cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impact of flow pattern, body mass index, and age on intraprocedural fluoroscopic time and radiation dose during sacroiliac joint injections.

PurposeUnderstanding all factors that may impact radiation dose and procedural time is crucial to safe and efficient image-guided interventions, such as fluoroscopically guided sacroiliac (SI) join...
Pssst...or boo! assessing the predictability of notification delivery preferences

The focus of my dissertation research is on the examination of notification systems that harness different presentation formats for notification delivery, the preferences that individuals express for these various types of notifications, and how these preferences are affected by contextual information surrounding notification delivery. My research is unique from other work in the literature in two primary ways. First, while the majority of prior work addressing notification delivery, both in terms of format and timing, has focused on the effects of a notification on an individual's performance on a given task or set of tasks, my focus is the individual's perception of notifications, and particularly on that individual's preferences for different notification formats delivered within different contextual scenarios. An interest in this question is motivated by prior studies that have shown that annoyance with computer-human interactions is a primary reason behind user abandonment of interactive software systems [57, 88]. Second, my preliminary findings suggest that different people prefer different types of notifications in different contexts, which motivates a change of focus in the development of such systems toward customizing notifications not only to the features of an individual's context but also to the individual him- or herself. In this dissertation, in an attempt to model the ability of a machine attempting to customize its interactions to the user input it receives, individuality is measured at the level of revealed preferences; I do not attempt to understand the underlying individual differences that may also prove themselves to be factors behind the stated notification preferences examined here. I will describe four user studies I conducted to understand how preferences are exhibited in different contextual situations, detail the methodology followed and a set of guidelines for conducting similar studies (specifically in a rarely studied, naturalistic setting), and show how certain techniques from the area of statistics and user modeling can address the apparent need for personalized, context-sensitive notifications. An additional element of novelty in my work is that my final study was conducted in a purely naturalistic office environment, in which the notifications evaluated were precisely those notifications being delivered to study participants throughout their workday. The primary contribution of this dissertation is twofold: a detailed analysis of the methodology for the design, data collection, and analysis of a study of notification preferences in a naturalistic setting with a great deal of inherent complexity; and a set of results, based on the analysis of preference data acquired in various settings, about how an individual's contextual environment, and the content of a given notification, can affect that individual's preferences for notification delivery.
Partnering for a Solution: A Case Study

A material-related issue has been identified, which has the potential of impacting the Space Program. Although "in-house" efforts have been underway to solve the problem, a solution has not yet been reached. This presentation shows how a GIDEP member organization is using a Problem Advisory as a solution approach in an effort to receive information from other industry and/or government organizations that may contribute in finding a solution.
It's as Clear as Mud: A Call to Amend the Federal Trademark Dilution Act of 1995

The Federal Trademark Dilution Act of 19951 (“FTDA” or “Act”), put simply, is intended to protect the distinctive quality of a famous trademark from uses by third parties that diminish that distinctiveness.2 The recent cases of Savin Corp. v. Savin Group3 and Moseley v. V. Secret Catalogue, Inc.4 exemplify the two ways in which the FTDA fails to fulfill this simple goal of Congress. In Savin, the court explained that the Second Circuit bifurcates the distinctive quality of a trademark that the Act protects, making it harder to obtain relief under the Act.5 This interpretation of the FTDA is contrary to the strict language of the Act6 and the interpretation of other Circuits.7 In Moseley, the Court interpreted the Act to require an owner of a famous trademark to suffer actual harm before being granted relief under the Act.8 While this interpretation comports with the literal language of the FTDA, it conflicts with much of the Act’s legislative history and purpose.9 Together, these cases provide a compelling illustration
Axonal regeneration by chronically injured supraspinal neurons can be enhanced by exposure to insulin-like growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor or transforming growth factor beta

To test whether known growth factors could promote the regenerative reponse of chronically injured neurons, we exposed the injured adult rat spinal cord to insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) or transforming growth factor beta 1 + 2 (TGFβs) 1 month after creation of a hemisection lesion. At 1 week later an autologous peripheral nerve graft was apposed to the rostral cavity wall and 1 month later Nuclear Yellow (NY) was used to retrogradely label neurons that had grown an axon into the graft. Neurons capable of axonal regeneration after a long term (5 weeks) injury were double labeled with True Blue (TB, provided at the time of hemisection lesion) and NY. Exposure to any of the three growth factors, compared to a PBS-treated control, resulted in a significant increase in the total number of regenerating supraspinal neurons, with the greatest increase after treatment with TGFβs. Treatment with TGFβs or bFGF led to a significant increase in the number of regenerating neurons in 6 out of 7 major regions (excluding the motor cortex) contributing to descending spinal pathways. Treatment with IGF-1 promoted significant regeneration only by reticular formation neurons. These results indicate that exposure to specific growth factors can enhance axonal regeneration by chronically injured neurons, thus overcoming one significant challenge to the repair of long standing structural damage to the spinal cord. © 1996 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Generalized and parallelized a Trous and Mallat algorithms to design non-uniform filter-banks

Due to the attractive properties of the wavelet transform, wavelet filter banks are frequently used in areas such as signal processing and communication systems. Furthermore, the increasing computational power of microprocessors leads to a leap in the use of techniques such as parallel processing, concurrent programming, and VHDL design. However, the inherently sequential tree structure of the traditional wavelet theory does not merge efficiently with the aforementioned techniques. This work presents an algorithm to generate uniform and non-uniform filter banks in a parallel structure. This algorithm generalizes the a Trous and Mallat algorithms for parallelized filter bank design, which is efficient for parallel processing, concurrent programming, and VHDL design. The algorithm generates a set of parallelized perfect-reconstruction filter banks for an arbitrary number of end-nodes of a traditional tree structure. The algorithm encompasses both the decimated and the undecimated cases. Examples of image and speech signal applications are presented.
A Calculation of the Flux and Energy Spectrum of Secondary Electrons at High Altitudes in the Atmosphere

Calculations are carried out to determine the flux and energy spectra of secondary electrons which are produced by the cosmic radiation in the upper layers of the atmosphere. The calculations are valid to an atmospheric depth of about 10 g./cm.2 Electron spectra are presented for different depths and locations where measurements of the electron flux have been carried out: Ft. Churchill, Manitoba; Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Palestine, Texas; and Hyderabad, India. The calculations are compared with observed electron fluxes during the ascents of balloon flights.
Cyberselfish: Ravers, Guilders, Cyberpunks, And Other Silicon Valley LifeForms

Paulina Borsook, high-tech cultural commentator and author of Cyberselfish: A Critical Romp Through the Terribly Libertarian Culture of High Tech, discusses Silicon Valley's paradoxical "technolibertarian" attitude towards the government and the Big Capital Establishment who made the meteoric rise of the technology industry possible. Borsook, in deconstructing the myth of the freewheeling Silicon Valley technogogue, exposes the fragile connections between the Randian pretensions of today's near-religious egotism and the genuinely libertarian fringe from the salad days of the Internet. Cite as: 4 YALE SYMP. L. & TECH. 4 (2001)
Capturing the connectivity of high-dimensional geometric spaces by parallelizable random sampling techniques

Finding paths in high-dimensional gemetric spaces is a provably hard problem. Recently, a general randomized planning scheme has emerged as an effective approach to solve this problem. In this scheme, the planner samples the space at random and build a network of simple paths, called a probabilistic roadmap. This paper describes a basic probabilistic roadmap planner, which is easily parallelizable, and provides a formal analysis that explains its empirical success when the space satisfies two geometric properties called e-goodness and expansiveness.
Variable Metric Methods and Filtering Theory.

In this paper we show that there is a close relationship between variable metric methods of function minimization and filtering of linear stochastic systems with disturbances which are modelled as unknown but bounded functions. We develop new variable metric algorithms for function minimization.
Human heart preservation analyses using convective cooling

– Currently, human hearts destined for transplantation can be used for 4.5 hours which is often insufficient to test the heart, the purpose of this paper is to find a compatible recipient and transport the heart to larger distances. Cooling systems with simultaneous internal and external liquid cooling were numerically simulated as a method to extend the usable life of human hearts. , – Coolant was pumped inside major veins and through the cardiac chambers and also between the heart and cooling container walls. In Case 1, two inlets and two outlets on the container walls steadily circulated the coolant. In the Case 2, an additional inlet was specified on the container wall thus creating a steady jet impinging one of the thickest parts of the heart. Laminar internal flow and turbulent external flow were used in both cases. Unsteady periodic inlet velocities at two frequencies were applied in Case 3 and Case 4 that had four inlets and four outlets on walls with turbulent flows used for internal and external circulations. , – Computational results show that the proposed cooling systems are able to reduce the heart temperature from +37°C to almost uniform +5°C within 25 min of cooling, thus reducing its metabolic rate of decay by 95 percent. Calculated combined thermal and hydrodynamic stresses were below the allowable threshold. Unsteady flows did not make any noticeable difference in the speed of cooling and uniformity of temperature field. , – This is the pioneering numerical study of conjugate convective cooling schemes capable of cooling organs much faster and more uniformly than currently practiced.
Increasing back and radicular pain 2 years following intrathecal pump implantation with review of arachnoiditis.

Background Implanted intrathecal drug delivery pumps are now regularly used for the treatment of chronic benign and cancer-related pain that is refractory to conservative treatment methods. In most cases, the pumps are successful at reducing the intensity of pain and improving function and quality of life for pain patients. Limited studies have discussed the complications associated with intrathecal pump placement. Setting Academic tertiary care center. Summary We describe an unusual case of a patient who presented with progressive weakness and worsening lumbar and lower extremity pain following implantation of an intrathecal drug delivery system (IDDS). Work-up for the patient's symptoms includes a magnetic resonance imaging, which revealed lumbar arachnoiditis. Patient underwent a laminectomy and detethering of spinal cord and nerve roots below level of catheter insertion. There was transient improvement in her pain and weakness. Subsequent surgery for pump explantation revealed a retained Touhy introducer needle from her pump placement procedure. Conclusion The entire IDDS was removed including the retained Touhy introducer needle. The patient later went on to receive a successful spinal cord stimulator trial and implantation with moderate relief of her chronic pain.
Zinc-induced Myelopathy among Smelter Workers in Upper Silesia During the Late 19th Century (P1.304)

OBJECTIVE: To describe zinc-induced myelopathy among European zinc smelter workers in the late 19th century. BACKGROUND: Zinc-induced myeloneuropathy was recently (re)discovered and its pathophysiology elaborated as resulting from secondary copper deficiency. METHODS: We translated and reviewed German-language reports of zinc-induced myelopathy among zinc-smelter workers in Upper Silesia (now southern Poland) by Schlockow from the 1870s. RESULTS: In the 19th century, Oberschlesien or Upper Silesia (then an area of the German kingdom of Prussia, but since World War II an area of southern Poland) became one of the largest producers of zinc due to extensive deposits of non-sulphide calamine ores. In the 1870s, Schlockow described a progressive ataxic myelopathy among 36 workers chronically exposed to zinc fumes in three smelting plants in Schoppinitz (now Szopienice) in Upper Silesia. Disease manifestations among zinc smelter workers developed after sustained zinc exposure over many years. The earliest symptoms were sensory, and included paresthesias, dysesthesias, allodynia, and formication in the lower extremities, particularly the feet. Proprioception beccame profoundly impaired and workers needed to keep their eyes open to avoid falling. Workers ultimately developed a clinical picture resembling subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord with a spastic-ataxic gait with prominent proprioceptive impairment, sensory disequilibrium, and Rombergism. Schlockow localized the pathology to the spinal cord and assumed that the zinc toxicity resulted from deposition of the metal in the nervous system. Schlockow recognized the need for prevention in smelter workers and recommended environmental controls rather than personal protective equipment. CONCLUSION: Zinc-induced myelopathy was a recognized problem among European zinc smelter workers in the late 19th century, although these early reports have been overlooked in recent studies and reports. Disclosure: Dr. Lanska has received personal compensation in an editorial capacity for Medlink Neurology. Dr. Remler has nothing to disclose.
Implementation and evaluation of MPI nonblocking collective I/O

The well-known gap between relative CPU speeds and storage bandwidth results in the need for new strategies for managing I/O demands. In large-scale MPI applications, collective I/O has long been an effective way to achieve higher I/O rates, but it poses two constraints. First, although overlapping collective I/O and computation represents the next logical step toward a faster time to solution, MPI's existing collective I/O API provides only limited support for doing so. Second, collective routines (both for I/O and communication) impose a synchronization cost in addition to a communication cost. The upcoming MPI 3.1 standard will provide a new set of nonblocking collective I/O operations to satisfy the need of applications. We present here initial work on the implementation of MPI nonblocking collective I/O operations in the MPICH MPI library. Our implementation begins with the extended two-phase algorithm used in ROMIO's collective I/O implementation. We then utilize a state machine and the extended generalized request interface to maintain the progress of nonblocking collective I/O operations. The evaluation results indicate that our implementation performs as well as blocking collective I/O in terms of I/O bandwidth and is capable of overlapping I/O and other operations. We believe that our implementation can help users try nonblocking collective I/O operations in their applications.
Neurodegeneración causada por mutaciones en el gen de la cadena liviana de ferritina

Resumen es: La duplicacion de nucleotidos en el cuarto exon del gen de la cadena liviana de ferritina (FTL) causa la enfermedad neurodegenerativa autosomica dominant...
Coercion as a metaphor for computation

Consideration is given to a generalization of coercion that permits structured transformations between program and data structures. The nature of these coercions goes significantly beyond what is found in most modern programming languages. The intent is to develop a programming model that permits the expression of a wide range of superficially diverse modularity constructs within a simple and unified framework. The design of this model is based on the observation that a variety of program structures found in modern programming languages are represented fundamentally in terms of an environment. Given suitable transformations that map the environment representation of a program structure into a data object, it is possible to enable the programmer to gain explicit control over the naming environment. An investigation is made of the semantics of program/data coercion in the presence of a non-strict parallel evaluation semantics for environments. Parallelism and program/data coercion form an interesting symbiosis and it is the investigation of this interaction that forms the primary focus of this work. >
Nonlinear general path models for degradation data with dynamic covariates

Degradation data have been widely used to estimate product reliability. Because of technology advancement, time-varying usage and environmental variables, which are called dynamic covariates, can be easily recorded nowadays, in addition to the traditional degradation measurements. The use of dynamic covariates is appealing because they have the potential to explain more variability in degradation paths. We propose a class of general path models to incorporate dynamic covariates for modeling of degradation paths. Physically motivated nonlinear functions are used to describe the degradation paths, and random effects are used to describe unit-to-unit variability. The covariate effects are modeled by shape-restricted splines. The estimation of unknown model parameters is challenging because of the involvement of nonlinear relationships, random effects, and shaped-restricted splines. We develop an efficient procedure for parameter estimations. The performance of the proposed method is evaluated by simulations. An outdoor coating weathering dataset is used to illustrate the proposed method. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Subcultural Identity Work in Social Movements: Barriers to Collective Identity Changes and Overcoming Them

Over time, social movements must contend with a vast array of forces that can lead to changes in the movement's collective identity. As such changes may impact the alignment of movements and their membership, this study explores how changes are perceived by members and how they are interactively addressed. Drawing on ethnographic data gathered from two Native American social movement organizations, this study specifically asks why some changes suggested by movement members might be pursued and others are not. While movement members felt that there were a number of barriers to changes in their movements, the study revealed that it was the resonance of collective memories – presented during interactions as narrative commemorations – that encouraged the pursuit of suggested changes or the maintenance of a status quo.
Comparative Safety and Efficacy of Topical Hemostatic Agents in a Rat Neurosurgical Model

Objective Adequate hemostasis is extremely important in neurosurgery, commonly requiring the use of topical hemostatic agents. Apart from variable efficacy, the residual presence of these agents may cause foreign body reaction, infection, and delayed bone growth. This study compares the safety and efficacy of commonly used agents with a newly approved agent, Arista (microporous polysaccharide hemospheres; Medafor, Inc., Minneapolis, MN). Methods A brain tissue defect was created in 228 Wistar outbred rats, and either no agent (negative control), Arista, Surgicel (oxidized cellulose; Ethicon, Inc., Somerville, NJ), Avitene (microfibrillar collagen; Alcon, Inc., Humacao, PR), FloSeal (gelatin matrix thrombin sealant; Baxter Healthcare Corp., Deerfield, IL), or kaolin (positive control) was implanted. Time to hemostasis was documented. The animals were sacrificed at different intervals up to 28 days, and presence of residual material and foreign body reaction was determined. Results Arista, Avitene, FloSeal, and Surgicel performed better (defined as complete hemostasis within 1 minute) than control (no treatment). Residual material was not present at any time with Arista, markedly contrasting with the presence of residual material in 100% of lesions in the Avitene, FloSeal, and Surgicel groups on Day 14. Avitene and FloSeal also demonstrated a propensity for causing granuloma formation, whereas Arista and Surgicel showed no such evidence. Conclusion Each of these hemostatic agents was effective in controlling bleeding in the majority of standardized neurosurgical lesions. Arista degrades more rapidly than Surgicel, Avitene, and FloSeal and does not result in any foreign body reaction.
Structural Basis of Actin Filament Nucleation by Tandem W Domains

Spontaneous nucleation of actin is very inefficient in cells. To overcome this barrier, cells have evolved a set of actin filament nucleators to promote rapid nucleation and polymerization in response to specific stimuli. However, the molecular mechanism of actin nucleation remains poorly understood. This is hindered largely by the fact that actin nucleus, once formed, rapidly polymerizes into filament, thus making it impossible to capture stable multisubunit actin nucleus. Here, we report an effective double-mutant strategy to stabilize actin nucleus by preventing further polymerization. Employing this strategy, we solved the crystal structure of AMPPNP-actin in complex with the first two tandem W domains of Cordon-bleu (Cobl), a potent actin filament nucleator. Further sequence comparison and functional studies suggest that the nucleation mechanism of Cobl is probably shared by the p53 cofactor JMY, but not Spire. Moreover, the double-mutant strategy opens the way for atomic mechanistic study of actin nucleation and polymerization.
Accurate and specific polyadenylation of mRNA precursors in a soluble whole-cell lysate

Abstract Conditions have been developed which allow for the efficient, accurate, and specific polyadenylation of exogenously added mRNA precursors in a wholecell lysate derived from HeLa cells. Precursors are prepared by in vitro transcription using linear DNA templates in a HeLa whole-cell lysate, purified, and added to another lysate. Under optimal conditions (which are quite precise with respect to several variables), 70% or more of the precursor molecules become polyadenylated, and the length of the poly(A) segment added is controlled much as it is in vivo, giving rise to 150–300-nucleotide long stretches of poly(A). Under suboptimal conditions, both the fraction of precursor RNA that becomes polyadenylated and also the length of the poly(A) segment added are reduced. The in vitro polyadenylation reaction is also remarkably specific: Only in vitro-synthesized pre-mRNAs that contain a 3′ end located at or slightly downstream from the corresponding in vivo mRNA 3′ end site can be efficiently polyadenylated in vitro. These results suggest that the poly(A) polymerase requires one or more protein (or RNA) factors in order to bring about accurate and specific polyadenylation in vitro, and that the poly(A) polymerase complex must interact with a specific recognition signal at the 3′ end of mRNA precursors in order to catalyze subsequent polyadenylation.
Nuclear Weapons in Neo-Realist Theory'

This essay identifies a difference of opinion over the role of nuclear weapons as an absolute deterrent as the basis for the theoretical disagreement between Kenneth Waltz and John Mearsheimer regarding whether security is attained through the maintenance of the status quo or through the aggressive elimination of potential rivals. The essay traces the writings of both scholars over a period of decades to demonstrate how Waltz has come to regard nuclear weapons as making conquest so unprofitable that possessing them provides absolute security. It also shows how Mearsheimer holds a more ambiguous position on the deterrent strength of nuclear weapons, which helps to explain why he believes that states still seek security through offensive action. The essay offers a guide to show how these important theories influence and shape current policy debates over the proliferation of nuclear weapons to both state and nonstate actors.
Automated Sensor Verification Using Outlier Detection in the Internet of Things

Cyber-physical systems uses sensors, actuators, and computation to solve problems that cross the physical world and computational world. Traditionally, the systems have been designed to be specific to one application domain and to be managed by a single entity. However, to achieve scalability, it is necessary to reuse sensors and actuators across multiple application domains. This broad use of sensors and actuators, as envisioned for the Internet of Things, raises many new problems related to interoperability, resource sharing, security and trust, and economics. In this paper, we address the problem of trust - specifically how to verify sensor information that is gathered from multiple sensors that are managed by different entities using outlier detection. We present a technique for automatically deriving a model of the physical phenomenon that is measured by the sensors. This model is then used to compare sensor readings and to identify outliers through spatial and temporal interpolation. We evaluate our system and demonstrate its effectiveness in the context of weather sensing. Nevertheless, the technique is applicable to any application domain where the underlying phenomenon is continuous.
A Fourier Transform Infrared Method of Studying Elastomers Filled with Carbon Black

Infrared spectra have been obtained of carbon black filled polybutadiene using a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer. Transmission and reflection techniques were employed. Polybutadiene was compounded with three fillers: Silene, general purpose furnace black, and Austin black. Subtle changes were observed in the vibrations of polybutadiene upon the addition of fillers. Transmission sampling through dilution with KBr gave better spectra than attenuated total reflection techniques in ease of data acquisition, and was therefore chosen as the principal method for further studies.
EFFECT OF PROCESSING AND STORAGE CONDITIONS ON THE MICROFLORA OF CLOSTRIDIUM PERFRINGENS‐INOCULATED FRANKFURTERS

SUMMARY: The growth support potential of frankfurters for Clostridium perfringens was determined. Inoculated emulsions were stuffed into glass tubes and processed so that they reached an internal temperature of 68–69°C in 30–48 min. The tubes were sealed with agar plugs and rubber stoppers to simulate vacuum-packaging conditions. Total aerobic and anaerobic bacterial counts in uninoculated raw emulsion were 1 to 3 log cycles higher when petri dishes were incubated at 23°C as opposed to 37°C. The low-temperature-growing mesophiles and psychrotrophs were destroyed during processing. The 37°C counts were reduced 1 log cycle and the 23°C counts, 2 to 3 log cycles. Clostridium perfringens reproduced rapidly in frankfurters at 37 and 23°C, more slowly at 15 and 12°C, and not at all during 2 wk of storage at 10° or 4 wk at 0–5°C. Clostridium perfringens made up 2.5–10% of the total anaerobic count at 0 time but became the dominant organism during the storage at all temperatures permitting growth.
Efficacy of postoperative 5-FU, high-dose leucovorin, and sequential radiation therapy for clinically resectable rectal cancer

We report the local control and survival in a previously reported phase I dose escalation trial of combined postoperative 5-FU, high dose leucovorin (LV), and sequential radiation therapy followed by maintenance LV/5-FU for the treatment of patients with clinically resectable rectal cancer. Following surgery for stages T3-4N0-2M0 primary (21) or recurrent (4) rectal cancer, 25 patients received 5-FU/LV x 1 cycle. Radiation therapy (5040 cGy) began on day 8. A second cycle of 5-FU/LV was given concurrent with the fourth week of radiation. Patients received an additional 10 cycles of LV/5-FU. The median follow-up was 40 months (range 18-52). The incidence of grade 3+ acute toxicity in the 9 patients who received the recommended dose of 5-FU was 44%. The local failure rate was 28%. Abdominal and distant failure rates were 24%. The 3-year actuarial disease-free survival was 74% and the overall survival was 80%. Our preliminary data reveal reasonable local control and survival rates. However, further follow-up is needed to assess our results at 5 years. Postoperative combined modality therapy with high-dose LV may be an option for the adjuvant treatment of patients with resectable rectal cancer.
Are the roads red? Comments on “Size Matters”

Abstract Models are neither true nor false. Models are sometimes useful and sometimes misleading. The suggestion that “Size Matters” implicitly accepts the truthfulness goal and deploys a truthfulness metric for measuring the distance between the data and the model. With this way of thinking, we would be led decisively to “reject” a road map that has freeways colored red.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN APNEA AND HEART RATE IN PREMATURE INFANTS

The relationship between apnea (AP) and heart rate (HR) was determined in 8 premature infants (gestational age 27-31 weeks) during their 1st 5 days of life. Inspection of 276 hours of continual recording of respiration (impedance pneumograph), mean HR and intra-aortic pressure demonstrated 286 episodes of apnea (≥ 20 seconds, preceded by 2 minutes of uninterrupted breathing). In 94% of these apneic events, a drop in HR (10-110 bpm) followed the onset of apnea, with a mean delay in onset of HR drop of 9.7 ± 4.0 seconds. The drop in HR never preceded the onset of apnea and on only 2 occasions began simultaneously with the onset of apnea. The drop in HR appears to be a secondary response rather than part of the primary phenomenon. The hypothesis that the magnitude of the drop in HR is indicative of the significance of the apnea to the infant was tested by examining 17 pairs of apnea when the 2nd apnea occurred < 2 minutes after the first. (In 10 cases, the 2nd apnea occurred < 30 seconds after the 1st.) The HR nadir of the 2nd event compared to the 1st event was the same (within 10 bpm) or higher in 16 of the 17 pairs. The data suggest that a drop in heart rate invariably occurs as a response to apnea, but that the magnitude of the drop does not reflect the physiologic significance of the apnea to the infant.
Mucosal Expression of Nerve Growth Factor and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor in Chronic Rhinosinusitis:

BACKGROUND Allergic rhinitis (AR) is characterized in part by hyperresponsiveness to nonspecific stimuli, a phenomenon that reflects the fundamental role of nasal neural pathways in chronic airway inflammation. Neurotrophins may serve pivotal roles in mediating hyperresponsiveness in allergic airway disease, although the role of such neurogenic mediators in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is not well understood. This study was designed to examine the expression of two potent neurotrophins, nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), in CRS. METHODS Inferior turbinate and sinus mucosa were obtained from CRS patients with and without nasal polyps (NPs) and from nonallergic controls. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used for quantitative determination of tissue concentrations of NGF and BDNF. RESULTS Ninety-four tissue samples from 48 patients were included. Mean concentration of NGF in sinus mucosa was significantly higher in CRS than controls. CRS without NPs was associated with a 60% increase in sinus NGF over controls (p < 0.05), and CRS with NPs was associated with a 140% increase (p < 0.05). Mean sinus NGF concentration was significantly elevated in allergic subjects compared with controls (p < 0.01). A similar trend was noted in subjects with nonallergic CRS, although this did not reach significance. Mean BDNF concentration was decreased in CRS compared with controls, with the most significant decrease in patients with polyps (p < 0.05). Mean turbinate concentration of both NGF and BDNF were similar in controls and CRS. CONCLUSION Increased expression of NGF may contribute to neural hyperresponsiveness in CRS sinus mucosa, particularly those patients with NP and/or allergies. BDNF expression is decreased in CRS sinus mucosa. Alterations in neurogenic inflammation may contribute to the pathophysiology of CRS and provide alternative therapeutic targets.
E-business value creation in Small and Medium Enterprises: a US study using the TOE framework

This research intended to identify the factors of and their impacts on e-business value creation in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). We followed the Technology-Organisation-Environment (TOE) theory of innovation diffusion and drew heavily upon Zhu et al. (2004) in developing a causal model for SMEs. The model was validated using data obtained from a survey of SMEs in an upper Midwestern metropolitan area. Our results supported the hypotheses that technology readiness and competition intensity have positive impact, and firm size has negative effect on e-business value. However, we also found that SMEs' financial resource appropriation for IT and regulatory environment had no impact on e-business value.
Processing Consequences of Perceptual Grouping in Selective Attention

Two experiments examined adult age differences in the effects of perceptual grouping on attentional performance. In a search task, 48 young, middle-aged, and elderly subjects sorted cards based on the orientation of a target figure. The interfering effects of irrelevant information which did or did not contrast with the target in orientation were examined. The position of targets varied from one card to the next. Elderly, but not young or middle-aged subjects were slowed by the presence of contrasting irrelevant information. All three age groups were slowed by the presence of similar irrelevant information, but the elderly were slowed more than the young adults. A similar procedure was used in a second experiment, but the position of targets within each deck did not vary from one card to the next. No age group was slowed by the presence of contrasting irrelevant information, and only the elderly were slowed by the presence of similar irrelevant information. The importance of perceptual grouping in accounting for adult age-differences in attentional processes was discussed.
Infrared spectral observations for a series of mono- and dialkylacetylenes

Abstract Infrared spectra determined on a series of straight-chain alkylacetylenes revealed absorption bands previously unreported. The wave number positions observed for these bands answer some of the questions posed by earlier workers regarding the molecular spectra of acetylenic hydrocarbons. Structural correlations of potential analytical application are discussed.
Riemann invariant manifolds for performance evaluation of absorbing boundary conditions for an acoustic waveguide

Riemann invariant manifolds (RIM) are used to evaluate the performance of absorbing boundary conditions (ABC) for numerical modeling of an unbounded acoustic waveguide. The evaluation is carried out by extracting, from the computed solution, spurious waves caused by the approximate nature of the ABC used. Unlike the traditional bicharacteristics method for multi-dimensional wave motion, use of RIMs leads to an equivalent one-dimensional problem involving invariants along characteristics. The clear physical meaning associated with the invariant allows for the estimation of the energy flux into the computational domain due to reflected waves from the ABC. Numerical examples demonstrate that the total energy carried by reflected waves that enter the computational domain becomes smaller as the unbounded domain is modeled more accurately, and thus can be used to evaluate the performance of the ABC.
Central regulation of temperature in cold environments. II. A dynamic model with three temperature inputs.

Abstract A preoptic-hypothalamic network representing neural regulation of temperature in cold-stressed animals has been modeled using CSMP (a program for real time processes). The calculated outputs of this model can be readily compared with experimental data, and the neural regulator can be integrated with other homeostatic regulators. The calculated outputs consist of signals for activating shivering and nonshivering heat production as two inputs, hypothalamic and cutaneous temperature, are varied in time. To simulate the effect of a pyrogen-induced fever, a parameter in the model is varied to alter the temperature sensitivity of one class of hypothalamic neurons. Finally, calculations are included to allow a critical comparison of this model with other thermoregulatory models for cold-stressed animals.
Demonstration of N-acetyldopamine in human kidney and urine

Abstract Free and conjugated dopamine and N-acetyldopamine concentrations were measured in human urine and kidneys by reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography with single-electrode electrochemical detection. Conjugated N-acetyldopamine was found to occur in urine from six normal humans and in four out of six human kidneys. Unconjugated N-acetyldopamine was detected in only one urine sample and in three of seven kidneys. Urinary excretion of total N-acetyldopamine averaged 0.485 micromoles/day. This compares to a total dopamine excretion of 4.69 micromoles/day in the same subjects. In the kidneys, total N-acetyldopamine concentration averaged 1.46 nanomoles/gram. Total dopamine in the same tissues averaged 5.48 nanomoles/gram. N-acetyldopamine was not detected in human caudate nucleus, mouse whole brain, or liver from Rhesus monkey. When daily urinary excretion rates of N-acetyldopamine were determined in six individuals by both single-and dual-electrode electrochemical detection, the results were highly correlated for both free and total N-acetyldopamine (r>0.97,p
Activity traces and signals in software developer recruitment and hiring

Social networking tools now allow professionals to post and share their work in online spaces. These professionals build reputation within a community of practice, often with the goal of finding a job. But how are the visible traces of their actions and interactions in online workspaces used in the hiring process? We conducted interviews with members of the GitHub "social coding" community to understand how profiles on the site are used to assess people during recruitment and hiring for software development positions. Both employers and job seekers pointed to specific cues provided on profiles that led them to make inferences (or form impressions) about a candidate's technical skills, motivations, and values. These cues were seen as more reliable indicators of technical abilities and motivation than information provided on a resume, because of the transparency of work actions on GitHub and relative difficulty of manipulating behavior traces. The use of online workspaces like GitHub has implications for the type of information sought by employers as well as the activity traces job hunters might seek to leave.
Campbell on the Passions: A Rereading of the "Philosophy of Rhetoric.".

Campbell's reputation has suffered from modem conceptions that assume Aristotle's Rhetoric as the paradigm for rhetorical theory and from modern commitments to epistemic and dialogic rhetorics. A focus on the place of the passions and emotional appeal in Campbell's Philosophy of Rhetoric (POR) brings his achievement more clearly into view. The “sentiments, passions, dispositions,” three key terms in Campbell's definition of the “grand art of communication,” are an index to his consideration of non‐rational response, a consideration informed by a discussion of “the passions” in the moral psychology of the period and that culminates in Book II of Hume's Treatise on Human Nature. What emerges when POR is seen from this perspective has significance for our understanding of the relationship between reason and passion in persuasion and for our appreciation of POR, which is arguably the most coherent conception of rhetoric that we have.
Electron impact cross sections and spatial aspects of electron energy degradation in water vapor

Using a comprehensive set of electron cross sections, we have carried out a Monte Carlo study of the spatial and energetic aspects of electron degradation in the energy range from 30 eV to 1 MeV. The results are given in terms of a four-dimensional spatial yield spectral distribution. This is represented by a simple approximate analytic form which is convenient to use for calculating the spatial distribution of the initial species created due to electron energy degradation. We also investigate the sensitivity of these electron transport results to some of the input cross sections. We have specifically examined the influence of the assumed form of cross sections for vibrational states on the gross yields. We conclude that in transport calculations it is important to use approximate forms with reasonable asymptotic limits. Finally, we call attention to molecular processes which are important in microdosimetry but whose cross sections are particularly uncertain.
Schedule-induced polydipsia in the guinea pig.

Abstract Two of three food-deprived guinea pigs displayed schedule-induced polydipsia when 45 mg food pellets were delivered according to a fixed-time 1-min food schedule. Both animals displayed the typical postpellet pattern of adjunctive drinking. These data extend the generality of schedule-induced polydipsia to a new species.
Food preservation practices of selected homemakers in East Tennessee

Food preservation practices of homemakers in an East Tennessee county and selected environmental factors which may have influenced these practices were studied. Home Demonstration Club (HDC) and Expanded Foods and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) homemakers were interviewed. Of the homemakers interviewed, 96 percent participated in food preservation. Canning, pickling, makingjelly, and freezing were the most commonly used methods of food preservation, with some homemakers also participating in curing, drying, and burying Foods. The HDC and EFNEP homemakers differed in education level, social participation score, and income. Only for freezing, pickling, and curing did the proportion of HDC and EFNEP homemakers using a specific food preservation method differ. The amount of food preserved varied both within and between the groups. Preserving procedures of the homemakers were similar. The homemakers were proud that they were contributing to the food supply and providing foods which were liked by their fam...
Comment on "self-purification in semiconductor nanocrystals".

A Comment on the Letter by Gustavo M. Dalpian and James R. Chelikowsky, Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 226802 (2006). The authors of the Letter offer a Reply.
Optimizing technology investments: a broad mission model approach

A long-standing problem in NASA is how to allocate scarce technology development resources across advanced technologies in order to best support a large set of future potential missions. Within NASA, two orthogonal paradigms have received attention in recent years: the real-options approach and the broad mission model approach. This paper focuses on the latter.
"InFection Four": Development of a Youth-Informed Sexual Health Card Game.

Games may be useful tools for learning and communicating about sexual and reproductive health. This article discusses the collaborative design and subsequent evaluation of a narrative-based card game. This game was created in a workshop based on positive youth development, which allowed youth to be involved as game designers and game players. Human-centered design informed the workshop and gave the youth opportunities to have meaningful roles, learn skills, and focus on an issue that affects their peers. The intervention was constructed to teach about sexual and reproductive health and also to provide skills to address the medical, social, and emotional aspects of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). During the evaluation of the resultant game, student players were critical of the game but admitted to learning essential facts about STIs. This study demonstrates the feasibility of collaboratively designing a game with youth for youth resulting in a playable and educational tool.
A Comparative Study of Passive Vibration Isolator Modeling and Analysis

Passive vibration isolators are extensively used in wide ranging applications such as automotive, aerospace, railroad and earth moving equipment in the mechanical industry, and in structural applications in the civil industry. These isolators serve as spring-damper units that isolate specific parts of a system from external dynamic loading, or from other sub-systems that cause vibration excitation. Passive isolators exhibit very complex behavior that depends on excitation frequency, displacement amplitude, ambient temperature and pre-load in addition to geometry, design features as well as material composition of the isolator. Various models are prevalent in the existing literature for the design and analysis of such isolators, ranging from the basic Voigt model to more complex models such as the Maxwell-Voigt model with multiple Maxwell elements, the Maxwell ladder model, the three dimensional viscoelastic model, the fractional derivative model, and models specifically used for capturing the hysteresis behavior or the displacement limiting behavior. However, each of these models is successful in representing certain characteristics of the isolator while being unable to capture other key attributes. This paper provides a comparative study of some of the main models that are commonly used for the design and analysis of passive vibration isolators. Experimental data collected from a passive elastomeric isolator under varying excitation conditions is used to identify parameters associated with some of the commonly used models. The analysis results are compared and specific highlights and shortcomings of each model are identified and discussed.Copyright © 2014 by ASME