cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Morphogenesis of the First Blood Vessels

The initial phase of vessel formation is the establishment of nascent endothelial tubes from mesodermal precursor cells. Development of the vascular epithelium is examined using the transcription factor TAL1 as a marker of endothelial precursor cells (angioblasts), and a functional assay based on intact, whole-mounted quail embryos. Experimental studies examining the role(s) of integrins and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) establish that integrin-mediated cell adhesion is necessary for normal endothelial tube formation and that stimulation of embryonic endothelial cells with exogenous VEGF results in a massive "fusion" of vessels and the obliteration of normally avascular zones. The second phase of vessel morphogenesis is assembly of the vessel wall. To understand the process by which mesenchyme gives rise to vascular smooth muscle, a novel monoclonal antibody, 1E12, that recognizes smooth muscle precursor cells was used. Additionally, development of the vessel wall was examined using the expression fo extracellular matrix proteins as markers. Comparison of labeling patterns of 1E12 and the extracellular matrix molecules fibulin-1 and fibrillin-2 indicate vessel wall heterogeneity at the earliest stages of development; thus smooth muscle cell diversity is manifested during the differentiation and assembly of the vessel wall. From these studies it is postulated that the extracellular matrix composition of the vessel wall may prove to be the best marker of smooth muscle diversity. The data are discussed in the context of recent work by others, especially provocative new studies suggesting an endothelial origin for vascular smooth muscle cells. Also discussed is recent work that provides clues to the mechanism of vascular smooth muscle induction and recruitment. Based on these findings, vascular smooth muscle cells can be thought of as existing along a continuum of phenotypes. This spectrum varies from mainly matrix-producing cells to primarily contractile cells; thus no one cell type typifies vascular smooth muscle. This view of the smooth muscle cell is considered in terms of a contrasting opinion that views smooth muscle cell as existing in either a synthetic or proliferative state.
Time-domain analysis of cross correlation for time delay estimation with an autocorrelated signal

The estimation accuracy of the time difference of arrival (TDOA) of an exponentially autocorrelated signal at two sensors in white noise is analyzed. The estimate is obtained by cross correlating samples taken as short-term integrals of the noisy signals from the two sensors. This technique avoids ambiguities in the cross correlation, and it is shown that the best sampling rate is double the Nyquist rate, for which the Cramer-Rao lower bound (CRLB) is met in practice. >
SERS EM field enhancement study through fast Raman mapping of Sierpinski carpet arrays

Self-similar Sierpinski carpet fractals were fabricated using a new nanopatterning technique, i.e. solid-state superionic stamping (S4), to study the effect of feature size on plasmon-enhanced Raman scattering. A real-time Raman image showing electromagnetic (EM) field enhancement contrast is demonstrated. The effects were studied and explained in the context of modes of surface plasmon excitation. Additionally, we find that the EM field enhancement supported by the fractals extends further spatially as compared to continuous Ag surfaces. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The bicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2,5-diols☆

Abstract Two independent recent synthetic routes to byciclo[2.2.1]heptan- exo -2- endo -5-diol (I) have been described by Henbest and Toivonen. The products were clearly different. Re-examination of this discrepancy reveals that the product described by Henbest was essentially pure I, but that Toivonen's product was a mixture containing the previously uncharacterized 2- exo -5- exo isomer (II) and I in about a 2:3 ratio. Both of these diols can be converted to bicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2,5-dione (IV), which is reduced by lithium aluminum tri-t-butoxy hydride to the third possible 2,5-diol, the 2- endo -5- endo isomer III.
Analytical vibrations of a rotating blade with geometric nonlinearity

Analytical vibrations and stability of a rotating blade subject to a torsional excitation are investigated. A model with cubic geometric nonlinearity and gyroscopic effects is presented. From the Galerkin method, the partial differential equation of the nonlinear rotating blade is reduced. Further, periodic motions and stability of the rotating blade are studied by the generalized harmonic balance method. The analytical and numerical results of periodic solutions are compared. From such initial investigation, the rich dynamics and co-existing periodic solutions of the nonlinear rotating blades should be further investigated.
High-Resolution Versus High-Sensitivity SPECT Imaging With Geometric Blurring Compensation for Various Parallel-Hole Collimation Geometries

Recent studies have shown that trading efficiency for improved resolution may be a good choice for small lesion detection, but utilizing collimator with high efficiency may be more favorable for cardiac single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). This paper investigates the tradeoffs of geometric-blurring compensation for high-resolution (HR) and high-sensitivity (HS) SPECT imaging with various parallel-hole collimators in terms of noise reduction and resolution recovery. Five types of collimators were investigated and compared with a general all purpose collimator using computer simulations. It is shown that less noisy SPECT images can be achieved with unchanged spatial resolution using large collimator holes with blurring compensation. The optimal collimator hole found in the computer simulation is the one with a hole acceptance angle in the range from 6.3° to 9.4°. Phantom experiments with two cardiac-insert phantoms show that the resolution of the image obtained using the HS collimator can be successfully recovered by blurring compensation, and the image is less noisy compared to the one obtained using the HR collimator.
Joining dataflow with predicates

Dataflow analyses sacrifice path-sensitivity for efficiency and lead to false positives when used for verification. Predicate refinement based model checking methods are path-sensitive but must perform many expensive iterations to find all the relevant facts about a program, not all of which are naturally expressed and analyzed using predicates. We show how to join these complementary techniques to obtain efficient and precise versions of any lattice-based dataflow analysis using predicated lattices. A predicated lattice partitions the program state according to a set of predicates and tracks a lattice element for each partition. The resulting dataflow analysis is more precise than the eager dataflow analysis without the predicates.In addition, we automatically infer predicates to rule out imprecisions. The result is a dataflow analysis that can adaptively refine its precision. We then instantiate this generic framework using a symbolic execution lattice, which tracks pointer and value information precisely. We give experimental evidence that our combined analysis is both more precise than the eager analysis in that it is sensitive enough to prove various properties, as well as much faster than the lazy analysis, as many relevant facts are eagerly computed, thus reducing the number of iterations.This results in an order of magnitude improvement in the running times from a purely lazy analysis.
Effect of Complex Formation on Drug Absorption VII: Effect of Complexation and Self-Association on the Absorption of Caffeine

The effect of the formation of caffeine complexes having a higher apparent lipoidaqueous partition coefficient than caffeine itself on the absorption of this drug from the rat stomach was investigated. In one such system, caffeine-salicylic acid, the salicylic acid actually decreased the absorption of caffeine due to an effect of the former on the gastric mucosa. In another such system, caffeine-p-hydroxybenzoic acid, the p-hydroxybenzoic acid did not increase the absorption of caffeine. The intestinal transfer of caffeine alone was studied at low concentrations (where caffeine exists mainly in monomeric form) and at high concentrations (where significant self-association occurs). The intestinal transfer rate constant of caffeine at high concentrations was significantly lower than at low concentrations. The mechanism of this effect was explored.
Short‐term exercise training improves the cardiovascular response to exercise in the postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome

Recent studies have suggested the presence of cardiac atrophy as a key component of the pathogenesis of the postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), similar to physical deconditioning. It has also been shown that exercise intolerance is associated with a reduced stroke volume (SV) in POTS, and that the high heart rate (HR) observed at rest and during exercise in these patients is due to this low SV. We tested the hypotheses that (a) circulatory control during exercise is normal in POTS; and (b) that physical ‘reconditioning' with exercise training improves exercise performance in patients with POTS. Nineteen (18 women) POTS patients completed a 3 month training programme. Cardiovascular responses during maximal exercise testing were assessed in the upright position before and after training. Resting left ventricular diastolic function was evaluated by Doppler echocardiography. Results were compared with those of 10 well-matched healthy sedentary controls. A lower SV resulted in a higher HR in POTS at any given oxygen uptake (V(O(2))) during exercise while the cardiac output (Q(c))-V(O(2)) relationship was normal. V(O(2peak)) was lower in POTS than controls (26.1 ± 1.0 (SEM) vs. 36.3 ± 0.9 ml kg-1 min-1; P < 0.001) due to a lower peak SV (65 ± 3 vs. 80 ± 5 ml; P = 0.009). After training in POTS, HR became lower at any given due to increased SV without changes in the – relationship. V(O(2peak)) increased by 11% (P < 0.001) due to increased peak SV (P = 0.021) and was proportional to total blood volume. Peak HR was similar, but HR recovery from exercise was faster after training than before training (P = 0.036 for training and 0.009 for interaction). Resting diastolic function was mostly normal in POTS before training, though diastolic suction was impaired (P = 0.023). There were no changes in any Doppler index after training. These results suggest that short-term exercise training improves physical fitness and cardiovascular responses during exercise in patients with POTS.
Formal specification and analysis for reliable and transparent resource management

A report is presented on the design and implementation of a novel, highly reliable resource management algorithm which functions within the distributed operating system DRAGON SLAYER. The particular design goals for DRAGON SLAYER include not only reliability of services in face node or link failures, or in face of unreliability on the software level, but also a novel form of resource transparency in the absence of any global control or information. It is necessary to deal with a very difficult and general conceptual problem calling for a solution that further had to satisfy requirements of practicality. The design of the algorithm is based on a formal model, the theory of interaction systems. The authors prove the correctness (fairness) of the algorithm in the formal model. The construction method for this model is modular and incremental. >
Secure introduction of one-way functions

Conditions are given under which a one-way function can be used safely in a programming language. The security proof involves showing that secrets cannot be leaked easily by any program meeting the conditions unless breaking the one-way function is easy. The result is applied to a password system where passwords are stored in a public file as images under a one-way function.
Transnational Transfer of Strategic Organizational Practices: A Contextual Perspective

To examine the phenomenon of the transnational transfer of strategic organizational practices within multinational companies. I use a cross-disciplinary approach. After conceptualizing the success of a transfer as the institutionalization of the practice at the recipient unit. I develop a multilevel model of transfer success, based on the notion of the contextual embeddedness of the process of transfer. I propose that three sets of factors at three levels—country, organization, and individual—affect transfer success reflecting social, organizational, and relational embeddedness. Finally, I discuss the theoretical and practical implications of this research.
The effect of seeds of exotic species transported via horse dung on vegetation along trail corridors

It has been suggested that exotic species will colonize within forests more frequently by the continual introduction of seeds through horse dung deposited along trails. Whether or not these exotic species have the ability to spread into and establish in the forest interior has been disputed. To address this, horse dung and soil samples were collected from trails during Autumn 1994 and Summer 1995 from three areas in southern Illinois, USA open to recreational horse travel. In addition, deer dung samples were collected from each of the study areas. Vegetation data were collected from each of the trail systems as well as from a trail along which horse travel was prohibited. The density of vascular plants in 0.25 m2 quadrats placed at varying distances from the trail center to 5 m into the forest interior were recorded. Finally, dung samples were placed in situ along horse trails at one site to examine seedling germination in natural conditions. While 23 exotic species germinated from samples of horse dung placed out in a greenhouse, only one of these exotic species was also found in trail plots (Kummerowia striata). Similarly, while there were empirically more exotic species found along the trails allowing horse travel than there were on the trail lacking horse travel, the relative importance of those species was negligible along both trails. These results suggest that the emigration of exotic species via horse dung does not pose an immediate threat to the plant communities adjacent to trails in these forest systems. Nevertheless, the large number of exotic species in horse dung reflects the constant threat to any system from these species. Care must be taken, when allowing horseback use in areas, to anticipate invasion by exotic species from horse dung
A ceramic-based anticancer drug delivery system to treat breast cancer

Drug delivery systems offer the advantage of sustained targeted release with minimal side effect. In the present study, the therapeutic efficacy of a porous silica–calcium phosphate nanocomposite (SCPC) as a new delivery system for 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) was evaluated in vitro and in vivo. In vitro studies showed that two formulations; SCPC50/5-FU and SCPC75/5-FU hybrids were very cytotoxic for 4T1 mammary tumor cells. In contrast, control SCPCs without drug did not show any measurable toxic effect. Release kinetics studies showed that SCPC75/5-FU hybrid provided a burst release of 5-FU in the first 24 h followed by a sustained release of a therapeutic dose (30.7 μg/day) of the drug for up to 32 days. Moreover, subcutaneous implantation of SCPC75/5-FU hybrid disk in an immunocompetent murine model of breast cancer stopped 4T1 tumor growth. Blood analyses showed comparable concentrations of Ca, P and Si in animals implanted with or without SCPC75 disks. These results strongly suggest that SCPC/5-FU hybrids can provide an effective treatment for solid tumors with minimal side effects.
Simple and Efficient Analysis of Disease Association with Missing Genotype Data

Missing genotype data arise in association studies when the single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on the genotying platform are not assayed successfully, when the SNPs of interest are not on the platform, or when total sequence variation is determined only on a small fraction of individuals. We present a simple and flexible likelihood framework to study SNP-disease associations with such missing genotype data. Our likelihood makes full use of all available data in case-control studies and reference panels (e.g., the HapMap), and it properly accounts for the biased nature of the case-control sampling as well as the uncertainty in inferring unknown variants. The corresponding maximum-likelihood estimators for genetic effects and gene-environment interactions are unbiased and statistically efficient. We developed fast and stable numerical algorithms to calculate the maximum-likelihood estimators and their variances, and we implemented these algorithms in a freely available computer program. Simulation studies demonstrated that the new approach is more powerful than existing methods while providing accurate control of the type I error. An application to a case-control study on rheumatoid arthritis revealed several loci that deserve further investigations.
FROST: A Distributed Neurocomputational Model of Working Memory Maintenance

Many studies suggest that the sustained activation underlying working memory (WM) maintenance is mediated by a distributed network that includes the prefrontal cortex and other structures (e.g., posterior parietal cortex, thalamus, globus pallidus, and the caudate nucleus). A computational model of WM, called FROST (short for FROntal–Striatal–Thalamic), is proposed in which the representation of items and spatial positions is encoded in the lateral prefrontal cortex. During delay intervals, activation in these prefrontal cells is sustained via parallel, prefrontal cortical–thalamic loops. Activation reverberates in these loops because prefrontal cortical excitation of the head of the caudate nucleus leads to disinhibition of the thalamus (via the globus pallidus). FROST successfully accounts for a wide variety of WM data, including single-cell recording data and human behavioral data.
The Primary Structure of the Clostridium tartarivorum Ferredoxin, a Heat-stable Ferredoxin

The amino acid sequence of the Clostridium tartarivorum ferredoxin was determined to be: Ala-His-Ile-Ile-Thr-Asp-Glu-Cys-Ile-Ser-Cys-Gly-Ala-Cys-Ala-Ala-Glu-Cys-Pro-Val-Glu-Ala-Ile-His-Glu-Gly-Thr-Gly-Lys-Tyr-Gln-Val-Asp-Ala-Asp-Thr-Cys-Ile-Asp-Cys-Gly-Ala-Cys-Gln-Ala-Val-Cys-Pro-Thr-Gly-Ala-Val-Lys-Ala-Glu. The first 23 residues were determined in the protein sequenator while the remainder of the sequences were determined by conventional methods. The primary structure of the heat-stable ferredoxin is compared with the ferredoxins from the mesophilic organisms.
Evaluation of TCOM/HBOT practice guideline for the treatment of foot burns occurring in diabetic patients.

Abstract Objectives A multidisciplinary team developed an evidence-based guideline for the management of foot burns occurring in diabetic patients that included transcutaneous oxygen measurements (TCOM) and application of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) to selected patients. This report represents an evaluation of preliminary TCOM/HBOT data. Methods This is a retrospective review of patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) who were admitted to a single American Burn Association (ABA) verified burn center for the treatment of foot burns. Patients were treated via the guideline if they were over the age of 16, admitted for the initial care of burns involving the feet between 4/01/2012 and 7/22/2013, and had a known or new diagnosis of DM. Results Eighteen patients were treated according to the guideline, 14 men and 4 women. Average age was 54 years + 14.78. Average BMI was 30.63 + 6.34. Median burn size was 0.88% TBSA (median partial thickness of 1% and median full thickness of 0.5%). The average HbA1c was 9.08 + 2.42. Seven patients received pre-operative HBOT, two received post-operative HBOT and three patients healed their wounds with HBOT alone. Average hospital length of stay was 13.39 days + 9.94 and was significantly longer for the group receiving HBOT. Admission HbA1c was not a predictor of the need for HBOT . Conclusions While TCOM/HBOT therapy has not been widely applied to the management of diabetic foot burns, the use of an evidence-based guideline incorporating TCOM/HBOT can provide a systematic way to evaluate the patients’ microcirculation and ability to heal burns of the foot. The incorporation of TCOM determination and application of HBOT in selected patients with DM and burns of the feet warrant continued study.
Yield response of dual-toxin Bt cotton to Helicoverpa zea infestations.

Field cage experiments were conducted to determine the impact of bollworms, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), on yields of Bollgard II and Widestrike cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L. One-day-old bollworm larvae were infested in white flowers of Bollgard II and in white flowers and terminals of Widestrike cotton. The infestation levels included 0, 50, and 100% of white flowers for each type of cotton. Terminal infestations included one or two larvae per terminal on Widestrike cotton. Larvae were placed in flowers of Bollgard II cotton each day for 1 to 4 wk during the first 4 wk of flowering during 2003, 2004, and 2005 seasons and in the flowers or terminals of Widestrike cotton each day for 1 to 3 wk. Averaged across years and durations of infestation, yields of Bollgard II cotton were significantly reduced compared with noninfested Bollgard II cotton when 100% of white flowers were infested. For Widestrike cotton, there was a reduction in yield when 100% of white flowers were infested in 2005, but not in 2006. There was a significant relationship for cumulative numbers of white flowers infested on seedcotton yield of Bollgard II during one of the 3 yr of the experiment. The regression equation during that year had a slope of −0.77. No significant relationships were observed for cumulative numbers of white flowers infested on yields of Widestrike cotton. Results of the current experiment suggest bollworms will rarely cause yield losses of Bollgard II and Widestrike cotton. Future research will need to focus on developing specific thresholds for bollworms on Bollgard II and Widestrike cotton.
Critical Care Diabetes Education: Who, What, When, Where, and Why

While patients are in the critical care areas, hyperglycemia occurs in more than 50% of patients with or without diabetes. This education time is a crucial for the patients and families, because their attention to better health is heightened by their reason for being in a critical care unit. Nurses can be leaders in starting them in the right direction for diabetes self-management by understanding the basics of diabetes care and education. This article discusses how to equip a patient with the skills they need to live with diabetes.
Machine learning methods for credibility assessment of interviewees based on posturographic data

This paper discusses the advantages of using posturographic signals from force plates for non-invasive credibility assessment. The contributions of our work are two fold: first, the proposed method is highly efficient and non invasive. Second, feasibility for creating an autonomous credibility assessment system using machine-learning algorithms is studied. This study employs an interview paradigm that includes subjects responding with truthful and deceptive intent while their center of pressure (COP) signal is being recorded. Classification models utilizing sets of COP features for deceptive responses are derived and best accuracy of 93.5% for test interval is reported.
RSK-mediated down-regulation of PDCD4 is required for proliferation, survival, and migration in a model of triple-negative breast cancer

The p90 ribosomal S6 kinase (RSK) is a family of MAPK-activated serine/threonine kinases (RSK1-4) whose expression and/or activity are deregulated in several cancers, including breast cancer. Up-regulation of RSKs promotes cellular processes that drive tumorigenesis in Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) cells. Although RSKs regulate protein synthesis in certain cell types, the role of RSK-mediated translational control in oncogenic progression has yet to be evaluated. We demonstrate that proliferation and migration of TNBC MDA-MB-231 cells, unlike ER/PR-positive MCF7 cells, rely on RSK activity. We show that RSKs regulate the activities of the translation initiation factor eIF4B and the translational repressor PDCD4 in TNBC cells with up-regulated MAPK pathway, but not in breast cancer cells with hyperactivated PI3K/Akt/mTORC1 pathway. These results identify PDCD4 as a novel RSK substrate. We demonstrate that RSK-mediated phosphorylation of PDCD4 at S76 promotes PDCD4 degradation. Low PDCD4 levels reduce PDCD4 inhibitory effect on the translation initiation factor eIF4A, which increases translation of "eIF4A sensitive" mRNAs encoding factors involved in cell cycle progression, survival, and migration. Consequently, low levels of PDCD4 favor proliferation and migration of MDA-MB-231 cells. These results support the therapeutic use of RSK inhibitors for treatment of TNBC with deregulated MAPK/RSK pathway.
American Beauty, Gladiator, and the New Imperial Humanitarianism.

In his essay “Cowboys and Free Markets,” Stanley Corkin historically situates U.S. imperial discourses in the Western film genre. Popular during a time of post-war U.S. global expansionism, the Western re-elaborates the cultural “need for settlement and nationalism” (68). According to Corkin, this thematic appears in all Westerns. But the post-World War II era in America makes particular use of the genre: “the repressed dimension of westerns is their relationship to imperialism—and it is their indirect means of considering such activity that makes them the genre of the period” (71). During the post-war shift toward an aggressive U.S. expansionism (militarily, economically, and politically), a suitable cultural metaphor for explaining national policy to the larger population was found in the frontier trope of the Western. The geography of the old-west is physically outside socialization and civilization, and it provides a place “in which individuals of magnitude can assert their sense of order” (72).
Investigation on Occupational Hazards in Artificial Gemstone Processing Industry

[Objective]To investigate the potential occupational hazards in artificial gemstone processing industry so as to understand the health status of this occupational group,and provide reference for developing occupational disease prevention measures of this industry and the national occupational health standards.[Methods]A cross-sectional study was conducted to identify the potential occupational hazards and assess its kinds,intensity(concentration) and harmfulness in the processing industry of artificial gemstone with synthetic cubic zirconia as the main raw material.[Results]The main occupational hazards existing in this industry were dusts(free SiO2 less than 10%),noise,and hydrofluoric acid,distributing in the operating positions of cutting,grinding and washing.The field test results showed that the qualified rates of main occupational hazards' intensity(concentration) were high,and no occupational disease case in association with artificial gemstone processing(synthetic cubic zirconia) has been reported up to now.[Conclusion]Current operating mode and protective measures in artificial gemstone processing industry of Wuzhou City are basically feasible and effective.
Law of Power and Long-tail Theory and Book Publication

Book publication is in essence an industry of “small-group” commodity. Each year large quantities of new books crowd into market, but most books have only a limited target readership. However, restricted by the network of distribution, publication industry manages by pursuing bestsellers. That is to say that it invests limited resources into those transient “mass goods” so as to obtain the quickest possible circulation of goods on limited bookshelves. Under this mode of management, book distribution presents a curve of law of power, that is, the minority of bestsellers taking the greatest percentage of distribution. With the rise of internet and development of digital publishing technology, publishing industry is undertaking an evolution. And it is the long-tail theory that explicates this cultural change and its economic results and marketing opportunity. Under the circumstances of the long-tail theory, book publication will enjoy a “long-tail pattern” coexisting with the “bestseller pattern”.
Immunopathology and Male Infertility

Barriers between the male's immune system and his germ cells have been presumed. However, they turn out to be imperfect, which suggests that autoimmune attack may be prevented in part by chronic exposure of T lymphocytes to tolerogenic doses of “foreign” germ cell antigens. Breakdowns in such active immunoregulation may account for some cases of unexplained infertility.
Exploring enhanced menu labels’ influence on fast food selections and exercise-related attitudes, perceptions, and intentions

Labeling restaurant menus with calorie counts is a popular public health intervention, but research shows these labels have small, inconsistent effects on behavior. Supplementing calorie counts with physical activity equivalents may produce stronger results, but few studies of these enhanced labels have been conducted, and the labels' potential to influence exercise-related outcomes remains unexplored. This online study evaluated the impact of no information, calories-only, and calories plus equivalent miles of walking labels on fast food item selection and exercise-related attitudes, perceptions, and intentions. Participants (N = 643) were randomly assigned to a labeling condition and completed a menu ordering task followed by measures of exercise-related outcomes. The labels had little effect on ordering behavior, with no significant differences in total calories ordered and counterintuitive increases in calories ordered in the two informational conditions in some item categories. The labels also had little impact on the exercise-related outcomes, though participants in the two informational conditions perceived exercise as less enjoyable than did participants in the no information condition, and trends following the same pattern were found for other exercise-related outcomes. The present findings concur with literature demonstrating small, inconsistent effects of current menu labeling strategies and suggest that alternatives such as traffic light systems should be explored.
The Department of Surgery at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center: at the forefront of surgical innovation.

T HE HISTORY OF surgery at The New York Hospital, the second oldest hospital in the United States, reflects the evolution of surgery in America and is marked by some of the most extraordinary achievements in medicine. The New York Hospital was the cradle of early surgical developments and instruction in America, earning a worldwide reputation for excellence and innovation. With the affiliation agreement between New York Hospital and Cornell University almost 100 years ago, the Department of Surgery developed into an academic unit that contributed clinical care and education to countless patients, students, and residents and generated innovations for the benefit of the surgical patient. With the more recent merger of New York Hospital and Presbyterian Hospital into a new entity, NewYork–Presbyterian Hospital, our Department is poised to continue making additional important contributions to the advancement of the art and science of surgery by building on our rich legacy of surgical care, teaching, and innovations.
Fifth International Conference on Electrorheological Fluids, Magnetorheological Suspensions, and Associated Technology

(1995). Fifth International Conference on Electrorheological Fluids, Magnetorheological Suspensions, and Associated Technology. Materials Technology: Vol. 10, No. 7-8, pp. 156-158.
Translating Ottoman into classical Arabic:nahḍaand the Balkan Wars in Aḥmad Shawqī’s “The New al-Andalus”

ABSTRACTThis article reassesses the typical scholarly projection of Turk–Arab relations in the late Ottoman Empire as an imperial center hegemonizing the Arab periphery. The article demonstrates that early modern neoclassical Arab poets drew upon the Arab-Islamic heritage, turāth, to provide their interpretation and even critique of the late Ottoman period. As a case study, I give a close reading of Aḥmad Shawqī’s poem on the Balkan Wars (1912–1913), “The New al-Andalus.” My reading departs from the common assumption that Shawqī’s pan-Ottomanist poems express uncritical admiration for the caliphate. Through revealing the nuanced interpretive dynamics in Shawqī’s poem, I draw upon translation theory and propose that early modern neoclassical poetry refracted rather than reflected political transformations of its period. This refraction played a crucial role in shaping the vision of nahḍa, because Shawqī, like other Arab thinkers, believed that the empire needed to go through “renaissance” after the Balkan ...
Host Defenses to Protozoa

Abstract The innate and adaptive immune systems respond to the diverse protozoan pathogens with a wide array of weapons. Neutrophils, macrophages, and natural killer (NK) cells mediate the innate response against extracellular protozoan parasites. NK cell– and cytokine-activated macrophages are central to the innate response to intracellular parasites. Innate cytokine and dendritic cell (DC) responses also play a critical role in the induction of adaptive immunity. For the intracellular pathogens (e.g., Plasmodium spp., Leishmania spp., T. cruzi, T. gondii), the early production of interleukin-12 (IL-12) and interferon-γIFN- drives the differentiation of CD4 T cells to a protective T helper 1 (Th1) phenotype. CD8 T cells can also play a critical role through cytokine production (e.g., Plasmodium spp., T. cruzi, T. gondii) or direct cytotoxic activity (e.g., Cryptosporidium). For the parasites that have an extracellular stage (e.g., Plasmodium spp., Trypanosoma spp., Giardia, and Trichomonas), specific antibodies play a role in the acquired immune response. Protozoan parasites utilize diverse mechanisms to evade the host immune response and establish chronic infection.
Personality Tests in Employment Selection: Use With Caution

Excerpt] Many employers utilize personality tests in the employment selection process to identify people who have more than just the knowledge and skills necessary to be successful in their jobs.[1] If anecdotes are to be believed—Dilbert must be getting at something or the cartoon strip would not be so popular—the work place is full of people whose personalities are a mismatch for the positions they hold. Psychology has the ability to measure personality and emotional intelligence (“EQ”), which can provide employers with data to use in the selection process. “Personality refers to an individual’s unique constellation of consistent behavioral traits”[2] and “emotional intelligence consists of the ability to perceive and express emotion, assimilate emotion in thought, understand and reason with emotion, and regulate emotion.”[3] By using a scientific approach in hiring, employers can increase their number of successful employees.
An Open Systems Model of Local Government Forecasting

Local governments use single source forecasts to inform decision making, which can constrain their ability to prepare for and respond to financial uncertainty. This unique context may have increase...
Development of a melanoma risk prediction model incorporating MC1R genotype and indoor tanning exposure.

8574 Background: Invasive melanoma is the second most common cancer in young adults, yet they exhibit poor skin-protective behavior. We previously demonstrated a significant association between mel...
Designing Tools that Care: The Affective Qualities of Virtual Peers, Robots, and Videos

This chapter is concerned with the use of advanced learning technologies in order to facilitate a learner’s positive affect and, thereby, increase engagement and learning. The chapter introduces three tools that we have used to promote positive affect in groups of learners, ranging from preschoolers to college students: virtual peers (animated, on-screen characters), humanoid robots, and online videos. The chapter starts with a brief discussion of the integral relationship between affect and cognition to emphasize the importance of learner affect as a catalyst for successful learning. The following sections discuss how each of the three technologies has been used to support positive affect in students who face various challenges in their learning. The chapter ends with concluding thoughts and recommendations for future research.
Relationship Between Total and Bioaccessible Lead on Children’s Blood Lead Levels in Urban Residential Philadelphia Soils

Relationships between total soil or bioaccessible lead (Pb), measured using an in vitro bioaccessibility assay, and children’s blood lead levels (BLL) were investigated in an urban neighborhood in Philadelphia, PA, with a history of soil Pb contamination. Soil samples from 38 homes were analyzed to determine whether accounting for the bioaccessible Pb fraction improves statistical relationships with children’s BLLs. Total soil Pb concentration ranged from 58 to 2821 mg/kg; the bioaccessible Pb concentration ranged from 47 to 2567 mg/kg. Children’s BLLs ranged from 0.3 to 9.8 μg/dL. Hierarchical models were used to compare relationships between total or bioaccessible Pb in soil and children’s BLLs. Total soil Pb concentration as the predictor accounted for 23% of the variability in child BLL; bioaccessible soil Pb concentration as the predictor accounted for 26% of BLL variability. A bootstrapping analysis confirmed a significant increase in R2 for the model using bioaccessible soil Pb concentration as the...
Learning Models for Predictive Adaptation in State Lattices

Approaches to autonomous navigation for unmanned ground vehicles rely on motion planning algorithms that optimize maneuvers under kinematic and environmental constraints. Algorithms that combine heuristic search with local optimization are well suited to domains where solution optimality is favored over speed and memory resources are limited as they often improve the optimality of solutions without increasing the sampling density. To address the runtime performance limitations of such algorithms, this paper introduces Predictively Adapted State Lattices, an extension of recombinant motion planning search space construction that adapts the representation by selecting regions to optimize using a learned model trained to predict the expected improvement. The model aids in prioritizing computations that optimize regions where significant improvement is anticipated. We evaluate the performance of the proposed method through statistical and qualitative comparisons to alternative State Lattice approaches for a simulated mobile robot with nonholonomic constraints. Results demonstrate an advance in the ability of recombinant motion planning search spaces to improve relative optimality at reduced runtime in varyingly complex environments.
Catalytic and Chemical Behavior of Coal Mineral Matter in the Coal Conversion Process

Most synthetic fuel production processes that have been envisioned rely in some way on catalysts to facilitate one or more steps of the overall process. Catalysts added externally (that is, catalytic materials not inherently present in one or more of the reactants) represent an increased operating cost for the process and, usually, the necessity to incorporate operations for catalyst recovery and recycle into the process flowsheet. Coals contain many kinds of inorganic species that potentially can serve as catalysts — sulfides (notably pyrite), clays, and alkali or alkaline earth cations. If these catalysts inherent in the coal could be taken advantage of in conversion processing, the need for external catalysts could be lessened or eliminated. Examples of the catalytic effects of these kinds of species are discussed.
Analytical solution for cylindrical bending of two-layered corrugated and webcore sandwich panels

Abstract We analytically investigate infinitesimal cylindrical bending deformations of two-layered triangular corrugated and webcore linearly elastic sandwich panels by using the mechanics of materials approach and the classical plate theory. The model is validated by comparing its predictions with the solution by the finite element method of the linear elasticity equations for plane strain deformations. The model can accurately capture the secondary bending of the facesheets, manifested as changes in their curvature between the webs and the resulting changes in the axial stresses, from being tensile to possibly compressive, that the commonly-employed homogenization schemes fail to capture. Subsequently, the model is used to analyze several problems with the sandwich panel having a pinned support at the left edge and a roller support at the right edge, and a uniformly distributed load applied on the top facesheet of the panel. It is found that the core plates mostly deform in compression and bending, respectively, for corrugated and web core panels. Furthermore, a significant fraction of the work done by the external load on the structure is absorbed as strain energy of deformations of the core plates near the supports. For four hybrid combinations of corrugated and webcore configurations in two-layered panels, the combination with the upper corrugated core set-up has the least maximum face sheet deflection and axial stress. The analytical technique can be easily extended to multi-layered hybrid configurations and provides quick means of finding efficient strain-energy absorbing hybrid designs.
Hepatitis A and hepatitis B vaccination coverage among adults with chronic liver disease.

Abstract Background Infection with hepatitis A and hepatitis B virus can increase the risk of morbidity and mortality in persons with chronic liver disease (CLD). The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends hepatitis A (HepA) and hepatitis B (HepB) vaccination for persons with CLD. Methods Data from the 2014 and 2015 National Health Interview Surveys (NHIS), nationally representative, in-person interview surveys of the non-institutionalized US civilian population, were used to assess self-reported HepA (≥1 and ≥2 doses) and HepB vaccination (≥1 and ≥3 doses) coverage among adults who reported a chronic or long-term liver condition. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify factors independently associated with HepA and HepB vaccination among adults with CLD. Results Overall, 19.4% and 11.5% of adults aged ≥ 18 years with CLD reported receiving ≥1 dose and ≥2 doses of HepA vaccine, respectively, compared with 14.7% and 9.1% of adults without CLD (p Conclusions HepA and HepB vaccination among adults with CLD is suboptimal and missed opportunities to vaccinate occurred. Providers should adhere to recommendations to vaccinate persons with CLD to increase vaccination among this population.
Intrapleural Therapy for Empyema in the Setting of a Bronchopleural Fistula: A Novel Use of an Intrabronchial Valve.

Postsurgical empyema with bronchopleural fistula can be difficult to manage. We present a patient with postoperative empyema with bronchopleural fistula who was successfully treated nonoperatively by placing an intrabronchial valve to address the bronchopleural fistula, which allowed for safe administration of intrapleural fibrinolytics and antibiotics for definitive treatment of the empyema. Although the presence of a bronchopleural fistula is considered a contraindication to the administration of intrapleural tissue plasminogen activator and deoxyribonuclease, this case demonstrates a novel use of the intrabronchial valve that allowed these medications to be used.
Accuracy of Phase-Contrast Velocity Mapping Proximal and Distal to Stent Artifact During Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Little data are available on the accuracy of phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (PC-MRI) velocity mapping in the vicinity of intravascular metal stents other than nitinol stents. Therefore, we sought to determine this accuracy using in vitro experiments. An in vitro flow phantom was used with 3 stent types: (1) 316L stainless steel, (2) nitinol self-expanding, and (3) platinum-iridium. Steady and pulsatile flow was delivered with a magnetic resonance imaging-compatible pump (CardioFlow 5000, Shelley Medical, London, Ontario, Canada). Flows were measured using a transit time flow meter (ME13PXN, Transonic, Inc, Ithaca, New York). Mean flows ranged from 0.5 to 7 L/min. For each condition, 5 PC-MRI acquisitions were made: within the stent, immediately adjacent to both edges of the stent artifact, and 1 cm upstream and downstream of the artifact. Mean PC-MRI flows were calculated by segmenting the tube lumen using clinical software (ARGUS, Siemens, Inc, Erlangen, Germany). PC-MRI and flow meter flows were compared by location and stent type using linear regression, Bland-Altman, and intraclass correlation (ICC). PC-MRI flows within the stent artifact were inaccurate for all stents studied, generally underestimating flow meter-measured flow. Agreement between PC-MRI and flow meter-measured flows was excellent for all stent types, both immediately adjacent to and 1 cm away from the edge of the stent artifact. Agreement was highest for the platinum-iridium stent (R = 0.999, ICC = 0.999) and lowest for the nitinol stent (R = 0.993, ICC = 0.987). In conclusion, PC-MRI flows are highly accurate just upstream and downstream of a variety of clinically used stents, supporting its use to directly measure flows in stented vessels.
Drug-induced glaucomas: mechanism and management.

Glaucoma comprises a heterogeneous group of diseases that have in common a characteristic optic neuropathy and visual field defects, for which elevated intraocular pressure is the major risk factor. The level of intraocular pressure within the eye depends on the steady state of formation and drainage of the clear watery fluid, called the aqueous humour, in the anterior chamber of the eye. An obstruction in the circulatory pathway of aqueous humour causes an elevation in intraocular pressure. Because intraocular pressure is the most modifiable parameter, therapeutic measures (medical and surgical) are aimed at reducing the pressure to protect against optic nerve damage. Glaucomatous optic neuropathy results from degeneration of the axonal nerve fibres in the optic nerve and death of their cell bodies, the retinal ganglion cells. Clinical examination of the optic nerve head or disc and the peripapillary nerve fibre layer of the retina reveals specific changes, and the resulting visual field defects can be documented by perimetry. Glaucoma can be classified into four main groups: primary open-angle glaucoma; angle-closure glaucoma; secondary glaucoma; and developmental glaucoma. Drug-induced glaucoma should be considered as a form of secondary glaucoma because it is brought about by specific systemic or topical medications. Although there is a high prevalence of glaucoma worldwide, the incidence of drug-induced glaucoma is uncertain. Drugs that cause or exacerbate open-angle glaucoma are mostly glucocorticoids. Several classes of drugs, including adrenergic agonists, cholinergics, anticholinergics, sulpha-based drugs, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, tricyclic and tetracyclic antidepressants, anticoagulants and histamine H1 and H2 receptor antagonists, have been reported to induce or precipitate acute angle-closure glaucoma, especially in individuals predisposed with narrow angles of the anterior chamber. In some instances, bilateral involvement and even blindness have occurred. In this article, the mechanism and management of drug-induced glaucomatous disease of the eye are emphasised. Although the product package insert may mention glaucoma as a contraindication or as an adverse effect, the type of glaucoma is usually not specified. Clinicians should be mindful of the possibility of drug-induced glaucoma, whether or not it is listed as a contraindication and, if in doubt, consult an ophthalmologist.