cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
System-level design trades for the Submillimeter Probe of the Evolution of Cosmic Structure (SPECS)

The Submillimeter Probe of the Evolution of Cosmic Structure (SPECS) is a proposed mission being considered by NASA to take high resolution sky images at the submillimeter wavelengths. At these wavelengths, we can observe highly red-shifted light that has been traveling towards the Earth over a great deal of time, allowing observation of the developing universe in the distant past. To achieve Hubble class resolution, the system must synthesize an aperture that is 1000 meters in diameter, making interferometry the only currently reasonable approach to design. This paper addresses a high level system trade of a general class of rotating tethered architectures that reel apertures in and out radially to fill the u-v plane. A metric of cost per image is used to identify how aperture area and number of apertures should be selected, and considerations of how spectral information is acquired is used to generate design ideas for reducing the overall system mass.
A design and implementation framework for unsupervised high-resolution recursive filters in neuromotor prosthesis applications

Neuromotor prostheses have the potential of restoring movement ability in patients with severe motor dysfuncion. In cortically-controlled neuromotor prostheses, the design of neural decoders for motor impaired patients requires initialization using a concurrently measured set of neural and motor imagery or observation data. In addition, the decoder implementation poses a scalability challenge with an increasing number of decoded neurons. Consequently, most neural decoder implementations resort to sub-sampling the neural firing rates, which results in noisy decoded outputs. In this work, we propose a new decoder design and implementation framework in which (i) the decoder initialization is unsupervised, (ii) the decoder is implemented using computationally-inexpensive recursive filters that can operate at high-resolution sampling of the neural data thereby minimizing the delay introduced in the system, and (iii) the decoder gives a smooth real-time control signal expressed by the span of neural data projections onto a low-dimensional latent space that possesses desirable features for the control task.
Lobar vs thalamic and basal ganglion hemorrhage: clinical and radiographic features

One hundred and twelve patients with spontaneous supratentorial intracerebral hemorrhages were reviewed to identify features which distinguish lobar intracerebral hemorrhage (LH; n=42) from thalamic or basal ganglionic hemorrhage (TGH; n=70). Chronic hypertension occurred more commonly in TGH (TGH 67%; LH 48%) while bleeding diathesis was more common in LH (LH 19%; TGH 6%). Clinical presentations were extremely variable and not associated with the type of hemorrhage. Bleeding into the ventricles and hydrocephalus occurred more often with TGH. At last follow-up, there were minimal differences between LH and TGH in overall mortality and functional outcome of the survivors. Alertness on admission was associated with a good outcome regardless of the type of hemorrhage, while a low Glasgow Coma Scale score, coma, ataxic respiration, abnormal pupil reactions, acute hypertension, large hemorrhage size and intraventricular blood were associated with a poor outcome. These data confirm etiological distinctions between LH and TGH, but fail to confirm previously reported differences in clinical presentation and outcome.
Early evaluation of acute traumatic coagulopathy by thrombelastography.

Posttraumatic coagulopathy is a major cause of morbidity. This prospective study evaluated the thrombelastography (TEG) system and PlateletMapping (Haemoscope Corporation, Niles, Ill) values posttrauma, and it correlated those values with transfusions and fatalities. After institutional review board approval, assays were performed on 161 trauma patients. One citrated blood sample was collected onsite (OS), and 1 citrate and 1 heparinized sample were collected within 1 h of arrival to the emergency department (ED). Paired and unpaired t-testing was performed for nominal data with chi square testing for categorical values. Except for a slight increase in clot strength (maximal amplitude [MA]), there were no significant changes from OS to the ED. None of the TEG parameters were significantly different for the 22 patients who required transfusion. PlateletMapping showed lower platelet adenosine diphosphate (ADP) responsiveness in patients who needed transfusions (MA = 22.7 ± 17.1 vs MA = 35.7 ± 19.3, P = 0.004) and a correlation of fibrinogen 15%) was observed in 3 patients in the ED with a 67% fatality rate (P =
Preparation of (NH4)Zr2(PO4)3 and HZr2(PO4)3

Abstract (NH 4 )Zr 2 (PO 4 ) 3 has been prepared, hydrothermally, from α-zirconium phosphate in three different ways; (1) from amine intercalates at 300°C, (2) from mixtures of ZrOCl 2 ·8H 2 O in excess (NH 4 )H 2 PO 4 and (3) reaction of NH 4 Cl with Zr(NaPO 4 ) 2 . Ammonium dizirconium triphosphate is rhombohedral with a = 8.676(1) and c = 24.288(5) A . It decomposed on heating to HZr 2 (PO 4 ) 3 . Below 600°C a complex, as yet unindexed, X-ray pattern was obtained. A very similar X-ray pattern was obtained by washing LiTi 0.1 Zr 1.9 (PO 4 ) 3 with 0.3N HCl. Heating this phase or NH 4 Zr 2 (PO 4 ) 3 , above 600°C resulted in the appearance of a rhombohedral phase of HZr 2 (PO 4 ) 3 with cell dimensions a = 8.803(5) and c = 23.23(1) A . The protons were not completely removed until about 1150°C. Decomposition of (NH 4 )Zr 2 (PO 4 ) 3 at 450°C yielded an acidic gas whereas at 700°C NH 3 was evolved. A possible explanation for this behavior is presented.
SERCA function declines with age in adrenergic nerves from the superior cervical ganglion.

1 Intracellular calcium is a universal second messenger integrating numerous cellular pathways. An age-related breakdown in the mechanisms controlling [Ca2+]i homeostasis could contribute to neuronal degeneration. One component of neuronal calcium regulation believed to decline with age is the function of sarco/endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA) pumps. 2 Therefore we investigated the impact of age on the capacity of SERCA pumps to control high (68 m M) [K+]-evoked [Ca2+]i-transients in acutely dissociated superior cervical ganglion (SCG) cells from 6- and 20-month-old Fisher-344 rats. Calcium transients were measured by fura-2 microfluorometry in the presence of vanadate (0.1 μM) to selectively block plasma membrane calcium ATPase (PMCA) pumps, dinitrophenol (100 μM) to block mitochondrial calcium uptake and extracellular sodium replaced with tetraethylammonium to block Na+/Ca2+-exchanger, thus forcing the neuronal cells to rely on SERCA uptake to control [Ca2+]i homeostasis. 3 In the presence of these calcium buffering blockers, the rate of recovery of [Ca2+]i was significantly slower and time to recover to approximately 90% of resting [Ca2+]i was significantly greater in SCG cells from old (20 months) compared with young (6 months) animals. 4 This age-related change in the recovery phase of [K+]-evoked [Ca2+]i-transients could not be explained by differences in the sensitivity of SCG cells to the calcium buffering blockers, as no age-related difference in basal [Ca2+]i was observed. 5 These studies illustrate that when rat SCG cells are forced to rely on SERCAs to buffer [K+]-evoked [Ca2+]i-transients, an age-related decline in SERCA function is revealed. Such age-related declines in calcium regulation coupled with neuronal sensitivity to calcium overload underscore the importance of understanding the components of [Ca2+]i homeostasis and the functional compensation that may occur with advancing age.
Female-Female Non-Partner Assault: A Political-Economic Theory of Street Codes and Female-Gendered Culture in the Contemporary African-American Inner City

In this article we present a theory of the prevalence of female-female non-partner violence in the African-American inner city. We employ `ghetto' (economic) and `internal colony' (political) models to illuminate dimensions of the African-American inner city which we view as proximal determinants of female-female interpersonal violence. These cultural and structural elements include conflict within the separate female-gendered cultural milieu centered in the female-headed household system, and the `rule of force' imposed by agencies of social control as the cultural model for dominance, oppression, and interpersonal violence. Verbatim accounts provided by respondents injured in female-female violent interactions are offered as illustrations of the theory.
Mean value theorems for integral equations in 2D potential theory

This paper presents a number of theorems, with proofs, related to mean values of certain integrals that arise in integral formulations for boundary value problems in two-dimensional potential theory. These theorems can be useful, for example, for the understanding and evaluation of new integral formulations and for simplifying existing ones.
Targeting T cells responsive to the priming epitope prevent the relapsing phase of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

Upon recovery from the initial episode of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), virtually all SJL mice develop relapsing/remitting episodes of disease. These relapses may occur due to the reactivation of memory T cells initially stimulated as part of the disease-inducing protocol or naive T-cell populations stimulated by distinct encephalitogens derived from the inflammatory disease process (epitope spread). We have used encephalitogen-specific non-linear peptide octamers to modify the course of relapsing EAE (rEAE) in SJL mice immunized with an oliogodendrocyte-specific protein peptide (OSP 55-71). Our studies show that the peptide-octamers, which target the T cells stimulated by the priming encephalitogen, but not other candidate encephalitogens, prevent rEAE.
Limited feedback and video tutorials optimize learning and resource utilization during laparoscopic simulator training

Background.The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of instructor feedback and video tutorials on skill acquisition during proficiency-based laparoscopic suturing training. Methods.Performance data from a prospectively maintained database were reviewed for three groups of novices (n!34 medical students) who completed the same proficiency-based laparoscopic suturing curriculum on a Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery‐type videotrainer model as part of two separate institutional review board‐approved, randomized controlled trials. Group I (n!9) watched the video tutorial once and received intense feedback during each training session; Group II (n!13) watched the video tutorial once and received limited feedback ("10 min per session); Group III (n! 12) watched the video tutorial several times and also received limited feedback ("10 min per session). Feedback was given by the same instructor and was quantified on a 0 (none) to 4 (extensive) Likert scale. Results.Baseline characteristics were similar for all groups. All participants achieved the proficiency level (512) on two consecutive attempts. Group III required the shortest training time and number of repetitions to reach proficiency, with statistically significant differences compared with Group I (P"0.02). This strategy led to a cost savings of $139 per trainee. Conclusions.Limited instructor feedback appears to be superior to intense feedback during proficiencybased laparoscopic simulator training. Coupled with video tutorials, this type of feedback may accelerate learning and improve resource utilization by minimizing the need for instructor involvement. (Surgery 2007;142:202-6.)
Creatine supplementation enhances endurance performance in trained rats.

Minimal evidence has shown creatine (Cr) supplementation to enhance endurance performance in either humans or rats. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of Cr supplementation on endurance performance during high-intensity exercise in trained male rats. Endurance performance was defined as the distance run. Sixteen days of running were performed over 28 days. A cycle of 7 days consisted of 2 days of training, 1 day off, 2 days of training then 2 days off and this was repeated over a total of 28 days. Cr was administered on all 28 days. Treatment rats (n = 7) drank water containing Cr while the control rats drank water with no supplement (n = 6). The Cr group's average distance run increased significantly from baseline to exercise day 16 (baseline = 128.91 m ± 18.23 vs. exercise day 16 = 217.11m ± 18.11; p 0.05). Over the course of the study, the treatment group's running endurance improved by 81% compared to baseline (p < 0.001) and we conclude that Cr supplementation provided rats an increased ability to run farther demonstrating possible implications for improving endurance athletes' performances.
Evaluation of an iodonium compound as an antiseptic agent.

Abstract A wide variety of iodonium compounds have been prepared and synthesized within the past 2 5 years.Investigations however have been centered primarily around the synthesis and preparation of new iodonium products and only limited data are available concerning the evaluation of their biological activity.This is rather surprising since the iodone is an integral part of these compounds, and since they are strong bases which form stable salts when neutralized with acids, and as such behave as do the quaternary ammonium compounds.The skin antiseptic, fungistatic, and bacteriostatic effectiveness of bis(dichlorophenyl) iodonium chloride was investigated.Results indicate this compound can be used as a dermatological pharmaceutical, since it markedly reduced the transient and resident microflora of the skin.Furthermore, a 1.5% solution showed fungistatic activity in dilutions as high as 1:1000.Similar activity was observed with the gram-positive bacteria, however, at higher dilutions while a more moderate yet effective inhibition was observed with the gramnegative bacteria.
FINE STRUCTURE OF THE CELLS RESPONSIBLE FOR SECRETION OF ADRENOCORTICOTROPHIN IN THE ADRENALECTOMIZED RAT.

Adrenalectomy cells, previously demonstrated by autoradiography in the light microscope as the site of ACTH production in the adrenalectomized rat, were identified in the electron microscope by their peculiar morphology. The adrenalectomy cells were found to have certain characteristic fine structural features which aid in identifying and differentiating them from the other cell types. Their secretory granules, with a maximal diameter of about 200 mμ, are larger than thyrotroph granules, smaller than acidophil granules, and correspond in size roughly to the gonadotroph granules. Gonadotrophs are readily differentiated from adrenalectomy cells, however, by their typically rounded shape. (Endocrinology 76: 70, 1965)
The vacuum energy forP(ø)2: Infinite volume limit and coupling constant dependence

LetE(λg) be the vacuum energy for theP(o)2 Hamiltonian with space cutoffg(x)≧0 and coupling constant λ≧0. For suitable families of cutoffsg→1, the vacuum energy per unit volume converges; i.e., −E(λg)/∫g(x)dx→α∞(λ). We obtain bounds on the λ dependence ofα∞(λ) for large and small λ. These lead to estimates forE(λg) as a functional ofg that permit a weakening of the standard regularity conditions forg. Typical of such estimates is the “linear lower bound”, −E(g)≦const ∫g(x)2dx, valid for allg≧0 provided thatP is normalized so thatP(0)=0. Finally we show that the perturbation series forα∞(λ) is asymptotic to second order.
Injury complexity factors predict heterotopic ossification restricting motion after elbow trauma.

Background Heterotopic ossification (HO) is a common extrinsic cause of elbow stiffness after trauma. However, factors associated with the development of HO are incompletely understood.
Calcium measurements with electron probe X-ray and electron energy loss analysis.

This paper presents a broad survey of the rationale for electron probe X-ray microanalysis (EPXMA) and the various methods for obtaining qualitative and quantitative information on the distribution...
One-shot exchange networks and the shadow of the future

From the Prisoner's Dilemma and other games, it is well known that strategy selection in one-shot games can be very different from that in iterated games. Because exchange structures were studied only as iterated games, whether one-shot structures differ was not known. Nor have exchange theories previously considered whether events in structures would be different if studied as one-shot games. This paper offers new theory to predict one-shot exchange structures and one-shot experiments to test that theory. As predicted, the experiments found that processes and outcomes of one-shot exchange structures are quite different from those of iterated exchange structures. For example, certain relations that are strategically used as threats in iterated exchange structures occur very rarely in one-shot structures. It follows that power differences in one-shot structures regress from those observed for repeated structures.
An Electrical Arc Erosion Model Valid for High Current: Vaporization and Splash Erosion

Electrical arc erosion plays an important role in limiting the life of power switching devices. Consequently, a macroscopic arc erosion model, valid for high current, has been developed. This is the first of its kind since it takes into account two modes of contact material erosion: vaporization and splash erosion. Specifically, this model is used to measure the amount of contact material removed after one electrical discharge. It, therefore, allows the comparison of electrical contact erosion resistances between materials. Furthermore, this model is the first step in determining the composition of a suitable AgCdO substitute by identifying the most influential material properties in the arc erosion process.
Use of high-level architecture discrete event simulation in a system of systems design

Systems can be arranged in useful ways to perform tasks which, executed in an order, unlock overall capabilities. The goal of a system of systems engineer is to find the system arrangements and task execution order that allow the system of systems successfully achieving its end goal efficiently. The difficulties in this work are the sheer number of possible arrangements and work flows, uncertain and missing information about systems, and greater flexibility required in evaluation compared to system evaluation. This paper describes a modeling and simulation solution that deals with all the three difficulties enumerated as part of a research work sponsored by the Office of Naval Research. The modeling and simulation solution implemented here is in the form of a discrete event simulation. Because system of systems design involves itself with many missions, the simulation is developed to handle various missions and systems. However, in this paper the use case is a suppression of enemy air defenses mission carried out by a variety of naval military systems.
EFFECT OF PROPORTIONAL ASSIST VENTILATION ON CHEST WALL DISTORTION IN RABBITS WITH MECONIUM INJURED LUNGS. ▴ 2078

EFFECT OF PROPORTIONAL ASSIST VENTILATION ON CHEST WALL DISTORTION IN RABBITS WITH MECONIUM INJURED LUNGS. ▴ 2078
Strain effects in the mass flux of methanol in poly(methyl methacrylate)

Diffusion of organic solvents into glassy polymers often results in a phase transformation of the hard, solid polymer into a swollen, rubbery material. During the sorption, internal stresses exist in the swollen and glassy parts of the polymer and are thought to contribute significantly to the “anomalous” diffusion observed in many penetrant–polymer systems. In this investigation, isothermal sorption data for the methanol–poly(methyl methacrylate) system have been obtained on plates ranging in thickness from 1/32 to ¼ in. The results show features characteristic of both a strain-dependent diffusion coefficient and of a stress gradient contribution to the mass flux. An attempt to reproduce these results by combining a strain-dependent diffusion coefficient model with a stress-induced contribution to the flux is presented.
Activation of Spontaneous Murine Leukemia Virus-Related Antigen by Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus

Persistent infection with lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCM) virus activates a phenotypic expression of murine leukemia viruis-related antigen. NZB and (NZB x NZW)F(1) mice, which normally carry large amounts of Gross virus, and C57BL/6 and NZW mice, which normally carry little virus, were infected with LCM virus. All had Gross soluble antigen in their plasmas at 3 months of age, while noninfected matched controls of all strains did not. This effect was seen after infection with LCM virus that was tissue passed or plaque purified. Similarly, cultures of mouse-embryo fibroblasts produced Gross soluble antigen when infected with LCM virus, but noninfected cultures failed to do so.
Correlated He and Sr isotope ratios in South Atlantic near-ridge seamounts and implications for mantle dynamics

4He/3He and 87Sr/86Sr ratios are highly anti-correlated for a suite of seamount glasses from both sides of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge at 26°S; the linear correlation coefficient (r2) is 0.99 for 5 localities at 3 different seamounts. The seamounts are located on crust up to 2.5 myr old, and have 4He/3He as low as 65,400 (3He/4He = 11 RA) and 87Sr/86Sr as high as 0.70350. These isotopic values are significantly lower and higher, respectively, than those for basaltic glasses recovered from 13 localities along the adjacent ridge axis, where the lowest 4He/3He ratio is 92,000 (3He/4He = 7.8 RA) and the highest 87Sr/86Sr is 0.70258. Geophysical studies and the small (1–2%) degree of helium isotope disequilibrium between vesicles and glass for three seamount lavas suggest that the seamounts formed on or near the ridge axis. Because no off-ridge hotspots are present in this area, formation of the seamounts probably involved capture by the ridge of a passive mantle heterogeneity or ‘blob’ during rift propagation and tectonic evolution of the Moore fracture zone. The HeSrNdPb isotopic results for the seamounts show a general trend toward compositions observed for the Reunion hotspot in the Indian Ocean. Collectively, the seamount and ridge axis results are somewhat enigmatic. In addition to the highly correlated He and Sr isotopes at the seamounts, a fair correlation exists between He and Nd isotopes (r2 = 0.70). In contrast, a correlation between He and Pb isotopes is absent for the seamount glasses, while an independent, positive correlation exists between 4He/3He and 206Pb/204Pb for axial lavas. Apparently, different processes are responsible for the seamount HeSrNd isotope relationships and for the nearby ridge HePb isotope relationship. If these relations are only of local significance and result from complications inherent in multi-stage mixing of more than two mantle components, then they imply that the upper mantle may contain domains with variable 4He/3He ratios, in some cases significantly lower than 80,000 (3He/4He> 9 RA). On the other hand, binary mixing adequately explains the linear HeSr isotope trend in the seamount lavas. This linear trend suggests similar 3He/86Sr ratios in the local MORB mantle source and in the source region of the low 4He/3He blob, which is most likely the lower mantle or the transition zone region. This similarity in 3He/86Sr is inconsistent with a lower mantle 3He/86Sr ratio that exceeds the upper mantle ratio by at least a factor of 50, deduced from geochemical models of mantle evolution. Consequently, rare gas models invoking a steady-state upper mantle and quasi-closed lower mantle may be inappropriate if applied at length scales on the order of ∼ 100 km, characteristic of mid-ocean ridge segments.
Foreign accent syndrome due to conversion disorder: Phonetic analyses and clinical course

Abstract We describe the case of a 36-year-old native speaker of English who began using a foreign accent after abrupt onset of problems involving multiple sensory and motor functions. Neurological and neuroradiological examinations were within normal limits and no organic explanation for the difficulties could be identified. After eight months, the patient made a full recovery, allowing a detailed comparison between the speech patterns displayed during the period of foreign accent and those of her typical speech. Perceptual and acoustic analyses showed specific changes in vowel and consonant production and in intonation and stress patterns during the accented speech. These changes were similar to those described in the literature for patients with foreign accent syndrome following left cerebral hemisphere lesions. A review of presenting symptoms and clinical course of our case, however, indicated strong evidence for a conversion disorder. This case demonstrates that a psychogenic etiology for foreign accent syndrome should sometimes be considered and that the prognosis for recovery, including spontaneous remission, may be good in such cases. Differential diagnosis between psychogenic and neurogenic etiologies is discussed relative to the case presentation, history, course, and recovery.
Slicing component-based systems

We present a dependence model based on which an efficient slicing algorithm is applied to compute forward slices for impact analysis and for regression test selection. The dependence model not only captures control and data dependence relationships, but also depicts dependence between components and their execution contexts. The model is constructed in a hierarchical fashion, from inter-statement to inter-component level, where at each level detailed dependence relationships are analyzed, then summarized information is published for the next level of composition. With this model, our slicing algorithm identifies all the affected elements that can be utilized to effectively select regression test cases. The analysis shows that our approach is more efficient than the existing approaches in terms of the execution time and the space requirements. And the promising results of regression testing obtained from the case study demonstrate the great potential of our technique in effective maintenance of complex component-based systems.
The History and Meaning of the Election Night Bonfire

The paper examines a practice commonly associated with American political elections in the nineteenth century—the building of large bonfires by gangs of young boys on the night of the vote—in order to make a larger point about the meaning that an election ritual communicates to a voting public. I argue that the ritual message that elections send to public is more fluid, even contradictory, than is often acknowledged. The election night bonfire operated as a symbol of the polysemic nature of the election ritual for nineteenth century urban publics. Its disappearance can be associated with a more general attempt on the part of American political elites to control the meaning of politics in American democracy.
Effect of Process Mismatches on Integrated CMOS Phased Arrays Based on Multiphase Tuned Ring Oscillators

Tuned ring oscillators are used to generate multiple phases of a sinusoid for a variety of applications including phased- array transceivers and clock and data recovery circuits. A variable-phase ring oscillator (VPRO) is presented that generates outputs with a controllable phase progression, enabling its use in a compact low-power single-chip phased-array transceiver architecture. The VPRO functionality is shown to be robust with respect to process and layout mismatches. This enables the implementation of integrated phased arrays with acceptable array performance even in the absence of mismatch calibration circuitry, which are essential in other phase-shifterless schemes such as coupled oscillator arrays. A prototype 24-GHz four-channel single-chip phased-array transceiver implemented in a 0.13-mum CMOS process is presented to validate these claims.
Early Viewing of Noninferiority Trials in Progress

Randomized clinical trials have a relatively brief history, and the implementation of structured interimmonitoring plans is even more recent, with the majority of developments related to group sequential methods taking place beginning in the 1970s and gaining wide adoption in
Robust watermarking of music signals by cepstrum modification

A method of embedding a predetermined watermark in an audio signal is described for audio music copyright protection applications. The proposed technique applies the psychoacoustical masking property of the human auditory system to imperceptibly embed the watermark in the cepstral domain of a host audio signal. The embedded watermark is extracted using an oblivious detection technique without resorting to any correlation procedure. Experimental results show that the watermark is robust to bandpass filtering and additive noise at low power levels.
Probing transient protein-mediated DNA linkages using nanoconfinement

We present an analytic technique for probing protein-catalyzed transient DNA loops that is based on nanofluidic channels. In these nanochannels, DNA is forced in a linear configuration that makes loops appear as folds whose size can easily be quantified. Using this technique, we study the interaction between T4 DNA ligase and DNA. We find that T4 DNA ligase binding changes the physical characteristics of the DNA polymer, in particular persistence length and effective width. We find that the rate of DNA fold unrolling is significantly reduced when T4 DNA ligase and ATP are applied to bare DNA. Together with evidence of T4 DNA ligase bridging two different segments of DNA based on AFM imaging, we thus conclude that ligase can transiently stabilize folded DNA configurations by coordinating genetically distant DNA stretches.
Dynamic Slot Allocation Algorithm for R-ALOHA with Priority (PR-ALOHA)

In this work, a new approach for dynamically allocating high priority probability and high priority slots in PR-ALOHA (Reserved ALOHA with Priority) was introduced. The Dynamic Slot Allocation (DSA) algorithm in PR-ALOHA is performed by dynamically allocating the number of high priority slots and high priority probability based on the available traffic. The performance of the system with DSA algorithm was tested by simulation and compared to the performance of the system without DSA. The simulation shows that the proposed DSA algorithm provides an approach to improve performance in a controlled manner for high and low priority traffic. Two functions are proposed for DSA, the first is an exponential growth function, where the numbers of high priority slots increase with the number of terminals until it reach a maximum value. The second is a bell-shaped function where the number of high priority slots increases to a maximum and then decreases. Both functions are tested with fixed high priority probability (hpp) of 25% and dynamic hpp ranging (8%-63%). The bell shaped function provides better performance at fixed hpp, while the exponential function provides better performance with dynamic hpp. The simulation shows that the use of DSA improves the performance of PR-ALOHA.
When Standard Therapy Fails in Breast Cancer: Current and Future Options for HER2-Positive Disease

The area of HER2-positive breast cancer is a rapidly changing field. The use of the humanized monoclonal antibody, trastuzumab, significantly improved the prognosis for patients with HER2-positive breast cancer, however, increasing knowledge regarding mechanisms of resistance to trastuzumab have come to light, prompting research into additional methods to target the HER2 protein. The purpose of this article is to discuss evidence for why continued blockade of the HER2 pathway continues to be important despite progression on trastuzumab, as well as to review additional HER2-targeted therapies and progression in the central nervous system. With the availability of new drugs comes the need to determine the appropriate therapeutic combinations and optimal order in which to deliver these therapies. This review summarizes the practice-changing phase III trials and some supporting phase II data regarding the various targeted HER2 therapies available for patients with advanced HER2-positive breast cancer, proposes order for anti-HER2 therapy in the advanced HER2-positive breast cancer patient, and includes information on future strategies. While other reviews on HER2-targeted therapy are available, this review specifically aims at addressing treatment options after trastuzumab failure in the patient with advanced HER2-positive breast cancer.
Control of the initiation of sporulation in Bacillus subtilis by a phosphorelay.

Sporulation in Bacillus subtilis is a developmental process induced as a response to nutritional stress. Activation of sporulation-specific gene transcription is under the control of the spoOA gene product. The SpoOA protein and the SpoOF protein are both homologous to response regulator proteins of two-component regulatory systems which control bacterial responses to a variety of environmental challenges. Response regulators are activated by specific kinases which phosphorylate them. In this study, it was shown that phosphorylation of SpoOA occurs via a phosphotransferase which is the product of the spoOB locus. The phosphodonor in this reaction is the phosphorylated form of SpoOF. It is postulated that SpoOF acts as a secondary messenger that can be phosphorylated by a variety of kinases depending on the particular environmental stress. The series of phosphate transfer reactions in this system is called a phosphorelay. The end product of this series of reactions is SpoOA approximately P which is shown to have greater affinity for the DNA target, the OA box, of SpoOA on the abrB promoter than the unphosphorylated form. SpoOA approximately P, but not SpoOA, was shown to be an activator of transcription of the spoIIA operon which codes for the sporulation-specific sigma factor sigma F. Thus, the initiation of sporulation is dependent on SpoOA approximately P which arises through the phosphorelay and which acts as a transcription factor to repress certain genes, e.g. abrB, and activate others, e.g. spoIIA.
Differences in Outcomes for Patients with Bacteremia Due to Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus faecium or Vancomycin-Susceptible E. faecium

To determine the differences in outcome in cases of enterococcal bacteremia due to vancomycin­ resistant organisms, we compared consecutive patients on a liver transplant service who had clini­ cally significant bacteremia due to vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREF) (n = 54) with a contemporaneous cohort of patients who had vancomycin-susceptible E. faecium (VSEF) bacteremia (n = 48). VREF bacteremia occurred significantly later in the hospitalization than did VSEF bacteremia (43 days vs. 24 days, respectively;P < .01);in addition, VREF was more frequently the sole blood pathogen isolated (91% of patients) than was VSEF (56% of patients) (P = .0002). Invasive interventions for intraabdominal and intrathoracic infection were required more often in the VREF cohort than in the VSEF cohort (34 of 45 patients vs. 20 of 41 patients, respectively; P = .01). Vancomycin resistance more frequently resulted in recurrent bacteremia (22 of 54 patients infected with VREF vs. 7 of 48 patients infected with VSEF; P = .006), persistent isolation of Enterococcus species at the primary site (27 of 33 patients infected with VREF vs. 7 of 18 patients infected with VSEF; P = .005), and endovascular infection (4 patients infected with VREF vs. none infected with VSEF). The decrement in patient survival, as measured from the last bacteremic episode, was greater in the VREF cohort (P = .02). Vancomycin resistance, shock, and liver failure were independent risk factors for Enterococcus-associated mortality. Higher rates of refractory infection, serious morbidity, and attributable death occurred in the VREF cohort and were partially mediated by the lack of effective antimicrobial therapy.
Pretreatment correlates of the therapeutic bond.

This study examined the association between pretreatment client characteristics and the therapeutic bond, which is defined as the emotional aspect of the therapeutic alliance. Three types of interpersonal problems and four indicators of emotional distress were measured and compared to the therapeutic bond and its subscales (role investment, empathic resonance, and mutual affirmation) measured early in treatment. Interpersonal problems related to being overly detached were associated with a poorer quality bond and, in particular, with a tendency to feel as if the therapist does not understand what the client is thinking and feeling (lower empathic resonance). Higher levels of distress were correlated negatively with the therapeutic bond. Analyses indicated that interpersonal problems were better predictors of the bond than was distress. The relevance of these findings for practitioners is discussed.
Spatial relations for tactical robot navigation

In this paper, we provide an overview of our on-going work using spatial relations for mobile robot navigation. Using the histogram of forces, we show how linguistic expressions can be generated to describe a qualitative view of the robot with respect to its environment. The linguistic expressions provide a symbolic link between the robot and a human user, thus facilitating two-way, human-like communication. In this paper, we present two ways in which spatial relations can be used for robot navigation. First, egocentric spatial relations provide a robot-centered view of the environment (e.g., there is an object on the left). Navigation can be described in terms of spatial relations (e.g., move forward while there is an object on the left, then turn right), such that a complete navigation task is generated as a sequence of navigation states with corresponding behaviors. Second, spatial relations can be used to analyze maps and facilitate their use in communicating navigation tasks. For example, the user can draw an approximate map on a PDA and then draw the desired robot trajectory also on the PDA, relative to the map. Spatial relations can then be used to convert the relative trajectory to a corresponding navigation behavior sequence. Examples are included using a comparable scene from both a robot environment and a PDA-sketched trajectory showing the corresponding generated linguistic spatial expressions.
Association Between Gastric Helicobacter pylori Colonization and Glycated Hemoglobin Levels

Diabetes mellitus, a chronic disease marked by high levels of sugar in the blood, is common and increasing around the world [1]. Although major risk factors for type 2 diabetes, such as obesity, have been identified, research that assesses susceptibility to diabetes risk due to obesity is needed. The mammalian stomach produces leptin and ghrelin, 2 hormones involved in energy homeostasis [2, 3] and whose interactions affect obesity, insulin sensitivity, and glucose homeostasis [4, 5]. Helicobacter pylori are gram-negative bacteria that colonize the human stomach; increasing evidence indicates that H. pylori is involved in the regulation of these 2 hormones [6]. Helicobacter pylori is an ancient organism that is highly prevalent in developing countries but is falling in incidence in developed countries [7, 8]. This change in the microecology of human populations due to the disappearance of H. pylori may have metabolic consequences both early and late in life and, in particular, could affect risk of obesity and diabetes by influencing the production of gastric leptin and ghrelin [6]. The literature on the relationship between H. pylori colonization and diabetes is inconsistent [9–15]. To better understand the pathophysiologic mechanisms by which H. pylori plays a role in diabetes etiology, studies of diabetes biomarkers are needed. Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) results from the nonenzymatic glycosylation of hemoglobin, reflecting integrated blood glucose levels during the preceding 3–4 months [16–18]; as such, fasting is not necessary for its measurement. HbA1c levels are predictive of both prevalent and incident diabetes and are useful in diagnosing prediabetes and diabetes [16–18]. Prior studies on the association between H. pylori and HbA1c have been limited [19]. In cross-sectional analyses using data from 7417 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) III (aged ≥18 years) and 6072 participants in NHANES 1999–2000 (aged ≥3 years), we assessed the association between H. pylori and levels of HbA1c as well as self-reported diabetes status.
Service-Oriented Approach for Implementing an Extensible Content Management System

Enterprise content management systems deal with the management of business documents and related human workflow between organizations. Many of these systems are built as monolithic, stand-alone applications that lack the dynamicity support and are difficult to scale and interoperate with other enterprise systems. In order to tackle these issues, a service-oriented approach is introduced for the implementation of a distributed enterprise content management system that is composed from a number of common service components. The basic common service components are implemented according to the service component architecture (SCA), and consist of a content repository service, a document workflow service, a document search service, a notification service, a security service, an execution log service, and an integration service. In content repository service, a document meta-model is defined for managing, tracking and storage of business documents. In this paper, we first present the overall system architecture and detailed design of each service. We then illustrate how to assemble these services into higher-level composite services in order to provide document management functions for the enterprise application. Our implementation shows that our design is able to support on-demand document management services and scale-up in a large enterprise, without much development efforts.
ELECTRON MICROPROBE STUDY OF KAOLIN

Electron microprobe studies of kaolinite indicate that most of the Fe is evenly distributed throughout the kaolinite and must either be in the structure or occur as very small particles adsorbed on the surface. In addition to Ti the anatase impurities contain Fe and Mg. Fe, Mg, Mn, V, and K are present in biotite. It is necessary to concentrate the fine-grained mineral impurities in order to study them with the electron microprobe.
Calculated properties for no X2Π and A2Σ

Abstract Restricted Hartree—Fock functions for NO X 2 Π and A 2 Σ + have been calculated using a large, Slater-type basis set. Several molecular properties, including hyperfine constants, have been computed and are found to agree rather well with experimental values.
Using the avian mutant talpid2 as a disease model for understanding the oral-facial phenotypes of oral-facial-digital syndrome.

Oral-facial-digital syndrome (OFD) is a ciliopathy that is characterized by oral-facial abnormalities, including cleft lip and/or palate, broad nasal root, dental anomalies, micrognathia and glossal defects. In addition, these individuals have several other characteristic abnormalities that are typical of a ciliopathy, including polysyndactyly, polycystic kidneys and hypoplasia of the cerebellum. Recently, a subset of OFD cases in humans has been linked to mutations in the centriolar protein C2 Ca2+-dependent domain-containing 3 (C2CD3). Our previous work identified mutations in C2CD3 as the causal genetic lesion for the avian talpid2 mutant. Based on this common genetic etiology, we re-examined the talpid2 mutant biochemically and phenotypically for characteristics of OFD. We found that, as in OFD-affected individuals, protein-protein interactions between C2CD3 and oral-facial-digital syndrome 1 protein (OFD1) are reduced in talpid2 cells. Furthermore, we found that all common phenotypes were conserved between OFD-affected individuals and avian talpid2 mutants. In light of these findings, we utilized the talpid2 model to examine the cellular basis for the oral-facial phenotypes present in OFD. Specifically, we examined the development and differentiation of cranial neural crest cells (CNCCs) when C2CD3-dependent ciliogenesis was impaired. Our studies suggest that although disruptions of C2CD3-dependent ciliogenesis do not affect CNCC specification or proliferation, CNCC migration and differentiation are disrupted. Loss of C2CD3-dependent ciliogenesis affects the dispersion and directional persistence of migratory CNCCs. Furthermore, loss of C2CD3-dependent ciliogenesis results in dysmorphic and enlarged CNCC-derived facial cartilages. Thus, these findings suggest that aberrant CNCC migration and differentiation could contribute to the pathology of oral-facial defects in OFD.
Analysis of virtual reality technology applied in education

SummaryThe use of virtual reality (VR) technology in training and education is an extension of 50 years of flight simulation research. As virtual reality becomes integrated into medical practices, the same questions that confronted the developers of flight simulation also apply to those in the medical domain. Does this technology work for training and education? If so, how well does it work? How much does it cost? Is it less expensive than the alternative training methods? In order to answer these questions the authors have taken a look at the same problems in the history of military simulation. The four techniques used to assess the value of military simulation have been, and still are, task analyses (a detailed, timed description of the actual tasks), standard experimental designs (i.e. the pre-test, post-test control group design), transfer-of-training experiments (where the evaluation metric is the actual task) and various combinations of the three. At present the only evaluation technique being used ...
Combined Cystometrography and Electromyography of the External Urethral Sphincter Following Complete Primary Repair of Bladder Exstrophy

Purpose: Concern in patients with bladder exstrophy after reconstruction regarding potential injury to pelvic neurourological anatomy and a resultant functional deficit prompted combined (simultaneous) cystometrography and electromyography after complete primary repair of bladder exstrophy. We determined whether complete primary repair of bladder exstrophy would adversely affect the innervation controlling bladder and external urethral sphincter function.Materials and Methods: Complete primary repair of bladder exstrophy was performed via a modified Mitchell technique in newborns without osteotomy. Postoperative evaluation included combined cystometrography and needle electrode electromyography via the perineum, approximating the external urethral sphincter muscle complex. Electromyography was done to evaluate the external urethral sphincter response to sacral reflex stimulation and during voiding.Results: Nine boys and 4 girls underwent combined cystometrography/electromyography after complete primary re...
The use of the telephone hotline in crisis intervention: A review†

This article is an investigation of a new and relatively controversial development in the field of community mental health, the telephone hotline. It examines the rationale for crisis intervention, the theoretical basis, and historical development of the hotline. The telephone adds a unique dimension which makes it therapeutically useful for many people who would not ordinarily avail themselves of helping services. Those factors which contribute to the utility of the hotlines are examined, with an emphasis on the role of the nonprofessional telephone worker. Finally, the empirical literature evaluating the effectiveness of the hotlines is reviewed. While the evaluative studies performed to date are inadequate and outcome studies have not been attempted, the use of the telephone hotline can be defended theoretically and practically. The hotlines fill a gap left by conventional helping services and serve an ever-increasing clientele, which emphasizes the need for the services hotlines provide.