cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A practical equation to predict resting metabolic rate in older men

The accuracy of previous equations for predicting resting metabolic rate (RMR) in healthy older men is questionable because they are based on limited sample sizes and the absence of cross-validation procedures. The purposes of this study were to (1) examine biological predictors of RMR in healthy older men; (2) develop a practical equation to predict RMR from easily measured variables and examine its accuracy using cross-validation procedures; and (3) test the validity of existing equations in the literature to predict RMR in older men by comparison with measured RMR values. RMR, body composition, anthropometric measurements, leisure time activity (LTA), maximal aerobic power (VO2max), energy intake, and plasma thyroid hormone levels were determined in 89 healthy older men aged 50 to 78 years. Stepwise regression analysis showed that RMR was best predicted by fat-free weight ([FFW] R2 = 85%), free 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3) level (R2 = 1%), and VO2max (R2 = 1%); these variables predicted RMR with a residual error of +/- 30 kcal/d. A practical equation was developed in a randomly selected subsample (N = 61) using easily measured variables as potential predictors, and was successfully cross-validated in a random subsample of older men (N = 28). The pooled equation to predict RMR is as follows: RMR (in kilocalories per day) = 9.7 (weight in kilograms) - 6.1 (chest skinfold thickness in millimeters) - 1.8 (age in years) + 0.1 (leisure time activity [LTA] in kilocalories per day) + 1,060. These variables accounted for 76% (R2) of the variation, and predicted RMR with a residual error of +/- 42 kcal/d.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Direct, Quantitative, and Noninvasive Imaging of the Transport of Active Agents Through Intact Brain with Positron Emission Tomography

Our goal was to use positron emission tomography (PET) to analyze the movement of radiolabeled agents in tissue to enable direct measurement of drug delivery to the brain. Various 11C- and 18 F-labeled compounds were delivered directly to an agarose phantom or rat striatum. Concentration profiles were extracted for analysis and fitted to diffusion models. Diffusion coefficients ranged from 0.075 ± 0.0026 mm2/min ([18 F]fluoride ion, 18 Da) to 0.0016 ± 0.0018 mm2/min ([18 F]NPB4-avidin, 68 kDa) and matched well with predictions based on molecular weight (R 2 = 0.965). The tortuosity of the brain extracellular space was estimated to be 1.56, with the tissue clearance halftime of each tracer in the brain varying from 19 to 41 min. PET is an effective modality to directly quantify the movement of locally delivered drugs or drug carriers. This continuous, noninvasive assessment of delivery will aid the design of better drug delivery methods.
Plastics from Renewable Sources

Copyright: © 2012 Vlachos DG. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. With increasing global warming, declining fossil fuel reserves, and increasing population worldwide, there has been an intense effort to expand our energy portfolio from renewable sources, like wind, hydro, solar, and biomass. Among these, biomass is the only carbon based renewable energy source and as such, is ideal for production of fuels and chemicals. With the Department of Energy (DOE) projecting replacement of 1/3 of fuels and 1⁄4 of all organic chemicals in the next few years from biomass, intense efforts have been devoted to converting lignocellulosic biomass, such as trees, switchgrass, and waste into intermediate platforms that can be fed to the refinery and chemicals industry.
Cytogenetic differentiation of Fanconi anemia, "idiopathic" aplastic anemia, and Fanconi anemia heterozygotes.

We have analyzed chromosome breaks in 8 patients with Fanconi anemia (FA), 42 with “idiopathic” aplastic anema (AA), 15 first-degree relatives of FA patients, and 13 controls. Their lymphocytes were treated in culture with three concentrations of mitomycin-C (MMC). A 60-fold increase in breaks was observed in FA patients as compared to AA patients, regardless of severity of clinical signs. The MMC-stress test was standardized to clearly differentiate FA from other pancytopenias in doubtful cases. Also, the effect of storage of MMC in solution was investigated. The data on SCEs of 12 subjects tested, 10 mo apart, showed an inverse relationship between length of storage of MMC and chromosome damage. The 10-month-old solution induced only one half as many SCEs as it induced at 4 months. Further, the usefulness and power of diepoxybutane (DEB) in detection of FA heterozygotes was investigated in 12 first-degree relatives of patients with Fanconi anemia and 12 healthy controls. The mean number of chromosome breaks per mitosis by DEB stress in obligate heterozygotes was 0.08 in comparison to 0.06 in controls. Four of twelve control subjects showed proportions of breaks almost identical to or higher than those of FA heterozygotes, ie, 0.12, 0.10, 0.10, and 0.11 breaks per mitosis. The responses of healthy controls to DEB could be separated into two groups: one with mean chromosome breaks of 0.11 per mitosis, and a second with mean breaks of 0.04 per mitosis. Thus, it appears that heterozygote detection by DEB stress of cultured lymphocytes is not unequivocal.
A Particle Filtering Framework for Joint Video Tracking and Pose Estimation

A method is introduced to track the object's motion and estimate its pose directly from 2-D image sequences. Scale-invariant feature transform (SIFT) is used to extract corresponding feature points from image sequences. We demonstrate that pose estimation from the corresponding feature points can be formed as a solution to Sylvester's equation. We show that the proposed approach to the solution of Sylvester's equation is equivalent to the classical SVD method for 3D-3D pose estimation. However, whereas classical SVD cannot be used for pose estimation directly from 2-D image sequences, our method based on Sylvester's equation provides a new approach to pose estimation. Smooth video tracking and pose estimation is finally obtained by using the solution to Sylvester's equation within the importance sampling density of the particle filtering framework. Finally, computer simulation experiments conducted over synthetic data and real-world videos demonstrate the effectiveness of our method in both robustness and speed compared with other similar object tracking and pose estimation methods.
Simultaneous monitoring of slow cell motility and calcium signals of the guinea pig outer hair cells

'Slow' motility (shape changes over seconds to minutes) of the mammalian cochlear outer hair cell (OHC) could play a protection role from intense sound pressure and is associated with elevation of the cytosolic free Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)). In the present work, a new approach was elaborated using fluorescent imaging for continuous monitoring of both [Ca(2+)](i) changes and slow motility of OHCs employing the Ca(2+) fluorescent indicator Fura-2. Whole OHC fluorescence and that of cell segments were analyzed to discriminate between fluorescence changes caused by [Ca(2+)](i) rise and those related to change of the cell shape. The reliability of the method was examined by simultaneous monitoring of [Ca(2+)](i) and OHC length changes induced by change of buffer osmolarity or by increase of KCl concentration. The method revealed that the time course of [Ca(2+)](i) increase and rate of cell shortening often do not coincide. It was also observed that [Ca(2+)](i) increased in 70 mM KCl more slowly than the rate of KCl delivery to OHCs. The comparison of the time courses of [Ca(2+)](i) elevation, induced by increase of K(+)/Na(+) ratio and by substitution of Na(+) with N-methyl-D-glucamine(+), indicated that the relatively slow kinetics of [Ca(2+)](i) increase in the OHC is partially attributed to regulation of Ca(2+) homeostasis by the Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger.
An Optimal Final Inventory Model

A model is developed which allows the determination of the optimal inventory level for an item at any time if no additional procurements are to be made. It is assumed that the item has a known date of obsolescence and that the demand is Poisson distributed with a fixed mean over the useful life of the tem. The model constitutes an extension of other life-of-type models in that both costs which are incurred at a fixed point in time liquidation losses and other costs which are a function of time carrying charges and stock-out costs are included. In many operational situations both of these types of costs are relevant.
Gaps in expectations among managers and employees in technology intensive industries

It is pointed out that in many high-technology projects group work becomes critical and individual expertise and freedom of action often become secondary. Hence, neither the expectations by managers of positive group work by technologists nor the expectations of technical employees to perform superior independent work may be realized. The authors discuss the results of a survey designed to document the gaps in these expectations. The target population is managers at the supervisory level and their employees in technology intensive industries. The survey groups the results among managers and employees by their educational background and other relevant variables. The results should be helpful in identifying gaps in expectations and the additional educational training needed. It could also impact the academic training provided to the students in engineering schools. >
Diagnosing Stream-Mined Model Changes of Monitored Requirements for Cognitive Rehabilitation

Personalized requirements practices can be applied to specify goals as part of a clinical plan to aid cognitive rehabilitation. In this context, requirements monitoring can aid clinicians in tracking user behaviors as they attempt to achieve their goals. Quality metrics over stream-mined models can identify potential changes in user goal attainment, as a user learns his or her personalized emailing system. When the quality of some models varies significantly from nearby models-as defined by quality metrics-then the user's behavior is automatically flagged as a potentially significant behavioral change. The specific changes in user behavior can be automatically derived by differencing the data-mined decision-tree model. This paper describes how decision tree differencing can aid diagnoses of behavioral changes in a case study of cognitive rehabilitation via emailing. The technique may be more widely applicable to other requirements monitoring contexts.
Characteristics of amalgam restorations with variable clinical appearance

A sample of 165 extracted or exfoliated teeth with amalgam restorations are categorized according to degree of marginal integrity. Time is not an unerring factor in the marginal deterioration of dental amalgam.
Layered Representation for Pedestrian Detection and Tracking in Infrared Imagery

This paper introduces a layered representation for infrared imagery and studies its application into pedestrian detection and tracking. We present a generalized EM algorithm to decompose infrared images into background and foreground layers and study the phenomenon of polarity switch. We propose a hybrid (shape+appearance) algorithm for pedestrian detection, in which shape cue is first used to eliminate non-pedestrian moving objects and appearance cue is then used to pin down the location of pedestrians. We also formulate the problem of shot segmentation and present a graph matching-based pedestrian tracking algorithm. Experimental results with OSU Thermal Pedestrian Database are reported to demonstrate the excellent performance of our algorithms.
Correlation between HIV-specific CD8 cell production of interferon-γ and plasma levels of HIV RNA in perinatally infected pediatric populations

Background. CD8 cell responses to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have been correlated with virus control in adults, and this study outcome has been controversial. Attempts to establish the same correlation in small numbers of children have also been made, with similar controversy resulting. Methods. A total of 110 perinatally infected children were studied. Nine of the children (mean age, 1.9 years vs. 11.8 years for the remaining 101 children) received treatment with anti-retrovirals within the first 3 months of life. CD4 cell and HIV RNA levels were measured. Production of interferon-γ after exposure to recombinant vaccinia vectors was measured by enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay. Results. Responses to Pol and Gag antigens exceeded those to Nef and Env antigens, with responses significantly approximated by a quadratic function for which peak responses occurred at plasma HIV RNA levels of 10 3 -10 4 HIV RNA copies/ mL. Children who are treated early in life with highly active antiretroviral therapy have fewer total responses of ELISPOT-forming cells to HIV antigens than do children who are treated later in life.
Human Rademacher Complexity

We propose to use Rademacher complexity, originally developed in computational learning theory, as a measure of human learning capacity. Rademacher complexity measures a learner's ability to fit random labels, and can be used to bound the learner's true error based on the observed training sample error. We first review the definition of Rademacher complexity and its generalization bound. We then describe a "learning the noise" procedure to experimentally measure human Rademacher complexities. The results from empirical studies showed that: (i) human Rademacher complexity can be successfully measured, (ii) the complexity depends on the domain and training sample size in intuitive ways, (iii) human learning respects the generalization bounds, (iv) the bounds can be useful in predicting the danger of overfitting in human learning. Finally, we discuss the potential applications of human Rademacher complexity in cognitive science.
Combinatorial QSAR Modeling of Chemical Toxicants Tested against Tetrahymena pyriformis

Selecting most rigorous quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) approaches is of great importance in the development of robust and predictive models of chemical toxicity. To address this issue in a systematic way, we have formed an international virtual collaboratory consisting of six independent groups with shared interests in computational chemical toxicology. We have compiled an aqueous toxicity data set containing 983 unique compounds tested in the same laboratory over a decade against Tetrahymena pyriformis. A modeling set including 644 compounds was selected randomly from the original set and distributed to all groups that used their own QSAR tools for model development. The remaining 339 compounds in the original set (external set I) as well as 110 additional compounds (external set II) published recently by the same laboratory (after this computational study was already in progress) were used as two independent validation sets to assess the external predictive power of individual models. In total, our virtual collaboratory has developed 15 different types of QSAR models of aquatic toxicity for the training set. The internal prediction accuracy for the modeling set ranged from 0.76 to 0.93 as measured by the leave-one-out cross-validation correlation coefficient ( Q abs2). The prediction accuracy for the external validation sets I and II ranged from 0.71 to 0.85 (linear regression coefficient R absI2) and from 0.38 to 0.83 (linear regression coefficient R absII2), respectively. The use of an applicability domain threshold implemented in most models generally improved the external prediction accuracy but at the same time led to a decrease in chemical space coverage. Finally, several consensus models were developed by averaging the predicted aquatic toxicity for every compound using all 15 models, with or without taking into account their respective applicability domains. We find that consensus models afford higher prediction accuracy for the external validation data sets with the highest space coverage as compared to individual constituent models. Our studies prove the power of a collaborative and consensual approach to QSAR model development. The best validated models of aquatic toxicity developed by our collaboratory (both individual and consensus) can be used as reliable computational predictors of aquatic toxicity and are available from any of the participating laboratories.
Millimetre-wave electro-optical upconverter for wireless digital communications

A millimetre-wave optical upconverter using a semiconductor laser diode and high-speed external optical modulator is described. Upconversion and transmission of 16-QAM and 64-QAM digital subcarriers over a 38 GHz optical fibre-wireless link are demonstrated.
Current Treatment Approaches in the Nonoperative and Operative Management of Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis

Idiopathic scoliosis is the most common type of lateral curvature of the spine, accounting for about 65% of adolescent patients with structural scoliosis. The treatment goal is to prevent moderate curves from becoming severe, because severe curves, in adults, may not only lead to serious medical and physical complications, but also cause significant cosmetic deformities. Fortunately, early detection, through school screening programs, has led to successful nonoperative management of idiopathic scoliosis. In those instances in which nonoperative management is not an option, surgical correction is available. Surgery prevents curve progression and offers the patient a significant correction of the cosmetic deformity. This article will review both treatment approaches in the management of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.
Abstract W P334: Admission Blood Pressure Predicts The Number Of Medications Upon Discharge In Patients With Primary Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Background and Purpose: Previous studies have shown that controlling blood pressure (BP) may limit hematoma expansion in primary ICH. We hypothesize that aggressive management requires multiple BP medications and sought to evaluate what factors are associated with the number of BP medications at discharge. Methods: Patients with primary ICH admitted to our center from 2008-2013 were included. Patients whose care was transitioned to palliative medicine were excluded. Primary outcome of interest was the number of BP medications at discharge. Poisson distribution was used to assess the relationship between baseline variables and number of BP meds at discharge. Results: A total of 288 patients met eligibility criteria. The median age of the population of 62, 44.2% females, and 47.9% patients of African-American ethnicity. There were 236 patients (81.9%) with a history of hypertension (HTN). Patients with HTN had a higher admission systolic blood pressure (SBP) compared to those without HTN (180 vs. 157; p=0.0001). Number of BP medications at discharge ranged from 0-7, with the majority of patients discharged on 3 or more meds (29.9%). Only 4% of patients were discharged with no BP medications, whereas 7.3% were discharged on 5 or more. The only baseline variables that were significantly associated with number of BP meds on discharge in univariable analyses were a history of HTN (p Conclusions: A history of hypertension and admission systolic blood pressure were significant predictors of the number of BP medications at discharge. Admission SBP was also significantly associated with the number of BP medications on discharge for patients without a history of hypertension. Further research is needed to assess if the BP elevation is a stress response in patients without hypertension, or an indicator of uncontrolled hypertension in patients with a history of hypertension.
Anaphylactic reactions to IgA: a difficult transfusion problem.

A woman with isolated IgA deficiency and a history of carcinoma of the colon experienced severe reactions to blood products containing IgA. The reactions were characterized by abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, generalized flushing, and edema. The patient had no detectable IgA in serum and secretions; she had anti-IgA as demonstrated by agglutination of IgA-coated erythrocytes, rapid IgA catabolism, and radioimmunoelectrophoresis. She was transfused without incident using autologous plasma obtained by preoperative plasmapheresis, and using IgA-deficient whole blood during two surgical procedures. Frozen, deglycerolized erythrocytes could be used to replace lost erythrocyte mass, but only if transfused slowly.
SERUM OSTEOPONTIN LEVELS AND ADVERSE OUTCOMES IN THE PREVENTION OF EVENTS WITH ANGIOTENSIN CONVERTING ENZYME INHIBITION TRIAL

Osteopontin is a secreted glycophosphoprotein that has a role in normal and pathological calcification, inflammation and immune response. We hypothesized that serum OPN levels are associated with incident adverse outcomes in patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD) enrolled in NHLBI’s
A quasiclassical trajectory study of H + N2O (ν1, ν2, ν3)

We present a quasiclassical trajectory study of state resolved cross sections, rate coefficients, and product energy partitioning for the reaction H + N2O using a potential surface which is based on ab initio calculations. This surface allows for hydrogen attack on either end of N2O, with N-atom attack giving an intermediate complex HNNO, which can then dissociate into NH + NO or undergo 1,3-hydrogen migration to produce OH + N2. O-atom attack, which involves a higher barrier than N-atom attack, leads only to direct reaction to form OH + N2. We find that the dominant mechanism for the production of OH + N2 changes with energy, with N-atom attack being dominant near the threshold and O-atom attack becoming more important when that pathway becomes energetically accessible. At reagent translational energies of 2 eV, the OH + N2 product is dominant by a factor of 15 over NH + NO, in reasonable agreement with experimental results. Our product OH and NH vibrational distributions also match the experiment, but t...
“An End to Unjust Inequality in the World”: The Radical Tradition of Progressive Evangelicalism

Since the emergence of the Religious Right in the late 1970s, American evangelicalism has commonly been associated with conservative politics. An examination of nineteenth-century evangelicalism, however, suggests a different affinity. Antebellum evangelicals marched in the vanguard of social change with an agenda that almost invariably advocated for those on the margins of society, including women and African Americans. Evangelicals were involved in peace crusades and the temperance movement, a response to social ills associated with rampant alcohol consumption in the early republic. They advocated equal rights for women, including voting rights. Evangelicals in the North crusaded against slavery. Although Horace Mann, a Unitarian from Massachusetts, is the person most often associated with the rise of common schools, Protestants of a more evangelical stripe were early advocates of public education, including leaders in Ohio, Michigan, and Kentucky. Some evangelicals, including Charles Grandison Finney, even excoriated capitalism as inconsistent with Christian principles.
Analysis of Facial Implants for Bacterial Biofilm Formation Using Scanning Electron Microscopy

ImportanceAlloplastic implants are widely used in facial plastic surgery, both in rhinoplasty and nonrhinoplasty procedures. Implant infection and extrusion are significant concerns of such implant...
Effect of intravenous gammaglobulin on circulating and platelet-bound antibody in immune thrombocytopenia

Ten patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) were studied before and following a rise in circulating platelets subsequent to infusions of intravenous gammaglobulin (400 mg/kg/day x 5 days). We quantitated the amount of circulating IgG capable of binding to normal donor platelets in vitro using an 125I-monoclonal anti-human IgG assay, as well as the amount of IgG associated with the patients' platelets before and following therapy. We found no evidence for a decrease in platelet-specific IgG antibodies in these patients undergoing an acute response to therapy. These data suggest that the short-term efficacy of intravenous gammaglobulin is due to effects other than a substantive reduction in platelet reactive antibodies, such as the alteration of IgG-coated platelet destruction.
Early Intervention for Children With Hearing Loss Information Parents Receive About Supporting Children’s Language

Family-centered early intervention for children with hearing loss is intended to strengthen families’ interactions with their children to support children’s language development, and should include providing parents with information they can use as part of their everyday routines. However, little is known about the information received by families via early intervention and whether this aligns with recommended practices. This study used in-depth interviews to examine parents’ reports of information received from early intervention service providers about how to promote the language development of their children with hearing loss. Thematic analysis was used to identify patterns in the information parents received. The information parents receive is partially in line with current recommended practices, such as the importance of frequent communication with their children during everyday activities. However, parents also discussed the need for additional unbiased and specific information about how to promote ...
Antibiotic Prophylaxis for Patients with a History of Total Joint Replacement

As the population ages and people remain active into the 7th and 8th decades of life, the frequency of total joint replacement is increasing. Following joint replacement surgery, patients inevitably require various invasive procedures as part of their routine health maintenance, including, but not limited to, dental care, colonoscopy, cystoscopy, and cardiac catheterization. There is scant evidence to support the use of periprocedural prophylactic antibiotics in the prevention of late total joint infection. The guidelines for the usage of periprocedural antibiotics have changed as knowledge of the pathophysiology of joint infection has evolved. We review the current recommendations from subspecialty academic organizations regarding antibiotic prophylaxis for patients undergoing routine urologic, gastrointestinal, dental, and cardiac procedures after total joint replacement.
Why Leaders Fight

The history of political events is made by people. From wars to elections to political protests, the choices we make, our actions, how we behave, dictate events. Not all individuals have the same impact on our world and our lives. Some peoples' choices alter the pathways that history takes. In particular, national chief executives play a large role in forging the destinies of the countries they lead. Why Leaders Fight is about those world leaders and how their beliefs, world views, and tolerance for risk and military conflict are shaped by their life experiences before they enter office - military, family, occupation, and more. Using in-depth research on important leaders and the largest set of data on leader backgrounds ever gathered, the authors of Why Leaders Fight show that - within the constraints of domestic political institutions and the international system - who ends up in office plays a critical role in determining when and why countries go to war.
The international union against cancer (UICC) and its professional education program

The International Union Against Cancer (UICC) is a world federation composed of 242 member organizations. One of its functions is organizing a quadrennial international cancer congress. The next congress will be held in Budapest in August, 1986. Other UICC programs include a Detection and Diagnosis Program, a Tumor Biology Program, a Public Education Campaign, Fellowships and Awards Program, Epidemiology and Prevention Program, Smoking and Cancer Program, Treatment and Rehabilitation Program, and the Professional Education Program. The latter produces a UICC Manual of Clinical Oncology, sponsors regional education meetings, offers consultation visits on request, and offers courses and training programs. The American activities are coordinated by the USA National Committee on the UICC, comprised of representatives of the United States members of the UICC.
Theodore Ziolkowski, The Novels of Hermann Hesse: A Study in Theme and Structure

(1966). Theodore Ziolkowski, The Novels of Hermann Hesse: A Study in Theme and Structure. The Germanic Review: Literature, Culture, Theory: Vol. 41, No. 2, pp. 148-151.
Parent and peer pathways linking childhood experiences of abuse with marijuana use in adolescence and adulthood

Abstract Introduction The social developmental processes by which child maltreatment increases risk for marijuana use are understudied. This study examined hypothesized parent and peer pathways linking preschool abuse and sexual abuse with adolescent and adult marijuana use. Methods Analyses used data from the Lehigh Longitudinal Study. Measures included child abuse (physical abuse, emotional abuse, domestic violence, and neglect) in preschool, sexual abuse up to age 18, adolescent (average age = 18 years) parental attachment and peer marijuana approval/use, as well as adolescent and adult (average age = 36 years) marijuana use. Results Confirming elevated risk due to child maltreatment, path analysis showed that sexual abuse was positively related to adolescent marijuana use, whereas preschool abuse was positively related to adult marijuana use. In support of mediation, it was found that both forms of maltreatment were negatively related to parental attachment, which was negatively related, in turn, to having peers who use and approve of marijuana use. Peer marijuana approval/use was a strong positive predictor of adolescent marijuana use, which was a strong positive predictor, in turn, of adult marijuana use. Conclusions Results support social developmental theories that hypothesize a sequence of events leading from child maltreatment experiences to lower levels of parental attachment and, in turn, higher levels of involvement with pro-marijuana peers and, ultimately, to both adolescent and adult marijuana use. This sequence of events suggests developmentally-timed intervention activities designed to prevent maltreatment as well as the initiation and progression of marijuana use among vulnerable individuals.
Optimal Visual Servoing for differentially flat underactuated systems

This work introduces a hybrid visual servoing technique for differentially flat, underactuated systems that is well suited for aggressive dynamics. Standard Position-Based Visual Servoing (PBVS) and Image-Based Visual Servoing (IBVS) approaches for underactuated systems, such as quadrotors, oftentimes do not explicitly ensure that the relevant image features stay in the camera's field of view, especially while the system is performing agile maneuvers. We present a control technique that is designed to mitigate this issue and that results in increased robustness. Given a goal image, we first solve a constrained Perspective-n-Point (PnP) problem to find an equilibrium pose which aligns the camera with the goal. We then formulate the task of navigating to the goal pose as an optimal control problem, where a cost over the resulting image feature tracks along the trajectory is minimized which implicitly keeps features in the field of view over the course of the trajectory. The optimization is performed over a polynomial parametrization of the flat outputs of the system to decrease the dimensionality of the optimization. Simulations and physical experiments are performed with a quadrotor system to benchmark the algorithm's performance against a typical PBVS approach.
Influence of a Finite Tc on Enhanced Superconductivity Near the Metal/Insulator Transition

We adapted the BCS equation for T c so that it applies to disordered conductors near the metal/insulator transition (MIT). The resulting expression for T c as a function of the conductivity accounted quite well for several disparate classes of superconducting materials near the MIT [disordered metals, oxide conductors (including high-T c superconductors), semiconducting materials, organic conductors, and C 60 ]. This function, however, was applicable only to situations for which T c was zero in the pure limit-which was the case for the data chosen. This paper extends the model to the nonzero case and compares the predictions to the appropriate data.
Cell cycle regulation of centromere function in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Accurate transmission of eukaryotic chromosomes is dependent on a specialized region of the chromosome, the centromere. The centromere is the site of assembly of the kinetochore, an integrated protein/DNA complex which acts as the point of attachment between individual chromosomes and the mitotic spindle. The presence of more than one centromere on a single chromosome (dicentric chromosome) is deleterious, resulting in broken chromosome derivatives and unstable chromosome inheritance.
High-Resolution Dynamical Downscaling Ensemble Projections of Future Extreme Temperature Distributions for the United States

The aim of this study is to examine projections of extreme temperatures over the continental United States (CONUS) for the 21st century using an ensemble of high spatial resolution dynamically downscaled model simulations with different boundary conditions. The downscaling uses the Weather Research and Forecast model at a spatial resolution of 12 km along with outputs from three different Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 global climate models that provide boundary conditions under two different future greenhouse gas (GHG) concentration trajectories. The results from two decadal-length time slices (2045–2054 and 2085–2094) are compared with a historical decade (1995–2004). Probability density functions of daily maximum/minimum temperatures are analyzed over seven climatologically cohesive regions of the CONUS. The impacts of different boundary conditions as well as future GHG concentrations on extreme events such as heat waves and days with temperature higher than 95°F are also investigated. The results show that the intensity of extreme warm temperature in future summer is significantly increased, while the frequency of extreme cold temperature in future winter decreases. The distribution of summer daily maximum temperature experiences a significant warm-side shift and increased variability, while the distribution of winter daily minimum temperature is projected to have a less significant warm-side shift with decreased variability. Using “business-as-usual” scenario, 5-day heat waves are projected to occur at least 5–10 times per year in most CONUS and ≥95°F days will increase by 1–2 months by the end of the century.
GABA Type A Receptor Activation in the Allosteric Coagonist Model Framework: Relationship between EC50 and Basal Activity.

The concerted transition model for multimeric proteins is a simple formulation for analyzing the behavior of transmitter-gated ion channels. We used the model to examine the relationship between the EC 50 for activation of the GABA type A (GABA A ) receptor by the transmitter GABA and basal activity employing concatemeric ternary GABA A receptors expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Basal activity, reflecting the receptor function in the absence of the transmitter, can be changed either by mutation to increase constitutive activity or by the addition of a second agonist (acting at a different site) to increase background activity. The model predicts that either mechanism for producing a change in basal activity will result in identical effects on the EC 50 . We examined receptor activation by GABA while changing the level of basal activity with the allosterically acting anesthetics propofol, pentobarbital, or alfaxalone. We found that the relationship between EC 50 and basal activity was well described by the concerted transition model. Changes in the basal activity by gain-of-function mutations also resulted in predictable changes in the EC 50 . Finally, we altered the number of GABA-binding sites by a mutation and again found that the relationship could be well described by the model. Overall, the results support the idea that interactions between the transmitter GABA and the allosteric agonists propofol, pentobarbital, or alfaxalone can be understood as reflecting additive and independent free energy changes, without assuming any specific interactions.
Using the CAUSE Model to Understand Public Communication about Water Risks: Perspectives from Texas Groundwater District Officials on Drought and Availability

Public communication about drought and water availability risks poses challenges to a potentially disinterested public. Water management professionals, though, have a responsibility to work with the public to engage in communication about water and environmental risks. Because limited research in water management examines organizational communication practices and perceptions, insights into research and practice can be gained through investigation of current applications of these risk communication efforts. Guided by the CAUSE model, which explains common goals in communicating risk information to the public (e.g., creating Confidence, generating Awareness, enhancing Understanding, gaining Satisfaction, and motivating Enactment), semistructured interviews of professionals (N = 25) employed by Texas groundwater conservation districts were conducted. The interviews examined how CAUSE model considerations factor in to communication about drought and water availability risks. These data suggest that many work to build constituents' confidence in their districts. Although audiences and constituents living in drought-prone areas were reported as being engaged with water availability risks and solutions, many district officials noted constituents' lack of perceived risk and engagement. Some managers also indicated that public understanding was a secondary concern of their primary responsibilities and that the public often seemed apathetic about technical details related to water conservation risks. Overall, results suggest complicated dynamics between officials and the public regarding information access and motivation. The article also outlines extensions of the CAUSE model and implications for improving public communication about drought and water availability risks.
Regional Anesthesia for Chronic Disease States

Historically, the use of regional anesthetic techniques in patients with preexisting central nervous system (CNS) disorders has been considered relatively contraindicated. Probably, the most conservative legal approach in these patients is to avoid regional anesthesia. The recommendations of Vandam and Dripps in 1956 were to avoid spinal anesthesia in patients with preexisting CNS disorders, and these recommendations have greatly influenced the clinical management of these patients for the last several decades. The cause of postoperative neurological disorders is multifactorial and is usually difficult to evaluate because of the many patients and surgical and anesthetic risk factors that may play a role, Table 21.1 [1]. Therefore, the abundance of contributing factors makes it extremely difficult for clinicians and investigators alike to reliably isolate the effect of anesthetic technique on neurologic outcome.
Cricetulus griseus (Chinese hamster)

The long arm of the X may show a weak secondary constriction at the distal third. However, without autoradiography with tritiated thymidine, the X may be indistinguishable from chromosomes No. 4. The Y chromosome is morphologically unique.
Die indefinite Sprache II

Die bisher behandelte Sprache I enthalt nur definite Begriffe ; auf mathematischem Gebiet enthalt sie nur die Arithmetik der naturlichen Zahlen in einem Umfang, der etwa einer finitistischen oder intuitionistischen Auffassung entspricht. Die Sprache II umfast I als Teilsprache; alle Zeichen von I sind auch Zeichen von II, alle Satze von I Satze von II. Aber Sprache II ist weit reicher an Ausdrucksmitteln. Sie enthalt auch indefinite Begriffe; sie umfast die klassische Mathematik (Funktionen reeller und komplexer Argumente; Grenzwerte; Infinitesimalrechnung; Mengenlehre); in ihr konnen auch die Satze der Physik formuliert werden.
Anisotropy studies of ultrafast dipole reorientations

Various ways in which the anisotropy can be used to understand ultrafast processes are presented and discussed. Examples include molecular reorientation, energy transfer between identical systems, excitation dynamics in polymers, reactant product alignment, protein dynamics and internal motions in fluxional molecules.
Involuntary weight loss

Involuntary weight loss is a common finding and one associated with increased morbidity and mortality, especially in the elderly patient. The precise mechanisms by which weight loss occurs are currently being elucidated and probably involve the actions of classic hormones as well as cytokines, such as TNF (cachectin), adipsin, and interleukin-1 and interleukin-6. The differential diagnosis of involuntary weight loss is extensive, but case studies indicate that cancer, depression, and disorders of the gastrointestinal tract may be the most common causes. In approximately 25% of cases, no cause of weight loss is found despite extensive evaluation and prolonged follow-up. In the majority of cases, history, physical examination, and limited laboratory and radiologic studies reveal the cause of weight loss, when a cause is to be found. If an initial evaluation does not identify a cause, careful follow-up rather than undirected diagnostic testing is recommended. In the treatment of patients with involuntary weight loss, the underlying medical or psychiatric cause of the weight loss should be treated first if possible. Several medications are currently being investigated for treatment of patients with weight loss.
180 Stallion sperm phospholipase C zeta affects cleavage rates after intracytoplasmic injection in bovine oocytes

Phospholipase C zeta (PLCz) is a sperm protein linked to oocyte activation and zygote development in diverse species. Human intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) success is poor when sperm PLCz is reduced or mutated. We hypothesised that the expression of PLCz in stallion sperm corresponds with cleavage rates after ICSI. For this study, we selected sperm from 4 of 21 stallions for which frozen-thawed sperm were evaluated using flow cytometry to assess mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) and percentage of sperm positively labelled with PLCz. Before flow cytometric assessment, Western blotting and immunofluorescence were performed to validate antibody binding and to identify PLCz as a 71-kDa protein in stallion sperm, located in the acrosomal and postacrosomal region, and the tail (Gonzalez-Castro et al. 2017 Reprod. Fertil. Dev. 30, 228). Frozen sperm from 4 stallions were selected based on MFI and percentage of PLCz-labelled sperm per total sperm population, respectively (High, 87% with 10,384 MFI and 84% with 10,784 MFI; Low, 56% with 4,789 MFI and 59% with 5,360 MFI). The samples were selected so that other fertility indicators, such as normal morphology (> 70%), DNA integrity (<8%, flow cytometric evaluation using sperm chromatin structure assay), and viability (SYBR14+/propidium iodide-, flow cytometric assessment) were similar for High and Low. Bovine ovaries were transported at 25°C before collection of oocytes from 2- to 8-mm follicles. Oocyte maturation and embryo culture were done as previously described using a bovine system with chemically defined media (De La Torre-Sanchez et al. 2006 Reprod. Fertil. Dev. 18, 585-596). Oocytes were matured for 22 to 24 h at 38.5°C in 5% CO2 and air before removal of cumulus cells. Before ICSI, straws of frozen sperm were cut under liquid nitrogen, with a small section thawed directly in medium. Oocytes were selected based on normal morphology and an extruded polar body. Before injection, individual sperm were selected at 200× based on normal morphology and progressive motility. Oocytes were injected with sperm from High (n = 62 oocytes) and Low (n = 56). A third group of oocytes (n = 43) were sham injected (no sperm) to determine the rate of parthenogenetic cleavage. Cleavage rates were compared using chi-squared test. Cleavage rates differed (P < 0.0001) among groups, with 53% (33/62) for High, 34% (19/56) for Low, and 0% (0/43) for sham injections. Sperm populations from the High group had higher (P < 0.04) cleavage rates than those from the Low group. We concluded that PLCz in stallion sperm populations is a valuable indicator of ICSI success, and this protein is important factor for oocyte activation and initiation of embryo development after assisted fertilization.
Investigating the Impact of Augmented Reality on Elementary Students’ Mental Model of Scientists

Research shows that well before children can verbalize their thoughts, they often create internal visual models of what scientists are and what they do (Farland-Smith 2012). Therefore, discovering, understanding and recording a student’s own stereotypical perceptions are crucial to science instructors, as it is believed that perceptions may affect students’ attitudes concerning science. In addition, perceptions may impact their interest in learning scientific skills and methods. A causal experimental design was used in this study to determine if student’s mental models of science and scientists can be positively impacted through the introduction of a science curriculum using a transmedia book. Students’ mental models of both science and scientists deepened.
Überwachung und Symmetrierung von Energiespeichern in Traktionssystemen

Der Beitrag stellt ein von der Voith Group entwickeltes Verfahren zur Symmetrierung der Zellspannungen eines Energiespeichers mit Superkondensatoren (SCaps) in Fahrzeugantrieben vor. Es basiert auf der konsequenten Uberwachung und Steuerung jeder einzelnen Zelle. Der Symmetriervorgang erfolgt dabei kontinuierlich wahrend des Fahrbetriebes. Auf diese Weise werden alle Zellen bei der hochsten Ladespannung symmetriert. Dies fuhrt zu einer gleichmasigen Alterung aller Zellen, wodurch sich die Lebensdauer des Energiespeichers verlangert.
Stapedectomy Is Rewarding: But How to Prove It?

OBJECTIVE To demonstrate that neurotologists enjoy performing stapedectomies. SUBJECTS A group of survey recipients consisting of 174 neurotologists who perform stapedectomy, a nonoverlapping control group of 145 head/neck oncologists who perform parotidectomy, and a second nonoverlapping control group of 365 pediatric otolaryngologists who perform tonsillectomy. OUTCOME MEASURES Responses to surveys distributed by electronic mail to the 3 nonoverlapping recipient groups during nonoverlapping 4-week periods. RESULTS During the 4-week survey periods, 84 of 174 neurotologists (48%) responded, while 33 of 145 oncologists (23%) and 87 of 365 pediatric otolaryngologists (24%) responded. Most neurotologists performed stapedectomy (80/84; 95% of survey responders), while 33 of 33 (100% of survey responders) oncologists performed parotidectomy and 87 of 87 (100% of survey responders) pediatric otolaryngologists performed tonsillectomy. Seventy-six of the 80 neurotologists who performed stapedectomies (95%) enjoyed performing it, slightly more than the 30 of the 33 oncologists who performed parotidectomies (91%) and appreciably more than the 67 of 87 pediatric otolaryngologists who performed tonsillectomies (77%). Twenty-three neurotologists (30%) would sacrifice vacation time to perform additional stapedectomies, slightly more than 8 oncologists (27%) for additional parotidectomies and more than the 7 pediatric otolaryngologists (10%) for additional tonsillectomies. Ten (13%) of the neurotologists, 3 (9%) of the oncologists, and 1 (2%) of the pediatric otolaryngologists would sacrifice 5 or more vacation days to perform more of the procedures. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that neurotologists enjoy performing stapedectomy.