cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Segregation in polydisperse fluidized beds : Validation of a multi-fluid model

Abstract In many industrial-scale fluidized-bed reactors, particle mixing and segregation play an important role in determining reactor performance. Detailed information about the particle size distribution (PSD) throughout the bed at different operating conditions is crucial for design and scale up of practical systems. In this work, a multi-fluid model based on the Euler–Euler approach and the direct quadrature method of moments (DQMOM) is used to describe particle segregation, and the model predictions are validated with available experimental and simulation data. For binary mixtures, multi-fluid simulations are compared with digital image analysis experiments for beds of glass beads. By properly defining the solid–solid drag force, the multi-fluid model can reproduce the segregation rate found experimentally for different flow conditions with binary mixtures. Segregation phenomena in gas–solid fluidized beds with a continuous PSD are also investigated. Here, the multi-fluid simulations are compared with discrete particle simulations (DPS). Using the moments of the PSD from DPS, the weights and abscissas used in DQMOM are initialized in the multi-fluid model. The segregation rate and the local moments of the PSD predicted by the multi-fluid model are compared to the DPS results. The dependence of the results on the number of DQMOM nodes is also investigated.
A conjectured property of Hermitian pencils

Abstract If ( A , B ) is any pair of Hermitian matrices, the power of λ dividing det( λI − xA − yB ) will be given by the number of basic singular summands in the pair. Contrary to conjecture, this power can be greater than one even when the pair is unitarily irreducible.
A priori estimates of higher order derivatives of solutions to the FitzHugh-Nagumo equations

Abstract In this paper we establish L ∞ -bounds for the derivatives of all orders of the solutions to the FitzHugh-Nagumo equations, by means of comparison functions. We obtain bounds for the initial value problem, the Dirichlet problem and the Neumann problem. The FitzHugh-Nagumo equations arise in mathematical biology as a model for the conduction of electrical impulses along a nerve axon.
CD163 versus CD68 in tumor associated macrophages of classical Hodgkin lymphoma.

Classical Hodgkin lymphoma (CHL) is a B-cell lymphoproliferative disorder with a relatively good prognosis. A small but significant percentage of patients, however, will respond poorly to therapy. A recent gene expression profiling study has identified a macrophage signature which has been correlated with primary treatment failure, and immunohistochemical tissue microarray for CD68 was shown to reflect the gene signature as a potentially clinically useful marker to predict adverse prognosis. We examined 44 cases of CHL, mostly nodular sclerosis subtype, in which the immunohistochemical stains for the histiocytic markers CD68 and CD163 were performed. The staining intensity was graded for each stain ( 25 percent of cells positive in the Hodgkin cell (HC) rich nodules) and background staining characteristics were recorded. CD163 staining was lower than CD68 in HC rich nodules, with lower background staining (p 0.03). There was no significant difference between either CD68 or CD163 and disease recurrence in a subset (N = 41) of cases. In conclusion, we demonstrate that CD163 staining is lower than CD68, with less non-specific staining of background inflammatory cells and Hodgkin cells, therefore is a better marker for tumor associated macrophages. However, we did not identify a correlation between staining for CD68 or CD163 and recurrence of disease. The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/1460518258831620
Is Transcendental Topology Phenomenological

In recent years, philosophers have taken a renewed interest in questions of place. 1 There are many reasons for this, including a growing consensus around an anti‐Cartesian concept of mind; interes...
The stock concept revisited: perspectives on its history in fisheries

A fish stock concept should be defined by using inherited characters. Expression of these characters whether as particular phenotypes (i.e. from morphology, life history patterns and actions related to man) must be evaluated carefully with regard to longevity, variability and defined fish habitats. The history of the concept shows the close relationship of methods to the development of genetic emphasis in the concept. The past, present and future of the stock concept for fish is discussed with the conclusion that genotypic and phenotypic markers with generational repeatability would be helpful for the best application of a stock concept.
The misfit dislocation structure of an InGaAs/GaAs heterojunction with low misfit

Abstract The dislocation structure in an InGaAs/GaAs heterojunction with an epilayer thickness of 8 μm and a misfit of 0.003 was studied by X-ray topographic techniques. Misorientations in the approximately square cross-grid of dislocations permit the three-dimensional nature of the dislocation structure in the epilayer to be studied. The evidence presented here suggests that a source other than one of those previously favored is the dominant contributor to the interfacial dislocation structure; the most likely possibility is that the majority of dislocations are introduced at sources created by interactions of gliding threading dislocations.
Star-formation rates, molecular clouds, and the origin of the far-infrared luminosity of isolated and interacting galaxies

The CO luminosities of 93 galaxies have been determined and are compared with their IRAS FIR luminosities. Strongly interacting/merging galaxies have L(FIR)/L(CO) substantially higher than that of isolated galaxies or galactic giant molecular clouds (GMCs). Galaxies with tidal tails/bridges are the most extreme type with L(FIR)/L(CO) nine times as high as isolated galaxies. Interactions between close pairs of galaxies do not have much effect on the molecular content and global star-formation rate. If the high ratio L(FIR)/L(CO) in strongly interacting galaxies is due to star formation then the efficiency of this process is higher than that of any galactic GMC. Isolated galaxies, distant pairs, and close pairs have an FIR/CO luminosity ratio which is within a factor of two of galactic GMCs with H II regions. The CO luminosities of FIR-luminous galaxies are among the highest observed for any spiral galaxies.
Optimal decision-oriented Bayesian design of experiments

Abstract Traditional ‘Design of Experiment’ (DOE) approaches focus on minimization of parameter error variance. In this work, we propose a new “decision-oriented” DOE approach that takes into account how the generated data, and subsequently, the model developed based on them will be used in decision making. By doing so, the parameter variances get distributed in a manner such that its adverse impact on the targeted decision making is minimal. Our results show that the new decision-oriented DPE approach significantly outperforms the standard D-optimal design approach. The new design method should be a valuable tool when experiments are conducted for the purpose of making R&D decisions.
A 7.86 mW +12.5 dBm in-band IIP3 8-to-320 MHz capacitive harmonic rejection mixer in 65nm CMOS

We present a low-power high-linearity capacitive harmonic rejection mixer for cognitive radio applications. A passive mixer first receiver with capacitive 16-phase sinusoidal weighting implements harmonic rejection down-conversion, and an AC-coupled fully differential capacitor feedback transimpedance amplifier provides baseband linear voltage gain and band-pass filtering achieving an in-band IIP3 of +12.5 dBm at 320 MHz LO over 3 MHz baseband. The 1.62mm2 mixer in 65nm CMOS consumes 40 µW per I/Q complex output channel, and 7.82 mW for 16-phase PLL clock generation and distribution.
Conductance fluctuations in quantum wire systems: A comparison between different scattering models

Abstract Two scattering models are investigated in quasi-ballistic quantum point contact systems; a model with a few point scattering centers versus the Anderson model with on-site disorder. An exact, recursive Green's function calculation is performed to obtain magneto-transport properties. We show that, in the quasi-ballistic regime, the two models are not equivalent. The Anderson model can reproduce the same fluctuation amplitude as the “few-scatterer” model, but fails to reproduce the correlation field, since the characteristic trajectory sizes are different in the two models.
The nature of anion inhibition of human red cell carbonic anhydrases

Abstract We studied anionic inhibition of the reaction CO 2 + OH − ⇄ HCO 3 − catalyzed by human red cell carbonic anhydrase B (I) and C (II), using iodide and cyanate. In the forward reaction with respect to CO 2 as the substrate, inhibition was mixed but favoring noncompetitive; the back reaction, with HCO 3 − as the substrate, yielded strict competitive kinetics. Mean inhibition constants, K I , in the pH range 7.2–7.5 are: iodide, 0.5 m m for enzyme B and 16 m m for C; cyanate, 0.8 μ m for B and 20 μ m for C. When OH − was considered as the substrate for the forward reaction, cyanate and chloride behaved as competitive inhibitors. The true inhibition constant ( K I 0 ) for cyanate (calculated for infinitely low OH − ) is 0.4 μ m for enzyme B and 4 μ m for C. Apart from the difference in anion affinity and some 10-fold higher activity of C > B, the isozymes showed similar patterns of inhibition. Data agree with generally proposed mechanisms describing the active site as ZnH 2 O with p K a of about 7.
Nonlinear Control of an Underactuated Two-Link Manipulator

Approximate feedback linearization is applied to the control of an underactuated nonlinear systems. A computational method to determine the order of linearization and construction of the required nonlinear state and control transformations is presented. This approach is applied to an underactuated two-link planar manipulator. Simulation results show that the nonlinear design improves the operating range of the linear controller.
GPR30 co-localizes with cholinergic neurons in the basal forebrain and enhances potassium-stimulated acetylcholine release in the hippocampus

GPR30 is a novel, membrane-bound, G-protein coupled estrogen receptor (Filardo et al., 2002; Prossnitz et al., 2008). We hypothesize that GPR30 may mediate effects of estradiol (E2) on basal forebrain cholinergic neurons and cognitive performance. Recently we showed that G-1, a selective GPR30 agonist, enhances the rate of acquisition on a delayed matching-to-position (DMP) T-maze task (Hammond et al., 2009). In the present study, we examined the distribution of GPR30 in the rat forebrain, and the effects of G-1 on potassium-stimulated acetylcholine release in the hippocampus. GPR30-like immunoreactivity was detected in many regions of the forebrain including the hippocampus, frontal cortex, medial septum/diagonal band of Broca, nucleus basalis magnocellularis and striatum. GPR30 mRNA also was detected, with higher levels in the hippocampus and cortex than in the septum and striatum. Co-localization studies revealed that the majority (63-99%) of cholinergic neurons in the forebrain expressed GPR30-like immunoreactivity. A far lower percentage (0.4-42%) of GABAergic (parvalbumin-containing) cells also contained GPR30. Sustained administration of either G-1 or E2 (5 μg/day) to ovariectomized rats produced a nearly 3-fold increase in potassium-stimulated acetylcholine release in the hippocampus relative to vehicle-treated controls. These data demonstrate that GPR30 is expressed by cholinergic neurons in the basal forebrain, and suggest that activation of GPR30 enhances cholinergic function in the hippocampus similar to E2. This may account for the effects of G-1 on DMP acquisition previously reported.
A Sensitive Hydroosmotic Toad Bladder Assay : Affinity and intrinsic activity of neurohypophyseal peptides

A sensitive and precise method for assaying the water permeability response evoked by neurohypophyseal hormones and their synthetic analogues on the isolated urinary bladder of the toad (Bufo marinus L.) is described. The method permits detection of 8-arginine-vasotocin at concentrations as low as 10-12M. This sensitivity, not achieved heretofore with this tissue, results largely from minimizing interference of inhibitory substances by means of an "in vitro circulation assembly." The precision of the method derives from a direct comparison between the cumulative dose-response curve of an agonist of unknown potency acting on one hemibladder and that of a reference compound acting on the contralateral hemibladder. Crystalline deamino-oxytocin is used as the reference standard in this assay. The intrinsic activity of 2-(O-methyltyrosine)-oxytocin, as defined by the maximal response, is 12% lower than that of deamino-oxytocin. All other hormonal peptides investigated have the same intrinsic activity as deamino-oxytocin, even 5-valine-oxytocin, in spite of its extremely low affinity. A comparison of the potencies of 8-arginine-vasotocin vs. 8-arginine-vasopressin, 8-ornithine-vasotocin vs. 8-ornithine-vasopressin, 8-alanine-oxytocin vs. 8-alanine-oxypressin, and deamino-8-alanine-oxytocin vs. deamino-8-alanine-oxypressin suggests that an isoleucine residue in position 3 imparts a higher specificity for binding of the hormonal peptide molecule to the bladder receptor than a phenylalanine residue in this locus.
Shape-changing interfaces

The design of physical interfaces has been constrained by the relative akinesis of the material world. Current advances in materials science promise to change this. In this paper, we present a foundation for the design of shape-changing surfaces in human---computer interaction. We provide a survey of shape-changing materials and their primary dynamic properties, define the concept of soft mechanics within an HCI context, and describe a soft mechanical alphabet that provides the kinetic foundation for the design of four design probes: Surflex, SpeakCup, Sprout I/O, and Shutters. These probes explore how individual soft mechanical elements can be combined to create large-scale transformable surfaces, which can alter their topology, texture, and permeability. We conclude by providing application themes for shape-changing materials in HCI and directions for future work.
Patient Autonomy in Alcohol Rehabilitation. I. Literature Review

A brief literature review on alcoholism treatment supports the authors' thesis that the alcohol abuser should be given some autonomy or “say so” in treatment selection. Presenting a variety of treatments as alternatives to the alcoholic may reduce treatment dropout rate, the aversive stigma frequently associated with therapy, and antitherapeutic disruptions while improving community coordination in alcoholism rehabilitation and providing an effective approach in treating the “total life” health of the alcoholic.
Complete remission in acute promyelocytic leukemia despite the persistence of the 15;17 translocation.

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is a morphologically distinct subtype of acute non-lymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) characterized cytogenetically by the presence of a trans-location between chromosomes 15 and 17 (t(15;17)). In contrast to other subtypes of ANLL, morphologic examination of the bone marrow in the early postinduction period fails to identify patients adequately who have a high likelihood of entering remission. Remission has frequently been achieved in APL despite the failure to attain marrow aplasia or eliminate dysplastic progranulocytes after initial induction chemotherapy. In a patient with APL who failed to achieve cytoreduction after a single course of induction chemotherapy, serial cytogenetic studies demonstrated persistence of metaphases with the t(15;17) up to 23 days after induction. However, complete morphologic and cytogenetic remission was subsequently attained by day 29 without further therapy. In APL remission may occur even when induction therapy fails to achieve marrow aplasia or to eradicate replicative cells with abnormal karyotype promptly. In order to avoid excessive exposure to toxic therapy, new strategies may be necessary to identify, early in treatment, patients with APL who will require only one course of induction chemotherapy to enter remission successfully.
Adult Mortality Rates in Leghorn × Red Reciprocal Crosses at Three North Central Stations

Abstract Adult mortality rates among progeny of Leghorn × Red reciprocal crosses were observed concurrently at three North Central Region experiment stations. Female mortality rates were significantly (P ≤ .05) higher at all locations among progeny of the Leghorn male parent. Male mortality rates (observed at two locations) between crosses were not different and thus suggested a sex chromosome involvement with mortality rates in these crosses.
The Use of Participatory Mapping in Ethnobiological Research, Biocultural Conservation, and Community Empowerment: A Case Study From the Peruvian Amazon

Abstract This paper describes in detail a community-based participatory mapping project that was carried out in collaboration with the Maijuna of the Peruvian Amazon. We use this project as a case study to explore the role that participatory mapping can play in ethnobiological studies and to examine the rich and diverse range of data that this methodology can generate, ultimately shedding light on how indigenous and local communities use, perceive, and interact with their environment and resources. Additionally, participatory mapping can be a powerful tool for biocultural conservation and community empowerment. This is especially critical given that many ethnobiologists work with marginalized indigenous and local communities experiencing enormous sociocultural and environmental change and challenges. Given the great potential of this methodology we strongly feel that participatory mapping can and should play a more significant role in ethnobiological studies.
SEROLOGICAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PNEUMOCOCCUS TYPE I AND AN ENCAPSULATED STRAIN OF ESCHERICHIA COLI

An encapsulated strain of Escherichia coli has been isolated which is hemolytic, pathogenic for mice, and which has served to illustrate further evidence of heterogenetic specificity. The relationship appears to be limited to the serological reactions between the colon organism and Type I antipneumococcic horse serum. Type I antipneumococcic rabbit serum failed to agglutinate the organism and no reactions occurred with Types II and III antipneumococcic horse serums, normal horse serum, and a variety of other immune horse serums. Serum from rabbits immunized with the colon bacillus agglutinated the homologous organism and precipitated its soluble substance, but failed to cause agglutination of Type I pneumococci or to precipitate Type I pneumococcic polysaccharide. The evidence indicates a connection somewhat analogous to that between Type II pneumococcus and Type B Friedlander's bacillus.
Current status of identification of victims of the National Socialist regime whose bodies were used for anatomical purposes.

Research on the history of anatomy in the Third Reich has often focused on anatomists who collaborated with the National Socialist (NS) regime. Only recently has attention shifted to investigations of the victims, of which there are two groups: anatomists whose careers were disrupted by NS policies, and victims of the NS regime whose bodies were used for anatomical purposes. No systematic approach has yet been undertaken toward the identification of all the different groups of victims and the individuals' fates. This overview of currently available data on NS victims whose bodies were used for anatomical purposes reveals that an estimated total number of all bodies delivered to departments of anatomy lies at more than 40,000, and the so far documented number of executed persons among them at a minimum of 3,749. The traditional sources of body procurement and their significant changes in character during the NS period can be traced. Postwar attempts on finding the fate and identity of bodies of NS victims in anatomy can be divided into three phases. Most investigations focused on the removal of remaining “material” from NS victims from the anatomical collections, while identification and remembrance of individual victims was not a priority. So far, about 500 NS victims' names and biographies have been at least partially identified. Existing memorials rarely name individuals. New approaches to the identification of victims and the potential of a databank for these victims' biographies as an appropriate manner of remembrance are examined in this study. Clin. Anat. 514–536, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Percutaneous Revascularization of Occluded Vein Grafts Is It Still a Temptation to Be Resisted

Given the number of patients who have undergone coronary bypass surgery in which vein grafts were used, the increasing incidence of vein graft disease over time, and the reluctance of most patients to see a cardiovascular surgeon professionally again after the first go-around, there is continued need for development of approaches to treat such patients. There are many unique characteristics of patients treated for vein graft disease: they are older than when they had their initial procedure, and more importantly, their vein grafts are also older. Beyond 1 year and particularly >3 years after surgery, atherosclerosis of vein grafts becomes increasingly prevalent.1 2 3 4 5 It may coexist with intimal fibromuscular proliferation and, in patients with acute ischemic syndromes, thrombus of varying ages. Atherosclerotic plaques in vein grafts are often large compared with plaques in native coronary arteries and are usually soft and friable, rich in necrotic debris, cholesterol crystals, blood elements, and foam cells; this is often referred to as gruel. Thrombus has been documented by angioscopy in up to 70% of vein graft lesions undergoing treatment.6 This substrate is primarily responsible for the problems encountered during interventional procedures, which include distal embolization, inadequate dilatation, and increased restenosis rates. Distal embolization is of the greatest concern because the treatment options for embolization are so limited. Saber et al7 assessed the histopathology of 6 vein grafts from 5 patients treated with balloon angioplasty. Two grafts were obtained during autopsy; the remainder were from surgical extirpation. The picture worth a thousand words (Figure⇓) tells the compelling story of the underlying pathophysiology: a 59-year-old woman 6 years after CABG surgery presented with an acutely occluded vein graft and was treated with streptokinase and PTCA. The patient developed profound hypotension and subsequently died. At postmortem examination, there was …
A comprehensive design and maintenance environment for test program sets

A software program called CoMETS (comprehensive design and maintenance environment for test program sets), which gives the test designer a powerful tool to develop test programs free from the encumbrances imposed by the test language and target tester, is discussed. CoMETS uses language-neutral graphical symbols to express the flow of a test sequence, detail the expression of individual tests, create and edit test libraries, etc. An overview of the approach is given, and the characteristics of a good tool set are examined. The CoMETS tool set is described, and a simple test program using CoMETS is considered. The savings realized are discussed, and four scenarios typically encountered in test-program-set development that were readily handled by CoMETS are illustrated. >
Fluorescence studies of protein thermostability in ionic liquids

Using the single tryptophan residue in the sweet protein monellin as a spectroscopic handle, we show the extreme thermodynamic stabilization offered by an ionic liquid; Tun ∼ 105 °C in [C4mpy][Tf2N] compared to 40 °C in bulk water.
Functional p53 Increases Prostate Cancer Cell Survival After Exposure to Fractionated Doses of Ionizing Radiation

External beam radiation therapy is an effective therapy for localized prostate cancer, although failures occur at high rates. One variable that may affect the radiosensitivity of prostate tumor cells is their p53 status because this gene controls radiation-induced cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and the repair of DNA damage. Using a system in which p53 function was conditionally restored to p53-null PC3 prostate cancer cells by stable transfection with a human temperature-sensitive p53 mutant allele, we tested the hypothesis that functional p53 increases cell cycle arrest and contributes to increased clonogenic survival after ionizing radiation (IR) of prostate carcinoma cells. Cell cycle arrest and clonogenic survival in response to single and multiple daily exposures to clinically relevant 2-Gy doses of IR were examined. Whereas the temperature-sensitive p53 protein was activated by phosphorylation after IR exposure at both the restrictive and permissive temperatures, Cdkn1/p21 was only induced by functional p53 (at the permissive temperature). In the presence of functional p53, the maintenance of G(2) arrest was significantly longer (P < 0.01), and a small increase in cell survival measured by clonogenic assay was seen after exposure to a single 2-Gy dose of IR. However, functional p53 significantly increased clonogenic survival (P < 0.01) after exposure to daily doses of 2 Gy of IR and contributed to a more sustained G(2) arrest and increased G(1) arrest in response to the multifraction regimen. These studies implicate the presence of wild-type p53 with increased survival of prostate carcinoma cells after fractionated exposure to radiation. Additionally, the data provide evidence that wild-type p53 in prostate tumor cells may reduce the effectiveness of radiation therapy.
Language Politics and Regional Nationalist Mobilization in Galicia and Wales

Marshaling original data from surveys and interviews with regional nationalist party activists, this article compares language politics in two ‘stateless’ European nations with strong regional identities: Galicia (Spain) and Wales (UK). In Galicia, where the regional language is widely spoken, the nationalist party places significant emphasis on language-related issues. Yet in Wales, despite the minority status of Welsh, the political arm of the nationalist movement assumes a restrained stance toward the regional language. What explains the apparent paradox that mobilization on language grounds is more pronounced where language is least threatened? The article concludes that Galicia and Wales differ in the way that language functions in society, which, in turn, conditions the possibilities for deploying language politically. It is more difficult for the nationalist party Plaid Cymru to mobilize on the Welsh question given the language’s recent revival and the current recruitment objectives of the party. I...
Developmental changes of selected minerals in Zucker rats.

Effects of obesity and age on copper, iron, zinc, sodium, potassium, and protein were compared in liver, kidney, brain, and muscle of obese (fa/$?) and nonobese (non-&/'a) male Zucker rats. Blood plasma cerulopasmin, copper, zinc, sodium, and potassium were also deter- mined. Mean brain weight offalfa rats was less than that of non-fu/fa rats at 12 weeks of age; mean brain protein concentration was greater in fa/fa than in non-f/'a at 5 and 12 weeks of age. At 18- 19 days of age, mean sodium concentration (mg/g protein) in liver offa/fa was less than that of non-fu/'a. At 5 weeks of age, mean copper concentration (pg/g protein) in kidney was greater infa/'. Mean total copper, iron, zinc, sodium, and potassium in liver and kidney were greater in fa/fa than in non-falfa at 5 weeks because of the larger livers and kidneys offa/fu. Mean concentrations of copper, zinc, sodium, and potassium per gram of brain protein were slightly (6-10%) less infa/fa than in non-falfa at 5 weeks. By 12 weeks, mean concentrations of copper in liver, kidney, (tibialis) muscle, and blood plasma, ceruloplasmin in blood plasma, zinc in liver and muscle, iron in muscle, and sodium in liver were greater in fafa than in non-fa/fa. However, total amount of each mineral in muscle at 12 weeks was less infalfa than in non-fa/'a because of the smaller mean muscle weight of fa/'. Mean concentrations of copper and zinc in brain and of iron in liver and brain were less infa/' than in non-fa/fa at 12 weeks. The major age-related changes infa/'a that were not observed in non-fa/' were large increases in liver and kidney copper between 5 and 12 weeks of age. It seems that the abnormal mineral metabolism is a consequence of the obesity, but the mechanisms are not identified. o 1988 Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine.
Reducing Conservatism in Flutterometer Predictions Using Volterra Modeling with Modal Parameter Estimation

Accurate prediction of flutter speeds is essential to efficient and safe flight testing for envelope expansion. Such accuracy is particularly difficult to obtain when analyzing flight data from speeds well below the critical speed at which flutter occurs. The flutterometer was introduced as a tool that could predict the onset of flutter even at lowspeed conditions; however, the conservatism in those predictions reduced testing efficiency. A method to augment the flutterometer to decrease the conservatism, and consequently increase the accuracy, of the predicted flutter speeds is presented. The method incorporates a scheme for model updating that ensures consistency between the analytical dynamics and the flight data. The tool is used to compute flutter speeds for the aerostructures test wing. The speeds predicted with the model updating scheme are very close to the actual flutter speed and demonstrate the benefits for improving efficiency of envelope expansion.
Bootstrapping bilinear models of Simple Vehicles

Learning and adaptivity will play a large role in robotics in the future. Two questions are open: 1 in principle, how much it is possible to learn; and 2 in practice, how much should an agent be able to learn. The bootstrapping scenario describes the extreme case in which agents need to learn ?everything? from scratch, including a torque-to-pixels model for its robotic body. This paper considers the bootstrapping problem for a subset of the set of all robots. The Simple Vehicles are an idealization of mobile robots equipped with a set of ?canonical? exteroceptive sensors: the camera, the range finder and the field sampler. The sensorimotor dynamics of these sensors are derived and shown to be surprising similar. These sensorimotor dynamics are well approximated by a class of nonlinear systems that assume an instantaneous bilinear relation among observations, commands, and changes in the observations. The bilinear approximation is sufficient to guarantee success in the task of generalized ?servoing?: driving the observations to a given goal snapshot. Simulations and experiments substantiate the theoretical results. This is the first instance of a bootstrapping agent that can learn the model of the dynamics of a relatively large universe of systems and use the models to solve well-defined tasks, with no parameter tuning or hand-designed features.
Vascular Health in American Football Players: Cardiovascular Risk Increased in Division III Players.

Studies report that football players have high blood pressure (BP) and increased cardiovascular risk. There are over 70,000 NCAA football players and 450 Division III schools sponsor football programs, yet limited research exists on vascular health of athletes. This study aimed to compare vascular and cardiovascular health measures between football players and nonathlete controls. Twenty-three athletes and 19 nonathletes participated. Vascular health measures included flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT). Cardiovascular measures included clinic and 24 hr BP levels, body composition, , and fasting glucose/cholesterol levels. Compared to controls, football players had a worse vascular and cardiovascular profile. Football players had thicker carotid artery IMT (0.49 ± 0.06 mm versus 0.46 ± 0.07 mm) and larger brachial artery diameter during FMD ( mm versus mm), but no difference in percent FMD. Systolic BP was significantly higher in football players at all measurements: resting ( mmHg versus mmHg), submaximal exercise ( mmHg versus mmHg), maximal exercise ( mmHg versus mmHg), and 24-hour BP ( mmHg versus mmHg). Football players also had higher fasting glucose ( mg/dL versus mg/dL), lower HDL ( mg/dL versus mg/dL), and higher body fat percentage (% versus %). Division III collegiate football players remain an understudied population and may be at increased cardiovascular risk.
Environmental Health: Children׳s Health, a Clinician׳s Dilemma

Few pediatricians receive training in environmental health, yet accumulating research shows that a disproportionate burden of exposure from environmental toxicants (man-made contaminants) is borne by children, adolescents, and the developing fetus. This is explained in part because of children׳s vulnerability to environmental-toxicants based on socioeconomic status, body surface area, metabolism, and potential transfers via placenta and breast milk. Public concern about toxicants affecting children in air, land, water, food, and beverages places pediatricians in the challenging position of being expected to knowledgably answer questions about environmental exposures while lacking sufficient training in the field. Surveys show pediatricians have high interest in environmental topics, yet feel a low sense of self-efficacy regarding patient education and lack evidence-based treatment guidelines and other effective educational tools. The goal of this article is to provide an overview of selected toxicants relevant to pediatric health, review practical suggestions to reduce or eliminate children's exposures, and introduce resources for taking an environmental health history to better prepare pediatricians and other clinicians caring for children to decrease harmful exposures in infants, children, and adolescents.
Long‐term monitoring during clofibrate therapy

Clofibrate, 2.0 Gm. per day, was taken by 22 patients with diabetes mellitus for 2 to 5 years. Bromsulphalein retention of unknown origin developed in one patient and muscle pain unrelated to the drug appeared in another. Mean serum total cholesterol and triglycerides and their alpha and beta lipoprotein fractions, within the nonelevated range prior to therapy, remained at or below this range during treatment. Most of the other clinical and laboratory indices remained unchanged during the second, third, fourth, and fifth years of therapy. These included body weight, blood pressure, pulse rate, and serum sodium, potassium, total protein, albumin, calcium, inorganic phosphorus, creatinine, malic acid dehydrogenase, creatine phosphokinase, alkaline and acid phosphatase, serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase, and total bilirubin. Also, the hemoglobin, hematocrit, the erythrocyte and platelet count in peripheral blood, and the prothrombin time did not change. Nonsustained changes, i.e., present in one or 2 of the 2 to 5 years of treatment, were observed in a minority of the indices. These comprised serum non esterified fatty acids, carbon dioxide, chloride, globulin, lactic acid dehydrogenase, ado lase, serum glutamic oxalacetic transaminase, and thymol turbidity, urine creatinine and pressor activity, and bleeding and coagulation time. Increases in the serum uric acid in the group with adult-onset diabetes and in the serum creatine in those with iuvenile type of diabetes were more persistent and could well be concomitants of aging and maturation. The lesser hyperglycemia observed during oral glucose tolerance tests in the juvenile group may also represent the amelioration of the diabetes as a part of the natural course of the disorder
T1 Maps in Nonischemic DCM: Do They Show Us the Way?

True navigation begins in the human heart. It’s the most important map of all.—Elizabeth Kapu’uwailani Lindsey [(1)][1] Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is increasingly used in the diagnostic and prognostic workup of cardiomyopathy. Beyond accurately quantifying biventricular size and
Laser Tuning by Selectively Spoiling Cavity Q Factor

Among the various active ions used in solid state lasers, the rare earth ion Er3+ exhibits the largest number of lasing transitions. In the infrared region around 2.8 μm alone, over twenty laser lines with different wavelengths have been reported for this ion in a large number of different host materials.(1) These lines have been identified as arising from the self-saturating laser transitions between the Stark components of the 4I11/2 and 4I13/2 states of the Er3+ ion, and range in wavelength between 2.69 μm and 2.94 μm.(1,2,3)
Bacteriostatic and Bactericidal Action of Sulfadiazine in Vitro on Gram-Negative Bacteria

SummaryWhen small inocula are planted in a semi-synthetic medium, sulfadiazine and sulfathiazole are bactericidal in concentrations as low as 1 or 2 mg % on E. coli, Shigella paradysenteriae (Flexner) and S. choleraesuis (suipestifer); and in 5 mg % on S. enteritides, S. schottmulleri and S. typhimurium (aertrycke). In the latter concentration they are bacteriostatic for S. paratyphi and in 10 mg % they are bactericidal for Klebsiella pneumoniae, type A.
Nasoseptal chondrosarcoma resection requiring anterior fossa floor repair: a case report.

Abstract We present a case in which a 23-year-old male patient diagnosed with nasoseptal chondrosarcoma with anterior cranial fossa extension underwent combined surgical approaches to optimize complete resection of the tumor. Surgery was followed by a 6-month course of proton-beam radiation therapy. Extensive tumors of this type with significant intracranial extension require surgical repair of the anterior fossa floor. We employed a repair technique not previously associated with the resection of these tumors, using a split-calvaria osteoplastic rotational flap. This method provided structural integrity while avoiding the risks associated with the use of free bone grafts and metallic meshes.
Health system changes under pay-for-performance: the effects of Rwanda’s national programme on facility inputs

Pay-for-performance (P4P) programmes have been introduced in numerous developing countries with the goal of increasing the provision and quality of health services through financial incentives. Despite the popularity of P4P, there is limited evidence on how providers achieve performance gains and how P4P affects health system quality by changing structural inputs. We explore these two questions in the context of Rwanda's 2006 national P4P programme by examining the programme's impact on structural quality measures drawn from international and national guidelines. Given the programme's previously documented success at increasing institutional delivery rates, we focus on a set of delivery-specific and more general structural inputs. Using the programme's quasi-randomized roll-out, we apply multivariate regression analysis to short-run facility data from the 2007 Service Provision Assessment. We find positive programme effects on the presence of maternity-related staff, the presence of covered waiting areas and a management indicator and a negative programme effect on delivery statistics monitoring. We find no effects on a set of other delivery-specific physical resources, delivery-specific human resources, delivery-specific operations, general physical resources and general human resources. Using mediation analysis, we find that the positive input differences explain a small and insignificant fraction of P4P's impact on institutional delivery rates. The results suggest that P4P increases provider availability and facility operations but is only weakly linked with short-run structural health system improvements overall.
Assessing the Effects of Diet and Behavior on Cardiovascular Disease: The Role of Biomarkers in Understanding Biology and Mechanism.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD)2 remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in western societies, such as those in North America and Europe, and is a rapidly growing cause of death in the rest of the world. A substantial portion of the worldwide burden of CVD is due to unhealthy behaviors including smoking, lack of exercise, unhealthy diet, and alcohol consumption (1). Epidemiologic studies have established the association between these behaviors and the development of CVD, and considerable resources have been directed at favorably modifying these apparently unhealthy behaviors to reduce the burden of CVD (2). However, despite robust evidence of strong associations between healthy behaviors and reduced risk of heart disease, our understanding of the mechanisms by which these behaviors alter CVD pathogenesis remains incomplete. Furthermore, the results of studies examining these associations in diverse populations often differ. Ultimately, physical activity, diet and alcohol consumption are complex behaviors that have real impacts on cardiovascular health, but our understanding of the mechanisms of benefit (or harm) are often impaired by the limitations intrinsic to observational epidemiologic studies. One important example that highlights these challenges is the observed association between alcohol consumption and CVD (3). The mechanisms by which regular alcohol consumption might alter cardiovascular risk remain obscure, and studies that have examined the association between alcohol consumption and measures of atherosclerosis have produced inconsistent findings (4, 5). Furthermore, moderate alcohol consumption appears to be associated with a reduced risk of CVD, whereas higher alcohol consumption is associated with hypertension, stroke and increased cardiovascular risk (6). The pathways by which alcohol affects the cardiovascular system remain uncertain, and putative intermediates such as HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) and fibrinogen may be important markers of alcohol's effect on metabolism, subclinical inflammation, and thrombosis but may not actually …
The Zombie Plot: A Simple Graphic Method for Visualizing the Efficacy of a Diagnostic Test.

OBJECTIVE. One of the most important jobs of a radiologist is to pick the most appropriate imaging test for a particular clinical situation. Making a proper selection sometimes requires statistical analysis. The objective of this article is to introduce a simple graphic technique, an ROC plot that has been divided into zones of mostly bad imaging efficacy (ZOMBIE, hereafter referred to as the “zombie plot”), that transforms information about imaging efficacy from the numeric domain into the visual domain. CONCLUSION. The numeric rationale for the use of zombie plots is given, as are several examples of the clinical use of these plots. Two online calculators are described that simplify the process of producing a zombie plot.
Activity Limitation Stages Are Associated With Risk of Hospitalization Among Medicare Beneficiaries.

Abstract Background Activity limitation stages based on activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) are associated with 3-year mortality in elderly Medicare beneficiaries, yet their associations with hospitalization risk in this population have not been studied. Objective To examine the independent association of activity limitation stages with risk of hospitalization within a year among Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years and older. Design Cohort study. Setting Community. Participants A total of 9447 community-dwelling elderly Medicare beneficiaries from the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey for years 2005-2009. Methods Stages were derived for ADLs and IADLs separately. Associations of stages with time to first hospitalization and time to recurrent hospitalizations within a year were assessed with Cox proportional hazards models, with which we accounted for baseline sociodemographics, smoking status, comorbidities, and the year of survey entry. Main Outcomes Time to first hospitalization and time to recurrent hospitalizations within 1 year. Principle Findings The adjusted risk of first hospitalization increased with greater activity limitation stages (except stage III). The hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) for ADL stages I-IV compared with stage 0 (no limitations) were 1.49 (1.36-1.63), 1.61 (1.44-1.80), 1.54 (1.35-1.76), and 2.06 (1.61-2.63), respectively. The pattern for IADL stages was similar. For recurrent hospitalizations, activity limitation stages were associated with the risk of the first hospitalization but not with subsequent hospitalizations. Conclusion Activity limitation stages are associated with the risk of first hospitalization in the subsequent year among elderly Medicare beneficiaries. Stages capture clinically interpretable profiles of ADL and IADL functionality and describe preserved functions and activity limitation in an aggregated measure. Stage can inform interventions to ameliorate disability and thus reduce the risk of a subsequent hospitalization in this population. Level of Evidence IV
No clinically meaningful weight changes in a young cohort following total joint arthroplasty at 3-year follow-up

Background Total joint arthroplasty (TJA) is one of the most successful operations. There is little in the literature regarding weight change following TJA, particularly in a young cohort. Methods Retrospective analysis of 181 primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) and 185 primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients was conducted. We reviewed preoperative and post-operative weights and post-operative body mass index at 3 and 6 months, 1 year, 2 and 3 years. We evaluated expected versus actual weight gain, and performed subgroup analyses of obese versus non-obese patients and active duty versus civilian patients. We used a minimal clinically meaningful weight change from baseline of ≥5%. Results One hundred and fifty-one (41.3%) patients were active duty military service members with the mean age of 53 ± 11.1 years. In TKA patients, statistically significant differences were found in mean weights at 3 months (−1.8%, P ≤ 0.0001) and 2 years (+1.9%, P = 0.0006). In THA patients, statistically significant weight gains were found at 6 months (+1.1%, P = 0.006). For obese TKA patients, significant weight changes were observed at 3 months (−2.5%, P ≤ 0.0001), and none in the obese THA group. There were no statistical or clinically meaningful weight changes in the non-obese TKA or THA groups. There was a clinically meaningful weight gain in active duty TKA patients at 3 years (5.18%, P = 0.17). Conclusion Despite a theoretical ability to lose weight following TJA, patients maintain their preoperative weight following TJA. We found a clinically meaningful weight gain at 3 years post-operatively only in active duty TKA patients. Overall, however, we found no clinically significant weight changes following TJA at 3-year follow-up.
Chapter 11 – Combination therapeutics

In the last decade a number of drugs targeting specific proteins have been developed that are becoming common in cancer research as a basis for personalized therapy. However, the numerous aberrations in molecular pathways that can produce cancer necessitate the use of drug combinations, as compared to single drug for treatment of individual cancers. In this chapter, we first consider a model-based combination therapy design using the target inhibition map framework where set cover- and hill climbing-based techniques are used to arrive at suitable drug combinations. Subsequently, we examine the design of efficacious drug combinations when limited information is available to infer a model. The second part of the chapter presents a stochastic search approach to arrive at an efficacious drug combination with limited iterations.