cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dissolution of mercury vapor in simulated oral environments

Abstract Objective The aim of this investigation was to determine the effects of variables on the dissolution of atomic mercury in simulated oral fluids. This study was based on a hypothesis that the rate of mercury vapor dissolution in synthetic saliva is affected by the oxidation power and stirring of the solution. Method The reference solution was synthetic saliva, and the oxidation power was increased by hydrogen peroxide or decreased by ascorbic acid. Test solutions were exposed to mercury vapor in a sealed container, and the dissolved mercury concentration was determined after exposures ranging from 2 to 48 h. The results were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey's multiple comparison test (p Results Mercury dissolved much faster in the highly oxidizing solution with hydrogen peroxide than in the other two solutions, which dissolved mercury at the same rate. In the less oxidizing solutions, the dissolved mercury concentration reached a nearly constant value. Stirring the solution increased the rate of mercury dissolution for the highly oxidizing solution but had no effect on the less oxidizing solutions. Significance The results show the importance of the transformation of mercury from the atomic to the ionic state. When dissolving atomic mercury is not oxidized, it may evaporate and be inhaled, but the dissolution rate becomes low. Under more oxidizing conditions, mercury dissolves faster, but does not generate mercury vapor. Diffusion in the liquid affects the mercury dissolution rate only under highly oxidizing conditions.
Exploring the time course of egocentric distance perception with visual masking of a real-world environment

The mask effect was more compelling in the reduced cue context. Participants showed no distance sensitivity in the 50 ms masked condition and performance continued to improve with extended (1000 ms) viewing. Performance at the shortest viewing duration was better in the context of 1000-ms trials, suggesting the extraction of information benefi ted from experience acquired during the extended-viewing trials.
Identification of the Failure Mechanism of a Thin Film on a Thick Substrate by Means of Synchrotron X-Ray Topography Combined with Transmission Electron Microscopy

We have used synchrotron x-ray topographic techniques to study the stresses in thin films formed upon silicon substrates either by evaporation or sputtering. It is found that the film stress generally decreases with increasing film thickness for evaporated films, but film delamination occurs at a well defined film thick- ness. Transmission electron microscope studies have been performed on the same specimens in order to reveal what mechanisms are involved with the delamination of the films
An Application of Behavioral Game Theory in Equilibrium Analysis of Concurrent Product-Development Projects

This paper analyzes design equilibrium in a concurrent product-development project using the results from behavioral game theory. In this study, a project consists of a team of three engineers who represent three product-development stages: product design, material selection, and process selection. Product-development tasks are globally distributed, and engineers are allowed to independently make product-development decisions (i.e., non-cooperative design). In addition, the engineers are evaluated according to the outcomes of both individual and team product-development tasks. When multiple design equilibria exist, but a dominant design equilibrium does not, the past behavioral-game-theory studies indicate that design equilibrium may be reached under two conditions. In the first condition, one engineer is allowed to announce his/her intended alternative even though he/she does not need to actually choose the announced alternative. In the second condition, one engineer is selected to make his/her choice first but the other engineers do not know what that choice is. Sensitivity analysis indicates that a wide variety of design equilibria will emerge depending on how engineers are evaluated.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Identifying protein kinase target preferences using mass spectrometry

A general question in molecular physiology is how to identify candidate protein kinases corresponding to a known or hypothetical phosphorylation site in a protein of interest. It is generally recog...
Left ventricular geometric remodeling in relation to non-ischemic scar pattern on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging

Left ventricular (LV) remodeling and myocardial fibrosis have been linked to adverse heart failure outcomes. Mid wall late gadolinium enhancement (MW-LGE) on cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging is well-associated with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM), but prevalence in ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) and association with remodeling are unknown. The population comprised patients with systolic dysfunction [LV ejection fraction (LVEF ≤ 40 %)]. CMR was used to identify MW-LGE, conventionally defined as fibrosis of the mid-myocardial or epicardial aspect of the LV septum. 285 patients were studied. MW-LGE was present in 12 %, and was tenfold more common with NICM (32 %) versus ICM (3 %, p < 0.001). However, owing to higher prevalence of ICM, 15 % of patients with MW-LGE had ICM. LV wall stress was higher (p = 0.02) among patients with, versus those without, MW-LGE despite similar systolic blood pressure (p = 0.24). In multivariate analysis, MW-LGE was associated with CMR-quantified LV end-diastolic volume (p = 0.03) independent of LVEF and mass. Incorporation of clinical and imaging variables demonstrated MW-LGE to be associated with higher LV end-diastolic volume (OR 1.13, CI 1.004–1.27 per 10 ml/m2, p = 0.04) after controlling for presence of NICM (OR 16.0, CI 5.8–44.1, p < 0.001). While more common in NICM, MW-LGE can occur in ICM and is a marker of LV chamber dilation irrespective of cardiomyopathic etiology.
Fine-grained access control of personal data

The immensity and variety of personal information (e.g., profile, photo, and microblog) on social sites require access control policies tailored to individuals' privacy needs. Today such policies are still mainly specified manually by ordinary users, which is usually coarse-grained, tedious, and error-prone. This paper presents the design, implementation, and evaluation of an automated access control policy specification tool, XACCESS, that helps non-expert users effectively specify who should have access to which part of their data. A series of key features distinguish XACCESS from prior work: 1) it adopts a role-based access control model (instead of the conventional rule-based paradigm) to capture the implicit privacy/interest preference of social site users; 2) it employs a novel hybrid mining method to extract a set of semantically interpretable, functional "social roles", from both static network structures and dynamic historical activities; 3) based on the identified social roles, confidentiality setting of personal data, and (optional and possibly inconsistent) predefined user-permission assignments, it recommends a set of high-quality privacy settings; 4) it allows user feedback in every phase of the process to further improve the quality of the suggested privacy policies. A comprehensive experimental evaluation is conducted over real social network and user study data to validate the efficacy of XACCESS.
Necessary role of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase in transforming growth factor β–mediated activation of Akt in normal and rheumatoid arthritis synovial fibroblasts

Objective Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that, pathologically, is characterized by the progressive growth and invasion of the synovial pannus into the surrounding cartilage and bone. Many cytokines, including transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1), have been implicated in this process, but their mode of action is incompletely understood. The goal of the present study was to better understand the downstream signaling pathways of TGFβ in fibroblasts. Methods The role of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) was determined by chemical inhibition with LY294002 or wortmannin. Activation of protein kinase B (Akt), c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs), and extracellular signal–regulated kinases (ERKs) was evaluated by Western blot analysis using phospho-specific antibodies. Results Exposure of fibroblasts to TGFβ rapidly induced activation of a kinase, Akt, that is known to inhibit apoptosis by a variety of pathways. Activation of Akt was blocked by the specific PI 3-kinase inhibitor, LY294002, indicating that TGFβ-mediated phosphorylation of Akt was dependent on PI 3-kinase activation. This activation pathway was relatively selective for Akt, since inhibition of PI 3-kinase failed to substantially modify activation of ERKs or JNKs in synovial fibroblasts. Inhibition of the PI 3-kinase/Akt pathway resulted in impaired proliferation of synovial fibroblasts and partial attenuation of the protective effect of TGFβ on Fas-mediated apoptosis. Conclusion TGFβ exerts its growth and antiapoptotic effects on fibroblasts, at least in part, by activation of the PI 3-kinase/Akt pathway.
Docking studies of matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors: zinc parameter optimization to improve the binding free energy prediction

Docking of metalloproteinase inhibitors remains a challenge due to the zinc multiple coordination geometries and the lack of appropriate force field parameters to model the metal/ligand interactions. In this study, we explore the docking accuracy and scoring reliability for the docking of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) inhibitors using AutoDock 3.0. Potential problems associated with zinc ion were investigated by docking 16 matrix metalloproteinase ligands to their crystal structures. A good coordination between the zinc binding group (ZBG) and the zinc was shown to be a prerequisite for the ligand to fit the binding site. A simplex optimization of zinc parameters, including zinc radius, well depth, and zinc charges, was performed utilizing the 14 MMP complexes with good docking. The use of optimized zinc parameters (zinc radius: 0.87 A; well depth: 0.35 kcal/mol; and zinc charges: +0.95 e) shows improvement in both docking accuracy at the zinc binding site and the prediction of binding free energies. Although further improvement in the docking procedure, particularly the scoring function is needed, optimization of zinc parameters provides an efficient way to improve the performance of AutoDock as a drug discovery tool.
Methane-limited methanotrophy in tidal freshwater swamps

[1] We investigated the relationship between CH4 production and oxidation in two tidal freshwater wetland forests in order to determine whether CH4 oxidation efficiency was limited by O2 or CH4. Methane oxidation was measured in situ over a 16-month period with bi-monthly applications of the inhibitor CH3F. Oxidation consumed 52 ± 10 and 81 ± 9% of diffusive CH4 emissions on the two sites. Methane oxidation rates were linearly related to gross CH4 emissions on both sites (r2 = 0.96), demonstrating the process was CH4-limited. This interpretation is consistent with the fact that the apparent activation energies for the potential CH4 production and oxidation differed by <4 kJ mol−1. Apparent activation energies calculated from field emissions data were also similar for the two processes. The high CH4 oxidation efficiency on these sites may be attributed to relatively low rates of methane production, a deep oxidizing zone (5–10 cm), and low cover of understory vegetation capable of CH4 transport. If our results are typical of forested wetlands, CH4 oxidation efficiency in forested wetlands will not change in response to soil warming.
Density index and proximity search in large graphs

Given a large real-world graph where vertices are associated with labels, how do we quickly find interesting vertex sets according to a given query? In this paper, we study label-based proximity search in large graphs, which finds the top-k query-covering vertex sets with the smallest diameters. Each set has to cover all the labels in a query. Existing greedy algorithms only return approximate answers, and do not scale well to large graphs. We propose a novel framework, called gDensity, which uses density index and likelihood ranking to find vertex sets in an efficient and accurate manner. Promising vertices are ordered and examined according to their likelihood to produce answers, and the likelihood calculation is greatly facilitated by density indexing. Techniques such as progressive search and partial indexing are further proposed. Experiments on real-world graphs show the efficiency and scalability of gDensity.
Electrolyte-Dependent Aggregation of Colloidal Particles near Electrodes in Oscillatory Electric Fields.

Colloidal particles adjacent to electrodes have been observed to exhibit drastically different aggregation behavior depending on the identity of the suspending electrolyte. For example, particles suspended in potassium chloride aggregate laterally near the electrode upon application of a low-frequency (∼100 Hz) oscillatory electric field, but the same particles suspended in potassium hydroxide are instead observed to separate. Previous work has interpreted the particle aggregation or separation in terms of various types of electrically induced fluid flow around the particle, but the details remain poorly understood. Here we present experimental evidence that the aggregation rate is highly correlated to both the particle zeta potential and the electric field amplitude, both of which depend on the electrolyte type. Measurement of the aggregation rate in 26 unique electrolyte−particle combinations demonstrates that the aggregation rate decreases with increasing zeta potential magnitude (i.e., particles with ...
Synthesis and Characterization of ZnO Colloidal Nanocrystals

Colloidal synthesis of ZnO nanocrystals (NCs) from zinc alkoxy alkyl precursors in the 1-methyl imidazole/H2O coordinating solvent is reported. The results of NC structural and optical characterization are presented.
Protein translation components are colocalized in granules in oligodendrocytes

The intracellular distribution of various components of the protein translational machinery was visualized in mouse oligodendrocytes in culture using high resolution fluorescence in situ hybridization and immunofluorescence in conjunction with dual channel confocal laser scanning microscopy. Arginyl-tRNA synthetase, elongation factor 1a, ribosomal RNA, and myelin basic protein mRNA were all co-localized in granules in the processes, veins and membrane sheets of the cell. Colocalization was evaluated by dual channel cross correlation analysis to determine the correlation index (% colocalization) and correlation distance (granule radius), and by single granule ratiometric analysis to determine the distribution of the different components in individual granules. Most granules contained synthetase, elongation factor, ribosomal RNA and myelin basic protein mRNA. These results indicate that several different components of the protein synthetic machinery, including aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, elongation factors, ribosomes and mRNAs, are colocalized in granules in oligodendrocytes. We propose that these granules are supramolecular complexes containing all of the necessary macromolecular components for protein translation and that they represent a heretofore undescribed subcellular organization of the protein synthetic machinery. This spatial organization may increase the efficiency of protein synthesis and may also provide a vehicle for transport and localization of specific mRNAs within the cell.
Cortical Development and Remapping through Spike Timing-Dependent Plasticity

Long-term modification of synaptic efficacy can depend on the timing of pre- and postsynaptic action potentials. In model studies, such spike timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) introduces the desirable features of competition among synapses and regulation of postsynaptic firing characteristics. STDP strengthens synapses that receive correlated input, which can lead to the formation of stimulus-selective columns and the development, refinement, and maintenance of selectivity maps in network models. The temporal asymmetry of STDP suppresses strong destabilizing self-excitatory loops and allows a group of neurons that become selective early in development to direct other neurons to become similarly selective. STDP, acting alone without further hypothetical global constraints or additional forms of plasticity, can also reproduce the remapping seen in adult cortex following afferent lesions.
StopWatcher: A Mobile Application to Improve Stop Sign Awareness for Driving Safety

Stop signs are the primary form of traffic control in the United States. However, they have a tendency to be much less effective than other forms of traffic control like traffic lights. This is due to their smaller size, lack of lighting, and the fact that they may become visually obscured from the road. In this paper, we offer a solution to this problem in the form of a mobile application implemented in the Android platform: StopWatcher. It is designed to alert a driver when they are approaching a stop sign using a voice notification system (VNS). A field test was performed in a snowy environment. The test results demonstrate that the application can detect all of the stop signs correctly, even when some of them were obstructed by the snow, which in turn greatly improves the user awareness of stop signs.
Opioid neuronal denervation in Gilles de la Tourette syndrome.

Increased striatal dopaminergic functions with heightened postsynaptic receptor sensitivity has been proposed to underlie the major clinical symptoms of Tourette's syndrome (TS). The beneficial response of the majority of TS patients to haloperidol supports the hyperdopaminergic pathophysiological concept of TS. However, in 5 recently encountered TS patients, haloperidol failed to ameliorate self-injurious behavior (SIB) while the opiate antagonist, naloxone, attenuated SIB, implicating deranged endorphinergic mechanisms in the pathophysiology of this disorder. Brain damage is commonly associated with partial neuronal denervation, denervation supersensitivity and neuronal habituation (Cannon's Law). While the motor tics of TS possibly reflect neuronal denervation of striatal dopaminergic neurons, SIB may represent opioid denervation with alterations in opioid receptor sensitivity possibly involving striato-limbic-hypothalamic circuits. The effect of naloxone on SIB in TS could thus be explained on the bas...
Fish–environment Associations in the Coastal Waters of Andros Island, The Bahamas

We surveyed fish communities and corresponding environmental conditions at three broadly similar coastal sites of eastern Andros Island, The Bahamas over a summer–winter–summer sequence to assess the relationship between detailed environmental features and fish species patterns. Environmental variables included covers of various benthic flora components, benthic flora diversity, floral canopy height, micro-crustacean diversity and density, water temperature, extent of destructive land-use and extent of invasion by human-introduced exotic terrestrial plants. Correspondence analysis (CA) indicated that spatial (site) differences in environmental characteristics were greater than temporal (seasonal) differences. Detrended canonical correspondence analysis (DCCA) was used to assess the strength of relationships between the environmental characteristics and the distribution patterns of 25 fish species. Environmental features deemed to be most important in influencing fish species patterns included benthic flora canopy height, extent of invasion by exotic terrestrial plants, cover of Batophora oerstedii, cover of Thalassia testudinum, turf cover, water temperature, micro-crustacean diversity, and micro-crustacean density. Based upon similarities in distribution patterns, fish species formed four clusters which, ultimately, reflected similarities in species’ feeding habits and preferences for habitats that likely maximize foraging success. We conclude that fish distribution patterns are related to environmental characteristics, and that anthropogenic coastal activity, by influencing coastal benthic characteristics, may influence the distribution and abundances of fish species in coastal habitats.
Steady state waiting time in a multicenter job shop

This paper analyzes the waiting-time distribution of a specific job as it moves through a job-shop with multiple centers and exponential service times. The movement of the job through the shop is governed by a Markovian transition matrix and ends with the job's exit from the shop.
Relative profile and dose verification of intensity-modulated radiation therapy.

Abstract Purpose: To develop a quality assurance (QA) procedure to assess the intensity profile and dosimetry for intensity-modulated (IM) treatment fields using electronic portal imaging devices (EPIDs). Methods and Materials: A series of rapidly acquired (∼1/sec) portal images are summed and converted to dose. For relative intensity QA, the intended profile is subtracted point-by-point from the measured profile forming a series of error values. The standard deviation, σ, of the errors, a measure of the goodness of the match, is minimized by applying a normalization and uniform scatter subtraction from the measured profile. For dose verification (dose to isocenter), an empirically determined phantom-correction factor is added to incorporate the effect of patient presence on EPID readings. Seventy prostate treatment fields were used in a phantom study to verify these approaches. Sensitivity was studied by creating artificial mismatches. Results: The average σ for relative profile verification is 3.3% (percentage of average intended intensity) whereas artificial mismatches resulted in σ values from 5% to 27%. The average isocentric dose calculated from EPID readings is 1.001 relative to the planned dose with a standard deviation of 0.018. Conclusions: An EPID can be used for profile verification and absolute isocentric dose measurement for IM fields.
Empirical Sampling of Path Sets for Local Area Motion Planning

We consider the problem of online planning for a mobile robot among obstacles, where it is impractical to test all possible future paths. One approach is for the runtime task to test some subset of the possible paths and select a path that does not collide with obstacles while advancing the robot toward its goal. Performance depends on the choice of path set. In this paper we assume the path set is fixed and chosen offline. By randomly sampling the space of path sets we discover effective path sets—comparable or superior to the best previously suggested approaches. In addition, testing large numbers of randomly generated path sets yields some insights on the relation of robot performance to the choice of path set.
Methodology for Assessing the Resilience of Networked Infrastructure

In this paper, we outline a method to characterize the behavior of networked infrastructure for natural hazard events such as hurricanes and earthquakes. Our method includes resilience and interdependency measures. Because most urban infrastructure systems rely on electric power to function properly, we focus on the contribution of power delivery systems to post-event infrastructure recovery. We provide a brief example of our calculations using power delivery and telecommunications data collected post-landfall for Hurricane Katrina. The model is an important component of a scheme to develop design strategies for increased resilience of urban infrastructure for extreme natural hazard scenarios.
Multiple sclerosis in children.

Pediatric multiple sclerosis (MS) is an increasingly recognized rare subgroup of patients presenting with a unique set of diagnostic challenges. Understanding the early development of MS may offer a window into the pathogenesis of disease; however further research is needed, particularly within the field of genetics and to understand the complex environmental and biological interactions at work. Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) remains a hallmark presentation of early pediatric disease and can be a monophasic illness or end up being reclassified as a relapsing disorder. The clinical expression is shaped in part by the prepubertal or postpubertal state of the patient. Other syndromes can also present with ADEM, and a specific differential diagnosis exists for children presenting with any initial demyelinating event (IDE). New definitions and criteria have allowed early detection of MS. However applying adult criteria to very young children should be approached with caution. There is now a major effort in studying disease-modifying therapy (DMT) in children due to requirements from regulatory authorities. Pediatric patients respond well to therapy and often do best with an interdisciplinary approach focusing on social aspects, cognition, and fatigue which enhances the achievement of successful outcomes.
ISLET: a program/proof editor to support the Vienna Development Method

ENCOMPASS is an environment that addresses the software quality problem using a combination of executable specifications, peer review, testing, and formal techniques similar to the Vienna Development Method. One of the most important tools in ENCOMPASS is ISLET, a language-oriented program/proof editor that supports the construction of formal specifications and their incremental refinement into verified implementations. In ISLET, the refinement process can be viewed as the development of a program or as the construction of a proof of correctness. From the proof view, some refinements generate verification conditions that must be true for the step to be correct. ISLET incorporates a number of simple methods that can inexpensively certify a large percentage of the verification conditions generated. An overview of ENCOMPASS and ISLET is given, and an example of development using the editor is presented. >
INDUCTION OF ICAM-1 EXPRESSION ON ALVEOLAR EPITHELIAL CELLS DURING LUNG DEVELOPMENT IN RATS AND HUMANS

Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) is an adhesion protein involved in immune and inflammatory cell recruitment and activation. In normal, uninflamed adult rat lung, ICAM-1 is expressed at high levels on type I alveolar epithelial cells and is minimally expressed on type II cells. ICAM- 1 expression by alveolar epithelial cells in vitro is a function of the state of cellular differentiation, and is regulated by factors influencing cell shape. Based upon this observation, we hypothesized that ICAM-1 expression by fetal lung epithelial cells is developmentally regulated. To investigate this hypothesis, rat and human lung tissues were obtained at time points that represent the canalicular, saccular, and alveolar stages of development. The relative expression of ICAM-1 protein and mRNA were determined in rat lungs from gestational days 18 and 21 (term = 22 days), from day 8 neonatal rats, and from adult rats. ICAM- 1 protein was detectable at low level on day 18 and increased progressively during devel...
Coordinated turn-and-reach movements. II. Planning in an external frame of reference.

The preceding study demonstrated that normal subjects compensate for the additional interaction torques generated when a reaching movement is made during voluntary trunk rotation. The present paper assesses the influence of trunk rotation on finger trajectories and on interjoint coordination and determines whether simultaneous turn-and-reach movements are most simply described relative to a trunk-based or an external reference frame. Subjects reached to targets requiring different extents of arm joint and trunk rotation at a natural pace and quickly in normal lighting and in total darkness. We first examined whether the larger interaction torques generated during rapid turn-and-reach movements perturb finger trajectories and interjoint coordination and whether visual feedback plays a role in compensating for these torques. These issues were addressed using generalized Procrustes analysis (GPA), which attempts to overlap a group of configurations (e.g., joint trajectories) through translations and rotations in multi-dimensional space. We first used GPA to identify the mean intrinsic patterns of finger and joint trajectories (i.e., their average shape irrespective of location and orientation variability in the external and joint workspaces) from turn-and-reach movements performed in each experimental condition and then calculated their curvatures. We then quantified the discrepancy between each finger or joint trajectory and the intrinsic pattern both after GPA was applied individually to trajectories from a pair of experimental conditions and after GPA was applied to the same trajectories pooled together. For several subjects, joint trajectories but not finger trajectories were more curved in fast than slow movements. The curvature of both joint and finger trajectories of turn-and-reach movements was relatively unaffected by the vision conditions. Pooling across speed conditions significantly increased the discrepancy between joint but not finger trajectories for most subjects, indicating that subjects used different patterns of interjoint coordination in slow and fast movements while nevertheless preserving the shape of their finger trajectory. Higher movement speeds did not disrupt the arm joint rotations despite the larger interaction torques generated. Rather, subjects used the redundant degrees of freedom of the arm/trunk system to achieve similar finger trajectories with differing joint configurations. We examined finger movement patterns and velocity profiles to determine the frame of reference in which turn-and-reach movements could be most simply described. Finger trajectories of turn-and-reach movements had much larger curvatures and their velocity profiles were less smooth and less bell-like in trunk-based coordinates than in external coordinates. Taken together, these results support the conclusion that turn-and-reach movements are controlled in an external frame of reference.
Clustering Data without Prior Knowledge

In this paper we present a new approach for clustering a data set for which the only information available is a similarity measure between every pair of elements. The objective is to partition the set into disjoint subsets such that two elements assigned to the same subset are more likely to have a high similarity measure than elements assigned to different subsets. The algorithm makes no assumption about the size or number of clusters, or of any constraint in the similarity measure. The algorithm relies on very simple operations. The running time is dominated by matrix multiplication, and in some cases curve-fitting. We will present experimental results from various implementations of this method.
Use of Peripheral Nerve Field Stimulation for Treatment of Pain Originating from Tardive Dyskinesia

BackgroundDystonia is a condition in which there is involuntary, sustained muscle contraction resulting in abnormal postures, repetitive movements and, often, severe pain. Tardive dyskinesia [TD] describes a form of cervical dystonia, also known as spasmodic torticollis, induced by long-term use of neuroleptic, antiemetic, or some antivertiginous agents. Treatment of TD can vary from pharmacological to surgical options. Each treatment modality, however, has its own limitations. Medical management commonly involves anticholinergic medications, benzodiazepines, or injections of botulinum toxin. Surgical options include selective peripheral denervation and deep-brain stimulation.FindingsA 28-year-old female presented with a two-year history of TD with cervical dystonia. Her most severe pain was located in the thoracic spine area at the level of T4–T9 spinal levels. She failed multiple conservative treatments for upper thoracic back pain. The option of a peripheral nerve stimulator trial was then presented to...
Occipital galeopericranial pedicled flap, transparapharyngeal and transpterygoid transposition: a new flap for skull base reconstruction.

Reconstruction of small dural defects is independent of which technique is used, and vascularized tissue does not appear to be critical. In contrast, large dural defects have been traditionally repaired using regional vascularized flaps, as they promote healing and diminish complications. Recently, novel regional vascularized flaps that do not require cutaneous incisions have been designed: nasoseptal (NS) flap, posterior pedicled inferior turbinate (IT) flap, and pedicled palatal flap. The development of the NS flap has partially overcome the challenge of obtaining vascularized tissue to cover large defects after EEA. However, these flaps cannot be used in patients who have undergone previous posterior septectomies, wide sphenoidotomies, or have tumor involvement of the septum. In an attempt to use new sources of vascular supply and to keep pace with rapidly expanding reconstructive requirements, we investigated the anatomical foundations for novel modifications of the occipital galeopericranial (OGP) flap for reconstruction of skull base defects. Occipital Galeopericranial Pedicled Flap, Transparapharyngeal and Transpterygoid Transposition: a New Flap for Skull Base Reconstruction
Radio wave propagation-20'th century highlights

Summary form only given. This paper examines the highlights in the early development of the theory and understanding of radio wave propagation in the 20th century. By the end of the 19th century Maxwell's equations were well accepted and had been convincingly shown to be valid by a series of detailed experiments carried out by H.R. Hertz as well as others, in particular J.C. Bose. Marconi's bold experiment in the transmission of telegraph signals across the Atlantic ocean from Prohbu in Cornwall, England to St. Johns, Newfoundland in 1901 was perhaps the unique event that ushered in the era of wireless communications. This success in long distance transmission of radio waves led to considerable speculation on the mechanism of how these waves propagated around the spherical Earth. Four possible mechanisms were in contention for a number of years. These were: diffraction around the Earth, atmospheric refraction, the propagation by means of a surface wave which was investigated by Zenneck in 1907 and demonstrated by the theoretical work of Sommerfeld in his 1911 paper, and the reflection from an upper layer of ionized gas which had been predicted to exist independently by Kennelly and Heaviside in 1902.
Characteristics of foveating and defoveating fast phases in latent nystagmus.

PURPOSE. Under certain conditions, the fast phases of latent/manifest latent nystagmus (LMLN) can defoveate the target of interest instead of foveating it, as was thought to be their only function. LMLN fast phases in the waveforms from four subjects were studied with the goals of better understanding their characteristics and determining what triggers both foveating and defoveating fast phases. METHODS. Eye movement records were made using both the scleral search coil and infrared methods. Relationships of fast-phase sizes with slow-phase positions and velocities before and after fast phases were analyzed, as were relationships of saccade size with peak velocity and duration. RESULTS. The data showed that LMLN with defoveating fast phases occurred in the presence of higher slow-phase velocities. Also, larger saccade sizes corresponded to larger presaccadic and postsaccadic slow-phase velocities. The peak velocities and durations of LMLN fast phases were in the same ranges as normal saccades. CONCLUSIONS. Defoveating fast phases with decreasingvelocity slow phases may be the result of the addition of saccadic pulses to linear slow phases. Mechanisms are suggested to explain the switch from foveating to defoveating fast phases in LMLN. (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Set. 1998;39:1751-1759)
Structure of the Orion Nebula

ABSTRACT The nature of the structure of the Orion Nebula has become clearer but more complex. Quantitative application of simple photoionization theory has allowed construction of a three‐dimensional model of the main ionization front, while high‐resolution study of the flow of [O i], [O ii], [O iii], and [S iii] has allowed determination of how this material moves. Material in a “foreground lid” of H i is seen in absorption lines in the 21 cm continuum and in optical spectra of Na i and Ca ii. There remain many unsolved and possibly basic questions, among them the source of nonthermal broadening of all lines, which carries as much energy as the thermal content of the gas. We have also found that varying amounts of emission‐line light scattered by the dust particles immediately behind the main ionization front introduces a nonphotometric scatter of up to 25% in spectral intensities.
Predictive Techniques for Water Quality-Inorganics

The hyperbolic relationship between quality and quantity formulated as c = K Q\Ub\N, in which c is the mineral concentration, Q is the stream discharge, and K and b are regression coefficients, is taken and refined for use on rivers of the southwest or of other semi-arid regions. A modified Cauchy function is used to fit frequency curves for both quantity and quality. Gumbel’s methods of extremal statistics are applied to the frequencies of extremes for quality and inorganic quality. A mathematical model for making a materials balance analysis of the chlorides in rivers of the southwest is presented.
MoveMine 2.0: mining object relationships from movement data

The development in positioning technology has enabled us to collect a huge amount of movement data from moving objects, such as human, animals, and vehicles. The data embed rich information about the relationships among moving objects and have applications in many fields, e.g., in ecological study and human behavioral study. Previously, we have proposed a system MoveMine that integrates several start-of-art movement mining methods. However, it does not include recent methods on relationship pattern mining. Thus, we propose to extend MoveMine to MoveMine 2.0 by adding substantial new methods in mining dynamic relationship patterns. Newly added methods focus on two types of pairwise relationship patterns: (i) attraction/avoidance relationship, and (ii) following pattern. A user-friendly interface is designed to support interactive exploration of the result and provides flexibility in tuning parameters. MoveMine 2.0 is tested on multiple types of real datasets to ensure its practical use. Our system provides useful tools for domain experts to gain insights on real dataset. Meanwhile, it will promote further research in relationship mining from moving objects.
Biometric properties of lactations in ewes raising single or twin lambs

The lactation curves of 21 single- (SR) and 28 twin-rearing (TR)ewes were fitted and milk production was estimated by the model Y = ax b e −cx , developed in England for dairy cattle. In addition, persistency of lactation of SR and TR ewes was compared using five procedures reported in the literature. Results indicated that the coefficients that characterize the shape of the lactation curve ( b and c values) were of similar magnitude to those reported in dairy cattle, thus denning a curve of similar shape. Lactation curves of SR and TR ewes were essentially parallel throughout lactation, with more milk production from TR ewes. The correlation between total milk production estimated by this model and that based on the sum of partial lactations was 0·98, but variability of milk production as estimated by the latter method was slightly less. Lactations of SR ewes had similar persistency to those of TR ewes.
Re)conceptualizing Disability Policy Frameworks

American disability policy is often framed as a health, economic, technical, and/or safety issue. This is a critical issue because this specific framework of disability is based upon narrow statutory interpretations of a policy sciences framework rather than a civil rights or social construction framework. This article addresses the critical interpretations of disability policy, notably the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and the unintended consequences of the ADA through several court cases. Using these court cases as a starting point, the article examines the implications of disability policy from two different models: the policy sciences and social construction model. The article concludes with a discussion addressing disability using the two policy models to better serve the needs and expectations of Americans with disabilities.
Study on Energy Saving of Oil Pumping Machine Hydraulic System

Hydraulic energy recovery system is a new energy-saving hydraulic system,it can recover braking kinetic energy and gravitational potential energy of inertia loads. According to the hydraulic energy-saving oil pumping machine with hydraulic energy recovery system potential energy load,which adopts the hydraulic motor,hydraulic pump and accumulator to fulfill the recovery of gravitational potential energy,and the recovery efficiency of the energy saving of oil pumping machine hydraulic system was studied. Some experiments were carried out using EM20 instrument,flow,pressure and temperature not only read the current system,but can read the peak pressure. The results show that this system has obvious energy saving effect.
The dielectric and molecular behavior of solid glycerides

The low frequency dielectric properties of 1-monopalmitin, 1-monostearin, 1,3-dipalmitin, 1,3-distearin and a number of long-chain triglycerides have been investigated in the solid state over a wide range of temperature, The measurements were made with the aid of an impedance bridge operating in the frequency range from 0.5 to 100 kilocycles.
Experimental and Computational Evaluation of a Sodium-Rich Anti-Perovskite for Solid State Electrolytes

Author(s): Nguyen, H; Hy, S; Wu, E; Deng, Z; Samiee, M; Yersak, T; Luo, J; Ong, SP; Meng, YS | Abstract: In this study we experimentally investigated the effects of two processing techniques on the sodium-rich anti-perovskite, Na3OBr; namely, conventional cold pressing (CP) and spark plasma sintering (SPS). We demonstrated that the electrolyte can be synthesized via a single-step solid state reaction. We compared the CP and SPS processed samples using XRD, SEM, and EIS. From these analyses it was found that SPS reduced Na3OBr's interfacial impedance by three orders of magnitude, which translated into an increase in the overall ionic conductivity and a reduction in the activation energy, from 1.142 eV to 0.837 eV. DFT was used to probe the mechanisms for ionic transport in Na-rich Na3OBr. The formation energies of ion diffusion-facilitating defects in Na3OBr were found to be much higher compared to the lithium-rich anti-perovskites (LiRAP), which can explain the difference in overall ionic conductivity between the two.
Pathogenesis of Enterococcal Spondylitis Caused by Enterococcus cecorum in Broiler Chickens

Enterococcal spondylitis (ES) is a disease of commercial broiler chickens, with a worldwide distribution. Symmetrical hind limb paralysis typical of ES results from infection of the free thoracic vertebra (FTV) by pathogenic strains of Enterococcus cecorum . To determine the pathogenesis of ES, birds with natural and experimental ES were studied over time. In natural disease, case birds (n = 150) from an affected farm and control birds (n = 100) from an unaffected farm were evaluated at weeks 1-6. In control birds, intestinal colonization by E. cecorum began at week 3. In case birds, E. cecorum was detected in intestine and spleen at week 1, followed by infection of the FTV beginning at week 3. E. cecorum isolates recovered from intestine, spleen, and FTV of case birds had matching genotypes, confirming that intestinal colonization with pathogenic strains precedes bacteremia and infection of the FTV. Clinical intestinal disease was not required for E. cecorum bacteremia. In 1- to 3-week-old case birds, pathogenic E. cecorum was observed within osteochondrosis dissecans (OCD) lesions in the FTV. To determine whether OCD of the FTV was a risk factor for ES, 214 birds were orally infected with E. cecorum, and the FTV was evaluated histologically at weeks 1-7. Birds without cartilage clefts of OCD in the FTV did not develop ES; while birds with OCD scores ≥3 were susceptible to lesion development. These findings suggest that intestinal colonization, bacteremia, and OCD of the FTV in early life are crucial to the pathogenesis of ES.
MMT AL-FEC codes for networked distributed storage

This paper propose a networked distributed storage system based on an emerging MPEG Media Transport (MMT) standard. The proposed system has high error recovery capability because of its unequal error protection of image/video components by using MMT Layer-Aware LDGM codes. Higher priority image/video components are well protected by this scheme. The decoded image/video quality is better than that achieved by single layer codes. Another prominent feature of the proposed method is its seamless handling of storage and delivery, which is achieved by extending the MMT scheme to the networked distributed storage system. Experiments show the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Rituximab, Fludarabine, Mitoxantrone, and Dexamethasone (R-FND) for Relapsed Indolent Lymphomas (RIL).

Abstract Optimal therapy for patients (pt) with B-cell RIL remains controversial, and many treatment options include rituximab (R). Based on phase I–II studies of FND (fludarabine 25 mg/m2, d1–3; mitoxantrone 10 mg/m2, d1; dexamethasone 20 mg d1–5) treatment for RIL in which we observed a 48% CR rate, we studied the combination of R (375 mg/m2 d1) and FND for pt with RIL. Pt could not have received prior fludarabine, and were eligible if they had not previoiusly received R or had a response lasting at least 6 months (mo) to prior treament with R. Cycles were repeated every 4 weeks, and required an absolute neutrophil count of 1,000 and a platelet count of 100,000 to administer each cycle. Forty-two pt were entered onto this trial; however, one never received therapy after signing consent, and two were deemed ineligible after signing consent because of low cardiac ejection fractions (EF). All pt underwent biopsy prior to therapy; histologies included follicular gr1–3 in 30 pt, small lymphocytic in 7, marginal zone in 2. The median age was 58 (range 39–84) and median prior therapies 1 (range 1–3). The median number of cycles of R-FND delivered per patient was 6 (range 1–8). Of the 39 eligible and evaluable pt, 19 entered CR and 9 CRu for a CR/CRu rate of 72%, and 9 entered PR (23%) for an overall response rate of 95%. One had stable disease (SD), and one progression (PD). Eight underwent high dose therapy followed by autologous stem cell transplant (SCT) following a response to R-FND therapy. Five of these had achieved CR/CRu with R-FND after 1–6 cycles, and 3 PR after 2–6 cycles. In all, 14 of the 37 responders to R-FND (37%) have had progression; however, none of the 8 who underwent SCT has had progression, nor has the one with SD. In, 24 (62%) still remain free of progression with a median follow-up for living pt of 32 mo. In all, 6 pt have died of PD, including 4 who were ineligible for or refused SCT. The 2-year failure-free survival (FFS) and overall survival (OS) results for all pt are 66% and 90%. The 2-year FFS for responders is 66%, and the 2-year OS for all pt, with pt undergoing SCT censored at time of SCT is 81%. As expected, the main toxicity following R-FND was hematologic: gr 4 neutropenia occurred in 15 pt and in 15 of 130 cycles for which information is available, and gr 3–4 thrombocytopenia in 5 pt and in 6 cycles. In all, 13 of the 28 responders received less than 6 cycles of therapy; reasons included prolonged thrombocytopenia in 4, early SCT in 6, asymptomatic decrease in EF in one, and physician's choice in 2. No patients died of acute toxicity while receiving R-FND. We conclude that 1) R-FND is a very active and well tolerated regimen for relapsed indolent lymphomas 2) Results appear very favorable compared to prior studies with FND 3) In this population, patients receiving R-FND were able to undergo SCT, and had very favorable outcomes.