The median control mortality in preclinical trials, performed almost uniformly in highly lethal sepsis models, was 88%. In clinical trials however, the median control mortality rate was much lower, at 41%. A recent meta-regression analysis of these preclinical and clinical trials in combination with prospective confirmatory studies demonstrated that risk of death as assessed by control group mortality rate significantly altered the treatment effect of these agents in both humans and animals. While anti-inflammatory agents were very beneficial in groups with high control mortality rates, they were ineffective or harmful in groups with low control mortality rates. Thus, variation in the risk of death due to sepsis provides a basis for the marked difference in the efficacy of these anti-inflammatory agents in preclinical and clinical trials over the last decade. In contrast to mediator-specific anti-inflammatory agents, glucocorticoids and activated protein C have recently demonstrated significant beneficial effects in individual clinical trials. However, glucocorticoids were studied only in patients with vasopressor-dependent septic shock, which is associated with a high control mortality rate (i.e. 61%) similar to the level at which mediator-specific agents would have been expected to be markedly beneficial. Furthermore, consistent with earlier findings for mediator-specific anti-inflammatory agents, analysis of the activated protein C study also demonstrated a relationship between risk of death and effect of treatment. Developing better methods to define high-risk septic populations for treatment with anti-inflammatory agents will increase the efficacy of this therapeutic approach and minimize its potential for harm.
X-Ray Emission from the Pleiades

With the advent of ROSAT observations, studies of the X-ray emission of the Pleiades open star cluster now span more than a decade. Combined with previous Einstein data, the pointed ROSAT observations obtained by Rosner, by Caillault, and by Stauffer, and the ROSAT All-Sky Survey (RASS) data analyzed by Schmitt et al., can provide information on temporal variability for time scales up to the order of the solar cycle. Through a preliminary look at X-ray luminosity functions, we can address questions of cluster membership and completeness of the combined X-ray surveys, and the ROSAT data can provide new insights into the X-ray temperatures of some of the brighter Pleiades members, including one seen to undergo a “super-flare” during its RASS-visibility interval.
Ecological information and prospective control without mental representation

We agree with the authors that an adequate account of the perception-action interface is needed. However, we believe that the answer will not be found in a common representational structure encoding distal events, as the authors propose, but in Gibson's notion of ecological information, which, as we demonstrate, specifies not only perspective but also prospective and retrospective states of affairs.
Near-tip out of plane displacement fields for dynamic crack propagation in functionally graded materials

Abstract Asymptotic expansion for the out of plane displacement field around a crack propagating along the gradient in a functionally graded material is developed. The irregular behavior of one of the terms in the expansion at low crack speeds is further examined and a remedial solution, which is well behaved at low crack speeds, is proposed. The developed out of plane displacement field is used to estimate stress intensity factor from quasi-static finite element solution. The results indicate that inclusion of the proposed nonhomogeneity specific terms gives estimates of stress intensity factor, which are consistent with existing analytical predictions.
A Prototype External Magnetic Eyelid Device for Blepharoptosis.

Purpose To test a prototype magnet system (magnetic levator prosthesis) for the ability to comfortably and non-invasively provide eye opening with maintenance of the blink in people with paralytic ptosis and determine preliminary efficacy for short-term clinical application. Methods The prototype device consisted of a magnet on a spectacle frame and a micro-magnet array mounted externally on the eyelid. Participants with unilateral CN III palsy (n=3) trialed the predicate (ptosis crutch) and magnet device. Video analysis was used to quantify changes in eyelid opening and subjective responses were documented with a rating scale. A 20-minute and then a 1-week trial were offered. Results The magnetic levator prosthesis device was effective to provide eye opening while allowing, at minimum, a volitional blink without ill effects on the eyelid skin or ocular surface. Comfort scores ranged from 6 to 9 out of 10 over 3 evaluations. All patients chose an extended trial of the magnet device and reported continued 8-9/10 comfort and efficacy after the extended 1-week trial. Conclusions Comfortable and effective restoration of eye opening with maintenance of the blink is feasible using external static magnets and warrants further study. Translational relevance This is the first careful documentation of the successful use of an externally mounted static magnet system to treat paralytic ptosis.
Chemical studies of H chondrites 9: Volatile trace element composition and petrographic classification of equilibrated H chondrites

— To examine the thermal history of the parent body/bodies of equilibrated H chondrites, we treated data for 11 volatile trace elements (Co, Rb, Ag, Se, Cs, Te, Zn, Cd, Bi, Tl, and In in order of putative volatility) in 90 falls: 15 H4; 46 H5, and 29 H6. Using univariate statistical tests, contents of few of these elements differ significantly between any two of these suites. One element, Cs, differs systematically between all three pairs of suites; Co and Tl differ between two pairs of suites. For Co and Cs, contents varied as H4 > H5 > H6; while for Tl, contents varied as H4 600 K, with the suites deriving from a stratified parent body/bodies.
Enhancement of the structural efficiency and performance of concrete pipes through fiber reinforcement

Abstract Fiber reinforcement systems are used towards development of pipes with more efficient structural designs, reduced steel reinforcement, increased cover thickness over reinforcement (and thus durability), reduced weight, streamlined geometry (for ease of handling and installation), and enhanced shear resistance. Comprehensive experimental investigations were undertaken to evaluate the efficiency of different synthetic fibers (aramid, AR-glass, carbon, and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)) at various volume fractions (0.5–1.0 vol.%) in lean, zero-slump concrete materials used in dry-cast method of concrete pipe production. PVA fiber was used for use in concrete pipes due to its desired balance of reinforcement efficiency and stability in aggressive chemical (e.g. sanitary sewer) environments. The reinforcement efficiency of PVA fibers in concrete was attributed to its relatively high elastic modulus and desired interfacial bonding to cement hydrates. Industrial-scale structural evaluation of concrete pipes indicated that 30% improvement in load-carrying capacity of concrete pipes was realized with introduction of PVA fibers. This improvement enabled reduction of welded wire fabric steel reinforcement layer in concrete pipes from two to one, thus increasing the protective concrete cover thickness over steel and durability of concrete pipes under the aggressive exposure conditions of sanitary sewers. Theoretical models were also developed for predicting the contributions of PVA fibers to the structural performance of concrete pipes. Comparison between experimental results and theoretical predictions indicated that experimental results occur within ±10% of theoretical predictions. The thickness of concrete pipes could also be lowered with introduction of fibers, thus reducing of the overall weight, and thus the production, transportation and installation costs of concrete pipes.
Asymptotic solution of initial boundary-value problems for hyperbolic systems

A theory is developed for the derivation of formal asymptotic solutions for initial boundary-value problems for equations of the form ^ ° S + l / ^ + 9LBu+Cu = f(‘>x 9 A)9 where A0, Av, B, and C are m xm matrix functions of t and X = (xv ..., xn), u X; A) is an ^-component column vector, and A is a large positive parameter. Our procedure is to consider a formal asymptotic solution of the form 1 00 u(t, X; A) ~ e £ (iA)-i z jt, X). Substitution of this formal solution into the equation yields, for the function s(t, X), a first order partial differential equation which can be solved by the method of characteristics. If the coefficient matrices satisfy certain conditions then we obtain, for the functions z X), linear systems of ordinary differential equations called transport equations along space-time curves called rays . They may be solved explicitly under suitable conditions. A proof is presented of the asymptotic nature of the formal solution when the coefficient matrices and initial data for u are appropriately chosen. The problem of reflexion and refraction at an interface is considered.
Enzyme treatment of KB cells: the altered effect of diphtheria toxin.

Abstract Treatment of KB cells with trypsin, phospholipase C and pronase at concentrations which did not affect viability or rate of incorporation of amino acids into protein lowered significantly the inhibition of protein synthesis by diphtheria toxin. Chymotrypsin was effective but only at concentrations toxic to the cells. Lipase and neuraminidase had no effect. It is evident that enzyme-sensitive cell surface components with specificity for diphtheria toxin are present on the KB cell.
Testing for a four-dimensional structure of occupational commitment

Using three samples, 230 medical technologists, 412 working adults and 227 Executive MBA students, this study found support for a revised four-dimension measure of occupational commitment consisting of affective, normative, accumulated costs and limited alternatives dimensions. This four-dimension structure is based on expanding Meyer, Allen, and Smith's (1993) three-dimension, i.e. affective, normative and continuance, occupational commitment conceptualization. Continuance occupational commitment was operationalized as two separate dimensions, accumulated costs and limited alternatives occupational commitment, based on Carson, Carson, and Bedeian's (1995) career (occupational) entrenchment measure.