cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Endovascular stenting for treatment of mycotic intracranial aneurysms.

Abstract Mycotic intracranial aneurysms (MIA) are a rare form of cerebrovascular pathology for which obliteration must be undertaken when they present with rupture or fail to respond to antibiotic therapy. Intracranial stents provide the unique ability to simultaneously preserve parent vessel integrity while obliterating the aneurysmal sac, but their use for the treatment of MIA has only been reported in a few instances for proximally located lesions. We report a patient with a MIA treated with endovascular stenting and review the literature for similar cases. Three case reports of four MIA treated with either stent monotherapy or stent-assisted coil embolization were identified. The clinical and radiographic features of each case were detailed. A 35-year-old with bacterial endocarditis from Streptococcus mitis was diagnosed with a ruptured 3 mm MIA of the pericallosal anterior cerebral artery after episodic diplopia. The MIA was successfully treated with stent-assisted coil embolization utilizing a Neuroform EZ stent (Stryker Neuroendovascular, Kalamazoo, MI, USA). Follow-up magnetic resonance angiography at 3 months demonstrated complete aneurysm obliteration, and the patient was neurologically intact. In the literature, a M1 segment middle cerebral artery MIA, bilateral cavernous carotid MIA, and a unilateral cavernous carotid MIA were also successfully treated with Neuroform, Helistent (Hexacath, Rueil-Malmaison, France), and SILK (BALT Extrusion, Montmorency, France) stents, respectively. We present the first patient with a pericallosal MIA treated with stent-assisted coil embolization. Proper treatment of the causative organism with antibiotics minimizes the risk of infectious seeding of the stent. Intracranial stenting may be safely and effectively utilized to treat select cases of MIA.
Computer‐modeled global census finds thousands of eddies each year

Eddies, the curls and swirls that spin off swift-moving ocean currents, help disperse energy and nutrients throughout the world's oceans. Floats and other engineered submersibles can help scientists understand the evolution and path of specific eddies. But knowledge of how many eddies exist, as well as how pervasive, how strong, and how large these eddies are at any given moment, would require continuous and detailed monitoring of the entire ocean at all depths—an impossible feat.
Numerical simulation of the flow in the carotid bifurcation

Pulsatile flow through the three-dimensional carotid artery bifurcation has been studied using the artificial-compressibility method. The part of the flow with large inertia bifurcates and creates a very steep velocity gradient on the divider walls. The flow near the nondivider walls slows down because of dilation of the cross section and strong adverse pressure gradient. The secondary flow in the bifurcation region, which is similar to the Dean vortex in a curved pipe, is strong and very complex. The region of separation is not closed for the cases of steady and pulsatile flow. The extent of this region is small and the streamlines are smooth except in the decelerating phase of systole. The change of common-internal bifurcation angle (25°± 15°) for fixed internal–external bifurcation angle of 50° has more effect on the shear on the bifurcation-internal carotid wall and less effect on the shear on the common-internal carotid wall. The mean wall shears are not sensitive to the input flow-rate waveform for constant mean flow, but the maximum wall shears are.
Conjugate reinforcement: a brief review and suggestions for applications to the assessment of automatically reinforced behavior

Procedures involving conjugate reinforcement have been used extensively by researchers in developmental psychology, but sparingly by behavior analysts. Based on this trend, this paper calls for a re-examination of conjugate reinforcement as a tool for analyzing automatically reinforced behavior. To this end, studies involving popular conjugate reinforcement preparations are briefly reviewed to highlight the impact of conjugate reinforcement outside of behavior analysis. In addition, results from selected behavior analytic studies are compared to studies involving conjugate reinforcement procedures. Throughout the review, recommendations for extending conjugate reinforcement preparations to the assessment of automatically reinforced behavior are provided. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Photopolymerization of acrylamide in an annular flow reactor

Rates of homogeneous polymerization of aqueous solutions of acrylamide were measured in an annular flow reactor at 35°C. By independent determinations of the quantum yield for the initiation step and the light intensity, it was possible to identify reaction orders and to calculate ratios of rate constants for the polymerization process. An empirical kinetics model, based upon producing activated molecules solely from initiator (K2S2O8), best fit the data. According to this model the rate is 3/2 order in monomer concentration, 1/2 order in initiator, and proportional to the 1/2 power of the intensity of absorbed radiation. The effect of monomer concentration on the induction period and tlie 3/2 order with respect to monomer indicate a complex initiation process.
On (0,1)-matrix semigroups

In this paper we count the number of elements and idempotents in certainD-classes of the semigroup Bn of all binary relations on a set of n elements, namely whose those row and column rank do not exceed 3. This is an announcement of the results; detailed proofs of all results are contained in [2].
Seeded growth of GaN single crystals from solution at near atmospheric pressure

Abstract A multi-component solvent has been developed to dissolve solid gallium nitride (GaN) source material and grow single GaN crystals from the solution on GaN seeds. A thermal gradient is used to maintain GaN dissolution at the hot end of the crucible and to grow GaN crystals on a seed at the colder end. Crystals were grown at nitrogen pressure of 0.23–0.25 MPa and temperature of 800 °C. Optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction, micro Raman scattering and photoluminescence spectroscopy confirmed the high structural and optical quality of the GaN crystals.
Doing futures research—Anthropologically

Abstract Applied anthropologists are adopting the assumptions, aims and methods of futures research, and offering the five-concept paradigm—culture, time depth, holism, cross-cultural perspective and multiple perspectives—of traditional anthropology in response to criticisms of futures research. In this article an integration of anthropological and futures research theories and methods is detailed; and the utility of doing futures research anthropologically is illustrated in examples from the initial round of a multi-method, community-focused futures research and public education project.
The evaluation of internal cracking in polyurethane adhesives

In an evaluation of low modulus polyurethanes as adhesives, systems based on 1, 4 butanediol-extended methylene diisocyanate polymer displayed a tendency to crack during cure. Cracking occurred when these systems were gelled at low temperatures in thin layers where adhesion places constraints on dimensional change. A test technique was developed that evaluates the tendency for polyurethane adhesives to develop internal cracks during cure. The test consists of casting the material between the walls of two eccentric beakers and observing the behavior of the system as cure proceeds. The 1, 4 butanediol-extended methylene diisocyanate system was studied by systematically evaluating the influence of processing variables on cracking. The variables studied included curing agent to prepolymer stoichiometry, moisture content of the curing agent, effect of pre-evacuating the prepolymer, the inclusion of additives such as silicone antifoam agent and silane coupling agents, and time/temperature cure conditions. The following factors were identified as being primarily responsible for cracking in these polyurethane systems: (1) the stoichiometry of the curing agent to the prepolymer, which must be held within a narrow range; (2) the water content of the curing agent which must be minimized; and (3) additives, particularly silane coupling agents, which enhance adhesion of the urethane to the container walls and also prematurely terminate chain extension.
Geminivirus-induced gene silencing of the tobacco retinoblastoma-related gene results in cell death and altered development

The retinoblastoma-related protein (RBR) is required for cell cycle control and differentiation and is expressed throughout the life of plants and animals. In this study, the tomato golden mosaic virus (TGMV) geminivirus vector was used to silence NbRBR1 in Nicotiana benthamiana by microprojectile bombardment into fully developed leaves. Similar to previous results using agroinoculation of a tobacco rattle virus silencing vector [Park et al. (Plant J 42:153, 2005)], developmental defects caused by disruptions in cell size and number were seen in new growth. Leaf midvein cross-sections showed tissue-specific differences in size, cell number, and cell morphology. While cortical cell numbers decreased, size increased to maintain overall shape. In contrast, xylem parenchyma cells increased approximately three fold but remained small. Normally straight flowers often curved up to 360° without a significant change in size. However, the most striking phenotype was cell death in mature cells after a delay of 3–4 weeks. Trypan blue staining confirmed cell death and demonstrated that cell death was absent in similarly treated leaves of wild type TGMV-inoculated plants. Quantitative RT-PCR confirmed that the mature TGMV:RBR-inoculated leaves still maintained reduced accumulation of RBR transcript at 4 weeks compared to controls. The results suggest that either inappropriate activation of the cell cycle is lethal in plants or that RBR has other functions, unrelated to the cell cycle. The results also demonstrate that continual transcription of RBR is necessary for cell survival.
In Response to Patricia McGrath Morris’s “Reinterpreting Abraham Flexner’s Speech, ‘Is Social Work a Profession?’: Its Meaning and Influence on the Field’s Early Professional Development”

Patricia McGrath Morris presents an interesting reinterpretation of parts of Abraham Flexner’s 1915 speech in her Social Service Review article, “Reinterpreting Abraham Flexner’s Speech, ‘Is Social Work a Profession?’: Its Meaning and Influence on the Field’s Early Professional Development” (2008). Her analysis reveals that both Flexner’s contemporaries and recent commentators correctly understand the main thrust of his assessment of social work—namely, that, at least in 1915, social work did not qualify as a profession. Morris also argues that both critics and supporters of Flexner misunderstand the reasoning on which he rests his case; they grant his speech unfounded mythic status and present delusional appraisals of his influence on the profession. However, I think that although Flexner’s terminology is occasionally ambiguous, social workers tend to draw mainly accurate inferences from his speech. I will make my case by discussing three of six criteria (1, 3, and 4) that Flexner believes make for a profession. I omit, in general, discussion of three criteria (2, 5, and 6) that appear to be relatively uncontested. Criterion 2 states that professions are “learned” (here, an adjective; Flexner 1915, 579), in that “they derive their raw material from science and learning” (581); criterion 5 asserts that professions “tend to self-organization” (581); and criterion 6 argues that professions are “altruistic in motivation” (581). In my discussion of criteria 1, 3, and 4, I will argue, in spite of Morris’s contentions to the contrary, that
Sentinel lymph node biopsy in children and adolescents with malignant melanoma

Abstract Background/purpose Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) provides valuable staging information for adult patients presenting with clinically localized cutaneous melanoma. There are little data pertaining to the use of SLNB in the pediatric melanoma population. The objective of this study is to investigate the use of SLNB in the pediatric population, focusing on its diagnostic and therapeutic implications. Methods Retrospective identification was made of patients 18 years or younger who underwent sentinel lymph node biopsy for clinically localized melanoma at Indiana University Medical Center between 1994 and 2001. Patient demographics, primary tumor thickness, location of primary tumor, presence of tumor ulceration, number of lymph nodes removed, pathology of examined nodes, and number of lymph nodes involved with tumor were recorded. Disease status and dates of last clinical contact were determined. Results Twelve patients, 18 years or younger, were identified. Mean age of the study population was 14.1 years (range, 4 to 18). Mean tumor thickness was 1.65 mm (range, 0.36 to 4.7 mm). Three patients (25%) had positive sentinel lymph node biopsies. All 3 patients underwent completion lymph node dissection (CLND). One patient had micrometastatic disease detected on CLND; he had recurrence 6.1 months later and died 7.5 months after his SLND/CLND. At a median follow-up of 11.7 months, the remaining 11 patients had not experienced recurrence. There were no complications related to the SLNB procedure. Conclusions The minimally invasive surgical approach and limited complications associated with SLNB make this procedure a useful aid in assisting the physician in making therapeutic decisions in the pediatric melanoma patient.
Multiple Methods for Examining Biased Information Use in Contingency Judgments

Abstract Subjects were asked to judge interevent relations exhibited in 2 × 2 contingency tables such as the following: number of plants which bloomed when given a fertilizer (Cell A), number of plants which did not bloom when given the fertilizer (Cell B), number of plants which bloomed when not given the fertilizer (Cell C), and number of plants which did not bloom when not given the fertilizer (Cell D). Subjects rated the extent to which the fertilizer had a positive or a negative effect on the plant′s blooming. Optimally, equal weights should be given to each cell. Several analytic techniques were developed in Experiment 1 to determine the subjects′ actual weightings: pairwise comparison of problems differing in only one cell; group- and individual-level analyses of variance; and regression analysis. Converging evidence across problem contexts and analytic techniques revealed that most subjects′ judgments were unequally affected by evidence in the four cells: Cell A > Cell B > Cell C > Cell D. Experiment 2 examined the processes underlying this biased weighting pattern. Subjects′ tendency to overweight the information in Cell A was related to their a priori hypothesis about the direction of the interevent relation. The weight given to Cell A was significantly greater for subjects who expected a positive relation than for subjects who expected a negative relation.
The effect of over-expression of sFlt-1 on blood pressure and the occurrence of other manifestations of preeclampsia in unrestrained conscious pregnant mice

Objective It has been shown that the level of soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase–1 (sFlt-1) is elevated in pregnant women who are destined to have preeclampsia, and a role for sFlt-1 in its pathogenesis has been suggested. Our objective was to determine the effect of the over-expression of sFlt-1 on blood pressure and the occurrence of other manifestations of preeclampsia in pregnant mice. Study Design At day 8 of gestation CD-1 mice were allocated randomly to an injection of an adenovirus carrying sFlt-1 (10 9 plaque-forming units; sFlt-1 group), adenovirus carrying the murine immunoglobulin G2α Fc fragment (10 9 plaque-forming units; mFc group used as a control for the virus) or saline solution (100 μL; saline group). At day 10 of gestation, blood pressure catheters were inserted through the left carotid artery into the aortic arch and tunneled to a telemetric transmitter. Blood pressure was monitored continuously in the conscious unrestrained animals until day 18. Blood was collected from the pregnant mice at different gestational times, and plasma sFlt-1 was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Pups and placentae were weighed, and maternal platelet counts were determined at death on day 18. Results Plasma levels of sFlt-1 increased significantly in the sFlt-1 mice and were significantly higher than the 2 control groups. The mean blood pressure in the sFlt-1 mice was significantly higher on days 17 and 18 of gestation, compared with the mFc and saline solution groups. The time-course of blood pressure rise mirrored that of the sFlt-1 levels. The average pup weight, placental weight, and maternal platelet counts were significantly lower in the sFlt-1 group, compared with the controls. Conclusion SFlt-1 induces hypertension and fetal growth restriction in pregnant mice, which supports its hypothesized role in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. This animal model minimizes the need for manipulation or the administration of various compounds to induce the condition.
Eu Anomaly in Kimberlite

A small, negative europium (Eu) anomaly in kimberlites has previously been attributed to the presence of perovskite (Mitchell and Brunfelt, 1973). Recent work on the distribution of rare earth elements between coexisting clinopyroxene and orthopyroxene indicates that a negative Eu anomaly in clinopyroxene is to be expected, depending on the proportions of Eu 2+ and Eu 3+ , because of the difference in their ionic size. Consequently, if kimberlite magma is produced by partial melting of mantle that includes clinopyroxene, and the clinopyroxene breakdown contributes significantly to the melt formed, the melt must inherit a small, negative Eu anomaly.
The Paradox of Sovereignty from Pindar to Byzantium

AbstractThis essay traces the contradictory nature of sovereignty from its initial statement in Pindar's controversial ode in fr. 169 (Nomos basileus) to its medieval manifestation in the Greek novels surviving from medieval Byzantium, namely, Rhodanthe and Dosikles, Drosilla and Charikles, Aristandros and Kallithea, and Hysmine and Hsyminias. To unravel the paradoxical nature of Byzantine kingship in the novels, the author draws on two influential paradigms of sovereignty, Pindar's nomos basileus and Giorgio Agamben's bio-political paradox of homo sacer. The iconography of desire as it emerges in the medieval Greek narratives showcases the repression of a quasi-legitimate sovereign that mirrors Pindar's nomos basileus and Agamben's sovereign exception. Both posit Eros as a formidable ruler, revered and abhorred for his violent interventions, who stands simultaneously within and outside the law. This striking figuration of Eros as tyrannos and basileus is the byproduct of powerful patrons' propagandistic ...
Synthetic egg-laying hormone of Aplysia: quantitative studies of induction of egg laying in Stylocheilus and of the activation of Aplysia buccal neuron B16.

1. Synthetic Aplysia egg-laying hormone (ELH-lysine-amide) elicited egg laying in Stylocheilus at a threshold dose of 0.5 μg per recipient, estimated to be a concentration in the circulation of Stylocheilus of approximately 70 nM. 2. Threshold level and size of egg mass produced by ELH-lysine-amide and bag cell extracts (containing biological ELH) were not significantly different. Latency to lay of recipients of 0.5–4.0 μg ELH-lysineamide (30 ± 1 min) was significantly longer (P < 0.05) than for bag cell extract recipients (21 ± 1 min). 3. ELH-lysine-amide depolarized and activated action potentials in Aplysia buccal neuron B16 in high magnesium, low calcium medium. 4. The lowest concentration of ELH-lysine-amide to activate a supra-threshold response of left and right B16 neurons ranged from 250 nM to 1 μM. 5. Threshold levels for responses to synthetic ELH-lysine-amide and to biological ELH were approximately the same in both egg-laying assay and electrophysiological assay, indicating the likely identity of synthetic and biological ELH. However, the shorter egg-laying latency with bag cell extract suggests that there may be additional factors in the extract that facilitate egg laying.
The processing of polypropylene cast films. I. Impact of material properties and processing conditions on film formation

Material properties have a significant impact on the response of polymers to industrial flow processes such as film casting. During film casting, molten polymer is extruded through an (approximately) rectangular die and then cooled rapidly. Subsequent biaxial stretching can be employed to manipulate the film properties. In this work, we investigate the effect of polymer viscosity (molecular weight), draw ratio, and die temperature on polypropylene film formation. We measure the width, two components of the velocity vector, and the temperature profiles throughout the film web. The polymer rheology and the die temperature affect the film geometry and temperature profiles in the air-gap. The magnitude of the machine direction velocity component depends on both the machine and transverse position in the film. The velocity shows a maximum at the centerline and decreases toward the film edge. The measured transverse velocity component, a consequence of the film neck-in, is seen to decrease from the film edges to the centerline. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2010. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers
A Journey Through Ashes: One Woman's Story of Surviving Domestic Violence

This is the story of Lisa1—a woman like so many others who has been abused—and of her healing journey using music and creative arts experiences. It is also a story about how music, song, poetry, art, and dance awakened her to a new consciousness and provided the necessary empowerment she needed in order to reclaim the woman she had been before experiencing the trauma of abuse. While the question of how utilization of music and the creative arts encourages personal transformation and healing is also deserving of a theoretical exploration, in this article I have chosen to foreground Lisa's story as narrative, in order to also engage the reader with the transformative potential of empowerment that comes through listening. I have chosen an approach that foregrounds Lisa's experience over theory explicitly, for, it is with the process of “finding voice” and of engaging the listener in that process, that transformation of consciousness and empowerment occurs.
An Analysis of Real World TV Advertising Tests: A 15-Year Update

ABSTRACT An analysis is performed on the results of 241 real world TV advertising tests conducted by Information Resources, Inc. between 1989 and 2003 to partially update the findings of Lodish et al. [Journal of Marketing Research 32, 2 (1995): 125–39]. Two types of market test results, BehaviorScan and Matched-Market, are analyzed. Overall, the improvement of TV advertising sales effectiveness because of media weight increase is significantly larger than zero for established products, which is different from Lodish et al.9s finding. A further analysis indicates that such significance is mainly driven by more recent tests. A comparison between the new results and Lodish et al. reveals a significant increase in the average advertising effectiveness for tests completed after 1995. The new data still suggest (as did the original data) that it is of great managerial interest to identify advertising effectiveness before launching advertising campaigns.
Translocation of cationic amphipathic peptides across the membranes of pure phospholipid giant vesicles.

The ability of amphipathic polypeptides with substantial net positive charges to translocate across lipid membranes is a fundamental problem in physical biochemistry. These peptides should not passively cross the bilayer nonpolar region, but they do. Here we present a method to measure peptide translocation and test it on three representative membrane-active peptides. In samples of giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) prepared by electroformation, some GUVs enclose inner vesicles. When these GUVs are added to a peptide solution containing a membrane-impermeant fluorescent dye (carboxyfluorescein), the peptide permeabilizes the outer membrane, and dye enters the outer GUV, which then exhibits green fluorescence. The inner vesicles remain dark if the peptide does not cross the outer membrane. However, if the peptide translocates, it permeabilizes the inner vesicles as well, which then show fluorescence. We also measure translocation, simultaneously on the same GUV, by the appearance of fluorescently labeled pe...
A microstructure based numerical method for constitutive modeling of composite and porous materials

Abstract An elastic–plastic constitutive model that incorporates the details of material microstructure, is proposed for modeling composite and porous materials. It is based on two-scale analysis using the asymptotic homogenization method and the Voronoi cell finite element model for detailed microstructural analysis. The linear elastic behavior is represented by an orthotropic elasticity tensor, obtained by solving an elastic microstructural problem with periodicity boundary conditions followed by homogenization. In the isotropic hardening plasticity with associate flow rule representation, a pressure-dependent yield function with strain and plastic work dependent parameters is postulated. The variation of these parameters are determined from a numerical database in the strain space that is generated from an ordered sequence of microstructural RVE (representative volume element) analyses with asymptotic homogenization. Numerical examples are conducted to examine the effectiveness of the constitutive model by comparing results of macroscopic analysis using the model and those of incremental two-scale analysis with homogenization. For a wide range of microstructures and loading conditions, the proposed model is found to yield extremely accurate solutions. Considerable advantage is achieved with respect to computational efficiency.
Effect of Optical-Fiber Length on the Width of a Transmitted Laser Pulse: Comparison of Theoretical Calculations and Experimentally Measured Pulses:

Optical fibers have several characteristics that make them attractive for sensing applications. They are compact and rugged, can carry light over great distances (enabling measurements external to the laboratory), and are not subject to electrical interferences. There have been numerous review articles detailing the use of optical fibers in the development of chemical sensors. (A rapid Chemical Abstracts on-line search turned up 125 review articles in the area of fiber-optic sensors, 80 of which have been published since 1984.) Several particularly good reviews that emphasize luminescence-based sensors are noted here.
The diffusion of carbon-14 in tungsten and tungsten-rhenium alloys

Abstract The diffusion coefficients of the radioactive tracer, carbon-14, in randomly-oriented single crystals of tungsten and tungsten-rhenium alloys (3.9 at.% Re, 6.8 at.% Re) have been measured over the temperature range 1500 °–1800 °C: D( C 14 W ) = (3.45 ± 0.12)10 −3 exp (−37,800 ± 140 RT ) cm 2 /sec D( C 14 W −3.9 at.% Re) = (3.00 ± 0.26)10 −3 exp (−37,000 ± 330 RT ) cm 2 /sec D( C 14 W −6.8 at.%Re) = (2.24 ± 0.09)10 −3 exp (−36,100 ± 170 RT ) cm 2 /sec The values for the activation energy, Q, and frequency factor, D0, for carbon-14 in tungsten agree well with the values determined by Kovenskii over the range 1800 °–2800 °C. Experimentally, a thin carbide layer, formed on one face of the sample by a reaction with carbon-14 (fine powder, 10 mc/mM), provided the source of carbon throughout the diffusion anneal. Since a non-equilibrium redistribution of carbon occurred during cooling, the concentration profile within 60 μm of the interface, measured at room temperature, was different from that established during the diffusion anneal. Therefore, a computer iteration technique was used to calculate a best-fit value for D, the diffusion coefficient, from the measured values of the activity, A(x); the distance from the carbide-solid solution interface, x; the annealing time, t, and from the estimated values of the activity at the interface, AL. In all diffusion samples, a zone of carbon depletion adjacent to the interface was observed as a result of carbon segregation to the interface. The extent of the depleted zone is a function of cooling rate. The driving force for the interface enrichment effect is the supersaturation of the solid solution with carbon as the sample temperature is decreased.
L-3-glycerol phosphate oxidation with energy coupling in submitochondrial particles from skeletal muscle mitochondria

Abstract Submitochondrial particles (SMP) from rabbit skeletal muscle mitochondria (RMM) oxidize NADH, succinate and L-3-glycerol phosphate (L-3-GP); NADH is not oxidized by RMM unless cholate is added. Ferricyanide has complete access to succinic and L-3-GP dehydrogenases in SMP, but access only to L-3-GP dehydrogenase in RMM. Energy conservation in SMP was demonstrated by the criteria of respiratory control and uncoupler-induced oxidation of cytochrome b with all three substrates. L-3-GP dehydrogenase is on the outer, while NADH and succinic dehydrogenases are on the inner side of the RMM inner membrane which is impermeable to NADH, L-3-GP and ferricyanide. Since SMP are effectively permeable to these three substrates, they must be open membrane fragments capable of conserving energy in the absence of transmembrane electrochemical potentials.
Efficient target search with relevance feedback for large CBIR systems

Recent content-based image retrieval (CBIR) techniques were designed around query refinement based on relevance feedback. They suffer from slow convergence, high disk I/O, and do not even guarantee to find intended targets. In this paper, we identify the cause of these problems and propose several efficient target search methods to address these drawbacks. Our complexity analysis shows that our approach is able to reach any given target image with fewer iterations in the worst and average cases. We evaluated our techniques on large datasets in simulated and realistic environments. The results show that our approach significantly reduces the number of iterations and improves overall retrieval performance. The experiments also confirm that our approach can always retrieve intended targets even with poor selection of initial query points and can be used to improve the effectiveness of existing CBIR systems with relevance feedback.
Efficient simulation of non-linear effects in 2D optical nanostructures to TM waves

We develop a theory to study stationary TM-type waves propagating in a nanostructured layer of 2D nonlinear optical metamaterial or plasmonic device. It is assumed that the layer is inhomogeneous and contains non-linear isotropic elemental materials with non-linearity and loss mechanisms, including both linear and non-linear losses. While modeling of the non-linear propagation of the TE-type scalar waves is straightforward, the TM-type waves within the standard E-field formulations of non-linear optics cannot be treated in a purely scalar H-field context since an implicit equation for the non-linear dielectric functions should be resolved otherwise. A new formulation, which is built on the solution of the implicit equation for the non-linear dielectric function, is proposed. We use a general cubic non-linearity to illustrate all of the important features of the proposed approach. The general solution for scalar H-field waves is validated versus our previously tested particular cases, and important differences are shown between those cases and the general solution. These details, for example, include the link between linear and nonlinear loss mechanisms, and connection between the linear and non-linear dielectric functions. The proposed approach is used for modeling a non-linear focusing device with optically controlled isotropic Kerrtype non-linearity; the simulation results prove the predicted functioning of the device.
Questions on the Economic Value of the Overhead Grounded Wire

Overhead grounded wires have been in extensive use since the construction of the earliest transmission circuits. The fundamental theory of their protective value is based on Faraday's ice-pail experiment. As the resulting law goes, there is no electrostatic field emanating from the inner surface of a charged hollow conductor. The parallel grounded wires do not surround the power wires. Consequently the protection of these grounded wires against induced electric charges by thunderclouds, is only partial?usually of the order of 25 to 40 per cent. It might be erroneously inferred that several decades of use of the overhead grounded wire had established by practise its value. The several factors involved in its use do not lend themselves easily to experimental observations. For example, power lines extend over hundreds of mile while any particular induced charge is localized at some point in these vast distances. Taking into account the broef period of a lightning stroke. the unwilling observer stands a small chance of being near the point of discharge. Furthermore, thunder-clouds differ from one another. Still further, at the instant the lightning bolt takes place the distance from the thunder-cloud to the power wires varies quite indefinitely. In fact, there is a long list of difficulties involved in experimental observation of the effect of cloud lightning on power wires. As a result, except for a few small-scale experiments performed in the laboratory, knowledge of the subject is confined almost entirely to theoretical analyses.
Dentoalveolar reconstructive procedures as a risk factor for implant failure

Abstract Purpose Dentoalveolar reconstructive procedures (DRPs) are commonly used to enhance deficient implant recipient sites. It is unclear, however, if these procedures are independent risk factors for implant failure. The specific aim of this study was to assess the use of DRPs as a risk factor for implant failure. Materials and methods To address the research aim, we used a retrospective cohort study design and a study sample derived from the population of patients who had one or more implants inserted between May 1992 and July 2000. The main predictor variable was the use of DRPs, such as external or internal sinus lifts, onlay bone grafting, or guided-tissue regeneration with autogenous bone grafts or autogenous bone graft substitutes, to enhance the recipient sites before implant insertion. The major outcome variable was implant failure. Appropriate descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate statistics were computed. Results The study sample was composed of 677 patients who had 677 implants randomly selected (1 implant per patient) for analysis. The overall 1- and 5-year implant survival rates were 95.2% and 90.2%, respectively. Bivariate analyses revealed 4 factors statistically or nearly statistically associated with implant failure: current tobacco use, implant length, implant staging, and type of prosthesis (P Conclusions The results of this study suggest that the use of DRPs to reconstruct deficient implant recipient sites was not an independent risk factor for implant failure in either the unadjusted or adjusted analyses.
Nonlinear instability of periodic BGK waves for Vlasov-Poisson system

We investigate the nonlinear instability of periodic Bernstein-Greene-Kruskal (BGK) waves. Starting from an exponentially growing mode to the linearized equation, we proved nonlinear instability in the L1-norm of the electric field. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Gaussian derivative model for edge enhancement

Abstract In this paper we report the result of a set of computer experiments carried out to enhance edges in digital images. We use a special line-weight function, which is a combination of zero- and second-order Hermite functions. We are motivated by the physiological evidence reported in R. A. Young, Spatial Vision 2 (4), 273–293 (1987), that visual receptive fields in the primate eye are shaped like the sum of a Gaussian function and its Laplacian. This function can also be derived mathematically when the contrast sensitivity experiments in psychophysics are posed as an eigenvalue problem (A. L. Stewart and R. Pinkham, Biological Cybernetics , to appear). We introduce the concept of multi-scale analysis into the line weight function. We have attempted to understand the role played by the weight associated with each term of the proposed function. The experimental results with one- and two-dimensional data show that the proposed function has extremely good localization capability (i.e. the points marked by the operator is as close as possible to the center of the true edge).
Methodology in a sample of the temporomandibular joint literature.

Using defined criteria an assessment was made of a sample of the temporomandibular joint literature. The evaluation considered whether the articles enabled a reader to apply reported methods and results to his own patients. The findings suggest that diverse reporting could contribute to the lack of consensus in the treatment of temporomandibular joint dysfunction.
Biofortification in China: policy and practice

Micronutrient deficiency undernutrition, due to insufficient levels of vitamins and minerals in the diet, remains one of the most prevalent and preventable nutritional problems in the world today. Micronutrient undernutrition is the most common form of malnutrition. Compared to the 180 million children with protein-energy malnutrition, 3.5–5 billion persons are iron-deficient, and 140–250 million persons are vitamin A-deficient. Micronutrient deficiencies diminish physical, cognitive, and reproductive development. Undernutrition is both a cause and a result of poor human health and achievement.
Community-Based Social Marketing: Involvement in Health Programs.

Social marketing is a strategy that uses marketing approaches developed within the business arena to design, implement, and evaluate socially beneficial programs. This approach can be an effective social change strategy for groups working in the profession of community development. This paper describes two community-based projects that employed social marketing to design and implement interventions to promote health in Arkansas and Florida. We describe the stages of the research, as well as the limitations and strengths of this approach.
Patterns of Decision Making by Wives of Patients With LifeThreatening Cardiac Disease

Implementation of the Patient Self-Determination Act (PSDA) in the United States has transferred decision making from the responsibility of health care professionals to the responsibility of family members. Dilemmas occurring as a result of this responsibility may cause stress and conflict among family members. The purpose of this study is to describe the patterns of decision making by family members of patients with life-threatening cardiac disease. Purposive sampling is used to select 10 wives of patients with life-threatening cardiovascular disease. Data are gathered through unstructured interviews and are analyzed using grounded theory and theory triangulation. Analysis of the data reveal three patterns of decision making: advocacy, acquiescence, and abdication.
Part II. The reliability of people in selecting sentences

Although subjects exhibited some reliability in selecting representative sentences, the resultant reliability was low. The lack of inter- and intra-subject reliability seems to imply that a single set of representative sentences does not exist for an article. It may be that there are many equally representative sets of sentences which exist for any given article.
Photolithographic technique for direct photochemical modification and chemical micropatterning of surfaces

We describe a photolithographic method for the direct modification and micropatterning of the surface chemical structure of self-assembled monolayers. End-functional azobenzene alkanethiols are designed and synthesized so that, when self-assembled onto gold substrates, an acid-sensitive tert-butyl ester end group is positioned at the air−monolayer interface. Upon exposure to UV radiation in the presence of a photoacid generator, the tert-butyl ester groups are removed in the form of butylene gas to form surface carboxylic acid groups. The orientation of the monolayers and photochemical surface modification reactions are characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements. The photochemical change from hydrophobic tert-butyl ester groups to hydrophilic carboxylic acid groups causes a significant change in wettability reflected in a water contact angle change from 89 to 28°, respectively. Surface chemical modifications may be patterned on a microscale by simply irradiating the self-assembled mono...
Transgenerational soil-mediated differences between plants experienced or naïve to a grass invasion

Invasive species may undergo rapid change as they invade. Native species persisting in invaded areas may also experience rapid change over this short timescale relative to native populations in uninvaded areas. We investigated the response of the native Achillea millefolium to soil from Holcus lanatus-invaded and uninvaded areas, and we sought to determine whether differential responses between A. millefolium from invaded (invader experienced) and uninvaded (invader naive) areas were mediated by soil community changes. Plants grown from seed from experienced and naive areas responded differently to invaded and uninvaded soil with respect to germination time, biomass, and height. Overall, experienced plants grew faster and taller than their naive counterparts. Naive native plants showed negative feedbacks with their home soil and positive feedbacks with invaded soil; experienced plants were less responsive to soil differences. Our results suggest that native plants naive to invasion may be more sensitive to soil communities than experienced plants, consistent with recent studies. While differences between naive and experienced plants are transgenerational, our design cannot differentiate between differences that are genetically based, plastic, or both. Regardless, our results highlight the importance of seed source and population history in restoration, emphasizing the restoration potential of experienced seed sources.
Spectral method and high-order finite differences for the nonlinear cable equation

We use high-order approximation schemes for the space derivatives in the nonlinear cable equation and investigate the behavior of numerical solution errors by using exact solutions, where available, and grid convergence. The space derivatives are numerically approximated by means of differentiation matrices. Nonlinearity in the equation arises from the Hodgkin-Huxley dynamics of the gating variables for ion channels. We have investigated in particular the effects of synaptic current distribution and compared the accuracy of the spectral solutions with that of finite differencing. A flexible form for the injected current is used that can be adjusted smoothly from a very broad to a narrow peak, which furthermore leads, for the passive cable, to a simple, exact solution. We have used three distinct approaches to assess the numerical solutions: comparison with exact solutions in an unbranched passive cable, the convergence of solutions with progressive refinement of the grid in an active cable, and the simulation of spike initiation in a biophysically realistic single-neuron model. The spectral method provides good numerical solutions for passive cables comparable in accuracy to those from the second-order finite difference method and far greater accuracy in the case of a simulated system driven by inputs that are smoothly distributed in space. It provides faster convergence in active cables and in a realistic neuron model due to better approximation of propagating spikes.
Organic Contaminants in Sediments from the Trenton Channel of the Detroit River, Michigan

Anthropogenic organic contaminants in sediments from the Trenton Channel of the Detroit River, a highly industrialized waterway connecting Lake St. Clair with Lake Erie, were identified and quantified. The four major classes of organic contaminants identified were polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCN), and polychlorinated terphenyls (PCT). Distributions of total PAH, the homologues of PCB and PCN, and total PCT were measured in 33 sediment samples. Concentration range maps revealed one region of relatively low contaminant concentration (southwest shore of Grosse Ile) and one area of high contaminant concentration in the vicinity of Monguagon Creek, located on the northwestern side of the Trenton Channel. Closer examination of total compound class and homologue concentration distributions suggests a hierarchical ordering of contaminant distribution similarity. Total PCT and PCN concentration distributions are most similar to one another, suggesting a common source in the vicinity of the Monguagon Creek mouth. PAH and PCB distributions are less similar to each other and to total PCT and PCN distributions, suggesting different sources of these compound classes.
A novel dual fluoroscopic imaging method for determination of THA kinematics: In-vitro and in-vivo study

Accurate measurement of six-degrees-of-freedom in-vivo kinematics of the total hip arthroplasty (THA) is essential in gaining insights into in-vivo THA performance. The objective of this study was to validate a novel dual fluoroscopy imaging system (DFIS) for determination of the THA kinematics using both in-vitro and in-vivo approaches. The in-vitro validation utilized cadaveric hip specimens to compare the THA motion using the DFIS technique with those measured by a radiostereometric analysis (RSA). The differences between the DFIS technique and the RSA were within 0.33±0.81 mm (mean±SD) in translation and 0.45±0.65° in rotation during dynamic motion of the hips. In the in-vivo validation, the THA kinematics of two patients during a treadmill gait was assessed for the feasibility/repeatability of the DFIS technique in measurement of THA kinematics. The poses of the THAs during the treadmill gait was measured using the DFIS technique with the maximum standard deviation of 0.35 mm in translation and of 0.55° in rotation. This study demonstrated that the DFIS technique has comparable accuracy of the RSA and is highly repeatable for measurement of dynamic THA motion, suggesting that the DFIS is a promising tool in evaluating the in-vivo THA biomechanics during functional activities.
Extended concept of significant digits and lower precision computations

Abstract We extend the concept of significant digits by allowing the truncation of both the rightmost and the leftmost digits of the binary values in the computations whose output is known to be bracketted in a certain interval. This enables us to decrease the precision of some customary computations in linear algebra.
Discrete cosine transform (DCT) based face recognition in hexagonal images

In this paper a new approach to face recognition is presented which is based on processing of face images in hexagonal lattice. The importance of the hexagonal representation is that it possesses special computational features that are pertinent to the Human Vision process. Few advantages of processing images on hexagonal lattice are higher degree of circular symmetry, uniform connectivity, greater angular resolution, and a reduced need of storage and computation in image processing operations. Proposed methodology is a hybrid approach to face recognition. DCT is being applied to hexagonally converted images for dimensionality reduction and feature extraction. These features are stored in a database for recognition purpose. Artificial Neural Network (ANN) is being used for recognition. Experiments and testing were conducted over ORL, Yale and FERET databases. The proposed methodology has given better results in recognition over square pixel based approaches.
SPIRO-V: a collaborative approach to controlled vocabularies gathering and management

This paper describes SPIRO-V, a collaborative controlled vocabulary development system integrating automatic and manual approaches for domain-specific vocabulary acquisition, and leveraging the knowledge of field experts.