cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Real-time color-based sorting robotic arm system

Sorting is a labor intense process. With machines that can recognize objects, it is possible to automate the sorting process. In this paper, we present a robotic sorting arm based on color recognition technique. In this system, when a new frame is captured by the camera, the object will be detected using color-base image processing technique. The position of the object in real-world will be calculated by its mass center in image. Using Inverse Kinematics algorithms, the control input for the robotic arm will be calculated and then sent to Arduino microcontroller. Then, the microcontroller will drive the motors on the robotic arm to sort and position the objects according to their color. Using the proposed technique, the sorting robotic arm system can distinguish and sort different objects successfully with properly tuned parameters for both machine vision and 3D mobility of the robotic arm.
A Theoretical Model for Managing Alliances: Social Psychological Foundations of a Multi-level Model

Competition and cooperation are central opposing tensions in the context of alliances. In this conceptual paper we argue that a multi-level structure is necessary to best manage these tensions: the...
Establishing Departmental Mentorship Programs

All academic medical departments and colleges of medicine wish to have their faculty perform at the highest possible levels in order to achieve both individual and organizational academic, educational, and clinical goals. Having a mentorship program to provide advice to junior faculty members in the hope of improving performance has come into vogue. There is objective evidence to support the use of mentorship programs for this purpose. However, I would suggest that, while mentoring relationships are an important aspect in assisting faculty members to achieve their goals, they are not sufficient in most instances. Isolated mentorship matching programs frequently lack structure, commonly have problems with creating the best possible mentor-mentee dyads, usually lack accountability, and have few objective outcome metrics. The most successful programs include a clear set of organizational goals, an infrastructure to support the programmatic functions, the ability to teach important professional skills, and a system of metrics to determine whether the program is actually succeeding along with mentor matching. There are many examples of what appear to be successful programs existing in academic departments. There are fewer that cross departments and serve entire colleges of medicine or universities. Clearly, the larger the organization such faculty development programs encompass, the more resources they have and the more sophisticated they can become.
Legionella pneumophila Invasion of Mononuclear Phagocytes

Legionella pneumophila is a gram-negative bacterium that causes legionnaires’ disease. This organism is widespread in fresh water and is typically found growing in association with protozoans and blue-green algae. In human beings, L pneumophila infects alveolar macrophages, wherein the organism survives and replicates within a specialized phagosome or vacuole (the Legionella-specialized phagosome, LSP). The interaction between L. pneumophila and human mononuclear phagocytes has been studied in considerable detail, and it provides an interesting and informative example of how one organism successfully achieves intracellular parasitism.
Simulation Study into \mathrm{LG}_{33} Mode Interferometry and Production

Motivated by the potential factor of 2.65 improvement in coating Brownian noise power spectral density using the \(LG_{33}\) mode, as shown in section 2.7, a numerical investigation into the interferometric performance of the \(LG_{33}\) mode was pursued.
CRITICAL EXPONENTS IN THE SMOLUCHOWSKI EQUATIONS OF COAGULATION

Rate equations describing irreversible coalescence are shown to exhibit critical behavior. Critical exponents are evaluated analytically. Publisher Summary The kinetics of cluster growth by aggregation has been extensively studied by a number of sophisticated geometric models. These have been seen to yield self-similar structures, critical exponents, and so on. A similar structure was found by a much simpler approach for coagulation and for branched polymerization. Rate equations describing irreversible coalescence exhibit critical behavior. In a study described in this chapter, critical exponents are evaluated analytically. It has been shown that a rather mild generalization of classical Flory–Stockmayer theory affects the exponents, which can, however, be evaluated explicitly. Qualitatively, the model has much in common with percolation, but there are important differences in actual details.
“Oops, I Did It” or “It Wasn’t Me:” An Examination of Psychological Contract Breach Repair Tactics

This study investigated ways an organization might mitigate the negative effects of psychological contract breach. Drawing on the trust repair literature and organizational justice theory, we examined six general repair tactics (i.e., full penance, partial penance, denials, apologies, excuses, and combined apology/excuse) in terms of whether they improve trust and diminish the negative emotions following a breach. Data were obtained via two experimental studies employing 918 participants, including both college students and working adults. All of the repair tactics were effective at enhancing trust and easing negative emotions, except for denying that the breach occurred. Full penance (i.e., offering full reparation) was the most effective, with the next best option depending upon what outcome was being addressed and the population studied. The type of contract and magnitude of breach did not play a significant role in the effectiveness of repair tactics. The results of this study show that companies can do something to “fix” breaches. We extend the trust repair research to the context of breach and show that the effectiveness of repair tactics differs across outcomes. Practically, based upon our results, we advise companies to use these repair tactics (except denial) when breaches occur. This study is the first to empirically examine how companies might address breaches to avoid their negative consequences. It is also among only a few studies on trust repair to include emotions, initial trust, more than three repair tactics, and a sample of working adults.
Energy Dissipation and Fragmentation of Granite Core During High Velocity Impact

Energy dissipation and fragmentation of rock is of interest for mine-to-mill operations in order to understand breakage and to minimize energy consumption during blasting at the mine site, and comminution at the processing plant. In this regard, high velocity impact breakage of long granite cores, called bars, has been studied with instrumented strain gages to follow the energy dissipation gradient along the bar length resulting from the strain waves generated by impact. As a result of high velocity impact, three zones have been identified (fragmentation, fracture, and elastic) and these three zones have been characterized in 3D using X-ray tomography. The fragmentation zones of the granite bars were studied in detail to describe the particle size distribution and the particle shape characteristics. Finally, the experimental energy dissipation for the fragmentation zone was found to be in close agreement with the expected energy calculated from the Bond work equation, if the anisotropic granite particles are defined by length rather than by sieve size.
In urban, but not rural, areas of Madre de Dios, Peru, adoption of a Western diet is inversely associated with selenium intake

Abstract Road development has been a major driver of the transition from traditional to calorie-dense processed ‘Western’ diets in lower and middle-income countries. The paving of the Interoceanic Highway (IOH) facilitated rapid development to the Madre de Dios (MDD) region in the Peruvian Amazon. As traditional foods such as Brazil nuts and fish are known to be rich in the essential micronutrient selenium, people further along the nutrition transition to a Western diet may have lower selenium (Se) intake. To test this hypothesis, in 2014 the Investigacion de Migracion, Ambiente, y Salud (IMAS Study) (Migration, Environment, and Health Study) collected household surveys from 310 households in 46 communities along the IOH and nails for Se analysis from 418 adults. Principal component analysis of 25 commonly consumed food items identified a factor resembling Western diet, which was used to calculate household Western diet weighted sum factor scores (WSFS). WSFS means were interpolated into a 10 km buffer around the IOH using inverse distance weighting. Western diet adoption was higher in urban compared to rural areas (p
Feedback linearization based predictor for time delay control of a high-DOF robot manipulator

Abstract We formulate a predictor-based controller for a high-DOF manipulator to compensate a time-invariant input delay during a pick-and-place task. Robot manipulators are widely used in telemanipulation systems on the account of their reliable, fast, and precise motions while they are subject to large delays. Using common control algorithms on such delay systems can cause not only poor control performance, but also catastrophic instability in engineering applications. Therefore, delays need to be compensated in designing robust control laws. As a case study, we focus on a 7-DOF Baxter manipulator subject to three different input delays. First, delay-free dynamic equations of the Baxter manipulator are derived using the Lagrangian method. Then, we formulate a predictor-based controller, in the presence of input delay, in order to track desired trajectories. Finally, the effects of input delays in the absence of a robust predictor are investigated, and then the performance of the predictor-based controller is experimentally evaluated to reveal robustness of the algorithm formulated. Simulation and experimental results demonstrate that the predictor-based controller effectively compensates input delays and achieves closed-loop stability.
Abnormal adherence-related functions of neutrophils, monocytes, and Epstein-Barr virus−transformed B cells in a patient with C3bi receptor deficiency

We evaluated a 3-year-old female patient with leukocytosis, recurrent infections, severe periodontal disease, and a history of delayed separation of the umbilical stump. This patient's polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) had normal membrane depolarization responses, normal oxygen metabolism, normal granule secretion responses, normal bactericidal activity, and normal C3b rosetting. However, by fluorescent cell analysis and C3bi rosetting, it was determined that her cells lacked the C3bi receptor. In addition, the patient's PMNs showed markedly abnormal chemotaxis, adherence, and aggregation responses, and partial abnormalities were detected in PMN spreading and phagocytosis. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed that the subject's neutrophil cytoplasts were missing a 180,000-dalton moiety. Her monocytes also had defective chemotaxis and failed to adhere and grow normally in culture. Epstein-Barr virus-transformed B cells from the patient lacked an aggregation response to phorbol myristate acetate. Laboratory and clinical evaluations of this patient's mother showed no abnormalities. These studies demonstrate that C3bi receptor deficiency can be associated with functional abnormalities in multiple myeloid cells and that the absence of C3bi receptor is associated with abnormal adherence-related functions of these cells.
Non-Invasive In-Home Sleep Stage Classification Using a Ballistocardiography Bed Sensor

Longitudinal monitoring of sleep related parameters can be used for early detection of diseases and also as an indication to physicians for effective adjustment of medication and dosage treatments for people at risk. The correlation between sleep disorders and health conditions such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases has already been reported in the literature. In this paper, we propose the use of a hydraulic bed sensor for sleep stage classification. Our main motivation of using the bed sensor is to provide a non-invasive, in-home monitoring system, which tracks the changes in health conditions of the subjects over time. Regular polysomnography data from a Sleep Lab have been used as the ground truth, with the focus on three sleep stages, namely, awake, rapid eye movement (REM) and non-REM sleep (NREM). A total of 74 features including heart rate variability (HRV) features, respiratory rate variability (RV) features, and linear frequency cepstral coefficients (LFCC) were extracted from the bed sensor data. Support Vector Machines (SVM) and K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN) classification methods were applied to these features. Our results show accuracy as good as 85% with 0.74 kappa, in the detection of these three sleep stages. These results show promise in the ability of the bed sensor to monitor and track sleep quality and sleep related disorders noninvasively.
Recognizing Elder Abuse: An Interprofessional Simulation Experience With Prelicensure Health Care Students.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE A common role within all health care professions includes the ability to recognize and report elder abuse. However, teaching the characteristics and assessment of abuse can be difficult. To allow students to engage in a realistic case-based scenario within a health care team, an immersive simulation was developed involving the care of an elderly woman with signs of abuse. The purpose of this quasiexperimental study was to explore the influence of the experience on the participants' perceptions of interprofessional care and their understanding of the assessment of abuse. METHODS This study utilized a mixed-methods research design. A sample of convenience of nursing and physical therapy students (n = 143) from 3 institutions in southwest Virginia was utilized for this study. Participants' perceptions were assessed using the Interprofessional Socialization and Valuing Scale (ISVS) and through focus group interviews. RESULTS Students demonstrated a statistically significant improvement based on the Wilcoxon matched pairs test (P < .001) on all 21 questions of the ISVS. A phenomenological study design was employed for qualitative analysis of focus group interviews performed postsimulation to generate information about the students' perceptions of the experience. Two themes emerged from the interviews: (1) communication as a team to provide wholistic patient care and (2) recognition of abuse. DISCUSSION The students reported an improved understanding of collaboration on a health care team and how to investigate potential abuse occurring in the home. This further supports research suggesting the importance of interactive learning techniques in teaching health care students to recognize symptoms of elder abuse.
Carbon substrate re‐orders relative growth of a bacterium using Mo‐, V‐, or Fe‐nitrogenase for nitrogen fixation

Biological nitrogen fixation is catalyzed by the molybdenum (Mo), vanadium (V) and iron (Fe)-only nitrogenase metalloenzymes. Studies with purified enzymes have found that the 'alternative' V- and Fe-nitrogenases generally reduce N2 more slowly and produce more byproduct H2 than the Mo-nitrogenase, leading to an assumption that their usage results in slower growth. Here we show that, in the metabolically versatile photoheterotroph Rhodopseudomonas palustris, the type of carbon substrate influences the relative rates of diazotrophic growth based on different nitrogenase isoforms. The V-nitrogenase supports growth as fast as the Mo-nitrogenase on acetate but not on the more oxidized substrate succinate. Our data suggest that this is due to insufficient electron flux to the V-nitrogenase isoform on succinate compared with acetate. Despite slightly faster growth based on the V-nitrogenase on acetate, the wild-type strain uses exclusively the Mo-nitrogenase on both carbon substrates. Notably, the differences in H2 :N2 stoichiometry by alternative nitrogenases (~1.5 for V-nitrogenase, ~4-7 for Fe-nitrogenase) and Mo-nitrogenase (~1) measured here are lower than prior in vitro estimates. These results indicate that the metabolic costs of V-based nitrogen fixation could be less significant for growth than previously assumed, helping explain why alternative nitrogenase genes persist in diverse diazotroph lineages and are broadly distributed in the environment.
Substitution of cisplatin for etoposide in 2 of 3 induction cycles of CAV/IE with subsequent irinotecan and vincristine for relapse in adults with Ewing sarcoma (ES) and primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET).

9571 Background: Treatment for adults with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin and vincristine alternating with ifosfamide and etoposide (CAV/IE) for ES/PNET is based on the success reported in children ...
Value of [18F]-FDG positron emission tomography in patients with recurrent glioblastoma receiving bevacizumab.

Background Treatment of recurrent glioblastoma (GBM) with bevacizumab can induce MRI changes that confound the determination of progression. We sought to determine the value of [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) in GBM patients receiving bevacizumab at the time of suspected progression and, thereby, its utility as a potential prognostic adjunct in progressive disease. Methods This retrospective study included patients who underwent brain FDG PET within 4 weeks of receiving bevacizumab for recurrent GBM with suspected progression. Volumes-of-interest were placed over the reference lesion with measurement of maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), peak standardized uptake value (SUVpeak), metabolic tumor volume, total lesion glycolysis (TLG), and tumor-to-normal contralateral white matter ratios (TNR-WM). Tumors were additionally categorized as non-avid or avid based on qualitative FDG uptake. Associations between baseline variables and overall survival (OS) were examined using univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression, with P < .05 considered significant. Results Thirty-one patients were analyzed. Qualitative FDG uptake was significantly associated with OS (P = .03), with a median OS of 9.0 months in non-avid patients versus 4.5 months in avid patients. SUVmax, SUVpeak, TNR-WM, and TLG were significantly associated with OS (P < .001, TLG: P = .009). FDG avidity and SUVmax remained significantly associated with OS (P = .046 and .048, respectively) in the multivariable analysis including age, KPS, and MGMT status. Dichotomizing patients using an SUVmax cutoff of 15.3 was associated with OS (adjusted P = .048). Conclusion FDG PET is a promising imaging tool to further stratify prognosis in recurrent GBM patients on antiangiogenic therapy.
Does in utero meconium passage in term stillbirth correlate with autopsy and placental findings of hypoxia or inflammation

Background: The cause of meconium passage in utero is controversial, traditionally being considered evidence of fetal stress and hypoxia, and also associated with intra-amniotic inflammation/infect...
BROOKS’ THEOREM FOR MEASURABLE COLORINGS

We generalize Brooks’ theorem to show that if is a Borel graph on a standard Borel space of degree bounded by which contains no -cliques, then admits a -measurable -coloring with respect to any Borel probability measure on , and a Baire measurable -coloring with respect to any compatible Polish topology on . The proof of this theorem uses a new technique for constructing one-ended spanning subforests of Borel graphs, as well as ideas from the study of list colorings. We apply the theorem to graphs arising from group actions to obtain factor of IID -colorings of Cayley graphs of degree , except in two exceptional cases.
No, Your Other Left! Language Children Use To Direct Robots

We present an analysis of how children between 4-and 9-years-old give directions to a robot. Thirty-eight children in this age range participated in a direction giving game with a virtual robot and with their caregiver. We considered two different viewpoints (aerial and in-person) and three different affordances (non-humanoid robot, caregiver with eyes closed, and caregiver with eyes open). We report on the frequency of commands that children used, the complexity of the commands, and the navigation styles children used at different ages. We found that pointing and gesturing decreased with age, while “left-right” directions and the use of distances increased with age. From this, we make several recommendations for robot design that would enable a robot to successfully follow directions from children of different ages, and help advance children's direction giving.
Two Italian Colonial Massacres

David Forgacs’ chapter deals with the dark side of Italian military history: the mass killing of civilians. He examines two massacres in places Italy claimed as its colonial possessions: the first in 1911 in Tripoli, the second in 1937 in Addis Ababa. Both were reported at the time by foreign media but denied by the Italian authorities. Forgacs briefly reconstructs the context of each massacre and considers the possible motives of its perpetrators. He then proceeds to ask whether such massacres were believed to be excusable, even though known to be unlawful, within the military culture of the colonial powers. Finally, Forgacs offers insights about why those responsible for the massacres were never brought to trial and why neither massacre, although well-known to some historians, has entered the collective memory of Italians. This contribution highlights the widely criticized aspects of the military—the lack of transparency, violence, and corruption—and ponders on the toll that such moments take on advancing cohesion and tolerance within Italian society.
Using the Remnant Anterior Cruciate Ligament to Improve Knee Stability: Biomechanical Analysis Using a Cadaveric Model:

Background:Injured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tissue retains proprioceptive nerve fibers, vascularity, and biomechanical properties. For these reasons, remnant ACL tissue is often preserved d...
subTextile: Reduced event-oriented programming system for sensate actuated materials

In this paper we present the linguistic design aspects subTextile, a hardware platform and visual programming language created with the goal of distilling the domain of programming to a set of primitives that would allow novice users to create dynamic and interesting behaviors for interactive art, architecture, and industrial design artifacts. Design exists in every aspect of human society, but the knowledge structure we have moved towards makes it difficult to acquire expertise in a wide set of skills. This discrepancy suggests the need for tools which encapsulate expert knowledge while allowing end-users to design using these "packaged skills," and this is what the subTextile language attempts to explore. We show an approach for distilling out a minimal set of linguistic primitives that can succinctly encapsulate the full expressive capability of a lower-level language by focusing not on the end effects, but the activity we expect the user to perform with the tool.
2-Octyl Cyanoacrylate (Dermabond®) Inhibits Bridging Bone Formation of Articular Fractures in a Rat Model.

One technique often used for small intraarticular fracture fixation involves the use of 2-octyl-cyanoacrylate (2-OCTA) (Dermabond®, Ethicon, Inc., Raritan, USA). The purpose of this study was to determine if 2-OCTA impedes bony healing. Osteochondral plugs in 38 retired Sprague-Dawley rats were created in both hind legs. Each rat had one plug dipped in 2-OCTA before fixation and one control plug. H&E staining was used to quantify bone bridging. The 2-OCTA group had a mean bridging bone circumference of 22.80%, significantly less than 67.75% in the control group (p<0.05). Our data suggests that 2-OCTA blocks bridging bone formation, making it a poor choice for fracture fixation.
Cold temperature disinfestation of bagged flour

We conducted studies using a commercial freezer maintained at −17.8 °C to determine the time needed to kill Tribolium castaneum eggs in a pallet of flour. Each bag weighed 22.7 kg, and there were 5 bags in each of 10 layers. The dimensions of the pallet were 109-cm wide by 132-cm long by 123-cm tall, and the weight of the stacked pallet was approximately 1152 kg. We conducted tests for nine internal goal temperatures of −12, −10, −8, −6, −4, −2, 0, 4 and 8 °C. Internal temperatures in the most central location of the flour pallet reached: −11.0, −9.4, −6.9, −5.0, −3.5, −1.6, −0.1, 3.3, and 5.6 °C and were achieved after 11.0, 9.1, 8.9, 7.2, 6.7, 5.8, 5.5, 5.2, and 4.2 days, respectively. For treatments where the goal temperature for the center bag ranged from −12 to 4 °C, egg mortality was 100% in bags located in both the periphery and in the center of the pallet. When the temperature goal for the center bag was 8 °C, 7 ± 2.5% of the eggs survived in bags located near the center of the pallet. Our data showed that temperatures that follow the dynamic temperature curve that takes place over 24.2 days (cool down and warm up for the 0 °C temperature goal) resulted in 100% mortality of T. castaneum eggs. The reason for the difference in mortality for a static compared to a dynamic temperature treatment may be due to the fact that the dynamic temperature treatment occurs over a much longer duration. The fact that the treatment only required 5.5 days in the freezer before it could be shipped makes it a practical method to disinfest pallets of flour, especially because the bags do not need to be removed from the pallet and no chemicals are used.
Lightweight, high-resolution monitoring for troubleshooting production systems

Production systems are commonly plagued by intermittent problems that are difficult to diagnose. This paper describes a new diagnostic tool, called Chopstix, that continuously collects profiles of low-level OS events (e.g., scheduling, L2 cache misses, CPU utilization, I/O operations, page allocation, locking) at the granularity of executables, procedures and instructions. Chopstix then reconstructs these events offline for analysis. We have used Chopstix to diagnose several elusive problems in a largescale production system, thereby reducing these intermittent problems to reproducible bugs that can be debugged using standard techniques. The key to Chopstix is an approximate data collection strategy that incurs very low overhead. An evaluation shows Chopstix requires under 1% of the CPU, under 256KB of RAM, and under 16MB of disk space per day to collect a rich set of system-wide data.
Emotion dysregulation and anorexia nervosa: An exploration of the role of childhood abuse

Objective Theoretical models of emotion regulation difficulties in anorexia nervosa (AN) specify a role for factors that predispose to or precipitate emotion dysregulation. The current study considered whether childhood abuse (i.e., emotional, sexual, physical) might be related to emotion regulation difficulties and eating disorder symptom severity in patients with AN. Childhood abuse was hypothesized to relate to AN symptoms indirectly via emotion dysregulation. Method Participants were 188 patients with AN presenting to an intensive treatment facility. The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, and Eating Disorder Examination were used to assess childhood abuse, emotion dysregulation, and AN symptom severity, respectively. Results Of the three forms of childhood abuse, reports of emotional abuse were most strongly related to emotion regulation difficulties and AN symptom severity. Mediation analyses revealed that emotion dysregulation significantly explained the relationship between childhood emotional abuse and AN symptomatology, and mediation effects did not differ by AN subtype (i.e., restricting vs. binge-eating/purging). Discussion Findings provide initial support for a model in which childhood emotional abuse precipitates emotion dysregulation and the development of AN. Future studies with longitudinal designs and control groups are necessary to examine the direction and specificity of these cross-sectional associations © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2015; 48:55–58)
Distilling the essence of appraisal: a mixed methods study of people with multiple sclerosis.

This study aimed to identify the essential parts of the Quality of Life (QOL) Appraisal Profile that capture the most important differences in the ways that people with multiple sclerosis respond to patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures. This process will enable the eventual development of a more practical, less resource-intensive version of the QOL Appraisal Profile to facilitate its use in clinical research and practice. This is a secondary analysis of longitudinal PRO data (n = 859) of participants in the North American Research Committee on Multiple Sclerosis registry. Following the Rapkin and Schwartz (Health Qual Life Outcomes 2(1):14, 2004) model, we computed a “standard QOL model,” and then multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and discriminant function (DF) analysis to identify patterns of appraisal measures associated with group differences in response to each QOL outcome. The “standard QOL model” explains a moderate amount of variance (i.e., 15–17 %) in physical functioning and disease-specific disability, and very little variance in mental health functioning. The MANOVAs identified the appraisal variables that mattered by PRO, and the DF analysis included 10–16 of the 83 potential appraisal variables in two DFs per outcome that distinguished groups with better, average, and worse expected scores, as well as groups with better-than-expected, as-expected, and worse-than-expected scores. The dominant appraisal parameters were more similar between the generic and disease-specific measure of physical functioning and disability, respectively, than between the mental health measure and the former two measures. The practical implications of this work all revolve around a fundamental recommendation: Whenever one measures QOL, one should measure appraisal.
Feasibility of trans-radial approach in percutaneous intervention for upper arm dialysis access.

Background: This retrospective study evaluated the feasibility and efficacy of trans-radial intervention for upper arm dialysis access. Methods: This study retrospectively reviewed 165 trans-radial interventions performed for upper arm dialysis access in 101 patients. Sixty-nine patients had arteriovenous graft (AVG), and 32 had arteriovenous fistula (AVF). Balloon angioplasty was performed in 66 stenotic dialysis accesses and 99 thrombosed dialysis accesses. Thrombosed dialysis access was further managed by additional balloon thrombectomy with or without urokinase injection. Results: Procedural time was 46.7 ± 25.5 minutes. Anatomic and clinical success rates were 89.7% and 84.2%, respectively. The rate of complications, most of which involved lesion rupture with contrast-media extravasation and distal embolism, was 9.7%. Pretreatment stenosis was more severe (p = 0.01) and the prevalence of total occlusion was higher (p < 0.01) in the AVG group than the AVF group. The success rate and complication rate did not statistically differ (p = 0.59). Additionally, the thrombosed group had a lower success rate (p = 0.02), a higher complication rate (p < 0.01) and a longer procedural time (p < 0.01) than the stenotic group. Conclusions: Comparison with previous studies employing the traditional approach reveals that trans-radial intervention has a comparable success rate, procedural time and complication rate for upper arm dialysis access. Therefore, trans-radial intervention is a safe and feasible technique for upper arm dialysis access.
Quantifying Differences between OpenMP and MPI Using a Large-Scale Application Suite

In this paper we provide quantitative information about the performance differences between the OpenMP and the MPI version of a large-scale application benchmark suite, SPECseis. We have gathered extensive performance data using hardware counters on a 4-processor Sun Enterprise system. For the presentation of this information we use a Speedup Component Model, which is able to precisely show the impact of various overheads on the program speedup. We have found that overall, the performance figures of both program versions match closely. However, our analysis also shows interesting differences in individual program phases and in overhead categories incurred. Our work gives initial answers to a largely unanswered research question: what are the sources of inefficiencies of OpenMP programs relative to other programming paradigms on large, realistic applications. Our results indicate that the OpenMP and MPI models are basically performance-equivalent on shared-memory architectures. However, we also found interesting differences in behavioral details, such as the number of instructions executed, and the incurred memory latencies and processor stalls.
Direct volume rendering of photographic volumes using multi-dimensional color-based transfer functions

Traditionally, volume rendering of medical data has been comprised of transfer functions that map a scalar value, usually a MRI or CT intensity, to an opacity. Corresponding color maps are either selected regardless of the actual physical color of the volume (i.e. greyscale) or predetermined as in photographic volumes. Rarely has the voxel color been used as a means to define the associated opacity value. By using transfer functions that map multi-channel color values(RGB or CIE L*u*v*) to opacity, we can generate compelling and informative renderings that provide consistent boundary extraction throughout the volume. We present renderings of the Visible Human photographic volume using multi-dimensional color-based transfer functions. These functions were constructed by using gradient boundary enhancement techniques in conjunction with volume illustration techniques and incorporating the first and second directional derivatives along the gradient direction. We empirically compare the effectiveness of using the color-based transfer functions and discuss their applications and potential for future development.
Technology Use as a Status Cue: The Influences of Mundane and Novel Technologies on Knowledge Assessments in Organizations†

This study explores the relationship between the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and assessments of workers' knowledge and abilities in 2 knowledge-intensive organizations. Drawing on expectation states theory, the article argues that a worker's communication through mundane, widely diffused ICTs may lead to status assessments from colleagues that are different than when he or she communicates through novel ICTs. Data from interviews and observations at both organizations revealed that mundane ICT use influenced assessments about the general level of proficiency of workers, and use of novel ICTs influenced assessments about a specialist type of proficiency. Additionally, workers expressing communicative cues indicative of higher statuses played larger roles in organizational tasks than workers who were viewed as lower-status.
Trapping and manipulation of particles and droplets using micro-toroidal convection currents

This paper introduces a technique for generating toroid-shaped convective vortices in thin (80-400 /spl mu/m) layers of oil. Driven by micromachined heat sources suspended 5-250 /spl mu/m above the oil surface, the vortices are used to trap weed pollen with 25 /spl mu/m diameter and microdroplets of water with diameters ranging from 2-50 /spl mu/m. The speed of the convective flow pattern can be controlled by the input power to the heat source and the air gap between the heat source and the oil surface, while the radius of the collection region is determined primarily by the thickness of the oil layer. Flow velocities up to 1700 /spl mu/m/sec have been achieved in toroidal flows with radii ranging from 80-1120 /spl mu/m. When the heat source is connected to an XY scanning stage, the vortex can be swept across the liquid, effectively collecting particles in the areas over which it travels.
The inhibitory effect of soy protein isolate on atherosclerosis in mice does not require the presence of LDL receptors or alteration of plasma lipoproteins.

The mechanisms by which dietary soy favorably influences lipoprotein metabolism and inhibits atherosclerosis are uncertain. Studies of blood mononuclear cells and cultured hepatocytes have indicated that certain soy peptides (i.e., 7S globulins) stimulate expression of LDL receptors. This pathway represents a hypothetical mechanism by which soy's hypocholesterolemic and antiatherosclerotic effects may be mediated. However, direct evidence supporting this hypothesis is lacking. To address this, we compared effects of dietary soy protein isolate in two genetically engineered mouse models of atherosclerosis. One mouse [LDL receptor -/- + apolipoprotein (apo) B transgenic] is devoid of LDL receptors and overproduces apolipoprotein B, whereas the other (apoE -/-) has a normal complement of LDL receptors but does not produce apolipoprotein E. Male (n = 10-12/group) and ovariectomized female (n = 10-12/group) mice were studied. There were three treatment groups, which differed principally by the source of the protein component of the diet: 1) casein/lactalbumin (no isoflavones), 2) alcohol-washed soy protein isolate (total isoflavones = 0.04 mg/g), and 3) intact soy protein isolate (total isoflavones = 1.72 mg/g). Atherosclerosis was assessed by quantifying the aortic content of esterified cholesterol. Atherosclerosis was inhibited (relative to the casein/lactalbumin group) by both alcohol-washed (45 and 31%) (P < 0.05) and intact (65 and 41%) (P < 0.05) soy protein isolate in LDL receptor -/- and apoE -/- mice, respectively. There was no sex difference. In a two-way analysis, there were significant effects of type of soy isolate and type of mouse. The antiatherosclerosis effect was enhanced in LDL receptor -/- mice (P < 0.001) and diminished in mice fed alcohol-washed soy protein isolate (P < 0.001). Furthermore, inhibitory effects of soy on atherosclerosis were unrelated to plasma LDL, VLDL or HDL cholesterol concentrations. The results represent direct evidence for the existence of LDL receptor- and plasma lipoprotein-independent pathways by which dietary soy protein isolate inhibits atherosclerosis.
Effects of human population, area, and time on non-native plant and fish diversity in the United States

Non-native species diversity of plants and fishes in the contiguous 48 United States is analyzed to measure the influence of human population size, time of modern settlement, area and native species diversity. Besides exotic (from outside USA) plants, four types of non-native fishes are examined: established exotic fishes, reported exotic fishes, US fishes not native to a state, and native state fishes moved to new locations in a state. Human population size is most highly correlated with exotic plant diversity (r>70%) but is still significantly correlated with most types of non-native fish diversity. Time of modern settlement significantly increases non-native plant (but not most fish) diversity, even after the effects of current population size are removed. These patterns occur because most non-native plants are imported for landscaping, farming and other uses intimately linked to human settlements whereas, almost half of non-native fishes were released by state agencies for sport, often into large western states with relatively few humans. This also explains why state area is significantly correlated with all types of non-native fish diversity, but not non-native plant diversity where smaller eastern states have more people and more years of settlement which increase non-native plant diversity. Positive correlation of non-native plant diversity with native plant diversity is found, as humans tend to settle in states with high native species diversity. In contrast, negative correlation between non-native fish and native fish diversity is found. These findings may help predict non-native species diversity if past trends continue. They also imply that the most cost-effective way to slow non-native species impact may be to focus where human population is still small, because rate of establishment of non-native species decreases with increasing human population.
The geometry of rifting in Lake Tanganyika, East Africa

Abstract Seismic reflection data from Lake Tanganyika indicate that the rift zone occupied by the lake has a complex structural history. The zone may be divided into half-graben units that typically range from about 80–160 km in length and 30–60 km wide. Controlling or master border-fault systems tend to be curved in map view. Normal faulting predominates along the middle of the border-fault systems, with increasing amounts of strike-slip displacement toward at least one of the border fault ends. Individual half-graben are separated from each other by accommodation zones, along which there can be significant oblique-slip or even strike-slip faulting. If the directions of maximum extension for half-graben are taken to be perpendicular to the trend of the border fault at the locations where subsidence is greatest, then the directions of maximum extension for the individual half-graben in Tanganyika are approximately E-W. Seismic stratigraphic studies provide a reconstruction of the tectonic history of the rift, which among other things demonstrates significant changes in depocenter locations during the course of rifting. The earliest observed rift units are located along a major pre-rift lineament which trends at an oblique angle to the axis of the rift. Based on this data, two different scenarios for the sequence of faulting leading to the formation of the rift basins are suggested.
Heat Transfer Analysis in Thermoacoustic Regenerators Using CFD Simulation

This work is a continuation of previously published work, which focused on a working simulation of a thermoacoustic engine using Fluent [1]. The present work utilizes the developed model to investigate four different resonator geometries and the effect of curvature on the pressure, velocity and temperature over the course of one period of oscillations. It is shown that all relevant flow variables are adversely affected, as the respective amplitudes decrease. As a cumulative parameter, the total energy transfer between the walls of the thermoacoustic stack and the working gas is also discussed. It is concluded that the energy transfer also decreases as a result of increasing curvature.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
An assessment of cardiorespiratory adjustments of asthmatic adults to exercise

Abstract The cardiorespiratory adjustments of asthmatic adults to submaximal and maximal workloads were investigated. Cardiorespiratory variables were measured every 2 min during exercise and at the end of maximal physical effort. Exercise-induced asthma (EIA) occurred in all asthmatic subjects while normal subjects maintained normal spirometry. The results suggest that asthmatic adults have no cardiac reserve or oxygen delivery limitations. They work under less efficient ventilatory conditions at submaximal workloads and have a significantly lower functional work capacity. The high degree of correlation between preexercise maximal midexpiratory flow rate (MMF) and maximum O 2 consumption (max V O 2 ) suggests that the smaller airways contribute significantly to the observed abnormalities. We recommend that evaluation of antiasthmatic medications in exercise-induced asthma should take into consideration their effect upon smaller airways and cardiorespiratory variables.
Perceptual grouping in good and poor readers

A selective attention task was used to measure perceptual grouping processes in 9- to 10-yearold children who were classified as good, average, and poor readers. Results showed that there is a negative correlation between perceptual grouping effects and reading ability: Grouping effects are stronger for poor readers. This relationship is maintained whether or not an optimal strategy for performing the selective attention task is provided.
High-Sensitivity Assay for Pesticide Using a Peroxidase as Chemiluminescent Label

The application of a newly isolated transgenic tobacco peroxidase (TOP) as a chemiluminescent label for immunoassay purposes is described for the first time. The enzyme has been oxidized with m-periodate and subsequently coupled to the model compound 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) using a carbodiimide method. As compared to the native horseradish peroxidase used in control experiments, the TOP enzyme showed significantly higher efficiency of coupling to the antigen and no loss of the specific activity was observed. The obtained 2,4-D−TOP conjugate demonstrated unique properties in chemiluminescent detection. The latter allowed the minimization of the conjugate concentration due to the superior chemiluminescent activity of the enzyme. A highly sensitive capillary chemiluminescent immunoassay using the 2,4-D−TOP conjugate as labeled competitor is reported. Direct competitive ELISA has been performed using a specific monoclonal antibody immobilized onto the sol−gel treated glass capillary surface. A ...
VWF73: a substrate for ADAMTS-13

![Figure][1] Recognition that a deficiency in the metalloprotease ADAMTS-13 leads to thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is an important development in understanding the pathogenesis of this disorder. The prevailing hypothesis on the pathogenesis of TTP centers on the conversion of
K-orbits on G/B and Schubert constants for pairs of signed shuffles in types C and D

Abstract We give positive descriptions for certain Schubert structure constants c u , v w for the full flag variety in Lie types C and D. This is accomplished by first observing that a number of the K = GL ( n , C ) -orbit closures on these flag varieties coincide with Richardson varieties, and then applying a theorem of M. Brion on the decomposition of such an orbit closure in the Schubert basis in terms of paths in the weak order graph.
Second language acquisition: Theoretical and experimental issues in contemporary research

To what extent, if any, does Universal Grammar (UG) constrain second language (L2) acquisition? This is not only an empirical question, but one which is currently investigable. In this context, L2 acquisition is emerging as an important new domain of psycholinguistic research. Three logical possibilities have been articulated regarding the role of UG in L2 acquisition: The first is the “no access” hypothesis that claims that no aspect of UG is available to the L2 learner. The second is the “partial access” hypothesis that claims that only LI instantiated principles and LI instantiated parameter-values of UG are available to the learner. The third, called the “full access” hypothesis, asserts that UG in its entirety constrains L2 acquisition.In this paper we argue that there is no compelling evidence to support either of the first two hypotheses. Moreover, we provide evidence concerning functional categories in L2 acquisition consistent with the claim that UG is fully available to the L2 learner (see also Flynn 1987; Li 1993; Martohardjono 1992; Schwartz & Sprouse 1991; Thomas 1991; White 1989). In addition, we will attempt to clarify some of currently unclear theoretical issues that arise with respect to positing UG as an explanatory theory of L2 acquisition. We will also investigate in some detail certain crucial methodological questions involved in experimentally testing the role of UG in L2 acquisition and finally, we will present a set of experimental results of our own supporting the “Full Access” hypothesis.