cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An International Survey To Assess Referral Thresholds for Destination Therapy in Non-Inotrope Dependent Patients: Results of the CONSENSUS-DT Study

Purpose Criteria for the identification of “at risk” patients with advanced heart failure (HF) have been previously suggested. However, identification of appropriate non inotrope dependent (NID) patients for Destination Therapy (DT) remains a challenge and referral rates are low. We surveyed expert provider opinion about patient selection for early DT. Methods and Materials An internet-based survey was sent to international HF providers to investigate opinions about clinical indicators for referral of NID patients for DT. Subjects were identified from membership lists of HF professional organizations. Respondents were asked to score their level of agreement with 10 clinical markers describing at risk NID patients ( Figure 1 ). Results 231 respondents who had been in a position to recommend LVAD therapy for 7.6±5.8 years identified themselves as HF providers: 41% HF cardiologists, 27% HF nurse practitioners, 21% cardiothoracic surgeons, 9% LVAD coordinators and 2% general cardiologists. Responses, scored on a 5 point Likert scale, are shown in Fig 1 . More than two thirds of respondents strongly agreed or agreed with 7 of the 10 items. Similar consensus was not seen for 6 min walk and BNP. When asked which criteria would have to be present for LVAD referral only item 1 reached >50% affirmation amongst respondents. No criteria reached >50% response as being sufficient alone for DT. Conclusions Surprisingly, we found that expert providers agreed upon most surveyed clinical parameters to identify at risk HF patients. Yet, INTERMACS data shows very low referral rates of NID patients for DT. Ongoing multi-center trials may close this gap.
A comparison of high-frequency scattering determined from PO fields enhanced with alternative ILDCs

In order to compare the accuracy of "source-based" and "diffraction-cone" incremental length diffraction coefficients (ILDCs), the high-frequency scattered far fields of a perfectly conducting circular disk are computed using physical optics (PO) enhanced with source-based and diffraction-cone ILDCs. For angles of incidence and scattering that are near grazing to the disk, the diffraction-cone ILDCs predict bistatic scattered far fields that are generally much greater than the exact far fields and that are much less accurate than the scattered far fields predicted by the source-based ILDCs. These results lead us to conclude that the source-based ILDCs are preferable for improving upon the accuracy of PO fields computed with general purpose computer codes.
FACTORS AFFECTING LEARNING IN OLDER ADULTS

The author has gleaned from the literature a number of conclusions one can make regarding the aging of older adults and then drawn implications of these conclusions for those who plan, design, and conduct educational experiences for elders. These conclusions have been grouped under several headings: Major Changes in Physical Capacities, Changes in Sensory Capacities, Changes Related to Speed and Timing, Attitudinal Changes, Learning Capacity and Performance, Changes in Memory, and Changes in Adjustment Ability and Morale.
TCP Dynamics in 802.11 Wireless Local Area Networks

In 802.11 wireless links with disabled MAC retries, data and ACK packets within a TCP session collide resulting in packet losses. We show in this paper that in this situation, certain popular optimizations of TCP (fast-recovery) worsen the performance by causing deadlocks that terminate with timeouts. We compare the performance of optimized TCP versions (Reno and NewReno) with an earlier version of TCP (Tahoe) and demonstrate the degradation during fast-recovery. TCP-Tahoe gains 80% in throughput over TCP-Reno and more moderately over TCP-NewReno. A key contribution of this paper is the visualization of TCP dynamics to capture MAC layer collisions between DATA and ACK packets of a TCP session, and the differences in the behavior of protocols in that situation. This case of poor TCP performance due to self-inflicted losses, makes a sound case for decoupling error and flow control algorithms for transport over 802.11 wireless networks.
Bandwidth tilt measurement using low cost sensors

A state estimation technique is developed for sensing inclination angles using relatively low cost sensors. A low bandwidth tilt sensor is used along with an inaccurate rate gyro to obtain the measurement. The rate gyro has an inherent bias along with sensor noise. The tilt sensor uses an internal pendulum and therefore has its own slow dynamics. These sensor dynamics were identified experimentally and combined to achieve high bandwidth measurements using an optimal linear state estimator. Potential uses of the measurement technique range from robotics, to rehabilitation, to vehicle control.
Infrequency of sexually transmitted disease screening among sexually experienced U.S. female adolescents

CONTEXT: Since 1993, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and professional medical organizations have recommended that all sexually experienced female adolescents receive annual screening for Chlamydia trachomatis. Whether adolescents receive this care is largely unknown. METHODS: Reports of receipt of testing or treatment for a sexually transmitted disease (STD) in the past year, as well as sites of care, were obtained from 3,987 sexually experienced females in grades 7‐12 who participated in Wave 1 of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, conducted in 1995. Logistic regression was used to determine predictors of reporting care. RESULTS: Eighteen percent of all participants reported having received STD services in the past year. Of those who reported having had a routine physical examination in the past year, 22% reported receipt of STD services. The proportion reporting STD care increased linearly with age from 9% of 12‐13-year-olds to 25% of those 19 or older. In adjusted analyses, the odds of reporting testing or treatment were elevated among participants who had had a physical examination in the past year (odds ratio, 2.1), those with Medicaid or Medicare insurance (1.9), black women (1.5) and older adolescents (1.2). Adolescents most often reported having received STD care at a community health center (44%) or a private physician’s office (31%). CONCLUSIONS: Continued inadequate screening may contribute to persisting high prevalence of chlamydia infection among adolescents. Future research is needed to determine whether the proportions of adolescents receiving recommended STD screening have increased over time. Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 2004, 36(6):233‐238
Extraction of total cellular DNA from plants, algae and fungi

Historically, extraction of usable nucleic acids from plants and fungi has been difficult, in some instances notoriously so. In general, success in DNA extraction is measured by DNA yield, condition (molecular weight and color), and utility (or ease of use with restriction enzymes, polymerases, ligases, etc.). While yield is important, especially when milligram and submilligram amounts of fossil, dried or mummified tissues are used, it is less important than it once was due to the advent of PCR (polymerase chain reaction) methods. The condition of the DNA is similarly not as crucial as it once was. The utility, however, of the DNA is the paramount consideration in molecular biology manipulations. In a direct comparison [14] the DNAs (and RNAs) produced by methods employing cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) [4, 8, 12, 15-19, 21, 23] generally exhibited lower levels of enzyme inhibition than did those by other methods [1, 3, 5, 9, 11, 13]. While the yields were lower with CTAB than for some of the other methods, the yields were still adequate for most uses in molecular biology and the condition of the DNA was above average.
Homoepitaxial Diamond Devices

Diamond has been proposed as an excellent material for high-temperature, high-power, and high-frequency applications. The interest in diamond electronics is due to its large electric breakdown field, high-saturated current velocity and high-thermal conductivity. As silicon and gallium arsenide devices begin to reach their performance limits, there is a need to develop new, better performing materials such as diamond. Significant progress in the development of diamond as a semiconducting material has been made and diamond has been implemented into numerous conventional and novel device designs. In this work homoepitaxial diamond material properties and device performance are reviewed. In summary, the large activation energy of boron-doped p-type diamond and phosphorus-doped n-type diamond severely limits diamond's use in conventional semiconductor device designs. The large activation energy reduces the number of charge carriers, which limits the current handling capability and produces temperature-dependent device performance. To overcome diamond's limitations, novel devices, such as enhancement mode field effect transistors (FETs) that use a hydrogenated surface conducting layer or pulsed doped devices with almost complete ionization, have been investigated. These devices require further development. The initial results show promise for high-temperature, high-frequency, and high-power applications.
Quantitative Acoustic Relaxational Spectroscopy for real-time monitoring of natural gas: A perspective on its potential

Abstract Although there are several methods for high sensitivity gas composition detection, typically off-line and laboratory-based, approaches for real-time, moderate-sensitivity detection are few. An approach based on Quantitative Acoustic Relaxation Spectroscopy (QARS) is proposed here. The methodology is based on the frequency-dependent acoustic propagation in a gas mixture, which depends on the concentration of contaminant gases in a known base gas. After describing the molecular acoustics model and QARS algorithm, we provide examples related to the identification of “mine gas” contamination in air, a mining safety application, and detecting impurities in low quality natural gas, an important issue in the natural gas processing industry. In both of these cases where moderate-sensitivity, continuous gas composition sensing would be useful, the QARS approach shows significant promise, at least theoretically, for realistic contaminant levels. Of course, further work is needed to refine several aspects of the molecular relaxation model that is necessary for the approach to be successful, not to mention challenges related to the development of a sensor based on the technique. Nevertheless, QARS holds potential to be a simple, robust, and inexpensive approach for moderate-sensitivity, continuous, real-time gas composition sensing.
MeCP2 mutation causes distinguishable phases of acute and chronic defects in synaptogenesis and maintenance, respectively.

Over 200 mutations in the gene encoding methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2) are known to cause Rett syndrome (RTT), a multiphasic neurodevelopmental disorder that results in motor and cognitive impairments; however, little is known about the neurobiology of RTT. Here, we employ the MeCP2 308/y mouse model of RTT to investigate the course of the neuronal defects imparted by MeCP2 mutation. Using the olfactory system as a neurodevelopmental model, we describe an acute but transient defect in olfactory sensory neuron maturation during synaptogenesis and elaboration of the glomerular neuropil. This defect is overcome through compensatory responses that restore homeostasis. However, a chronic problem in glomerular organization emerges, which eventually leads to increased neuronal apoptosis. This multiphasic course comprising acute developmental and chronic defects in synaptogenesis and maintenance may represent the neurobiological correlates of clinical RTT, and suggests that different therapeutic strategies may be appropriate at different clinical stages of this disease.
Modeling and simulating time series input processes with ARTAFACTS and ARTAGEN

We develop an efficient numerical method for fitting ARTA processes for use as simulation input. ARTA processes are stationary time series with arbitrary marginal distributions and autocorrelations specified through finite lag p. We discuss the software package ARTAFACTS, which implements the numerical method, and the package ARTAGEN, which generates observations from ARTA processes. To demonstrate the use of the software, we present a real-world example.
Comment on Wright, O'Leary, and Balkin's "Shame, guilt, narcissism, and depression: Correlates and sex differences."

Wright, O'Leary, and Balkin (1989) have laudably used an empirical approach to increase our understanding of the roles played by shame, guilt, and sex differences in depression and narcissism. However, the lack of construct validity for the guilt scale they used seriously compromises some of their conclusions. At variance with those conclusions, other studies suggest that guilt may not be less involved in depression than shame and that guilt, like shame, may be more common among women than men. Possible dynamics underlying this difference are proposed. Wright et al. also reported that men show more narcissism than women, but it is argued here that such a difference may be overstated. Theoretical implications of these findings and hypotheses are raised. Finally, clinical implications for treatment of shame-prone patients are discussed.
Evaluation of Mathematical Algorithms for Automatic Patient Alignment in Radiosurgery

Image registration techniques based on anatomical features can serve to automate patient alignment for intracranial radiosurgery procedures in an effort to improve the accuracy and efficiency of th...
Ultrex cylinders: problems with uncontrolled lengthening (the S-shaped deformity)

AbstractPurpose: We investigated whether the AMS Ultrex [dagger] cylinder, developed to provide cylinder lengthening while controlling girth expansion, acted as a tissue expander and, thus, promoted penile lengthening.[dagger] American Medical Systems, Minnetonka, Minnesota.Materials and Methods: Between December 1990 and January 1992, 59 AMS Ultrex prostheses were implanted. Cylinder length corresponded to intracorporeal measurements. The results of lengthening and occurrence of an S-shaped deformity were statistically analyzed.Results: No penile lengthening occurred. In 19 patients (32 percent) cylinder replacement was required for the S-shaped deformity.Conclusions: Ultrex cylinders should be downsized and prolonged inflation should be avoided. They should not be implanted in cases of Peyronie's disease, or to replace malleable or self-contained inflatable implants.
Lymphatic and Blood Vessels of the Aged Human Gingiva1

The lymphatic pathways in the gingivae from aged humans were traced by the use of the PAS reaction or iron hematoxylin stain, and their structural characteristics were compared to those of the blood microvasculature. In the young and aging gingivae the lymphatic capillaries originated in the connective tissue papillae of the lamina propria, and appeared as thin walled irregular shaped vessels. The adjacent blood capillaries in aged gingivae differed in that their walls were thicker and stained intensely Schiff positive than seen in young adult gingivae. The lymphatic capillaries emptied into thin walled collecting vessels of varying calibers that course through the lamina propria to reach the main conducting vessels that contained valves projecting within its lumen. The accompanying blood vessels were easily differentiated from the lymphatic vessels by the intense positive staining of their walls following exposure to the PAS reaction. Distended lymphatic vessels of different caliber were demonstrable in inflamed aging gingivae, suggesting that lymphatic vessels in the aged gingivae were able to provide a drainage system for excessive fluid, proteins, and other particulates from both non-injured and injured sites.
Fixation Point Measurement by the Oculometer Technique

In this paper, we describe an Oculometer which is an electro-optical device that measures eye direction (and fixation point coordinates) without attachment to, or clamping of, the subject. By virtue of its special optical characteristics, the same basic system can be configured for operation very close to the subject, as in a head mounted system, and also at a distance of several feet or more from the subject. The basic signal processing operation is the same for all configurations, and is performed by a standard minicomputer. It is also shown that additional signal processing, as required in certain configurations and applications, can be added as a separate software module to the general Oculometer software.
Dendriform pulmonary ossification, a form of diffuse pulmonary ossification: report of a 26-year autopsy experience.

Abstract Context.—Dendriform pulmonary ossification (DPO) is an uncommon form of diffuse pulmonary ossification that typically affects the pulmonary interstitium in a setting of interstitial fibrosis. Objective.—To determine the incidence and characteristics of DPO and correlate the clinical, radiographic, and pathologic features in order to better understand its pathogenesis and behavior and facilitate proper therapy. Design.—Adult autopsies performed at a tertiary care center from 1978 to 2004 were reviewed to identify cases of DPO. Clinical, radiographic, and pathologic findings, including ultrastructural studies in select cases, were analyzed and correlated. Results.—Eight cases of DPO were identified from 1393 adult autopsies. None of the cases was diagnosed antemortem. The prevalence of DPO was 0.5%, and the incidence was 0.28 cases per year. Most patients had a history of chronic lung disease, and all were 65 years of age or older. Conclusions.—Dendriform pulmonary ossification is an uncommon and u...
Stage of Behavior Change for Condom Use: The Influence Of Partner Type, Relationship and Pregnancy Factors

This study examines the influence of five groups of factors on the stages of change in condom use among Black women in Baltimore Maryland in 1993. The stages of change included: precontemplation contemplation ready for action action and maintenance. Interviews were obtained from women aged 17-35 years in designated neighborhoods. The sample included 625 women equally divided among age groups 17-20 years 20-24 years and 25-35 years. 63% of the 625 women had a main sexual partner and 42% had other partners of which 33% had a main partner and other partners. Most women with main partners were in the precontemplation stage (50%) and most women with other partners were in the maintenance stage (41%). Women with main and other partners were primarily in the maintenance stage (37%). Few were classified as being in the contemplation or action stages. Changes between the precontemplation stage and the middle stage are viewed as "developing intentions." Changes between the middle stage and maintenance stage are viewed as "using consistently." Condom use with a main partner was associated with all five groups of factors: demographic social pregnancy intentions outcome expectations or HIV risk and efficacy. Having a regular partner who supported condom use significantly increased the odds of developing intentions to use condoms and of using condoms consistently. Friends support of condom use and condom use among friends raised the odds of becoming a consistent condom user. Having two or more partners and having one or more HIV risk factors was positively associated with the likelihood of consistent condom use. The strongest effects on developing intentions to use condoms with a main partner were emotional closeness partner support for condom use and womens potential happiness if pregnancy was an outcome. Consistent condom use with a main partner was predicted best by cohabitation with the main partner use of the pill at the last intercourse and the belief in condoms as a means of building trust. Prediction among other partners was more difficult.
Total productive maintenance: a contextual view

Abstract While Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) has been promoted for its simplicity and its benefits to the maintenance delivery system, both the academic and practitioner literature has failed to identify the contextual issues that influence TPM adoption. This paper explores the contextual differences of plants to better understand what types of companies have adopted TPM programs. We propose a theoretical framework for understanding the use of TPM and how it depends on managerial factors such as Just-in-Time (JIT), Total Quality Management (TQM) and Employee Involvement (EI) as well as environmental and organizational factors such as country, industry and company characteristics. We test this framework using data from 97 plants in three different countries to determine what types of companies are most likely to aggressively pursue TPM practices. We find that specific contextual variables explain a significant portion of the variance in the level of TPM implementation. Our results indicate that while environmental contextual factors, such as country, help to explain differences in TPM implementation, managerial contextual factors, which are under the direction of plant management, are more important to the execution of TPM programs. We discuss environmental, organizational and managerial issues that should be considered when developing or improving maintenance systems.
Association of family environment and personality disturbances in bulimia nervosa

This study investigated the association between family environmental characteristics and the psychological characteristics of bulimia nervosa. Fifty-eight subjects meeting DSM III-R criteria for bulimia nervosa comprised the subject pool for this study. Subjects were administered the Family Environment Scale (FES) to assess family environmental variables, the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI) to assess personality characteristics, and the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI) to assess eating disorder symptomatology. A canonical correlation based on factor analyses of the FES, MCMI, and EDI was used to determine associations between family environmental characteristics and personalityleating disorder characteristics. This analysis showed that a restrictive and conflictual family environment high in parental control was associated with neuroticism and introversion. A second canonical correlation showed an association between a stimulating, achievement-oriented family environment and extroversion, paranoid thinking and perfectionism. Implications of these findings were discussed in the context of previous research related to family background and psychopathology associated with bulimia nervosa.
Cochlear damage resulting from kanamycin and furosemide.

Permanent cochlear damage has been shown to occur in guinea pigs following the combined administration of kanamycin and furosemide. At the doses used, only a transient effect was measured with furosemide alone and no effect was detectable with kanamycin alone. This interaction results when a single subcutaneous dose of 400 mg/kg of kanamycin is followed in 2 hours by a single intravenous dose of furosemide. The dosage range for furosemide was 50 mg/kg for a just-detectable effect to 100 mg/kg for a very severe effect. Damage to the cochlea was ascertained by measures of the a.c. cochlear potential as well as surface preparation histology.
Endothelin-1 Predicts Hemodynamically Assessed Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in HIV Infection.

Author(s): Parikh, Rushi V; Ma, Yifei; Scherzer, Rebecca; Heringer, Amanda S; Macgregor, John S; Martin, Jeffrey N; Deeks, Steven G; Ganz, Peter; Hsue, Priscilla Y | Abstract: BackgroundHIV infection is an independent risk factor for PAH, but the underlying pathogenesis remains unclear. ET-1 is a robust vasoconstrictor and key mediator of pulmonary vascular homeostasis. Higher levels of ET-1 predict disease severity and mortality in other forms of PAH, and endothelin receptor antagonists are central to treatment, including in HIV-associated PAH. The direct relationship between ET-1 and PAH in HIV-infected individuals is not well described.MethodsWe measured ET-1 and estimated pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) with transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) in 106 HIV-infected individuals. Participants with a PASP ≥ 30 mmHg (n = 65) underwent right heart catheterization (RHC) to definitively diagnose PAH. We conducted multivariable analysis to identify factors associated with PAH.ResultsAmong 106 HIV-infected participants, 80% were male, the median age was 52 years and 77% were on antiretroviral therapy. ET-1 was significantly associated with higher values of PASP [14% per 0.1 pg/mL increase in ET-1, p = 0.05] and PASP ≥ 30 mmHg [PR (prevalence ratio) = 1.24, p = 0.012] on TTE after multivariable adjustment for PAH risk factors. Similarly, among the 65 individuals who underwent RHC, ET-1 was significantly associated with higher values of mean pulmonary artery pressure and PAH (34%, p = 0.003 and PR = 2.43, p = 0.032, respectively) in the multivariable analyses.ConclusionsHigher levels of ET-1 are independently associated with HIV-associated PAH as hemodynamically assessed by RHC. Our findings suggest that excessive ET-1 production in the setting of HIV infection impairs pulmonary endothelial function and contributes to the development of PAH.
Renin secretion after papaverine and furosemide in conscious sheep.

SummaryConscious sheep with chronically implanted vascular catheters and a renal artery flow probe were used to study the effects of papaverine alone or papaver-ine plus furosemide on renin secretion. Papaverine infused into the renal artery at 7 mg/min produced a significant renal vasodi-lation which was not further enhanced by increasing the papaverine infusion to 10 mg/ min. GFR decreased significantly as did the filtered load of Na. The increased Na excretion reported in anesthetized dogs was not observed in conscious sheep. Renin secretion was not altered despite these changes in renal function. When 35 mg of furosemide was administered intravenously in addition to the renal artery papaverine infusion, no further change in RPF or GFR was observed. Na excretion was significantly elevated at each clearance period after furosemide administration and these increases were closely paralleled in time by large increases in renin secretion. The increased renin secretion observed from the papaverine blocked ki...
Proving monitors

Interesting scheduling and sequential properties of monitors can be proved by using state variables which record the monitors' history and by defining extended proof rules for their wait and signal operations. These two techniques are defined, discussed, and applied to examples to prove properties such as freedom from indefinitely repeated overtaking or unnecessary waiting, upper bounds on queue lengths, and historical behavior.
Computational Design: Design in the Age of a Knowledge Society

Theory in the age of computation is by necessity expressed in computational form. Most of today’s mathematics is based on machine processing. However, when it comes to design, it is easier to understand the computer as a tool than as a conceptual medium. A computational theory of design is by necessity a theory of human action. We are what we do. And design is an intrinsic part of our activities. A computational theory of design is also by necessity not in continuation of past theories; it is rather in opposition to an understanding that was dependent upon the tools of the past. What drives computational design is an awareness of anticipation. In other words, design is no longer in reaction to expectations, but a pro-active endeavor. It is irrelevant which computers are used. Relevant is the fact that information processing constitutes a new ecology. Within this understanding, design is becoming a force of change.
The urinary iodine among the children aged 8～10 in the ten districts of eastern Chongqing

Objective:To evaluate the effects of iodine supplementation of salt iodization in the ten districts of eastern Chongqing.Methods: The iodine contents in 100~110 portions of urine samples collected randomly from the pupils aged 8~10 for each district were measured and evaluated according to the standards suggested by WHO/ICCIDD/UNICEF.Results: The median content of urinary iodine of all the samples was 268 μg/L,the percentages lower than 50 μg/L and 100 μg/L were 2.1% and 8.5%,respectively;the percentage greater than or equal to 100 μg/L and less than 300 μg/L accounted for 52.1%;and the percentage greater than or equal to 300 μg/L accounted for 39.4%.Conclusion: The overall effect of children's iodine supplementation is significant in the ten districts of eastern Chongqing,but there are nearly half of the children who are iodine excess.
A Global Heuristic For Distributed Join Operations

AbstractThis paper deals with the problem of query optimization in relational distributed database systeins. It concentrates on the development of heuristic procedures that attempt to minimize the communication costs incurred by the distributed processing of queries. In particular, the paper deals with a class of heuristics that use a semi-join strategy as the mechanism for communication cost reduction. These heuristics are classified into two types — local and global heuristics. The global heuristic proposed in this paper is based on an optimal solution to a mathematical model of a simplified version of the problem. It is shown that the global heuristic can generate beneficial semi-join operations not included in local heuristic solutions.
An Educated Global Citizen

If you are a child in a SEW country, and the first generation educated for a new global world, you will approach the challenge of rapid technology development not wondering what has changed, but thirsty to be part of the change. It is that same zest to succeed in a new world that brought waves of immigrants from China and Ireland and then Italy, Germany, Hungary, India, and Eastern Europe to the United States. For these immigrants, everything was new, and so they embraced the change with an almost evangelical zeal. They succeeded and insisted their children succeed, in turn.
New Concepts in Head and Neck Surgery

Over the last 15 years, head and neck cancer surgery has undergone major changes. New methods in cancer treatment have allowed the oncologic surgeon to pursue the goals of conservation of head and neck physiologic function and an acceptable cosmetic outcome. Developments in the techniques of surgical removal of the primary cancer (as well as better reconstruction of the head and neck region) are becoming a reality. The morbidity and mortality associated with head and neck cancer surgery have decreased significantly, and cancers once considered inoperable have now become operable and curable. The noninvasive imaging techniques developed over the last decade (CT and MRI) have further increased our ability to assess the extent of the disease and have improved our ability to tailor the surgical excision and other treatment modalities to the specific problems of each patient. Recent advances in multimodality therapy in the next decade may lead to further improvemerits in head and neck cancer treatment, leading to smaller operations with less mutilation and higher cure rates.
Diversity beats strength?: a hands-on experience with 9x9 go

Team formation is a critical step in deploying a multi-agent team. In some scenarios, agents coordinate by voting continuously. When forming such teams, should we focus on the diversity of the team or on the strength of each member? Can a team of diverse (and weak) agents outperform a uniform team of strong agents? In this demo, the user will be able to explore these questions by playing one of the most challenging board games: Go.
Climacan Politics: Polis and Person in Kierkegaard’s Postscript

The crucial test of a political reading of Kierkegaard would be an examination of Concluding Unscientific Postscript, the centrepiece of Kierkegaard’s study of ethico-religious subjectivity, the pseudonymous author of which is Johannes Climacus. A political reading of this text would be decisive in determining whether a Kierkegaardian view of politics is possible. Climacus himself provokes the reader into pursuing such a reading when he writes, ‘Of all forms of government, the monarchical is the best’ (CUP I, p. 620). This chapter offers such a political reading, focusing on agreements and contentions between an avowed political theorist, Plato, and Kierkegaard.
Interactions of the Standard Model

A gauge theory involves two kinds of particles, those which carry ‘charge’ and those which ‘mediate’ interactions between currents by coupling directly to charge. In the former class are the fundamental fermions and nonabelian gauge bosons, whereas the latter consists solely of gauge bosons, both abelian and nonabelian. The physical nature of charge depends on the specific theory. Three such kinds of charge, called color, weak isospin, and weak hypercharge, appear in the Standard Model. The values of these charges are not predicted from the gauge symmetry, but must rather be determined experimentally for each particle. The strength of coupling between a gauge boson and a particle is determined by the particle's charge, e.g. the electron-photon coupling constant is –e, whereas the u -quark and photon couple with strength 2e/3. Because nonabelian gauge bosons are both charge carriers and mediators, they undergo self-interactions. These produce substantial nonlinearities and make the solution of nonabelian gauge theories a formidable mathematical problem. Gauge symmetry does not generally determine particle masses. A fermion mass term, although violating chiral symmetry, is consistent with gauge invariance. Although gauge-boson mass would seem to be at odds with the principle of gauge symmetry, the Weinberg-Salam model contains a dynamical procedure, the Higgs mechanism, for generating mass for both gauge bosons and fermions alike. Quantum Electrodynamics Historically, the first of the gauge field theories was electrodynamics. Its modern version, Quantum Electrodynamics (QED) , is the most thoroughly verified physical theory yet constructed.
Summation Models and Solutions for Discrete Structural Systems

The goal of this section is the introduction of the macro discrete field metjod-the major alternative to the micro or difference equation method. As a first object problem, consider the case of a prismatic beam continuous over spring supports, a problem introduced earlier, Eq. 4, and solved by the micro approach in the previous lecture, Eq. 55. The unknowns selected for a macro flexibility approach are the interior reactions, R(r), for r = 1,(1),m − 1. The complete deflection field (including between node deflections) and compatibility relations are given by Eqs.4a and 4b. The solution will be by Fourier series, infinite series for the continuous fields and finite series for the node quantities. The Kernel function is obtained by a beam analysis; i.e.,
Producing Gendered Migration Narratives in China: A Case Study of Dagongmei Tongxun by a Local NGO

This article offers a case study of a periodic publication, Dagongmei Tongxun , produced by local Chinese nongovernmental organization Rural Women Knowing All. Dagongmei Tongxun publishes articles regarding life and working situations of rural-to-urban women migrants ( dagongmei ) in Beijing. I apply Bourdieu’s field theory to analyze the ways Dagongmei Tongxun shapes the field of migration narratives. Drawing on interviews with the organization’s staff members, discourse analysis of the publication’s articles, and the state discourses of dagongmei , I argue that the publication of Dagongmei Tongxun is an institutionally bounded political and cultural project. Entitling women migrants to authorship is a political intervention that mobilizes often-silenced women as active agents in producing gendered migration narratives. Whereas the state discourses still tend to objectify and marginalize dagongmei , narratives by women migrants themselves present their diverse subjectivities and complex life situations. At the same time, the publication’s advocating discourses fail to confront hegemonic ideologies that underpin unequal power structures.
Repair of Damaged Prestressed Concrete Girders with FRP and FRCM Composites

AbstractTraditional methods used to repair prestressed concrete (PC) girders subjected to impact damage due to overheight vehicles include strand splicing and external posttensioning. These methods...
Intermittent Aortic Valve Opening and Risk of Thrombosis in Ventricular Assist Device Patients

The current study evaluates quantitatively the impact that intermittent aortic valve (AV) opening has on the thrombogenicity in the aortic arch region for patients under left ventricular assist device (LVAD) therapy. The influence of flow through the AV, opening once every five cardiac cycles, on the flow patterns in the ascending aortic is measured in a patient-derived computed tomography image-based model, after LVAD implantation. The mechanical environment of flowing platelets is investigated, by statistical treatment of outliers in Lagrangian particle tracking, and thrombogenesis metrics (platelet residence times and activation state characterized by shear stress accumulation) are compared for the cases of closed AV versus intermittent AV opening. All hemodynamics metrics are improved by AV opening, even at a reduced frequency and flow rate. Residence times of platelets or microthrombi are reduced significantly by transvalvular flow, as are the shear stress history experienced and the shear stress magnitude and gradients on the aortic root endothelium. The findings of this device-neutral study support the multiple advantages of management that enables AV opening, providing a rationale for establishing this as a standard in long-term treatment and care for advanced heart failure patients.
CRT-800.37 Outcomes of Transcatheter and Surgical Aortic Valve Replacements: A Population-based Analysis

Transcatheter aortic valve replacements (TAVR) were indicated for the treatment of severe, symptomatic aortic stenosis in inoperable patients in 2011 and high risk, operable patients in 2012. The purpose was to examine the performance of TAVR in comparison to surgical aortic valves (SAVR) in a
P450 inhibitor ketoconazole increased the intratumor drug levels and antitumor activity of fenretinide in human neuroblastoma xenograft models

We previously reported that concurrent ketoconazole, an oral anti-fungal agent and P450 enzyme inhibitor, increased plasma levels of the cytotoxic retinoid, fenretinide (4-HPR) in mice. We have now determined the effects of concurrent ketoconazole on 4-HPR cytotoxic dose-response in four neuroblastoma (NB) cell lines in vitro and on 4-HPR activity against two cell line-derived, subcutaneous NB xenografts (CDX) and three patient-derived NB xenografts (PDX). Cytotoxicity in vitro was assessed by DIMSCAN assay. Xenografted animals were treated with 4-HPR/LXS (240 mg/kg/day) + ketoconazole (38 mg/kg/day) in divided oral doses in cycles of five continuous days a week. In one model, intratumoral levels of 4-HPR and metabolites were assessed by HPLC assay, and in two models intratumoral apoptosis was assessed by TUNEL assay, on Day 5 of the first cycle. Antitumor activity was assessed by Kaplan-Meier event-free survival (EFS). The in vitro cytotoxicity of 4-HPR was not affected by ketoconazole (P ≥ 0.06). Ketoconazole increased intratumoral levels of 4-HPR (P = 0.02), of the active 4-oxo-4-HPR metabolite (P = 0.04), and intratumoral apoptosis (P ≤ 0.002), compared to 4-HPR/LXS-alone. Concurrent ketoconazole increased EFS in both CDX models compared to 4-HPR/LXS-alone (P ≤ 0.01). 4-HPR + ketoconazole also increased EFS in PDX models compared to controls (P ≤ 0.03). Thus, concurrent ketoconazole decreased 4-HPR metabolism with resultant increases of plasma and intratumoral drug levels and antitumor effects in neuroblastoma murine xenografts. These results support the clinical testing of concurrent ketoconazole and oral fenretinide in neuroblastoma. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
The use of neurolytic blocks for the management of spasticity

The management of spasticity often requires a combination of methods to maintain normal range of motion and improve functional capacity. Most practitioners are familiar with the use of systemic spasmolytic agents, stretching, and splinting but may be less likely to consider anesthetic or neurolytic neural blockade for management of spasticity in a localized fashion. In this article, both historical perspectives and new techniques of neural blockade are discussed. Information presented includes indications for use, choices for medication and site of injection, duration of therapeutic effect, and adverse effects. The goal of the article is to provide a rational, integrated analysis for the inclusion of peripheral neural blockade and intramuscular neurolysis in the treatment of spasticity.
Physical disruption of cell-cell contact induces VEGF expression in RPE cells.

Purpose To investigate the role of RPE cell-cell contact in vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) protein expression in cultures of primary human RPE (hRPE) cells and a human RPE cell line (ARPE-19). Methods Two in vitro methods, scratching and micropatterning, were used to control the physical dissociation of RPE cell-cell junctions. Scratching was performed by scoring monolayers of RPE cells with a cell scraper. Micropatterning was achieved by using a stencil patterning method. Extracellular VEGF expression was assessed by using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. Immunocytochemistry (ICC) was performed to visualize the expression and localization of VEGF and intercellular proteins zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), N-cadherin, β-catenin, and claudin-1 in RPE cultures. Results Higher expression of VEGF protein by cells on the edges of the scratched RPE layers was confirmed with ICC in short-term (1 day after confluency) and long-term (4 weeks after confluency) cultures. According to the ICC results, ZO-1, N-cadherin, β-catenin, and claudin-1 successfully localized to cell-cell junctions in long-term cultures of ARPE-19 and hRPE cells. However, unlike N-cadherin, β-catenin, and claudin-1, only ZO-1 localized junctionally in short-term cultures of both cell types. Moreover, removing cell-cell junctions by scratching resulted in the delocalization of ZO-1 from tight junctions to the cytoplasm. The loss of tight junction formation and the accumulation of ZO-1 in the cytoplasm correlated with increased VEGF expression. Micropatterning RPE cells on different sized circular patterns produced varying concentrations of cells with lost cell-cell junctions. When fewer cells formed intercellular junctions, increased extracellular VEGF secretion was observed from the ARPE-19 and hRPE cells. Conclusions VEGF expression increases after physical disruption of RPE cell-cell connections. This increase in VEGF expression correlates with the loss of intercellular junctions and the localization of ZO-1 in the cytoplasm of RPE cells.
Coupling of anaerobic waste treatment to produce protein- and lipid-rich bacterial biomass.

Abstract Future long-term manned space missions will require effective recycling of water and nutrients as part of a life support system. Biological waste treatment is less energy intensive than physicochemical treatment methods, yet anaerobic methanogenic waste treatment has been largely avoided due to slow treatment rates and safety issues concerning methane production. However, methane is generated during atmosphere regeneration on the ISS. Here we propose waste treatment via anaerobic digestion followed by methanotrophic growth of Methylococcus capsulatus to produce a protein- and lipid-rich biomass that can be directly consumed, or used to produce other high-protein food sources such as fish. To achieve more rapid methanogenic waste treatment, we built and tested a fixed-film, flow-through, anaerobic reactor to treat an ersatz wastewater. During steady-state operation, the reactor achieved a 97% chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal rate with an organic loading rate of 1740 g d −1 m −3 and a hydraulic retention time of 12.25 d. The reactor was also tested on three occasions by feeding ca. 500 g COD in less than 12 h, representing 50x the daily feeding rate, with COD removal rates ranging from 56–70%, demonstrating the ability of the reactor to respond to overfeeding events. While investigating the storage of treated reactor effluent at a pH of 12, we isolated a strain of Halomonas desiderata capable of acetate degradation under high pH conditions. We then tested the nutritional content of the alkaliphilic Halomonas desiderata strain, as well as the thermophile Thermus aquaticus , as supplemental protein and lipid sources that grow in conditions that should preclude pathogens. The M. capsulatus biomass consisted of 52% protein and 36% lipids, the H. desiderata biomass consisted of 15% protein and 7% lipids, and the Thermus aquaticus biomass consisted of 61% protein and 16% lipids. This work demonstrates the feasibility of rapid waste treatment in a compact reactor design, and proposes recycling of nutrients back into foodstuffs via heterotrophic (including methanotrophic, acetotrophic, and thermophilic) microbial growth.
Contrasting Effects of Dissolved Organic Matter on Mercury Methylation by Geobacter sulfurreducens PCA and Desulfovibrio desulfuricans ND132

Natural dissolved organic matter (DOM) affects mercury (Hg) redox reactions and anaerobic microbial methylation in the environment. Several studies have shown that DOM can enhance Hg methylation, especially under sulfidic conditions, whereas others show that DOM inhibits Hg methylation due to strong Hg-DOM complexation. In this study, we investigated and compared the effects of DOM on Hg methylation by an iron-reducing bacterium Geobacter sulfurreducens PCA and a sulfate-reducing bacterium Desulfovibrio desulfuricans ND132 under nonsulfidic conditions. The methylation experiment was performed with washed cells either in the absence or presence of DOM or glutathione, both of which form strong complexes with Hg via thiol-functional groups. DOM was found to greatly inhibit Hg methylation by G. Sulfurreducens PCA but enhance Hg methylation by D. desulfuricans ND132 cells with increasing DOM concentration. These strain-dependent opposing effects of DOM were also observed with glutathione, suggesting that thiols in DOM likely played an essential role in affecting microbial Hg uptake and methylation. Additionally, DOM and glutathione greatly decreased Hg sorption by G. sulfurreducens PCA but showed little effect on D. desulfuricans ND132 cells, demonstrating that ND132 has a higher affinity to sorb or take up Hg than the PCA strain. These observations indicate that DOM effects on Hg methylation are bacterial strain specific, depend on the DOM:Hg ratio or site-specific conditions, and may thus offer new insights into the role of DOM in methylmercury production in the environment.
Scaling of the Two-Phase Flow Downstream of a Gas Turbine Combustor Swirl Cup: Mean Quantities

Author(s): Wang, HY; McDonell, VG; Sowa, WA; Samuelsen, GS | Abstract: A production gas turbine combustor swirl cup and a 3x-scale model, both featuring co-axial, counter-swirling air streams are characterized at atmospheric pressure and in the absence of reaction. Spatially-resolved measurements of continuous phase (gas in the presence of spray) and droplet size and velocity are acquired downstream of the production and 3x-scale swirl cups by using two-component phase Doppler interferometry. The effect of scale on the behavior of the continuous phase and droplets is investigated by comparing the continuous phase velocity and droplet size and velocity at geometrically analogous positions. The continuous phase flow field scales well at the exit of the swirl cup. Farther downstream, differences occur which are due to disparity in entrainment. The droplet velocities scale reasonably well, but the sizes show some differences. However, the difference in size is less significant than it is between the two atomizers in the absence of the swirl cup assemblies.