cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Outcomes of Two Preparative Regimens for Lymphoma Patients Who Are Receiving Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantations

incidence of infection (median 3 infections vs. RIC median 2 infections, p1⁄40.0001). Infection incidence was significantly increased in patients receiving ATG compared to those not receiving ATG (median 3 vs. 2, p1⁄40.0003). The relative increase in infections with ATG was more pronounced in RIC (+ATG median 3 vs eATG median 1) than in MAC (+ATG median 4 vs. eATG median 3). In both RIC and MAC, ATG use was associated with increased numbers of CMV (112 vs. 61), HHV6 (47 vs. 13), and HSV (32 vs. 8) infections. The relative increase in infection incidence for +ATG patients in RIC (CMV 2.5-fold, HHV6 10.5-fold, HSV 6.5-fold increase) was greater than the increase seen for +ATG patients in MAC (CMV 1.46-fold, HHV6 2.36-fold, HSV 3.17-fold increase). Similar rates of severe (grade 3-4) aGVHD were observed in +ATG patients compared to eATG patients (17.5% vs. 14.95%, p1⁄40.72) through day 180, indicating a potential protective effect of ATG in unrelated/mismatched transplants. In RIC, a nonsignificantly greater proportion of +ATG patients developed severe aGVHD (19.4%) compared toeATG patients (12.9%). The rates of relapse/death were not different between ATG groups (29.91% for eATG and 39.68% for +ATG), and groups had similar mean times to relapse (148 days foreATG and 138 days for +ATG). At 180 days, survival was 83.2% for eATG and 71.4% for +ATG (p1⁄40.0426). Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that ATG use increases infection rates in alloHCT patients, with greater impact in the RIC setting. Although relapse rates were similar between groups, the 180-day mortality for +ATG was significantly greater than eATG, suggesting that infectious complications may impact mortality associated with ATG.
The importance of contrast for the activity of single neurons, the VEP and perception.

Abstract The brightness of a visually perceived object is mainly determined by the average local contrast around the border between object and background. This fact is demonstrated here with several examples of equiluminant objects on nonuniformly luminant backgrounds. Even in Mondrian-like patterns resembling those used by Land and McCann (1971), equiluminant objects may appear to be of unequal brightness. This result does not agree with predictions of the Retinex Theory. The importance of contrast in vision is also suggested by neurophysiological findings, both classical and recent, that reveal the dependence of visual responses on contrast over most of the visual operating range of mean illumination. The dependence on contrast appears to be the result of retinal gain control mechanisms and is not due to center-surround interaction in the receptive field. We have discovered parallel neural channels with high and low contrast gain in the monkey's visual pathway by means of single unit techniques. Visual evoked potential measurements suggest that similar visual pathways and with high and low contrast-sensitivity, exist in man and monkey.
KINETICS OF ENZYMES WITH ISO-MECHANISMS : DEAD-END INHIBITION OF FUMARASE AND CARBONIC ANHYDRASE II

Isomerization of free enzyme can be detected in kinetic patterns of dead-end inhibition because competitive substrate analogs yield noncompetitive inhibition versus product in reverse reaction kinetics. The ratio of slope and intercept inhibition constants allows a quantitative estimation of the relative kinetic significance of the isomerization to a catalytic turnover. Applying this kinetic analysis theoretically to inhibition data for bovine carbonic anhydrase II by anions [Y. Pocker and T. L. Deits (1982) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 104, 2424] provides an estimate of 43 +/- 13% for how rate-limiting the isomerization segment is at pH 6.6. Applying the analysis experimentally to porcine heart fumarase provides a competitive pattern of inhibition by trans-aconitate versus fumarate with Ki(s) = 2.0 +/- 0.5 mM, together with a non-competitive pattern versus malate, with Ki(s) = 0.8 +/- 0.1 mM and Kii = 2.3 +/- 0.4 mM. Assuming that the isomerization segment of fumarase is the reprotonation of an active site carboxyl and imidazole with pK1 = 5.53 and pK2 = 7.78 [Blanchard and Cleland (1980) Biochemistry 19, 4506], an apparent rate constant for the isomerization segment of fumarate hydration is estimated as 95 +/- 22 s-1, compared to 42 +/- 13 s-1 for the chemical segment and 29 +/- 0.7 s-1 for a complete turnover. In contrast, the values are 17000 +/- 5200, 82 +/- 25, and 82 +/- 3 s-1, respectively, for malate dehydration. Hence, the isomerization segment is 30 +/- 7% rate-limiting during fumarate hydration but less than 1% during malate dehydration.
Unconscious Experience in Social and Historical Context

This article explores the relationship between unconscious experience and social class. The main premise presented here is that unconscious experience is, at the core, a social and historical artifact. Along these lines, the author suggests that what is unconscious is not only a reflection of the intrapsychic and relational variables of a situation, but, more fundamentally, includes the wider social and historical forces that embed the particular experience or event. The author then offers several suggestions for revising how we approach clinical theory and practice on the basis of this expanded social and historical view of unconscious processes.
Supportive and palliative care: A poorly understood science for the perioperative clinician

Patients with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses develop a variety of debilitating treatment-related and disease-related symptoms which can be quite distressing and detrimental to their quality of life. These may be physical, psychosocial or spiritual. Palliative care offers a way to deal with such challenging medical complexities that arise in their lives. However, it appears that knowledge about this discipline is still limited among a majority of clinicians in diverse fields of medicine and the utilisation of its services is minimal. In this work, we explain the concept, the scope of practice and the significance of palliative and supportive care services to the perioperative clinician, with the aim of providing education, increasing awareness and encouraging collaboration. The goal is to ultimately achieve the best care for shared patients, which will be in the common interest of the two disciplines.
The Sexist Naming of Collegiate Athletic Teams and Resistance to Change

Colleges and universities use nicknames, logos, and mascots as identifying and unifying symbols, especially surrounding their athletic teams. More than half of U. S. colleges and universities use sexist names and mascots for their women's athletic teams. We argue that these naming practices define, deprecate, and excude women. We show how these linguistic marking systems adopted by schools promote male supremacy and female subordination. They do so, just as sexist language does, by trivializing women, diminish ing them, and making them invisible. A case study of one university is presented where the name for male and female teams is a ram—a male sheep. When this name was identified in the school newspaper as sexist, various constituencies rallied to retain the traditional name. Their defenses are examined, looking especially at the parallels between these arguments and those used to resist changing sexist language in general.
Improved Mechanical Properties in Hydrodynamically Aligned, Short-Fiber Composite Materials

A hydrodynamic method has been employed to align short, reinforcing fibers in polymer matrix composite materials. Samples of composite materials were prepared and tested two at a time (one with randomly oriented fibers and the other with aligned fibers) to isolate and directly measure the effect on mechanical properties of aligning the fibers. Data were collected on the ultimate tensile strength, modulus of elasticity, and ultimate tensile strain of the composite samples prepared. The results show that the aligned fibers were approximately twice as effective as randomly oriented fibers at stiffening and strengthening the composite in the alignment direction.
The unsuitability of random urinary delta aminolevulinic acid samples as a screening test for lead poisoning

Lead poisoning in childhood is a significant health problem which has prompted the initiation of mass screening programs to detect children in danger of developing this disease. In this study, multiple urine specimens were collected on consecutive days and tested for the presence of delta aminolevulinic acid (ALA) in a group of children who were living in a “lead-free” environment and in another group with evidence of significant lead ingestion. No single value for delta aminolevulinic acid was found which separates the normal children from those with an increased body burden of lead. In random, untimed samples of urine the presence of “abnormal” ALA values in normal children and “normal” values in children with lead poisoning makes such testing unsuitable for screening purposes.
Timing is Everything: Historical Contingency as a Factor in the Impact of Catholic Social Teaching Upon Managerial Practices

John Paul II’s prescriptions for humanizing the world economy are not likely to have the impact of Leo XIII’s Rerum Novarum because the reception accorded reform proposals depends on opportunity and circumstances as well as the ethical soundness and the logic of the principles advanced. Because of historical circumstances, Thomas More’s critique of the emerging agricultural capitalism of his time was ignored while Catholic Social Teaching inspired by Ketteler’s work, endorsed and publicized by Leo, strongly impacted the industrializing world of a century ago. Whereas More defended a church seen as an impediment to economic progress by leading-edge Protestant entrepreneurs, Catholic Social Teaching was propagated at a time when Catholicism was enmeshed in the spread of industrialization. In our current world economy, increasingly dominated by non-Catholic regions of the East and a resurgent liberalism in the West, John Paul’s recommendations currently seem more likely to meet the fate of More’s critique than of Leo’s. Implications for stakeholder theory are also discussed.
GABA and the ornithineδ-aminotransferase gene in vigabatrin-associated visual field defects

Abstract Vigabatrin use in some epilepsy patients has been associated with persistent visual field constriction and retinal dysfunction. The mechanism is unknown, but could be related to vigabatrin, chronic epilepsy, GABA toxicity, or the effect of a metabolite in combination with a predisposing genotype. The aim of this study was to investigate the latter two hypotheses. Levels of brain gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) measured by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy were similar in subjects taking vigabatrin who developed visual field constriction and those who did not. We tested whether allelic heterogeneity of the ornithine aminotransferase gene occurs in the affected patients . No clinically significant mutation was detected, although a common intronic polymorphism was identified.
TU-G-BRA-03: A Mechanism-Based Approach to Predict Relative Biological Effectiveness and the Effects of Tumor Hypoxia in Charged Particle Radiotherapy

The potential biological advantages of charged particles, such as protons and carbon ions, have not yet been fully exploited in radiationoncology. With increasing particle stopping power, relative biological effectiveness (RBE) increases and the radioprotective effect of tumor hypoxia decreases. In this work, a mechanism‐based approach to quantify the effects of oxygen and radiation quality on double strand break (DSB) induction and cell killing is presented for clinically‐relevant proton and carbon ion beams. DSB yields are quantified as a function of stopping power and oxygen concentration using the Monte Carlo Damage Simulation (MCDS). Formulas derived from the Repair‐Misrepair‐Fixation (RMF) model are presented that link dose‐averaged linear‐quadratic (LQ) parameters to DSB induction and processing. Predicted trends in radiosensitivity parameters with stopping power and oxygen concentration are compared to published experimental data. The dependence of RBE estimates on dose,tissue radiosensitivity, and position within the spread out Bragg peak (SOBP) is shown. RBE‐weighted doses are calculated for representative SOBP and a range of oxygen concentrations. Alternate biological models are also briefly reviewed. The RMF model is shown to predict published survival data well up to an LET of ∼150–200 keV/micron for V79, HSG, and T1 cells irradiated with He‐3, C‐12, and Ne‐20 under normoxic and anoxic conditions. Clinically‐relevant RBE estimates are shown to increase as particle energy, dose, and tissue alpha/beta decrease. For normoxic chordoma tissue with (alpha/beta)x=2 Gy and a 5 cm SOBP with a nominal absorbed dose of 1 Gy, entrance RBE is ∼1.0 and ∼1.3 for proton and carbon ions, respectively. Proton RBE ranges from 1.03 to 1.34 from the proximal to distal edge. Under the same conditions, the RBE for carbon ions ranges from 1.8 to 5.4. For extreme levels of hypoxia, proton and carbon ion doses in the SOBP may need to be increased by factors as high as 2.9 and 1.6, respectively, to achieve a uniform biological effect. The proposed approach to calculate RBE for clinical beams of charged particles is advantageous because it is guided by well‐established physical and biological considerations. The use of biologically motivated models to estimate RBE and hypoxia effects for clinically relevant oxygen concentrations enhances our understanding of the potential for protons and carbon ions to overcome the radioprotective effect of tumor hypoxia. Large variations in predicted RBE across an SOBP may produce undesirable biological hot and cold spots. Biologically optimized treatment plans that correct for radiation quality and tissue oxygenation have the potential to substantially improve treatment outcomes. Learning objectives: 1. To review the relationship between DSB induction and cell killing 2. To understand the effects of radiation quality and oxygen concentration on cell killing in proton and carbon ion radiotherapy
A practical synthesis of N-aryl-substituted oxazolidinone-containing ketone catalysts for asymmetric epoxidation

Abstract N-Aryl-substituted oxazolidinone-containing ketone catalysts for the asymmetric epoxidation of olefins can be efficiently prepared from d -glucose and anilines.
Roles of the state-resolved OH(A) and OH(X) radicals in microwave plasma assisted combustion of premixed methane/air: An exploratory study

Abstract We report a novel microwave plasma-assisted combustion (PAC) system that is developed as a new test platform to study roles of plasma in PAC. The system included two major components, an atmospheric pressure microwave plasma cavity and a cross-shape quartz combustor. This new PAC system allows one to study PAC using complicated yet well-controlled combinations of operating parameters, such as fuel equivalence ratio ( ϕ ), fuel mixture flow rate, plasma gas flow rate, plasma gases, symmetric or asymmetric fuel-oxidant injection patterns, with and without plasma. In this work, ignitions at the fuel (lean and rich) flammability limits at different plasma powers and fuel flow rates were investigated. The ignition curves of plasma power versus ϕ FL at the different flow rates revealed a stretched U-shape, showing clear evidences of the plasma enhancement effects on ignition and flame stabilization, i.e. the fuel lean flammability limit ( ϕ LFL ) was extended to ϕ = 0.2, as compared to ϕ = 0.6 at the same combustion parameters except with no plasma. Optical emission spectroscopy (OES) showed that the combustor had three distinct reaction zones: plasma zone, hybrid plasma-flame zone, and flame zone; and each of the reaction zones was well defined by its OES features. Furthermore, a detailed survey of OES of OH (A–X) conducted along the plasma jet axis ( x direction) with a spatial resolution of 0.5 mm revealed that OH(A) had a double-peak feature in its relative emission intensity curve (I ∼ x ) in the hybrid zone where plasma-assisted ignition (PAI) started, as evidenced by a significant surge of OH(A) and by a large increase in OH rotational temperature, i.e. from 1450 K to 2400 K. Moving from the hybrid zone to the flame zone, OH(A) decreased by more than four orders of magnitude. However, the electronic ground state OH(X) measured simultaneously using pulsed cavity ringdown spectroscopy around 308 nm showed that absolute number density of the OH(X) decreased by smaller than a factor of ten from the downstream of the hybrid zone to the flame zone. The different changing rates of the OH(A) and OH(X) radicals from the hybrid zone to the flame zone allow us to propose a hypothesis that if both the electronically excited state OH(A) and the electronic ground state OH(X) assisted the ignition and flame stabilization processes, the role of OH(X) radicals was more dominant in the flame stabilization but the role of OH(A) radicals was more dominant in the ignition enhancement.
The interplay of electrostatic and orbital forces in the control of the structure of the electron-doped superconductors Nd2-χCeχCuO4

Abstract This paper shows how a model based on the competing demands of the Madelung energy, and the electronic energy from tight-binding calculations as a function of d count, allows an explanation of some of the complex experimental results concerning the structures of the so-called ‘electron-doped’ superconductors. Tight-binding band structure calculations indicate that the square planar CuO 2 sheets found in the 2-1-4 compound Nd 2 CuO 4 , and indeed all of the copper oxide high temperature superconductors, become geometrically unstable when the system is doped with electrons as inas in Nd 2-χ Ce χ CuO 4 or Nd 2 CuO 4-χ F χ . Distortion towards a tetrahedral geometry, by moving oxygen atoms parallel to c , starts to occur when χ reaches around 0.07 from the calculations. For this T' structure variant Madelung calculations show a minimum at Δ Z min (Mad)~0.25 A with a sharp destabilization for larger distortions. At the d 9 configuration the electronic preferences of this configuration win out and the square planar geometry is found, but for higher electron counts where electronic minima are found for Δ z min (d n ) > 0, disproportionation occurs in regions with Δ z =Δ z min (Mad) and intermediate geometries with Δ z > 0. At a doping level where the electronic preferences and Madelung energetics give rise to the same structure then only one phase is observed. Higher doping levels are energetically unfavorable due to the strong Madelung destabilization for the higher Δ z min (d n ) values demanded by the electronic forces. These theoretical ideas provide a model with which to understand the experiments described in the companion paper and copper NMR results. A structural model, suggested by the theoretical results, is proposed for the superlattice observed in both microscopy and electron diffraction experiments.
Bounded rationality and market fluctuations

Abstract In a model of a competitive market, each firm in each period faces a planning problem caused by random changes in circumstances. Due to bounded rationality, a firm is unable to compute, costlessly and exactly, its optimal output. Instead the firm approximates optimal output through a decision-making process called a ‘deliberation technology’. This technology involves a rule of thumb, a costly deliberation mechanism, and a random deliberation error. The issue addressed by the model is how bounded rationality affects market fluctuations. The first glance intuition is that fluctuations will increase since deliberation error is an added disturbance to the market. However, the actual effect is much more complicated and might go either way.
Growth factor-mediated neural proliferation: target of ethanol toxicity.

Ethanol exposure during development is teratogenic. The central nervous system (CNS) is particularly susceptible to ethanol toxicity. In fact, heavy gestational ethanol consumption is one of the leading known causes of mental retardation in the Western world. Ethanol exposure disrupts the proliferation of glia and neuronal precursors in the developing CNS. Depending upon cell population and blood ethanol concentration, ethanol can either inhibit or stimulate cell proliferation. Two features of cell proliferation that are affected by ethanol exposure are the growth fraction (the proportion of cells that is actively cycling) and the cell cycle kinetics, particularly in the length of the G1 phase of the cell cycle. Cell proliferation in the developing CNS reflects the action of positive (mitogenic growth factors) and negative (anti-proliferative factors) regulators. Increasing evidence shows that ethanol interferes with the action of growth factors. In vitro systems are a good model to investigate ethanol neurotoxicity, since the effects of ethanol on cultured cells parallel the effects of ethanol in the developing CNS. The inhibitory effects of ethanol on cell proliferation may result from interference with mitogenic growth factors (e.g., bFGF, EGF, PDGF, IGF-I). Conversely, the stimulatory effects of ethanol may result from the interference with growth inhibiting factors (e.g., TGFbeta1). Interestingly, both in vivo and in vitro studies show that proliferating neural cells display differential sensitivity to ethanol. This differential sensitivity correlates with their response to mitogenic growth factors; that is, cells that are actively regulated by mitogenic growth factors are much more susceptible to ethanol than cells that are less or unresponsive to such factors. Ethanol interference with growth factor action could occur at three levels: ligand production, receptor expression, and/or signal transduction. Thus, ethanol-induced alterations in the developing CNS that characterize fetal alcohol syndrome apparently result from alterations in the regulatory action of growth factors.
A review of the fossil record of monocotyledons

The fossil record of monocotyledons is reviewed in order to determine the families actually represented by fossils and their stratigraphic ranges. In providing this information, attention is called to deficiencies and strengths in the record. Most notable is the uneven representation of the four subclasses of monocotyledons. Three distinct phases in the history of monocots can be delineated when the record and ranges of modern families are compared with paleotemperature data. First is a phase of initial radiation and diversification primarily restricted to the Cretaceous and represented by the appearance of a variety of monocotyledonous leaf forms. Second is a phase of modernization of the monocot flora resulting from further development of preexisting Cretaceous forms during favorable climatic conditions during the latest Cretaceous and Paleogene. The third phase is one marked by changes in distributions and expansion of other groups corresponding with climatic deteriorations of the late Paleogene. Some suggestions concerning the limitations of and potential for further research into the fossil record of monocots are presented.
Identification of a PIG-A related processed gene on chromosome 12

PIG-A, the gene encoding the glycoinositol phospholipid anchor synthetic element that is defective in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), resides on the X chromosome. In the course of analyses of PIG-A genetic alterations in PNH patients, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of reverse-transcribed RNA from affected leukocytes of a patient with diminished PIG-A mRNA expression yielded a PIG-A related sequence with 126 nucleotide substitutions and five deletions. In the present study, the origin of this product was investigated. Selective reverse transcription (RT)/PCR amplifications with primers specific for PIG-A and this variant sequence, analyses of RNA from unaffected cells, and differential endonuclease digestions showed that mRNA with this sequence is coexpressed with PIG-A mRNA in a wide range of cell types. Mapping of genomic DNA from human/rodent hybrids showed that the sequence derives from a processed gene, designated PIG-A-II, that is encoded on chromosome 12.
High-resolution topomaps from SARs

One approach to obtaining topographic information from SAR imagery is to utilize a multiple- image data collection scheme to collect stereo SAR images. The resulting topographic map, however, is generally of considerably lower resolution than the images themselves. This paper describes a new approach to the construction of topomaps that combines the lower resolution topomap with the SAR intensity images within a variational formulation. The result is a single formulation combining higher spatial resolution than were previously possible.
A simple procedure for the detection of small numbers of enterotoxigenic Clostridium perfringens in frozen meat and cod paste

Abstract By use of commercially available pouches and dehydrated modified Handford medium, a simple method for the selective detection of small numbers of Clostridium perfringens spores in frozen meat and cod paste has been developed. By a direct method, 1 × 102/g or more spores were detectable and after enrichment culture, the sensitivity of the direct method was increased by 10 to 100 times. One hundred and thirty of 319 samples (40.8%) of frozen meat and cod fish paste proved positive for presumptive C. perfringens by the enrichment method. The incidences of presumptive C. perfringens in frozen mutton (50.0%), rabbit meat (65.0%), cod paste (50.0%) and horse meat (42.4%) were relatively higher than those in frozen beef (25.0%) and pork (23.8%). By the direct method, the incidence decreased to 3.1% (10/319). Two enterotoxigenic strains were found among 100 verified C. perfringens isolates from 58 samples.
The Impact of New Student Housing on Library Usage: A Case Study

A quantitative analysis of campus housing figures and library usage statistics suggests a stronger correlation than library usage compared to other enrollment figures. New residents on a university campus were surveyed on their frequency and reasons for utilizing the library's physical and online resources, before and after moving in.
EFFECT OF MIXING ENERGY, MIXING TIME AND SETTLING TIME ON DISPERSION EFFECTIVENESS IN TWO BENCH-SCALE TESTING SYSTEMS

ABSTRACT Dispersion experiments were conducted in baffled-flask and paddle-jar mixing systems at five energy dissipation rates ranging from 4.8 × 10−4 to 1.6 × 10−1 J/kg-s. The objective of these experiments was to investigate the effects of mixing energy, mixing time, and settling time on dispersion effectiveness and size distribution of the chemically dispersed oil droplets. Two separate combinations of evaporatively weathered Mars crude oil premixed with dispersants differing in hydrophile-lipophile balance (HLB) (12 and 10) but having the same chemical composition (Tween 80 and Span 80 in dodecane) were used. Dispersion effectiveness increased with energy dissipation rate to a maximum and then leveled for all cases studied. In the baffled flask, dispersion effectiveness reached a maximum of 82 ± 5% irrespective of oil-dispersant combination. In the paddle jar, the maximum value of dispersion effectiveness was oil-dispersant specific, being at 87 ± 9% and 30 ± 11% for dispersant HLB 12 and 10, respecti...
The Effects of Oil in Circulation on the Performance of an Automotive Air Conditioning System

An automotive air conditioning system was subjected to varying percentages of oil in circulation (OIC) to investigate its impact on the evaporator, the condenser, and cycle performance. Since automotive air conditioning systems do not typically use oil separators, the compressor lubricant circulates through the system and effects evaporator, condenser and cycle performance. The OIC of the system was controlled by means of an oil separator installed in a parallel line at the compressor outlet allowing variable amounts of refrigerant to pass through the separator. The separated oil was returned upstream of the compressor inlet. It was found that the amount of OIC had an impact on the air conditioning system’s performance. The information presented allows the designer to judge the performance merits of installing an oil separator in an actual automotive air conditioning system of the type that was being simulated. The test system was built on a workbench to facilitate installation of various sensors to measure temperatures, pressures, relative humidity, flow rates, and power consumption. The workbench was placed across two environmental chambers such that the environmental conditions at the evaporator and condenser could be independently controlled. A test matrix of varying refrigerant flow rates, air flow rates, environmental conditions, and OIC were designed to simulate a range of car speed conditions that would be encountered in practice. An analysis was performed on the data collected from the workbench and the equations used in that analysis are presented in the paper. Although the results show some increase in heat transfer performance and cycle efficiency the overall improvements were moderate.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Clinical approach to posttraumatic epilepsy.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the most common causes of acquired epilepsy, and posttraumatic epilepsy (PTE) results in significant somatic and psychosocial morbidity. The risk of developing PTE relates directly to TBI severity, but the latency to first seizure can be decades after the inciting trauma. Given this “silent period,” much work has focused on identification of molecular and radiographic biomarkers for risk stratification and on development of therapies to prevent epileptogenesis. Clinical management requires vigilant neurologic surveillance and recognition of the heterogeneous endophenotypes associated with PTE. Appropriate treatment of patients who have or are at risk for seizures varies as a function of time after TBI, and the clinician's armamentarium includes an ever-expanding diversity of pharmacological and surgical options. Most recently, neuromodulation with implantable devices has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy for some patients with refractory PTE. Here, we review the epidemiology, diagnostic considerations, and treatment options for PTE and develop a roadmap for providers encountering this challenging clinical entity.
CONTEXT EFFECTS IN PROBABILITY LEARNING AND DECISION-MAKING

Separate groups of Ss were trained in multiple probability-learning situations where sets of probabilities were (a) .10, .20, .30, .40, .50, (b) .50, .60, .70, .80, .90, and (c) .10, .30, .50, .70, .90, respectively. Subsequent to the training session Ss received test trials on all combinations of the five probabilities. Differential training with equal probabilities in different contexts gave different learning curves. Ss' uses of these probabilities in the test situations also varied as a function of prior training.
Handedness and the retention of visual material.

Summary The abilities of right, mixed and left handed college students to recall visuospatial and verbal stimuli were compared. Right handers performed significantly better than either mixed or left handers on a task requiring reproduction from memory of sets of geometric shapes; left and mixed handers did not differ from one another. Analysis of the types of reproduction errors made by the three groups, showed them to differ only in the frequency of rotational errors, with nonright handers making substantially more rotations than right handers. This apparent memory superiority on the part of dextrals did not extend to the recall of arbitrary verbal associates, a task on which all three groups did equally well. These results suggest that the previously reported superiority of right handers in perceiving and manipulating visuo-spatial relations also extends to the recall of this type of material.
Imaging brain plasticity: conceptual and methodological issues--a theoretical review.

The neural plasticity associated with learning and development is increasingly being studied using functional neuroimaging methods such as positron emission tomography (PET) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). In this paper I outline a set of conceptual and methodological issues that are particularly relevant for the study of neural plasticity. A number of confounds, related to changes in performance and the inherently temporal nature of learning and development, must be addressed when imaging plasticity. The interpretation of changes in imaging signals is greatly underdetermined, suggesting that hypothesis-driven research approaches may be most fruitful. Finally, I argue that the imaging of learning-related and developmental plasticity can enhance the ability of functional neuroimaging to identify and characterize the underlying neural basis of cognition.
Algorithms for area-efficient orthogonal drawings

Abstract An orthogonal drawing of a graph is a drawing such that vertices are placed on grid points and edges are drawn as sequences of vertical and horizontal segments. In this paper we present linear time algorithms that produce orthogonal drawings of graphs with n vertices. If the maximum degree is four, then the drawing produced by our first algorithm needs area at most (roughly) 0.76n2, and introduces at most 2n + 2 bends. Also, each edge of such a drawing has at most two bends. Our algorithm is based on forming and placing pairs of vertices of the graph. If the maximum degree is three, then the drawing produced by our second algorithm needs at most (roughly) ( 1 4 )n 2 area and, if the graph is biconnected, at most ⌊ n 2 ⌋ + 3 bends. These upper bounds match the upper bounds known for planar graphs of maximum degree 3. This algorithm produces optimal drawings (within a constant of 2) with respect to the number of bends, since there is a lower bound of n 2 + 1 in the number of bends for orthogonal drawings of maximum degree 3 graphs.
A composite cylinder model for the prediction of residual stresses in gamma-titanium composites

An experimental study of the residual stress formation and evolution in γ-titanium-based composite material was completed for some important processing and heat treatment conditions. A concentric cylinder model based on Norton’s creep law with the coefficients replaced by new terms related to time and temperature was developed by a combination of viscoplasticity and thermoelastic analysis of concentric cylinder domains representative for the matrix and the fiber. The x-ray diffraction (XRD) technique was used to measure average residual stresses at the neighborhood of Saphikon fibers. The composite was fabricated by hot isostatic pressing. The residual stress at the matrix decreased as the temperature of the heat treatment increased up to an optimum value, after which the residual stress started to build up despite the increase in the annealing temperature. This phenomenon was depicted through the numerical model as well as in the XRD.
Optimal Noise Filtering in the Chemotactic Response of Escherichia coli

Information-carrying signals in the real world are often obscured by noise. A challenge for any system is to filter the signal from the corrupting noise. This task is particularly acute for the signal transduction network that mediates bacterial chemotaxis, because the signals are subtle, the noise arising from stochastic fluctuations is substantial, and the system is effectively acting as a differentiator which amplifies noise. Here, we investigated the filtering properties of this biological system. Through simulation, we first show that the cutoff frequency has a dramatic effect on the chemotactic efficiency of the cell. Then, using a mathematical model to describe the signal, noise, and system, we formulated and solved an optimal filtering problem to determine the cutoff frequency that bests separates the low-frequency signal from the high-frequency noise. There was good agreement between the theory, simulations, and published experimental data. Finally, we propose that an elegant implementation of the optimal filter in combination with a differentiator can be achieved via an integral control system. This paper furnishes a simple quantitative framework for interpreting many of the key notions about bacterial chemotaxis, and, more generally, it highlights the constraints on biological systems imposed by noise.
Prevalence of Pigment Dispersion Syndrome in a Population Undergoing Glaucoma Screening

The prevalence of pigment dispersion syndrome is thought to be relatively uncommon. Extrapolation of prevalences from glaucoma practices would suggest about 25,000 to 220,000 persons in the United States, an order of magnitude spread. By performing two population screenings that included slit-lamp examination, we detected pigment dispersion syndrome in 18 of 934 individuals. Sixteen of these were white, so that the prevalence of pigment dispersion syndrome in this group was 2.45%. We suggest that many more persons than previously believed may be at risk to develop pigment dispersion.
Spectral Properties of Dynamical Systems, Model Reduction and Decompositions

In this paper we discuss two issues related to model reduction of deterministic or stochastic processes. The first is the relationship of the spectral properties of the dynamics on the attractor of the original, high-dimensional dynamical system with the properties and possibilities for model reduction. We review some elements of the spectral theory of dynamical systems. We apply this theory to obtain a decomposition of the process that utilizes spectral properties of the linear Koopman operator associated with the asymptotic dynamics on the attractor. This allows us to extract the almost periodic part of the evolving process. The remainder of the process has continuous spectrum. The second topic we discuss is that of model validation, where the original, possibly high-dimensional dynamics and the dynamics of the reduced model – that can be deterministic or stochastic – are compared in some norm. Using the “statistical Takens theorem” proven in (Mezic, I. and Banaszuk, A. Physica D, 2004) we argue that comparison of average energy contained in the finite-dimensional projection is one in the hierarchy of functionals of the field that need to be checked in order to assess the accuracy of the projection.
SU‐FF‐I‐141: Measuring Breast Density with Dual Energy Mammography: A Phantom Study

Purpose: To investigate the feasibility of measuring breast density in phantoms with dual energy mammography.Method and Materials: Glandular and adipose equivalent phantoms of uniform thickness were used for dual energy basis decomposition calibration. The dual energy mammography system used a tungstenanode x‐ray tube with a 50 μm rhodium beam filter for low energy images and a 300 μm copper beam filter for high energy images. Three different phantom studies were used to evaluate the technique. The first study consisted of phantoms with thicknesses of 25–85 mm in 5 mm steps with a mean density of 28%. The second study consisted of step phantoms designed to more closely mimic the shape of a female breast with maximal thicknesses of 30–70 mm at a fixed density of 50%. The third study consisted of 40 mm thick phantoms of different sizes (62.5, 125, 250 cm2) at a fixed density of 50% to assess the effect of breast size on density measurement.Results: The RMS errors in breast density measurements were 0.4% for the uniform phantoms, 3.3% for the step phantoms, and 4.7% for the phantoms of different sizes. Conclusion: The results of phantom studies indicate that dual energy mammography can be used to measure breast density with an RMS error of less than 5%. Dual energy mammography can potentially be implemented with minimal changes to the standard mammography exam.
EPR identification of the single-acceptor state of interstitial carbon in silicon

An EPR center labeled Si-L6 is reported which is identified as arising from the singly ionized acceptor state of isolated interstitial carbon (${\mathrm{C}}_{\mathit{i}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$) in electron-irradiated crystalline silicon. Correlated deep-level capacitance transient spectroscopy measurements locate the acceptor level at ${\mathit{E}}_{\mathit{c}}$-0.10 eV. The core structure of the defect is a 〈100〉 C-Si interstitialcy similar to that previously proposed for ${\mathrm{C}}_{\mathit{i}}^{+}$. The spin wave function is substantially more diffuse, however.
Effects of Testosterone Propionate in Spayed Female Rats.

SummaryIn sexually intact female rats genital tissues react differently to testosterone propionate depending upon the time of first injection in relation to estrus and diestrus. In castrates no such difference is apparent. Here the reaction of the genital tissues is the same as those observed when testosterone is first administered at late diestrus to non-castrates.
Towards a System Analysis and Integration Framework for Early Design Trades in Sustainable Building Design

The design and implementation of net-zero energy and water commercial buildings is a high-performance alternative to traditional structures. The complexity of engineering and architectural design strategies required to achieve post-construction net-zero standing requires an integrated design approach, utilizing an array of novel sustainable building design technologies. Here, we document the schematic design timeline of the Oregon Sustainability Center (OSC), a 150,000 ft2 net-zero energy commercial “smart” building slated for construction in Portland, Oregon. The design of the OSC is constrained around guidelines described in the Living Building Challenge (LBC), a building standard for sustainable, net-zero energy and water design in modern construction. This paper identifies the primary OSC design considerations, mechanical subsystems required to achieve these goals, as well the various stakeholders associated with the project. A correlation between stakeholder influences on design decisions is mapped demonstrating the relevance of peripheral effects on the design process. The intent of this case study documentation is to work toward an integrated approach to sustainable building design based on the goal of making critical design decisions strategically during the design process, conserving both financial and temporal resources. An integrated design framework for net-zero energy and water subsystems will assist in creating replicable sustainable building designs.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Dexamethasone-induced Gene 2 (dig2) Is a Novel Pro-survival Stress Gene Induced Rapidly by Diverse Apoptotic Signals

Glucocorticoid hormones induce apoptosis in lymphoid cells. This process requires de novo RNA/protein synthesis. Here we report the identification and cloning of a novel dexamethasone-induced gene designated dig2. Using Affymetrix oligonucleotide microarray analysis of ∼10,000 genes and expressed sequence tags, we found that the expression of dig2 mRNA is significantly induced not only in the murine T cell lymphoma lines S49.A2 and WEHI7.2 but also in normal mouse thymocytes following dexamethasone treatment. This result was confirmed by Northern blot analysis. The induction of dig2 mRNA by dexamethasone appears to be mediated through the glucocorticoid receptor as it is blocked in the presence of RU486, a glucocorticoid receptor antagonist. Furthermore, we demonstrated that dig2 is a novel stress response gene, as its mRNA is induced in response to a variety of cellular stressors including thapsigargin, tunicamycin, and heat shock. In addition, the levels of dig2 mRNA were up-regulated after treatment with the apoptosis-inducing chemotherapeutic drug etoposide. Though the function of dig2 is unknown, dig2 appears to have a pro-survival function, as overexpression of dig2 reduces the sensitivity of WEHI7.2 cells to dexamethasone-induced apoptosis.
Mechanism of Inhibition of Recombinant GABAA Receptors by Pentylenetetrazole and Its Alleviation by Anticonvulsants

Despite the wide prescription of drugs targeting postsynaptic γ-aminobutyric acid receptors (GABAARs) for seizure and epilepsy, mechanisms by which those drugs exert their effects on GABAAR are poorly understood. This is mainly attributed to the unavailability of crystal structure of the receptor and the various assembly of 19 different subunits (α1- α6, β1-β3, γ1-γ3, δ, e, π, θ, ρ1-ρ3). Here, we studied the effects of two anticonvulsants on the recombinant α1β3γ2 GABAAR using whole-cell current recordings combined with rapid kinetic techniques. Our results showed that pentylenetetrazole (PTZ), a compound used to artificially induce convulsive effect in animal models, is a mixed inhibitor of the receptor. Anticonvulsant ethosuximide (ES) and the major metabolite (α-methyl-α-pheny-succinimide, MPS) of another anticonvulsant methsuximide (MS) were found to alleviate the inhibition of the receptor by PTZ, while MS itself doesn't. Those data suggest that the enhancement of postsynaptic GABAAR response is one of the mechanisms of the anticonvulsant effect of ES and MS. T-type calcium channel was suggested to be one of the targets of ES.Acknowledgement of support: This project was supported by grants from the National Center for Research Resources (5P20RR016467-11) and the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (8P20GM103466-11) from the National Institutes of Health. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
Role of renal prostaglandins in the fall in urine osmolality after papillary micropuncture.

The effect of micropuncture of the renal papilla through an intact ureter on urinary concetrating ability of rats was examined. Micropuncture of the renal papilla caused a fall in urine osmolality in the punctured kidney from 1718 ± 106 to 1035 ± 79 mosmol/kg·H2O. In order to investigate the role of renal prostaglandins in this process, PGE2 excretion was measured and found to increase from 63.4 ± 14.0 to 205.5 ± 57.1 pg/min. Urine osmolality and PGE2 excretion from the contralateral kidney were not significantly altered. In animals given meclofenamate (2 mg/kg·hr), renal PGE2 excretion was reduced to 22.3 ± 5.1 pg/min prior to micropuncture and it remained low at 8.9 ± 1.8pg/min after papillary micropuncture. Meclofenamate also blocked the fall in urine osmolality caused by micropuncture of the renal papilla, with urine osmolality averaging 1940 ± 122 before and 1782 ± 96 mosmol/kg·H2O after the micropuncture. These results indicated that papillary micropuncture through an intact ureter increased renal PGE2 excretion and that a rise in renal production of PGE2 or some other prostanoid is associated with a fall in urine concentrating ability.
Novel solution phase metathetic pathway for the synthesis of MnV2O6·H2O

A novel solution-based approach for the metathetic synthesis of hydrated MnV2O6 driven by microwave energy has been successfully demonstrated. The metathetic pathway of synthesizing this technologically important material is confirmed by the presence of high lattice energy by-product NaCl as per the reaction. MnCl2+NaVO3⟶aqMnV2O6+2NaCl The structural, optical, chemical and magnetic properties of synthesized compound were examined by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), magnetic measurements, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and UV–vis diffused reflectance spectroscopy. The optical band gap of the material is measured to be 2.15 ± 0.2 eV. Finally, magnetic properties of the spin 5/2 analog hydrated MnV2O6 have been determined.
Unusual cell volume behavior in the LaNb1−xVxO4 system☆

The crystal structures and lattice constants of the LaNb1−xVxO4 system have been determined at room temperature. The system undergoes a monoclinic to tetragonal phase transformation with an increase in x analagous to the transition as a function of temperature in pure LaNbO4. The unit cell volume increases with an increase in x in the monoclinic phase despite the fact that vanadium is a smaller ion than niobium. A more normal contraction of the cell volume is observed in the tetragonal phase. The origin of this unusual behavior is unclear at present.