cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Closure of pinholes under intense laser radiation

The closure of pinholes due to plasma created by intense laser radiation interacting with the pinhole perimeter is studied. Pinholes with 100-300-microm initial diam close in 3-14 nsec, respectively, for a 10-nsec FWHA, 10-J incident laser pulse. For a constant focal spot size and pulse duration, the closure time and rate are found to be a function of laser energy; however, the energy transmitted through the pinhole is independent of the incident energy for the pulse duration, pinhole diameters, and focal spot size used in these experiments.
Controlled Growth and Structures of Molecular-Scale Silicon Nanowires

Single-crystal silicon nanowires with diameters approaching molecular dimensions were synthesized using gold nanocluster-catalyzed 1D growth. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy studies show that silicon nanowires grown with silane reactant in hydrogen are single crystal with little or no visible amorphous oxide down to diameters as small as 3 nm. Structural characterization of a large number of samples shows that the smallest-diameter nanowires grow primarily along the 〈110〉 direction, whereas larger nanowires grow along the 〈111〉 direction. In addition, cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy was used to address the importance of surface energetics in determining the growth direction of the smallest nanowires. The ability to prepare well-defined molecular-scale single-crystal silicon nanowires opens up new opportunities for both fundamental studies and nanodevice applications.
Attenuation of myocardial reperfusion injury by reducing intracellular calcium overloading with dihydropyridines.

The effects of three different dihydropyridine (DHP) calcium channel antagonists, nisoldipine, nimodipine, and nifedipine, on myocardial ischemie and reperfusion injury were studied using isolated rat hearts subjected to ischemia and reperfusion. Hearts were perfused with Krebs-Henseleit bicarbonate buffer containing 0, 4,16, 64 and 100 nM concentrations of the above dihydropyridines for 15 min. Global ischemia was then induced by terminating the aortic flow for 30 min at 37°, followed by 30 min of reperfusion. Left ventricular (LV) functional (LV developed pressure, its first derivative and coronary flow) and biochemical parameters (creatine kinase release) were monitored prior to ischemia and during reperfusion. In separate group of hearts, intracellular free Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) was monitored with an intracellular calcium analyzer using a fluorescent Ca2+ indicator (Fura-2 AM). Tissue Ca2+ was also measured by atomic absorption spectroscopy after perfusing the hearts with ion-free cold buffer to wash out extracellular Ca2+ Significant recovery of the coronary flow was observed in all hearts treated with a high concentration (100 nM) of DHPs compared with the control group (P < 0.05), while a lower dose of nisoldipine (16 nM) and nifedipine (64 nM) also improved the coronary flow effectively. Reduction of myocardial creatine kinase release and improvement of the recovery of LV developed pressure, dp/dtmax, were achieved by DHPs in a concentration-dependent manner. A higher concentration of DHPs also decreased the formation of myocardial thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, although these compounds did not possess direct free radical scavenging effects in vitro. Tissue Ca2+ content was reduced significantly in treated groups. The rise of [Ca2+]i during ischemia and reperfusion appeared to be attenuated by these DHPs. The concentration-response study of the three DHPs showed the effective concentrations for reducing [Ca2+]i to be 16, 64 and 100 nM nisoldipine, nifedipine and nimodipine, respectively, in this experimental setting. The above results indicate that pretreatment with DHPs can attenuate the myocardial reperfusion injury by modulating Ca2+ overloading and decreasing the susceptibility of the membrane to free radical attack.
gp49B1 and its related family of counterregulatory receptors of the immunoglobulin superfamily.

Cross–linking of FceRI on mast cells elicits positive signal transduction cascades that lead to the release of a variety of proinflammatory mediators. Mouse mast cells also express gp49B1 on their surface, an immunoglobulin superfamily member that bears two immunoreceptor tyrosine–based inhibitory motifs in its cytoplasmic domain and inhibits FceRI–induced release of secretory granule mediators and the cysteinyl leukotriene, LTC4. gp49B1 belongs to a growing family of inhibitory receptors expressed in mouse and man. Thus, FceRI–induced mast cell activation is counterregulated by several receptors belonging to the same superfamily as FceRI itself.
A mathematical model of interference for use in constructing linkage maps from tetrad data.

In determining genetic map distances it is necessary to infer crossover frequencies from the ratios of recombinant and parental progeny. To do this accurately, in intervals where multiple crossovers may occur, a mathematical model of chiasma interference must be assumed when mapping in organisms displaying such interference. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae the model most frequently used is that of R.W. Barratt. An alternative to this model is presented. This new model is implemented using a microcomputer and standard numerical methods. It is demonstrated to fit ranked tetrad data from Saccharomyces more closely than the Barratt model and thus generates more accurate estimates of map distances when used with two-point data. A computer program implementing the model has been developed for use in calculating map distances from tetrad data in Saccharomyces.
A Tool For Learning Foreign Languages

The Reading Assistant is a multimedia interactive system designed to help people learn a foreign language. It does so by promoting learning in context: language material is always presented as part of originally unedited foreign-language text. Students learn a language by reading text with the aid of tools such as online dictionaries, grammars, and translation aids. The recorded pronunciation of individual words And sentences is also available and can be played back as often as needed. The Reading Assistant allows all aspects of the interaction to be controlled by the student, and minimizes information overload through the use of statistical grammars. While the system is designed to help English speakers loam a second language, the results of an experiment show that it could easily be extended to teach English as a second language to non-native English speakers.
Motor vehicle crashes, pregnancy loss and preterm labor

Trauma during pregnancy is remarkably common, and is greatly underestimated in terms of its contribution to both maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. Motor vehicle crashes, falls, assaults, including domestic violence, are all important mechanisms of injury, and clinical algorithms have been developed to manage the injured pregnant women. Focus on recognition and management of the most common injuries seen in pregnant women, namely abruptio placentae and uterine rupture are addressed through hemodynamic stabilization and continuous fetal and uterine contraction monitoring in the women injured beyond 24 weeks' gestation.
Magnetic wire traps and programmable manipulation of biological cells.

We present a multiplex method, based on microscopic programmable magnetic traps in zigzag wires patterned on a platform, to simultaneously apply directed forces on multiple fluid-borne cells or biologically inert magnetic microparticles or nanoparticles. The gentle tunable forces do not produce damage and retain cell viability. The technique is demonstrated with T-lymphocyte cells remotely manipulated (by a joystick) along desired trajectories on a silicon surface with average speeds up to $20\text{ }\text{ }\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{m}/\mathrm{s}$.
Response rates and responsiveness for surveys, standards, and the Journal.

The Journal has regularly published the results of survey research. As an academy we seem to be very interested in learning what our faculty members and students think, how they perform, and what is going on at other schools and colleges of pharmacy. A survey is often the best approach to acquiring that knowledge. However, the Editors believe that survey research published in the Journal has varied in quality and that standards for survey research can be used to improve the quality of research in the academy and the quality of papers published in the Journal. With that in mind, a decision was made in early 2008 to clarify expectations for survey research manuscripts submitted to the Journal. In Volume 72, Issue 1 of the Journal, Draugalis and colleagues1 presented an excellent paper detailing “best practices” for survey research manuscripts. These standards are now recommended to authors and reviewers, and will be used by the Editors in making decisions regarding acceptance of manuscripts. One item addressed in the paper1 was the importance of response rates to questionnaire research, while another issue dealt with sample representativeness. The Draugalis et al1 paper and an examination of previously published survey research manuscripts in the Journal has led to the application of more stringent expectations for manuscripts published in the Journal.
On simple algorithms for dynamic load balancing

The paper focuses on the dynamic resource allocation problem. In communication networks such as wireless or circuit switching networks, resources correspond to base stations or links, and the load corresponds to the calls in the network. The principle of load balancing is examined for dynamic resource allocation. The question of interest is the performance of simple allocation strategies which can be implemented online. Either finite capacity constraints on resources or mobility of users can be incorporated into the setup. The load balancing problem is formulated as an optimal control problem, and variants of a simple "least loaded routing" policy are shown to be asymptotically optimal for large call arrival rates.
Psychometrics of the Wrist Stability and Hand Mobility Subscales of the Fugl-Meyer Assessment in Moderately Impaired Stroke

Background There remains a need for a quickly administered, stroke-specific, bedside measure of active wrist and finger movement for the expanding stroke population. The wrist stability and hand mobility scales of the upper extremity Fugl-Meyer Assessment (w/h UE FM) constitute a valid, reliable measure of paretic UE impairment in patients with active wrist and finger movement. Objective The aim of this study was to determine performance on the w/h UE FM in a stable cohort of survivors of stroke with only palpable movement in their paretic wrist flexors. Design A single-center cohort study was conducted. Method Thirty-two individuals exhibiting stable, moderate upper extremity hemiparesis (15 male, 17 female; mean age=56.6 years, SD=10.1; mean time since stroke=4.6 years, SD=5.8) participated in the study, which was conducted at an outpatient rehabilitation clinic in the midwestern United States. The w/h UE FM and Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) were administered twice. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), Cronbach alpha, and ordinal alpha were computed to determine reliability, and Spearman rank correlation coefficients and Bland-Altman plots were computed to establish validity. Results Intraclass correlation coefficients for the w/h UE FM and ARAT were .95 and .99, respectively. The w/h UE FM intrarater reliability and internal consistency were greater than .80, and concurrent validity was greater than .70. This also was the first stroke rehabilitative study to apply ordinal alpha to examine internal consistency values, revealing w/h UE FM levels greater than .85. Concurrent validity findings were corroborated by Bland-Altman plots. Conclusions It appears that the w/h UE FM is a promising tool to measure distal upper extremity movement in patients with little active paretic wrist and finger movement. This finding widens the segment of patients on whom the w/h UE FM can be effectively used and addresses a gap, as commonly used measures necessitate active distal upper extremity movement.
Maternal CD4+ and CD8+ T Cell Tolerance Towards a Fetal Minor Histocompatibility Antigen in T Cell Receptor Transgenic Mice

Tolerance of the maternal immune system in pregnancy is important for successful pregnancy because the semiallogeneic fetus may be subject to antifetal responses. We examined maternal tolerance to the fetus using a murine system in which a model paternally inherited antigen, ovalbumin (OVA), is expressed exclusively in the fetus and placenta. By employing T cell receptor (TCR) transgenic mice specific for major histocompatibility complex class I- or class II-restricted epitopes of OVA (OT-I and OT-II) as mothers, we investigated the fate of fetus-specific CD8⁺ and CD4⁺ T cells, respectively, during gestation. Both OVA-specific CD8⁺ and CD4⁺ T cells displayed an activated phenotype in the peripheral lymphoid tissues of OVA-bred OT-I and OT-II mice, consistent with their encounter of fetal antigen. Whereas a small percentage of OVA-specific CD4⁺ T cells were deleted in the periphery and thymus of OVA-bred OT-II mice, with evidence of TCR downregulation in the remaining T cells, deletion and TCR downregulation were not observed in OVA-bred OT-I mice. Both CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells upregulated inducible costimulator expression in response to the fetal antigen, but only CD4⁺ T cells consistently upregulated the inhibitory receptors programmed cell death 1 and cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4. More regulatory T cells (Tregs) were present in pregnant OVA-bred than in WT-bred OT-II mice, revealing that Tregs expanded specifically in response to the fetal antigen. These data indicate that several mechanisms tolerize fetal antigen-specific maternal CD4⁺ T cells, whereas tolerance of fetal antigen-specific CD8⁺ T cells is less effective. The importance of these mechanisms is underscored by the finding that fetal loss occurs in OVA-bred OT-I but not OT-II mice.
Co-Operative Air Traffic Management: Concept and Transition

Co-Operative Air Traffic Management (CO-ATM) is a concept under exploration at NASA Ames Research Center for transformation of aircraft and air traffic management operations towards the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NGATS). A goal of the CO-ATM concept is to provide a scalable framework to significantly increase NAS capacity and efficiency while maintaining safety. A second goal of this concept is to provide airspace users with increased flexibility in managing their operations. The concept aims at achieving substantial capacity and efficiency benefits through improved information exchange and changes in roles and responsibilities. It builds on lessons learned from Distributed Air/Ground Traffic Management (DAG-TM) research, and addresses identified safety, coordination, automation and mixed equipage concerns. CO-ATM provides a transition path from the current system to the next generation with gradual shifts in roles and responsibilities and incentives for aircraft operators to equip. CO-ATM envisions sector controllers controlling conventional aircraft along predictable flight paths and area controllers coordinating strategic trajectory changes with flight crews of equipped aircraft in the same airspace via data link. Area controllers operate with extensive automation support for conflict detection and resolution and traffic flow management. Flight path changes are automatically shared as 4D trajectories between area and sector positions. Routine tasks like handoffs and transfer of communication are conducted by the automation. Equipped aircraft may be cleared to operate at different levels of autonomy. Tasks like aircraft-to-aircraft spacing may be delegated to the flight crews by the controller. Flight crews of equipped aircraft can coordinate preferred trajectories for traffic flow constraints with the area controller or operate at higher levels of autonomy, if desired and authorized. The paper reviews plans and concepts for the NGATS and relevant research findings from DAG-TM studies. It introduces the CO-ATM concept in detail and presents a possible transition path in line with ongoing research at NASA Ames, addressing the integration of trajectory based operations and Airborne Separation Assistance Systems (ASAS). This concept is currently in its definition and exploration phase and is in line with research funded in the NextNAS project of NASA's Airspace Systems Program.
Time course of dorsal and ventral hippocampal involvement in the expression of trace fear conditioning

While a number of early studies demonstrated that hippocampal damage attenuates the expression of recent, but not remotely trained tasks, an emerging body of evidence has shown that damage to, or inactivation of, the hippocampus often impairs recall across a wide range of training–testing intervals. Collectively, these data suggest that the time course of hippocampal involvement in the storage or recall of previously-acquired memories may differ according to hippocampal subregion and the particular learning task under consideration. The present study examined the contributions of dorsal (DH) and ventral (VH) hippocampus to the expression of previously-acquired trace fear conditioning, a form of Pavlovian conditioning in which the offset of an initially neutral cue or cues and the onset of an aversive stimulus is separated by a temporal (trace) interval. Specifically, either saline or the GABA-A agonist muscimol was infused into DH or VH prior to testing either 1, 7, 28, or 42 days after trace fear conditioning. The results revealed a marked dissociation: pre-testing inactivation of DH failed to impair performance at any timepoint, while pre-testing inactivation of VH impaired performance at all time-points. Importantly, pretesting inactivation of VH had no effect on the performance of previously-acquired delay conditioning, suggesting that the deficits observed in trace conditioning cannot be attributed to a deficit in performance of the freezing response. Collectively, these data suggest that VH, but not DH, remains a neuroanatomical locus critical to the recall or expression of trace fear conditioning over an extended period of time.
A high-throughput, adaptive FFT architecture for FPGA-based space-borne data processors

Historically, computationally-intensive data processing for space-borne instruments has heavily relied on ground-based computing resources. But with recent advances in functional densities of Field-Programmable Gate-Arrays (FPGAs), there has been an increasing desire to shift more processing on-board; therefore relaxing the downlink data bandwidth requirements. Fast Fourier Transforms (FFTs) are commonly-used building blocks for data processing applications, with a growing need to increase the FFT block size. Many existing FFT architectures have mainly emphasized on low power consumption or resource usage; but as the block size of the FFT grows, the throughput is often compromised first. In addition to power and resource constraints, space-borne digital systems are also limited to a small set of space-qualified memory elements, which typically lag behind the commercially available counterparts in capacity and bandwidth. The bandwidth limitation of the external memory creates a bottleneck for a large, high-throughput FFT design with large block size. In this paper, we present the Multi-Pass Wide Kernel FFT (MPWK-FFT) architecture for a moderately large block size (32K) with considerations to power consumption and resource usage, as well as throughput. We will also show that the architecture can be easily adapted for different FFT block sizes with different throughput and power requirements. The result is completely contained within an FPGA without relying on external memories. Implementation results are summarized.
Significance of dual-basin drainage in patients with truncal melanoma undergoing sentinel lymph node biopsy.

Abstract Background The number of nodal basins and the number of lymph nodes containing regional metastases are important prognostic factors in patients with truncal malignant melanoma. Because the lymphatic drainage pattern of truncal melanoma often includes more than 1 basin, we designed a study to evaluate whether: (1) patients with dual-basin drainage were at an increased risk of lymph node metastases identified by sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy; and (2) the histologic status of an individual basin reliably predicted the status of the other draining basin in patients with dual-basin drainage. Methods The records of 269 consecutive patients with melanoma, who were treated primarily with intraoperative lymphatic mapping and SLN biopsy between 1997 and 2002, were reviewed. Of these patients, 122 had primary truncal melanomas. All patients underwent preoperative lymphoscintigraphy, which established the number and location of draining nodal basins. The chi-square and Fisher's exact tests of relevant clinicopathologic factors determined which factors were predictive of the presence of a pathologically positive SLN. Results At least one SLN was identified in all patients. Dual-basin drainage was present in 39 (32%) patients, and a pathologically positive SLN was found in 12 (31%) of these patients. By chi-square and Fisher's exact tests, dual-basin drainage was not a significant independent risk factor for the presence of at least 1 pathologically positive SLN ( P = .846). Tumor thickness ( P P = .003), and tumor ulceration ( P = .003) were significant independent risk factors for the presence of at least 1 pathologically positive SLN. SLN pathology in one basin did not predict the histology of the other basin in 7 (18%) of 39 patients with dual-basin drainage. Conclusions Dual-basin drainage is not independently associated with an increased risk of nodal metastases in patients with truncal melanoma. Because the histologic status of an individual basin did not reliably predict the status of the other draining basins in patients with dual-basin drainage, it is important to adequately identify and completely assess all nodal basins at risk, as defined by lymphoscintigraphy, in patients with truncal melanoma.
Parent Involvement, Parental Depression, and Program Satisfaction among Low-Income Parents Participating in a Two-Generation Early Childhood Education Program.

Research Findings: This study simultaneously examined parental depression and parent involvement as predictors of satisfaction with an early childhood intervention program. Parents (N = 203) of Head Start children participated in this short-term longitudinal study. Measures of parent involvement and satisfaction assessed multiple dimensions of these constructs. Nearly 40% of low-income mothers reported being sometimes or chronically depressed over the course of 1 year of the Head Start program. Compared with mothers who were never depressed, those who were sometimes depressed reported less involvement in home- and school-based activities as well as fewer interactions with their child's teacher. Never depressed parents were more likely to be satisfied with their child's teacher compared with either group of depressed mothers. Higher levels of parent involvement and parent–teacher interaction predicted optimal satisfaction with Head Start services. Practice or Policy: Implications of results for practice are considered in terms of teacher training to recognize unique needs involved in working to establish a home–school connection with mothers experiencing depression. Strategies for building community partnerships to assist with mental health needs are discussed.
Biological activity assessment of the vitamin D metabolites 1,25-dihydroxy-24-oxo-vitamin D3 and 1,23,25-trihydroxy-24-oxo-vitamin D3

Abstract Two new metabolites of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 [1,25(OH) 2 D 3 ], namely 1,25(OH) 2 -24-oxo-vitamin D 3 and 1,23,25(OH) 3 -24-oxo-vitamin D 3 , have been prepared in vitro using chick intestinal mucosal homogenates. To investigate the binding of 1,25(OH) 2 -[23- 3 H]-24-oxo-D 3 and 1,23,25(OH) 3 -[23- 3 H]-24-oxo-D 3 to the chick intestinal receptor we have isolated both metabolites in radioactive form using an incubation system containing 1,25(OH) 2 -[23,24- 3 H]-D 3 with a specific radioactivity of 5.6 Ci/mmol. Both metabolites were highly purified by using Sephadex LH-20 chromatography followed by high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). Sucrose density gradient sedimentation analysis showed specific binding of both tritium-labeled metabolites to the chick intestinal cytosol receptor. Experiments were carried out to determine the relative effectiveness of binding to the chick intestinal mucosa receptor for 1,25(OH) 2 D 3 . The results are expressed as relative competitive index (RCI), where the RCI is defined as 100 for 1,25(OH) 2 D 3 . Whereas the RCI obtained for 1,25(OH) 2 -24-oxo-D 3 was 98 ± 2 (SE), the RCI for 1,23,25(OH) 3 -24-oxo-D 3 was only 28 ± 6 (SE). Also, the biological activity of both new metabolites was assessed in vivo in the chick. In our assay for intestinal calcium absorption, 1,25(OH) 2 -24-oxo-D 3 was active at a dose level of 1.63 and 4.88 nmol/bird (at 14 h), whereas 1,23,25(OH) 3 -24-oxo-D 3 showed only weak biological activity in this system. In our assay for bone calcium mobilization, administration of both new metabolites showed modest activity at the 4.88-nmol dose level, which was reduced at the 1.63-nmol dose level. The results indicate that biological activity declines as 1,25(OH) 2 D 3 is metabolized to 1,24 R ,25(OH) 3 D 3 ) 1,25(OH) 2 -24-oxo-D 3 , and then 1,23,25(OH) 3 -24-oxo-D 3 .
CEO Turnover & Earnings Management: Do Family Ties Matter?

Using a hand-collected sample of Italian family and non-family-controlled firms, we investigate the moderating effect of family ownership on the relation between earnings management and CEO turnover. Consistent with agency theory, we find a positive and significant relation between earnings management and CEO turnover in the overall sample, the association being primarily driven by non-family-controlled firms. In family-controlled firms, we find that the positive relation is reduced. Furthermore, we find the association to be insignificant in cases where the CEO is a member of the controlling family. Robustness tests rule out competing hypotheses that differences in the propensity of family and non-family firms to manage earnings and ownership concentration drive our results. Overall, this study contributes to our understanding of family ownership driven differences in corporate governance systems, a relatively unexamined topic in the literature.
Depressed or Not Depressed: Untangling Symptoms of Depression in Patients Hospitalized With Coronary Heart Disease

Background: Assessing depression in patients hospitalized with coronary heart disease is clinically challenging because depressive symptoms are often confounded by poor somatic health. Objective: To identify symptom clusters associated with clinical depression in patients hospitalized with coronary heart disease. Method: Secondary analyses of 3 similar data sets for hospitalized patients with coronary heart disease who had diagnostic screening for depression (99 depressed, 224 not depressed) were done. Depressive symptoms were assessed by using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale or the Beck Depression Inventory. Hierarchical cluster analysis was performed on 11 symptom variables: anhedonia, dysphoria, loss of appetite, sleep disturbance, fatigue, guilt, suicidal symptoms, hypochondriasis, loss of libido, psychomotor impairment, and nervous irritability. Associations between symptom clusters and presence or absence of clinical depression were estimated by using logistic regression. Results: Fatigue (69%) and sleep disturbance (55%) were the most prevalent symptoms. Guilt (25%) and suicidal symptoms (9%) were the least common. Three symptom clusters (cognitive/ affective, somatic/affective, and somatic) were identified. Compared with patients without cognitive/affective symptoms, patients with the cognitive/affective symptom cluster (anhedonia, dysphoria, guilt, suicidal symptoms, nervous irritability) had an odds ratio of 1.41 (P<.001; 95% CI, 1.223-1.631) for clinical depression. Conclusion: Clinicians should be alert for clinical depression in hospitalized patients with coronary heart disease who have the cognitive/affective symptom cluster. (American Journal of Critical Care. 2014;23:106-116). © 2014 American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.
Alleviation of vortex-induced heating to the lee side of slender wings in hypersonic flow

Vortex-induced heating alleviation to lee side of slender wings in hypersonic flow by contouring leading edge planform
A vectorized algorithm for calculating the accessible surface area of macromolecules

An algorithm is presented for calculating the solvent accessible surface area of proteins using a three-dimensional grid. Since it requires only calculations based on single atomic positions, the algorithm is easy to be vectorized. It has been implemented on ST100 and may also be implemented on supercomputers like the CRAY or the CYBER. Results on several proteins indicate that its deviation from that of the Shrake-Rupley algorithm is very small while the computation time is much reduced.
A swept-scanning mode for estimation of blood velocity in the microvasculature

In contrast to previous systems in which an ultrasonic pulse was repeatedly directed to a discrete line of sight, a new method has been developed to continuously scan over a region in order to rapidly assess blood velocities in superficial small blood vessels. Using this technique, which we call swept-scan, a high frequency transducer can rapidly translate across a region of interest, and sensitive maps of blood velocity in small blood vessels can be constructed. This system has been applied to flow mapping in the anterior segment of the eye, which is clinically significant in cases of trauma and glaucoma. No previous imaging technique has been capable of estimating blood velocities within this region in a clinically useful manner. With this new technique, each 2-D scan of the eye can be obtained in an interval on the order of 1 second, and blood flow through the iris and ciliary body can be detected in vessels as small as 40 microns. A major implication of this new technique is that a wall filter can be applied continuously to the return from all regions, thus eliminating the transient response that occurs along each line of sight in traditional Doppler systems.
Economics and Shifting Alliances: Jordan's Relations with Syria and Iraq, 1975–81

A key characteristic of inter-Arab politics since World War II has been seemingly ever-shifting alliances. In attempting to explain patterns in Arab state behavior, Arab and Western analysts alike have generally attributed the sources of alignment decisions, implicitly or explicitly, to the personalities of the leaders or to ideological positions. Although such explanations may be intuitively appealing, the historical record is replete with examples that challenge such an analysis: Syria and Iraq's rapprochement in 1979, secular Syria and theocratic Iran's alliance during the Iran–Iraq War, and conservative Jordan's honeymoon with Iraq during the 1980s. These are only a few of the numerous, significant examples of alignments that suggest a rethinking of the bases of Arab interaction may be in order.
Open Science and Data Sharing in Clinical Research Basing Informed Decisions on the Totality of the Evidence

A patient tentatively enters the examination room. A decision looms, and the patient waits with some trepidation. A doctor soon appears and pulls up a chair, prepared for the discussion by having conscientiously reviewed the medical literature, examined the evidence-based systematic reviews, and highlighted the relevant information. The ensuing conversation reflects on the patient's treatment goals and the published information about the benefits and harms of the available options. The tension breaks with a decision, and plans for the next steps are put in place. Every day, patients and their caregivers are faced with difficult decisions about treatment. They turn to physicians and other healthcare professionals to interpret the medical evidence and assist them in making individualized decisions. Unfortunately, we are learning that what is published in the medical literature represents only a portion of the evidence that is relevant to the risks and benefits of available treatments. In a profession that seeks to rely on evidence, it is ironic that we tolerate a system that enables evidence to be outside of public view. Those who own data, usually scientists or industry, have the choice of what, where, and when to publish. As a result, our medical literature portrays only a partial picture of the evidence about clinical strategies, including drugs and devices. Experts have recently drawn attention to this issue, including contributions in this issue of our journal, but there is resistance to change.1–5 Studies document that a remarkable percentage of trials are not published within a reasonable period after they are completed. Ross and colleagues reported that fewer than half of trials were published within 2 years of completion.4 Although industry-sponsored studies tended to have the …
Two case reports of smoking behavior changes after self-initiated e- cigarette use and tobacco smoking cessation

Objective: The purpose of this report is to increase the clinician's understanding of electronic nicotine-delivery systems (ENDS) by describing similar observations of two subjects "forgetting" to use self-initiated ENDS. Observations: A 51 year old Caucasian female with severe persistent mental illness reported continued tobacco abstinence and "forgetting" to use the ENDS at week 24 and continued tobacco abstinence beyond week 52. Also, a 42 year old Caucasian healthy male with continued tobacco abstinence and "forgetting" to use the ENDS after approximately 14 weeks remained abstinent of conventional cigarettes beyond 52 weeks. Discussion: ENDS do not continually produce smoke like conventional cigarettes; the absence of continuous smoke may not compel the user to continue inhaling. ENDS differ from conventional cigarettes because of the on-off feature of the device, requiring the user to inhale to activate a battery-powered nicotine delivery system (atomizer). Conclusion: Additional research is needed to verify the impact of ENDS on smoking behavior in smoking cessation. Clinicians should monitor but not yet recommend the initial use of ENDS for smoking cessation until the FDA imposes regulations on ENDS companies to ensure consistency of labeling of ingredient amounts and the overall safety of the products.
Reaction of nitric oxide with superoxide inhibits basolateral K+ channels in the rat CCD

We previously demonstrated that nitric oxide (NO) stimulates the basolateral small-conductance K+channel (SK) via a cGMP-dependent pathway [M. Lu and W. H. Wang.Am. J. Physiol. 270 (Cell Physiol. 3...
Abstract WP127: TAK-242, an Antagonist for Toll-like Receptor 4, Protects against Acute Cerebral Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury in Mice

Cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) induces in situ inflammatory responses which contribute to further brain injury. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a trans-membrane, pattern-recognition receptor family with important roles in the induction and regulation of immune/inflammatory responses. TLR4 is known to be involved in cerebral I/R injury and is considered a potential target for the treatment of ischemic stroke. This experiment evaluated the hypothesis that an exogenous TLR4 antagonist, TAK-242, protects brain from I/R injury. A mouse model of cerebral I/R was induced by transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO). TAK-242 (3 mg/kg body weight) was intraperitoneally injected (i.p.) 1 hour after ischemia. Concentrations of TAK-242 in plasma and brain tissue were measured 3, 8, and 24 hrs after injection. Neurological scores were evaluated 24 hrs after cerebral I/R. Brain infarct areas were detected by TTC staining. Inflammatory cytokines were analyzed by antibody arrays 6 hrs after cerebral I/R. Group comparisons for infarct size were made with the t-test, and cytokine levels were analyzed by one-way ANOVA with post-hoc comparisons. Our results showed that the concentration of TAK-242 in plasma increased to 52.0 ng/ml 3 hrs after i.p, was maintained at 54.1 ng/ml 8 hrs after i.p., and decreased to 22.6 ng/ml 24 hrs after i.p. The concentration of TAK-242 in brain tissue increased to 26.1 ng/ml (ipsilateral) and 14.2 ng/ml (contralateral) 3 hrs after i.p, was maintained at 26.4 ng/ml (ipsilateral) and 15.1 ng/ml (contralateral) 8 hrs after i.p., and was still maintained at 25.0 ng.ml (ipsilateral) and 17.5 ng/ml (contralateral) 24 hrs after i.p. TAK-242 treatment significantly reduced brain infarct size (12.5%) compared to control mice (21.3%) (p
Revisiting Jurisdiction's Social Cost: A Brief Rejoinder to Professor Klerman

My recent article Solving Jurisdiction’s Social Cost, 89 Wash. L. Rev. 653 (2014), examines issues implicated by nonwaivable federal court subject-matter jurisdiction. I argue that courts and commentators are prone to monistic theories of jurisdictional value, failing to consider the full range of interests implicated by jurisdictional rules. I then catalogue the various interests arising from jurisdictional rules. Lastly, I advance several solutions, including early jurisdictional certification orders, a cut-off point for jurisdictional challenges, interlocutory appeals of jurisdictional rulings, and sanctions to deter private-party abuse. Daniel Klerman’s response to my article is articulate, well-reasoned, and persuasive. See 89 Wash. L. Rev. Online 1 (2014). Among other contentions, he suggests that mandatory jurisdictional certification by district courts may incur greater costs than those associated with nonwaivable jurisdictional rules. Professor Klerman challenges the notion that the efficiency and structural interests underlying jurisdictional rules are incommensurable. And he outlines a novel alternative approach in which federal courts could call for the views of state attorneys general when appropriate to identify and protect federalism concerns and state prerogatives. I commend Professor Klerman for his significant contribution to the economic literature on federal court subject-matter jurisdiction. This rejoinder briefly responds to a few of his key arguments, with the goals of advancing the discussion even further and encouraging others to join the debate.
Passively-Switched, Non-Contact Energy Harvester for Broad Operational Range and Enhanced Durability

Impact-based vibrational energy harvesters that switch passively among dynamical modes to best match the ambient conditions and perform frequency up-conversion to maximize power output can increase the operational range over which harvesters output useful power. The disadvantage of impact-based harvesting is that it can lead to premature system failure. This paper presents modelling and experimental validation of a harvester with passively- switched dynamics in which a magnetic non-contact interaction replaces the impact-based interaction of previous systems for greater robustness. A low-frequency driving beam couples to a higher-frequency generating beam via tip magnets. Simulations predict that the noncontact interaction drives a diversity of dynamical modes in which the tip of the driving beam variously is repelled from and passes the tip of generating beam. Experiments validate the predicted dynamical behaviour of the system. Output power levels are similar to predictions, with a power of 903 μW on the primary resonance at 1 g acceleration.
Minimum Analytical Nodules and Late Paleoindian Cody Complex Lithic Technological Organization at Hell Gap, Wyoming

AbstractThis paper uses minimum analytical nodule analysis (MANA) as a tool to evaluate local-scale patterns of lithic technological organization in the Late Paleoindian Cody complex Locality I and Locality V components at the Hell Gap site, Wyoming. The spatially proximate and temporally overlapping loci provide an opportunity to assess how these Paleoindians organized lithic technology while using a core area focused land-use strategy. The technological strategies are similar in terms of lithic procurement, tool use, and discard; the main difference is that greater emphasis was placed on tool production in the Locality V assemblage as it functioned secondarily as a workshop. Besides being a campsite, Locality V served, in part, as a hub for tool production at which Cody complex hunter-gatherers prepared tools for forays within and outside the Hartville Uplift core area; Locality I was a campsite within the Hartville Uplift core area. Reflected in this study are glimpses of the separate but interrelated ...
Nonanatomic Tibial Tunnel Placement for Single-Bundle Posterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Leads to Greater Posterior Tibial Translation in a Biomechanical Model.

Purpose To determine the effect of varying proximal-distal tibial tunnel placement on posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) laxity. Methods Nine matched pairs (18 total) of cadaveric knees (mean age 79.3 years, range 60 to 89), were studied. The specimens from each pair were randomly divided into 2 groups based on tibial tunnel placement: (1) anatomic tunnel and (2) proximal nonanatomic tunnel. A 150-N cyclic posterior tibial load was applied using a Materials Testing System machine at 0°, 30°, 60°, and 90° of knee flexion. Each specimen completed 50 cycles at a rate of 0.2 Hz at each knee flexion angle. In 10 specimens, a static 250-N posterior tibial load was applied at 90° of knee flexion. Posterior tibial translation was recorded. Load to failure for all specimens was recorded. Results With application of a 150-N posteriorly directed cyclic force, the anatomic tunnel group had significantly less posterior tibial translation (millimeters, mean [standard deviation (SD)]) than the proximal nonanatomic tunnel group at 0°, 30°, 60°, and 90° of knee flexion: 1.1 (0.3) v 1.5 (0.4), P = .031; 1.1 (0.6) v 2.2 (0.9), P = .019; 0.9 (0.4) v 2.0 (0.6), P = .001; 0.9 (0.6) v 2.9 (0.7), P P v 6.1 (2.3), P = .016. Four pairs were excluded from the 250-N results because of prior load to failure testing. Conclusions Anatomic tibial tunnel placement re-creating the tibial origin of the PCL results in significantly less posterior tibial translation than proximal nonanatomic tibial tunnel placement. Correct placement of the tibial tunnel during PCL reconstruction is essential for avoidance of posterior laxity. Clinical Relevance Anatomic tibial tunnel placement during PCL reconstruction may ensure a more stable reconstruction.
Culture media: Recently introduced media

Media have been introduced recently for cultivation of Legionella pneumophila. Campylobacter fetus , subsp. jejuni . and Clostridium difficile . Essential to the cultivation of L. pneumophila are L-cysteine and soluble iron. Feeley-Gorman (F-G)and charcoal yeast extract (CYE)agars both contain these essential ingredients: however, it appears that CYE is more sensitive than F-G in isolating L. pneumophila and related organisms. Isolation of C. fetus subsp. jejuni from faeces requires inoculation of a selective medium and incubation in a microaerophilic atmosphere at 42 C. The selective medium consists of a brucella agar base containing reagents (sodium pyruvate, sodium metabisulfite. and ferrous sulfate) to reduce the levels of superoxide radicals and antibiotics (vancomycin, trimethoprim, polymyxin B, and cephalothin) to suppress other bacteria. Isolation of C. difficile from faeces can be made on a medium containing cefoxitin, cycloserine, and fructose which offers both selective and differential properties for the organism. The sensitivity and specificity of culture and toxin assay are equivalent.
Exclusion of Women of Childbearing Potential in Clinical Trials of Type 2 Diabetes Medications: A Review of Protocol-Based Barriers to Enrollment.

OBJECTIVE Women of childbearing potential are often excluded from participating in clinical trials owing to concerns about adverse fetal effects of treatment. This study aims to determine the prevalence of fertility-related exclusion criteria in clinical trials of type 2 diabetes medications and to determine whether these criteria are commensurate with drug risk. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS ClinicalTrials.gov was queried for trials of type 2 diabetes medications that were phase 2 or 3, based in the U.S., and enrolled participants 18–40 years old. Six hundred eighty-eight trials met criteria. Information collected about each trial included enrollment, trial length, exclusion and inclusion criteria, trial sponsor, and pregnancy category of drug(s) administered. RESULTS Most studies (59%) included one or more fertility-related exclusion criteria, most often excluding current pregnancy (55%) and breast-feeding (44%). Trials of medications with increased fetal risk were not more restrictive: trials of category C drugs (evidence of fetal risks in animals) were less likely to exclude pregnancy compared with trials of category B drugs (no known human or animal fetal risks) (45.6% vs. 69.8%, odds ratio [OR] 0.37 [95% CI 0.20, 0.65], P = 0.0005) or to require contraceptive use (29.9% vs. 57.1%, OR 0.32 [95% CI 0.18, 0.56], P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS In clinical trials of type 2 diabetes medications, exclusion criteria affecting women of childbearing potential are often disproportionate to risk to the participant and fetus. These criteria have the potential to impede young women’s access to clinical trials and may hinder the acquisition of clinical knowledge critical for improving the care of women with diabetes.
The overall research of water quality with the basis of GIS

At present, there are so much information about water environment assessment, and these methods are too complex, if one wants to obtain the essence among the problems, help the managers make decisions, he must get together all the single information. A new model is introduced that can assess the water quality with the basis of fuzzy assessment, and its feasibility is invested by real example.
Ultimate penetration depth of projectiles based on shock wave theory

To study the penetration depth of projectiles, in this paper one dimension shock wave theory was used to deduce impact velocity when projectiles hit ground, and ultimate impact velocity of the projectiles penetrating normally into different media was calculated while warhead was yielded, according to intension yield of warhead material. In addition, according to overloading yield of the fuse and loading ammo structure, the ultimate impact velocity of the projectiles penetrating normally into different media and ultimate penetration depth were calculated.This ultimate penetration depth has important reference value for the design and construction of the protection engineering.
Megakaryoblastic Myeloid Sarcoma: Case Series of Lytic Bone Lesions With Radiographic and Histologic Correlation

Myeloid sarcoma is a neoplastic growth of myeloid blasts that occur in a site other than the bone marrow. It has a male predilection and a median age of 56 years. The development of a megakaryoblastic myeloid sarcoma is very rare. Most cases arise from either a refractory anemia with excess blasts or a …
THE NATURE AND STRUCTURE OF INFINITE GAMES

This chapter discusses the nature and structure of infinite games. One of the simplest versions of the continuous analog of finite matrix games is the class of games played over the unit square. There are certain points of correspondence between games on the unit square and matrix games. In both cases, the complete strategy spaces are generated from the pure strategies, that is, they consist of all possible probability mixtures of the pure strategies. Games of increasing degrees of complexity can be obtained by enlarging the dimensionality and cardinality of the space of pure strategies. The chapter discusses the ways of calculating explicit optimal strategies for both players for any game on the unit square. Of almost equal importance and relevance is the goal of characterizing properties of solutions as a function of the form of the game. The chapter presents a series of special classes of continuous kernels on the unit square.
The Effects of Avatar Appearance in Virtual Worlds

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