cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mucinous versus nonmucinous rectal carcinomas: differentiation with MR imaging.

PURPOSE: To determine if quantitative and qualitative magnetic resonance (MR) imaging measures can help differentiation of mucinous from nonmucinous rectal tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 26 patients with pathologically proved mucinous (n = 9) and nonmucinous (n = 17) rectal tumors, MR imaging was performed with T1-weighted spin-echo (SE) and T2-weighted fast SE sequences in all patients and with a gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted sequence in 18. With use of the signal intensity (SI) measurements in the tumors and reference tissues, tumor-to-muscle, tumor-to-fat, and tumor-to-urine SI ratios were calculated. In addition, the SI and contrast-enhancement patterns in the tumors were assessed qualitatively by three blinded readers. RESULTS: Mucinous tumors had a much higher SI on the T2-weighted fast SE images. Tumor-to-muscle, tumor-to-fat, and tumor-to-urine SI ratios were significantly higher in the mucinous compared with the nonmucinous tumors (P = .0004, P = .0008, and P = .00002, respectively). Qualita...
The positive inotropic effect of epinephrine on skeletal muscle: A brief review

Chronic and acute administration of epinephrine or related sympathomimetic agents are typically prescribed for the treatment of clinical disorders such as hypotension, anaphylactic and allergic reactions, and bronchial asthma. In addition to its effects on these infirmaties and on carbohydrate metabolism, epinephrine also exerts a positive inotropic effect on fast-contracting skeletal muscle in a variety of animal species. At present, the precise mechanisms responsible for the inotropic effect are not known. This communication reviews the positive inotropic effects of epinephrine on fast-contracting skeletal muscle and discusses possible mechanisms which might mediate this phenomenon. Epinephrine potentiates muscle twitches via the second messenger, cAMP, secondary to hormone binding to membrane-bound beta-receptors. Cyclic AMP then acts to increase carbohydrate metabolism, alter sodium/potassium exchange, phosphorylate myosin isozymes, and/or alter intracellular calcium exchange. Based on theoretical grounds, the first three mechanisms can be excluded. Therefore, it is tentatively hypothesized that the effect is due to cAMP-enhanced calcium exchange within the muscle fiber and/or to increased influx of extracellular calcium. This notion is consistent with the mechanism of the positive inotropic effects of epinephrine on cardiac tissue. If this hypothesis is correct, it would also suggest a role, at least under some conditions, for extracellular calcium in the process of skeletal muscle excitation-contraction coupling.
Intravenous lipid emulsion in clinical toxicology

Intravenous lipid emulsion is an established, effective treatment for local anesthetic-induced cardiovascular collapse. The predominant theory for its mechanism of action is that by creating an expanded, intravascular lipid phase, equilibria are established that drive the offending drug from target tissues into the newly formed 'lipid sink'. Based on this hypothesis, lipid emulsion has been considered a candidate for generic reversal of toxicity caused by overdose of any lipophilic drug. Recent case reports of successful resuscitation suggest the efficacy of lipid emulsion infusion for treating non-local anesthetic overdoses across a wide spectrum of drugs: beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, parasiticides, herbicides and several varieties of psychotropic agents. Lipid emulsion therapy is gaining acceptance in emergency rooms and other critical care settings as a possible treatment for lipophilic drug toxicity. While protocols exist for administration of lipid emulsion in the setting of local anesthetic toxicity, no optimal regimen has been established for treatment of acute non-local anesthetic poisonings. Future studies will shape the evolving recommendations for lipid emulsion in the setting of non-local anesthetic drug overdose.
Introduction: Social stratification

(1981). Introduction: Social stratification. Sociological Spectrum: Vol. 1, Stratification, pp. 201-208.
Isolation of leucocytes from the anterior kidney and spleen of rainbow trout in a self‐generating density gradient

Separation of leucocytes from tissues and enrichment of specific types of leucocytes are essential first steps in studies of leucocyte function. We describe a simple and rapid method for separating and enriching leucocytes from the anterior kidney and spleen of rainbow trout. Leucocytes were separated on self-generating density gradients of Sepracell-MN, a colloidal silica-based medium. Recovery of leucocytes from the gradients was near 100% and was not affected by procedural variables such as cell suspension: Sepracell-MN ratio (separation ratio), initial temperature, centrifugation time, or number of cells per gradient. Two bands of leucocytes formed at separation ratios of 1 : 1, 1:1.5, 1:2 and 1 : 3. Recovery of selected leucocyte types could be maximized, and contamination by other cell types reduced, by selection of the appropriate separation ratio and cell band. Recovered leucocytes were responsive in assays of functional capability (adherence, phagocytosis, superoxide anion production). Leucocyte populations that adhered to glass were enriched for macrophages, but some neutrophils and lymphocytes (paricularly spleen lymphocytes) were also adherent. The most abundant leucocytes in the anterior kidney and spleen of the experimental fish were lymphocytes (respectively, 47 and 88%, including thrombocytes), neutrophils (35 and 7%), and macrophages (11 and 3%).
On the dynamics of Josephson-junction circuits

A qualitative theory of the circuit dynamics of the Josephson-junction device using a simple circuit model is developed. By examining trajectories on a cylindrical phase space and on the surface of a torus, respectively, the main features of thel/V characteristics of the junction excited by D.C. and a.c. are explained, and their properties derived. These results lead to the interpretation of the steps of constant voltage in the a.c. characteristics as a manifestation of the synchronisation phenomenon
Effect of anterior pituitary preparations on rat mammary gland growth.

SummaryUsing desoxyribosenucleic acid (DNA) as an index of mammary gland growth, crude and purified anterior pituitary extracts were tested for mammary gland growth promoting (mammogenic) effectiveness. Acetone dried AP powder and an initial extract of AP were shown to be effective in stimulating production of mammary gland DNA. Initial residue, Mammogen “A” and “C”, shown previously to produce mammary gland growth in mice, were found to be ineffective in rats. Fractions rich in lactogen and growth hormone were found to be minimally effective in stimulating mammary gland lobule-alveolar growth.
Identity‐based motivation and consumer behavior

Abstract Choices are often identity-based yet the identity-to-choice link is not necessarily obvious for reasons articulated by the identity-based motivation model (Oyserman, D. (2009). Identity-based motivation: Implication for action-readiness, procedural readiness and consumer behavior. Journal of Consumer Psychology). Specifically, which identities are salient and what identities mean in the moment are highly dependent on situational cues. Though they feel stable, identities are dynamically shaped by situational affordances and constraints and this shaping process can occur without conscious awareness. This implies that product use, including use of utilitarian products, can become identity-based, as can both self-constructive and self-destructive choices. Over time, broader identities are more likely to be cued than more narrow ones, though any identity can be cued in the right circumstances. The commentaries apply the model to culture-contingent effects of power (Shavitt, S., Torelli, C. & Wong, J. (2009). Identity-based motivation: Constraints and opportunities in consumer research. Journal of Consumer Psychology), charitable giving (Aaker, J. & Akutsu, S. (2009). Why do people give? The role of identity in giving. Journal of Consumer Psychology), and the consequences of salient identities for self-constructive vs. self-destructive choices (Kirmani, A. (2009). The self and the brand. Journal of Consumer Psychology) and this commentary addresses some of the questions they raise.
Military Mental Health and Combat Deployments

In this article we provide a brief overview of how the demands of the military, especially combat deployments can affect the mental health and well-being of service members and their families. The military occupational mental health model is presented to demonstrate how the unique aspects of military service need to be considered when developing prevention, intervention, and treatment programs designed to care for military service members and veterans.
Assessing Personality Using Self-Report Measures with African American Clients

Potential cultural and racial bias of assessment measures continues to be a concern in the field of psychology. The present chapter reviews the literature relevant to using self-report personality measures with African Americans. Important concerns, such as the effects of racism, racial socialization, acculturation, and their possible effects on personality assessment scores will be discussed. The focus will be on the four most widely used self-report personality measures, including the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2), Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III (MCMI-III), Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI), and NEO Inventories. These measures vary in how well represented African Americans were in their normative samples and how well researched they are with this population. Overall, the research generally supports the use of these measures with African Americans, with some measures demonstrating greater support than others. Important issues relevant to test interpretation are discussed in order to help clinicians make culturally-competent decisions based on the test scores of African Americans on self-report personality measures.
Exchange Traded Funds: Performance and Competition

I study the universe of an important financial innovation, exchange traded funds (ETFs), from their inception to the end of 2007. There is enormous heterogeneity in this population in the use of different types of indices, degree of passivity, segment of the market tracked, and use of leverage. Almost 83% of all ETFs track indices are not directly investable through index funds, many of which represent narrow segments of the market. On average, ETFs underperform their benchmark indices and are not immune to tracking error. Only 17% of all ETFs directly compete with index funds; those that do, provide returns that are, for the most part, statistically indistinguishable from those provided by matched index funds. The creation of new competing ETFs reduces flows for incumbent index funds and reduces market share of incumbent ETFs in the same investment style.
High-power 2-µm wing-pumped Tm:YAG laser

Using the scalable diode end-pumping technology previously developed at LLNL we have built and demonstrated a 2-µm Tm3+:YAG laser system capable of generating 26 W of cw output power. Figure 1 shows a layout of the system. The end-pumping technology used is the same as was previously used to demonstrate a 100-mJ Q-switched Nd:YLF laser.1 A microlens conditioned stack of laser diode arrays having an overall aperture of 2.5 cm×1 cm and consisting of 25 silicon microchannel cooled modules, each carrying a 1-cm-long laser diode bar and microlens as shown in Fig. 2, has its output radiation delivered to the end of a Tm: YAG laser rod that is 2.5-mm in diameter and 5-cm long and doped with 4% Tm. The microlens conditioned pump radiation is delivered to the end of the laser rod with very high efficiency by the lens duct that works by both lensing the conditioned pump light at its curved input face and then ducting the pump light down to the rod aperture by total internal reflection off its canted planar sides. The laser rod itself has a barrel polish over its entire length allowing the pump light that enters the rod to be efficiently ducted down the rod due to HR confinement.
Step Away from the Case Book: A Call for Balance and Integration in Law School Pedagogy

This essay is a part of a symposium project by the Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review that culls together radical proposals for the reform of legal education. In this essay, I argue that courses in law school should integrate skills training, doctrine and theory so that students learn legal doctrine and theory in a practical context. Integrating skills into doctrinal and theory courses will give students a deeper, richer notion of what it means to practice law and think like a lawyer. In short, law school pedagogy should project a model of law practice that both accurately reflects what lawyers do and that opens students' minds to a vision of lawyering as a creative endeavor that involves critical, outside the box thinking. An integrated approach can potentially improve the quality of law practice, enhance lawyers' experience as practitioners, and possibly even change the law itself.
Automotive lead-acid battery state-of-health monitoring system

In this paper, we present a system to estimate the health of a lead-acid car battery and warn the driver of upcoming battery failure in the near future. Most existing lead-acid battery state of health (SOH) estimation systems measure the battery impedance by sensing the voltage and current of a battery. However, current sensing is costly for parts and/or labor. A method to estimate SOH by sensing the battery voltage during a cranking event was proposed. Our system intends to improve a previous method. It measures the battery voltage during a cranking event, processes critical voltage points to estimate the SOH of the battery, and warns the driver of a potential upcoming failure.
Review of Geoffrey Blainey, Triumph of the Nomads, A History of Aboriginal Australia

This is a review of Geoffrey Blainey's Triumph of the Nomads, a History of Aboriginal Australia (1976). Disciplines Anthropology | Social and Behavioral Sciences This review is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn.edu/anthro_papers/64 218 ANTHROPOLOGICAL QUARTERLY tion in a Bolivian town, despite truly radical changes in social structure. Using simple diagrams to illustrate his analyses, Heath describes the changes in patronclient networks for curing, land, justice, public works, and marketing. Robert Shirley, in the context of greater economic development, traces the process and patterning of patronage in the large system of cooperatives in Sao Paulo State. Esther Hermitte, an Argentine investigator, breaks new ground, relating a network of women in patron-client relationship. They are the weavers and local marketers of vicuiTa and Ilama ponchos, the only cash products in an.otherwise subsistence farming valley on the eastern slopes of the Andes. Only women weave, and they guard the privileges connected with this occupation, supporting the definition of male weavers as homosexual. Males without land or other occupation, then, generally do nothing or take migratory work outside the region, reinforcing the womens' hold on the only local industry. Breaking even "newer ground," Nancie Gonzalez enters the realm of patron-client relations at the international level. She summarizes the economic and political interdependence of the Dominican Republic (cl ent) and the United States (patron) over the past hundred years. Basically the relati n involves a powerful oligarchy, the elite in many areas of national life in the Republic, and its position in the disbursement of valuable resources-notably, foreign aid. Gonzalez' paper should be read-it may inspire more research into the workings of personalized-"formal" relations among those doing business at the international level. To date, the expertise of the heads of even the largest U.S. corporations does not extend to competently handling the "grey areas," the interstices in world markets. Personalized dealings, often with a patroncli nt component, are frequently identified in the popular press with graft, corruption, and bribery. However, it seems that dishonesty, as such, is possible in any human system, rationally formalized or not. Perhaps for the forseeable future Americans will need to learn how to work ethically within patron-client-like systems. Anthropologists can surely make a key contribution, toward this end, for which Structure and Process in Latin America can serve as a
Integration of project management, human resource development, and business teams: a partnership, planning model for organizational training and development initiatives

The changing business environment has challenged organizations to explore unique ways to ensure the success of online training initiatives. Thus, project teams, including training managers, should not only support organizational training and development initiatives; but, they also need to use project-focused, planning models for implementation. This paper proposes a model that is an extension of the model for business and training partnership developed by Price. The proposed model includes the integration of project management, human resource development (HRD), and business teams in order to enhance the success of training implementations through a sequential, planned framework. The model includes phases, best practices, and supporting tools to assist in managing and administering training and development projects. The approach developed in this research includes an account of the activities associated with initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, and closing processes for an online tr...
Receptivity and Forced Response to Acoustic Disturbances in High-Speed Boundary Layers.

Supersonic boundary-layer receptivity to freestream acoustic disturbances is investigated by solving the Navier-Stokes equations for Mach 3.5 flow over a sharp flat plate and a 7-deg half-angle cone. The freestream disturbances are generated from a wavy wall placed at the nozzle wall. The freestream acoustic disturbances radiated by the wavy wall are obtained by solving the linearized Euler equations. The results for the flat plate show that instability modes are generated at all the incident angles ranging from zero to highly oblique. However, the receptivity coefficient decreases by about 20 times when the incident angle increases from zero to a highly oblique angle of 68 degrees. The results for the cone show that no instability modes are generated when the acoustic disturbances impinge the cone obliquely. The results show that the perturbations generated inside the boundary layer by the acoustic disturbances are the response of the boundary layer to the external forcing. The amplitude of the forced disturbances inside the boundary layer are about 2.5 times larger than the incoming field for zero azimuthal wavenumber and they are about 1.5 times for large azimuthal wavenumbers.
Modeling and Analysis of SiC MOSFET Switching Oscillations

SiC MOSFETs exhibit extremely fast switching characteristics, which are unfortunately accompanied by undesirable switching oscillations. In this paper, equivalent circuit models incorporating all parasitic elements are developed for the turn-ON and turn-OFF of a SiC MOSFET. Simple mathematical formulas are derived to provide the theoretical analysis of the switching oscillation phenomenon, and to guide the snubber or damping circuit design. Both circuit simulation and experimental measurement are carried out to validate these simple equivalent circuit models.
Reactions of Sulfonate and Sulfate Esters

This chapter is organized on the basis of a classification of sulfonate and sulfate esters according to the nature and number of the alcohols from which they are derived. In the case of the sulfate esters, the reason for this mode of organization is obvious. However, in treating the chemistry of the sulfonate esters, we could have used the nature of the parent sulfonic acids as the basis for the organization of our discussion. We did not do this for two reasons. One is that we wished to present a reasonably parallel treatment of the chemistry of sulfonate and sulfate esters. The other is that we felt that, from a mechanistic standpoint, reactivity patterns emerge most clearly when the reactions of sulfonate esters are examined in terms of the kinds of alcohol groups which can be displaced.
Madison’s Conception of Liberty

The culmination of the republican tradition, and source of its modern popularity, lies in the United States Constitution, which declared a commitment to “the blessings of liberty”1 and “republican form of government”2 in a structure that closely followed the Maryland, Massachusetts, and New York constitutions. The Constitution realized Adams’ prescription for the government of law in a mixed republic. But “Publius” presented its most comprehensive contemporary exposition in a series of letters to New York newspapers written during the ratification debates of 1787–8.3 The authors of these “Federalist” letters, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison, had all been leading figures in the movement for a new American republic, but Madison was particularly influential as a member of the United States Constitutional Convention.4
The structure of amorphous NiTi alloys prepared by mechanical alloying

Abstract Amorphous Ni x Ti 1− x (.35 ≤ x ≤ .60) powders were produced by mechanical alloying of elemental powders, carried out under an argon atomosphere, in a high energy mixer/mill for 24 hours. The structure of the amorphous powders was characterized using x-ray and neutron diffraction. The x-ray structure factors [ S ′ ( Q )] x are dominated by the topological short-range order (TSRO) and the neutron structure factors [ S ′ ( Q )] n are dominated by the chemical short-range order (CSRO). The mechanically alloyed Ni 35 Ti 65 was found to have a structure similar to that previously reported for rapidly-quenched Ni 35 Ti 65 , including a preference for unlike nearest neighbors.
Dynamics of the Chiral Phase Transition

The advent of ever more powerful heavy-ion accelerators has made it possible to study nuclear matter in different phases and transitions. In particular, at the unprecedented energy densities now within reach at RHIC, two fundamental phase changes are expected to occur. One is the dissolution of ordinary hadrons into a deconfined quark-gluon plasma phase, which has long been a principal research objective. The other, with which the present discussion concerned, is the approximate restoration of chiral symmetry. This topic has gained increasing interest in recent years, especially because of the possibility of forming disoriented chiral condensates, the agitation of coherent oscillations of the pion field as a result of the rapid non-equilibrium dynamics. Reviews are given in refs. [1, 2, 3].
Structure–property study of cross-linked hydrocarbon/poly(ethylene oxide) electrolytes with superior conductivity and dendrite resistance

Lithium dendrite growth is a fundamental problem that precludes the practical use of lithium metal batteries. Solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) have been widely studied to resist the growth of lithium dendrites but the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. Most SPEs sacrifice high ionic conductivities for increased dendrite suppression performance by using components with high mechanical stiffness. We report a class of cross-linked hydrocarbon/poly(ethylene oxide) SPEs with both high ionic conductivities (approaching 1 × 10−3 S cm−1 at 25 °C) and superior dendrite suppression characteristics. A systematic structure–property study shows that the crystallinity of the hydrocarbon backbones plays a key role in regulating size and morphology of lithium dendrites, as well as the ability to suppress their growth.
Myopericarditis and Pericardial Effusion as the Initial Presentation of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Myopericarditis with a pericardial effusion as the initial presenting feature of SLE is uncommon. We report an unusual case of myopericarditis and pericardial effusion with subsequent heart failure, as the initial manifestation of SLE. The timely recognition and early steroid administration are imperative in SLE-related myopericarditis with cardiomyopathy to prevent the mortality associated with this condition.
Detection and potential consequences of intraoperative adverse events: A pilot study in the veterans health administration

Abstract Surgical quality improvement efforts have focused on tracking and reducing postoperative mortality and morbidity. However, the prevalence of intraoperative adverse events (IAEs) and their association with postoperative surgical outcomes has been poorly studied. In this study, we detected IAEs using both retrospective chart review and prospective provider reporting. We then examined the association of IAEs with postoperative outcomes. The overall IAE detection rate per case was 0.7 and 0.07 ( P Our findings suggest that IAEs can be detected using either retrospective chart review or prospective provider reporting. However, provider reporting appears more likely to detect serious (albeit infrequent) IAEs compared to chart review.
Influence of the Modeling of Grouped Stimuli During Rehearsal on Digit Recall in Children

A total of 80 elementary school children, 40 younger (mean CA = 7.2) and 40 older (mean CA = 13.0), were divided into four groups of 10 from each age level. Subjects were shown a 3-min. videotape in which a model (a) demonstrated and verbalized a grouping strategy to aid digit recall or (b) recalled digits without grouping. Half of each of these groups rehearsed with grouped presentation of digits, while the other half experienced ungrouped presentation. Stimuli were digits of lengths of three, six, and nine. Each child was tested four times: at pretesting, rehearsal, posttesting, and 3-week retention testing. Serial position, sequential association, and gross item recall dependent measures were derived. Findings included superior recall throughout for the older children, as expected, and best performances for all during rehearsal. Active rehearsal with grouped stimuli for the older children and observing a modeled grouping strategy with rule verbalization for both age groups led to improved digit recall scores. Performance was maintained over the 3-week retention interval.
On the Spectrum of Minimal Covers By Triples

A Minimal Cover by Triples is an ordered pair (V, T ) where V is a finite set and T is a collection of three-element subsets of V with the properties that every pair of elements of V appear together in at least one element of T and if any element of T is removed, the first property no longer holds. In this paper we explore the possible values |T | can take on for a given |V |. In addition, construction techniques are given to construct a Minimal Cover by Triples for given values of |V | and |T |.
Assembly of intermediates for rapid membrane fusion.

Membrane fusion is essential for intracellular protein sorting, cell growth, hormone secretion, and neurotransmission. Rapid membrane fusion requires tethering and Sec1-Munc18 (SM) function to catalyze R-, Qa-, Qb-, and Qc-SNARE complex assembly in trans, as well as SNARE engagement by the SNARE-binding chaperone Sec17/αSNAP. The hexameric vacuolar HOPS ( ho motypic fusion and vacuole p rotein s orting) complex in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae tethers membranes through its affinities for the membrane Rab GTPase Ypt7. HOPS also has specific affinities for the vacuolar SNAREs and catalyzes SNARE complex assembly, but the order of their assembly into a 4-SNARE complex is unclear. We now report defined assembly intermediates on the path to membrane fusion. We found that a prefusion intermediate will assemble with HOPS and the R, Qa, and Qc SNAREs, and that this assembly undergoes rapid fusion upon addition of Qb and Sec17. HOPS-tethered membranes and all four vacuolar SNAREs formed a complex that underwent an even more dramatic burst of fusion upon Sec17p addition. These findings provide initial insights into an ordered fusion pathway consisting of the following intermediates and events: 1) Rab- and HOPS-tethered membranes, 2) a HOPS:R:Qa:Qc trans-complex, 3) a HOPS:4-SNARE trans-complex, 4) an engagement with Sec17, and 5) the rapid lipid rearrangements during fusion. In conclusion, our results indicate that the R:Qa:Qc complex forms in the context of membrane, Ypt7, HOPS, and trans-SNARE assembly and serves as a functional intermediate for rapid fusion after addition of the Qb-SNARE and Sec17 proteins.
Risk Factors for Gastrostomy Tube Placement in Single Ventricle Patients Following The Norwood Procedure.

Neonates with single ventricle heart disease frequently experience poor oral feeding and inconsistent weight gain, often requiring gastrostomy tube (gtube) placement. We sought to identify risk factors for gtube placement in neonates following the Norwood procedure at our institution. We retrospectively reviewed multiple preoperative, operative, and postoperative variables in neonates
Accurate Measurement of Formaldehyde-Induced DNA-Protein Cross-Links by High-Resolution Orbitrap Mass Spectrometry

Genomic instability caused by DNA–protein cross-link (DPCs)-induced DNA damage is implicated in disease pathogenesis, aging, and cancer development. The covalent linkages between DNA and protein are induced by chemical reactions catalyzed by the endogenous metabolic intermediates and exogenous agents, such as aldehydes, chemotherapeutic agents, and ionizing radiation. Formaldehyde has been classified as a genotoxic carcinogen. In addition, endogenous formaldehyde-induced DPCs may increase the risks of bone marrow toxicity and leukemia. There is a need to develop an effective detection method for DPC analysis, including the structural differentiation of endogenous and exogenous formaldehyde-induced DPCs. To this end, our group previously reported a useful liquid chromatography-selected reaction monitoring (LC-SRM) approach coupled with stable isotope labeling and low mass resolution-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. In the present work, we further demonstrate an accurate quantification method using a hi...
Sparse multi-prototype classification

We present a new class of sparse multi-prototype classifiers, designed to combine the computational advantages of sparse predictors with the non-linear power of prototype-based classification techniques. This combination makes sparse multi-prototype models especially well-suited for resource constrained computational platforms, such as those found in IoT devices. We cast our supervised learning problem as a convex-concave saddle point problem and design a provably-fast algorithm to solve it. We complement our theoretical analysis with an empirical study that demonstrates the power of our methodology.
A TWO-POINT VEHICLE CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM

The counting and classification of vehicles is an important part of transportation engineering. In the past 20 years many automated systems have been developed to accomplish that labor-intensive task. Unfortunately, most of those systems are characterized by inaccurate detection systems and/or classification methods that result in many classification errors, thus limiting the accuracy of the system. This report describes the development of a new vehicle classification database and computer program, originally designed for use in the Two-Point-Time-Ratio method of vehicle classification, which greatly improves the accuracy of automated classification systems. The program utilizes information provided by either vehicle detection sensors or the program user to determine the velocity, number of axles, and axle spacings of a passing vehicle. It then matches the axle numbers and spacings with one of thirty-one possible vehicle classifications and prints the vehicle class, speed, and wheelbase lengths. It also tabulates and prints totals and average speeds for each vehicle type. This paper describes the database built and utilized, as well as a roadside experiment conducted to test the accuracy of the database and the classification program, showing the classifications to be highly accurate.
Decisions with Usual Values

In many situations the type of information available to a decision maker consists of rules and/or payoffs which are based upon usual happenings. In this paper we provide a framework for making decisions in these kinds of environments.
Integration of CAD/CAM Systems for Production of Structural Components

As a result of existing aerospace design and drafting practices, and of existing manufacturing and tooling practices, component mating parts may be fabricated which do not fit properly with each other, producing a situation where product failure portential is established. A typical aerospace vehicle is constructed of various types of mating components such as formed parts, machined parts, stretched parts, honeycomb assemblies, etc. The parts design may be described by diverse means. For instance, the machined part will be completely dimensioned, whereas the formed part will be described by “lofting”. Theoretically, these diverse means all originate from one source. However, in actual practice, that source may be interpreted, manipulated, and toleranced as it is used in order to describe the particular parts. In addition, the source is further distorted as the component parts are methodized and tooled. This is especially possible where there is a “family” of tools, such as mock-ups, casts, masters and templates — mainly produced by hand skills — required in order to fabricate the production tools and whereby tolerance is allowed to accumulate between each successive generation within the tool family. The net result of existing design and of existing manufacturing practices may result in a conflict between mating component parts.
Rhodopsin transgenic pigs as a model for human retinitis pigmentosa.

PURPOSE. TO further characterize the retinas of Pro347Leu rhodopsin transgenic pigs, a model for human retinitis pigmentosa. METHODS. Retinas from normal and transgenic pigs, newborn to 20 months old, were processed for light and electron microscopic immunocytochemical examination. RESULTS. At birth, rod numbers were normal in the transgenic retinas, but their outer segments were short and disorganized and their inner segments contained stacks of rhodopsin-positive membranes. The newborn rod synapses lacked synaptic vesicles and ribbons and had numerous rhodopsin-positive, filopodia-like processes that extended past the cone synapses into the outer plexiform layer. Rod cell death was apparent by 2 weeks and was pronounced in the mid periphery and central regions by 6 weeks. Far peripheral rods were initially better preserved, but by 9 months virtually all rods had degenerated. Cones degenerated more slowly than rods, but by 4 weeks the cone synapses were shrunken and some mid peripheral cones had lost their immunoreactivity for phosphodiesterase-y, arrestin, and recoverin. From 9 months to 20 months, the cone outer segments shortened progressively, and more cones lost immunoreactivity for these proteins. CONCLUSIONS. The rhodopsin transgenic pig retina shares many cytologic features with human retinas with retinitis pigmentosa and provides an opportunity to examine the earliest stages in photoreceptor degeneration, about which little is known in humans. The finding of abnormal rhodopsin localization in newborn rods is consistent with misrouting of mutant rhodopsin as an early process leading to rod cell death. Novel changes in the photoreceptor synapses may correlate with early electrophysiological abnormalities in these retinas. (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Set. 1998;39: 808-819)
Fiber Dimensions and Mesothelioma: A Reappraisal of the Stanton Hypothesis

Fiber dimensions are postulated to be critical factors in the toxicity, fibrogenicity, and carcinogenicity of asbestos fibers. Recent in vitro experiments have provided evidence that the chemical composition of mineral fibers, especially surface iron content, is important in catalyzing the formation of highly reactive hydroxyl radicals that may cause acute toxicity, lipid peroxidation, and DNA damage. We have reexamined the roles of fiber length in the acute toxicity of crocidolite asbestos fibers in vitro and in vivo and in the induction of mesotheliomas in mice. Native UICC crocidolite asbestos fibers were separated into long and short fiber preparations by differential centrifugation. Both long and short fiber preparations stimulated the production of reactive oxygen species by elicited mouse peritoneal macrophages. Whether compared on the basis of equal mass, fiber number, or surface area, both long and short fiber preparations were toxic to macrophages. In vitro toxicity was prevented by the iron chelator, deferoxamine, or by exogenous superoxide dismutase or catalase. A single intraperitoneal injection of long crocidolite asbestos fibers caused deposition of fibers on the mesothelial surface at sites of lymphatic stomata, while short fibers were cleared to regional lymph nodes. Only the long fiber preparation caused an intense inflammatory reaction, local production of superoxide anions, and mesothelial cell injury. Similar to in vitro toxicity, mesothelial cell injury in vivo was ameliorated by deferoxamine or PEG-conjugated superoxide dismutase or catalase. If lymphatic clearance was prevented by daily repeated injections, short crocidolite asbestos fibers (but not titanium dioxide particles) accumulated at the mesothelial surface and stimulated an inflammatory reaction with local production of superoxide anions and injury to adjacent mesothelial cells. We tested whether repeated injections of short crocidolite asbestos fibers would prevent lymphatic clearance and produce mesotheliomas. Mice were injected weekly with equal numbers of native, long, or short crocidolite asbestos fiber preparations. After 22–60 weekly injections, 37.5% of mice injected with native crocidolite asbestos fibers developed malignant mesotheliomas. In contrast, 50.0% of mice injected with short fibers and 23.5% of mice injected with long fibers developed tumors. In summary, both long and short crocidolite asbestos fibers are toxic in vitro via an oxidant-dependent mechanism. In vivo, short fibers are also toxic and carcinogenic if lymphatic clearance is prevented.
Aerobic glycolysis is necessary for smooth muscle to myofibroblast transition in response to PDGF

Atherosclerosis is the most prevalent cause of death across the world. Numerous clinical studies have concluded that decreased plaque stability, not greater lesion size, is a better determinant of rupture and adverse thrombotic events with unstable plaques being characterized by a high ratio of macrophages to smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and little ECM deposition. During the development of atherosclerotic lesions, SMCs from the arterial wall proliferate and migrate to form a protective fibrous cap. This cap is composed of ACTA2+ SMCs and myofibroblast-like cells of undetermined origin, which secrete collagen to maintain a lesion-stabilizing extracellular matrix. Using SMC-lineage tracing mice, our lab and others have shown that SMCs undergo phenotypic transitions during atherosclerosis, fundamentally changing into myofibroblasts, macrophage-like cells, and others. After exposure to mitogens such as platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), SMCs undergo de-differentiation causing marker genes such as Acta2 to be downregulated while collagen genes are upregulated. SMCs rely on oxidative phosphorylation to provide energy for contraction, but the energetic requirement for SMCs to undergo a phenotypic transition to a myofibroblast-like cell is not well understood. Thus, we hypothesized that fibrogenic and mitogenic stimuli force a metabolic shift in SMCs, necessary to energetically support a phenotypic transition to an atheroprotective myofibroblast-like state. Using extracellular flux analysis, we found that cultured SMCs significantly increase their capacity for aerobic glycolysis in response to PDGF and transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ). Furthermore, pharmacologically inhibiting lactate dehydrogenase, using galloflavin, not only prevents PDGF-induced aerobic glycolysis, but also abrogates PDGF-driven downregulation of Acta2. Additionally, galloflavin abrogates PDGF-induced expression of collagen genes. We conclude that a metabolic shift to aerobic glycolysis is necessary for SMCs to undergo a phenotypic transition to a myofibroblast state, and suggest that modifying SMC metabolism represents a previously undiscovered mechanism for strengthening the fibrous cap and stabilizing atherosclerotic lesions.
A Novel Approach to Secure Communication in Physical Layer via Coupled Dynamical Systems

A new framework for secure communication in physical layer is proposed. A network of users equipped with coupled dynamical systems is considered. The aim is to securely exchange messages between network nodes in the presence of an eavesdropper, referred to as Eve. Unlike a traditional wireless system, the messages to be conveyed are not sent directly through the medium. Instead, they are mapped to initial conditions of the dynamical system. Once the system converges to a steady state, conditions of the local system at each node is measured to recover the sent messages. A fundamental property of the proposed system which makes it secure is that Eve is not part of the dynamical system and hence, she does not observe the initial conditions of the nodes for steady state comparison measurement. In particular, a situation with two users is considered. The proposed system is then modeled as a two-way wiretap channel and the secrecy capacity region is derived under various conditions. A consequence of our result is that regardless of Eve's physical location and how strong her receiver is the achievable rates are positive, i.e., secure communication is possible. Furthermore, a radio frequency (RF) system is proposed to realize this model in a wireless setting by means of local coupled oscillators. In particular, a unidirectional master-slave coupling architecture is considered where a power-constrained slave node synchronizes its frequency with a high-power master node. It is shown how the coupling mechanism, realized by transmitting and receiving power between the RF front-ends of the master and the slave node, can be used by the slave node to securely send messages or to share secret keys with the master node. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first architecture providing physical layer secret key generation fully designed in the RF front-end. The proposed RF system is simulated using Advanced Design System (ADS). The simulation results are shown for a 10 m channel link and confirm the security condition. The secret key generation rate is 2 bits per synchronization time-frame which is dominated by the wave propagation delay between the two nodes.
Food Deserts, Libraries and Urban Communities: What is the Connection?

What do public libraries and communities classified as food deserts have in common? This paper will share how the Cleveland Public Library addressed food security issues in Cleveland, Ohio, through...
Impact of a prescription drug monitoring program use mandate on potentially problematic patterns of opioid analgesic prescriptions in New York City.

Purpose To evaluate New York State's mandate that prescribers query the prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) prior to prescribing Schedule II-IV medications. Methods We conducted an interrupted time series analysis of opioid analgesic prescriptions dispensed to adult New York City (NYC) residents using data from New York State's PDMP. Our main outcomes were the rate of (a) greater than or equal to five prescriber episodes, (b) greater than or equal to five prescriber and greater than or equal to five pharmacy episodes, and (c) paying for prescriptions with both cash and insurance, per quarter, per 100 000 NYC residents. We defined three periods: (a) the baseline period (January 2011 to July 2012), (b) the anticipatory period (September 2012 to July 2013) after mandate law enactment but before mandate implementation, and (c) the postmandate period (September 2013 to December 2015). For each outcome, we used autoregressive linear regression models to account for correlation in outcomes over time. Results At the end of the postmandate period, the rate of greater than or equal to five prescriber episodes was 58% lower than expected (absolute difference: -17.2 per 100 000 NYC residents; 95% CI, -31.2 to -3.1), the rate of greater than or equal to five prescriber and greater than or equal to five pharmacy episodes was 88% lower than expected (absolute difference: -8.6; 95% CI, -11.0 to -6.3), and the rate of cash and insurance payment episodes was 50% lower than expected (absolute difference: -145.4; 95% CI, -279.4 to -11.6). Conclusions While outcomes were relatively rare, New York State's PDMP mandate was associated with significant decreases in rates of potentially problematic patterns of opioid analgesic prescriptions.
'Softening' school resource officers: the extension of police presence in schools in an era of Black Lives Matter, school shootings, and rising inequality

This study examines how and why a US city that is known nationally for its political progressivism continuously reaffirm its decision to maintain and expand the School Resource Officers (SRO) progr...
Creativity to the Core: How the KY Core Academic Standards can Enhance Creativity-- RESEARCH

The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) were developed by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and the National Governor’s Association in response to concerns about the poor performance of US students in comparison to students in other industrialized nations. A lack of understanding of the standards has led some to assume that any standards-based curriculum is going to focus on lower-level thinking skills and therefore impede critical and creative thinking. While Kentucky’s English language arts and mathematics standards are derived from the CCSS, Kentucky’s learning targets and standards are not limited to the CCSS standards. That is, there are additional Kentucky learning targets and standards that are not in the CCSS, from first grade reading to Arts and Humanities. Kentucky’s curriculum meets all of the requirements of the 2009 Senate Bill 1, including Practical Living and Vocational Studies, World Languages, and Arts and Humanities. This paper describes the creative process as requiring a deep foundational knowledge, extensive practice, and a strong work ethic. The skills and habits of mind that are required for creativity can be aligned with the Common Core Standards (and the KY Core Academic Standards in particular) and explicitly taught at all grade levels. Teachers and instructional leaders must utilize their own creative thinking skills to redesign curriculum and schools to meet the demands of these more
Skin in the Game: Personal Accountability and Journal Peer Review:

Two preregistered studies explored the likelihood paper reviewers would request clarification from authors regarding potential questionable research practices (QRPs). Study 1 participants were instructed to imagine reviewing a journal manuscript as either a coauthor or peer reviewer and rate the extent to which they would request clarification from the author when encountering potential QRPs. Participants reported greater likelihood of requesting clarification when assigned to the coauthor relative to the peer reviewer role. Study 2 participants were assigned to either an anonymous or open-review condition and rated the extent to which they would seek clarification from an author regarding potential QRPs. Men (but not women) in the open review condition reported greater likelihood of seeking clarification about potential QRPs than men in the blind review condition. Results provide tentative evidence that motivational factors influence the peer review process, and suggestions are made for improving peer review practices.