cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nanoparticles as oral vaccine delivery systems

August 20-22, 2012 W at the Nanotechnology Laboratory at Mercer University, Atlanta, have developed a platform technology using nanoparticles and microparticles to deliver vaccines by the oral route of administration. This formulation technology enables us to prepare the vaccine particles containing vaccine antigens, without loss of their biological activity during the formulation process. We can also encapsulate multiple antigens, targeting ligands and adjuvants within in the same particle. Using our novel method, the vaccine prepared exists in a dry and stable form. When administered orally, these particles are designed to withstand the acidic environment of the stomach and are targeted to the Peyer’s patches and the gut associated mucosal immune system. Since these vaccines are particulate in nature, they are readily taken up by phagocytic antigen presenting cells (APC’s), such as M cells, dendritic cells and macrophages in the Peyer’s patches of the intestines, resulting in a strong immune response and antibody production. Of particular interest in this formulation is the fact that the particles release the antigen in a slow and sustained manner over a prolonged time period, intracellularly into APC’s, resulting in strong mucosal and systemic immunity after oral administration, without the need for added adjuvants that are typically present in current vaccine preparations. Since no needles are required, for oral vaccines, this method of vaccine delivery is inexpensive and suitable for mass vaccination in the developing world as well as for the developed world. Preliminary studies conducted in our laboratory with infectious disease vaccines such as TB, typhoid, influenza, pneumonia, meningitis and hepatitis B vaccine antigens suggest that this delivery system is highly suitable for antigens to be used for protective immunity. This method of vaccine delivery enables us to address a wide spectrum of vaccines for prophylactic and therapeutic use. Recently, we have been evaluating oral vaccines for cancer such as HPV, melanoma, ovarian, breast and prostate with encouraging results.
Gene expression profiles of pre-neoplastic lesions and hepatocellular carcinoma in hepatitis C virus -cirrhotic patients

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 46, 2005 3550 Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer in the world and a leading cause of death in patients with cirrhosis. Different etiologies of HCC may explain the complexity of the pathogenesis. In our study, we evaluate the gene expression profiles of hepatocarcinogenesis only in Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) -related HCC and exclude patients with previous treatment. Nine different histological stages are assessed, including normal liver tissue, cirrhotic liver tissue (from patients without HCC and with HCC), dysplastic nodules (low- and high-grade) and four stages of HCC (from very early HCC to metastatic tumors with gross vascular invasion). For each group we collected samples from ten different patients, the analysis of which will be invaluable for the understanding of the pathways involved in the initiation, progression and dissemination of HCC. To examine the gene expression profiles, we utilize the human GeneChip whole genome array (U133 Plus 2.0 from Affymetrix), which contains approximately 39,000 well-substantiated genes. A first analysis of over 50 hybridizations from samples of all stages included a hierarchical clustering, which groups hybridizations together according to their expression pattern. Most of the hybridizations clustered in line with the classification based on the tissue morphology. Four groups representing successive stages of hepatocarcinogenesis were chosen for a multiclass test (ANOVA) using the very stringent Bonferroni P-value correction. 194 genes were found to differentiate significantly between those four groups (pre-cancer, very early HCC, advanced HCC and very advanced HCC). The differential expression of these genes becomes more pronounced as the disease proceeds, either in their up-regulation (154 genes) as well as in their down-regulation (40genes). Interestingly, over one third of the up-regulated genes have been shown to be involved in carcinogenesis and their proteins have functions in cell-cycle regulation (e.g. cyclinB2, CDC2, CDK4), DNA repair (e.g. BRAP, FEN1, RAD51), DNA replication/mitosis (e.g. CDT1, TOP2A), protein degradation, cell proliferation, metastasis or are known to be expressed in tumors (HMMR, PTTG1). Likewise, over one third of the down-regulated gene products are involved in normal liver function (e.g. GYS2, AFM) or are housekeeping genes (e.g. AADAC, DAO). Confirmatory studies by RT-PCR are done in parallel. Our preliminary results reveal genes involved in the overall progression of HCC associated with HCV infection. Further analysis will lead to a complete expression profile of HCC and the identification of biomarkers for each stage of the disease. The incorporation of our results into a classification scheme can be used for separating patients into groups with homogeneous prognosis and response to treatment.
Association of Red Blood Cell Distribution Width (RDW) with Laboratory Parameters in Anemic Adults.

Abstract 5083 RDW, a quantitative measure of anisocytosis, has been utilized for many years in the differential diagnosis of anemia. More recently, studies have reported that RDW varies with renal function and markers of inflammation, and that RDW is a predictor of mortality (Scand. J. Clin. Lab. Invest. 2009; 68:745-8; Arch. Pathol. Lab. Med. 2009; 133:628-32; Arch. Intern. Med. 2009; 169:588-94). However, these reports were based on studies of large populations of unselected outpatients, many of whom were hematologically normal. Utilizing a de-identified database of 32 anemic adult inpatients (17 male/15 female, 27 Caucasian) who had undergone diagnostic bone marrow examination as part of an earlier study (J. Clin. Lab. Haematol. 1999; 21:161-7), associations between RDW and clinical laboratory parameters in a more restricted patient subset were examined. RDW values for 26/32 patients were in the highest quintile observed in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (RDW > 13.8%). Significant differences between patients in the highest quintile and other patients were observed for hemoglobin concentration (9.9 g/dL vs. 11.6 g/dL, p = 0.01), serum soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) (30.3 nM vs. 16.7 nM, p = 0.02), and serum interleukin (IL)-1 (1.6 pg/mL vs. 0.3 pg/mL, p =0.03). No other significant differences were observed in other automated hematologic markers, in biochemical indicators of iron status, renal function, or inflammation, or in marrow aspirate iron score. When the correlation between RDW and the other parameters studied was evaluated, the only statistically significant correlations found were with C-reactive protein (CRP) (r = -0.49, p = 0.009) and sTfR (r = 0.53, p = 0.002). The significance of the correlation between sTfR and RDW was independent of other indicators of iron status, CRP, and serum IL-1. In contrast, the significance of the correlation between CRP and RDW was dependent on variation in sTfR and serum ferritin concentrations. In this group of patients with who generally had either high-normal or high RDW values, CRP and RDW were inversely correlated. In summary, associations between RDW and other laboratory or clinical parameters observed in unselected patient populations may not be applicable to complex anemic inpatients. The association between sTfR concentration and RDW appears to be independent of the relationship between sTfR concentration and patient iron status. Disclosures Means: Beckman Coulter, Inc.: Consultancy, Honoraria.
From platform jumping to self-censorship: internet freedom, social media, and circumvention practices in Zambia

ABSTRACTThis article describes the complex media environment of urban Zambia based on qualitative interviews with 42 active ICT and social media users in Lusaka. After a contextual discussion of media censorship and Internet freedom, the article draws upon interview data to delineate four circumvention practices: (1) platform jumping; (2) anonymity; (3) self-censorship; and (4) negotiation of legal challenges. Rather than approach circumvention as a set of techniques disseminated from the information capitals of the world to those in the “global south,” this study approaches it as a set of cultural practices that emerges within particular sociohistorical conditions and platforms of communication.
Using the Modified Magee Equation to Identify Patients Unlikely to Benefit From the 21-Gene Recurrence Score Assay (Oncotype DX Assay).

Objectives This study aimed to compare a modified Magee equation with Oncotype DX (Genomic Health, Redwood City, CA) recurrence score (RS) and identify patients who are unlikely to benefit from Oncotype DX. Methods Magee equation RS was calculated in 438 cases and correlated with Oncotype DX RS. Results The Pearson correlation coefficient ( r ) for the Magee equation and Oncotype DX RS was 0.6645 ( P < .00001), and the overall agreement was 66.4%. All cases (11.6%) with a Magee equation RS greater than 30 or 11 or less had been correctly predicted to have either high Oncotype DX RS or low Oncotype DX RS, respectively. Conclusions The modified Magee equation is able to identify up to 12% patients who are unlikely to benefit from Oncotype DX testing. Using the modified Magee equation RS on these patients would be an alternative to Oncotype DX, leading to cost savings.
Dysplasia and Cancer in Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Inflammatory bowel disease is associated with an increased risk of dysplasia and cancer. Improvements in medical management and endoscopic surveillance have reduced these risks. Patients can develop cancer even in the absence of dysplasia or with indefinite or low-grade dysplasia. Most guidelines recommend starting surveillance colonoscopy 6 to 10 years after initial diagnosis with interval surveillance afterward every 1 to 5 years depending on risk and/or individual characteristics. Most patients should undergo total proctocolectomy with end ileostomy or reconstruction with ileal pouch anal anastomosis because segmental and subtotal resections carry a higher risk of metachronous cancers.
Matewan Before the Massacre: "POLITICS, COAL AND THE ROOTS OF CONFLICT IN A WEST VIRGINIA MINING COMMUNITY"

By sunset on May 19, 1920, ten men lay dead in the coal mining town of Matewan, West Virginia, the result of a gun battle between striking coal miners and Baldwin Felts detectives hired by the Ston...
Abstract TP115: Carotid Endarterectomy in Young and Middle Aged Patients

Introduction: The increasing prevalence and earlier onset of risk factors has resulted in an expanding population of younger patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA) in recent times. Outcomes after CEA are largely unreported in these patients. In this study, we evaluate 30-day postoperative outcomes after CEA in an exclusive cohort of young and middle aged patients. Methods: We studied all patients aged 64 years and younger, who underwent CEA in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) from January 2005 to December, 2013. Univariate methods (Chi Square, ttest) were employed to compare patients’ characteristics. Multivariate regression adjusting for patient characteristics was used to identify predictors of adverse outcomes. Results: There were 15830 CEA’s performed in this cohort with a mean age of 58 (S.D:5.1) years. The majority of patients were male (59%), Caucasian (85%) and hypertensive (81%). Nearly half (46%) were symptomatic. Overall, 266 (1.7%) patients suffered stroke in the 30 day post-operative period, while mortality and myocardial infarction rates were 0.6% and 0.4% respectively. The significant predictors of stroke or death were female gender (OR: 1.49; 95%CI: 1.15-1.92; p=0.002), symptomatic status (OR: 1.69; 95%CI: 1.30-2.21; p Conclusions: Absolute stroke and mortality rates after CEA in young and middle aged patients are not different from those reported in the general population. Stroke and mortality are significantly higher in symptomatic, physically dependent patients and those with prior cardiac intervention. We recommend extra vigilance in the management of these patients in order to improve CEA outcomes.
Speech and Language Consequences of Unilateral Hearing Loss: A Systematic Review:

Objective Unilateral hearing loss has been shown to have negative consequences for speech and language development in children. The objective of this study was to systematically review the current literature to quantify the impact of unilateral hearing loss on children, with the use of objective measures of speech and language. Data Sources PubMed, EMBASE, Medline, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library were searched from inception to March 2015. Manual searches of references were also completed. Review Methods All studies that described speech and language outcomes for children with unilateral hearing loss were included. Outcome measures included results from any test of speech and language that evaluated or had age-standardized norms. Due to heterogeneity of the data, quantitative analysis could not be completed. Qualitative analysis was performed on the included studies. Two independent evaluators reviewed each abstract and article. Results A total of 429 studies were identified; 13 met inclusion criteria and were reviewed. Overall, 7 studies showed poorer scores on various speech and language tests, with effects more pronounced for children with severe to profound hearing loss. Four studies did not demonstrate any difference in testing results between patients with unilateral hearing loss and those with normal hearing. Two studies that evaluated effects on speech and language longitudinally showed initial speech problems, with improvement in scores over time. Conclusions There are inconsistent data regarding effects of unilateral hearing loss on speech and language outcomes for children. The majority of recent studies suggest poorer speech and language testing results, especially for patients with severe to profound unilateral hearing loss.
A Community-Partnered Approach to Inform a Culturally Relevant Health Promotion Intervention for Stroke

Background. The purpose of this study was to generate information from multiethnic, high-risk communities to inform the creation of culturally relevant health promotion intervention for increasing ...
LOW FLOW, LOW GRADIENT SEVERE MITRAL STENOSIS: HEMODYNAMICS, CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND OUTCOMES

In aortic stenosis, it is well accepted that severe valvular stenosis can coexist with low stroke volume and low transvalvular gradient in the setting of factors such as left ventricular dysfunction or increased arterial elastance. This concept has not been established in patients with severe mitral
Instrumented Impact Testing of Miniaturized Charpy Specimens of AM Ti-6Al-4V

An investigation on the impact toughness properties of wrought and additively manufactured (AM) Ti-6Al-4V was conducted at National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) Boulder by means of instrumented impact tests on miniaturized Charpy specimens. Full transition curves for absorbed energy and lateral expansion were obtained by performing tests in the temperature range between −196°C and 700°C. The effect of various parameters was investigated for AM specimens, namely specimen orientation, hot isostatic pressing (HIPing), and notch configuration (printed or machined). Our results indicate that AM specimens exhibit equivalent or better impact toughness than wrought material after HIPing and that the material is more resistant to cracks growing in the plane perpendicular to the build direction than in the plane containing the build direction. HIPing has a significantly beneficial effect for the AM material, while no effect of notch configuration was observed from the results obtained.
Response of an embedded distributed optical fiber sensor to directed energy and applied strain

In this research, distributed sensing based on Rayleigh scattering is used to measure temperature and strain in a composite panel during a high energy laser strike. The ultimate goal is to rapidly detect a laser strike by sensing the localized, rapid temperature rise caused when directed energy is incident on the surface of a composite structure. A secondary goal is to determine if the thermal response can be detected even in the presence of applied strain. Initial results will be discussed for composite structures comprised of carbon fiber/epoxy of various thicknesses using embedded distributed optical fiber sensors (DOFS) to rapidly detect temperature changes greater than 1000° on the surface or between plies of the composite. Measurements of the temporal and spatial response are taken at rates greater than 20Hz with sub-millimeter resolution. An infrared camera is used to validate the temperature measurements obtained using DOFS. In addition, since DOFS respond to strain as well as to temperature, any strain in the composite as a result of mechanical loading is coupled into the embedded fiber and is also detected by the sensor. Initial measurements are taken to demonstrate the simultaneous response to both temperature and strain and to characterize the typical strain that results. A DOFS-based sensing architecture can then be designed to mitigate the mechanical response of the sensor, allowing for isolation and rapid detection of the thermal response when high energy radiation is incident on the composite surface.
Collaboration Across Worldviews: Managers and Scientists on Hawaiʻi Island Utilize Knowledge Coproduction to Facilitate Climate Change Adaptation

Complex socio-ecological issues, such as climate change have historically been addressed through technical problem solving methods. Yet today, climate science approaches are increasingly accounting for the roles of diverse social perceptions, experiences, cultural norms, and worldviews. In support of this shift, we developed a research program on Hawaiʻi Island that utilizes knowledge coproduction to integrate the diverse worldviews of natural and cultural resource managers, policy professionals, and researchers within actionable science products. Through their work, local field managers regularly experience discrete land and waterscapes. Additionally, in highly interconnected rural communities, such as Hawaiʻi Island, managers often participate in the social norms and values of communities that utilize these ecosystems. Such local manager networks offer powerful frameworks within which to co-develop and implement actionable science. We interviewed a diverse set of local managers with the aim of incorporating their perspectives into the development of a collaborative climate change research agenda that builds upon existing professional networks utilized by managers and scientists while developing new research products. We report our manager needs assessment, the development process of our climate change program, our interactive forums, and our ongoing research products. Our needs assessment showed that the managers’ primary source of information were other professional colleagues, and our in-person forums informed us that local managers are very interested in interacting with a wider range of networks to build upon their management capacities. Our initial programmatic progress suggests that co-created research products and in-person forums strengthen the capacities of local managers to adapt to change.
Platelet Activating Factor and Platelets

Among agents which activate platelets PAF is unique since it is the only phospholipid known to date which stimulates platelets at nanomolar range. The first indications of such a mediator dates back to 1966 when it was observed that a mixture of rabbit platelets and stimulated leukocytes released histamine on specific antigen challenge (Barbaro and Zvaifler, 1966). In 1971 it was observed that a A fluid phase mediator was released from leukocytes of Ig E sensitized rabbits. This mediator activated platelets releasing vasoactive amines (Henson, 1970). Subsequently, two groups independently confirmed these observations (Sirganian and Osler, 1971; Benveniste et. al. 1972) and the soluble factor was named ‘platelet activating factor, PAF (Benveniste et. al. 1972). These initial observations led to research on chemical identification of PAF. In 1979 three groups of investigators independently contributed towards the structural identification of PAF (Demopoulos et. al. 1979; Benveniste et. al., 1979; Blank et. al. 1979).
Some Neurochemical Aspects of Convulsions

This chapter deals with recent work relevant to the neurochemical basis of convulsive activity of the central nervous system. It has been written chiefly from the viewpoint of neurochemistry, a viewpoint which considers such activity as representative of or associated with certain critical chemical changes in neurons. While it is recognized that the question of cause and effect with regard to these neurochemical changes and the hyperactivity of neurons in convulsion is important and perhaps even crucial, this brief review is directed rather toward the question of the role of certain endogenous amines and amino acids in the neurochemical mechanisms which underlie convulsive neuronal activity. Certain neurophysiological studies have been included because they are relevant to an adequate understanding of these neurochemical mechanisms.
Computational Geometry Column 68

This column is devoted to geometric clustering and covering problems in Rd. As exact solutions for these problems are usually out of reach (unless d = 1), one is forced to deal with approximations. Here we mostly consider online algorithms, as the online setting introduces additional difficulty due to uncertainty about the future. One representative problem is the following (so-called Unit Covering): given a set of n points in Rd, cover the points by balls of unit diameter, so as to minimize the number of balls used.
Evaluating Voice Skills by Design Guidelines Using an Automatic Voice Crawler.

Currently, adaptive voice applications supported by voice assistants (VA) are very popular (i.e., Alexa skills and Google Home Actions). Under this circumstance, how to design and evaluate these voice interactions well is very important. In our study, we developed a voice crawler to collect responses from 100 most popular Alexa skills under 10 different categories and evaluated these responses to find out how they comply with 8 selected design guidelines published by Amazon. Our findings show that basic commands support are the most followed ones while those related to personalised interaction are relatively less. There also exists variation in design guidelines compliance across different skill categories. Based on our findings and real skill examples, we offer suggestions for new guidelines to complement the existing ones and propose agendas for future HCI research to improve voice applications' user experiences.
Dihydroxylation and oxidative cleavage of olefins in the presence of sulfur

Abstract The dihydroxylation of olefins using AD-mix or OsO 4 K 3 Fe(CN) 6 in the presence of sulfides has been examined as has the rate of oxidation of various classes of sulfides. The selectivity of olefin oxidation in preference to sulfur oxidation depends on the nature of the sulfur moiety, and can be problematic for certain classes of substrates.
Entrepreneurial to Impactful Management: Income Inequality in Education:

When school districts move more administrators down to school campuses, do they get better at reducing the income-based achievement gap? Data from Texas public school districts between 1994 and 201...
Visual attention to wayfinding aids in virtual environments

In an empirical evaluation, we examined participants' visual attention allocation to a dynamic wayfinding map in a complex simulation meant to educate medical practitioners in a hand hygiene protocol. Complex virtual environments (VEs) are novel types of virtual worlds that embody large spaces, interactive virtual humans, static and dynamic virtual entities, and intricate tasks that simulate real-world settings. Previous investigations of wayfinding aids have focused on the evaluation of spatial orientation, knowledge acquisition, and usage. We employed an eye tracker and created visualization tools to quantitatively and qualitatively analyze participants' visual attention to the wayfinding aid in our simulation. Results suggest that the proportion of time of gaze, total gaze count, and gaze transitions between various elements of the VE are altered with the use of the wayfinding aid. Participants also tend to employ innovative visual strategies in order to efficiently plan routes and accomplish tasks in the VE.
Negotiating Dissonant Identities as a Teacher of Science During Student Teaching

Research on teacher identity has suggested that being able to envision oneself as a teacher of science is an important part of becoming a teacher of science. Identity is a multifaceted construct an...
Sport, meritocracy, and praise

Meritocracy, in which success depends on ability and effort, is a desirable goal for sport, even if sport does not achieve this goal perfectly. However, even in a meritocracy whether athletes deser...
Value of Simple Menus with Price and Delay Sensitive Customers

We consider a service firm that caters to price and delay sensitive customers by offering a menu of service grades. Each service grade is associated with posted price and delay. Noting that an optimal menu size could be quite large when there are many classes, we study whether the firm can offer a simplified menu with a few service grades without significant revenue loss. There is a well developed stream of work that studies optimal menu design for price and delay sensitive customers. Most results show that the number of grades equal the number of classes. However, in practice, we observe a handful number of grades. This raises the question of how much is the optimality gap when firm employs a simple menu relative to the optimal one. Our analysis utilizes a large system approximations where we assume that the firm has ample capacity to serve the entire market. We set up an optimization model and make use of Taylor series and asymptotic arguments to obtain the solution. We show that, under a simplified menu, the firm could lose a significant fraction of its revenue in the worst case scenario. This happens when there is significant heterogeneity between the customer classes. In contrast, noting that customer heterogeneity may typically be less extreme, we show that the firm can in fact provide a simplified menu while providing a guarantee on worst case revenue that can be obtained as a fraction of the optimal. We characterize the worst case optimal menu and provide asymptotic bounds to the worst case revenue loss as the number of customer types grow without bound. Characterization of the firm's worst case revenue loss in terms of a measure of heterogeneity can be used to guide decision making when offering a simplified menu of service grades.
Mathematical Modeling with Young Learners: A Commentary

The preceding four chapters paint a vision of the possibilities and challenges we face in opening up rich modeling activities in the primary grades. Across them we see how young children and their teachers engage with modeling tasks. In this commentary, I discuss the nature of tasks that students engaged in, what counted as good modeling activities for elementary-aged students, what students did inside the situations they were modeling, how teachers responded, and finally what teacher educators might need to consider as they support teachers to take up mathematical modeling.
Similar 90-day outcomes among inpatient and outpatient arthroplasties : a single-surgeon matched cohort analysis.

Aims The proportion of arthroplasties performed in the ambulatory setting has increased considerably. However, there are concerns whether same-day discharge may increase the risk of complications. ...
NO-stressed Y. pseudotuberculosis have decreased cell division rates in the mouse spleen

Fluorescence dilution approaches can detect bacterial cell division events, and can detect if there are differential rates of cell division across individual cells within a population. This approach typically involves inducing expression of a fluorescent protein, and then tracking partitioning of fluorescence into daughter cells. However, fluorescence can be diluted very quickly within a rapidly replicating population, such as pathogenic bacterial populations replicating within host tissues. To overcome this limitation, we have generated a revTetR reporter construct, where mCherry is constitutively expressed, and repressed by addition of tetracyclines, resulting in fluorescence dilution within defined timeframes. We show that mCherry signal is diluted in replicating populations, and that mCherry signal accumulates in growth-inhibited populations, including during exposure to inhibitory concentrations of antibiotics and during nitric oxide exposure. Furthermore, we show that tetracyclines can be delivered to the mouse spleen during Yersinia pseudotuberculosis infection. We defined a drug concentration that results in even exposure of cells to tetracyclines, and used this system to visualize cell division within defined timeframes post-inoculation. revTetR mCherry signal did not appear enriched in a particular spatial location within replicating centers of bacteria. However, the addition of a NO-sensing reporter (Phmp::gfp) showed that heightened NO exposure correlated with heightened mCherry signal, suggesting decreased cell division within this subpopulation. This revTetR reporter will provide a critical tool for future studies to identify and isolate slowly replicating bacterial subpopulations from host tissues.
Work physical activity culture and need support impacts on physical activity outcomes

Objective:To test Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and examine whether employee perceptions of the workplace physical activity (PA) culture have statistically significant effects on PA behaviour and...
Comparison of subdural grid and stereoelectroencephalography in a cohort of pediatric patients.

Abstract Objective To compare adverse events and outcomes between stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG) and subdural electrode (SDE) implantation in children. Methods This was a retrospective analysis of 108 patients who underwent intracranial monitoring with SEEG or SDE implantation at Children’s Hospital Colorado between January 2011 and June 2019. Results There were 47 patients who underwent 53 SEEG implantations and 61 patients who underwent 64 SDE implantations, with an average age of 12.45 years (range: 1.22–19.96 years). Post-implantation imaging was performed in all SEEG implantations and 42 SDE implantations. 38 % and 88 % of SEEG and SDE implantations, respectively, had a hemorrhage of any kind (p Significance In pediatric patients at a single institution, SEEG is associated with less adverse effects overall yet similar rates of seizure freedom compared to SDE implantation. This includes significantly lower rates of asymptomatic hemorrhage, infection and need for blood transfusion associated with SEEG monitoring. There was no statistical difference in clinically significant hemorrhages between the two groups, although rare in both.
Scanning-tunneling-microscope detection of surface acoustic waves

An instrument for measurement of ultrasonic displacement has been developed by modifying a scanning-tunneling-microscope probe. It can be used for measurement of high-frequency surface displacement in applications requiring better lateral resolution than optical probes can provide. The application of the instrument to the characterization of surface acoustic waves is described. >
Greenhouse Gas Emission Estimates of U.S. Dietary Choices and Food Loss

Dietary behavioral choices have a strong effect on the environmental impact associated with the food system. Here, we consider the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with production of food that is lost at the retail and consumer level, as well as the potential effects on GHG emissions of a shift to dietary recommendations. Calculations are based on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) food availability data set and literature meta-analysis of emission factors for various food types. Food losses contribute 1.4 kilograms (kg) carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2-eq) capita−1day−1 (28%) to the overall carbon footprint of the average U.S. diet; in total, this is equivalent to the emissions of 33 million average passenger vehicles annually. Whereas beef accounts for only 4% of the retail food supply by weight, it represents 36% of the diet-related GHG emissions. An iso-caloric shift from the current average U.S. diet to USDA dietary recommendations could result in a 12% increase in diet-related GHG emissions, whereas a shift that includes a decrease in caloric intake, based on the needs of the population (assuming moderate activity), results in a small (1%) decrease in diet-related GHG emissions. These findings emphasize the need to consider environmental costs of food production in formulating recommended food patterns
Exact Involute Bodies of Revolution

Involute construction is an approach used in contemporary rocket nozzle technology for the fabrication of exit cones and other bodies of revolution and consists of laminating identical composite sheets of uniform thickness along curved surfaces, called involute surfaces. In this work, the exact solution is derived for these surfaces, which guarantees that the volume of the body being generated is precisely filled, with no gaps or overlaps. The equations of the developed surface, or ply pattern, a formulation of the kinematics of the fabrication debulking process, and an experimental validation of the theoretical work are also presented.
Regulation of proliferation and photoreceptor differentiation in fetal human retinal cell cultures.

Purpose. To examine whether fetal human retinal cells can be maintained in vitro over long time periods and to determine whether exogenous growth factors can be used to generate large numbers of photoreceptors within these cultures. Methods. Fetal human retinas (6 to 13 weeks after conception) were dissected, dissociated, and plated into culture wells. Specific growth factors and steroid/thyroid hormones, which have been shown to influence retinal progenitor cell proliferation and differentiation in rats, were added to the culture medium to determine whether any of these factors had similar effects on human retinal cells. Results. Fetal human retinal cells survived and continued to proliferate for up to 300 days in vitro. Under control conditions, 15 million cells were generated from an initial plating of 100,000 cells ; however, the addition of either epidermal growth factor or basic fibroblast growth factor stimulated proliferation and resulted in the generation of more than 100 million cells. A percentage of these cells was induced to differentiate as photoreceptors by adding either retinoic acid or triiodo-thyronine to the culture medium. Conclusions. Fetal human retinal cells can be maintained and expanded in vitro, indicating that this technique may be useful for generating large numbers of retinal cells. The number and types of cells generated can be influenced by adding exogenous factors to the culture medium. The response of human retinal cells to growth factors and hormones is similar to the response of rodent retinal cells to the same factors, suggesting that the effects of these factors are conserved across species.
HST observations of the M 87 jet

We present highlights and preliminary results of our HST observing programs on the M 87 jet. We confirm previously known similarities between the radio and optical jets, but also describe a wealth of differences and new structural details. We identify numerous compact optical features, as well as new structures in the shock-like knots A and C. We also find considerable evidence for structure in the jet as a function of distance from the jet axis — evidence is seen for radial structure in the radio / optical spectrum, in the optical / optical spectrum, and in the polarimetry. Our monitoring between 1994 and 1996 shows numerous features with superluminal speeds in the range 4c to 6c, as well as the emergence of new superluminal components and rapid fading of old features.
Gaussian Processes for Signal Strength-Based Location Estimation

Estimating the location of a mobile device or a robot from wireless signal strength has become an area of highly active research. The key problem in this context stems from the complexity of how signals propagate through space, especially in the presence of obstacles such as buildings, walls or people. In this paper we show how Gaussian processes can be used to generate a likelihood model for signal strength measurements. We also show how parameters of the model, such as signal noise and spatial correlation between measurements, can be learned from data via hyperparameter estimation. Experiments using WiFi indoor data and GSM cellphone connectivity demonstrate the superior performance of our approach.
Polarization properties of finite ultra-wideband arrays

An important consideration when establishing the radiation characteristics of phased arrays is the polarization purity for scan situations, defined as the ratio between the co-/cx-polarization levels at the particular scan. Two accepted methods for determining the polarization levels of an array will be used to quantify finite array truncation effects on polarization purity of ultra-wideband arrays. Simulated finite array results are used to examine the polarization properties of a Vivaldi array and a planar ultra-wideband modular antenna (PUMA) array, and are compared with respective infinite array results.
Diffusion of Cd vacancy and interstitials of Cd, Cu, Ag, Au and Mo in CdTe: A first principles investigation

Abstract We present a first principles study of the diffusion profiles of native Cd, adatom and vacancy, and cationic non-native interstitial adatoms Cu, Ag, Au, and Mo in bulk CdTe. The high symmetry Wyckoff position 4(b) is the global minimum energy location for Cd and Ag interstitials and the 4(d) site for Mo interstitials. Adatoms of Cu and Au show an asymmetric shape of the energy diffusion barrier with two structurally equivalent minima and two energetically distinct maxima in the pathway. The others, Mo, Ag and Cd interstitial and vacancy, show a symmetric diffusion barrier with two structurally unique minima and a maximum. Diffusion for Cu and Au interstitials proceeds along the [1 1 0] channel in the crystal in a near straight line path, avoiding both high symmetry 4(b) and 4(d) sites. Diffusion for Cd and Ag proceeds along two nearly straight line paths along [1 1 1] and [1 1–1]. Diffusion for Mo is along the [1 1 0] channel however it deviates slightly from the straight line paths along [1 1 1] and [1 1–1] avoiding the 4(b) site. The rate-limiting diffusion barriers range from a low of 0.10 eV for the symmetric diffusion path of a Ag interstitial to a high of 1.83 eV for the symmetric diffusion path of a Cd vacancy. The rate-limiting barriers for the others are 0.27 eV for Au, 0.30 eV for Mo, 0.33 eV for a Cd interstitial and 0.46 eV for Cu. The symmetric or asymmetric nature of the diffusion path as well as the bond length and atomic coordination at the energetic-extrema positions influence the size of the diffusion energy barrier. In addition there exists two electronic signatures in the local density of states: one for the bond breaking in the symmetric diffusion barrier paths and the other in the difference in the energy of occupied states between the global minimum and global maximum energy positions.
Double-pomeron prediction for colliding beam experiments

Abstract It is shown that recent ISR measurements of double-pomeron cross sections contain a special kinematic constraint that forces the cross section to decrease with increasing energy, in contrast to the natural constraint which corresponds to an increasing cross section. The observed energy dependence is shown to be in agreement with theoretical expectation.
Genetic confirmation of hybridization between Crassostrea gigas (Thunberg) and Crassostrea rivularis (Gould)

Abstract Of the numerous reports of hybridization attempts in the genus Crassostrea, none has been confirmed genetically. Three replicates of a 2×2 factorial mating of Crassostrea gigas×C. rivularis (C. arakiensis) were produced to examine the viability of this cross. Fertilization rate, yield of 48-h-old larvae, and survival of fertilized eggs was lower in the hybrids than pure crosses. All crosses showed similar larval growth rates, except C. rivularis×C. gigas, which grew more slowly. Genetic control of eyed larval size was indicated by the intermediate size of hybrids compared to pure crosses. Spat were obtained from most cultures and were shown by protein electrophoresis to be hybrids. Contaminants were also present, underscoring the need for genetic confirmation in studies on bivalve hybridization.
Multiple molecular forms of gonadotropin-releasing hormone in the brain of an elasmobranch: evidence for IR-lamprey GnRH.

Abstract These studies investigated brains of skate, Raja erinacea (order Rajiformes, class Chondrichthyes), for gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) peptides by chromatography and immunoreactivity with region-specific antisera raised against mammalian GnRH and lamprey GnRH. The region-specific antibody to lamprey GnRH-I was produced following conjugation to bovine serum albumin using the bis-diazotized benzidine method. This antibody was characterized by assaying a range of increasing dilutions of the known vertebrate GnRHs, as well as analogs to lamprey GnRH-I. Two analogs, lamprey [Phe 2 ]GnRH-I and lamprey [Leu 7 ]GnRH-I, were synthesized by solid phase peptide synthesis using a benzhydrylamine resin as the supporting medium and purified by chromatography. This antibody demonstrated less than 0.01% cross-reactivity with all GnRH peptides tested, suggesting a highly specific antibody with a region of amino acids 2–8 that appears essential for binding. In the skate brain, five immunoreactive (IR) GnRH forms were detected, four of which eluted in the same positions as synthetic mammal and chicken GnRH-I (which coelute): lamprey GnRH-I, salmon and chicken GnRH-II, and one that was an unidentified form. A minor peak coeluted with lamprey GnRH-III. The major form in the skate brain is considered to have eluted with synthetic mammalian GnRH. These studies confirm an earlier report of an IR-mammalian GnRH peptide and provide new evidence for IR-lamprey GnRH in the brain of an elasmobranch.
An estimated shape function for drift in a platelet-transport model

Prior work has shown that concentration profiles of platelets in flowing whole blood and of platelet-sized beads in flowing blood suspensions can include near-wall excesses. A model to describe this phenomenon was built about a single-component convective diffusion equation. To incorporate redistribution to preferred sites by shear flows of red cell suspensions, the model used a drift shape function (in addition to the commonly used augmented diffusion coefficient). This paper reports experiments that provide an average concentration profile from which the shape function for that model is calculated; the experiments and shape function are for the particular conditions of 40% hematocrit, platelet-sized latex beads (2.5 microns diameter), tube ID of 217 microns, and a wall shear rate of 555 s-1. Less precise estimates of the shape function obtained from data of previous studies indicate that the shape function is similar for the hematocrit of 15%.
A comparison of a Hullian paired-associate learning model with other models appropriate to an RNT5 design with 1:1 pairing of stimuli and responses

Abstract A linear habit strength (neo-Hullian) model with a threshold assumption is compared to several other models as possible predictors of performance in an R N T 5 paired-associate learning experiment. Chi-square minimizing search procedures were used to obtain parameter values for each model, with significant discrepancies between obtained and predicted values appearing in every case. For a fixed probability of guessing correctly, the models ordered themselves in predictive efficiency as follows from best to worst: two-element with three free parameters, random-trial increment, two phase, two-element with two free parameters, linear, long-short, one-element, and no learning, the last three being substantially poorer than the others. For a variable probability of guessing correctly, they ordered themselves thus: two-element with three free parameters, two phase, linear habit strength with threshold, two-element with two parameters, long-short, random-trial increment, linear, and one-element, with the last four yielding substantially higher chi-squares than the others.
Clinical low dose CT image reconstruction using high-order total variation techniques

Total variation (TV) based iterative image reconstruction has been shown to possess desirable noise suppression and edge preservation characteristics. However, such approaches also produce "staircase effects" where intensity ramps are discretized into steps, resulting in images which appear blocky or patchy. In this paper, we present an improved regularization technique by incorporating higher-order derivatives to reduce staircase artifacts without sacrificing edge sharpness. In this preliminary investigation we demonstrate our approach using both phantom and clinical images acquired at 25% of conventional radiation dosage (i.e., 75% dose reduction).
Dispersion of buoyant emissions from low level sources in urban areas: water channel modelling

A laboratory study was done to investigate dispersion of buoyant emissions from near surface sources in urban areas. Ground level concentrations under different surrounding building geometries were measured using a newly developed system based on laser induced fluorescence. In the presence of upstream buildings AERMOD (AMS/U.S. EPA regulatory dispersion model) is unable to explain concentrations close to the source. Plume visualisations and velocity measurements show that upstream buildings induce low velocity and a highly turbulent region near the stack, which increases the plume rise and induces rapid vertical mixing. Also, the urban canopy imposes a length scale on the horizontal turbulence, causing the plume to spread laterally with the square root of distance (~x1/2) rather than linearly as occurs in open terrain. A Gaussian-based dispersion model which accounts for these effects performs substantially better in predicting ground level concentrations associated with buoyant emissions from distributed power generators in urban areas.