cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Identification of Sequence Similarities among Isomerization Hotspots in Crystallin Proteins

The eye lens crystallins represent an ideal target for studying the effects of aging on protein structure. Herein we examine separately the water-soluble (WS) and water-insoluble (WI) crystallin fractions and identify sites of isomerization and epimerization. Both collision-induced dissociation and radical-directed dissociation are needed for detection of these non-mass-shifting post-translational modifications. Isomerization levels differ significantly between the WS and the WI fractions from sheep, pig, and cow eye lenses. Residues that are most susceptible to isomerization are identified site-specifically and are found to reside in structurally disordered regions. However, isomerization in structured domains, although less common, often yields more dramatic effects on solubility. Numerous isomerization hotspots were also identified and occur in regions with aspartic acid and serine repeats. For example, 128KMEIVDDDVPSLW140 in βB3 crystallin contains three sequential aspartic acid residues and is isomerized heavily in the WI fractions, while it is not modified at all in the WS fractions. Potential causes for enhanced isomerization at sites with acidic residue repeats are presented. The importance of acidic residue repeats extends beyond the lens, as they are found in many other long-lived proteins associated with disease.
Models of Intelligibility in Galileo’s Mechanical Science

Based on an examination of Galileo’s mechanics, Peter Machamer and Andrea Woody (and Machamer alone in subsequent articles) proposed the scientific use of what they call models of intelligibility. As they define it, a model of intelligibility (MOI) is a concrete phenomenon that guides scientific understanding of problematic cases. This paper extends Machamer and Woody’s analysis by elaborating the semantic function of MOIs. MOIs are physical embodiments of theoretical representations. Therefore, they eliminate the interpretive distance between theory and phenomena, creating classes of concrete referents for theoretical concepts. Meanwhile, MOIs also provide evidence for historical analyses of concepts, like ‘body’ or ‘motion’, that are otherwise thought to be too basic for explicit explication. These points are illustrated by two examples also drawn from Galileo. First, I show how the introduction of the balance as an MOI leads Galileo to reject the Aristotelian conception of elemental natures. Second, Galileo’s rejection of medieval MOIs of circular motion constrains the reference of ‘conserved motion’ to curvilinear translations, thereby excluding the rotations that had been included in its scope. Both uses of MOIs marked important steps toward modern classical mechanics.
Stochastic Riemannian Geometry

Publisher Summary The stochastic law of motion is dictated by the geometry of the manifold; locally the motion is isotropic and moves at constant speed, on the average. The mathematical structure used to describe this stochastic process requires that the manifold admit a local measure of angle and distance, that is, a Riemannian metric. Once the motion has been defined locally, one might study the global interaction between the geometry and the stochastic process. The influence of curvature is of central importance. The modern period of stochastic differential geometry began with the work of Ito and was continued by McKean. In these works, the stochastic process is determined by a second-order differential operator on the manifold, with no explicit mention of a Riemannian metric. A series of inquiries dealing with the specific relations between the Riemannian metric and the canonical stochastic process, referred to as the Brownian motion, have begun.
The US–China Naval Balance in the Asia-Pacific: An Overview

A truism in strategic studies holds that warfare is highly complex and unpredictable. What appears to be a stable and predictable military balance can be suddenly overthrown by innovative doctrines or cunning strategies. This paper attempts to fill a perceived gap in strategic studies analysis with respect to US–China naval conflict scenarios. The author is concerned that most Western analyses on the subject tend to be simplistic and unduly optimistic. The approach in this paper follows a “Chinese style” in that it examines the Asia-Pacific strategic balance as a series of interacting military campaigns. The results of the analysis yield that the US retains a strong advantage in certain warfare domains, to be sure. Yet, the assumption that the US military has a decisive advantage in the relevant scenarios becomes dubious in light of the potentially devastating blow against US and allied bases that could be made by PLA conventional missile forces. Moreover, a Chinese advantage in the use of offensive mine warfare, when combined with China's ability to prevent US and allied aerial anti-submarine forces from flying, could combine to roll back, or at least significantly limit, Washington's heretofore decisive undersea advantage.
Performance optimization of ultra high-resolution recycling liquid chromatography.

The optimization of a twin-column recycling separation process (TCRSP) for maximum resolution or maximum speed-resolution was investigated. The general optimization method was based on the construction of kinetic plots by assuming an ideal TCRSP (no efficiency loss upon recycling). For the optimization, we examined three chromatographic parameters: operation pressure (3000, 6000, 9000, and 12,000psi), column length (10, 15, and 25cm), and column inner diameter (i.d.) (2.1, 3.0, and 4.6mm). Accordingly, the highest TCRSP resolution level is expected for 25cm long columns packed with 2.5, 2.0, 1.7, and 1.6μm particles at pressures of 3000, 6000, 9000, and 12,000psi, respectively. The maximum speed-resolution performance is expected for 10cm columns packed with 3.7, 3.0, 2.6, and 2.4μm particles. 3.0mm i.d. columns are best to minimize the negative impacts of thermal and inter-column dispersion effects on the TCRSP performance. The method was illustrated for the challenging separation (selectivity factor α 20).
Self-Biased Lead-Free Magnetoelectric Laminates

Self-biased magnetoelectric (ME) effect in lead-free multi-phase laminates opens new opportunities for improving the performance of AC/DC magnetic field sensors and low-power magnetic memories. The self-biased ME response described as “remnant ME coefficient at zero-magnetic DC bias” was observed in laminate composites having combinatory presence of magnetic field gradient and bending strain. The magnetic gradient was induced by incorporating ferromagnetic materials with varying susceptibility that results in bias magnetic field (H bias). The bending strain was induced by designing bimorph laminate structure with proper electrical connections. In both off-resonance and resonance conditions, the ME hysteresis was found to be present with a different shape controlled by the magnitude of coupling between magnetic interaction and bending strain.
The HCM-linked W792R mutation in cardiac myosin binding protein-C reduces C6 FnIII domain stability

This study is one of the first to describe a disease mechanism for a missense mutation in cardiac myosin-binding protein C linked to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The mutation decreases stability of...
Combustion of Chlorinated Hydrocarbons

Combustion of chlorinated hydrocarbons (CHC) is of practical interest as controlled incineration represents an effective treatment option for the management of toxic and hazardous wastes (1, 2). Considerable knowledge now exists on the oxidation and pyrolysis of chlorinated hydrocarbons as a result of extensive research done over the past several decades. It is impossible to cover the contributions of numerous researches to this endeavor. Consequently, select contributions will be presented in this set of notes. Previous CHC combustion research can also be categorized into two groups: 1. Experimental and modeling studies using pilot and full scale facilities aimed towards the development of better operational guidelines for practical incinerators (see for example 2, 3, 4, 5 and the special issue of Environ. Eng. Sci. vol.15, No.2, 1998). Experimental and computational studies aimed towards the development of a better understanding of the underlying chemical and physical events associated with CHC combustion (see for example 6 to 15). The latter will be the focus of this set of notes.
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Comorbid Major Depression: Is the Correlation an Illusion?

We have examined data from 107 motor-vehicle accident (MVA) victims with regard to whether the presence of comorbid depression is important clinically, and with regard to whether the threshold for diagnosing the comorbid depression should be raised because of symptom overlap between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depression. Of the 62 MVA victims who met the criteria for PTSD 1 to 4 months post-MVA, 33 also met the criteria for major depression, with 27 cases for which the depression occurred post-MVA. A LISREL 8.12a analysis indicates that PTSD and major depression are correlated, but independent, responses to trauma. Those with PTSD and depression are more subjectively distressed, suffer more major role impairment, and remit less readily over the first 6 months of prospective follow-up than those with PTSD alone. The threshold for diagnosing comorbid depression (5 or 6 depressive symptoms versus 7 to 9 depressive symptoms) has no important effects on any of the indicators of "caseness."
MDCT in Mediastinal Imaging

The usefulness of MDCT in imaging vascular, tracheobronchial, lung parenchymal and chest wall lesions has been described in the recent literature by several investigators (Lawler and Fishman 2001; Ravenel et al. 2001; Remy-Jardin et al. 1998a, 1998b; Bhalla et al. 1996; Johnson et al. 1996, 1998; Calhoun et al. 1999; Kauczor et al. 1996). Very little has been written about the usefulness of MDCT in other non-vascular and non-airway mediastinal lesions as we have traditionally studied the mediastinum. In this chapter we show relevant clinical applications of MDCT in mediastinal lesions. The mediastinum is composed of the heart, vessels, airways, esophagus, fat, lymph nodes and lymphatics, thymic tissue, and nerves. These normal structures, in isolation or in consort, can be involved in a variety of disease processes which originate directly from them, metastasize to them, or invade them from adjacent structures. These disease processes can be fl uid, soft tissue, fatty material, or a combination of these. Imaging of the mediastinum, therefore, is aimed at providing relevant information regarding tissue characteristics, enhancement patterns, location of a lesion, and invasion of structures. Computed tomography (CT) has been deemed the primary modality for imaging the mediastinum (Tecce et al. 1994), particularly the anterior mediastinum; however, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been used as a modality which clarifi es ambiguous fi ndings on CT (Bittner and Felix 1998; Webb and Sostman 1992) because of its multiplanar capabilities its ability to image vessels, and its ability to distinguish between different tissues. Prior to the advent of spiral CT imaging in the late 1980s, MR imaging was very comparable to CT for evaluating the mediastinum (Bittner and Felix 1998; Webb and Sostman 1992) but lost equal ground in its use once spiral CT was introduced. Multidetector CT (MDCT) has the potential to put even further distance between it and MR imaging because of its ability to perform isotropic scanning and thin-section imaging through the entire thorax in a very short space of time and the capabilities of applying postprocessing multiplanar reconstructions and three-dimensional (3D) techniques. For this reason, all of the apparent advantages of MRI have been supplanted by MDCT.
Quo Vadis, Random Graph Theory?

Abstract We trace the growth of the random graph theory from its inception with the fundamental papers of Erdős and Renyi in 1959-60 to the present, covering a thirty year period that has just seen the appearance of the first issue of a journal devoted to this subject, namely the Journal of Random Structures & Algorithms. Necessarily our treatment is sketchy but we mention some of the outstanding results, applications and methods discovered during this time. Although the area has been nicely developed, it is still only a beginning for the theory of random graphs. We conclude with several unsolved problems including some that involve the R econstruction Conjecture I somorphism Problem C hromatic Number H amiltonian Cycles.
Abstract 20468: Self-Care Confidence Moderates the Relationship Between Marginalization and Self-Care Maintenance in Heart Failure Patients

Background: Marginalized individuals in society are less motivated to care for themselves. Adequate self-care behavior is known to improve outcomes in patients with heart failure (HF), but the rela...
Elasticity of Workloads and Periods of Parallel Real-Time Tasks

The elastic task model allows sequential periodic real-time tasks, such as those found in multimedia players and adaptive control systems, to adjust their periods dynamically to manage quality of service or to accommodate other tasks. Recent theoretical advances show that parallel real-time tasks can adapt their periods similarly.This paper further extends the concept of elasticity of parallel real-time tasks, to allow them to adapt their computational workloads instead of their periods, such as when a real-time video processing application can improve image quality if it can do more computation within a given period. This paper also presents a new concurrency platform in which each parallel real-time task can adapt either its period or its workload, supporting heterogeneous forms of elasticity for different application needs.Empirical evaluations we have conducted (1) demonstrate the ability of this concurrency platform to enforce theoretical guarantees from both prior work and results developed in this paper, and (2) help to quantify and demonstrate tradeoffs between temporal and computational elasticity.
Can Listeners Hear Who Is Singing? The Role of Listener Experience in Singer Discrimination Across Pitch.

Summary Objective/Hypothesis Previous research has shown that listeners are unable to identify who is singing across pitch when the voices are unfamiliar to them. Implementing a very short training period, however, greatly improves this ability, but only when the voices being compared are of different voice category. The objective of this study was to determine whether experienced listeners with highly developed knowledge of voice categories can more easily discriminate between singers across pitch. Methods/Design This study used an ABX paradigm where listeners heard two different singers singing “ah” at the same pitch. Listeners identified which of the two singers produced a third “ah” at a different pitch. Stimuli were recorded from two baritones, two tenors, two mezzo-sopranos, and two sopranos across a 1.5 octave range. Data were collected from 42 inexperienced listeners and 27 experienced listeners. Results Experienced listeners were better at singer discrimination across pitch than were inexperienced listeners for all conditions except same-category comparisons at the interval of the third. Experienced listeners were better at singer discrimination across pitch than were slightly trained listeners for all conditions except same-category female singers at all pitch intervals. Conclusions The ability to discriminate singers across pitch is the greatest for experienced listeners, followed by slightly trained inexperienced listeners, followed by inexperienced listeners.
Salinity tolerance of a rare and endangered unionid mussel, Popenaias popeii (Texas Hornshell) and its implications for conservation and water management.

Abstract Unionid mussels are considered sensitive to salinity and there is growing concern in arid and semi-arid regions that declining flows coupled with anthropogenic impacts are amplifying natural salinity levels. In this study, we tested the effects of varying salinity concentrations (3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 6.0, 7.0 and 10.0 ppt NaCl) on survival of adult Popenaias popeii, (Texas Hornshell). This species occurs in the Rio Grande basin of Texas and northern Mexico, an arid to semi-arid stream plagued by salinization, and was recently listed as Endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. We performed 2, 4, and 10-day toxicity tests on individuals from two disjunct populations: Laredo, TX, and the Lower Canyons of the Rio Grande near Big Bend National Park. We found no significant differences in LC50 estimates between populations at 96-hrs or 10-days but significant differences in TUD50s at 5 ppt between populations, which indicates that tolerance does not vary but sensitivity may between these populations. Overlaying LC50 estimates at 10-days for both populations on plots of salinity (ppt) measured over time, we show parts of the Rio Grande periodically approach or exceed 4.0 ppt, indicating these reaches are becoming unsuitable for P. popeii and populations within them at risk.
The 100 top-cited publications in psoriatic arthritis: a bibliometric analysis.

Background Citation analysis is a quantitative, bibliometric method that analyzes the frequency and pattern of citations in any given scientific discipline. Over the last two decades, the study of psoriatic arthritis has undergone substantial progress, which has enhanced our ability to assess and treat the disease, and yet an updated citation analysis that reflects these advances is lacking. Objective To highlight the scientific progress in psoriatic arthritis by identifying and analyzing the 100 top-cited psoriatic arthritis articles from the last 40 years. Methods Publications on psoriatic arthritis were identified using the Scopus citation database and Web of Science. No date range limits were applied. Data on the 100 top-cited publications were extracted and analyzed. Results Of the 100 top-cited publications, the median number of citations per publication was 265.9. Articles originated from 29 different countries. Publication dates ranged from 1973 to 2014. The majority (n = 88) were published after 1994, and the greatest number of highly cited psoriatic arthritis publications were reported between 2001 and 2007 (n = 36). Journals with the highest number of top-cited articles included Arthritis and Rheumatology (formerly Arthritis and Rheumatism) (n = 26), followed by Annals of Rheumatic Diseases (n = 21) and Journal of Rheumatology (n = 11). The top six journals with the most highly cited psoriatic arthritis articles were rheumatology journals, with the exception of the Journal of American Academy of Dermatology, a dermatology-based periodical. General medical journals published only nine of the 100 top citations. Impact factors ranged from 2.133 to 44.002, with a mean impact factor of 9.103. There were five authors with 10 or more highly cited psoriatic arthritis publications and 30 authors with five or more of the top publications. Subgroup analysis of the top 25 articles included nine randomized clinical trials, nine observational studies, five reviews, and two guideline statements. Additional subgroup analysis identified the top five hallmark trials in the field. Key publications provided data on classification criteria, disease prevalence, patterns of clinical and radiographic presentation, disease outcomes, associated cardiovascular disease risk, immunologic features and HLA associations, and efficacy and therapeutic benefit of TNFα inihbitors, interleukin-12/23 antagonists, and sulfasalazine. Conclusions The study of psoriatic arthritis is rapidly evolving. This bibliometric analysis delineates the landmark publications in psoriatic arthritis that have defined innovative therapeutic modalities and provided critical reviews, guidelines, and other key studies, which highlight the important progress made in the field.
Pharmacogenomics in Cancer Therapeutics

Abstract With increased knowledge of molecular abnormalities in pathways associated with tumorigenesis, drug development within the oncology discipline has over the last decade mostly shifted from nonspecific cytotoxic agents to targeted therapies. Together with their companion diagnostic tests that allow identification of suitable patients for particular therapeutic agents, targeted anticancer therapy usher in a whole new era of precision therapy for patients with specific types of cancer. In addition to somatic mutations within tumors, genetic variabilities in drug response and/or toxicity are also potential factors that could account for differences in response to anticancer drug therapy. In this brief chapter, the role of pharmacogenomics in cancer therapy is presented focusing on some specific applications.
Impact of Heavy-Duty Diesel Truck Activity on Fuel Consumption and Its Implication for the Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions:

Activity data from 79 line-haul and vocational trucks were analyzed to estimate trip-averaged fuel consumption per distance driven and per work performed. The 79 trucks had engine model years rangi...
Requirements for archives and records management jobs in international organizations with focus on United Nations – A job analysis of the vacancy announcements in 2016

Based on the data extraction method, a wide collection of vacancy announcements from international organizations for archives and records management (ARM) jobs which were officially published in 20...
School Counselors’ Assessment of the Legitimacy of High School Choice Policy:

Drawing on interviews with 88 middle school counselors tasked with implementing New York City’s high school choice policy, we show that counselors largely question the policy’s legitimacy and the e...
A Practical Approach to Diagnosis of B-Cell Lymphomas With Diffuse Large Cell Morphology

Context.— Large B-cell lymphomas represent the most common non-Hodgkin lymphomas and often present as extranodal masses with advanced stage similar to metastatic tumors. Without proper intraoperati...
Dental Implant Survival in Vascularized Bone Flaps: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND Maxillofacial reconstruction with vascularized bone restores facial contour and provides structural support and a foundation for dental rehabilitation. Routine implant placement in such cases, however, remains uncommon. This study aims to determine dental implant survival in patients undergoing vascularized maxillary or mandibular reconstruction through a systematic review of the literature. METHODS Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, the literature was queried for implant placement in reconstructed jaws using Medical Subject Headings terms on PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane platforms. Weighted implant survivals were calculated for the entire cohort and subcohorts stratified by radiotherapy. Meta-analyses were performed to estimate effect of radiation on implant osseointegration. RESULTS Of 3965 publications identified, 42 were reviewed, including 1084 patients with 3636 dental implants. Weighted implant survival was 92.2 percent at a median follow-up of 36 months. Survival was 97.0 percent in 269 implants placed immediately in 60 patients versus 89.9 percent in 1897 delayed implants placed in 597 patients, with follow-up of 14 and 40 months, respectively. Dental implants without radiotherapy exposure had better survival than those exposed to radiation (95.3 versus 84.6 percent; p < 0.01) at a median follow-up of 36 months. Meta-analyses showed that radiation significantly increased the risk of implant failure (risk ratio, 4.74; p < 0.01) and suggested that implants placed before radiotherapy trended toward better survival (88.9 percent versus 83.4 percent, p = 0.07; risk ratio, 0.52; p = 0.14). CONCLUSIONS Overall implant survival was 92.2 percent; however, radiotherapy adversely impacted outcomes. Implants placed before radiotherapy may demonstrate superior survival than implants placed after.
Benign Structures Mimicking Right Atrial Masses on Prenatal Ultrasound

Advances in imaging have resulted in more frequent reporting of primitive right atrial structures which can sometimes mimic cardiac tumors in prenatal ultrasound. Prominent crista terminalis and Chiari network are examples of these structures. We describe two cases of pregnant women referred to the fetal cardiology clinic for fetal echocardiography for right atrial masses seen on prenatal ultrasound suspicious of tuberous sclerosis. The first case subsequently diagnosed as crista terminalis and the second case as a prominent Chiari network. Postnatal ECHO confirmed the benign nature of these structures. It is important to differentiate tumors from prominent benign structures in the right atrium in fetal ECHO. The location and the similar echogenicity to the adjacent atrial tissue are clues for differentiation of these structures from atrial tumors.
Antimicrobial and enzyme-responsive multi-peptide surfaces for bone-anchored devices

Functionalization of dental and orthopedic implants with multiple bioactivities is desirable to obtain surfaces with improved biological performance and reduced infection rates. While many approaches have been explored to date, nearly all functionalized surfaces are static, i.e., non-responsive to biological cues. However, tissue remodeling necessary for implant integration features an ever-changing milieu of cells that demands a responsive biomaterial surface for temporal synchronization of interactions between biomaterial and tissue. Here, we successfully synthesized a multi-functional, dynamic coating on titanium by co-immobilizing GL13K antimicrobial peptide and an MMP-9 - a matrix metalloproteinase secreted by bone-remodeling osteoclasts - responsive peptide. Our co-immobilized peptide surface showed potent anti-biofilm activity, enabled effective osteoblast and fibroblast proliferation, and demonstrated stability against a mechanical challenge. Finally, we showed peptide release was triggered for up to seven days when the multi-peptide coatings were cultured with MMP-9-secreting osteoclasts. Our MMP-9 cleavable peptide can be conjugated with osteogenic or immunomodulatory motifs for enhanced bone formation in future work. Overall, we envisage our multifunctional, dynamic surface to reduce infection rates of percutaneous bone-anchored devices via strong anti-microbial activity and enhanced tissue regeneration via temporal synchronization between biomaterial cues and tissue responses.
Prophylactic Muscle Flaps in Primary Vascular Procedures of the Groin.

BACKGROUND Complications following vascular procedures involving the groin can lead to significant morbidity. Achieving stable soft tissue coverage over sites of revascularization can help mitigate complications. Prior evidence supports the use of muscle flaps in reoperative groins and in high risk patient populations to reduce postoperative complications. Data regarding the use of prophylactic muscle flap coverage of the groin is lacking. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of immediate prophylactic muscle flap coverage of vascular wounds involving the groin. METHODS A retrospective cohort study was performed on all patients undergoing primary open vascular procedures involving the groin for occlusive, aneurysmal, or oncologic disease between 2014 and 2020 at a single institution where plastic surgery was involved in closure. Patient demographics, comorbidities, surgical details, and postoperative complications were compared between patients who had sartorius muscle flap coverage of the vascular repair versus layered closure alone. RESULTS A total of 133 consecutive groins were included in our analysis. A sartorius flap was used in 115 groins (86.5%) and a layered closure was used in 18 (13.5%). Wound breakdown was similar between groups (25.2% sartorius vs. 38.9% layered closure, P = 0.26). However, the rate of reoperation was significantly higher in the layered closure group (50.0% vs. 12.2%, P < 0.01). Among patients who experienced wound breakdown (N = 36), a larger proportion of layered closure patients required operative intervention (71.4% vs. 20.7%, P = 0.02). Other rates of complications were not statistically different between groups. CONCLUSIONS In patients undergoing primary open vascular procedures involving the groin, patients who underwent prophylactic sartorius muscle flap closure had lower rates of reoperation. Although incisional breakdown was similar between the groups overall, the presence of a vascularized muscle flap overlying the vascular repair was associated with reduced need for reoperation and allowed more wounds to be managed with local wound care alone. Consideration should be given to this low morbidity local muscle flap in patients undergoing vascular procedures involving the groin.
Model Data Base

The model data base is a key component of any recognition system. The data base encodes the high level knowledge about the objects which is needed for recognition. The global structure of the objects which is encoded in the models is used to understand and place in context the low level sensing information. The modeling system must be able to adequately model the complexity of the objects in the environment and it must contain enough structure to allow the low level sensory data to map into the model data base during the matching phase of the recognition cycle.
Simulating the Performance of Estimators of the Number of Duplicates in a Database

A large database consisting of N records is partitioned into K equivalence classes, which are sets of duplicate records. It is desired to estimate K, the number of unique records, based on a small sampling fraction of either individual records or complete equivalence classes.
From “Harmonic Telegraph” to Cellular Phones

It all started with two patents issued to Alexander Graham Bell in March 1876 and the world changed forever. Vast distances began to shrink. Soon, nobody was isolated. The invention produced a new industrial giant whose research laboratories supported the best in scientific research and engineering leading to major technical advances of the twentieth century. The desire for communication, anytime, anywhere spread fast; stationary phones connected by wires started fading away, replaced by mobile phones or “cellular phones” reflecting the cell structure of the wireless medium. The book chapter will provide a history of the telephones, starting from Alexander Graham Bell’s “harmonic telegraph” in 1876 to modern cellular phones.
The Prevention and Management of Noninfectious Complications of Penile Implants

Introduction. Penile implants have been a mainstay in the treatment of erectile dysfunction for more than four decades. The satisfaction rate with the functioning of these devices has been very high. Problems can develop with the device itself or with the tissues surrounding it. Knowledge of preventing and managing these adverse events is critical to a successful outcome and sustained patient satisfaction. Aim. A narrative of the prevention and management of noninfectious complications of penile implant placement gained from the author’s extensive experience is presented. Methods. Each category of penile implant complications is presented as a separate subtitle. The initial categories are intraoperative problems; the subsequent groups involve postoperative adverse events. Main Outcome Measure. To gather information for this manuscript, I reviewed 40 publications and found 32 relevant and helpful. Results. Attending to the details necessary for proper placement of prosthetic parts during the initial surgery will minimize the chance of problems developing. Prompt attention to postoperative problems will thwart their progression to a more extensive adverse situation, which will be more difficult to remedy. Conclusions. Complications during penile implant placement and in the postoperative period may occur. Knowledge of maneuvers to avoid their occurrence and prompt attention to correcting problems as they arise are paramount to a successful outcome and to maintaining high satisfaction rates. Mulcahy JJ. The prevention and management of noninfectious complications of penile implants. Sex Med Rev 2015;3:203–213.
Toward A More Perfect Union: The Road To Marriage Equality For Same-Sex Couples

The Author believes that civil unions have become synonymous with inequality. In this posture, the term inequality should be descriptive rather than subjective. She argues that civil unions relegate gay and lesbian couples to second-class status. However characterized or defined, civil unions are not marriages. Those two statuses are not equivalent; they are not equal. Within that framework, in order for any one person to decide where he or she stands on the issue of whether gay and lesbian couples should be entitled to marriage, civil unions, something else, or nothing, he or she must first understand why marriage matters to families and how the Goodridge case and others fit into the civil rights struggle to create equality for gays and lesbians as well as into other civil rights struggles. Section II of this Article describes several examples of how the exclusion from marriage has harmed families, and, therefore, why it matters to people, gay and non-gay alike. Section III describes the history of marriage as it has evolved for same-sex couples and its relationship to other civil rights struggles. Section IV describes the Goodridge case, its outcome, and aftermath. Finally, Section V takes up the question of whether civil unions are a legitimate station on the way to marriage rights or a misguided departure in a struggle for equality and concludes that civil unions are an unacceptable alternative.
Initial development of a new empirical model of the earth's inner magnetosphere for density, temperature, and composition

The analytical representation of plasma characteristics in the near earth environment is a valuable tool for studying wave propagation, for new instrument and spacecraft design, and for developing a better theoretical understanding of plasmaspheric processes. There are no empirical models currently available that encompass the near-earth environment and include the core or low-energy plasma characteristic of that region. The initial steps to constructing a new empirical model of plasmaspheric density, temperature, and composition are discussed. A limited set of density measurements from the retarding ion mass spectrometer and the plasma wave instrument on the Dynamics Explorer 1 spacecraft is used to demonstrate features of the proposed analytical formalism.
Safety of Intra-Arterial Thrombolysis in the Postoperative Period

Background and Purpose —Limited systemic fibrinolysis and reduced dosage are features of intra-arterial thrombolyis (IAT) that may be advantageous in the treatment of postoperative strokes. However, IAT may increase the risk of surgical bleeding. We sought to determine the safety of postoperative IAT. Methods —This was a retrospective case series from 6 university hospitals. All cases of IAT within 2 weeks of surgery were identified. Demographics, stroke mechanism, stroke severity, imaging and angiographic findings, time between surgery and lysis, thrombolytic agent used, surgical site bleeding, intracranial bleeding, and mortality rates were determined. Death or complications directly related to IAT were determined. Results —Thirty-six patients (median age, 71.5 years; range, 45 to 85) were identified. Median time from surgery to stroke was 21.5 hours (range, 1 to 120). Open heart surgery was done in 18 (50%), carotid endarterectomy in 6 (17%), craniotomy in 3 (8%), ophthalmologic–ear, nose and throat surgery in 2 (6%), urologic-gynecologic surgery in 4 (11%), orthopedic surgery in 2 (6%), and plastic surgery in 1 (3%). The stroke causes were cardioembolism in 24 (67%), large-vessel atherosclerosis in 4 (11%), dissection in 3 (8%), postendarterectomy occlusion in 4 (11%), and radiation arteriopathy in 1 (3%). Median time to angiogram was 2.5 hours (0.1 to 5.5). Occlusion sites were M1 in 19 (53%), M2 in 9 (25%), internal carotid artery in 5 (14%), basilar artery in 2 (6%), and posterior communicating artery in 1 (3%). Thrombolysis was completed at a median of 4.5 hours (range, 1 to 8.0). Tissue plasminogen activator was used in 19 (53%) and urokinase in 17 (47%). Nine (26%) patients died. Surgical site bleeding occurred in 9 (25%) cases (minor in 6, major in 3). The major surgical bleeds were 2 post–craniotomy intracranial hemorrhages and 1 hemopericardium after coronary artery bypass grafting; all were fatal. Six deaths were non-IAT related: 3 caused by cerebral edema and 3 by systemic causes. Major bleeding complications were significantly more common among patients with craniotomy ( P <0.02). Conclusions —Postoperative IAT carries a risk of bleeding in up to 25% of patients but is usually minor surgical site bleeding. Avoiding IAT in intracranial surgery patients may reduce complications. Mortality rate in this series was similar to that reported in prior IAT trials. IAT remains a viable therapeutic option for postoperative strokes.
Propagation and radiation of sound from flanged circular ducts with circumferentially varying wall admittances. I Semi-infinite ducts. II - Finite ducts with sources

Sound propagation in infinite, semiinfinite, and finite circular ducts with circumferentially varying wall admittances is investigated analytically. The infinite case is considered, and an example demonstrates the effects of wall-admittance distribution on dispersion characteristics and mode shapes. An exact solution is obtained for the semiinfinite case, a circular duct with a flanged opening: sidelobe suppression and circumferential-mode energy scattering leading to radiated-field asymmetry are found. A finite duct system with specified hard-walled pressure sources is examined in detail, evaluating reflection coefficients, transmission losses, and radiated-field directivity. Graphs and diagrams are provided, and the implications of the results obtained for the design of aircraft-turbofan inlet liners are discussed.
Studies of optical and crystal properties of ALD grown ZnO

In this paper, we report structural and photoluminescence properties of ZnO thin films grown on single crystal ZnO substrates by means of Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD).
Primary Cutaneous B-Cell Lymphoma: Review and Current Concepts

PURPOSE: Primary cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCLs) encompass a wide variety of lymphomas that are characterized by the localization of the malignant lymphocytes to the skin at presentation. Advances in molecular biologic techniques, including immunophenotyping and gene rearrangement studies to determine clonality, have led to more frequent diagnosis of CTCL as well as more consistent subclassification of these entities. However, there continues to be confusion in the classification, prognosis, and management of patients with CTCL. The purpose of this review is to present a summary of the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of CTCL, with specific emphasis on mycosis fungoides (MF) and Sezary syndrome (SS). We also present a detailed discussion of the entities that make up the differential diagnosis of CTCL. DESIGN: We reviewed the medical literature on CTCL and other diseases that make up the differential diagnosis of CTCL. Results and CONCLUSION: MF and SS are the most common forms of CTCL. The etiology ...
Keynote Speaker Abstracts

Resource poverty is a fundamental constraint that severely limits the class of applications that can be run on mobile devices. In this talk, I will present a vision of mobile computing that breaks free of this fundamental constraint. In this vision, mobile users seamlessly utilize nearby computers to obtain the resource benefits of cloud computing without incurring WAN delays and jitter. Rather than relying on a distant cloud, a mobile user instantiates a cloudlet on nearby infrastructure and uses it via a wireless LAN. Crisp interactive response for immersive applications that augment human cognition is then much easier to achieve because of the proximity of the cloudlet. Preliminary results confirm that a critical aspect of this vision, namely rapid customization of cloudlet infrastructure, is achievable through a technique called dynamic VM synthesis.
Variability in “crystallinity” Values among the Kaolin Deposits of the Coastal Plain of Georgia and South Carolina

Quantitative measurement of the relative degree of crystal perfection among 144 samples of Coastal Plain kaolin shows that the deposits are nonhomogeneous with respect to crystallinity and that the hard and soft types can be distinguished at the 0.95 probability level by an analysis of variance. The nonhomogeneity of the deposits and the distinction between the hard and soft types agrees with the results obtained for other properties not reported here. Although on the basis of pulverizing ease there may be a single population with hard and soft end members, in terms of origin the evidence indicates the existence of two distinct clay populations.
Anaerobic digestion of activated sludge after pressure-assisted ozonation

This study was undertaken to examine the benefits of pressure-assisted ozonation (PAO) in enhancing solids reduction and biogas production in anaerobic digestion. The results showed significant improvements in both. With unacclimated inoculum at varied food-to-inoculum (F/I) ratios of 0.5-2, solids and COD reductions were improved by PAO, as well as by increased F/I ratios even without PAO, which would warrant further optimization of the F/I ratio for an unacclimated inoculum. With acclimated inocula at F/I ratio of 0.8, volatile suspended solids reduction and biogas production were improved by up to 60% and 800%, respectively, when the AS had been subjected to 20 cycles of PAO. In extended operation in plants where acclimated anaerobes are encountered, PAO pretreatment offers improved digestion of AS in terms of solids and COD removals and biogas production.
Derrida’s Flair (For the Animals to Follow...)

This essay traces the history of Jacques Derrida’s engagement with the question of the animal and the methodology Derrida follows in his 2008 The Animal That Therefore I Am . As Derrida demonstrates, the history of philosophy is marked from its inception by an attempt to draw a single, indivisible line between humans and all other animals by attributing some capacity to humans (e.g., language, culture, mourning, a relationship to death) and denying it to animals. Derrida thus begins by questioning the supposed fact that animals do not have such and such a capacity or attribute but then quickly turns to questioning the principle by which philosophers have claimed that humans do . In all his work on the animal, therefore, Derrida questions the confidence with which humans attribute certain capacities to themselves while denying them to animals, all in the name of a pervasive and yet repressed violence against the animal world.
Effect of soil reduction on phosphorus sorption of an organic-rich silt loam.

Phosphorus flux from agricultural landscapes to surface waters may cause eutrophication. In the northeastern United States, P transport largely depends on P sorption of soils in variable source areas or in land treatment systems. Soil redox fluctuation commonly occurs in these areas. Nevertheless, the effect of soil redox on P sorption has been variable in the literature. This study investigated P sorption of an organic-rich northeastern glaciated silt loam (Langford) under air-dried, field-wet, and reduced conditions using batch P sorption experiments. Additionally, the influence of farm wastewater on soil P sorption was studied. Major results indicated that soil reduction increased the maximum amount of P that can be sorbed (S max ) and decreased the aqueous P concentration at which P sorption and desorption are equal (EPC 0 ), both determined from a modified Langmuir isotherm model. The slightly reduced fleld-wet soils had no significant difference in S max due to limited soil reduction. Using the diluted wastewater as the sorption solution matrices instead of 0.01 mol L -1 KCl solution, the soils generally exhibited greater S max and lower EPC 0 except for the EPC 0 of a reduced surface soil, implying more complex P sorption in the field. Identified P sorption mechanisms include phosphate precipitation, ligand exchange with organic matter, and adsorption onto Fe hydroxides. Transformation of Fe compounds during soil reduction is primarily responsible for the changes in soil P sorption.
Analysis of Non-Typeable Haemophilous influenzae VapC1 Mutations Reveals Structural Features Required for Toxicity and Flexibility in the Active Site

Bacteria have evolved mechanisms that allow them to survive in the face of a variety of stresses including nutrient deprivation, antibiotic challenge and engulfment by predator cells. A switch to dormancy represents one strategy that reduces energy utilization and can render cells resistant to compounds that kill growing bacteria. These persister cells pose a problem during treatment of infections with antibiotics, and dormancy mechanisms may contribute to latent infections. Many bacteria encode toxin-antitoxin (TA) gene pairs that play an important role in dormancy and the formation of persisters. VapBC gene pairs comprise the largest of the Type II TA systems in bacteria and they produce a VapC ribonuclease toxin whose activity is inhibited by the VapB antitoxin. Despite the importance of VapBC TA pairs in dormancy and persister formation, little information exists on the structural features of VapC proteins required for their toxic function in vivo. Studies reported here identified 17 single mutations that disrupt the function of VapC1 from non-typeable H. influenzae in vivo. 3-D modeling suggests that side chains affected by many of these mutations sit near the active site of the toxin protein. Phylogenetic comparisons and secondary mutagenesis indicate that VapC1 toxicity requires an alternative active site motif found in many proteobacteria. Expression of the antitoxin VapB1 counteracts the activity of VapC1 mutants partially defective for toxicity, indicating that the antitoxin binds these mutant proteins in vivo. These findings identify critical chemical features required for the biological function of VapC toxins and PIN-domain proteins.
Punishment of nonspecific responses: Does the negative half of the law of effect apply?

Pigeons were trained to peck for food during red and to nonpeck during green. Response-independent shock was then introduced and shock intensity regularly increased between successive sessions. As shock increased, the birds’ rate of pecking decreased to zero during green, but the rate of nonpecking failed to decrease. This result paralleled results reported by Rachlin and Herrnstein (1969) with a similar procedure except that shocks were response dependent. Therefore, their results do not demonstrate that a punishment contingency fails to weaken nonpecks.
Commonly Asked Questions About Thyroid Function

Thyroid function abnormalities in asymptomatic outpatients are common. When a patient is found to have an abnormality in thyrotropin (thyroid-stimulating hormone) or free or total thyroxine (T4), a review of the patient's medications and a careful neck examination will usually provide the explanation. Further diagnostic laboratory studies should include additional tests of T4 or thyrotropin. Determining the presence of antimicrosomal antibodies is useful for further assessment of "subclinical" hypothyroidism, and measures of protein binding (T4-binding capacity or T4-binding protein electrophoresis) help confirm a suspected congenital or acquired abnormality of T4 binding. Recognition of euthyroid hypothyroxinemia and hyperthyroxinemia is important in order to avoid intervention with inappropriate treatment. Management of subclinical hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism necessitates clinical judgment about the patient's symptom profile and risks for long-standing or progressive thyroid dysfunction.