cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Time Course of CTLA4Ig Effect on Cardiac Allograft Rejection

T cell response to alloantigen is dependent not only on T cell receptor activation, but also upon co-stimulation through the CD28 receptor, as T cell receptor activation alone is insufficient for an optimal immune response. The CD28 receptor on helper T cells interacts with its ligand B7 on activated B cells/macrophages as the co-stimulus to support T cell activity. The natural ligand for CD28, B7 is expressed in both constituitive and inducible forms. Expression of the inducible form, B7.1 is the most co-stimulatory and may peak at 48 hr following antigen presentation. CTLA4Ig (a soluble CD28 receptor analog) binds both B7's and inhibits CD28 activation. This experiment was undertaken to examine the optimal time course of CTLA4Ig effect at or following antigen presentation. In vivo studies used a rat MHC mismatch heterotopic cardiac allograft transplant model (Brown-Norway to Lewis). Controls received no immunotherapy. Experimental recipients received CTLA4Ig (0.05 mg i.p.) the day of transplant only or had CTLA4Ig x 7-21 days begun at Day 0, 3, or 5 following transplant. Rejection was defined as a lack of allograft contraction. Allograft survival was best when CTLA4Ig was present on Day 2. These findings demonstrate that CTLA4Ig was most effective 48 hr following antigen presentation, perhaps reflecting induction of tolerance at a time of maximal CTLA4Ig/B7.1 blockade. CTLA4Ig given later, at a time when the recognition/rejection process has already begun was not as effective indicating the lack of immunosuppressive function of CTLA4Ig itself and confirms CTLA4Ig's mechanism of co-stimulation blockade.
The flight attendant dilemma: an analysis of communication and sensemaking during in-flight emergencies

Building on past research, this article argues that organizational life can be usefully construed as a series of communicative performances that are embedded and enacted in everyday discursive practices. Specifically, this research explores the sensemaking process individuals undertake when faced with the dilemma of knowing when to invent appropriate ways to respond rather than being automatically constrained by past routines. The research presents case study evidence drawn from participant observation and interviews with flight attendants from a major U.S. airline. Shown to be high in emotional and impression management, flight attendants perform a feminized role that privileges accommodation over authority and reassurance over safety that may influence their performances in emergency situations. The work ends with an evaluation of the dominant air travel performance in relation to safety and offers recommendations for facilitating communication and coordination among flight attendants and pilots.
Nonspeech oral motor treatment issues related to children with developmental speech sound disorders.

Purpose This article examines nonspeech oral motor treatments (NSOMTs) in the population of clients with developmental speech sound disorders. NSOMTs are a collection of nonspeech methods and proce...
Cross sections for 51V(n, p)51Ti and 51V(n, α)48Sc AT 14.2 MeV

Abstract Reaction cross-section measurements for 51 V(n, p) 51 Ti and 51 V(n, α ) 48 Sc have yielded the values of 32.3 ± 2.6 mb and 18.1 ± 1.5 mb, respectively, at a neutron energy of 14.2 ± 0.2 MeV. The associated particle method was employed to determine the neutron flux produced by the 3 H(d, n) 4 He reaction and a 16% Ge(Li) detector measured the activity of the neutron-irradiated samples.
The Use of Cytochemistry, Immunophenotyping, Flow Cytometry, and In Vitro Differentiation to Determine the Ontogeny of a Canine Monoblastic Leukemia

— We evaluated the utility of cytochemistry, immunophenotyping, flow cytometry, and in vitro culture with forced differentiation of leukemic cells as diagnostic aids to identify the malignant cell ontogeny in a dog with leukemia. A tentative diagnosis of monoblastic leukemia was established by microscopic examination of Romanowsky-stained blood smears and bone marrow aspirate smears. This diagnosis also was supported by the light scatter signature that identified the blast cells as large, non-granular monocytic cells using a CellDyn 3500 automated hematology analyzer; as well as by the detection of N-butyrate esterase and the lack of chloroacetate esterase or leukocyte peroxidase by cytochemical staining. Subsequently, leukemic cells were isolated from the dog's peripheral blood and placed into tissue culture or cryopreserved. The leukemic cells grew in suspension cultures and proliferated spontaneously for up to 4 days. By day 7, proliferation was negligible. Upon culture with conditioned supernatant using mitogen-stimulated human T cells as a source of cytokines, an increased proportion of cells entered S phase by day 2 of culture; however, proliferation declined markedly by day 4, at which time the cells had apparently differentiated to adherent, vacuolated macrophages. The cytokine-stimulated leukemic cells were positive for the monocyte/macrophage specific markers alpha-1-antitrypsin, alpha-1-antichymotrypsin, lysozyme, CD14, MHC class II, and calprotectin, an antigen found in differentiated macrophages and granulocytes. Despite the strong tendency of the leukemic cells towards monocytic differentiation, our results suggested that they retained some features of a myelomonocytic precursor. These data show that cytochemistry, immunophenotyping, flow cytometry, and in vitro differentiation of canine leukemia cells are useful tools for confirming the lineage of malignant hematopoietic cells. (Vet Clin Pathol 27:40–49, 1998)
Semiparametric Efficiency and its Implication on the Design and Analysis of Group-Sequential Studies

Abstract Authors have shown that the time-sequential joint distributions of many statistics used to analyze data arising from group-sequential time-to-event and longitudinal studies are multivariate normal with an independent increments covariance structure. In Theorem 1 of this article, we demonstrate that this limiting distribution arises naturally when one uses an efficient test statistic to test a single parameter in a semiparametric or parametric model. Because we are able to think of many of the statistics in the literature in this fashion, the limiting distribution under investigation is just a special case of Theorem 1. Using this general structure, we then develop an information-based design and monitoring procedure that can be applied to any type of model for any type of group-sequential study provided that there is a unique parameter of interest that can be efficiently tested.
An analysis of the conformers of 1,5-hexadiene

High level theoretical methods have been used to predict the energetic ordering of the conformations of 1,5-hexadiene. Presented are optimized geometries and relative energies for ten energetically distinct conformations of the molecule and two enantiomeric conformations. Previous work had predicted that the gauche (or skew) conformation about the central carbon—carbon bond is the lowest in energy. However, we have found that the conformational energies of 1,5-hexadiene, unlike n-butane, are remarkably similar. We postulate this to be the reason for poor performance (for example, in comparisons with variable temperature NMR studies) of some molecular mechanics simulations on molecules of this type in the past. With the DZP CCSD(T) method, the gauche(120)/anti/gauche(120) conformer is predicted to be the global minimum, followed 0.06kcalmol−1 higher in energy by the gauche(120)/anti/gauche(−120) structure, followed another 0.03 kcal mol−1 higher in energy by the gauche(120)/gauche(60)/gauche(−120) arrangem...
VISION: A Model of Cultural Responsiveness for Speech-Language Pathologists Working in Family Partnerships

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association has established knowledge and skills needed for culturally competent service delivery by speech-language pathologists. Among these are skills needed to demonstrate sensitivity to cultural and linguistic differences. The purpose of this article is to describe a model, VISION, to assist in development of cultural competence. This article includes a description of the components of VISION followed by vignettes to illustrate its application.
The epidemiology of esophageal cancer in the west.

Abstract Incidence rates, relative frequencies, and relative risk measures are compared for sites of esophageal, oral, and pharyngeal cancer with regard to race, tobacco smoked, alcoholic beverage consumption, and combinations of these factors. These data are adapted from The Third National Cancer Survey and the 171 Veterans Administration hospitals in the United States. It was found that blacks and whites of the same sex are at similar risks of mouth and pharynx cancers but that blacks of either sex are at inordinately high risks of esophageal cancer. Both smoked tobacco and alcoholic beverages are associated with an increased risk of cancer of oral, pharyngeal, and esophageal sites. Moreover, only alcoholic beverages are clearly associated independently with these cancers, and blacks drink significantly more whiskey than do whites. These findings suggest that behavioral characteristics associated with racial differences in drinking patterns might explain black/white differences in morbidity and mortality ascribed to cancer of the esophagus.
Traumatic ankylosis of the temporomandibular joint

Traumatic injuries to the region of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) may result in varying degrees of hypomobility of the mandible. The physical and psychological problems associated with restricted jaw opening are outlined. The different forms of ankylosis are mentioned. The rationale behind the various surgical approaches to the problem is outlined, and mention is made of current concepts in joint reconstruction. The importance of supportive adjunctive therapy in the postoperative period, is emphasized.
Strain Energies as a Steric Descriptor in QSAR Calculations

The difference between the calculated heats of formation of gauche and anti conformers of monosubstituted propanes was determined and used as a new steric parameter (AGE value) in QSAR calculations. The dihedral angle of the gauche conformation was fixed at 60° during the calculation to force interaction of the gauche groups. AG 6 0 values are a thermodynamically determined steric measure in contrast to the Taft steric parameter, which is based upon kinetic measurements of ester hydrolyses. In comparisons to published QSAR studies, AG 6 0 values correlated steric effects and biological activities very similarly to the Taft parameter. The average of r2 values from five QSAR studies for the Taft parameter was 0.887, while AG 6 0 values averaged 0.883. Direct comparison of the Taft parameter and AG 6 0 values showed a poor correlation (r 2 = 0.300), indicating the two parameters are fundamentally different methods of measuring steric bulk.
Preliminary Assessment of Contaminants in Soft Sediments of the Detroit River

Abstract Soft sediments from the Detroit River were analyzed for the USEPA priority pollutants to generally characterize contaminant distribution. Forty-three were detected. Highest heavy metal concentrations were found in the Trenton Channel and immediately downstream of Grosse Ile. They ranged from an area mean (N = 2) of 0.19 mg/kg mercury to 338.7 mg/kg zinc (dry weight). Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons ranged from 0.1 mg/kg to 38.8 mg/kg (mean, N = 2) with the highest levels near Grosse Ile. PCBs ranged from 0.015 mg/kg to 1.7 mg/kg (mean, N = 2). Organochlorine pesticides were not detected except for a trace of heptachlor in one sample. Sediment contamination in the Detroit River is widespread with higher concentrations on the U.S. side downstream of the Rouge River and in the Trenton Channel. The significance of these in-place pollutants to biota and as a source to Lake Erie is still unknown.
Research methods in clinical psychospirituality

Abstract Although most people acknowledge that the reality they live has three interconnecting spheres of experience—the physical, the mental or psychological, and the numinous or spiritual—the paradigm of scientific materialism has come to exercise a dominating influence over the ways we value, perceive and even conceptualize these perennially interconnecting spheres of experience. Scientific materialism has greatly devalued and even questioned the reality and legitimacy of the spiritual dimension of human experience. This paper supports the position that experience in the realms of the physical, the mental, and the spiritual are all dimensions human science and knowledge can and must explore, but that the criterions and canons of validity and verification of their disciplines and methodologies, are subject to the particular dictates and circumstances of each of these realms of experience.
Ralsontia sp. Contamination of Vapotherm Devices

ISSUE: The use of devices which provide high flow, heated, humidified oxygen provides benefits to both neonate and infant patient populations with respiratory compromise exhibiting symptoms of apnea, hypoxia and/or intolerance to Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. One such device, Vapotherm 2000i (VT) was introduced in January of 2005 for use in our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NNICU). During January-October 2005, there were no cultures positive for Ralstonia sp . or identified complications as a result of the device use. On October 21, 2005, the MMWR publication reported that Vapotherm 2000i was identified as a potential source for Ralstonia sp . infection/colonization. PROJECT: Based on this report, it was determined that environmental culture collection was needed to detect the presence of Ralstonia sp. contamination in VT therapy devices. Disinfection protocol was adapted as per manufacturer recommendation and environmental cultures were collected from VT circuit systems on a weekly basis for eight weeks. Cultures were collected by respiratory therapists trained in specimen collection technique. A report of gram negative bacillus growth triggered immediate VT device replacement. RESULTS: During November-December 2005, a total of 19 single patient devices were cultured from the VT circuits, 21% (4/19) of the total were identified as positive for Ralstonia sp. As documented by the CDC, it was determined that the use of the chlorine dioxide disinfection protocol did not produce a long term control of bacterial growth. One clinical isolate was identified in a patient with a history of VT use. Four of our purchased VT devices were subsequently returned to the manufacturer in response to a voluntary recall. Another device has replaced the VT for heated, humidified oxygen delivery. LESSONS LEARNED: This experience has demonstrated the need for infection control participation in evaluating for use in patient care, any product which has the potential to negatively impact patient safety. In this instance, infection control consultative services would have been advantageous in the identification of issues that would impact disinfection practices. Infection Control consultation in patient equipment selection requiring sterilization or disinfection procedures must be supported by organization leadership.
A Comparative Study of Standard-Setting Methods

The borderline-group method and the contrasting-groups method were compared with Nedelsky's method at four schools, with Angoff's method at another four schools, and with each other at all eight schools, using tests of basic skills in reading and mathematics. The borderline-group and contrastinggroups methods produced similar results when approximately equal numbers of students were classified as masters and nonmasters. The contrasting-groups passing score was lower than the borderline-group passing score when masters greatly outnumbered nonmasters and higher when nonmasters outnumbered masters. Results involving the Nedelsky and Angoff methods were not consistent across schools. Passing scores tended to be higher at schools where students were more able.
Pertussis Serostatus among Neonates Born to Hispanic Women

The reasons for the higher pertussis incidence among Hispanic infants, compared with among infants of other ethnicities, are unknown. The geometric mean concentration of pertussis toxin-specific immunoglobulin G in serum samples from 220 Hispanic neonates was 8.45 EU/mL, as determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and it was significantly lower if mothers were adolescents (4.63 EU/mL; P < or =.001). A lack of maternal immunity is one explanation for pertussis susceptibility in very young Hispanic infants.
Is a simple biomarker for peripheral arterial disease on the horizon

Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the Western world, and one of the major clinical complications of atherosclerosis is the impairment of blood flow to the lower extremity, which is commonly referred to as peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Although long underrecognized and underdiagnosed in the medical community, the prevalence of PAD in the United States alone is estimated to be 8 to 12 million, and PAD is also quite common in Europe and Asia.1–4 In fact, the prevalence of atherosclerosis primarily, or solely, affecting the lower extremity, cerebral vascular system, renal arteries, and visceral organs is now equal to or greater than the number of individuals afflicted with ischemic heart disease.2,5 The reasons that PAD of the lower extremity has been underdiagnosed are likely multifactorial. Even today, these explanations include but are certainly not limited to (1) an overlap of symptoms of what is perceived to be “normal” aging, (2) a sense that treatment options are limited and that the disease is very stable over time, (3) the attributing of the symptoms of true pain when present to other disease processes such as neuropathy, and (4) the need for busy physicians and healthcare providers to perform additional measures as part of a physical examination in an environment of decreasing time available to each patient. The facts are very clear that PAD imparts an increase in the risk of cardiovascular death and stroke,6 that treatment options for PAD are expanding,7,8 and that even in minimally symptomatic patients over time, evidence points to a decrease in functional capacity.9 Therefore, a pressing need exists for a simple, readily assessable, reliable biomarker to test for PAD. Article p 1396 To that end, the article in this issue of Circulation by Wilson et al10 from …
Assessment of metal nanoparticle agglomeration, uptake, and interaction using high-illuminating system

In the present study, an ultrahigh-resolution system was applied as a simple and convenient technique to characterize the extent of metal nanoparticle agglomeration in solution and to visualize nanoparticle agglomeration, uptake, and surface interaction in three cell phenotypes under normal culture conditions. The experimental results demonstrated that silver (25, 80, 130 nm); aluminum (80 nm); and manganese (40 nm) particles and agglomerates were effectively internalized by rat liver cells (BRL 3A), rat alveolar macrophages (MACs), and rat neuroendocrine cells (PC-12). Individual and agglomerated nanoparticles were observed within the cells and agglomerates were observed on the cell surface membranes. The particles were initially dispersed in aqueous or physiological balanced salt solutions and agglomeration was observed using the Ultra Resolution Imaging (URI) system. Different methods, such as sonication and addition of surfactant (0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate [SDS]) reduced agglomeration. Due to effects of SDS itself on cell viability, the surfactant could not be directly applied during cell exposure. Therefore, following addition of 0.1% SDS, the particles were washed twice with ultrapure water, which reduced agglomeration even further. Reducing the agglomeration of the nanoparticles is important for studying their uptake and in applications that benefit from individual nanoparticles such as diagnostics. In summary, this study demonstrates a simple technique to characterize the extent of nanoparticle agglomeration in solution and visualize nanoparticle (40 nm and larger) uptake and interaction with cells. Additionally, an example application of nanoparticle labeling onto the surface and neurite extensions of murine neuroblastoma cells (N2A) is presented as a potential imaging tool.
Borders and Bridges: Exploring a New Conceptual Architecture for (U.S.–Mexico) Border Studies

Resumen La esencia de los estudios de frontera y su metodologia circula alrededor de la terminologia de fronteras, limites, tierras fronterizas y su metafora. El entendimiento y estudio sobre el comportamiento social-ya sea de grupos etnicos, individuos, o de estructuras sociales mas amplias como el Estado-nacion- son muchas veces enmarcados dentro de estos marcos analiticos. El presente articulo analiza criticamente la epistemologia actual que trata el tema de la frontera Mexico-Estado Unidos para plantear nuevas preguntas metodologicas. Propongo que necesitamos una nueva arquitectura que se enriquezca de los estudios y epistemologias del pasado, pero que ayude a romper con la cartografia que hemos creado, para asi producir nuevas percepciones de analisis y entendimiento. El enfoque del articulo es de cruces de fronteras, y utilizo la metafora de Fronteras y Puentes para cuestionar y trastornar la nocion de frontera centrada en el Estado – una linea horizontal que atraviesa los Estados-nacion. Este enfoque enfatiza los procesos de conectividad y contrastes, asi como profundidad y alcance tanto del pensamiento como delanalisis empirico de las fronteras.
The Bankruptcy of Detroit: What Role did Race Play?

Perhaps no city in the United States has a longer and more vibrant history of racial conflict than Detroit. It is the only city where federal troops have been dispatched to the streets four times t...
Radiographic and clinical changes of the tibial tuberosity after tibial plateau leveling osteotomy.

Objective— To investigate radiographic changes of the tibial tuberosity after tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) surgery and identify clinical findings and risk factors associated with such changes. Study Design— Retrospective study. Sample Population— Hundred and eighty-six client-owned dogs (219 stifles) that had TPLO surgery. Methods— Patient data retrieved included radiographic changes of the tibial tuberosity during re-examination, age, body weight, whether unilateral or single-session bilateral surgery had been performed, location of the anti-rotational pin, approximate tibial tuberosity area, and approximate average tibial tuberosity width. Results— Fracture with resulting caudal displacement of the proximal tibial tuberosity (1.4%; 3 of 219) occurred less frequently than non-displaced tibial tuberosity fractures (7.3%; 16 of 219). Age, weight, average tibial tuberosity width, location of the anti-rotational pin, and single session bilateral surgery were identified as risks factors for non-displaced fracture. Weight divided by the square of the average tibial tuberosity width may be a stronger risk factor than either weight or average tibial tuberosity width alone. Conclusions— Dogs undergoing single session bilateral TPLO surgery are at greater risk for developing non-displaced tibial tuberosity fractures. The non-displaced tibial tuberosity fracture does not appear to adversely affect outcome or lead to tibial tuberosity avulsion. Significant risk factors for fracture of the proximal tibial tuberosity with caudal displacement were not identified. Clinical Relevance— Factors including age, weight, tibial tuberosity thickness, and conditions that may enhance strain on the tibial tuberosity, such as single-session bilateral procedures, may increase risk of fracture.
Nicotinic receptor subtypes mediating relaxation of the normal human clasp and sling fibers of the upper gastric sphincter.

Background Proper function of the gastro-esophageal high pressure zone is essential for the integrity of the antireflux barrier. Mechanisms include tonic contractions and the decreased tone during transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxations. Methods We characterized the pharmacology of nicotinic receptors mediating relaxations of the human upper gastric sphincter (clasp and sling fibers) using currently available subtype selective nicotinic antagonists in tissue from organ transplant donors. Donors with either a history of gastro-esophageal reflux disease or histologic evidence of Barrett's esophagus were excluded. Clasp and sling muscle fiber strips were used for one of three paradigms. For paradigm 1, each strip was exposed to carbachol, washed, exposed to nicotinic antagonists then re-exposed to carbachol. In paradigm 2, strips were exposed to a near maximally effective bethanechol concentration then nicotine was added. Strips then were washed, exposed to nicotinic antagonists then re-exposed to bethanechol followed by nicotine. In paradigm 3, strips were exposed to bethanechol then choline or cytisine. Key Results 100 μM methyllycaconitine has no inhibitory effects on relaxations, eliminating homomeric α7 subtypes. Subtypes composed of α4β2 subunits are also eliminated because choline acts as an agonist and dihydro-beta-erythroidine is ineffective. Conclusions & Inferences Because mecamylamine blocks the relaxations and both choline and cytisine act as agonists in both clasp and sling fibers, the nicotinic receptor subtypes responsible for these relaxations could be composed of α3β4β2, α2β4, or α4β4 subunits.
INSECT HERBIVORES: DIFFERENT REASONS FOR BEING A GENERALIST

Two very different factors favor generalist herbivores over specialist herbivores: greater resource availability, which should be universally beneficial, and the possibility of mixing foods to improve nutrient balance or to reduce exposure to high levels of particular allelochemicals. In this work, four species of Lepidoptera and three species of Hemiptera were fed single or mixed foods to test the hypothesis that individual generalists would benefit from mixing their diets. In all cases, insects were provided with one of three different host plants, or a mixture of all three. For most species, several different experiments were performed. Survivorship, gain in mass, and fecundity were used as measures of performance. In no case was there evidence that mixtures were better than single foods. It is argued that, in these taxa, the value of being a generalist lies largely with versatility for use of different hosts, rather than for dietary mixing. The contrast with Orthoptera, in which individuals commonly obtain substantial benefit from dietary mixing, is also discussed.
Design and Fabrication of Flexible Differential Scanning Nanocalorimeter

This paper discussed about the design and fabrication process of flexible MEMS based Differential Scanning Calorimeter that greatly enhanced the detection limit and accuracy that allowed for evaluation of molecular interaction. The design utilized polyimide to significantly reduce thermal conduction by hundreds of times than traditional used substrate material. Preliminary fabrication result had successfully demonstrated the polyimide membrane can be firmly adhesive on the wafer during fabrication and easily peeled off from the rigid substrate after the process. Temperature sensing material, VOx was prepared by DC magnetron sputter of sintered vanadium target with O2 flow during the sputtering. Deposition conditions such as the O2 flow rate’s influence on the electrical resistivity and temperature coefficient resistance was investigated. The results fully showed that the material prepared by the method has satisfactory performance to be used as thermistor in the calorimeter. Also, research about thermal analysis of the system further guided and confirmed the feasibility of the design.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
A hospital ethics committee at war: the hospital ship Mercy experience during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm.

During Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm, USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) was one of two American hospital ships deployed to the Persian Gulf. She arrived in the Gulf on 15 September 1990, following a 12,000-mile transit from her homeport of Oakland, California, and remained on station until 18 March 1991, when she passed through the Straits of Hormuz on her return voyage home. During the height of her deployment, Mercy was staffed with nearly 1,200 men and women, including physicians, nurses, dentists, representatives of affiliated health-care disciplines (including physical therapy, pharmacy, clinical psychology, social work, dietetics, and environmental health), hospital corpsmen, dental technicians, healthcare administrators, chaplains, and various nonmedical support personnel. The staff included a mix of active duty military providers and recalled reservists.
Design of a power-assist wheelchair for persons with hemiplegia

Persons with hemiplegia often require a one arm drive wheelchair. Current designs exhibit substantially degraded performance when compared to a standard manual wheelchair. A power-assist, one arm drive wheelchair was developed that was maneuverable, foldable and easy to operate. A motor powers the wheel on the user's affected side, encoders on both rear wheels track wheel positions and a rotary heel interface mounted on a footrest controls steering. A control system analyzes wheel and steering positions and responds to the motion of the hand-driven wheel. The prototype met and exceeded predetermined design specifications based on standard industry test procedures. The power-assist components could be attached to a wide range of manual wheelchairs with only minimal modifications.
Assessing the use of CD‐ROM technology in case‐based learning

CD-ROM programs for orthodontic case presentation and biomechanics that demonstrate malocclusions and treatment in a highly visual, animated format are commercially available. The purpose of this study was to determine the usefulness of two of these programs in enhancing case-based learning in a seminar setting. Junior year predoctoral dental students were provided with orthodontic records of patients and asked to work up the patients and present the problem list, diagnosis, treatment objectives and treatment strategies in class. One-half of the class used the CD-ROMs to determine treatment strategies, while the other half of the class used a literature search. The CD-ROM Group used computer technology in class to present the treatment. Effectiveness was evaluated using a case-based examination and a student survey. Results indicated no difference on the examination, but a preference by the students for the use of the CD-ROMs both in researching possible treatment and for the in-class presentations. The commercially available CD-ROMs appear to be a useful way of enhancing student interest in orthodontic case-based seminars, but may have little effect on actual learning.
Indoor tanning and non-melanoma skin cancer: systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective To synthesise the literature on indoor tanning and non-melanoma skin cancer. Design Systematic review and meta-analysis. Data sources PubMed (1966 to present), Embase (1974 to present), and Web of Science (1898 to present). Study selection All articles that reported an original effect statistic for indoor tanning and non-melanoma skin cancer were included. Articles that presented no data, such as review articles and editorials, were excluded, as were articles in languages other than English. Data extraction Two investigators independently extracted data. Random effects meta-analysis was used to summarise the relative risk of ever use versus never use of indoor tanning. Dose-response effects and exposure to indoor tanning during early life were also examined. The population attributable risk fraction for the United States population was calculated. Results 12 studies with 9328 cases of non-melanoma skin cancer were included. Among people who reported ever using indoor tanning compared with those who never used indoor tanning, the summary relative risk for squamous cell carcinoma was 1.67 (95% confidence interval 1.29 to 2.17) and that for basal cell carcinoma was 1.29 (1.08 to 1.53). No significant heterogeneity existed between studies. The population attributable risk fraction for the United States was estimated to be 8.2% for squamous cell carcinoma and 3.7% for basal cell carcinoma. This corresponds to more than 170 000 cases of non-melanoma skin cancer each year attributable to indoor tanning. On the basis of data from three studies, use of indoor tanning before age 25 was more strongly associated with both squamous cell carcinoma (relative risk 2.02, 0.70 to 5.86) and basal cell carcinoma (1.40, 1.29 to 1.52). Conclusions Indoor tanning is associated with a significantly increased risk of both basal and squamous cell skin cancer. The risk is higher with use in early life (
Tension and fatigue behavior of 316LVM 1×7 multi-strand cables used as implantable electrodes

The mechanical behavior of 316LVM 1×7 cables were evaluated in uniaxial tension, and in cyclic strain-controlled fatigue with the use of a Flex tester operated to provide fully reversed bending fatigue. The magnitude of cyclic strains imparted to each cable tested was controlled via the use of different diameter mandrels. Smaller diameter mandrels produced higher values of cyclic strain and lower fatigue life. Multiple samples were tested and analyzed via scanning electron microscopy. The fatigue results were analyzed via a Coffin-Manson-Basquin approach and compared to fatigue data obtained from the literature where testing was conducted on similar materials, but under rotating bending fatigue conditions.
Methods for Measuring Temporary Health States for Cost-Utility Analyses

A variety of methods are available to measure preferences for temporary health states for cost-utility analyses. The objectives of this review were to summarize the available temporary health-state valuation methods, identify advantages and disadvantages of each, and identify areas for future research. We describe the key aspects of each method and summarize advantages and disadvantages of each method in terms of consistency with QALY theory, relevance to temporary health-state-specific domains, ease of use, time preference, and performance in validation studies. Two broad categories of methods were identified: traditional and adapted. Traditional methods were health status instruments, time trade-off (TTO), and the standard gamble (SG). Methods adapted specifically for temporary health-state valuation were TTO with specified duration of the health state, TTO with a lifespan modification, waiting trade-off, chained approaches for TTO and SG, and sleep trade-off. Advantages and disadvantages vary by method and no 'gold standard' method emerged. Selection of a method to value temporary health states will depend on the relative importance of the following considerations: ability to accurately capture the unique characteristics of the temporary health state, level of respondent burden and cognition, theoretical consistency of elicited preference values with the overall purpose of the study, and resources available for study development and data collection. Further research should focus on evaluating validity, reliability and feasibility of temporary health-state valuation methods.
A Maximum Entropy Approach to Unsupervised Mixed-Pixel Decomposition

Due to the wide existence of mixed pixels, the derivation of constituent components (endmembers) and their fractional proportions (abundances) at the subpixel scale has been given a lot of attention. The entire process is often referred to as mixed-pixel decomposition or spectral unmixing. Although various algorithms have been proposed to solve this problem, two potential issues still need to be further investigated. First, assuming the endmembers are known, the abundance estimation is commonly performed by employing a least-squares error criterion, which, however, makes the estimation sensitive to noise and outliers. Second, the mathematical intractability of the abundance non-negative constraint results in computationally expensive numerical approaches. In this paper, we propose an unsupervised decomposition method based on the classic maximum entropy principle, termed the gradient descent maximum entropy (GDME), aiming at robust and effective estimates. We address the importance of the maximum entropy principle for mixed-pixel decomposition from a geometric point of view and demonstrate that when the given data present strong noise or when the endmember signatures are close to each other, the proposed method has the potential of providing more accurate estimates than the popular least-squares methods (e.g., fully constrained least squares). We apply the proposed GDME to the subject of unmixing multispectral and hyperspectral data. The experimental results obtained from both simulated and real images show the effectiveness of the proposed method
An ultra-low phase-noise ka-band tunable frequency synthesizer

This paper presents a Ka-band, fractional-N phase-locked loop (PLL) for use in radar applications. The PLL, with a tuning range of 31.7-36.0 GHz, utilizes a high-speed sigma-delta SigmaDelta modulator to enable the fractional division. To achieve a step size of less than 200 MHz with ultra-low in-band phase noise, a high-frequency 2.6 GHz reference signal is used with 4-bits of fractional frequency control. To reduce 1/f noise, bipolar transistors are used almost exclusively within the PLL signal path, including the phase detector, loop filter, VCO, and multi-modulus divider with three cascaded 2/3 dividers that give an overall divide range of 8-15. The PLL chip is fabricated in a 0.13 mum SiGe BiCMOS process, measures 2.03times1.85 mm2, and consumes 220 mA, 46 mA, and 7 mA from a 4.5 V, 3.0 V, and 1.5 V power supply, respectively, for a total power consumption of 1.1 W. The phase noise is measured to be -120.4 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset from the carrier, and is limited by the reference signal for offset frequencies below 1 MHz.
Heuristics for Scalable Dynamic Test Generation

Recently there has been great success in using symbolic execution to automatically generate test inputs for small software systems. A primary challenge in scaling such approaches to larger programs is the combinatorial explosion of the path space. It is likely that sophisticated strategies for searching this path space are needed to generate inputs that effectively test large programs (by, e.g., achieving significant branch coverage). We present several such heuristic search strategies, including a novel strategy guided by the control flow graph of the program under test. We have implemented these strategies in CREST, our open source concolic testing tool for C, and evaluated them on two widely-used software tools, grep 2.2 (15 K lines of code) and Vim 5.7 (150 K lines). On these benchmarks, the presented heuristics achieve significantly greater branch coverage on the same testing budget than concolic testing with a traditional depth-first search strategy.
Status of percutaneous coronary intervention and coronary artery bypass

At present a rapid and profound change in myocardial revascularization has evolved from the work of Gruentzig. The recent technological advances have been so fast paced that there has not been ample time to fully assess each new facet of technology and pharmaceutics before another arrives. The interface between percutaneous intervention (PCI) and coronary artery bypass (CAB) is not well defined as previously so that continental, national and regional differences exist. The progress in PCI from balloon angioplasty to drug eluting stents has seen a progressive decline in restenosis and reintervention but relief of symptoms has not equaled that attained with CAB. Survival benefit for CAB over PCI has not been demonstrated in the many randomized clinical trials which are limited by selection of only 5-12% of potential patients so that higher risk patients and those with more extensive and complex coronary disease are excluded. These excluded patients are included in the registries where survival benefit for CAB over PCI is clearly evident. Situations less amenable to PCI include: left main disease; three vessel disease; vessels that are smaller, diffusely diseased or with distal lesions which are frequently associated with diabetes; ostial and bifurcation lesions; and coronary arteries that are tortuous, calcified or with very long lesions. It is in these situations that PCI does not provide revascularization equivalent to CAB. Surgeons must appreciate the success of PCI, acknowledge their reduced role in revascularization and strive to provide the best operation possible when the clinical situation demands it.
Random Walk Models for Geographic Data Propagation in Wireless Sensor Networks

For wireless sensor networks with many location-unaware nodes, we investigate a protocol, dubbed BeSpoken, that steers data transmissions along a straight path called a spoke. The protocol directs data transmissions by randomly selecting relays to retransmit data packets from crescent-shaped areas along the spoke axis. The packet retransmission by the selected relay constitutes a spoke hop. The current spoke direction at any given hop may deviate from the spoke axis. In this work, we model the current direction as a Markov modulated random walk, and offer protocol design guidelines which ensure that the deviation is limited.
TaS2 nanoplatelets produced by laser ablation

Tantalum disulfide (TaS2) nanoplatelets were produced by laser ablation of a TaS2 target under an argon atmosphere. The nanoplatelet dimensions and morphology were characterized by transmission electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction. The effect of the ablation laser power density on the size distribution of the nanoplatelets was studied. The TaS2 nanoplatelets were prone to oxidation upon exposure to air but could be stabilized by using 3-mercaptopropionic acid as the capping agent.
Family Financial Management and Individual Deprivation

A core assumption in conventional poverty measurement is that household members share equally in total household income. This paper focuses on heterosexual couple households and asks to what extent male and female partners may derive different benefits from total couple resources. Drawing on the 2010 Irish Survey on Income and Living Conditions module, we examined the couple financial regime, by which we mean which partners received income, whether the income was from work, the extent to which income was contributed for the benefit of other household members and responsibility for decision-making. We explored whether the couple’s financial regime was associated with different living standard outcomes for the partners. Among the findings was the beneficial impact of having income from work and of shared responsibility for decision-making. The paper concludes by pointing to some implications for our understanding of power and bargaining in couples.
Emotion and reward are dissociable from error during motor learning

Although emotion is known to reciprocally interact with cognitive and motor performance, contemporary theories of motor learning do not specifically consider how dynamic variations in a learner's affective state may influence motor performance during motor learning. Using a prism adaptation paradigm, we assessed emotion during motor learning on a trial-by-trial basis. We designed two dart-throwing experiments to dissociate motor performance and reward outcomes by giving participants maximum points for accurate throws and reduced points for throws that hit zones away from the target (i.e., "accidental points"). Experiment 1 dissociated motor performance from emotional responses and found that affective ratings tracked points earned more closely than error magnitude. Further, both reward and error uniquely contributed to motor learning, as indexed by the change in error from one trial to the next. Experiment 2 manipulated accidental point locations vertically, whereas prism displacement remained horizontal. Results demonstrated that reward could bias motor performance even when concurrent sensorimotor adaptation was taking place in a perpendicular direction. Thus, these experiments demonstrate that affective states were dissociable from error magnitude during motor learning and that affect more closely tracked points earned. Our findings further implicate reward as another factor, other than error, that contributes to motor learning, suggesting the importance of incorporating affective states into models of motor learning.
Computational Assessment of Occupant Injury Caused by Mine Blasts underneath Infantry Vehicles

Anti tank (AT) mines and improvised explosive devices (IED) pose a serious threat to the occupants of infantry vehicles. The detonating explosives create shock waves, which induce large acceleration impulses and deformations in the vehicular structure. These impulse loads are transmitted to the occupant through vehicle-occupant contact interfaces such as the floor and seat. If the resulting loads and accelerations transmitted to the occupant are not sufficiently attenuated to values below thresholds set by occupant injury criteria, they can lead to severe injury and fatality. The occupant’s feet are usually in direct contact with the floor and therefore lower extremity injuries are very common during AT and IED explosions. This study focuses on the assessment of acceleration-induced injuries of lower extremities during a mine blast underneath an armoured vehicle, where the occupant's torso is shielded from the direct effects of the mine blast. Numerical models of the mine blast experimental test set-up are created using the dynamic finite element code LS-DYNA®. A numerical HYBRID III dummy is used to simulate the occupant’s response. Simulations results are compared with experimental data to validate the use of the HYBRID III dummy for injury assessment in such an application. The occupant lower extremity response to varying magnitudes of vehicle floor impact velocities caused by mine blasts is parametrically studied to lend insight into the maximum sustainable and survivable loading conditions as well as the design of protective structures that can be incorporated into the vehicle structure to attenuate these loads. Characteristic trends in the occupant response are used for predicting the response for new loading conditions. The effect of initial position of the occupant's lower extremities on the impact response and associated injury levels is also studied.
Characterization of transferred vertically aligned carbon nanotubes arrays as thermal interface materials

Abstract In this study, a solder-carbon nanotube composite thermal interface material (TIM) was fabricated using vertically-aligned carbon nanotubes (VACNTs). The constructed TIM consisted of vertically-aligned carbon nanotube arrays, which were grown on silicon by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process and then transferred from the growth substrate and soldered to copper disks on both sides via a bismuth/tin/silver solder. The thermal performance potential of the produced sample as a TIM was measured using ASTM D5470 standard methodology. The interfacial thermal resistance of the transferred CNT-solder composite was examined and reported for pressures of 20 psi and 50 psi. The average thermal resistance value recorded for the constructed sample was 0.458 cm2-K/W at a pressure of 20 psi and 0.425 cm2-K/W at a pressure of 50 psi.
ACM SIGGRAPH 2009 Emerging Technologies

SIGGRAPH 2009's Emerging Technologies presents innovative technologies and applications in many fields, including displays, robotics, input devices, and interaction techniques. The demos are available for attendees to try out and discuss with the creators.