cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A History of Surgery in the Instrument Tray: Eponymous Tools Used in Hand Surgery

Hand surgery emerged as a specialty after World War II, and early hand surgeons borrowed tools from established fields of the time. These tools remain in common use today, and many are identified by the names of the men who created them. Because these men did not specialize in surgery of the hand, their history remains obscure to modern surgeons who do. We have investigated the history of eponymous instruments developed before 1945 and used widely today in American hand surgery. Reflection on these eponymous instruments reveals the rich and diverse history of hand surgery.
Trends in diffusion-length measurements in the original and dielectrically isolated-tub pi -silicon as a function of processing

An EBIC (electron-beam-induced current) analysis of diffusion length and, hence, lifetime as a function of processing history of dielectrically isolated (DI) tubs and the original pi -silicon was performed with a two-dimensional computer simulation. The simulation accounts for a pear-shaped excitation volume for the surface recombination at two sidewalls and the top and bottom surfaces and for excess electron diffusion to a planar junction with a planar back contact. The different processing histories include those which have undergone minimal high-temperature heat treatment (prior to and after DI-tub formation), a phosphorus getter, and a denuded-zone treatment. It is found that the DI-tub formation process results in a slight improvement in the diffusion length, but that the denuded-zero treatment results in a significant (ten times the diffusion length in untreated material) improvement in both the original and DI-tub pi -silicon. >
Mobility Studies of a Pure Electron Plasma in Hall Thruster Fields

An electron trapping apparatus was constructed in order to study electron dynamics in the defining electric and magnetic fields of a Hall-effect thruster. The approach presented here decouples the cross-field mobility from plasma effects by conducting measurements on a pure electron plasma in a highly controlled environment. Dielectric walls are removed completely eliminating all wall effects; thus, electrons are confined solely by a radial magnetic field and a crossed, independently-controlled, axial electric field that induces the closed-drift azimuthal Hall current. Electron trajectories and cross-field mobility were examined in response to electric and magnetic field strength and background neutral density. Without wall effects or neutral plasma effects mobility is presumed to follow the classical mobility model. In the present research, measurement techniques are investigated, and results are verified against the classical model. Preliminary findings suggest that that the apparatus and techniques used will be valid for mobility studies in more complex field environments.
Proteomic Dissection of Agonist-Specific TLR-Mediated Inflammatory Responses on Macrophages at Subcellular Resolution

Upon stimulation by distinct bacterial/viral products/agonists, APCs including macrophages tend to express particular TLR molecules to coordinate the signaling that ultimately target at chromatin and mediate the activity of downstream transcriptional factors in regulating characteristic sets of gene expression for innate immune response. To investigate largely unknown regulatory mechanism underlying agonist-specific TLR-mediated innate immune responses, at subcellular resolution, we first analyzed Pam3CSK4-induced proteome changes in living macrophages and identified the differentially expressed proteins in the cytosol and chromatin-associated fractions, respectively, by using AACT/SILAC-based quantitative proteomic approach. In the cytosol fraction, we found that the proteins with notable Pam3CSK4-induced expression changes were primarily involved in post-translational events, energy metabolism, protein transporting, and apoptosis. Among them, a ubiquitous and highly conserved iron-binding protein, Ferri...
Older Women’s Sexual Desire Problems: Biopsychosocial Factors Impacting Them and Barriers to Their Clinical Assessment

Sexual desire is a major component of sexuality at any age, and inhibited desire is one of the main sexual dysfunctions reported by older women. Nonetheless, in medical settings, for a variety of reasons discussed herein, its assessment--as well as the assessment of older women's sexual health in general--is typically avoided or conducted by asking a single sex question. In this paper, we have reviewed the literature (most of which is preliminary in nature) regarding the main psychosocial and health factors that could impact older women's sexual desire, as well as potential obstacles to the assessment and treatment of this geriatric sexual issue. It is certainly advisable that medical care providers who are uncomfortable discussing older women's sexual concerns be prepared to make appropriate referrals to clinicians who possess the proper training to accurately assess and treat sexual challenges (and female sexual interest problems in particular) in this neglected patient population.
Phase formation and dielectric properties of Ln2(Ln′0.5Nb0.5)2O7 (Ln = rare earth element)

Abstract Weberites and pyrochlores ( A 2 B 2 O 7 ), both fluorite-related superstructures, are attractive dielectric ceramics due to their ability to accommodate diverse cations, thus allowing their properties to be tailored. This study focuses on the fundamental understanding of the structure–dielectric property relationships in fluorite-related oxides. Specifically, Ln 3 NbO 7 and Ln 2 (Ln′ 0.5 Nb 0.5 ) 2 O 7 (where the ionic radius of Ln′ is smaller than that of Ln) compounds are investigated. It has been previously shown that weberite-type Ln 3 NbO 7 exhibits a composition dependent dielectric relaxation above room temperature. It is here shown that a dielectric relaxation also occurs in La 2 (Ln′ 0.5 Nb 0.5 ) 2 O 7 (Ln′ = Yb 3+ , Er 3+ , and Dy 3+ ) compounds near or below −158 °C. The temperature, at which the maximum permittivity occurs, is different for different compositions (−132 °C for La 2 (Yb 0.5 Nb 0.5 ) 2 O 7 , −197 °C for La 2 (Er 0.5 Nb 0.5 ) 2 O 7 , and −187 °C for La 2 (Dy 0.5 Nb 0.5 ) 2 O 7 at 1 MHz) and is correlated with the distortion of the NbO 6 octahedra. The room temperature dielectric permittivity of all three compounds was measured to be between 40 and 50 at 1 MHz.
Caffeine inhibition of the metabolic activation of a carcinogen, 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide, in cultured Chinese hamster cells

The cytotoxic effect of 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4NQO) on cultured Chinese hamster cells was drastically reduced by the presence of caffeine (0.2-1 mM). Caffeine, however, did not reduce the cytotoxicity of 4-hydroxyaminoquinoline-1-oxide (4HAQO), an active metabolite of 4NQO. The 105 000 g supernatant from the cell homogenate could catalyze the conversion of 4NQO to 4HAQO in the presence of NADPH or NADH as a hydrogen donor. This enzyme activity was strongly inhibited by caffeine (0.1-10 mM) or dicumarol (10(-8)-10(-6) M), an inhibitor of DT diaphorase (E.C.1.6.99.2). Dicumarol also reduced the cytotoxicity of 4NQO. These results clearly suggest that caffeine inhibits the conversion step of 4NQO to 4HAQO, resulting in a decrease in the cytotoxicity of 4NQO. Furthermore, the frequency of 6-thioguanine-resistant mutation by 4NQO was also strongly reduced by the presence of caffeine (1 mM) in cultured Chinese hamster cells, being consistent with the results of cytotoxicity.
Serpiginous choroiditis secondary to Bartonella henselae

Serpiginous Choroiditis Secondary toBartonella henselae? To theEditorPorteroetal1describe the first reportedcasesofserpiginouschoroiditis secondarytoFrancisella tularensisandBartonella henselae. The authors should be commended for looking for alternative infectious causes of serpiginous choroiditis such as F tularensis. However, their diagnosis of B henselae is questionable.Thepatientdevelopedserpiginouschoroiditisand had a reactiveMantoux test (18mm) and IgG titers of 1:128 for Bhenselae.Thepatient receivedantituberculosis treatmentand corticosteroids. After 3months, thepatient developed choroiditis in theothereyeandwasthentreatedwithmoxifloxacinhydrochloride for 1month.ThediagnosisofBhenselae isbasedon the IgGtitersof 1:128andtherapeutic response tomoxifloxacin. Therearea fewproblemswiththisdiagnosis.First,elevated IgG titers are not sensitive for the diagnosis of B henselae.2 Elevated IgM titers aremore sensitive, but they are not reported inthehistory.Furthermore,11%ofhealthycontrolshaveelevated IgG titersof 1:128.3 There is alsonomentionof the4clinical criteria for thediagnosisof cat-scratchdisease.Finally, 10%ofpatientswithserpiginouschoroiditissecondarytotuberculosiswill haverecurrencesorprogressiononantituberculosis treatment.4 Thepatientwasstill treatedwithantituberculosistreatmentwhile onmoxifloxacinandcontinuedfor5moremonths.GiventhereactiveMantouxtestandthetherapeuticresponseto9-monthantituberculosistreatment,theserpiginouschoroiditisismorelikely due to tuberculosis thanBhenselae. Bartonella henselae may be associated with serpiginous choroiditis, but the evidence presented in this case does not support this conclusion.
Software offshoring risks and opportunities for software engineering programs

There is increasing anecdotal evidence of a move of software development projects and employment from North America and Western Europe to Asia and Eastern Europe. This panel will address the current and potential impact of such software offshoring on academic programs in software engineering.
Voxelized Dose--FDG-PET Response in HDR Brachytherapy of Rectal Cancer.

Materials/Methods Five patients were treated for localized rectal cancer using 192Ir HDR brachytherapy in conjunction with surgery. FDG-PET images were acquired before HDR therapy and 6–8 weeks after treatment (prior to surgery). Treatment planning was done on a commercial workstation and the dose grid was calculated. The two PETs and the treatment dose grid were registered to each other. The difference in PET SUV values before and after HDR was plotted versus absorbed radiation dose for each voxel. The voxels were then separated into bins for every 400 cGy of absorbed dose and the bin average values plotted similarly. Back to Article Outline
Efficient syntheses of trans-(+)-laurediol from carbohydrate precursors

Abstract Two routes for the synthesis of the marine natural product trans -laurediol 6 are described. In the first approach 6 is obtained in ten steps and 21% overall yield from monoacetone d -glucose. The second route provides the target in eleven steps and 13% yield from d -mannose. Both routes are more efficient, both in terms of number of steps and overall yield, than previously reported syntheses.
Color-guided Doppler echocardiographic assessment of aortic valve stenosis.

Abstract The severity of valvular aortic stenosis was assessed by Doppler color flow mapping in 100 consecutive patients who underwent successful cardiac catheterization within 2 weeks of the Doppler study. The maximal width of the aortic stenosis jet seen in 61 of these patients (Group A) was measured at the aortic valve. Color-guided continuous wave Doppler examination was used to measure the mean transaortic pressure gradient, and the aortic valve area was estimated using the simplified continuity equation. The aortic stenosis jet was not seen in 39 patients (Group B), and the mean pressure gradient and aortic valve area in these patients were assessed by conventional Doppler echocardiography alone. The mean pressure gradient obtained by continuous wave Doppler study and cardiac catheterization in the 61 Group A patients correlated well (r = 0.90); the correlation was lower in the 39 Group B patients (r = 0.70). The overall correlation for the combined Groups A and B was good (r = 0.82). The aortic valve area estimated by continuous wave Doppler study and cardiac catheterization in 54 Croup A patients correlated well (r = 0.92); the correlation in 22 Group B patients was lower (r = 0.71). The correlation for all 76 patients (Groups A and B) was good (r = 0.80). The maximal nortic stenosis jet width also correlated well with the aortic valve area estimated at catheterization in 54 patients (r = 0.90). Group C represented an additional 14 patients in whom the left ventricle could not be entered during cardiac catheterization. All of these patients had severe aortic stenosis as detected by Doppler color flow mapping and had a calcified aortic valve with virtually immobile leaflets at subsequent surgery. These results show that Doppler color flow imaging combined with conventional Doppler study provides a reliable assessment of the severity of aortic stenosis and that the aortic stenosis jet width accurately estimates the degree of the aortic stenosis.
The Development of Comorbid Conduct Problems in Children With ADHD: An Example of an Integrative Developmental Psychopathology Perspective

Objective: We describe interactions among factors that contribute to the development of conduct problems among children with ADHD. Method: An integrative developmental psychopathology analysis comb...
Tillage and nitrogen effects on growth, nitrogen content, and yield of corn

Abstract The use of conservation tillage methods, including ridge tillage, has increased dramatically in recent years. At the present time, there is great concern that farmers are applying more nitrogen (N) fertilizer than is environmentally or economically sound. In order to determine if N requirement for optimum yield differs with tillage system, tests were initiated to study tillage and N effects on N content, soil moisture content, and yield of corn (Zea mays L.). The study was established in 1987 on two soil types, an Estelline soil (Pachic Haploboroll) and an Egan soil (Udic Haplustoll), located in eastern South Dakota. Five rates of N (0, 65, 130, 195, and 260 kg ha−1) were applied to plots managed with 3 tillage systems: chisel plow, moldboard plow, and ridge. On the Estelline soil, in both 1988 and 1989, ridge‐tilled plots contained a greater amount of water in the soil profile at emergence and at mid silk than did plots in the other two tillage systems. Soil moisture content at mid silk was sign...
Uncertain testamentary capacity

This letter illustrates the significance of the legal rules that resolve uncertainty in assessments of testamentary capacity.
Enterprise simulations: theoretical foundations and a practical perspective

Simulating business enterprises is the next major application approach to using simulation technology effectively. Although the term enterprise simulation or something similar is being used with ever-increasing frequency, the field lacks a clear definition and discussion of the theoretical basis for what is meant by the term. The author offers his concepts and ideas of how we encapsulate this notion and what theoretical foundations can help us come to a common understanding and eventually help articulate a clear and agreed upon definition of the concept of an enterprise simulation.
A Pivoting Elliptical Training System for Improving Pivoting Neuromuscular Control and Rehabilitating Musculoskeletal Injuries

Knee injuries often occur in pivoting activities but most existing training and rehabilitation devices mainly involve sagittal movements. A pivoting elliptical training system (PETS) was developed to train and evaluate neuromuscular control in pivoting for the purposes of prevention and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal injuries. The PETS have capabilities of controlling two footplates individually or simultaneously through servomotor control so that the footplates behave like two torsional springs with adjustable offset and stiffness, slippery surface, or under external perturbations. Feasibility of the PETS in improving pivoting neuromuscular control and pivoting neuromechanical properties was demonstrated through experiments on healthy subjects, with reduced pivoting instability and reaction time, and improved proprioceptive acuity following training. The PETS can potentially be used as a therapeutic and research tool to investigate mechanisms underlying pivoting-related injuries and train human subjects for improving neuromuscular control during risky pivoting activities.
Schizophrenia in Late Life: Findings Challenge Traditional Concepts

Two notions about schizophrenia have persisted: (1) it is characterized by onset in adolescence or early adulthood, and (2) it has a progressively deteriorating course. Recent studies focusing on e...
Do Dogs Know Calculus of Variations

(2006). Do Dogs Know Calculus of Variations? The College Mathematics Journal: Vol. 37, No. 1, pp. 20-23.
Piecewise quadratic estimates of domains of attraction for linear systems with saturation

We show how piecewise quadratic Lyapunov functions can be used to estimate regions of attraction for linear systems with saturation. The central issues of how to restrict the analysis region and how to optimize the size of the domain of attraction are addressed, and the approach is demonstrated on several examples. We observe that the piecewise quadratic Lyapunov functions yield significant improvements over recently proposed methods based on the circle and Popov criteria.
Input evaluation of an eye-gaze-guided interface: kalman filter vs. velocity threshold eye movement identification

This paper evaluates the input performance capabilities of Velocity Threshold (I-VT) and Kalman Filter (I-KF) eye movement detection models when employed for eye-gaze-guided interface control. I-VT is a common eye movement identification model employed by the eye tracking community, but it is neither robust nor capable of handling high levels of noise present in the eye position data. Previous research implies that use of a Kalman filter reduces the noise in the eye movement signal and predicts the signal during brief eye movement failures, but the actual performance of I-KF was never evaluated. We evaluated the performance of I-VT and I-KF models using guidelines for ISO 9241 Part 9 standard, which is designed for evaluation of non keyboard/mouse input devices with emphasis on performance, comfort, and effort. Two applications were implemented for the experiment: 1) an accuracy test 2) a photo viewing application specifically designed for eye-gaze-guided control. Twenty-one subjects participated in the evaluation of both models completing a series of tasks. The results indicates that I-KF allowed participants to complete more tasks with shorter completion time while providing higher general comfort, accuracy and operation speeds with easier target selection than the I-VT model. We feel that these results are especially important to the engineers of new assistive technologies and interfaces that employ eye-tracking technology in their design.
Comparative studies of social behavior in Callicebus and Saimiri: male-female emotional attachments

Male-female attachments were compared in pair-housed titi monkeys (Callicebus) and squirrel monkeys (Saimiri) by measuring emotional reactions (heart rate, vocalizations, locomotor activity) to short-term separation from the cagemate and to short-term caging with a relative stranger of the cagemate's sex. Titi monkeys showed somewhat higher levels of emotional arousal during separation than did squirrel monkeys, and they showed a much stronger response to the stranger. Moreover, only in titi monkeys did the test conditions significantly affect the level of emotional arousal during reunion with the cagemate. These findings describe a new dimension of the pair bond in Callicebus and suggest some of the proximate factors contributing to interspecies differences in social organization.
3-D Sensing For Inspection

Many fields of scientific research derive their excitement from the fact that they are totally new avenues of investigation. Other areas are remarkable for their longevity and their ability to continually generate new developments. The topic of this special issue, 3-D Sensing for Inspection, falls in the latter category. Three-dimensional sensing has been an active area of study since the earliest scientific endeavors in optics. The collection of papers in this issue attests to the continued vitality of the field today. The reason for this success perhaps stems from the fact that it is being driven by critical fundamental scientific needs as well as by ever-expanding technological applications. The papers assembled here address both of these areas.
Chirped lasers dispersion spectroscopy implemented with single- and dual-sideband electro-optical modulators

We report new approaches for signal generation in Chirped Laser Dispersion Spectroscopy (CLaDS). Two optical arrangements based on electro-optical modulators significantly reduce CLaDS system complexity and enable optimum performance when applied to detection of GHz-wide molecular transitions. Proof-of-principle experiments in the near-infrared spectral range are presented and potential strategies for application in the mid-infrared are discussed.
A case‐control study of lung cancer at a dye and resin manufacturing plant

This case-control study evaluated the relationship between lung cancer and occupational factors among employees at a dye and resin manufacturing plant. The study included 51 lung cancer cases and 102 controls who were members of a cohort of workers investigated in a previous retrospective follow-up study. Information on area of employment and on potential exposure to certain chemicals was obtained from plant personnel and medical records and from interviews with long-term employees. Information on potential confounders, including cigarette smoking, was obtained by interviewing study subjects or their next-of-kin. The odds ratio (OR) for heavy smokers compared with light or nonsmokers was 5.9 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.4-15). An elevated OR for lung cancer was observed for subjects who worked in the anthraquinone dye and epichlorohydrin manufacturing area of the plant (OR = 2.4; 95% CI = 1.1-5.2) and for employees who were seen at the plant infirmary for acute exposure to chlorine (OR, adjusted for smoking = 27; 95% CI = 3.5-205). Pipefitters employed at the plant for five or more years also had an elevated OR (3.3; 95% CI = 0.8-14).
Effects of solute segregation and precipitation on void swelling in irradiated alloys

Abstract A model of radiation-induced segregation of substitutional solutes has been used to study the effects of solute segregation and precipitation on void swelling behavior in metals and alloys. If the binding energies between point defects and solute atoms are sufficiently large, significant solute segregation takes place during irradiation, giving rise to a solute depletion or enrichment at defect sinks and a nonuniform distribution of defect-trapping centers in the matrix. The swelling reduction, which results from trapping of point defects by minor additions of alloying elements, is affected by radiationinduced solute redistribution in alloys. The effects of either dominant interstitial-solute interactions or dominant vacancy-solute interactions on segregation and swelling were studied. The present calculations are in good qualitative agreement with experimental results.
Melatonin regulates neuronal plasticity in the hippocampus.

The influence of melatonin on hippocampal evoked potentials initiated by low- and high-frequency electrical stimulations and by two pulses applied in rapid succession was investigated. In confirmation of our previous studies, melatonin attenuated the population spike triggered by low-frequency stimulation (0.03 Hz). High-frequency stimulation (HFS; 100 Hz for 1 sec, three times every 10 sec), which in control slices permanently facilitated neuronal excitability (347% +/- 32%), was also able to amplify the melatonin-depressed potential (467.8% +/- 59.6%). Because melatonin is a hydrophobic molecule, it was dissolved and applied in ethanol. Ethanol (0.4%) by itself reduced the magnitude of HFS-induced potentiation (233.5% +/- 16.8%). The slices stimulated with two pulses separated with a delay longer than 15 msec demonstrated a facilitation of the response to the second stimuli (paired-pulse facilitation; PPF). The influence of melatonin (100 microM) on PPF was biphasic: Shortly after addition of melatonin, PPF was briefly (5-10 min) reversed to paired-pulse inhibition (PPI), which gradually returned to a stable PPF. Ethanol (0.4%) applied without melatonin exerted only a marginal, facilitatory effect on PPF. The delay between two successively applied pulses, shorter than 13 msec, resulted in attenuation of the response to the second stimuli (PPI). Melatonin (100 microM) reversed the attenuation of the second potential within 15-20 min following its application. Ethanol applied by itself at the concentration of 0.4% temporarily (5-10 min), but significantly, depressed the second potential. These results demonstrate the ability of melatonin to modulate specific forms of plasticity in hippocampal pyramidal neurons.
Brownian Movements in Gases at Low Pressures

The essential improvements which the "oil drop method" introduced into the study of Brownian movements consisted in 1. Enabling the observer to hold a given particle under observation as long as desired, even in a rarified gas, by counteracting the downward pull of gravity by the upward pull of an electrical field. 2. Eliminating completely all uncertainty as to the resistance offered by the medium to the motion of the drop through it.
Formation of Interstrand DNA Cross-Links by Bis-(2-chloroethyl)Sulfide (BCES): A Possible Cytotoxic Mechanism in Rat Keratinocytes

Interstrand cross-links in the DNA of epidermal basal keratinocytes may be responsible for cell death and consequent vesication in skin exposed to BCES. The formation of cross-links and cytotoxicity were compared when cells in primary monolayer cultures of rat epidermal keratinocytes, synchronized at the G1/S boundary or in the G1 phase of the cell cycle, were exposed to BCES. The dose-responsive formation of cross-links, measured with an ethidium bromide-fluorescence assay, was determined immediately after exposure of cells at either position of the cycle. At 24 hr post-exposure, the level of cross-links in cells exposed at the G1 phase showed had not decreased significantly and was still dose-dependent. However, cells exposed in the G1 phase showed a major decrease in cross-links. Formation of interstrand DNA cross-links appears to be related to the mustard's cytotoxicity.
Decolonizing Time Regimes: Lakota Conceptions of Work, Economy, and Society

One of the hegemonic forces associated with the spread of capitalism is a shift in the time sense of production from task orientation to labor timed by the clock. On the periphery of the global economy, Lakota households on the Pine Ridge reservation must make fragmentary allocations of time between clock-based wage jobs and task-oriented forms of production governed by social relationships. Despite a long and ongoing history of state policies designed to enforce the discipline of the clock, task orientation continues to dominate Lakota time-sense. Rather than active resistance to or internalization of clock time, Lakota practices flout time-values that interfere with the task-oriented demands of more materially certain, socially embedded economic activities. Lakota conceptions of time, born of their contemporary material conditions, are better understood when theoretical concepts of work and time are decolonized to remove the assumptions that emulating or opposing Euro-Americans is of central concern.
Fabrication and properties of anode-supported tubular solid oxide fuel cells

Abstract Tubular solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) systems have many desirable characteristics over their planar counter-parts. Anode-supported tubes provide an excellent platform for individual cells. They allow for a thin electrolyte layer to be applied to the outside of the tube, which helps to minimize polarization losses. This paper describes the fabrication of nickel–zirconia (Ni–YSZ)-based anode tubes via extrusion of a plastic mass through a die of the required dimensions. The anode tubes were then dried and fired. Tests were performed on the tubes to determine the effects of firing temperature on porosity to allow for a pinhole-free electrolyte coating to be applied. Thin layer coating techniques, including vacuum-assisted dip coating and painting, were compared. Ni–YSZ anode-supported tubular SOFCs with a gas-tight thin YSZ electrolyte layer were then realized. Microstructure of the anode support, electrolyte and cathode thin films was also examined.
Analysis of risk factors for postoperative pulmonary complications in head and neck surgery

Preoperative pulmonary function tests (PFTs) are unproven in their predictive value for postoperative pulmonary complications. There is a lack of prospective outcome studies upon which to form an opinion, particularly regarding noncavitary surgery. Seventy-three head and neck surgery patients were prospectively evaluated with preoperative PFTs, arterial blood gas analysis (ABG), medical history, and physical examination. Age, anesthesia duration, forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), peak flow (PF), PaO2, Roizen class, and pack years of smoking were significantly correlated with postoperative pulmonary complications. As similar studies in head and neck surgery patients have not been previously taken, it is hoped that these results will serve as a basis for future endeavors.
Incidence and predictors of left atrial thrombus prior to catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation.

Background: Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is commonly used prior to catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) in order to exclude left atrial (LA) thrombus. However, the incidence and predictors of LA thrombus detected with TEE have not been systematically examined in this setting. Methods: This study included 732 cases (mean age 57 ± 11 years; 23% female; 353 persistent AF) in 585 consecutive patients referred for catheter ablation of AF. Patients were anticoagulated for at least 4 weeks prior to the procedure and then bridged with enoxaparin. TEE was performed in all cases within 24 hours prior to ablation. Results: Preprocedural TEE revealed LA thrombus in 12 of 732 cases (1.6%), all located in the LA appendage. Among these 12 patients, 9 had persistent AF and 3 had paroxysmal AF. All patients with thrombus had an LA size ≥ 4.5 cm. LA thrombus was present in 0.3%, 1.4%, and 5.3% of patients with CHADS2 scores of 0, 1, and ≥ 2, respectively. In multivariate analysis, a CHADS2 score ≥ 2 and larger LA diameter remained significant predictors of LA thrombus. Conclusions: Despite oral anticoagulation treatment, there is a small but significant incidence of LA thrombus by TEE prior to AF ablation. A CHADS2 score ≥ 2 and larger LA diameter are independent predictors of LA thrombus in this patient population, while type of AF or rhythm at the time of TEE is not. The risk of LA thrombus is low in patients with a CHADS2 score of 0 and in patients with an LA diameter < 4.5 cm.
Chirality of Chromospheric Filaments

We use the chromospheric full-disk Hα observations to study the chirality of 2310 filaments from 2000-2001. For each filament, we identify the spine and its barbs and determine the filament chirality as fraction of dextral/sinistral barbs of the total number of barbs. We find that 80.2% (558 out of 696) of quiescent filaments in the northern hemisphere are dextral and 85.5% (633 out of 740) of filaments in southern hemisphere are sinistral, in agreement with the well-known hemispheric helicity rule. Our data also show that the active-region filaments follow the same rule, though the hemispheric dependence is weaker: 74.9% (338 out of 451) of active-region filaments in the northern hemisphere are dextral, and 76.7% (297 out of 387) of filaments in the southern hemisphere are sinistral. We show that quiescent filaments formed on leading and returning arms of the same switchback exhibit the same chirality. We also investigate a possible change in the hemispheric rule with polarity reversal of the polar field, and we find no such change.
Reliability of Implantable MyoElectric Sensors (IMES)

We have developed a multi-channel electrogmyography sensor system capable of receiving and processing signals from up to thirty-two Implanted MyoElectric Sensors (IMES). The appeal of implanted sensors for myoelectric control is that EMG signals can be measured at their source providing relatively cross-talk free signals that can be treated as independent control sites. An external telemetry controller receives telemetry sent over a transcutaneous magnetic link by the implanted electrodes. The same link provides power and commands to the implanted electrodes. Wireless telemetry of EMG signals from sensors implanted in the residual musculature eliminates the problems associated with percutaneous wires such as infection, breakage and marsupialization. Implants are designed for permanent long-term implantation with no servicing requirements. We have a fully operational system. The system has been tested in animals. Implants have been chronically implanted in the legs of 3 cats and are still completely operational 12 months after implantation. The recordings are stable and reliable over the chronic recording period.
What's new? Using prior models as a measure of novelty in knowledge discovery

One of the challenges of knowledge discovery is identifying patterns that are interesting, with novelty an important component of interestingness. Another important aspect of knowledge discovery is making efficient use of background knowledge. This paper develops a definition of novelty relative to a prior model of the domain. The definition of novelty is tested using pneumonia outcome data and a prior model of pneumonia severity.
Law, Power, and "Rumors of War": Robert Jackson Confronts Law and Security After Nuremberg

Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson’s most important legacy was his role as chief prosecutor for the United States at the Nuremberg Trials. This essay follows Jackson’s legal thought from his return to the United States after Nuremberg, until his death in 1954. Jackson hoped that the lesson of Nuremberg would be “to establish the supremacy of law over such lawless and catastrophic forces as war and persecutions.” Jackson changed law that applied to warfare. In looking to the future, he seems to have assumed that although law had changed, war would retain its essential character. Yet as the post-war years became instead the Cold War years, Jackson found himself in an era when the boundaries around wartime were eroding. The world entered an ambiguous era that seemed to be neither war nor peace. As Jackson himself would put it in 1951, rather than a break between wartime and peacetime, there was instead “a prolonged period of international tension and rumors of war, with war itself as the ever threatening alternative.” Jackson’s response to the Cold War era was twofold. In cases involving members of the Communist Party, he argued that they were different in kind from other dissenters, so that the Justice who argued that the rule of law should apply to Nazi leaders also argued for a departure from applicable first amendment analysis because of the dangers posed by communism. In the area of war-related powers, Jackson took up more directly the ambiguous character of an era that seemed neither wartime nor peacetime. In this context, he favored limits on presidential power. Calling the Korean War an undeclared “foreign venture,” he argued in his famous Steel Seizure concurrence that it would subvert constitutional limits for a president to go to war without a declaration from congress, and then use that state of war as the basis for expanding his own domestic authority. The essay is based on my contribution to the 2011 James McCormick Mitchell Lecture program at SUNY Buffalo Law School, which commemorated Robert Jackson’s first public lecture after he returned from Nuremberg in 1946.
Sequential transformation to pyramid two Bt genes in vegetable Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.) and its potential for control of diamondback moth larvae

Vegetable Indian mustard (Brassica juncea cv. “Green Wave”) plants that control Plutella xylostella (diamondback moth) (DBM) were produced by introduction of one or two Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) genes. A cry1Ac Bt gene associated with the nptII gene for kanamycin selection or a cry1C Bt gene with the hpt gene for hygromycin selection was introduced individually through Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of seedling explants. A cry1C line was then transformed with the cry1Ac gene to produce pyramided cry1Ac + cry1C plants. Sixteen cry1C, five cry1Ac, and six cry1Ac + cry1C plants were produced. PCR and Southern analyses confirmed the presence of the cry1C, cry1Ac or pyramided cry1Ac + cry1C genes in the Indian mustard genome. ELISA analysis showed that production of Bt proteins varied greatly among individual transgenic plants, ranging from undetectable to over 1,000 ng Bt/mg total soluble protein. The levels of the Bt proteins were correlated with the effectiveness of control of diamondback moth (DBM) larvae. Insect bioassays indicated that both the cry1C and cry1Ac plants were toxic to susceptible DBM. The cry1C plants also controlled Cry1A-resistant DBM while cry1Ac plants controlled Cry1C-resistant DBM, and the pyramided cry1Ac + cry1C plants effectively controlled all three types of DBM. These Bt-transgenic plants could be used either for direct control of DBM and other lepidopteran insect pests or for tests of “dead-end” trap crops as protection of high value non-transgenic crucifer vegetables such as cabbage.
Families of Miocene Monterey crude oil, seep, and tarball samples, coastal California

Biomarker and stable carbon isotope ratios were used to infer the age, lithology, organic matter input, and depositional environment of the source rocks for 388 samples of produced crude oil, seep oil, and tarballs to better assess their origins and distributions in coastal California. These samples were used to construct a chemometric (multivariate statistical) decision tree to classify 288 additional samples. The results identify three tribes of 13C-rich oil samples inferred to originate from thermally mature equivalents of the clayey-siliceous, carbonaceous marl and lower calcareous-siliceous members of the Monterey Formation at Naples Beach near Santa Barbara. An attempt to correlate these families to rock extracts from these members in the nearby COST (continental offshore stratigraphic test) (OCS-Cal 78-164) well failed, at least in part because the rocks are thermally immature. Geochemical similarities among the oil tribes and their widespread distribution support the prograding margin model or the banktop-slope-basin model instead of the ridge-and-basin model for the deposition of the Monterey Formation. Tribe 1 contains four oil families having geochemical traits of clay-rich marine shale source rock deposited under suboxic conditions with substantial higher plant input. Tribe 2 contains four oil families with traits intermediate between tribes 1 and 3, except for abundant 28,30-bisnorhopane, indicating suboxic to anoxic marine marl source rock with hemipelagic input. Tribe 3 contains five oil families with traits of distal marine carbonate source rock deposited under anoxic conditions with pelagic but little or no higher plant input. Tribes 1 and 2 occur mainly south of Point Conception in paleogeographic settings where deep burial of the Monterey source rock favored petroleum generation from all three members or their equivalents. In this area, oil from the clayey-siliceous and carbonaceous marl members (tribes 1 and 2) may overwhelm that from the lower calcareous-siliceous member (tribe 3) because the latter is thinner and less oil-prone than the overlying members. Tribe 3 occurs mainly north of Point Conception where shallow burial caused preferential generation from the underlying lower calcareous-siliceous member or another unit with similar characteristics. In a test of the decision tree, 10 tarball samples collected from beaches in Monterey and San Mateo counties in early 2007 were found to originate from natural seeps representing different organofacies of Monterey Formation source rock instead from one anthropogenic pollution event. The seeps apparently became more active because of increased storm activity.
Synechocystis PCC 6803 Contains a Single Gene for the [beta] Subunit of Tryptophan Synthase with Strong Homology to the trpB Genes of Arabidopsis and Maize (Zea mays L.)

We report the sequence of the trpB gene of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. This gene was cloned from a plasmid library by functional complementation of a trpB mutant of Escherichia coli K-12. Among the known trpB sequences, the Synechocystis gene bears the greatest homology to the duplicated trpB genes of Arabidopsis thaliana and Zea mays. Southern and northern blotting analyses suggest that Synechocystis contains only a single trpB gene. In contrast to all other prokaryotes, Synechocystis has a trpB gene that is monocistronic. Attempts to construct a trpB null mutant of Synechocystis by standard techniques were unsuccessful, suggesting that this organism is unable to concentrate tryptophan from the external medium.
Outflanking RANK with a Designer Antagonist Cytokine

Members of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) superfamily of cytokines are noncovalently linked trimers that play important roles in regulating the immune system and have emerged as successful therapeutic targets in various rheumatic and autoimmune conditions. Traditionally, antibodies to cytokines or receptor-Fc fusion proteins have been used to block signaling by TNF family cytokines. In this issue of Science Signaling, Warren et al. have taken a new approach to blocking the action of the TNF superfamily member RANKL [receptor activator of nuclear factor κB (RANK) ligand], which plays an important role in regulating bone turnover through stimulation of its receptor RANK on osteoclasts. Beginning with a single-chain fusion protein of three RANKL subunits, the authors used directed mutagenesis to generate a trimer consisting of a nonreceptor binding subunit fused to two "super-agonist" subunits that have increased affinity for RANK. This molecule antagonized the osteoclastogenic activity of wild-type RANKL in vitro and in vivo, thus providing insights into RANK signaling and a paradigm for the development of other antagonists of TNF family cytokines.
Image compression and recovery through compressive sampling and particle swarm

We present an application of particle swarm techniques to the problem of sparse signal recovery. Although a direct application of particle swarm is straightforward, specifics of the signal recovery problem can be incorporated into particle behavior in a way that substantially improves the quality of the recovered signal. With encouraging results for synthetic signals, we apply this technique to the problem of image compression, where typical image blocks can be expected to exhibit many very small elements under a transformation like the DCT. In this application, we observe that better results are obtained by first forcing image blocks to be sparse rather than compressively sampling blocks that are approximately sparse.
Vascular filters of functional MRI: spatial localization using BOLD and CBV contrast

The spatial distributions of functional activation of rat somatosensory cortex by forepaw stimulation were quantitatively compared using blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signal and signal weighted by cerebral blood volume (CBV). The BOLD contrast to noise (CNR) distribution showed a significant dorsal shift with respect to the CBV method at fields strengths of 2 T (0.69 +/- 0.09 mm) and 4.7 T (0.44 +/- 0.15 mm). These shifts were attributed to the gradient of resting state blood volume across somatosensory cortex and the different CNR characteristics of the two image methods. The underlying principles suggest that the CBV method has a more uniform sensitivity to percent changes in functional indicators (blood volume or deoxygenated hemoglobin) across regions of variable resting state CBV. Magn Reson Med 42:591-598, 1999.
Base excision repair is limited by different proteins in male germ cell nuclear extracts prepared from young and old mice.

The combined observations of elevated DNA repair gene expression, high uracil-DNA glycosylase-initiated base excision repair, and a low spontaneous mutant frequency for a lacI transgene in spermatogenic cells from young mice suggest that base excision repair activity is high in spermatogenic cell types. Notably, the spontaneous mutant frequency of the lacI transgene is greater in spermatogenic cells obtained from old mice, suggesting that germ line DNA repair activity may decline with age. A paternal age effect in spermatogenic cells is recognized for the human population as well. To determine if male germ cell base excision repair activity changes with age, uracil-DNA glycosylase-initiated base excision repair activity was measured in mixed germ cell (i.e., all spermatogenic cell types in adult testis) nuclear extracts prepared from young, middle-aged, and old mice. Base excision repair activity was also assessed in nuclear extracts from premeiotic, meiotic, and postmeiotic spermatogenic cell types obtained from young mice. Mixed germ cell nuclear extracts exhibited an age-related decrease in base excision repair activity that was restored by addition of apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) endonuclease. Uracil-DNA glycosylase and DNA ligase were determined to be limiting in mixed germ cell nuclear extracts prepared from young animals. Base excision repair activity was only modestly elevated in pachytene spermatocytes and round spermatids relative to other spermatogenic cells. Thus, germ line short-patch base excision repair activity appears to be relatively constant throughout spermatogenesis in young animals, limited by uracil-DNA glycosylase and DNA ligase in young animals, and limited by AP endonuclease in old animals.
The Feminist Ethnographer’s Dilemma Reconciling Progressive Research Agendas with Fieldwork Realities

In this article, we use three case studies of conservative field sites to consider the dilemma faced when feminist analytic perspectives clash with observations. We note that feminism can operate a...
On-line performance management of computer communication networks

The conceptual design and prototypical development of a performance management procedure for computer communication networks are presented. The procedure aims to improve the network performance by online adjustment of protocol parameters. The techniques of perturbation analysis in discrete-event dynamical systems, stochastic approximation, and learning automata are used in formulating the performance management procedure. The prototype procedure is evaluated on a test apparatus which consists of a number of host computers interconnected by an IEEE 802.4-based MAP network, and test results are presented and discussed. The conceptual design offers a step forward to bridging the gap between management standards and users' demands for efficient network operations, since most standards, such as ISO and IEEE standards, address only the architecture and interfaces for network management. The proposed concept of performance management can be used as an offline tool for selecting default parameter settings of a network. >