cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Advanced Topics in Supervisory Control

The signed real measure of regular languages, introduced in Chapter 1, has been the driving force for quantitative analysis and synthesis of discrete-event supervisory (DES) control systems dealing with finite state automata (equivalently, regular languages). However, this approach relies on memoryless state-based tools for supervisory control synthesis and may become inadequate if the transitions in the plant dynamics cannot be captured by finitely many states. From this perspective, the measure of regular languages needs to be extended to that of non-regular languages, such as Petri nets or other higher level languages in the Chomsky hierarchy [9]. The development of measures for non-regular languages is a topic of future research that has not apparently been reported in open literature. This chapter introduces two research topics in the field of language-measure-based supervisory control. One topic is complex measure of non-regular languages, dealing with linear context free grammars (LCFG). The proposed complex measure reduces to the signed real measure [16] [12] [15], as presented in Chapter 1, if the LCFG is degenerated to a regular grammar. The other topic is modification of the (regular) language measure for supervisory control under partial observation. This chapter shows how to generalize the analysis to situations where some of the events may not be observable at the supervisory level.
Pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics of macrolides

The macrolides are a class of antibiotics used to treat many different infections, and, in light of their excellent intracellular activity, they are especially important in the treatment of respiratory tract infections [1]. The pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of macrolides differ dramatically from other antimicrobial agents [2]. Pharmacokinetics deals with the action of the drug in the body over a period of time, encompassing issues of absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination. Pharmacodynamics of antimicrobials is the study of the concentration of drug to which the bacteria is exposed as a function of time indexed to serum measurements of the drug’s microbiological activity (minimum inhibitory concentration [MIC] or minimum bactericidal concentration [MBC]). The macrolide class began with erythromycin; however, its high side-effect profile, frequent dosing, and drug interactions make it a difficult drug to use clinically [1, 3, 4]. As a result, newer macrolides have been developed, and the newer macrolide/azalide drugs, azithromycin and clarithromycin, will be the focus of this chapter. Data on roxithromycin as well as the macrolides josamycin and spiramycin, which are more popular in Europe, also will be discussed.
A Survey of (∞, 1)-Categories

In this paper we give a summary of the comparisons between different definitions of so-called (∞, 1)-categories, which are considered to be models for ∞-categories whose n-morphisms are all invertible for n > 1. They are also, from the viewpoint of homotopy theory, models for the homotopy theory of homotopy theories. The four different structures, all of which are equivalent, are simplicial categories, Segal categories, complete Segal spaces, and quasi-categories.
Comparison of Dual-stator 6/4 FSPM Machine with Overlapping and Non-Overlapping Winding

Flux-switching permanent magnet (FSPM) machine is a type of stator permanent magnet machine with high torque density. In this paper, an overlapping winding (OW) design is employed on a dual-stator 6/4 FSPM machine. The overlapping design has a larger coil span and therefore, brings almost double flux-linkage and back EMF, which leads to higher torque density comparing to non-overlapping design. Advantages of overlapping design are discussed in the paper. Analytical derivation with slot vector is used to study the winding connection. Direct performance comparison with finite element analysis is made between the overlapping and non-overlapping structure. The results show that OW has higher efficiency and lower armature current density.
Using the EPIDEM Model of Quality Improvement to Increase Value of BCR-ABL1 Tests.

Objectives As pathologists and laboratorians, we can enhance patient care by promoting the appropriate ordering of diagnostic tests. Our goal was to improve the ordering of BCR-ABL1 tests by using the EPIDEM model of quality improvement. Methods We applied the EPIDEM model, which emphasizes understanding local context, culture, and resources, to explore inappropriate BCR-ABL1 ordering, promote and implement a new reflexive testing strategy in-house, document and evaluate effectiveness, and make stepwise modifications. Results Multiple quality improvement interventions correlated with cost savings and decreased total errors and incorrect orders for both BCR-ABL1 major and minor positive patients. Furthermore, our laboratory built stronger collaborative relationships with colleagues within and outside of pathology. Conclusions Our molecular pathology laboratory successfully used the EPIDEM model of quality improvement to improve the ordering of BCR-ABL1 tests and promote better patient care by focusing on educational efforts and modification of laboratory workflow.
Giant cell reparative granuloma of the nasal cavity in an elderly man: A case report and literature review

Abstract Giant cell reparative granuloma (GCRG) is an uncommon and benign reactive tumor which was first described in the 1950s. It is a reactive tumor that is believed to occur after trauma or inflammation. The lesion is considered central if there is involvement of bone or peripheral if affecting only the soft tissue, such as gingiva or mucosa. It is most commonly found in the bones of the maxilla and mandible, and rarely affects the nasal cavity. It is often seen in children and young adults in the second to third decade of life and it is more common in females. Histopathological classification of GCRG shows a large number of osteoclast-like, multinucleated giant cells within a background of mononuclear stromal cells and spindle-shaped fibroblasts associated with areas of hemorrhage. It is important to distinguish GCRG from giant cell tumors (GCT) since GCTs have a high rate of recurrence, can metastasize, and undergo malignant transformation. Non-surgical treatments of GCRG have been reported in the literature including the use of corticosteroid injections, calcitonin, interferon alpha, radiation therapy, intravenous bisphosphonates, thermal sterilization using laser or cryoprobe, and partial resection. However, surgical resection remains the mainstay of treatment of GCRG to ensure a low chance of recurrence. A case of a left-sided nasal mass that arose from the mucosa of the nasal cavity in an elderly gentleman was removed with surgical resection. Subsequent histopathology yielded the diagnosis of Giant Cell Reparative Granuloma.
Recent Results for Commercial Microprocessor Testing

Commercial microprocessors could be useful for space missions that do not require radiation-hardened microprocessors. For these missions, commercial microprocessors provide a lower power and less costly solution for data processing than a radiation-hardened microprocessor. Commercial microprocessors are more likely to have issues with single-event effects (SEEs) that could make it difficult to compute without faults. It is possible through part selection and radiation testing to eliminate commercial microprocessors with the most destructive radiation effects. This paper presents data on recent testing of several commercial microprocessors.
The Incidence, Risk Factors, and Chronobiology of Acute Myocardial Infarction Ten Years After Hurricane Katrina.

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to investigate the 10-year impact of Hurricane Katrina on the incidence of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) along with contributing risk factors and any alteration in chronobiology of AMI.MethodsA single-center, retrospective, comparison study of AMI incidence was performed at Tulane University Health Sciences Center from 2 years before Hurricane Katrina to 10 years after Hurricane Katrina. A 6-year, pre-Katrina and 10-year, post-Katrina cohort were also compared according to pre-specified demographic, clinical, and chronobiological data.ResultsAMI incidence increased from 0.7% (150/21,079) to 2.8% (2,341/84,751) post-Katrina (P<0.001). The post-Katrina cohort had higher rates of coronary artery disease (36.4% vs. 47.9%, P=0.01), diabetes mellitus (31.3% vs. 39.9%, P=0.04), hyperlipidemia (45.4% vs. 59.3%, P=0.005), smoking (34.4% vs. 53.8%, P<0.001), drug abuse (10.2% vs. 15.4%, P=0.02), psychiatric illness (6.7% vs. 14.9%, P<0.001), medication non-adherence (7.3% vs. 15.3%, P<0.001), and lack of employment (7.2% vs. 16.4%, P<0.001). The post-Katrina group had increased rates of AMI during nights (29.8% vs. 47.8%, P<0.001) and weekends (16.1% vs. 29.1%, P<0.001).ConclusionsEven 10 years after the storm, Hurricane Katrina continues to be associated with increased incidence of AMI, higher prevalence of traditional cardiovascular and psychosocial risk factors, and an altered chronobiology of AMI toward nights and weekends. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2019;13:217–222)
Modes of Detonation Wave Propagation in Water Vapor Concentration Gradients

This numerical study investigates different combustion modes when a Chapman-Jouguet detonation propagates into H 2 O-diluted unburnt mixture through a composition gradient layer. A time-accurate ...
Enhanced recovery after surgery: A clinical review of implementation across multiple surgical subspecialties

Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) is a multimodal protocol applied towards perioperative patient care. ERAS programs are implemented by a multidisciplinary team centered around the patient, incorporating outpatient clinical staff, preoperative nurses, anesthesiologists, operative nurses, postoperative recovery staff, floor inpatient nurses, dieticians, physical therapists, social workers, and surgeons. Initial studies on perioperative care measures focused on cardiac surgery. Subsequently, the development of the ERAS Study Group in 2001 focused on colorectal surgery and postoperative outcome measures. Today, ERAS protocols have been implemented across many surgical subspecialties including: bariatric, breast, plastic, cardiac, colorectal, esophageal, head and neck, hepatic, gynecologic, neurosurgical, orthopedic, pancreatic, thoracic, and urologic surgery. The goal of ERAS programs is to promote rapid recovery as quantified by decreasing the length of hospital stay, complications, and cost of specific surgical interventions. In the setting of the opioid crisis in America, there is also an increasing focus on minimizing perioperative narcotic use. The purpose of this review is to compare ERAS protocols across surgical subspecialties, focusing on quantified metrics of improvement, and to provide a clear and concise summary of the literature in regards to current ERAS practices and success rates.
Clinical outcome for gastrointestinal cancers with polymerase epsilon mutations treated with immunotherapy.

828Background: Predictive factors for immunotherapy benefit across gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are limited to those with deficient mismatch repair (dMMR). Mutations in DNA polymerase E (POLE) can...
A lucky bullet in the neck: Incidental carcinoma of unknown primary found during a gunshot wound repair

Abstract Background The incidental finding of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in cervical lymph nodes during neck exploration for non-oncologic surgery is not reported in the literature. This study presents the first-ever reported incidentally found SCC in the neck during a penetrating neck trauma repair. The approach, clinical implications, and treatment are discussed. Case presentation A 58-year-old otherwise healthy male was taken to an outside emergency department following a near-fatal gunshot wound to his neck with a large pharyngeal defect. During the neck exploration, several firm enlarged upper cervical lymph nodes were sent for frozen section pathology, which came back suspicious for SCC. A comprehensive neck dissection was completed and the remaining lymph nodes were excised. The patient underwent a pharyngoplasty and neck skin reconstruction with a bi-lobed anterolateral thigh (ALT) free flap. Final pathology identified the neck nodes to be positive for moderately differentiated human papillomavirus negative SCC. The patient underwent treatment for cancer of unknown primary with chemoradiation therapy. PET-CT imaging 1-year postoperatively was negative for persistent or recurrent disease. The patient was without signs of recurrence at his 18-month follow-up with a viable ALT flap at the site of reconstruction. Discussion Incidental cancer diagnosis during surgery following trauma is rare. These circumstances make a case for routine examination of lymph nodes during surgery.
Synergistic pharmacodynamic effects of gemcitabine and fibroblast growth factor receptor inhibitors on pancreatic cancer cell cycle kinetics and proliferation

Median survival of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cancer (PDAC) is 6 months, with 9% 5-year survival. Standard-of-care gemcitabine (Gem) provides only modest survival benefits, and combination therapies integrating novel targeted agents could improve outcomes. Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) receptors (FGFRs) play important roles in PDAC growth and invasion. Therefore, FGFR inhibitors (FGFRi) merit further investigation. Efficacy of Gem combined with NVP-BGJ398, a pan-FGFRi, was investigated in multiple PDAC cell lines exposed to the drugs alone and combined. Cell cycle distribution and cell numbers were quantified over time. Two pharmacodynamic models were developed to investigate Gem/BGJ398 interactions quantitatively: a drug-mediated cell proliferation/death model, and a drug-perturbed cell cycle progression model. The models captured temporal changes in cell numbers, cell cycle progression, and cell death during drug exposure. Simultaneous fitting of all data provided reasonable parameter estimates. Therapeutic efficacy was then evaluated in a PDAC mouse model. Compared with Gem alone, combined Gem + FGFRi significantly downregulated ribonucleotide-diphosphate reductase large subunit 1 (RRM1), a gemcitabine resistance (GemR) biomarker, suggesting the FGFRi inhibited GemR emergence. The cell proliferation/death pharmacodynamic model estimated the drug interaction coefficient ψdeath = 0.798, suggesting synergistic effects. The mechanism-based cell cycle progression model estimated drug interaction coefficient ψcycle = 0.647, also suggesting synergy. Thus, FGFR inhibition appears to synergize with Gem in PDAC cells and tumors by sensitizing cells to Gem-mediated inhibition of proliferation and cell cycle progression. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT An integrated approach of quantitative modeling and experimentation was employed to investigate the nature of fibroblast growth factor receptor inhibitor (FGFRi)/gemcitabine (Gem) interaction, and to identify mechanisms by which FGFRi exposure reverses Gem resistance in pancreatic cancer cells. The results show that FGFRi interacts synergistically with Gem to sensitize pancreatic cancer cells and tumors to Gem-mediated inhibition of proliferation and cell cycle progression. Thus, addition of FGFRi to standard-of-care Gem treatment could be a clinically deployable approach to enhance therapeutic benefit to pancreatic cancer patients.
Surrogate-based sequential Bayesian experimental design using non-stationary Gaussian Processes

Abstract Inferring arbitrary quantities of interest (QoI) using limited computational or, in realistic scenarios, financial budgets, is a challenging problem that requires sophisticated strategies for the optimal allocation of the available resources. Bayesian optimal experimental design identifies the optimal set of design locations for the purpose of solving a parameter inference problem and the optimality criterion is typically associated with maximizing the worth of information in the experimental measurements. Sequential design strategies further identify the optimal design in a sequential manner, starting from a initial budget and iteratively selecting new optimal points until either an accuracy threshold is reached, or a cost limit is exceeded. In this paper, we present a generic sequential Bayesian experimental design framework that relies on maximizing an information theoretic design criterion, namely the Expected Information Gain, in order to infer QoIs formed as nonlinear operators acting on black-box functions. Our framework relies on modeling the underlying response function using non-stationary Gaussian Processes, thus enabling efficient sampling from the QoI in order to provide Monte Carlo estimators for the design criterion. We demonstrate the performance of our method on an engineering problem of steel wire manufacturing and compare it with two classic approaches: uncertainty sampling and expected improvement.
Shigella flexneri Diguanylate Cyclases Regulate Virulence.

Shigella flexneri is an intracellular human pathogen that invades colonic cells and causes bloody diarrhea. S. flexneri evolved from commensal Escherichia coli, and genome comparisons reveal that S. flexneri has lost approximately 20% of its genes through the process of pathoadaptation, including a disproportionate number of genes associated with the turnover of the nucleotide-based second messenger cyclic di-guanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP); however, the remaining c-di-GMP turnover enzymes are highly conserved. C-di-GMP regulates many behavioral changes in other bacteria in response to changing environmental conditions, including biofilm formation, but this signaling system has not been examined in S. flexneri. In this study, we expressed VCA0956, a constitutively active c-di-GMP synthesizing diguanylate cyclase (DGC) from Vibrio cholerae, in S. flexneri to determine if virulence phenotypes were regulated by c-di-GMP. We found that expressing VCA0956 in S. flexneri increased c-di-GMP levels, and this corresponds with increased biofilm formation, and reduced acid resistance, host cell invasion, and plaque size. We examined the impact of VCA0956 expression on the S. flexneri transcriptome, and found that genes related to acid resistance were repressed, and this corresponded with decreased survival to acid shock. We also found that individual S. flexneri DGC mutants exhibit reduced biofilm formation, reduced host cell invasion and plaque size, as well as increased resistance to acid shock. This study highlights the importance of c-di-GMP signaling in regulating S. flexneri virulence phenotypes Importance The intracellular human pathogen Shigella causes dysentery, resulting in as many as one million deaths per year. Currently, there is no approved vaccine for the prevention of shigellosis, and the incidence of antimicrobial resistance amongst Shigella species is on the rise. Here, we explore how the widely conserved c-di-GMP bacterial signaling system alters Shigella behaviors associated with pathogenesis. We find that expressing or removing enzymes associated with c-di-GMP synthesis results in changes in Shigella's ability to form biofilms, invade host cells, form lesions in host cell monolayers, and resist acid stress.
A History of Mass Communication: Six Information Revolutions

Acknowledgments What Are Information Revolutions? Political Tools and Weapons Writing: The Invention of Writing, Skin and Bones and Papyrus, The Alphabet, The Greeks, Carrying the Message Printing: Turbulent Europe, Gift From China, Books and Universities, Mail in the Middle Ages, Here a New, There a New, Printing and Literacy, Did Gutenberg Know About China? Mass Media: The Turmoil of a New Age, Printing For Everyone, Paper For Everyone, Information Pump, The Muckrakers, Women Can Type, 'If Anyone Desires' , Solving Postal Problems, Photography, Current News, Voices on a Wire, Signals in the Air, Movies Are Born Entertainment: Public Recreation, Entertaining Newspapers, Magazines for the Fragmented Public, The Novel, Entertainment on a Plate, Portable Recording, Broadcasting, Improving Pictures, Movies Tell Stories The Toolshed Home: The Communication Toolshed, Home Mail Delivery, New Uses for Phones, 'Free' Entertainment, Pictures in the Parlor, Tragedy in the Parlor, Wiring the Toolshed, Videotape, the New Book, Setting New Records, We Still Have Books The Highway: Heavy Traffic, Computer at the Wheel, Magazines Target Their Readers, Multimedia CD-ROM, A Newer Book, Cable Narrowcasting, Footprints on the Globe, Electronic Commuting, The Internet, Mailbox in the Computer, Faxing, Going Up the Highway Summing Up Bibliography Communication Timeline Index.
Analysis of viscous dissipation effect on thermal entrance heat transfer in laminar pipe flows with convective boundary conditions

Consideration is given to the influence of viscous dissipation on the thermal entrance region laminar pipe flow heat transfer with convective boundary condition. The Eigenfunction series expansion technique is employed to solve the governing energy equation. The results for axial distributions of dimensionless bulk and wall temperatures, local Nusselt number as well as modified local Nusselt number are presented graphically forNu 0 =0.1, 2, and 100. The complicated variations of conventional local Nusselt number is due to the inappropriate definition of conventional heat transfer coefficient in this problem. A modified local heat transfer coefficient, based on the difference of bulk fluid temperature and wall temperature, is introduced. Its value can clearly indicate the extent and the direction of heat exchange between the fluid in the pipe and the ambient. The effects of outside Nusselt number are also investigated. Significant viscous dissipation effects have been observed for large Br.
Expanded Merchant Tort Liability, Democratic Degradation, and Mass Market Standard Form Contracts — A Critique of Boilerplate: The Fine Print, Vanishing Rights and the Rule of Law, Part Two

With her 2013 book, Boilerplate: The Fine Print, Vanishing Rights and the Rule of Law, Professor Margaret Jane Radin weighs in on the discussion regarding boilerplate contracts. In a complement to existing contract remedies against abusive boilerplate, she proposes a new tort that she calls “intentional deprivation of basic legal rights.” She also identifies another new tort theory that deems abusive boilerplate to be a defective “product” under the law of products liability. Radin further contends that these merchant practices with their wide scale forfeiture of citizen rights threaten the democratic order previously maintained by the state’s legal rights regime. Radin terms this latter phenomenon “democratic degradation.” Radin’s tort reforms for alleviating this perceived degradation are the focus of this Article.Although her book has achieved great renown, receiving high praise from prominent commentators, with plaudits such as “groundbreaking,” “a great achievement,” and a “masterpiece,” I respectfully suggest that her reforms have problems on doctrinal and normative grounds. In my Article, I summarize the author’s argument, identify my concerns, and propose an alternative formulation. My counter thesis is that expanded merchant tort liability is unnecessary and counterproductive. Case law and statutory law already provide courts with effective remedial tools; furthermore, these doctrines take a pro-consumer perspective in key areas of mass market standard form contracting.Please be advised that the article is not in its final form and that quotations taken from it may not be identical to the work ultimately appearing in the Cleveland State Law Review, Vol. 62, Number 3 (2014).
The bile/arsenite/riboflavin transporter (BART) superfamily

Secondary transmembrane transport carriers fall into families and superfamilies allowing prediction of structure and function. Here we describe hundreds of sequenced homologues that belong to six families within a novel superfamily, the bile/arsenite/riboflavin transporter (BART) superfamily, of transport systems and putative signalling proteins. Functional data for members of three of these families are available, and they transport bile salts and other organic anions, the bile acid:Na(+) symporter (BASS) family, inorganic anions such as arsenite and antimonite, the arsenical resistance-3 (Acr3) family, and the riboflavin transporter (RFT) family. The first two of these families, as well as one more family with no functionally characterized members, exhibit a probable 10 transmembrane spanner (TMS) topology that arose from a tandemly duplicated 5 TMS unit. Members of the RFT family have a 5 TMS topology, and are homologous to each of the repeat units in the 10 TMS proteins. The other two families [sensor histidine kinase (SHK) and kinase/phosphatase/synthetase/hydrolase (KPSH)] have a single 5 TMS unit preceded by an N-terminal TMS and followed by a hydrophilic sensor histidine kinase domain (the SHK family) or catalytic domains resembling sensor kinase, phosphatase, cyclic di-GMP synthetase and cyclic di-GMP hydrolase catalytic domains, as well as various noncatalytic domains (the KPSH family). Because functional data are not available for members of the SHK and KPSH families, it is not known if the transporter domains retain transport activity or have evolved exclusive functions in molecular reception and signal transmission. This report presents characteristics of a unique protein superfamily and provides guides for future studies concerning structural, functional and mechanistic properties of its constituent members.
Becoming-Other: Foucault, Deleuze, and the Political Nature of Thought

In this paper I employ the notion of the ‘thought of the outside’ as developed by Michel Foucault, in order to defend the philosophy of Gilles Deleuze against the criticisms of ‘elitism,’ ‘aristocratism,’ and ‘political indifference’—famously leveled by Alain Badiou and Peter Hallward. First, I argue that their charges of a theophanic conception of Being, which ground the broader political claims, derive from a misunderstanding of Deleuze’s notion of univocity, as well as a failure to recognize the significance of the concept of multiplicity in Deleuze’s thinking. From here, I go on to discuss Deleuze’s articulation of the ‘dogmatic image of thought,’ which, insofar as it takes ‘recognition’ as its model, can only ever think what is already solidified and sedimented as true, in light of existing structures and institutions of power. Then, I examine Deleuze’s reading of Foucault and the notion of the ‘thought of the outside,’ showing the ‘outside’ as the unthought that lies at the heart of thinking itself, as both its condition and its impossibility. Insofar as it is essential to thinking itself, finally, I argue that the passage of thought to the outside is not an absolute flight out of this world , as Hallward claims, but rather, a return of the different that constitutes the Self for Deleuze. Thinking is an ongoing movement of deterritorialization and reterritorialization, or as Foucault says, death and life. Thinking, as Deleuze understands it, is essentially creative; it reconfigures the virtual, thereby literally changing the world. Thinking is therefore, according to Deleuze, thoroughly political.
Schooling as cultural process: working together and guidance by children from schools differing in collaborative practices.

Publisher Summary This chapter examines the role of the ubiquitous cultural institution of formal schooling in children's forms of collaboration and assistance with each other. This institution, in which U.S. children spend years of their childhood, fosters particular approaches to working together and guidance, in accord with the everyday structures of interaction in the classroom. To examine this idea, the chapter observes the interactions of pairs of children from two public U.S. elementary schools, one with philosophy and daily practices emphasizing collaboration throughout the school day and one with a more traditional format involving only occasional opportunities for children to collaborate. It observes how third and fourth-grade dyads coordinated their work on several problems and how the fourth-grade partners provided guidance to the third-graders.
Factors Influencing Segmental Lumbar Lordosis After Lateral Transpsoas Interbody Fusion

Objective Although contributions to sagittal alignment have been characterized for anterior, posterior and transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion, sagittal alignment after lateral transpsoas interbody fusion (LTIF) has not yet been characterized. This study examined the ability of LTIF to restore lumbar lordosis and identified factors associated with change in sagittal alignment. Methods Twenty-nine patients and 67 levels were studied. Segmental lordosis, anterior-posterior cage position, and cage obliquity were measured on preoperative and postoperative radiographs and CT scans. Change in sagittal alignment was analyzed with respect to demographic information and measures of cage position and obliquity to identify factors associated with segmental alignment change. Results Mean lordosis increased 3.7° at instrumented segments, increasing from 4.1° preoperatively to 7.8° postoperatively. Although increases at each level were significant, there were no significant differences between levels. Lordosis increase was inversely-associated with preoperative lordosis; levels with the least preoperative lordosis gained the most lordosis. Cage obliquity and height were not significantly associated with lordosis change. Anterior cage placement resulted in the largest lordosis gain (+7.4°/level) while posterior placement was prokyphotic (−1.2°/level). There were no significant associations with age, sex or body mass index. Conclusion Anteroposterior cage placement is an important intraoperative determinant of postoperative alignment; anterior placement results in greater lordosis while middle/posterior placement has a minimal effect on sagittal alignment.
Visions of globalization : inequality and political stability

Beginning with a literature review of globalization, economic inequality, and political stability, a series of quantitative models are presented to identify interweaving relationships. Using the knowledge gained from these models, combined with events extracted from science fiction, several scenarios of the United States are constructed. These scenarios are useful to anticipate future consequences of emerging issues, and to influence the policy making process by providing a structured environment to examine assumptions regarding the future.
Non-Traditional Community Resources: Alternatives for School Referrals.

* Coffee Houses. These are generally "outreach centers" for the identification, counseling and referral of troubled youths. These programs are generally located in both urban and suburban communities especially in those areas where local and transient youths congregate. Rap sessions (a cross fertilization from group therapy and group dynamics) are a popular vehicle for gaining the confidence of youth. Young people find it easier to take advantage of their anonymity, to give vent to their frustration, fear and anger. These rap sessions offer a beginning opportunity for individuals to explore parts of themselves that they were not aware of and to begin developing problem-solving skills. Coffee houses are organized by local churches, grass roots organizations, YMCA's or interested citizens.
Stressors experienced by immigrant and other non-native English-speaking students in U.S. schools and their families

AbstractThis literature-based study of stressors experienced by recent immigrant families focuses on their impact on school-aged children. The author, a trainer of teachers of English as a second language and an education researcher specializing in issues affecting students with non-mainstream language backgrounds, identifies stressors resulting from (a) separation of families, (b) changes in familial roles, (c) social and legislative pressure that targets immigrant families, and (d) school bullying and harassment. Many immigrant students experience stressors in all four categories in addition to the stress of learning a new language and adapting to a new culture. To help mitigate the negative impact – which can include difficulty focusing on academics, developmental delays, or problem behavior – the author recommends that schools and communities embrace difference and support the struggles of immigrant students and their families and that schools, in particular, develop cultures and provide resources to ...
Survival Analysis for Interval Data

This article develops Bayesian methods for the analysis of a particular kind of interval and right censored data when no parametric structure for the distribution of the data is assumed. It is often not feasible or practical to continuously observe a group of individuals under study. For example, suppose the response variable is the time under experimental conditions until infection with a particular disease, and that the goal is to (i) obtain the predictive survival curve (PSC), (ii) predict a future observation, or (iii) estimate the mean or median survival time. If the number of individuals is large and/or if the method of detection is expensive, it would be sensible to check for the disease at times which have been spaced out; and furthermore, it may be sensible to not check all individuals at all times. In this paper we consider sampling situations where come individuals may be checked for a response more frequently than others.
Investigation into a new method for monitoring snow temperature on cross-country ski tracks

Accurate predictions of snow surface temperature on cross-country race courses are crucial for optimal race ski preparation. This study investigates an easy and inexpensive method to monitor snow temperature at strategic locations on a racing track (e.g., southerly aspects, shaded areas and the stadium). Small self-contained temperature sensor dataloggers collect the average subsurface temperature between 1 and 2 cm, often where a skating ski rides. Temperature, temperature changes and trends are monitored the day, or days, prior to competition and examined to aid in ski preparation for upcoming events. Solar absorption of the sensors was the primary challenge and techniques to mitigate this issue were tested and are discussed. Results from a field study are presented, which give insight into the benefits and limitations for the usefulness of iButton temperature data for ski teams.
A role-type model (rope) and its application in assessing climate change impacts on forest landscapes

Gap-phase replacement is a general phenomenon found in forest ecosystems, worldwide. Different tree species can be expected to produce different sizes of gaps when they die. Species also vary in their regeneration success in gaps of different sizes. In this paper, the gap-phase interactions among tree species in a forest stand are simulated by a role-type stand model called ROPE. By incorporation of environmental effects on tree height, ROPE can simulate forest composition and stand leaf area under different climate conditions. The model was developed for forest ecosystems in northeastern China and was used to simulate the forest landscape structures under current climate conditions and under four climate change scenarios for greenhouse gas related warming. These scenarios were obtained from general circulation models developed by different atmospheric research centers. Korean pinebroadleaf mixed forest and larch forest are the major stand types in the study area under present conditions. Under the four climate change scenarios, Korean pine-broadleaf mixed forest would be expected to occur only on the higher parts of large mountains. Larch forest only would be found north of the study area. Broadleaf forest would become the dominant vegetation over the study area. Use of the Kappa statistic to test for similarity in spatial maps, indicates that each climate change scenario would result in a significant change of forest distributions.
Collagen tube containers: An effective means of controlling participate hydroxyapatite implants

HA has been used successfully as a hard tissue graft in alveolar ridge augmentation; however, its particulate nature limits its application to select cases. A study in rats was done to examine the feasibility of a combined system of HA encased in collagen film as a hard tissue graft. Gross, radiographic, and histologic examination showed that collagen film helped to shape and contain the HA particulate during healing for as long as 4 weeks. The collagen did not interfere with the normal tissue response around the HA particulate.
Ultrastructure of the eggshell of two species of anoline lizards

The role of the eggshell of two species of lizard (Anolis limifrons and A. sagrei, lguanidae, Squamata) in water transport is discussed. Levels of soil moisture in habitats of A. limifrons in Panama vary seasonally in two locales; the lowest values are attained during the dry season months of February–April. The transfer of water from the soil to the egg must be mediated by the biologically passive eggshell. The eggshells of these two species consist of five concentrically arranged zones of fibrils peripheral to the shell and egg membranes. The fibrils are covered by a granular layer containing CaCO3. This layer bounds irregular channels passing from the exterior to the interior of the eggshell. It is proposed that water moves from the soil through the eggshell by capillary.
Surgical technique: a minimally invasive approach to scapula neck and body fractures.

Background The approach of choice for open reduction internal fixation of displaced fractures involving the scapula neck or body is from posterior. We describe a new approach that minimizes the surgical insult to the soft tissues but preserves the ability to restore alignment and stability to the fracture.
A PROBLEM IN CALCULATING GROUP SCORES ON NORM-REFERENCED TESTS

Norm-referenced standardized achievement tests are designed, and commonly used, for obtaining group scores. Various methods are used to calculate and express group scores in terms of common derived scores, such as percentile ranks. Publishers' scaled scores are ordinarily used in these procedures, with the result that the group scores can possess anomalous characteristics. The group scores can vary widely, depending on not only the measure of central tendency but also the type of derived score employed. A reason for this situation is hypothesized to be the use of inappropriate statistical procedures to develop publishers' scaled scores. Practitioners need to be aware of this problem and to document their procedures when calculating and reporting group scores. Test publishers are urged to avoid the use of scaling procedures that are seen as responsible for this problem. Frequently a measurement of group performance on a test (e.g., group mean or median score) is interpreted with reference to norms based on measurements of individuals. Although this practice is proscribed by purists, it seems acceptable as long as those who follow the practice report clearly what they are doing. A supporting rationale is that this practice reveals the standing of the typical member of the tested group in the distribution of scores for the norming sample. The problem addressed in this paper was identified during an analysis of results on the Metropolitan Achievement Tests for the Rochester City School District. The districtwide mathematics percentile score corresponding to the mean scaled score for students in the ninth grade was 60, yet the sum of the item p values (mean raw score) for these students was lower than the sum of the p values for the national norming sample. (Throughout this paper the term "percentile" is used in its commonly accepted sense of "percentile rank.") The problem was to resolve this apparent contradiction. A hypothesis was advanced that the publisher's scaled scores were causing these contradictory results. Since these scaled scores are used as links to all other derived scores for many tests, it was further hypothesized that the aggregation of different types of derived scores might result in different group scores, even when converted to a common metric, for example, percentiles. These hypotheses guided the investigation reported here. The results presented in this paper show that different methods of calculating group scores often produce different results. "Different methods" here refers both to type of
Appearance of a Rapidly Expanding Facial Eschar in a Severely Injured Trauma Patient

A 21-YEAR-OLD WOMAN PRESENTS TO THE TRAUMA RESUSCITATION UNIT VIA helicopter transport following a motor vehicle crash. She was an unrestrained driver involved in a front-end collision and had a prolonged extrication from the vehicle. At the scene, she was unresponsive and underwent emergency intubation. She sustained multiple severe traumatic injuries including a ruptured spleen requiring abdominal exploration and splenectomy, atlantooccipital dislocation requiring halo placement, bilateral pelvic fractures requiring pelvic binder, and left lower extremity crush injury with multiple open fractures ultimately requiring a left hemipelvectomy. She underwent 38 operative interventions in a 3-week period. The plastic surgery department is consulted 14 days after the initial crash to evaluate a 4 4-cm left cheek wound measuring 2.5 cm deep with exposed zygomaticus major muscle (FIGURE 1A). In the ensuing 48 hours, the wound rapidly progresses and develops a necrotic eschar (Figure 1B). What Would You Do Next?
Pilobolus and lungworm disease affecting elk in Yellowstone National Park

Dictyocaulus viviparus and Pilobolus coexist in individual elk of the Yellowstone National Park's northern herd. It is suggested that Pilobolus transfers infective larvae to forage grasses, so spreading the lungworm disease.
Cell division in leaves of Nicotiana.

Young leaves ofNicotiana tabacum were fixed in glutaraldehyde-formaldehyde followed by osmium tetroxide. The fine structure of dividing cells was studied. Before prophase a band of microtubules was observed between the nucleus and the cell wall at a position judged as the future plane of division. The microtubules in the band are 4–6 units deep and relatively closely packed, giving sections of the band a characteristic appearance. Micro-tubules of the mitotic spindle, the phragmoplast, and the preprophase band are morphologically similar. Some of the microtubules of the mitotic spindle and the phragmoplast have an undulate appearance. It is suggested that the undulate microtubules may have been fixed at a time when microwaves were traveling along them. The cell plate is formed by a fusion of small smooth surfaced vesicles and small coated vesicles. Fusion of small vesicles results first in larger vesicles and then in a meshwork of new cell-wall material surrounded by new regions of plasma membrane. Most of the vesicles are derived from dictyosomes and may be produced before and during prophase as well as during later stages of division. The ER may also contribute some vesicles to the cell plate.
Effects of wingtip-mounted propellers on wing lift and induced drag.

It is proposed that aircraft can be designed using propellers at the wingtips in such a way that the L/D ratio can be varied by changing the effective aspect ratio in flight. An experimental program testing a wing with propellers mounted at the wingtips is reported. It is shown that the use of a propeller at the wingtip, turning in the direction opposite to that of the wing vortex, shifts the trailing vortex core outboard, decreases the wing drag coefficient, increases the maximum lift coefficient and increases the effective aspect ratio. Rotating the propeller in the opposite direction has the reverse effect. A functional relationship is shown to exist between ACD/CD and Tcd/CLS-
Attenuation of x-ray-induced taste aversions by olfactory-bulb or amygdaloid lesions.

Abstract These experiments used Sprague-Dawley derived rats to study the effects of either olfactory-bulb or amygdaloid lesions on x-ray-induced taste aversions. Sham-operated and normal subjects exposed to 60 roentgens of x-radiation following saccharin ingestion developed marked saccharin aversions while sham-irradiated controls maintained strong saccharin preferences. Olfactory-bulb lesions supported reports that bulbectomies can partially disrupt the acquisition of x-ray-induced saccharin aversions. Suggestive evidence of similar aversion disruption was also observed following amygdaloid lesions. A second experiment which produced stronger aversions showed that amygdaloid lesions can impair the acquisition of x-ray-induced saccharin aversions. This experiment also confirmed that bulbectomized subjects do develop significant aversions under appropriate conditioning parameters. Olfactory-bulb lesions approximated total bulbectomies while amygdaloid lesions were centered in the corticomedial amygdala with some damage to basolateral nuclei. Bulbectomy results are discussed in relation to nonsensory contributions of the olfactory bulbs. Amygdaloid lesions are related to possible contributions of different amygdaloid regions.
Presenilin 2 interacts with sorcin, a modulator of the ryanodine receptor.

Perturbed Ca2+ homeostasis is a common molecular consequence of familial Alzheimer's disease-linked presenilin mutations. We report here the molecular interaction of the large hydrophilic loop region of presenilin 2 (PS2) with sorcin, a penta-EF-hand Ca2+-binding protein that serves as a modulator of the ryanodine receptor intracellular Ca2+channel. The association of endogenous sorcin and PS2 was demonstrated in cultured cells and human brain tissues. Membrane-associated sorcin and a subset of the functional PS2 complexes were co-localized to a novel subcellular fraction that is distinctively positive for calcineurin B. Sorcin was found to interact with PS2 endoproteolytic fragments but not full-length PS2, and the sorcin/PS2 interaction was greatly enhanced by treatment with the Ca2+ ionophore A23187. Our findings reveal a molecular link between PS2 and intracellular Ca2+ channels (i.e. ryanodine receptor) and substantiate normal and/or pathological roles of PS2 in intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis.
Effects of Minute Amounts of Lead in the Diet of the Dog

SummaryIn confirmation of Klieneberger's observation, the L-organism was cultivated from rats. It was also cultivated from a human suppurating lesion. The strains were morphologically and culturally similar to those of Klieneberger, and maintained their character during 2 to 5 months'observation. The L-organism exerts a definite pathogenic action on mice.
The impact of visual distraction on episodic retrieval in older adults

Abstract Impairment in long-term memory is one of the most salient alterations in cognitive aging. Findings of age-related deficits in source monitoring and recollection have revealed a selective decline in memory for detailed information. The underlying mechanism of this phenomenon is not well understood. We hypothesized that the influence of task-irrelevant visual stimuli present in our environment interferes with retrieval of detailed memories more for older than younger adults. We compared memory performance on a recall test for visual details when older adult participants' eyes were closed versus performance when their eyes were open and irrelevant visual stimuli were presented. The results showed that the presence of irrelevant visual information diminished long-term memory performance based on an objective measure of recollection for visual details. Comparison of the current results to findings from our earlier study using the same experimental paradigm with younger adults revealed that visual distraction disrupted recollection of relevant details to a greater degree in older than younger adults. This result suggests that visual distraction overwhelms older adults’ declining cognitive control resources that are instrumental in the retrieval and selection of mnemonic details. More generally, these findings explicate a mechanistic basis for selective impairment of recollection in normal aging.