cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bisphosphonates and management of kidney stones and bone disease.

Purpose of review Kidney stones are strongly associated with low bone density and bone fracture. Clinical management focuses on prevention of kidney stones and bone fracture. We reviewed literature of kidney stones and bone disease with a special focus on updates in therapeutic strategies. We will review the literature regarding dietary management, supplements, and medications and emphasize the recent studies on bisphosphonates and kidney stone management. Recent findings Bisphosphonate medications are commonly used in management of low bone density. Previous studies showed that they reduce urinary calcium. A recent large prospective study found that bisphosphonates may reduce the risk of kidney stones in individuals who have low bone density. In addition to lowering urinary calcium, a recent study found that bisphosphonates may act as an inhibitor in the urinary space. Summary There are multiple dietary and pharmacologic strategies that can be considered for kidney stones and bone disease, such as low salt and normal calcium diet, as well as thiazides, alkali, and bisphosphonate medications. Bisphosphonates may have an important role in reducing bone resorption and reducing overall risk of kidney stone and bone disease.
Houstonia micrantha in Georgia: Ecological and morphological observations1

The geographical range of the species now known as Houstonia micrantha has been uncertain, in part because of taxonomic confusion with its sister species, Houstonia pusilla. Previously believed to be restricted to two counties in eastern and central Georgia, it is now apparent that this homostylous winter annual is much more widespread. In fact, its recent spread and its enormous potential to multiply and invade disturbed sites suggest that it may spread to many states far to the east and north of its original range. This species has probably been overlooked as it has spread to new areas because it is small and has inconspicuous flowers compared with most species of Houstonia and completes its life cycle in a very short period of time early in the spring.
Association between quality of life and patient-reported complications from surgery and radioiodine in early-stage thyroid cancer survivors: A matched-pair analysis

Abstract Background Remnant radioiodine ablation is discouraged in low-risk differentiated thyroid cancer because it confers no survival advantage. The impact of remnant radioiodine ablation on health-related quality of life in these patients is not well described. We hypothesized remnant radioiodine ablation is associated with lower health-related quality of life in early-stage differentiated thyroid cancer survivors. Methods A retrospective matched-pair analysis was conducted in stage I differentiated thyroid cancer survivors recruited from a thyroid cancer support group. Respondents self-reported via online survey. Dysphonia and dysphagia were reported via Likert scale. Health-related quality of life was evaluated using Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) 29-item profile. Respondents who received remnant radioiodine ablation were matched for age, sex, race, and years since diagnosis with respondents who did not receive remnant radioiodine ablation. PROMIS t-scores were compared between remnant radioiodine ablation and nonremnant radioiodine ablation groups, and among those with or without surgical complications. Results One hundred and twenty-two pairs were matched. There was no significant difference in incidence of self-reported hypocalcemia, infection, dysphonia, or dysphagia between remnant radioiodine ablation and no remnant radioiodine ablation groups. There was no significant difference in mean PROMIS t-scores. Of respondents reporting normal preoperative voice and swallowing, there were no significant differences in postprocedural outcomes or PROMIS scores. Regardless of remnant radioiodine ablation treatment, those with surgical complications of hypocalcemia, dysphonia, or dysphagia reported worse PROMIS scores across multiple domains. Remnant radioiodine ablation-associated xerostomia was associated with worse PROMIS scores across multiple domains. Conclusion This is the first study to use PROMIS measures to evaluate the association between remnant radioiodine ablation and health-related quality of life in early-stage differentiated thyroid cancer survivors treated surgically. Surgical and remnant radioiodine ablation-associated complications were associated with significantly worse PROMIS scores across multiple domains.
Reducing racial disparities in time to breast cancer diagnosis: Impact of immediate screening mammogram reads during the COVID pandemic

6508Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, barriers to access screening mammography along with goals to reduce visits supported immediate reading of screening mammograms. Typically, screening ma...
Moment-by-moment tracking of naturalistic learning and its underlying hippocampo-cortical interactions

Humans form lasting memories of stimuli that were only encountered once. This naturally occurs when listening to a story, however it remains unclear how and when memories are stored and retrieved during story-listening. Here, we first confirm in behavioral experiments that participants can learn about the structure of a story after a single exposure and are able to recall upcoming words when the story is presented again. We then track mnemonic information in high frequency activity (70–200 Hz) as patients undergoing electrocorticographic recordings listen twice to the same story. We demonstrate predictive recall of upcoming information through neural responses in auditory processing regions. This neural measure correlates with behavioral measures of event segmentation and learning. Event boundaries are linked to information flow from cortex to hippocampus. When listening for a second time, information flow from hippocampus to cortex precedes moments of predictive recall. These results provide insight on a fine-grained temporal scale into how episodic memory encoding and retrieval work under naturalistic conditions. When listening to a story, humans learn about its structure and content. Here the authors reveal the neural processes behind episodic memory and predictive recall at a fine temporal scale in this naturalistic setting
V. Mythic-Theft-Type-Three Example Two: The Daughters of Atlas

This dissertation is the result of extensive research into Greek mythological genealogy. Overall, it endeavors to demonstrate that in spite of the attention lavished on Greek mythology and the problem of myth as a historical source, there is an approach to this body of evidence based strictly on genealogical patterning that has not been adequately investigated to date. The genealogical approach gives chronological precedence to patterns first manifest in the Homeric poems, which by comparison with later mythic material delineate the outline of a genealogical template that initially emerged in Aiolic East Greece. This stands to reason on a number of counts, prominently, for example, because it explains the importance of Troy as the appointed target of a legendary Greek conquest in the east (Troy was located in Aiolic East Greek territory), and also because East Greek Asia Minor was the first point of contact between Dark Age Greek culture and Near Eastern metropoleis that deployed genealogy as a structural medium in the canonization of cultural pre-history. Inasmuch as the later Greek mythic corpus readily divides into clusters of stories associated with major mainland Greek city-states, I determined in view of the Homeric evidence, that these state genealogies in general relied on the use of recurrent manipulative techniques designed to supplant the early Aiolic structure, while at the same time retaining the most famous legends amidst a largely restructured genealogical framework. Tracing these patterns further, it turned out to be possible to distinguish and correlate post-Homeric genealogical emendations with political developments on the Greek mainland, where unified opposition to a legendary framework conceived and promoted initially in East Greece led to tangible ideological changes, detectable since they altered but did not destroy all vestiges of the inherited tradition. This hypothesis demands quite detailed exposition because it cannot comfortably coexist with the leading approach to Greek mythogenesis. According to that view, separate regional mythic cycles were rather awkwardly fused together before the emergence of pan-Hellenic self-consciousness in the early Archaic Period. Still, the opposite view, this thesis argues, in which a meaningful whole was incrementally split up into an assortment of disjointed parts is the simpler, more logical explanation for the development of Greek mythic tradition, and is, moreover, capable of comprehending random segments of Greek mythological testimony. What follows, therefore, is a blow-by-blow account of the most pivotal evidence to this effect on the mythical and the historical side, reinforced in conclusion with a case study of a single major genealogical line that was largely preserved in its original form, as verified by its coverage in the Homeric poems and in surviving texts by seven later Greek authors: Bakchylides, Pindar Herodotos, Diodoros, Strabo, Apollodoros, and Pausanias.
The Tired Pregnant Woman.

Author(s): VanNatta, Katie; Yuzuk, Nicole; Trotter, David; Wisinski, Brandon | Abstract: Introduction: Many pregnant women develop hyperemesis gravidarum. There are numerous gastrointestinal, genitourinary, neurologic, and metabolic causes to consider in this patient population.Case Presentation: This clinicopathological case presentation details the initial assessment and management of an 18-year-old pregnant patient who presented to the emergency department with a complaint of nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and intermittent bleeding.Discussion: This case takes the reader through the differential diagnosis and evaluation of the patient and the signs and symptoms, including her agitation and tachycardia, that led us to the correct diagnosis.
One-pot production of oxygenated monomers and selectively oxidized lignin from biomass based on plasma electrolysis

Herein, we report a novel method to obtain oxygenated chemicals and high-quality lignin from biomass in one-pot using a single step process. Plasma electrolysis of red oak was conducted by applying high-voltage alternating current electricity in γ-valerolactone using sulfuric acid as the electrolyte. Red oak was completely solubilized to produce levoglucosenone and furfural as the two major monomers with the respective yields of up to 44.9 mol% and 98.0 mol%. During the conversion, an oxidized lignin was also simultaneously produced in high purity. The valorization potential of the plasma electrolysis-derived lignin evaluated using the pyrolysis method showed that depolymerization of this lignin could produce significantly higher yields of phenolic monomers than the natural lignin or the lignin isolated during conventional solvolysis. Our investigation showed that benzylic carbon of the natural lignin was selectively modified during plasma electrolysis to limit the formation of interunit C–C bonds, significantly improving the subsequent lignin valorization to aromatic monomers. Overall, this study demonstrated a simple green approach to improve chemical production without using costly catalysts or tedious biomass fractionation. This study also presented a novel and highly efficient way to modify lignin for enhanced valorization.
Electrospinning-Based Nanobiosensors

Biological interactions in biosensors occur through different mechanisms, on the basis of the type of biological receptor elements employed therein that confer the biological specificity to the biosensors themselves (biocatalytic, biocomplexing or bioaffinity biosensors). The use of different transduction systems (amperometric, potentiometric, field-effect transistors, piezometric and conductometric) defines the mode of detection. The interest and relevance of nanomaterials in the fabrication of nanobiosensors lie in their extraordinary properties that make them ideally suited and very promising for sensing applications. The resulting nanobiosensors are capable of sensing analytes in traces with fast, precise and accurate biological identification through miniaturised and easy to use systems. These advanced sensors are also characterised by lower detection limits, higher sensitivity values and high stability, and can further offer multi-detection possibilities. These exceptional features make nanobiosensors as the favourite tools in quality control, food safety, and traceability for their capacity of revealing and warning people against the presence of pathogens, toxins and pollutants, as well as bioterrorism agents. Despite the outstanding properties of these nanobiosensors, however, the efficiency of the biorecognition agent and the number of biorecognition sites available for interacting with target analytes can limit the sensitivity of this kind of sensors. The number of available biorecognition sites is directly related to the surface area of the sensor. Electrospinning technology can significantly increase the sensitivity of biosensors by replacing the typical planar interactive surface of conventional biosensors with a mat of electrospun nonwoven nanofibres, thereby taking advantage of the ultrahigh surface area offered by electrospun nanofibres. Moreover, adjusting the electrospinning process to produce hollow nanofibres can further increase the surface area of electrospun nanofibres. The immobilisation of bioreceptors into or onto electrospun nanofibres remarkably increases the number of recognition sites for biosensing, i.e. available for capturing the analytes through specific binding mechanisms. Furthermore, electrospinning technology can provide the deposition onto transducers of 3D frameworks of electrospun nanofibrous mat, with a tunable interconnected porosity, predictable pore geometries and sizes, and large global pore volumes. Such feature can supply further properties to the resulting nanobiosensor suitable for the detection of analytes in particular environments, where an efficient transport of the analytes through the membrane toward the electrode surface is required. Due to such an extreme versatility, electrospinning is expected to have several strategic advantages over other nanotechnologies as concerns nanobiosensing.
Troubleshooting Continent Catheterizable Channels

Most of the complications related to continent catheterizable channels can be resolved by minimally invasive interventions that can be performed by adult general urologists.Few patients need surgery to revise or replace the channel, and referral to a specialist trained in reconstructive urology would be appropriate in such instances.Conversion to an incontinent urinary diversion should only be considered as a last resort.
Philosophical Foundations of Nonlinear Complex Systems

The main problems of mankind have become global, complex, and nonlinear. Local changes in the ecological, economic or political system can cause a global crisis. Nonlinear interactions in complex networks have synergetic effects which can neither be traced back to single causes nor be forecast in the long run. Linear thinking and believing that the whole is only the sum of its parts has become dangerous. Individual responsibility for synergetic effects seems to be doubtful or at least questionable. Our ecological problems, for instance, are not caused by some bad individuals, but by the demand for welfare and economic growth of mankind. Thus we need new strategies to deal with nonlinear complex systems and to evaluate our actions ethically. Synergetics promises to deliver problem-solving procedures founded by the physical, chemical, and biological evolution of nature. In philosophy we have to analyze the conceptual foundations of this approach in order to estimate its interdisciplinary applications not only in the natural sciences but in the humanities, too. We begin with some methodological remarks on the principles of synergetics. Then the evolution of matter, life, human society, and the evolution of natural and artificial intelligence is discussed. Our philosophical aim are the ‘prolegomena’ of an epistemology and ethics mastering the problems of a nonlinear complex reality.
Hemorrhage rates and outcomes when using up to 100 mg intra-arterial t-PA for thrombolysis in acute ischemic stroke.

This work presents a unique single center experience with intra-arterial delivery of tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) doses as high as 100mg for thrombolysis. Hemorrhage volumes, hemorrhage rate...
Geographic variation in acoustic communication: reproductive character displacement and speciation

Background: Reproductive character displacement is a geographical pattern in which mateattracting signals, preferences or both differ more in areas of sympatry than in areas of allopatry. Questions: What selective forces drive reproductive character displacement? What are its consequences? Methods: Reproductive character displacement in mate-attracting signals and/or female preferences are described for pairs of closely related field crickets (Gryllus), periodical cicadas (Magicicada), chorus and treefrogs (Pseudacris and Hyla), and tinkerbirds (Pogoniulus). These examples were characterized by data from multiple populations and evidence regarding the efficacy of sympatric divergence in signals or preferences. Conclusions: Whereas selection resulted in changes that reduce the production of genetically or behaviourally unfit hybrids in field crickets, chorus frogs, and green and grey treefrogs, reproductive character displacement in periodical cicadas and tinkerbirds was most likely driven by masking interference or mistakes in the identification of territorial rivals. Reproductive character displacement may not only accentuate or preserve divergence that arises in allopatry but can result in cascades of speciation if assortative mating arises between displaced and non-displaced populations.
Pulmonary metastasis in a patient with simultaneous bladder cancer and relapsing granulomatosis with polyangiitis.

Patient: Male, 70 Final Diagnosis: Metastatic micropapillary urothelial carcinoma Symptoms: Dry cough • dyspnea • hematuria Medication: Cyclophosphamide Clinical Procedure: Pulmonary wedge resection Specialty: Pulmonology Objective: Unusual clinical course Background: Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) relapse can complicate the differential diagnosis of pulmonary lesions. Case Report: A 70-year-old male smoker with GPA and emphysema presented with dyspnea, dry cough, and a right upper lobe pulmonary ground-glass opacity that persisted despite antibiotics. A trans-bronchial biopsy did not reveal active vasculitis, malignancy, or infection. He was treated for presumed GPA relapse based on pulmonary manifestations, renal failure, and elevated PR3-ANCA. Later, hematuria led to the cystoscopic discovery of a bladder wall lesion, which was diagnosed as micropapillary urothelial carcinoma not involving the muscularis propria. The patient developed an increasing pulmonary infiltrate with a new solid component, satellite lesions, and regional lymphadenopathy. A right upper lobe wedge resection showed metastatic urothelial carcinoma. Conclusions: The simultaneous presentation of a pulmonary lesion and GPA relapse is a diagnostic challenge. The differential diagnosis should include the rare possibility of metastatic urothelial carcinoma, regardless of how the lesion appears radiographically.
Using geochemical data and aquifer simulation to characterize recharge and groundwater flow in the Middle Rio Grande Basin, New Mexico.

Chemical and isotopic data for groundwater from the Middle Rio Grande Basin, New Mexico, were used to (l) delineate hydrochemical zones and their source area to the basin, (2) evaluate paleo-recharge conditions, including recharge from the Rio Grande and mountain fronts, and (3) calibrate a basin-scale groundwater model. Twelve sources of recharge and one zone of groundwater discharge were identified and traced throughout the basin. Geochemical mass-balance calculations, accounting for mixing of surface-water and groundwater sources, evapotranspiration/dilution processes, and water-rock reaction, led to well-defined radiocarbon ages that range from modern to more than 30 ka B.P. in the Santa Fe Group aquifer system. Recharge rates determined from the groundwater model were appreciably lower than previous estimates based on a rainfall-runoff model, but in agreement with recharge estimates determined from a previous investigation using the chloride mass-balance method. The groundwater model reproduces key features of the groundwater-flow system, including a trough in the water-table surface in the central part ofthe basin, and accounts for the observation ofa substantial quantity of paleo Rio Grande water in the aquifer. Results from a 30,000year transient simulation suggest that recharge at the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) may have been ten times the modern rate, but that recharge following the LGM was about 60 percent of the modern rate. Over the past 30 ka, 62H of Rio Grande water was maximum in the present and at about 15 ka, and minimum at approximately 5 ka and 22 ka, before present. Seasonal shifts in the timing of peak discharge of the Rio Grande andlor changes in the amounts of low-altitude
Vitamin D and Innate and Adaptive Immunity

In the last 5 years there has been renewed interest in the health benefits of vitamin D. A central feature of this revival has been new information concerning the nonclassical effects of vitamin D. In particular, studies of the interaction between vitamin D and the immune system have highlighted the importance of localized conversion of precursor 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) to active 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)(2)D) as a mechanism for maintaining antibacterial activity in humans. The clinical relevance of this has been endorsed by increasing evidence of suboptimal 25OHD status in populations across the globe. Collectively these observations support the hypothesis that vitamin D insufficiency may lead to dysregulation of human immune responses and may therefore be an underlying cause of infectious disease and immune disorders. The current review describes the key mechanisms associated with vitamin D metabolism and signaling for both innate immune (antimicrobial activity and antigen presentation) and adaptive immune (T and B lymphocyte function) responses. These include coordinated actions of the vitamin D-activating enzyme, 1α-hydroxylase (CYP27B1), and the vitamin D receptor (VDR) in mediating intracrine and paracrine actions of vitamin D. Finally, the review will consider the role of immunomodulatory vitamin D in human health, with specific emphasis on infectious and autoimmune disease.
Design Automation for Microelectronics

Design automation or computer-aided design (CAD) for microelectronic circuits has emerged since the creation of integrated circuits (IC). It has played a crucial role to enable the rapid development of hardware and software systems in the past several decades. CAD techniques are the key driving forces behind the reduction of circuit design time and the optimization of circuit quality. Meanwhile, the exponential growth of circuit capacity driven by Mooreʼs law prompts new and critical challenges for CAD techniques. Mooreʼs law describes an important trend in the history of the semiconductor industry: that the number of transistors per unit chip area would be doubled approximately every 2 years. This observation was first made by Intel co-founder Gordon E. Moore in a paper in 1965. Mooreʼs law has held true for the past four decades, and many people believe that it will continue to apply for at least another decade before reaching the fundamental physical limits of device fabrication.
Backtrack-free and backtrack-bounded search

Conditions are identified under which bounds can be placed on the amount of backtracking required to solve constraint satisfaction search problems. These relate the structure of the problem to the structure of the search sequence. Particular attention is paid to tree-structured constraint satisfaction problems. Problem complexity is shown to have a bound exponential in the size of the largest biconnected component of the problem’s constraint graph.
Authoritarianism: A Comment

What is behind the current wave of anti-immigrant fervor? Racism? Nativism? National security concerns? A recent article by Camilo Ortiz posits that psychological authoritarianism explains the recent outbreak of vigilantism and harsh law better than any of these other motives. My essay agrees with Ortiz and shows how understanding anti-immigrant sentiment in these terms advances our understanding of it. Once one understands how the syndrome underlies much of the current reaction toward immigrants, particularly ones from south of the U.S. border, it becomes easier to frame measures to limit some of its excesses. I argue that Mr. Ortiz’s interpretation constitutes a significant advance in our understanding of social attitudes toward immigration and immigrants and can pave the way toward more sensible policies in this troubled area.
VLA Studies of Disks Around T Tauri Stars

Much activity is devoted to characterizing the properties of disks around young stars to extract information on the physics of mass accretion and of planet building. Early analysis of the spectral energy distributions of disks indicated outer radii of 10’s to 100’s of AU (Adams, Lada & Shu 1987) and masses sufficient to form Solar Systems like our own (Beckwith et al. 1990). Statistical studies suggest that disks dissipate on timescales of order 10 Myr (Strom et al. 1989), compatible with the standard view of giant planet formation by dust coagulation, planetesimal formation, and core accretion of nebular gas. But many issues remain in this empirical outline of disk evolution. Which disks provide fertile ground for planets? When does dust settle and how do grains grow? How is nebular gas lost? Can we see the signatures of planetary bodies forming within disks, for example tidal gaps and holes? While improved modeling of spatially unresolved observations continues to provide insight (e.g. Chiang et al. 2001), direct imaging of disks at many wavelengths is essential to address these questions.
Microbial Remediation of Metals in Soils

Of metal-contaminated systems, metal-contaminated soils present the greatest challenge to remediation efforts because of the structural, physical, chemical, and biological heterogeneities encountered in soils. One of the confounding issues surrounding metal remediation is that metals can be readily re-mobilized, requiring constant monitoring of metal toxicity in sites where metals are not removed. Excessive metal content in soils can impact air, surface water, and groundwater quality. However, our understanding of how metals affect organisms, from bacteria to plants and animals, and our ability to negate the toxicity of metals are in their infancies. The ubiquity of metal contamination in developing and industrialized areas of the world make remediation of soils via removal, containment, and/or detoxification of metals a primary concern. Recent examples of the health and environmental consequences of metal contamination include arsenic in drinking water (Wang and Wai 2004), mercury levels in fish (Jewett and Duffy 2007), and metal uptake by agricultural crops (Howe et al. 2005). The goal of this chapter is to summarize the traditional approaches and recent developments using microorganisms and microbial products to address metal toxicity and remediation.
Demonstration of the preclinical correlate of protection for Staphylococcus aureus clumping factor A in a murine model of infection

The Staphylococcus aureus virulence factor clumping factor A (ClfA) is a component of an investigational S. aureus prophylactic vaccine. ClfA enables S. aureus to bind to fibrinogen and platelets during the initial stages of invasive disease. Here we demonstrate that ectopic expression of ClfA is sufficient to render nonpathogenic Lactococcus lactis lethal in a murine model of systemic infection. In contrast, L. lactis expressing ClfAY338A, which cannot bind fibrinogen, did not cause death in the mice. Pathogenicity was also prevented by immunization with ClfA. This model was then used to define a preclinical correlate of protection by measuring functional antibody in a S. aureus fibrinogen binding inhibition assay (FBI) and correlating that titer with protective outcomes. Although many humans have pre-existing antibodies that bind to ClfA, only sera with a threshold functional titer in the FBI were protective in this preclinical model. This confirms that fibrinogen binding is critical for ClfA-mediated pathogenesis and demonstrates that functional antibodies against ClfA are sufficient to protect against ClfA-mediated pathogenesis in vivo, enabling the definition of a preclinical correlate of protection for ClfA-containing vaccines based on FBI titer.
Don Teo's Expulsion: Property Regimes, Moral Economies, and Ejido Reform

Este articulo analiza un caso de expulsion ejidal en Yucatan, Mexico, que demuestra como la propiedad se convierte en un mecanismo de regulacion social. La comunidad Maya expulso a un ejidatario por no cumplir con sus faenas y no mantener su responsabilidad moral hacia su comunidad etnica. En la transicion del sistema de tierra comunal hacia la privatizacion, las ideologias morales que sostienen regimenes de propiedad son tan importantes como las maneras en la que los derechos individuales y colectivos son imaginados y practicados. Este analisis ofrece una critica de las politicas neoliberales, tal y como la reforma constitucional de la ley agraria de 1992, que intentan imponer un modelo occidental caracterizado por ingresos maximos y responsabilidad individual. Ademas, aporta una explicacion alternativa a favor de la perseverancia de los ejidos ante la reforma constitucional.
The Dilated Coronary Sinus: Utility of Coronary Sinus Cross‐Sectional Area and Eccentricity Index in Differentiating Right Atrial Pressure Overload from Persistent Left Superior Vena Cava

Background: Pulmonary hypertension and right atrial pressure overload (RAPO) cause dilation of the coronary sinus (CS). Persistent connection of the left superior vena cava (LSVC) to the CS is another cause of CS dilation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of coronary sinus cross-sectional area (CSA) and eccentricity index (EI) in differentiating persistent LSVC from right heart overload and RAPO in patients with dilated CS. Methods: We identified 15 patients with a dilated CS by echocardiography. Offline analysis was used to measure CS-CSA and CS-EI at end-diastole in the parasternal long axis plane. EI was defined as B/A, where A is the widest diameter and major axis of the CS, and B is the diameter of the minor axis (perpendicular to and bisecting A at its midpoint). Persistent LSVC was confirmed by either computed tomography or injection of agitated saline in the left antecubital vein. Results: CS-CSA was significantly larger in PLSVC group than in group with RAPO. Also, CS-EI was lower in PLSVC than in RAPO group (P = 0.0003). EI was the most sensitive and specific discriminator between patients with persistent LSVC vs. RAPO. CS-EI was 0.8 in all RAPO patients (sensitivity and specificity = 100%). Conclusion: Patients with persistent LSVC have a significantly higher CS-CSA than those with elevated RA pressure. When dilated CS is present, a CS-EI <0.8 is 100% sensitive and specific for persistent LSVC. Thus, the CS-EI can be used in cases of dilated CS to diagnose the presence of persistent LSVC with a very high degree of certainty, and can help differentiate this congenital anomaly from RAPO. (Echocardiography 2011;28:829-832)
Field Trapping with Attractants: Methods and Interpretation

Numerous insects communicate with pheromones that induce attraction or directed movement toward the pheromone source. Documentation of orientation to such chemicals and their use to monitor insect pests typically require development of traps and a trapping protocol. Field trapping also has served as the bioassay in the characterization and identification of many pheromones. Among the attributes sought in a trapping system are low cost, sensitivity to and specificity for the target species and user convenience.
Limited Contribution of Mucosal IgA to Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV)-Specific Neutralizing Antibody Response and Virus Envelope Evolution in Breast Milk of SIV-Infected, Lactating Rhesus Monkeys

Breast milk transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) remains an important mode of infant HIV acquisition. Interestingly, the majority of infants remain uninfected during prolonged virus exposure via breastfeeding, raising the possibility that immune components in milk prevent mucosal virus transmission. HIV-specific antibody responses are detectable in the milk of HIV-infected women and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-infected monkeys; however, the role of these humoral responses in virus neutralization and local virus quasispecies evolution has not been characterized. In this study, four lactating rhesus monkeys were inoculated with SIVmac251 and monitored for SIV envelope-specific humoral responses and virus evolution in milk and plasma throughout infection. While the kinetics and breadth of the SIV-specific IgG and IgA responses in milk were similar to those in plasma, the magnitude of the milk responses was considerably lower than that of the plasma responses. Furthermore, a neutralizing antibody response against the inoculation virus was not detected in milk samples at 1 year after infection, despite a measurable autologous neutralizing antibody response in plasma samples obtained from three of four monkeys. Interestingly, while IgA is the predominant immunoglobulin in milk, the milk SIV envelope-specific IgA response was lower in magnitude and demonstrated more limited neutralizing capacity against a T-cell line-adapted SIV compared to those of the milk IgG response. Finally, amino acid mutations in the envelope gene product of SIV variants in milk and plasma samples occurred in similar numbers and at similar positions, indicating that the humoral immune pressure in milk does not drive distinct virus evolution in the breast milk compartment.
Solutions for discharge chamber sputtering and anode deposit spalling in small mercury ion thrusters

Proposed solutions to the problems of sputter erosion and sputtered material spalling in the discharge chamber of small mercury ion thrusters are presented. The accelerated life test evaluated three such proposed solutions: (1) the use of tantalum as a single low sputter yield material for the exposed surfaces of the discharge chamber components subject to sputtering, (2) the use of a severely roughened anode surface to improve the adhesion of the sputter-deposited coating, and (3) the use of a wire cloth anode surface in order to limit the size of any coating flakes which might spall from it. Because of the promising results obtained in the accelerated life test with anode surfaces roughened by grit-blasting, experiments were carried out to optimize the grit-blasting procedure. The experimental results and an optimal grit-blasting procedure are presented.
The ictal bradycardia syndrome: localization and lateralization.

Summary: Purpose: Previous studies have established the importance of the insular cortex and temporal lobe in cardiovascular autonomic modulation. Some investigators, based on the results of cortical stimulation response, functional imaging, EEG recordings of seizures, and lesional studies, have suggested that cardiac sympathetic and parasympathetic function may be lateralized, with sympathetic representation lateralized to the right insula, and parasympathetic, to the left. These studies have suggested that ictal bradycardia is most commonly a manifestation of activation of the left temporal and insular cortex. However, the evidence for this is inconsistent. We sought to assess critically the predictable value of ictal bradycardia for seizure localization and lateralization. Methods: In this study, we reviewed the localization of seizure activity in 13 consecutive patients with ictal bradycardia diagnosed during prolonged video-EEG monitoring at Mayo Clinic Rochester. The localization of electrographic seizure activity at seizure onset and bradycardia onset was identified in all patients. In addition, we performed a comprehensive review of the ictal bradycardia literature focusing on localization of seizure activity in ictal bradycardia cases. Results: All occurrences of ictal bradycardia in the 13 identified patients were associated with temporal lobe‐onset seizures. However, no consistent lateralization of seizure activity was found at onset of seizure activity or at onset of bradycardia in this population. Seizure activity was bilateral at bradycardia onset in nine of 13 patients. The results from the literature review also showed that a predominance of patients had bilateral activity at bradycardia onset; however, more of the ictal bradycardia cases from the literature had left hemispheric localization of seizure onset. Conclusions: Ictal bradycardia most often occurs in association with bilateral hemispheric seizure activity and is not a consistent lateralizing sign in localizing seizure onset. Our data do not support the existence of a strictly unilateral parasympathetic cardiomotor representation in the left hemisphere, as has been suggested. Key Words: Partial seizures—Bradycardia— SUDEP—Epilepsy—EEG monitoring.
A study on continuous follow-the-leader (FTL) gaits: an effective walking algorithm over rough terrain.

Abstract The follow-the-leader (FTL) gait is an effective walking algorithm for a legged system to traverse a rough terrain. In an FTL gait, all the legs simply place at the footprints made by the legs ahead of them. By this way the demand of foothold selection is significantly reduced. A special category of FTL gaits, called continuous FTL gaits, provide a smooth body motion during walking and enable the legged system to reach a higher speed. In this paper, a comprehensive study of continuous FTL gaits is presented. The equations for two types of continuous FTL gaits are formulated. The stability of these continuous FTL gaits is studied analytically and verified numerically. Strategies of forbidden area avoidance and special methods of large foot adjustment are introduced. The motion resulting from the use of these strategies and methods is simulated and checked using computer graphics.
Complete dynamic modeling, control and optimization for an over-actuated MAV

This paper presents an original configuration of a micro aerial vehicle (MAV), the Omnicopter. Two central counter-rotating coaxial propellers provide a major part of lift force, and three perimeter-mounted tiltable ducted fans are used to supplement the lift force, provide lateral forces and adjust its attitude. Different from traditional underactuated MAVs, the presence of the tilt-rotor mechanism, composed of three ducted fans and three servo motors, on the Omnicopter makes it over-actuated. The characteristic of over-actuation enables the Omnicopter's position dynamics to be decoupled from its attitude dynamics. Based on a complete description of its dynamic model derived using the Newton-Euler motion equations, we propose attitude and position controllers and control allocation for the Omnicopter MAV. Simulation and experimental results are shown to demonstrate its performance.
Alternative stable states in host–phage dynamics

Bacteriophage are ubiquitous in nature, yet many central aspects of host–phage biology have not been integrated into mathematical models. We propose a novel model of host–phage population dynamics that accounts for the decreased ability of phages to lyse hosts as hosts approach their carrying capacity. In contrast to existing predator–prey-like models, we find a parameter regime in which phages cannot invade a host-only system but, nonetheless, can stably coexist with hosts at lower densities. The finding of alternative stable states suggests clear linkages with observed life history strategies of phages. In addition, we solve a limiting case of the proposed model and show that conservative predator-prey like systems do not inevitably exhibit population cycles. Finally, we discuss possible extensions of the present model and scenarios for experimental testing.
‘This is a message for …’: Third graders’ use of written text functions to facilitate interpersonal relationships:

This article describes the ways in which a class of 7- and 8-year-old children used writing to communicate. Using Halliday's Systemic Functional Linguistics as a theoretical frame, I examine what functions these messages served, how functions varied from child to child and how the practice of message-sending evolved over time. Analysis of data revealed that: (a) children employed all of the functions enumerated by Halliday and (b) children varied significantly in the types of functions that characterized their texts. I argue that the learning environment created by the teacher – one of trust and student choice – served to nourish the message-sending practice.
Within-session patterns of responding with changes in the variability and probability of food delivery

The present study was an attempt to determine the factors to which subjects sensitize and/or habituate within experimental sessions. Rats pressed a lever and pigeons pecked a key for food reinforcers delivered during a 60 min session. In experiment 1, subjects initially responded on a simple variable-interval 30 s schedule that consisted of 25 intervals. In subsequent conditions, the number of intervals in the series was decreased until subjects responded on a simple fixed-interval 30 s schedule. In experiment 2, subjects always responded on a variable-interval 15 s schedule that resulted in a stimulus change. The probability that a food reinforcer would accompany the stimulus change varied across conditions. Results showed that within-session patterns of responding did not change for either species with changes in the temporal pattern of reinforcer delivery (experiment 1). The within-session response patterns generally became flatter with decreases in the probability of food delivery for both species (experiment 2). The present results indicate that subjects are sensitizing and/or habituating to the reinforcer itself and/or to some aspect of its delivery. They also help to highlight the strength of sensitization-habituation as an explanation for within-session changes in responding.
Enhancement of nitrogen removal in subsurface flow constructed wetlands employing a 2-stage configuration, an unsaturated zone, and recirculation

Constructed wetland technology is currently evolving into an acceptable, economically competitive alternative for many wastewater treatment applications. Although showing great promise for removing carbonaceous materials from wastewater, wetland systems have not been as successful at nitrification. This is primarily due to oxygen limitations. Nitrification does occur in conventional wetland treatment systems, but typically requires long hydraulic retention times. This paper describes a study that first evaluated the capability of subsurface flow constructed wetlands to treat a high strength seafood processor wastewater and then evaluated passive aeration configurations and effluent recirculation with respect to nitrogen treatment efficiency. The first stage of a 2-stage wetland treatment system exhibited a relatively short hydraulic retention time and was designed for BOD removal only. The second stage wetland employed an unsaturated inlet zone and effluent recirculation to enhance nitrification. Results indicate that organic loading, and thus BOD removal, in the first stage wetland is key to optimal nitrification. Passive aeration through an unsaturated inlet zone and recirculation achieved up to 65-70 per cent ammonia nitrogen removal at hydraulic retention times of about 3.5 days. Inlet zone configuration and effluent recirculation is shown to enhance the nitrogen removal capability of constructed wetland treatment systems.
Conformal and embedded IDT microsensors for health monitoring of structures

MEMS are currently being applied to the structural health monitoring of critical aircraft components and composites. The approach integrates acoustic emission, strain gauges, MEMS accelerometers and vibration monitoring aircraft components with a known history of catastrophic failure due to fracture. Recently a combination of the need for safety in the air and the desire to control costs is encouraging the use of in-flight monitoring of aircraft components and systems using light-weight, wireless and cost effective microsensors and MEMS. An in-situ aircraft structural health monitoring system, with sensors embedded in the composite structure or surface-mounted on the structure, would permit the timely detection of damage in aircraft. Micromachining offers the potential for fabricating a range of microsensor and MEMS for structural applications including load, vibration and acoustics characterization and monitoring. Such microsensors are extremely small; they can be embedded into structural materials, can be mass-produced and are therefore potentially cheap. The smart sensors are being developed using the standard microelectronics and micromachining in conjunction with novel Penn State wireless communication systems suitable for condition monitoring of aircraft structures in-flight. The main application areas of this investigation include continuos monitoring of a) structural integrity of aging aircraft, b) fatigue cracking, c) corrosion, d) deflection and strain of aircraft structures, wings, and rotorblades, e) impact damage, f) delamination and g) location and propagation of cracks. In this paper we give an overview of wireless programmable microsensors and MEMS and their associated driving electronics for such applications.© (2000) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Theory of thermal conductivity in extended-s state superconductors: Application to ferropnictides

Within a two-band model for the recently discovered ferropnictide materials, we calculate the thermal conductivity assuming general superconducting states of ${A}_{1g}$ (``$s$-wave'') symmetry, considering both currently popular isotropic ``sign-changing'' $s$ states and states with strong anisotropy, including those which manifest nodes or deep minima of the order parameter. We consider both intraband and interband disorder scattering effects, and show that in situations where a low-temperature linear-$T$ term exists in the thermal conductivity, it is not always ``universal'' as in $d$-wave superconductors. We discuss the conditions under which such a term can disappear, as well as how it can be induced by a magnetic field. We compare our results to several recent experiments.
The terminal phosphate in d(pGpG) reduces self-association.

Abstract An investigation of the self-association behavior of 2′-deoxy[5′-phosphate-guanylyl-(3′-5′)-guanosine] (d(pGpG)) in the presence of Na+ and K+ ions has been carried out by 1H and 31PNMR and FTIR spectroscopy. A comparison has been made of the self-association behavior of d(pGpG) with that of the related dinucleotide d(GpG), which has been shown to form extended structures based on stacked G-tetrads. Chemically, d(pGpG) monomer differs from d(GpG) only by the addition of a phosphate at the 5′-OH of the sugar residue. It was found that the addition of the second phosphate interferes with self-association. A suitable counterion is all that is required by d(GpG) to induce the formation of large super structures, but for d(pGpG) a large excess of salt is needed to produce the same effect. However, once self-association occurs, d(pGpG) forms similar structures to d(GpG) and has nearly the same properties. For both compounds, the K+ ion induces a more stable structure than the Na+ ion. The 31P NMR chemi...