cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Emerging Technologies for Degenerative Disk Disease: Potential Synergy Between Biochemical Signaling and Spinal Biomechanics

Interventional spinal procedures are performed with increasing frequency, and they remain an important tool for physiatrists treating patients with spine pain. As the potential treatment options expand with novel technologies on the horizon, such as gene- and cell-based therapies, the physiatrist will be uniquely poised to deliver such treatments in conjunction with exercise-based therapies. Therefore, the development of novel technologies requires particular attention to the potential synergy between biochemical signaling and spinal biomechanics. It is hoped that such insight will result in improved treatment options for patients with pain related to degenerative disk disease, leading to improved nonoperative outcomes. This article reviews the current knowledge of precipitants of disk degeneration, the effects of beneficial and traumatic levels of disk loading, and how each of these can be impacted by novel treatment options.
TCW: transcriptome computational workbench.

Background The analysis of transcriptome data involves many steps and various programs, along with organization of large amounts of data and results. Without a methodical approach for storage, analysis and query, the resulting ad hoc analysis can lead to human error, loss of data and results, inefficient use of time, and lack of verifiability, repeatability, and extensibility.
A large-scale coherent signal of canopy status in maximum latewood density of tree rings at arctic treeline in North America

Abstract We compared tree-ring width (TRW) and maximum latewood density (MXD) chronologies to remotely sensed indices of productivity (NDVI) and snowmelt since 1981 and to the instrumental temperature record at four arctic treeline sites in North America. Our results show that at these sites, TRW chronologies reflect temperatures less consistently than the MXD chronologies do and that the NDVI does not correlate significantly with TRW at high-frequency, i.e. when comparing yearly values. In contrast, the MXD chronologies correlate positively and significantly with NDVI and temperature during the growing season at all sites. Neither TRW or MXD chronologies appeared consistently influenced by the annual timing of snowmelt. A comparison of tree-ring chronologies and temperatures since 1900 confirms that MXD has tracked growing season temperature at these treeline sites throughout the past century. A spatial evaluation of the correlations further reveals that each of the MXD chronologies investigated here reflects interannual variation in NDVI and growing season temperatures across a large geographic region. As a result, they collectively provide a spatially comprehensive record of historic early-season canopy status as well as growing season temperatures for the high latitudes of North America.
A Strategy to Improve Quality of Outpatient Education for Residents and Medical Students on a Vascular Surgery Service

In the current era of same-day admissions and decreased length of hospitalization for major vascular operations, education of residents and medical students in the outpatient setting has become an increasingly challenging problem. We developed a strategy to provide improved outpatient experience for advanced vascular surgery residents (VSRs), general surgery residents (GSRs), and medical students (MSs) on a vascular surgery service. A survey of program directors and VSRs at accredited vascular surgery fellowships in the United States and Canada was undertaken to determine the manner in which outpatient education was accomplished and the amount of time devoted to pre-and postoperative patient evaluation. The survey revealed that VSRs, GSRs, and MSs spent 1 or more days in clinic at approximately half of accredited vascular surgery programs. There were no appreciable differences in time spent in clinic for different levels of trainees. VSRs preoperatively evaluated at least half of their patients at approximately two-thirds of the programs, while at the other third of the programs they preoperatively evaluated one-quarter or less of their patients before surgery. GSRs preoperatively evaluated at least half of their patients at 50% of programs, according to program directors, and at 69% of programs, according to VSRs. Because of recent changes in health care delivery and the effect of these changes on resident training, outpatient education of VSRs, GSRs, and MSs will require increased attention on the part of vascular surgeons involved with their education. Increasing time demands and decreasing reimbursements for vascular surgeons as a result of managed health care may make this goal increasingly difficult to accomplish. Improved strategies and extra efforts are necessary to ensure that trainees obtain sufficient experience to evaluate vascular patients pre- and postoperatively and maintain high quality of care for vascular surgery patients.
A comparative experimental study of stresses in femoral total hip replacement components: The effects of prostheses orientation and acrylic fixation

Abstract The factors responsible for clinical stem failures of total hip joint prostheses were studied by instrumenting the Charnley, Mueller and Trapezoidal-28 prostheses with strain gauges and subjecting them to various conditions of load and acrylic fixation. Loading tests of stems which were supported as simple cantilever beams demonstrated that the Mueller prosthesis was comparatively weak in regions of observed clinical stem fractures. Simulated femoral loading tests of prostheses securely fixed in acrylic bone cement showed low stress levels in the stems and necks. Varus placement of the stems caused a marked increased stress in the stem; this condition should be avoided at surgery. Our tests showed that a prosthesis which is loose in the acrylic also raises stress levels in the distal stem. As acrylic is setting, movement of the prosthesis must be avoided. Lack of adequate proximal medial support for the stem, due to poor quality bone stock or acrylic fracture, will create dangerously high stress levels in the stem: this emphasizes the importance of good cement filling technique and proper patient selection. Three clinical stem failures have been analyzed using the results of these tests. We have concluded that inadequate stem design and varus placement were contributing factors in the fatigue fracture of a cast cobalt-chromium-molybdenum Mueller stem. Contributing factors of the failure of two cast 316 LVM stainless steel Bechtol stems were low strength metal and technical error in cementing one of them which was apparently loose in the acrylic at the time of surgery.
A Hydrogen-Substituted Osmium Stannylene Complex: Isomerization to a Metallostannylene Complex via an Unusual α-Hydrogen Migration from Tin to Osmium

An osmium complex bearing a terminal hydrogen-substituted stannylene ligand, Cp*(iPr3P)(H)Os═SnH(trip) (1) (trip = 2,4,6-triisopropylphenyl), has been prepared by stannylene extrusion, and the comp...
Upregulation of calretinin immunostaining in the ferret inferior colliculus after cochlear ablation.

In many systems, including ascending auditory pathways, calcium-binding proteins are markers of specific neuronal circuits. Previous studies suggest that calretinin immunostaining may be a specific marker for circuits in the inferior colliculus (IC) that code timing information. We undertook experiments to determine the changes in calretinin immunostaining in the IC that take place in response to cochlear ablation. Cochlear ablation was performed unilaterally in ferrets just after hearing onset. Animals survived for 2–3 months after ablation and brains were then processed for calretinin immunocytochemistry. The mean optical density and stained area of the calretinin immunopositive plexus in the IC were determined for five coronal sections through the right and left IC. In controls (n = 3), measurements of these parameters in the central nucleus of the IC showed symmetry between the two sides. In experimental animals (n = 8) the calretinin immunopositive plexus contralateral to the cochlear ablation was denser and larger than that in either the ipsilateral IC or in the IC of control animals. The calretinin plexus in the ipsilateral IC was slightly less dense and smaller than in controls but the differences did not reach statistical significance. IC volume measurements and synaptophysin immunostaining analysis in the central nucleus of the IC revealed no statistical differences between ablated and control animals or between the two sides in ablated animals. The significant increase in both mean optical density and immunostained area of the calretinin plexus in the IC contralateral to the cochlear ablation may reflect an upregulation in calretinin expression in the nuclei that contribute to this plexus. J. Comp. Neurol. 460:585–596, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Quantification of Low Pressure Impactor Wall Deposits during Zinc Nanoparticle Sampling

A Dekati low pressure impactor (DLPI) is used to determine the mass distribution of airbome particles from 7 nm to 10 urn as a function of aerodynamic diameter. Quantification of wall deposits inside this sampling device was performed for the first time using poly disperse zinc aerosol produced by a thermal spraying process. This aerosol is more representative of the size distribution found in occupational atmospheres than aerosols usually produced in laboratories. Each experiment (3 replicates) was carried out for two durations. The results showed that wall deposits were quite considerable and in relation with aerosol modes. 13% and 14% of the total mass was found on the wall after sampling periods of 5 and 20 minutes, respectively. Relative losses could reach 50% for certain impaction stages and these losses were also quite different between replicates.
Changes in Blood Velocity Following Microvascular Free Tissue Transfer

Understanding how pedicle blood velocities change after free tissue transfer may enable microvascular surgeons to predict when thrombosis is most likely to occur. A 20-MHz Doppler probe was used to measure arterial and venous blood velocities prior to pedicle division and 20 minutes after anastomosis in 32 microvascular free flaps. An implantable Doppler probe was then used to measure arterial and venous blood velocities daily for 5 days. Peak arterial blood velocity averaged 30.6 cm/s prior to pedicle division and increased to 36.5 cm/s 20 minutes after anastomosis ( P < 0.05). Peak venous blood velocity averaged 7.6 cm/s prior to pedicle division and increased to 12.4 cm/s 20 minutes after anastomosis ( P < 0.05). Peak arterial blood velocities averaged 34.0, 37.7, 43.8, 37.9, 37.6 cm/s on postoperative days (PODs) 1 through 5, respectively. Peak venous blood velocities averaged 11.9, 14.5, 18.2, 16.8, 17.7 cm/s on PODs 1 through 5, respectively. The peak arterial blood velocity on POD 3, and peak venous blood velocities on PODs 2, 3, and 5 were significantly higher than 20 minutes after anastomosis ( P < 0.05). Arterial and venous blood velocities increase for the first 3 postoperative days, potentially contributing to the declining risk for pedicle thrombosis during this time period.
Integrating Neurobiological, Psychosocial, and Behavioral Paradigms" A Transactional Model for the Study of ADHD

This article reviews neurobiological, psychological, behavioral, and social interactional paradigms for the study of attention deficit hyperactivity disorders (ADHD). An integrated model for the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of ADHD will be explored. Because the controversy among these approaches remains vigorous today, a review of the literature provides a context for why these theories should be integrated. Whereas it will be argued that each paradigm offers unique information that adds significantly to advancing a science of childhood disorders, an integrated model provides a vehicle necessary for the study and understanding of ADHD.
Is wit to humor what rhetoric is to poetic

The differences between wit and humor are shown to be similar to those between rhetoric and poetic. Implications for future research based upon these differences are discussed.
Perioperative- and long-term mortality rates after major vascular surgery: the relationship to preoperative testing in the medicare population.

UNLABELLED Debate continues regarding the value of cardiovascular testing and coronary revascularization before major vascular surgery. Whereas recent guidelines have advocated selective preoperative testing, several authors have suggested that it is no longer necessary in an era of low perioperative cardiac morbidity and mortality. We used data from a random sample of Medicare beneficiaries to determine the mortality rate after vascular surgery, based on the use of preoperative cardiac testing. A 5% nationally random sample of the aged Medicare population for the final 6 mo of 1991 and first 11 mo of 1992 was used to identify a cohort of patients who underwent elective infrainguinal or abdominal aortic reconstructive surgery. Use within the first 6 mo of 1991 was reviewed to determine if preoperative noninvasive cardiovascular imaging or coronary revascularization was performed. Thirty-day (perioperative) and 1-yr mortalities were assessed. Perioperative mortality was significantly increased for aortic surgery (209 of 2865 or 7.3%), compared with infrainguinal surgery (232 of 4030 or 5.8%); however, 1-yr mortality was significantly increased for infrainguinal surgery (16.3% vs 11.3%, P < 0.05). Stress testing, with or without coronary revascularization, was associated with improved short-and long-term survival in aortic surgery. The use of stress testing with coronary revascularization was not associated with reduced perioperative mortality after infrainguinal surgery. Stress testing alone was associated with reduced long-term mortality in patients undergoing infrainguinal revascularization. IMPLICATIONS Analysis of the Medicare Claims database suggests that vascular surgery is associated with substantial perioperative and long-term mortality. The reduced long-term mortality in patients who had previously undergone preoperative testing and coronary revascularization reinforces the need for a prospective evaluation of these practices.
Segmental contributions to total body momentum in sit-to-stand

In a previous investigation, we reported that the maximum linear momentum of the body center of mass (CM) during a sit-to-stand task showed a relative invariance in the horizontal vs the vertical direction of motion as the speed of ascent increased from natural to fast. The present study investigated the segmental origin of this directionally specific difference by examining the linear momentum of the shank, thigh, and head-arm-trunk segments for ten healthy young adults at slow, natural, and fast self-selected speeds. Findings indicated that the head-arm-trunk was the major contributor to the horizontal maximum linear momentum of the CM and accounted for the relative invariance in its magnitude. In contrast, the thigh was the major contributor to the vertical maximum linear momentum of the CM and was responsible for the progressive increase in its magnitude across the range of speeds. Moreover, the compatibility between the motions of the head-arm-trunk and of the shank in their general profile and peak magnitudes further suggested that a simplifying strategy may have been employed to reduce the overall number of degrees of freedom associated with the sit-to-stand movement.
Clinical and immunologic outcomes following haplocompatible donor lymphocyte infusions.

We retrospectively analyzed the characteristics of 16 consecutive pediatric patients who received one or more G-CSF-mobilized donor lymphocyte infusions (DLI) following a T-cell-depleted haplocompatible hematopoietic SCT (HSCT) to enhance immune recovery and/or treat an infection. The median time from HSCT to administration of first DLI was 12 weeks and the median dose of DLI administered was 3 × 104/kg (range, 2.5–6 × 104/kg). The incidence of Grade I–II acute GVHD was 19% (95% confidence interval (CI), 6–44%), and there were no cases of Grade III–IV acute GVHD. Chronic GVHD developed in 13% (95% CI, 2–37%) of patients. In surviving patients who did not undergo a second stem cell infusion, T-cell numbers and function increased to a protective level in a median of 3 months (range, 2–12.5 months) following the first DLI administration. In patients given DLI for treatment of an infection, 75% (95% CI, 46–92%) cleared their infection after a median of 9 weeks (range, 1–27 weeks). In patients with CMV infection, the development of CMV-specific T cells was observed following DLI. The 1-year overall survival following haplocompatible DLI was 71% (95% CI, 59–83%), with a median follow-up of 16 months from the first DLI.
The association between intimacy goals and plans for initiating dating relationships

This research examines the association between the strength of an individual’s intimacy goals in dating and preferences for dating partners, relationship initiation strategies, and contexts in which to pursue dating. Two studies demonstrate that intimacy goal strength positively corresponds with preferring partners who have strong intimacy and are warm and open, similar in attitudes and interests, and securely attached. The strength of intimacy goals also positively corresponds with the perceived use and effectiveness of emotional involvement as a strategy for initiating dating and negatively with meeting potential partners at campus parties. Data collected at a 4-month follow-up indicate that a stronger focus on intimacy goals is associated with entering a dating relationship for men, but not for women.
Voltage-dependent elements are involved in the generation of the cochlear microphonic and the sound-induced resistance changes measured in scala media of the guinea pig

Abstract The injection of d.c. current into scala media alters both the cochlear microphonic (CM) and the acoustically synchronized changing resistance (CR) measured in scala media. Positive current increases the CM and decreases the CR. The effect on the CM is greatest at high sound pressure level (SPL), whereas the effect on CR is greatest at low SPL. Negative current has a similar but opposite effect on both the CM and the CR. The results suggest that a voltage-dependent nonlinear element exists in cochlear hair cells.
Modification of stuttering through EMG biofeedback: a preliminary study

Eight stutterers spent 10–18 1-hr sessions learning to relax their masseter muscles using EMG visual feedback, and then reading while relaxed. Feedback for the first two subjects consisted of an oscilloscope wave pattern; for the remaining six, a modified voltmeter was employed. Data for the latter six subjects showed virtual elimination of stuttering while in the feedback-on condition, with some generalization to feedback-off. The technique shows good promise for the development of a practical therapeutic procedure.
Intravenous digital subtraction angiography in diagnosis of vascular graft occlusion.

Differentiation is often difficult between vascular graft occlusion and progression of underlying disease in patients after vascular surgery. We have studied 57 patients after surgery for traumatic and atherosclerotic arterial occlusion and other vascular anomalies using a commercial digital subtraction angiography (DSA) unit; no complications occurred. Indications for examination included pain, diminished pulse, and failure of catheter angiography. Graft patency was established if proximal and distal anastomoses were visualized; occlusion was diagnosed if no graft was imaged or vascular stump found—noted in 31 grafts. Our diagnosis was proved surgically in 24 patients (two refused operation); three others were confirmed angiographically and one by Doppler ultrasonic examination. In our experience DSA is a safe, specific means of following postoperative grafts and diagnosing their occlusion.
Comparative kinetics and mechanism of oxygen and sulfur atom transfer reactions mediated by bis(dithiolene) complexes of molybdenum and tungsten.

Although the kinetics and mechanism of metal-mediated oxygen atom (oxo) transfer reactions have been examined in some detail, sulfur atom (sulfido) transfer reactions have not been similarly scrutinized. The reactions [MIV(O-p-C6H4X‘)(S2C2Me2)2]1- + Ph3AsQ → [MVIQ(O-p-C6H4X‘)(S2C2Me2)2]1- + Ph3As (M = Mo, W; Q = O, S) with variable substituent X‘ have been investigated in acetonitrile in order to determine the relative rates of oxo versus sulfido transfer at constant structure (square pyramidal) of the atom acceptor and of atom transfer at constant structure of the atom donor and metal variability of the atom acceptor. All reactions exhibit second-order kinetics and entropies of activation (−25 to −45 eu) consistent with an associative transition state. At parity of atom acceptor, k2S (0.25−0.75 M-1s-1) > k2O (0.023−0.060 M-1s-1) with M = Mo and k2S (4.1−66.7 M-1s-1) > k2O (1.8−9.8 M-1s-1) with M = W. At constant atom donor and X‘, k2W > k2Mo with reactivity ratios k2W/k2Mo = 78−184 (Q = O) and 16−89 (Q =...
Thyroid function in a family with the Pendred syndrome.

ABSTRACT Studies have been made on a 67-yr-old patient with the Pendred syndrome, together with limited studies on a brother similarly afflicted and a normal sister. Five of the sibship of 8 have had the syndrome. The patient and his brother were clinically euthyroid. Calculations of kinetic data indicated a substantial leak of nonhormonal iodide from the thyroid. Analysis of a biopsy specimen disclosed a normal distribution of labeled iodoamino acids but a low concentration of iodine. No abnormal iodoprotein was found. The blocking effect of a single dose of potassium perchlorate persisted longer in the 2 patients with the Pendred syndrome and the normal sister than in several control subjects.
Partial Hedging Using Malliavin Calculus

Under the constraint that the initial capital is not enough for a perfect hedge, the problem of deriving an optimal partial hedging portfolio so as to minimize the shortfall risk is worked out by solving two connected subproblems sequentially. One subproblem is to find the optimal terminal wealth that minimizes the shortfall risk. The shortfall risk is quantified by a general convex risk measure to accommodate different levels of risk tolerance. A convex duality approach is used to obtain an explicit formula for the optimal terminal wealth. The second subproblem is to derive the explicit expression for the admissible replicating portfolio that generates the optimal terminal wealth. We show by examples that to solve the second subproblem, the Malliavin calculus approach outperforms the traditional delta-hedging approach even for the simplest claim. Explicit worked-out examples include a European call option and a standard lookback put option.
The effect of aging on ovarian volume measurements in infertile women.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that aging is associated with a decrease in ovarian volume, and that the FSH level and volume are correlated inversely. Methods: One hundred nine women who had 73 in vitro fertilization cycles and 36 ovulation induction cycles were analyzed. Basal FSH and estradiol (E2) levels were measured on cycle day 3, and ovarian volume was measured and antral follicles were counted on the day of starting gonadotropin. Results: The mean age (± standard deviation) was 32.6 ± 4.7 years. The mean FSH was 6.9 ± 2.4 IU/L. The mean ovarian volume was 6.0 ± 4.7 cm3. There were no significant differences between the median volumes of the left and right ovaries in individual subjects (4.6 and 4.8 cm3, respectively; interquartile range 3.0–7.3 and 3.1–7.9; P = .79). There was a significant positive correlation between age and FSH level (R = .372, P < .001), but not between age and ovarian volume (R = .039, P = .69). A significant relation was noted between FSH and the number of follicles (H = 20.8, P < .001), but not between FSH and volume (R = .102, P = .29). There was a significant decrease in the number of follicles and a higher cycle cancellation rate in women with volume smaller than 3 cm3 compared with those with volume greater than 3 cm3. Conclusion: Women with small ovarian volumes, low number of antral follicles, and normal basal FSH and E2 levels may have diminished ovarian reserve.
Phylogenetic relationships of assimineid gastropods of the Death Valley–lower Colorado River region: relicts of a late Neogene marine incursion?

Aim A small fauna of amphibious snails (genus Assiminea Fleming, 1828) living in association with highly mineralized springs in the Death Valley–lower Colorado River region (DVLCR) is thought to be a relict of the Bouse Embayment, a putative late Miocene–early Pliocene transgression of the ancestral Gulf of California along the lower Colorado River valley. We analysed the phylogenetic relationships of this fauna using mtDNA sequence data (1171 bp) to determine whether, as would be consistent with this hypothesis, it forms a substantially divergent unit sister to marine coastal congeners. Location South-western Great Basin and lower Colorado River region, USA. Methods Two genes [mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and the mitochondrial 16S ribosomal RNA gene] were sequenced for 10 populations of DVLCR assimineas (Assiminea infimaBerry, 1947; Assiminea sp.). We also sequenced an undescribed population from a spring in the Colorado River delta; western North American Pacific Coastal Assiminea californica (Tryon, 1865); the three other congeners that live on the continent; and three Old World assimineids (outgroups). Phylogenies based on the combined data set were obtained using Bayesian methods, and divergence times were estimated using a COI molecular clock for related gastropods. Results Composite haplotypes of the DVLCR assimineas, together with that observed in the Colorado River delta population, formed a weakly supported clade that was sister to a clade composed of populations of North American Pacific and Atlantic coastal species. The genetic distance between members of these two clades was 3.46 ± 0.47% for COI and 1.69 ± 0.38% for 16S. The former clade was composed of five subunits that differed from each other by 1.29–2.84% (COI) and 0.52–1.98% (16S) sequence divergence. Main conclusions Application of the COI clock suggests that progenitors of the DVLCR fauna diverged from coastal ancestors 2.13–1.89 Ma (late Pliocene), several million years after the Bouse Embayment would have been terminated by the establishment of the lower (freshwater) Colorado River. This finding, together with shallow genetic structuring of several DVLCR lineages that are widely distributed across the topographically complex regional landscape, suggests that the Assiminea fauna of this inland area was more likely to have been founded by coastal colonists transported on water birds than through a direct connection with the sea.
Structure-function analysis of a series of glucagon-like peptide-1 analogs

We have used NMR in conjunction with measurements of functional bioactivity to define the receptor-binding structure of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1.) Identification of the important residues for binding was accomplished by the substitution of amino acids at sites that seemed likely, from an examination of the amino acid sequence and from previously published observations, to be important in the three-dimensional (3D) structure of the molecule. Identification of the receptor-bound conformation of GLP-1, because it is a flexible peptide, required constraint of the peptide backbone into a predetermined 3D structure. Constraint was achieved by the introduction of disulfide bonds and specific side chain-side chain cross-links. The biological relevance of the synthetic structure of each rigidified peptide was assessed by measurement of its ability to bind to the receptor present on RINm5F cells and to elicit a functional response, cyclic AMP production. NMR solution structures were obtained for the most biologically relevant of these analogs. The results of this study indicated that the residues necessary for the biological activity of GLP-1 occupy approximately three equally-spaced regions of the peptide 3D structure, at the corners of an equilateral triangle whose sides are, at a minimum estimate, 12-15A.
Efficient Importance Sampling Techniques for Large Dimensional and Multimodal Posterior Computations

In recent work, we proposed some new ideas for efficient sequential importance sampling in the context of particle filtering. These were specifically designed for problems with multimodal posteriors (particularly those with multimodal likelihoods) and with very large dimensions. In this work, we demonstrate the use of similar ideas to improve the performance of importance sampling (IS) in static problems. The key idea of our proposed method is to split the state space in such a way that the posterior conditioned on a small part of the state space is "unimodal". We can then importance sample from the prior for the small "multimodal" part of the state space while adapting existing efficient IS techniques for the much larger dimensional "unimodal" part. We give a modified version of a result from our recent work to obtain sufficient conditions to ensure posterior unimodality. Also, for a subspace of the "unimodal" state space having small enough prior variance, one can replace IS by just estimating the conditional posterior mode. We call this the mode tracking (MT) approximation of IS. We show, via experiments on a large dimensional temperature field estimation problem, that when the number of samples, N, is small, the MT approximation outperforms any standard IS technique.
An empirical evaluation of battery power consumption for streaming data transmission to mobile devices

Internet streaming applications are becoming increasingly popular on mobile devices. However, receiving streaming services on mobile devices is often constrained by their limited battery power supply. Various techniques have been proposed to save battery power consumption on mobile devices, mainly focusing on how much data to transmit and how to transmit. In this paper, we conduct an experiment-based study with 11 Internet streaming applications using different streaming protocols. Our goal is to empirically investigate the battery power consumption on the wireless network interface for receiving streaming data via different approaches. Through measurement and analysis, we find that (1) the Chunk-based streaming is widely used in practice and it is most power-efficient because the traffic shaping technique is adopted to utilize PSM on mobile devices to save battery power consumption; however, it may cause quality degradation from time to time; (2) reducing streaming data transmission (by switching to a lower streaming quality) can marginally help save battery power consumption in RTSP, Pseudo streaming, and Chunk-based streaming applications; but it is effective for P2P streaming applications; (3) P2P streaming to mobile devices is not power-efficient because of the additional transmission of control traffic and uploading traffic; and reducing upload alone does not help for battery power saving. Our investigation provides new insights and some guidelines for the current Internet mobile streaming services and calls for further research on more power-efficient and scalable Internet mobile streaming protocols.
The Morphology of Polystyrene Latex Particles

Our understanding of the factors controlling the preparation of sty rene-based latex products has recently undergone extensive revision. Brief ly, we have found that, under a wide range of conditions, the growing latex particles possess a core-shell structure in which a monomer-rich shell encapsulates a polymer-rich core. This two-phase behavior is remarkable inasmuch as styrene and polystyrene are ordinarily (in macroscopic sys tems) completely miscible in all proportions. The proposed core-shell mor phology explains the extended constant-rate behavior observed in styrene emulsion polymerization and permits extension of the Smith-Ewart The ory to conversions as high as 60%. In seed growth experiments, the added monomer actually encapsulates the original seed particles, up to their equi librium saturation content, thereby indicating that the phenomenon of interest is controlled by thermodynamic factors. We believe that encapsu lation is governed by the microscopic nature of the latex particles which has, ...
Identifying comprehensive public institutions that develop minority scientists

We identify comprehensive public institutions that have produced relatively large numbers of students of color who went on to earn doctorates in STEM disciplines, as well as unexpected baccalaureate origins of minority scientists. Findings highlight the need for additional research on racial minority faculty in the development of STEM doctoral degree recipients.
Phytoplankton production in a large, regulated river: A modeling and mass balance assessment

Phytoplankton production in riverine systems is regulated by hydrologic processes and coupled optical dynamics, which determine the light dosages experienced by phytoplankton during transit within a defined reach. We used data on river stage, discharge, and channel geomorphometry to model changes in light availability experienced by phytoplankton during transit within a 122-km navigational pool of the Ohio River. Whole-pool estimates of phytoplankton production were derived from photosynthesis‐irradiance relationships and modeled values of light availability. Derived estimates of primary production showed good agreement with whole-pool mass balances for algal carbon. The sum of upriver inputs and autochthonous production agreed to within 10% of downriver export. During a summer with above normal discharge (1998), phytoplankton production within the pool corresponded to ,10% of phytoplankton inputs from upstream and tributary sources. During lower flows in 1999, phytoplankton production in the pool exceeded external inputs of algal carbon. Modeled estimates of primary production were used to predict seasonal and longitudinal variation in algal abundance assuming a constant C : chlorophyll ratio. Model results showed good agreement with measured chlorophyll values and supported the hypothesis that biomass development was constrained by light availability and transit time within the pool. The model overestimated chlorophyll in late summer when grazing might limit biomass accumulation. The cumulative irradiance experienced by phytoplankton during transit within the pool was found to be a good predictor of autotrophic potential and for interpreting complex interactions arising from seasonal hydrologic cycles and the influence of water regulation structures.
Quantification of fairness bias by a Fairness-Equity Model

Article accompanying a poster presentation for the 2011 Computational Neuroscience Meeting. This article discusses the quantification of fairness bias by a fairness-equity model.
General-purpose optical pattern recognition image processors

A general-purpose programmable optical image processor architecture is described. A correlator architecture is used with different filter functions employed to implement a variety of different operations required in the different levels of computer vision. We consider input scenes with a number of objects present in clutter with a number of different object classes, distortions, and contrasts. The system locates all objects and identifies the class of each. The optical image processing operations performed include morphological low-level nonlinear functions, detection of candidate regions of interest, fusion of correlation outputs to reduce false alarms, image enhancement, and feature extraction. The optical correlation filters to realize each operations, examples of each, and real-time optical correlator hardware are described. >
Electrochemical Measurements on Pt, Ir, and Ti Oxides as pH Probes

Donnees sur les mesures d'impedance et de potentiel en circuit ouvert d'oxydes d'Ir, de Pt et de Ti. On montre que la relation entre le potentiel en circuit ouvert et le pH des electrodes a oxydes suit un comportement nernstien et que le temps de reponse du potentiel a une variation de pH des oxydes les plus conducteurs sur Pt et Ir est comparable a celle d'une electrode de verre pour pH metrie
An observational study of the final warming in the Southern hemisphere stratosphere

The final warming in the Southern Hemisphere stratosphere during the period September 1-November 30 for the years 1978-1983 is studied. The change in zonally averaged temperatures during that period is almost the same for each year. However, there is substantial interannual variability in the time evolution of the warming as events of enhanced wave, mean-flow interaction associated with bursts of upward propagating planetary waves develop at different times in different years. Polar temperatures in the middle stratosphere can increase as much as about 20 K in 4 days during these events. Such dynamical processes can play a significant role in the interannual variability of stratospheric ozone and other constituents.
A REAPPRAISAL OF ‘HOLTZMANN'S LAW

. The rule known as ‘Holtzmann's Law’ for hiatus neutralization by means of a velar or dental consonant has been viewed by historical linguists as a link defining the group of dialects known EM North-East Germanic. Careful investigation of the ‘Holtzmann's Law’ phenomenon with respect to the relative chronology of sound change within Norse and Gothic indicates, however, that an operation of ‘Holtzmann's Law’ common to both North and East Germanic would lead to anomalies in the phonological history of Gothic. Instead, it seems most plausible that separate rules, independently motivated, operated at different times in North and East Germanic.
A flexible real-time architecture

Assuring hard real-time characteristics of I/O associated with embedded software is often a difficult task. Input-Output related statements are often intermixed with the computational code, resulting in I/O timing that is dependent on the execution path and computational load. One way to mitigate this problem is through the use of interrupts. However, the non-determinism that is introduced by interrupt driven I/O may be so difficult to analyze that it is prohibited in some high consequence systems. This paper describes a balanced hardware/software solution to obtain consistent, interrupt-free I/O timing, and results in software that is much more amenable to analysis.
Time course evaluation of protein synthesis and glucose uptake after acute resistance exercise in rats.

The temporal pattern for changes in rates of protein synthesis and glucose uptake after resistance exercise, especially relative to each other, is not known. Male Sprague-Dawley rats performed acut...
Monte Carlo simulation of the R/1 automated damage test

In this paper, a Monte Carlo computer analysis of the R/l automated damage test procedure currently in use at LLNL is presented. This study was undertaken to quantify the intrinsic sampling errors of the R/l ADT method for various types of optical materials, particularly KDP and fused silica, and to provide a recommended minimum number of test sites. A gaussian/normal distribution of 10 J/cm² average fluence ({mu}) was used as a damage distribution model. The standard deviation ({sigma}) of the distribution was varied to control its shape. Distributions were simulated which correspond to the damage distributions of KDP ({mu}/{sigma} = 5-10) and fused silica ({mu}/{sigma} - 15). A measure of the variability in test results was obtained by random sampling of these distributions and construction of the cumulative failure probability �S� curves. The random samplings were performed in runs of 100 �tests� with the number of samples (i.e. sites) per test ranging from 2 to 500. For distributions with {mu}/{sigma} = 5-10, the study found an intrinsic error of 3 to 5% in the maximum deviation from the distribution average when using 100 site tests. The computations also showed substantial variation in the form of the CFD for any given test. The simulation results were compared to actual data from eight 100 site R/l automated tests on a sample from rapidly grown KDP. It was found that while each 100 site damage probability curve could be fit to a gaussian distribution reasonably well, the 800 site cumulative damage probability curve was better modeled by a lognormal distribution. The differences observed in the individual CFD curves could be accounted for by sampling errors calculated from gaussian models.
Glucose transporter content and glucose uptake in skeletal muscle constructs engineered in vitro

Abstract Engineered muscle may eventually be used as a treatment option for patients suffering from loss of muscle function. The metabolic and contractile function of engineered muscle has not been well described; therefore, the purpose of this experiment was to study glucose transporter content and glucose uptake in engineered skeletal muscle constructs called myooids. Glucose uptake by way of 2-deoxyglucose and GLUT-1 and GLUT-4 transporter protein content was measured in basal and insulin-stimulated myooids that were engineered from soleus muscles of female Sprague–Dawley rats. There was a significant increase in the basal 2-deoxyglucose uptake of myooids compared with adult control (fivefold), contraction-stimulated (3.4-fold), and insulin-stimulated (threefold) soleus muscles (P = 0.0001, 0.0001, and 0.0001, respectively). In addition, there was a significant increase in the insulin-stimulated 2-deoxyglucose uptake of myooids compared with adult control soleus muscles in basal conditions (6.5-fold) a...
Acquired Severe Disabilities and Complex Health Care Needs: Access to Inclusive Education.

This case study examined one high school student’s access to inclusive education and experiences in an inclusive English class after he acquired severe disabilities and complex health care needs fr...
Kelp, cobbles, and currents: Biologic reduction of coarse grain entrainment stress

Models quantifying the onset of sediment motion do not typically account for the effect of biotic processes because they are difficult to isolate and quantify in relation to physical processes. Here we investigate an example of the interaction of kelp (Order Laminariales) and coarse sediment transport in the coastal zone, where it is possible to directly quantify and test its effect. Kelp is ubiquitous along rocky coastlines and the impact on ecosystems has been well studied. We develop a physical model to explore the reduction in critical shear stress of large cobbles colonized by Nereocystis luetkeana , or bull kelp. Observations of coarse sediment motion at a site in the Strait of Juan de Fuca (northwest United States–Canada boundary channel) confirm the model prediction and show that kelp reduces the critical stress required for transport of a given grain size by as much as 92%, enabling annual coarse sediment transport rates comparable to those of fluvial systems. We demonstrate that biology is fundamental to the physical processes that shape the coastal zone in this setting.
Sequence Analysis on N Gene of Mealses Virus Isolated in Sichuan Province,2011

Objective To explore the genetic characteristics and genotype of measles virus recently prevalented in Sichuan.Methods Vero/ Slam cell were used for measles viral isolation and culture.A 456 bp fragment of the N gene was amplified by Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction(RT-PCR) and subjected to sequence and homological analysis.Results Ten strains of measles virus were isolated in 2011 in Sichuan province and were all identified as H1a subtype,N genes homology was 97.1%-98.9%.Conclusion H1a subtype was the predominant genotype in Sichuan province.In recent years,there was no large variation of H1a subtype circulated in Sichuan.The continuous spread of predominant strain is colsely related to the incidence of measles.
White Matter Disease Correlates with Naming Impairment in Semantic Variant Primary Progressive Aphasia (P06.041)

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of white matter (WM) disease in naming impairment in semantic variant primary progressive aphasia (svPPA) using a novel, tract-specific analysis (TSA) technique. BACKGROUND: svPPA is a clinical syndrome most commonly associated with frontotemporal lobar degeneration. svPPA is characterized by deficits in naming as well as single-word and object comprehension resulting in fluent but empty speech. However, little is known about the role of WM disease in naming impairment in svPPA. The Boston Naming Test (BNT) is widely used in clinical assessment of aphasia to evaluate lexical/semantic retrieval. Here we use TSA to relate BNT performance to WM integrity as measured by fractional anisotropy (FA) in svPPA. DESIGN/METHODS: BNT was collected for 11 patients with svPPA. 30-directional diffusion-weighted images were acquired for these patients and 34 demographically-matched healthy seniors. 11 WM tracts were segmented from a local, aging, DTI template, converted to binary volumes, and modeled as medial surface meshes. For each individual, local maximum FA was computed and projected onto the medial model. This dimensionality reduction increases sensitivity in exchange for a small decrease in local specificity. Permutation-based, cluster-based statistics were used to identify regions of reduced FA in patients with svPPA relative to healthy seniors and areas of correlation between FA and total score on BNT. RESULTS: Areas of reduced FA were present in bilateral inferior fronto-occipital, inferior longitudinal, superior longitudinal, and uncinate fasciculi as well as corpus callosum. Regions of reduced FA were associated with decreased naming performance in bilateral inferior fronto-occipital, bilateral uncinate, corpus callosum, and right inferior longitudinal fasciculi. CONCLUSIONS: TSA revealed significant, widespread WM disease in patients with svPPA, and naming deficits correlated with disease in WM structures related to frontal and temporal neural networks. These findings underline the disruption of a large-scale neural network for naming in svPPA. Supported by: NIH Grants AG17586, NS44266, AG15116, AG32953, NS53488, HD060406 and the Wyncote Foundation. Disclosure: Dr. Powers has nothing to disclose. Dr. McMillan has nothing to disclose. Dr. Brun has nothing to disclose. Dr. Yushkevich has received research support from Pfizer Inc. Dr. Gee has received research support from Pfizer Inc. Dr. Grossman has nothing to disclose.
Epilogue—Reflections on Complexions of Habit

Peirce’s entire semiotic rests upon his concept of habit. In supplying us with his categories, together with virtual habit as potential habit, Peirce opens up pregnant propositions, assertions, and arguments to arrive at novel inferences in the continuum of ideas. He makes emphatic his commitment to unify all members, by demonstrating the relevance of momentary, individual existents to the improvement of logic for all generations. Accordingly, habit welds members of the continuum—championing each accomplishment (physical, mental, conscious/unconscious), in light of their contribution to ontological and logical objectivity at large. In short, the compulsion to discover hidden patterns of truth for mankind provides a lofty purpose for the individual—to utilize signs (consciously and unconsciously) as tools of enlightenment beyond the self.