cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Pilot Phase II Study of the Feasibility and Efficacy of Vincristine Sulfate Liposome Injection in Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Background: Resistance to therapy and a poor outcome characterize relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML). There is a clear need for additional palliative approaches with acceptable toxicities. Vincristine sulfate liposome injection (VSLI) confers enhanced pharmacokinetics and activity when compared to the parent compound. It is effective and well tolerated in heavily pretreated acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients. Preclinically VSLI has activity in vincristine-resistant cancers. As relapsed or refractory AML patients would have minimal exposure to vincristine it was hypothesized that VSLI would be well tolerated and may have activity. Methods: A pilot phase II clinical trial was conducted. Five patients with relapsed or refractory disease were treated using the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved dose and schedule. Results: Of the five patients treated none completed more than one cycle; there were no responses and two patients did not complete one cycle of therapy. Surprisingly, three of the five patients had treatment-related constipation, and two had neuropathy consistent with the known toxicities of VSLI. Given the toxicity and lack of response, the trial was terminated early. Conclusions: VSLI had no activity against relapsed or refractory AML in this limited, single institution dataset. J Hematol. 2021;10(1):1-7 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/jh771
Punishing Disloyalty? Treason, Espionage, and the Transgression of Political Boundaries

This Article examines the idea of betraying or being disloyal to one’s own country as a matter of criminal law. First, the Article defines crimes of disloyalty as involving failures to prioritize one’s own country’s interests through participating in efforts to directly undermine core institutional resources the country requires to protect itself or otherwise advance its interests by force. Second, this Article canvasses various potential arguments for the existence of a duty not to be disloyal to one’s own country and argues that they fail. Finally, this Article argues that we should interpret the wrong of disloyalty crimes as involving not betrayal or infidelity, but transgression of political boundaries. That is, the relevant wrong here is rooted in the ideas of separation of powers and assignments of roles between citizens and the state, and we should thus conceive crimes of disloyalty as crimes of usurpation and evaluate the moral rights and wrongs of such crimes accordingly.
Psychiatric Comorbidity and Fibromyalgia

Psychiatric comorbidity is common in patients with fibromyalgia. It is critical that such conditions are identified and addressed, as to fail to take a patient’s mental health into consideration is one way to assure suboptimal pain and functional outcomes. In this chapter, the most common mental health conditions will be discussed including mood disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder, a range of anxiety disorders, substance use disorders, somatic symptoms disorders, and the prospect of suicidality. Yet, we also discuss an often-overlooked aspect of mental health in people with FM, positive emotions and resilience. Some of the patients you will encounter have good, even great, mental health with high levels of grit, gratitude, and/or positive affect (happiness). These patients are those who will be more likely to do well with treatment and everyday life, despite the pain. Also, we will touch on the psychosocial and neurobiological aspects of mood and anxiety disorders in the context of chronic pain where shared mechanisms are presumed to be at play. Lastly, some practical recommendations about the approach to caring for these patients are made.
Ongoing Value and Practice Improvement Outcomes from Pediatric Palliative Care Education: The Quality of Care Collaborative Australia.

Purpose Novice and experienced professionals who care for children with life limiting conditions throughout Australia were provided with pediatric palliative care (PPC) education through the Quality of Care Collaborative Australia (QuoCCA). Impact evaluation has shown this education to be beneficial. This study examines the longer term outcomes reported by the participants more than 4 months following education. Methods An online survey measuring quantitative and qualitative education outcomes was sent to all participants of QuoCCA 2 education throughout Australia, at least 4 months following their education. There were 152 respondents between February 2018 and June 2020. Results More than 4 months after the QuoCCA education, 98% of respondents rated it as extremely valuable or valuable and 78% of respondents rated it extremely or very helpful in improving clinical practice. Improvements in knowledge, skills or confidence were reported by 90% or more respondents in the areas of PPC referral, responding to psychosocial needs, the benefits of the PPC approach, PPC resources and communication skills. Between 84% and 89% of respondents reported improvements in advance care planning, assessment and intervention, responding to physical needs, supporting spiritual needs and supporting health professionals and self care. Providing bereavement care improved in 85% of responses. The most valuable aspects of the education, changes in practice and barriers to the implementation of learning were discussed. Conclusion The interprofessional QuoCCA education in PPC continued to provide value and clinical practice improvements for the majority of respondents more than four months after the session. Respondents particularly mentioned improvements in awareness of the network of care, the practical management of patients and communication skills. Reflection on clinical practice, in a proactive clinical learning environment, enabled the translation of education into improvements to the quality of PPC.
A Rigorous Method for Finding the Lift of a Certain Class of Airfoils and Remarks on the Meaning of Schrenk's Approximate Rule

SOME YEARS AGO, one of the authors 1 published a method for finding on the basis of the lifting line theory, the exact lift distribution for a certain rather general class of airfoils. With the exception of the elliptic plan form this had previously only been possible by elaborate numerical methods. While for a given plan form these lat ter methods will still have to be used, i t seems desirable to have exact solutions available for a plan form family characterized by two parameters, namely, aspect ratio and taper. T h e plan form which is investigated in the following has zero sweep and is given by
Theory of X-Ray Absorption Edge Spectra

X-ray absorption edge spectra constitute a very tantalizing set of data since they are usually the easiest part of the x-ray absorption spectrum to measure in a complex chemical system. In this talk we focus on the measurement of absorption spectra for heavy atoms (principally copper) in low-symmetry environments. Our motivation is to understand how metallo-proteins “do their thing.” Before getting to specific model systems, we discuss some of the theoretical problems in general.
Limits of Rationality

It is hard for me to decide whether I should be elated or depressed by the fact that over 2000 years ago, Aristotle had already thought about the problem that I am addressing now, which is more or less the relationship of rationality and ethics. He not only thought about it but also achieved insights to which we have found it difficult to add. In his analysis he separated ethics from politics in explicit recognition of the dialectic tension between the man and the citizen—between the particular and the universal. In Aristotle’s own words (or rather in W.D. Ross’ translation): If the state cannot be entirely composed of good men, and yet each citizen is expected to do his own business well, and must therefore have virtue, still, inasmuch as all citizens cannot be alike, the virtue of the citizen and the good man cannot coincide. All must have the virtue of the good citizen—thus, and thus only, can the state be perfect; but they will not have the virtue of a good man, unless we assume that in a good state all the citizens must be good (1).
Patent Thickets, Trolls and Unproductive Entrepreneurship

I introduce and analyze an equilibrium model of invention, patenting and infringement under monopolistic competition. Profitable use of inventions requires adaptation to complementary technologies. With patents, a thicket of conflicting rights emerges and costly infringements occur. This taxes invention and lowers welfare. When an inventor may be a “troll”—patent without inventing—the rate of invention falls further. Intuitively, some trolls would invent if it were impossible to be a troll. More technology is patented with trolls, so the thicket grows and welfare falls. Being a troll is unprofitable unless a critical mass of inventions, made by other firms, exists.
NONLINEAR CHARACTERIZATION OF SAND-ASPHALT CONCRETE BY MEANS OF PERMANENT-MEMORY NORMS

Employing a constitutive equation developed by Farris and Fitzgerald which accounts for the maximum strain ever imposed upon a material as well as a weighted average of the strain history, the family of Pth order Lebesgue norms, the applicability to a sand-asphalt concrete is demonstrated. The inadequacy of linear viscoelasticity theory under repeated or decreasing loadings for these materials is also demonstrated. Practical laboratory determination of the material parameters is described.
Microrobotic Streak Seeding for Protein Crystal Growth

We present a microrobotic system for protein crystal micromanipulation tasks. The focus in this paper is on the task known to crystallographers as streak seeding – it is used to entice certain protein crystals to grow. Our system features a set of custom designed micropositioner end-effectors we call microshovels to replace traditional tools used by crystallographers for this task. We have used micro-electrical mechanical system (MEMS) techniques to design and manufacture various shapes and quantities of microshovels. Visual input from a camera mounted on the microscope is used to detect the locations of the source crystals which the tool needs to touch as well as the locations of the target protein droplets for seeding. We present experimental results that illustrate the applicability of our approach.
On the performance of heuristic H/spl I.bar/MCOP for multi-constrained optimal-path QoS routing

Network services for finding a feasible or an optimal path subject to multiple constraints on performance metrics such as delay, jitter, loss probability, etc. give rise to multipath-constrained (MCP) or multiconstrained optimal-path (MCOP) quality of service (QoS) routing problems, which are NP-complete. Heuristic algorithm H/spl I.bar/MCOP proposed by Korkmaz et al. has been widely recognized for its low time complexity and high probability of finding feasible solutions. The performance of this heuristic is reinvestigated under several special cases. Simulation results indicate that in some cases its probability of finding feasible solutions is unexpectedly low. Such observation, which is further used to explain the performance of a heuristic based on H-MCOP, is of extreme importance when designing any higher-level QoS routing algorithms that need to use H/spl I.bar/MCOP to find feasible solutions.
Pernicious Anemia as a Deficiency Disease

Excerpt In discussing the nature of Pernicious Anemia, we wish to confine ourselves strictly to the idiopathic anemia described by Addison and later by Biermer, and differentiate it as sharply as p...
Neurotrophins and Neuroprotection Improve Axonal Regeneration into Schwann Cell Transplants Placed in Transected Adult Rat Spinal Cord

Publisher Summary The bridges constructed of rat Schwann cells promote axonal regeneration across injury areas in adult rat spinal cord. Human Schwann cell constructs are effective in promoting axonal regeneration in the rat as well. In combination with rat Schwann cell transplants, infusion of the neurotrophins, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and neurotrophin-3 into the graft or the administration of a neuroprotective agent, methylprednisolone, improve the regenerative response, including the initiation of axonal regeneration from distant brain stem neurons. When Schwann cells, genetically modified to secrete human brain-derived neurotrophic factor, are transplanted into a complete transection site and as a trail in the distal spinal cord beyond, axons grow across the transection site and along the Schwann cell trail. Schwann cells grafted into the spinal cord promote axonal regeneration in animal models; human Schwann cells have been harvested and shown to be as effective as rodent cells in transplantation experiments; and axonal regeneration, especially from distant supraspinal nuclei, can be augmented by neurotrophic factors and neuroprotection. Combinations of these experimental approaches, along with the use of inhibitor-blocking antibodies or other factors, all seem readily amenable to clinical application. Another distinct advantage of therapies using Schwann cells is that they may be obtained from a peripheral nerve biopsy from a person with spinal cord injury, and expanded to adequate numbers in culture for autotransplantation to the area of injury. Schwann cells may be genetically modified during the culture period. This is an advantage shared with engineered fibroblasts, but implanted Schwann cells may perform additional functions such as myelination.
Complex dynamics of human activity: language, cities, collaboration, and baseball

A few areas of human activity are examined here, using a number of different types of mathematical and computational models. First, we examine networks of five languages of the world, with their connectivity derived from the sounds of the words in these languages. We explore the graph-theoretic properties of these networks, finding that these phonological language networks have common properties, and are in turn topologically distinct from other types of complex networks observed in the literature. In addition, we discuss what these common properties imply for how we process language and why natural language is structured the way it is. In addition, by examining the networks of English and Spanish, we explain a surprising difference in processing that was uncovered in some recent experiments, and discuss some more general implications of competition or facilitation between different modes of cognition. We next explore a more macro-scale area of human activity: cities. Superlinear scaling in cities, which appears in sociological quantities such as economic productivity and creative output relative to urban population size, has been observed but not been given a satisfactory theoretical explanation. We provide a model for the superlinear relationship between population size and innovation found in cities, with a reasonable range for the exponent. Next, we examine collaboration and innovation in the scientific world. We attempt to understand how variations in ‘scientific distance’ among collaborators affect the degree to which that collaboration is a productive one. Using both mathematical models and empirical data, we explore the relationship between the scientific or social distance of collaborators and the fruitfulness of their output. Last, we examine Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak and look at its probability, using a number of simple models. And it turns out that, contrary to many people's expectations, an extreme streak, while unlikely, is not unlikely to have occurred about once within the history of baseball. Surprisingly, however, such a record should have occurred far earlier in baseball history: back in the late 1800's or early 1900's. But not in 1941, when it actually happened.
Structural dependence of the thermal resistance of trench-isolated bipolar transistors

The effect of the structural variation of device on its thermal resistance was investigated for trench-isolated bipolar transistors. Devices with various number of emitter segments and inter-segment spacings and several different trench-to-emitter distances were fabricated and the thermal resistance was measured/compared. An analytical thermal model was also developed and provided a good prediction on the structural dependence of the thermal resistance, exhibiting a good agreement with the measurement. 2D thermal device simulation was performed to obtain detailed temperature distribution inside the devices.
Molecular dynamics simulations of end-to-end contact formation in hydrocarbon chains in water and aqueous urea solution.

We probe the urea-denaturation mechanism using molecular dynamics simulations of an elementary “folding” event, namely, the formation of end-to-end contact in the linear hydrocarbon chain (HC) CH3(CH2)18CH3. Electrostatic effects are examined using a model HC in which one end of the chain is positively charged (+0.2e) and the other contains a negative charge (−0.2e). For these systems multiple transitions between “folded” (conformations in which the chain ends are in contact) and “unfolded” (end-to-end contact is broken) can be observed during 4 ns molecular dynamics simulations. In water and 6 M aqueous urea solution HC and the charged HC fluctuate between collapsed globular conformations and a set of expanded structures. The collapsed conformation adopted by the HC in water is slightly destablized in 6 M urea. In contrast, the end-to-end contact is disrupted in the charged HC only in aqueous urea solution. Despite the presence of a large hydrophobic patch, on length scales on the order of ∼8−10 A “denat...
Prophylactic antibiotics for simple hand lacerations: Time for a clinical trial?

Background Simple hand lacerations (not involving bones, tendons, nerves, or vessels) are a common emergency department (ED) complaint. Whilst the practices of irrigation, debridement, foreign body removal, and suture repair are well accepted, the use of prophylactic antibiotics is not. Without evidenced-based guidelines, practice is left to physician preference. Objectives The aim of this study was to assess the need for, and the feasibility to perform, a randomised controlled trial to evaluate the role of prophylactic antibiotics in simple hand lacerations. Methods The study was done in three phases: (1) estimation of the national ED burden of simple hand lacerations and the use of antibiotic prophylaxis; (2) assessment of indications for antibiotic prophylaxis and (3) investigation of patient willingness to enrol in a randomised controlled trial and their preferred outcomes from simple hand lacerations. For Phase 1, we analysed the 2007 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. For Phase 2, we surveyed ED physicians in three urban teaching institutions (two in Brooklyn, NY and one in Washington, DC). For Phase 3, we surveyed ED patients at the same three institutions. Results Phase 1: out of 116.8 million ED visits nationally in 2007, 1.8 million (1.6%) were due to simple hand lacerations, of which 1.3 million (71%) required repair. Of those repaired, 27% (95% CI, 19-35%) were prescribed prophylactic antibiotics, most commonly cephalexin (73%). Phase 2: out of 108 providers surveyed, 69 (64%) responded. 16% (95% CI, 9-27%) reported prescribing prophylactic antibiotics routinely, most commonly cephalexin (84%, 95% CI, 67-93%). The degree of contamination was the most important factor (91%, 95% CI, 82-96%) in the physicians' decision to prescribe antibiotics. Phase 3: of the 490 patients surveyed, 64% (95% CI, 60-68%) expressed interest in participating in a study to evaluate the use of prophylactic antibiotics. Their primary concern was prevention of infection (77%, 95% CI, 73-81%). Conclusion Simple hand lacerations represent a substantial number of ED visits in the United States. Absence of clear guidelines, disparity in physician practice, and patient interest in infection prevention all support performing a prospective randomised controlled trial to establish the role of antibiotic prophylaxis in simple hand lacerations.
Bernstein–Sato polynomials in positive characteristic

Abstract In characteristic zero, the Bernstein–Sato polynomial of a hypersurface can be described as the minimal polynomial of the action of an Euler operator on a suitable D -module. We consider analogous D -modules in positive characteristic, and use them to define a sequence of Bernstein–Sato polynomials (corresponding to the fact that we need to consider also divided powers Euler operators). We show that the information contained in these polynomials is equivalent to that given by the F -jumping exponents of the hypersurface, in the sense of Hara and Yoshida [N. Hara, K.-i. Yoshida, A generalization of tight closure and multiplier ideals, Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 355 (2003) 3143–3174].
Can detectability be improved by adding noise

It is shown that under certain conditions the performance of a suboptimal detector may be improved by adding noise to the received data. The reasons for this counterintuitive result are explained and a computer simulation example given.
The effects of physical environment, time in captivity, and defensive distance on tonic immobility, freezing, and flight behaviors inAnolis carolinensis

The effects of physical environment, time in captivity, and distance between potential predator and prey on defensive behaviors were examined inAnolis carolinensis. When the experimenter was nearby, duration of immobility was significantly longer in the open than in areas with nearby foliage. However, this relationship between duration of immobility and the testing environment in the anole was reversed by Day 9 in captivity. Flight latency of anoles after termination of immobility was significantly shorter in anoles housed in terraria containing foliage, while greater incidence of freezing was shown by anoles housed in empty terraria. These results suggest that although the physical environment has strong effects on defense behaviors, the different defensive reactions are influenced in different ways.
Morphological and molecular clarification of the enigmatic Caulerpa floridana W.R. Taylor (Chlorophyta, Bryopsidales) from the Dry Tortugas, Florida

Morphological and molecular evidence is provided to further document the status of the enigmatic taxon known as Caulerpa floridana W.R. Taylor from White Shoal, Dry Tortugas, Florida. DNA sequencing of three historical herbarium specimens (WRT329, WRT345 and WRT349) housed at the University of Michigan Herbarium (MICH) demonstrated the molecular separation of this species based on the reconstruction of 931 nucleotides of the chloroplast gene tufA. Caulerpa floridana is sister to the western Atlantic endemic C. ashmeadii Harvey and an unknown Caulerpa taxon from the Florida Middle Grounds. Caulerpa floridana most reliably differs from C. ashmeadii by the presence of a sharp, unequivocal apiculus at the tip of each pinnule. A morphological review of southwestern Atlantic records of C. floridana from Brazil excludes these reports as representative of the species.
A Further Example of Kidd (Jka) Hæmagglutinin

RECENTLY Allen, Diamond and Niedziela1 reported a previously unidentified blood-group antibody which they termed anti-Kidd, or anti-Jka. Samples of the serum were most generously sent us by Dr. Allen and Dr. R. R. Race. With these we have identified an antibody of apparently identical specificity.
Postural benefits for children and adults when using the mouse next to a small keyboard

Studies have shown that there are adverse performance and postural impacts when children use standard, adult-sized computer mice; however, the impact of children using adult-sized keyboards has been less rigorously evaluated. The aim of this study was to investigate whether there were any postural and performance differences when children and adults used the mouse next to a standard 104 key keyboard with a numeric keypad compared to a small, more compact keyboard without a numeric keypad. A total of 42 subjects, including 28 adults and 14 children between the ages 6–8 participated in the study. Subjects were asked to perform a series of standardized point-and-click tasks using a standard-sized mouse with both the standard and small keyboard. During mouse operation arm abduction and forearm rotation were measured using overhead photographs, and mouse performance was characterized by measuring movement times and the time it took to press-and-release (click) the left mouse button. Compared to the standard ke...
Detergentless water/oil microemulsions. III. Effect of KOH on phase diagram and effect of solvent composition on base hydrolysis of esters

Abstract A ternary phase diagram was prepared for certain compositions of hexane, 2-propanol, and 5.0 mM KOH. The presence of KOH produced significant, though not major, changes in the ternary diagram as compared to the ternary diagram for the hexane/water/2-propanol system [see Smith et al., J. Colloid Interface Sci. 60, 488 (1977)]. The hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl esters by hydroxide was investigated in solutions from different regions of the ternary diagram. Ternary solutions characterized by the presence of water-rich droplets (i.e., detergentless microemulsions) or by the presence of aggregates of water, propanol, and ions were found to be good solvents for the hydrolytic reaction. Ternary solutions with these characteristics appear to be quite suitable as solvents for reactions involving an organic, water-insoluble reactant and an ionic, water-soluble reactant.
Characterizing Effects of the Shape of Screw Conveyors in Gas–Solid Fluidized Beds Using Advanced Numerical Models

A numerical study of the effects of the shape of an enclosed screw conveyor on the mixing and heat transfer in a horizontal gas–solid fluidized bed was conducted using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). A two-fluid model (TFM) was employed to model the gas and solid phases as continua through mass, momentum, and energy conservations. The motion of the screw conveyor was simulated by using a rotating reference frame (RRF) such that the computational mesh was free from dynamic reconstruction. The diameters of the screw flight and shaft, the pitch, and the blade thickness were varied in the parametric study. Under the operating conditions studied, it was found that the increase in the diameter of the screw flight results in the enhancement of the solid mixing and conveyance. The increase in the diameters of the screw shaft and the screw blade thickness lead to the enhanced solid mixing but reduced conveyance. The variation in the screw pitch gives rise to rather complex behaviors in the solid mixing and conveyance. As the screw pitch is decreased, the solid mixing increases initially but then decreases before it increases eventually. The solid conveyance capability was found to first increase and then decrease. Explanations to the effects of the shape of the screw conveyor were discussed in this work.
The Murdoch Gas Field, Block 44/22a, UK Southern North Sea

Abstract The Murdoch Field was discovered in 1984 when gas was tested from the Murdoch Sandstone of the Westphalian B, Carboniferous in well 44/22-1. The field lies along an elongate NW-SE trending faulted ridge, clearly evident at Top Base Permian structural level. Six exploration and appraisal wells were drilled on the structure prior to commencing a joint development in 1992 with the adjacent Caister Field. The reservoir unit, the Murdoch Sandstone, is interpreted as a low sinuosity fluvial complex of lower Westphalian B age. It is around 1209 thick and was deposited by a large NE-SW flowing braided river system in which channels stacked and amalgamated to form the sand package. Production commenced at the beginning of October 1993 making it the first Carboniferous development in the UK North Sea. The maximum deliverabihty of the field is currently about 180MMSCFD from six of the eight producers. Developed with a not-normally-manned platform facility, the gas is delivered to the Theddlethorpe Gas Terminal. Heterogeneity in reservoir quality combined with complex structural compartmentalization are the key control mechanisms on gas production in the Murdoch Field.
A Discrete Event Simulation Model for Parallel Data Transfer Applications

Developers of bulk data transfer applications have discovered that they can increase network utilization by transferring data over many sockets in parallel. We introduce a software model of parallel data transfer applications that leverages OPNET Modelerreg to adapt to a wide range of network scenarios. We also compare preliminary simulation results with real-world performance data.
HIV infection among Uganda women with cervical cancer: a retrospective study.

Objective: To assess whether there is an association between HIV and invasive cervical cancer (ICC). Methodology: A case-control study was conducted in Kampala be
Immunocytochemical localization of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone in neurons in the medial basal hypothalamus of the female rat.

Luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH)-neurons were localized with a LHRH antiserum (WP-1) in the medial basal hypothalamus (MBH) of the female rat using the sagittal hypothalamic slice preparation in combination with the peroxidase-antiperoxidase immunocytochemical technique of Sternberger (1979). Numerous darklystained perikarya were visualized in the cell-poor zone, lateral arcuate nucleus and the median eminence. The processes of these neurons contributed to the intensely-stained fiber bundle above the tubero-infundibular sulcus. The fibers in this tract run in a rostrocaudal plane in the lateral external zone of the median eminence. Also, numerous fibers course into the internal zone of the median eminence, perpendicular to the rostrocaudal plane. Several LHRH-immunoreactive perikarya also were identified in the periventricular area caudal to the optic chiasm (retrochiasmatic area). The LHRH neurons were small (10 μm) bipolar neurons with fibers (dendrites) exiting from either pole which showed very little branching. It appears that the sagittal slice in combination with the appropriate fixation procedure and LHRH antiserum enabled us to demonstrate the presence of LHRH-immunoreactive perikarya in the MBH of the female rat.
Storm Dissolved Organic Carbon Dynamics in an Artificially Drained Watershed of the US Midwest

This study investigates changes in the nature, concentrations, and fluxes of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in tile drains (aka subsurface drains), overland flow, and stream flow for 6 spring storms in an artificially drained agricultural watershed. For moderate size storms, DOC concentrations are primarily affected by variations in antecedent moisture conditions. Generally, DOC concentrations and aromaticity increase with flow, especially for storms associated with high antecedent moisture conditions. A shift in the source of DOC to the stream and tile drains from low aromaticity DOC at baseflow, to more aromatic DOC during storms was observed. Data indicates that increases in the frequency and intensity of large precipitation events as well as wetter conditions in spring would likely lead not only to an increase in DOC fluxes (simply because of higher discharge) but also to an increase in the amount of DOC exported for every unit of flow.
Design of a high performance architecture for real-time enhancement of video stream captured in extremely low lighting environment

A high performance digital architecture for the implementation of a non-linear image enhancement technique is proposed in this paper. The image enhancement is based on a luminance dependent non-linear enhancement algorithm which achieves simultaneous dynamic range compression, colour consistency and lightness rendition. The algorithm provides better colour fidelity, enhances less noise, prevents the unwanted luminance drop at the uniform luminance areas, keeps the 'bright' background unaffected, and enhances the 'dark' objects in 'bright' background. The algorithm contains a large number of complex computations and thus it requires specialized hardware implementation for real-time applications. Systolic, pipelined and parallel design techniques are utilized effectively in the proposed FPGA-based architectural design to achieve real-time performance. Estimation techniques are also utilized in the hardware algorithmic design to achieve faster, simpler and more efficient architecture. The video enhancement system is implemented using Xilinx's multimedia development board that contains a VirtexII-X2000 FPGA and it is capable of processing approximately 67 Mega-pixels (Mpixels) per second.
Prone Positioning for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Multiple animal and human studies have shown that prone positioning improves oxygenation and reduces ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI) in the setting of acute lung injury or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). In this article, the physiologic changes explaining the improvement in oxygenation are reviewed, how prone positioning reduces VILI is described, randomized controlled trials of prone ventilation in patients with ARDS are evaluated, the complications associated with prone ventilation are summarized, suggestions are made as to how these might be reduced or avoided, and when prone ventilation should start and stop and for what duration it should be used are discussed.
Eyelid myxoma in Carney complex without PRKAR1A allelic loss

Eyelid nodules were investigated in a patient with Carney complex who was heterozygous for the most commonly known PRKAR1A-inactivating mutation, c.578delTG. Immunohistochemical studies confirmed the diagnosis of myxoma. Loss of heterozygosity was not present, suggesting that haploinsufficiency alone was responsible for tumorigenesis of this eyelid lesion.
Single view reflectance capture using multiplexed scattering and time-of-flight imaging

This paper introduces the concept of time-of-flight reflectance estimation, and demonstrates a new technique that allows a camera to rapidly acquire reflectance properties of objects from a single view-point, over relatively long distances and without encircling equipment. We measure material properties by indirectly illuminating an object by a laser source, and observing its reflected light indirectly using a time-of-flight camera. The configuration collectively acquires dense angular, but low spatial sampling, within a limited solid angle range - all from a single viewpoint. Our ultra-fast imaging approach captures space-time "streak images" that can separate out different bounces of light based on path length. Entanglements arise in the streak images mixing signals from multiple paths if they have the same total path length. We show how reflectances can be recovered by solving for a linear system of equations and assuming parametric material models; fitting to lower dimensional reflectance models enables us to disentangle measurements. We demonstrate proof-of-concept results of parametric reflectance models for homogeneous and discretized heterogeneous patches, both using simulation and experimental hardware. As compared to lengthy or highly calibrated BRDF acquisition techniques, we demonstrate a device that can rapidly, on the order of seconds, capture meaningful reflectance information. We expect hardware advances to improve the portability and speed of this device.
Characteristics of some fermentative bacteria from a thermophilic methane-producing fermenter.

Anaerobic bacteria from a 55‡C methane-producing beef waste fermenter were enumerated, isolated, and characterized. Direct microscopic bacterial counts were 5.2–6.8×1010 per g fermenter effluent. Using a nonselective roll-tube medium which contained 40% fermenter effluent, 8.5–14.1% of the microscopic count was culturable. Deletion of fermenter effluent significantly reduced the viable count. Sixty-four randomly picked strains were characterized. All were pleomorphic, gram-negative, anaerobic rods, many of which were difficult to grow in liquid media. The strains were divided into 5 major groups based on glucose fermentation, hydrogen sulfide production, starch hydrolysis, fermentation products, and morphology. Glucose was fermented by 75% of the isolates, 76% utilized starch, 25% produced hydrogen sulfide, 76% produced hydrogen, 37% produced indole, 21% hydrolyzed gelatin, and 13% were sporeformers. Ethanol, lactate, formate, acetate, and hydrogen were common fermentation products. Twenty-four representative strains had 1–12 flagella. Growth was observed between 35 and 73‡C. These studies indicate that species diversity among the isolated organisms was low.
The Placebo Effect During a Double Blind Trial of Recombinant Alpha2 Interferon in Multiple Sclerosis Patients: Immunological and Clinical Findings

A double-blind, placebo controlled trial of recombinant alpha2 interferon in relapsing/remitting multiple sclerosis patients was performed to assess the clinical and immunological responses to treatment. This study demonstrated that natural killer (NK) cell activity, known to be enhanced by interferon (IFN) treatment, increased during the first week of treatment in both the IFN and placebo treatment groups. After the first week of treatment NK cell activity returned to baseline levels in both groups, and subsequently declined in the IFN treatment group. Patients in both groups improved clinically, as evidenced by a reduction in the exacerbation rate. Furthermore, a similar incidence of adverse reactions to treatment were reported by both groups. The mechanism underlying the response to placebo is not known. However, it is unlikely that the long term clinical improvement (one year) in either group is related to the transient increase in NK cell activity.
Using simulation for launch team training and evaluation

This paper describes some of the history and uses of simulation systems and processes for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) training and evaluation of launch, mission control, and mission management teams. It documents some of the types of simulations that are used at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) today. It provides an initial baseline and some recommendations for further research into simulation for launch team training and evaluation in the near future. A theme of this paper is that the use of simulation for the training and evaluation of launch teams is very important, and NASA should learn from and expand on these types of simulations especially as it prepares to develop new launch vehicles and processes under the Exploration program.
The Composition of Lunch Determines Afternoon Plasma Tryptophan Ratios in Humans

It is well established that the ratio of the plasma tryptophan concentration to those of the other large neutral amino acids determines the transport of tryptophan into the brain. Brain tryptophan levels, in turn, control production of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Protein-rich meals, when consumed in the morning after an overnight fast, have been shown to decrease the plasma tryptophan ratio, while carbohydrate-rich meals have the opposite effect. We now show that these meals have similar effects when consumed for lunch, even if they are preceded by a small breakfast meal.
A Nonparametric Bayesian Model for Local Clustering With Application to Proteomics

We propose a nonparametric Bayesian local clustering (NoB-LoC) approach for heterogeneous data. NoB-LoC implements inference for nested clusters as posterior inference under a Bayesian model. Using protein expression data as an example, the NoB-LoC model defines a protein (column) cluster as a set of proteins that give rise to the same partition of the samples (rows). In other words, the sample partitions are nested within protein clusters. The common clustering of the samples gives meaning to the protein clusters. Any pair of samples might belong to the same cluster for one protein set but to different clusters for another protein set. These local features are different from features obtained by global clustering approaches such as hierarchical clustering, which create only one partition of samples that applies for all the proteins in the dataset. In addition, the NoB-LoC model is different from most other local or nested clustering methods, which define clusters based on common parameters in the samplin...
Nuclear excitation by target electron capture

Abstract The mechanism of exciting the nucleus by resonant capture of a target electron into a bound orbital of a highly stripped heavy ion is reviewed. Channeling in a single crystal seems to provide the optimal conditions for its observation.
Explicit duality for convex homogeneous programs

When all the functions that define a convex program are positively homogeneous, then a dual convex program can be constructed which is defined in terms of the primal data only (the primal variables do not appear). Furthermore, the dualizing process, carried out on the dual program, yields the primal. Several well-known examples of convex programs with explicit duals are shown to be special cases.
On the Signatures of Equatorial and Extratropical Wave Forcing in Tropical Tropopause Layer Temperatures

AbstractTemperatures in the tropical tropopause layer (TTL) play an important role in stratosphere–troposphere exchange and in the formation and maintenance of thin cirrus clouds. Many previous studies have examined the contributions of extratropical and equatorial waves to the TTL using coarse-vertical-resolution satellite and reanalysis data. In this study, the authors provide new insight into the role of extratropical and equatorial waves in the TTL using high-vertical-resolution GPS radio occultation data.The results examine the influence of four different wave forcings on the TTL: extratropical waves that propagate vertically into the stratosphere, extratropical waves that propagate meridionally into the subtropical stratosphere, extratropical waves that propagate meridionally into the subtropical troposphere, and the equatorial planetary waves. The vertically and meridionally propagating extratropical stratospheric waves are associated with deep, zonally symmetric temperature anomalies that extend a...
Teachers' spatial literacy as visualization, reasoning, and communication

Abstract This paper conceptualizes spatial literacy as consisting of three overlapping domains: visualization, reasoning, and communication. By considering these domains, this study explores different aspects of spatial literacy to better understand how a group of mathematics teachers reasoned about spatial tasks. Seventy-five preservice and inservice teachers worked on problems that involved spatial objects, their properties, and their relationships. Teachers' responses suggested that their spatial literacy skills were underdeveloped with deficiencies most evident on problems that were solvable by dimensional reasoning. Poor vocabulary and misconceptions hindered teachers' performance. Teachers who used multiple reasoning strategies were more likely to solve a problem correctly.
pH-Controlled association of PEG-containing terpolymers of N-isopropylacrylamide and 1-vinylimidazole

Abstract Temperature- and pH-controlled association of terpolymers of N -isopropylacrylamide (NIPA) with 1-vinylimidazole (VI) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) has been investigated by light scattering and atomic force microscopy (AFM) in situ. The polymers contained 0–15 mol% VI and 0–2 mol% PEG. The phase transition temperatures ( T p ) have been in the range of 32–45 °C and exhibited significant dependence on the pH of solution in the pH range between 5 and 8. The T p of the polymers increased with increasing VI content and with decreasing pH, confirming major effect of VI ionization status on T p . The presence of PEG grafts in the polymer structure had augmenting effect on the magnitude of pH-responsiveness and on the pH-independent colloidal stability of the polymer particles formed above T p . Incorporation of VI into the polymer structure had similar, but pH-dependent effect on colloidal stabilization of the polymer particles. The size of the particles formed after the phase transition is driven by the association of the collapsed NIPA segments in the globule conformation and it decreased with decreasing pH. The phase transition temperature of the polymers could be adjusted to increase from temperatures below, to temperatures above body temperature upon decreasing pH from 7 to 6, suggesting that such polymers could provide a material platform for a variety of biomedical applications. AFM analysis in situ showed a fully reversible formation of particles in the solutions of the polymers above their T p .
On wave-current interaction theories of Langmuir circulations

The Craik-Leibovich (CL) equations for Langmuir circulations are shown to be an Eulerian approximation to an exact theory of the generalized Lagrangian mean (GLM) due to Andrews and McIntyre. Derivation of the CL equations using the GLM formalism is decisively simpler than the original method. The CL theory is then compared to other wave-current interaction theories of Langmuir circulations, notably those of Garrett and of Moen.
Central hypothyroidism in a patient with pituitary autoimmunity: evidence for TSH-independent thyroid hormone synthesis.

Context: Acquired central hypothyroidism is rare, especially when isolated, and is typically associated with detectable, although biologically inactive, serum TSH. Objective: We describe a 56-yr-old woman with profound central hypothyroidism and partial central hypoadrenalism, in the absence of other endocrine abnormalities. In contrast to most cases of central hypothyroidism, serum TSH remained undetectable for 9 months before the initiation of thyroid hormone and hydrocortisone treatment. A test for pituitary autoantibody was moderately positive. Serum free T4, serum T3, and neck radioiodine uptake were low but detectable. The thyroid and pituitary glands appeared morphologically normal on neck ultrasound and head magnetic resonance imaging, respectively. Settings: The study was conducted in a tertiary academic medical center. Conclusions: This case illustrates the variable clinical presentation of pituitary autoimmunity. The persistence of low but detectable thyroid hormone levels and radioiodine neck ...
On effective localization attacks against Internet Threat monitors

Internet Threat Monitoring (ITM) systems have been widely deployed to detect and characterize dangerous Internet global threats such as botnet and malware propagation. Nonetheless, the effectiveness of ITM systems largely depends on the confidentiality of their monitor locations. In this paper, we investigate localization attacks aiming to identify ITM monitor location and propose the formal model of such attacks using communication channel theory. We also develop novel techniques that significantly increases the accuracy, efficiency, and secrecy of ITM localization attacks. Specifically, we introduce (i) a frequency-based modulation technique to effectively reduce the interference from the background traffic and achieve a high attack accuracy, (ii) both time and space hopping techniques to randomize signal pattern and make the attack hard to detect by the defender, and (iii) Multiple Input and Multiple Output (MIMO) based techniques to increase the attack efficiency of identifying multiple monitors simultaneously. We derive closed formulae for the performance analysis of our proposed techniques and conduct extensive simulations. Our data validate our theoretical findings and demonstrate that the adversary can identify ITM monitors accurately, efficiently, and secretly.