cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abdominal operations in patients with cirrhosis: Still a major surgical challenge☆

Abstract Background. Hepatic transplantation and portasystemic shunts can be safely performed in patients with advanced liver disease, whereas other abdominal procedures appear to have a much higher mortality rate. This study reviews the outcomes of patients with cirrhosis after the full spectrum of abdominal operations. Methods. In a 12-year period, 92 patients diagnosed with cirrhosis required either an emergent or elective abdominal operation. There were four categories of operations: cholecystectomy in 17 patients, hernia in 9, gastrointestinal tract in 54, and other procedures in 12. Fifty-five clinical, laboratory, and operative variables were analyzed to identify factors predictive of poor outcome. Results. Coagulopathy developed in 24 patients (27%) and sepsis in 15 (16%). The mortality rate after emergent operations was 50%, compared to 18% for elective cases (p = 0.001). Other factors that predicted mortality included the presence of ascites (p = 0.006), encephalopathy (p = 0.002), and elevated prothrombin time (p = 0.021). The mortality in Child's class A patients was 10%, compared to 30% in class B and 82% in class C patients. Conclusions. Patients with cirrhosis undergoing elective or emergent operations are at a significant risk of developing postoperative complications leading to death. The most accurate predictor of outcome is the patient's preoperative Child's class.
Scrapie prion liposomes and rods exhibit target sizes of 55,000 Da

Scrapie is a degenerative neurologic disease in sheep and goats which can be experimentally transmitted to laboratory rodents. Considerable evidence suggests that the scrapie agent is composed largely, if not entirely, of an abnormal isoform of the prion protein (PrPSc). Inactivation of scrapie prions by ionizing radiation exhibited single-hit kinetics and gave a target size of 55,000 +/- 9000 mol wt. The inactivation profile was independent of the form of the prion. Scrapie agent infectivity in brain homogenates, microsomal fractions, detergent-extracted microsomes, purified amyloid rods, and liposomes exhibited the same inactivation profile. Our data are consistent with the hypothesis that the infectious particle causing scrapie contains approximately 2 PrPSc molecules.
Following directions using statistical machine translation

Mobile robots that interact with humans in an intuitive way must be able to follow directions provided by humans in unconstrained natural language. In this work we investigate how statistical machine translation techniques can be used to bridge the gap between natural language route instructions and a map of an environment built by a robot. Our approach uses training data to learn to translate from natural language instructions to an automatically-labeled map. The complexity of the translation process is controlled by taking advantage of physical constraints imposed by the map. As a result, our technique can efficiently handle uncertainty in both map labeling and parsing. Our experiments demonstrate the promising capabilities achieved by our approach.
“I don’t want to be an artificial man”: Narrative reconstruction of sexuality among prostate cancer survivors

After interviewing prostate cancer support group members, I use narrative analysis to examine survivors’ post-illness stories of changes in sexual activity and identity. The main events in the narratives were the choice of a treatment option and the post-treatment changes in survivors’ sex lives, whether described as the end of the sex life or the beginning of a modified one. Survivors characterized their wives as uninterested in sex and seldom described support group peers as helpful sources of sex-related information. The value of health took precedence over the desire for sex among men who experienced erectile dysfunction. My observations suggest implications related to (a) masculine identity, (b) sex among the elderly, (c) the social construction of sexuality, (d) defining and redefining sexuality, (e) physician-patient interaction, (f) sex talk among social support group members, and (g) the apparent clash between the values of sex and health.
Symptomatic improvement and reduced hospitalization for patients attending a cardiomyopathy clinic

Background: The major costs associated with the management of congestive heart failure (CHF) are inpatient costs. Outcome studies are therefore important to establish whether intensive outpatient care for heart failure can reduce these costs while at the same time improving outcomes in this disabling disorder. Hypothesis: Care delivered in a cardiomyopathy clinic might result in objective improvement in cardiac function and symptoms while reducing hospital admissions and emergency department visits. Methods: The outcomes of 21 patients treated for 6 months in a cardiomyopathy clinic are evaluated. New patients referred to the clinic with ejection fraction (EF) <0.45 were enrolled. The Minnesota Living with Heart Failure questionnaire was completed at initial and final visits. All patients underwent baseline and final echocardiogram, radionuclide left ventriculogram, and cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Patients were followed by a nurse practitioner and a cardiologist with maximization of standard treatment. Congestive heart failure-related hospitalizations and clinic and emergency room visits for both 6-month periods before and during the study were determined. Results: There was significant (p<0.05) improvement in these parameters: Heart failure score increased 23 points; New York Heart Association class decreased from 2.6 to 2.2; EF increased from 0.24 to 0.36; diastolic and systolic left ventricular dimensions decreased from 65 to 59 mm and from 57 to 50 mm, respectively. The number of clinic visits increased 5-fold, whereas there were 86% (14 to 2, p = 0.017) and 100% (8 to 0, p = 0.002) reductions in the number of CHF hospitalizations and emergency visits. There was one death during follow-up. Conclusion: Managing patients in a cardiomyopathy clinic may result in a better quality of life, with both symptomatic improvement and decreased hospitalizations.
Design of a home-based adaptive mixed reality rehabilitation system for stroke survivors

This paper presents the design of a home-based adaptive mixed reality system (HAMRR) for upper extremity stroke rehabilitation. The goal of HAMRR is to help restore motor function to chronic stroke survivors by providing an engaging long-term reaching task therapy at home. The system uses an intelligent adaptation scheme to create a continuously challenging and unique multi-year therapy experience. The therapy is overseen by a physical therapist, but day-to-day use of the system can be independently set up and completed by a stroke survivor. The HAMMR system tracks movement of the wrist and torso and provides real-time, post-trial, and post-set feedback to encourage the stroke survivor to self-assess his or her movement and engage in active learning of new movement strategies. The HAMRR system consists of a custom table, chair, and media center, and is designed to easily integrate into any home.
Efficient HD video streaming over the internet

This paper presents methods to improve the efficiency and performance of high-definition (HD) video streaming over the Internet. Traditionally, the approach from the a video server has been to send the contents of the entire video stream as quickly as possible, which we shall refer to in this paper as “rapid” downloading. Rapid downloading does not field optimal bandwidth usage for sending variable bit rate (VBR) HD videos, and may result in a high number of packet losses over the Internet when peak rates are demanded by the video stream. We propose a solution that focuses on “progressive” downloading where the stream is sent in progressive blocks. With VBR videos, particularly 1080p HD videos encoded using H.264, this approach provides better buffer and bandwidth utilization. We will also show that with video smoothing and compound TCP, further performance gains can be achieved.
Hypertension: BP reduction in patients with diabetes--uncertainties remain.

Patients with diabetes mellitus and hypertension are at high cardiovascular risk and treatment guidelines recommend aggressive blood pressure (BP) control. However, a reanalysis of data from the previously published INVEST trial indicates that achieving systolic BPs <130 mmHg in patients with diabetes and coronary artery disease increases mortality, although this finding might reflect the speculative conclusions produced by post-hoc analyses.
HES and SMCD-eos: birds of a FIP1L1-PDGFRA feather

The development of the tyrosine kinase inhibitor imatinib mesylate has led to rational targeted therapy for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) based on inhibition of bcr-abl and altered c-kit . Given its potential to also inhibit the PDGF receptor (PDGFR),
Identification of a mesothelioma phenotype.

Summary Despite the strong association of asbestos exposure to mesothelioma, only a fraction of persons exposed develop this neoplasm which is characterized by long latency and shortened survival. Familial clustering implicates both exposure and genetic predisposition as causative, but a biologically relevant mesothelioma phenotype essential to genetic analysis has not been defined. To identify a more extensive set of traits that would define a mesothelioma phenotype for the purpose of genetic analysis, we set to determine characteristics that distinguish mesothelioma patients from others exposed to asbestos and to identify factors that predict the presence of mesothelioma over other mesenchymal tumors of the peritoneum and carcinoma metastatic to the pleura. We compared demographics in four asbestos-exposed groups (controls n =347, bronchogenic cancer n =67, mesothelioma n =179 and benign asbestos-induced lung disease (BALD) n =3757). Within the mesothelioma group, we compared traits to identify characteristics associated with shortened survival. We found that compared to other asbestos-exposed groups, subjects with mesothelioma were younger at first asbestos exposure, had a greater risk of a second cancer diagnosis (odds ratio=3.29), had a longer disease latency, and had a greater risk of cancer among first-degree relatives (point estimate for risk 2.93; 95% CI 2.5–3.5). Thoracic tumor location, work exposure and male gender were consistently associated with shortened survival (1.9±1.3 years). We conclude that thoracic tumor location, work exposure, male gender, long latency, early age at first exposure, presence of a second cancer, and first-degree relative with cancer define a phenotype that sets mesothelioma patients with a short survival apart from other asbestos-exposed individuals. We propose that this phenotype be applied to candidate gene analysis.
Familiarity may buffer the adverse effects of relocation on marmosets (Callithrix kuhlii): Preliminary evidence

The relocation of exotic species is increasingly crucial for the proper management of captive populations. We investigated the effects of relocation on urinary cortisol levels and proximity behavior in four Wied’s marmosets (Callithrix kuhlii). Two of the relocated marmosets constituted a well-established pair, whereas two (the newly-established pair) were introduced when they arrived at the new facility. Four adult females served as control animals in which we assessed cortisol response to pair formation in the absence of relocation. Urinary cortisol in the relocated subjects was monitored for 4 weeks before and 12 weeks after the relocation event. Urinary cortisol in the control subjects was monitored for 4 weeks before and 8 weeks after the pairs were formed. Proximity was monitored in the relocated subjects for 12 weeks following the move. After the animals were relocated, the newly-established pair had significantly elevated levels of urinary cortisol compared to the well-established pair and control females, which lasted at least 8 weeks. For both pairs, cortisol levels decreased over time across the 12 weeks following the relocation event. The members of the well-established pair were in contact with each other for 65% of the intervals sampled in the 2 weeks immediately following relocation, compared to only 12% in the newly-established pair. These preliminary findings suggest that relocation is associated with significant adverse physiological and behavioral changes that may be ameliorated by the presence of a highly familiar social partner. The study highlights the importance of future research in this field. Zoo Biol 23:000–000, 2004. � c 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Effects of droplet crystallization and melting on the aroma release properties of a model oil-in-water emulsion.

Aroma compounds partition between the dispersed and the continuous phases in emulsions, and phase transitions in the lipid droplets profoundly affect the position of the equilibrium. In the present study, the release of ethyl butyrate, ethyl pentanoate, ethyl heptanoate, and ethyl octanoate from a series of sodium caseinate-stabilized, n-eicosane emulsions was investigated as a function of solid and liquid lipid droplet concentration. For all compounds, headspace volatile concentrations above the solid droplet emulsions were higher than those above the liquid droplet emulsions. The interaction with liquid droplets could be modeled in terms of volume-weighted bulk partition coefficients while the more nonpolar volatiles bound to the surface of solid lipid droplets. The amount of volatiles bound to solid surfaces increased with aqueous concentration up to a critical point and then rapidly increased. The critical point corresponds to the dissolution of the solid lipid in a phase of adsorbed volatile. The bin...
Focal shifts in parabolic reflectors

Given a parabolic reflector, the maximum directivity is not always achieved by placing the feed at the focal point. Depending on the nature of the feed, the maximum directivity can be obtained by axially displacing the feed either toward or away from the reflector. For low-tapered feeds, the shift should be toward the reflector. This result is similar to an optical phenomenon called the focal shift. We find that this positive shift depends mainly on the Fresnel number of the reflector. For highly tapered feeds, the shift should be away from the reflector. This negative shift becomes significant when the reflector aperture is small, in units of wavelength. A unified view is presented to explain both the positive shift and the negative shift in terms of spillover, aperture illumination efficiency and phase asynchronism. For a system with optimum aperture edge taper, no focal shift can exist.
An Enquiry into the Theory of Integrative Levels as the Basis for a Generalized Classification Scheme.

The adaptability of the theory of integrative levels to a generalised classification scheme is questioned in that its hypotheses have not been adequately developed and confirmed. Application to the humanistic disciplines seems particularly inappropriate. Relationships between nineteenth century philosophical systems are traced and the Classification Research Group's dependence upon James Duff Brown's classification scheme is emphasized. It is suggested that not enough cognisance has been taken of twentieth century relativistic thinking in which space‐time is treated as a continuum.
Use of Volume Imaging in the Evaluation of Intrauterine Contraceptive Devices

Intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUD) have been a form of birth control for many hundreds of years. Just as their composition and architectures have changed, so have their sonographic appearances and clinical implications. With the emergence of volume imaging brings the ability to consistently evaluate the uterus in the coronal plane, which brings an entirely different diagnostic perspective and thought process for the evaluation of an IUD. This article provides three examples of how volume imaging is extending the sonographic evaluation of patients with IUDs.
Synthesis, characterization and cycling performance of novel chromium oxide cathode materials for lithium batteries

Chromium oxide (CrOx) cathode material (with chromium oxidation state of +5.3) was synthesized by thermal decomposition of chromium trioxide at high temperature and pressure in oxygen atmosphere. The duration of thermal decomposition had a significant effect on the performance of these materials in terms of lithiation capacity. The detrimental effect of CrO 3 and lower oxidation state chromium oxides have been reduced considerably by reducing their amounts in the material. The operating conditions, namely, temperature, pressure and the reaction time were optimized based on synthesizing novel CrOx cathode material with superior properties, such as low irreversible capacity loss, stable capacity and low capacity fade under continuous cycling. These materials are stable intercalation hosts for lithium and were found to be reversible in the entire intercalation range (2.0–4.2 V versus Li/Li + ). The average voltage of these cells is 3 V versus Li/Li + . CrOx-B cathodes exhibit higher capacity than any of the prominent cathode materials used for lithium batteries with an initial lithiation capacity of capacity of 322 mAh/g. The material shows very low capacity fade during cycling and retained 93% of its reversible capacity after 100 cycles. © 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Role of Pgrmc1 in estrogen maintenance of meiotic arrest in zebrafish oocytes through Gper/Egfr

The regulation of receptor trafficking to the cell surface and its effect on responses of target cells to growth factors and hormones remain poorly understood. Initial evidence has been recently obtained using cancer cells that surface expression of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is dependent on its association with progesterone receptor membrane component 1 (PGRMC1). Estrogen inhibition of oocyte maturation (OM) in zebrafish is mediated through G-protein-coupled estrogen membrane receptor 1 (Gper1) and involves activation of Egfr. Therefore, in this study, the potential roles of Pgrmc1 in the cell surface expression and functions of Egfr in normal cells were investigated in this in vitro OM model of Egfr action using an inhibitor of PGMRC1 signaling, AG205. A single ~60 kDa protein band, which corresponds to the size of the Pgrmc1 dimer, was detected on plasma membranes of fully grown oocytes by western blotting. Co-treatment with the PGRMC1 inhibitor AG205 (20 μM) blocked the inhibitory effects of 100 nM estradiol-17β and the GPER agonist, G-1, on spontaneous maturation of denuded zebrafish oocytes. Moreover, reversal of these estrogen effects on OM by the EGFR inhibitors AG1478 and AG825 (50 μM) was prevented by co-incubation with the PGRMC1 inhibitor. Inhibition of Pgrmc1 signaling with AG205 also caused a decrease in Egfr-dependent signaling and Egfr expression on oocyte cell membranes. These results indicate that maintenance of Pgrmc1 signaling is required for Egfr expression on zebrafish oocyte cell membranes and for conserving the functions of Egfr in maintaining meiotic arrest through estrogen activation of Gper. © 2015 Society for Endocrinology.
State and Local Health Agency Engagement in HIE: A Cross-Sectional Survey

A survey of state and local agencies characterizes relationships with health information exchange organizations. Few agencies are engaged in HIE, except where CDC has made strategic investments.
Phase-error correction in digital holography

The quality of images computed from digital holograms or heterodyne array imaging is degraded by phase errors in the object and/or reference beams at the time of measurement. This paper describes computer simulations used to compare the performance of digital shearing laser interferometry and various sharpness metrics for the correction of such phase errors when imaging a diffuse object. These algorithms are intended for scenarios in which multiple holograms can be recorded with independent object speckle realizations and a static phase error. Algorithm performance is explored as a function of the number of available speckle realizations and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The performance of various sharpness metrics is examined in detail and is shown to vary widely. Under ideal conditions with >15 speckle realizations and high SNR, phase corrections better than λ/50 root-mean-square (RMS) were obtained. Corrections better than λ/10 RMS were obtained in the high SNR regime with as few as two speckle realizations and at object beam signal levels as low as 2.5 photons/speckle with six speckle realizations.
Motion pattern-based video classification and retrieval

Today's content-based video retrieval technologies are still far from human's requirements. A fundamental reason is the lack of content representation that is able to bridge the gap between visual features and semantic conception in video. In this paper, we propose a motion pattern descriptor, motion texture that characterizes motion in a generic way. With this representation, we design a semantic classification scheme to effectively map video clips to semantic categories. Support vector machines (SVMs) are used as the classifiers. In addition, this scheme also improves significantly the performance of motion-based shot retrieval due to the comprehensiveness and effectiveness of motion pattern descriptor and the semantic classification capability as shown by experimental evaluations.
Dispersal, survival, and reproduction of wild-born, yearling swift foxes in a reintroduced population

From 1998 to 2002, the Blackfeet Tribe and Defenders of Wildlife reintroduced 123 captive-reared swift foxes (Vulpes velox (Say, 1823)) to the Blackfeet Reservation in northern Montana. Because yearling swift foxes are colonizers of vacant habitats and are at the periphery of range expansion, we estimated 1st-year survival and explored aspects of dis- persal to ascertain the contribution of wild-born juveniles to the reintroduction effort. First-year survival (post den emer- gence) of swift foxes averaged 0.38 and 0.36 for 2003-2004 and 2004-2005, respectively. Half of the females that survived to 1 June of their 1st year reproduced. Most dispersal (77%) and mortality (85%) occurred in autumn, with 80% of mortalities attributable to predation. Dispersal distance was not different among sexes and averaged 10.4 km. Under- standing the contribution of yearling swift foxes — the colonizers — to reestablishing populations is important because several entities are currently reintroducing swift foxes and some states have expanding populations.
Incidence of periodontal attachment loss over 8 to 10 years among Iowa elders aged 71+ at baseline.

Objectives: There has been limited research on the long-term incidence of periodontal attachment loss (ALOSS) among adults aged 70 and older. This study investigated periodontal ALOSS incidence among elderly Iowans aged 71 and older over an 8- to 10-year period. Methods: Clinical examination data were obtained for a cohort of the Iowa 65+ Oral Health Study/Oral Lesion Detection Study in 1988 (baseline) and again in 1996-98. Periodontal measurements, including gingival recession and probing depth, were made by trained examiners at both exams for each retained tooth at buccal (B) and mesiobuccal (MB) sites. Paired-sample t-tests were used to determine whether significant differences existed in ALOSS between the two time points; two-sample t-tests were used to assess the significance between genders and age groups (81 to 85 versus 86 to 93 years at follow-up). Results: Of the 77 individuals examined at baseline, 35 provided longitudinal data for a total of 705 retained teeth. The data revealed that there were significant changes in ALOSS at B, MB, and combined sites during the observation period, but there were no significant differences in ALOSS by gender or age group. The mean differences in ALOSS between the two time periods were 0.57 mm (SD=0.69, Max=2.08) at B sites, and 0.43 mm (SD=0.63, Max=2.00) at MB sites. Over the period of 8 to 10 years, 2+ mm ALOSS incidence occurred at 17.6 percent of B sites and 13.9 percent of MB sites. Also, 68.6, 71.4, and 82.9 percent of the subjects experienced ALOSS incidence of 2+ mm at one or more B, MB, and B or MB sites, respectively, while 20.0, 25.7, and 31.4 percent of the subjects experienced ALOSS incidence of 4+ mm at one or more B, MB, and B or MB sites, respectively. Conclusions: Continuing ALOSS incidence was common in this elderly population. This study suggests that periodontal treatment continues to be important for the elderly.
Mechanical Damage Detection in Polymer Tiles by THz Radiation

Today the ultrasonic inspection technique is probably the most popular method for nondestructive evaluation and structural health monitoring. However, ultrasonic waves are not very effective in detecting internal defects in some materials such as ceramic foam tiles used in the thermal protection system (TPS) of the space shuttle, thick polymer composites, and polymer tiles used in various applications. Ultrasonic energy is attenuated very fast in these materials. On the other hand the electromagnetic radiation in THz (1000 GHz) frequency range can penetrate deep inside these materials. Its wavelength is small enough to detect internal defects. To understand the limits of structural damage detection capability of THz electromagnetic radiation or T-ray, mechanical damage in polymer tiles is introduced by drilling holes. Then T-ray is passed through the damaged and defect-free tiles. The received signal strength is found to be affected differently by the internal defect as the frequency changes. Experimental observations are justified from the model predictions. The model takes into account the interaction between the T-ray of finite width and the tile containing the internal defect.
MEMS and Si micromachined circuits for high-frequency applications

RF micromachining and microelectromechanical structure (MEMS) technology promise to provide an innovative approach in the development of effective and low-cost circuits and systems. This technology is expected to have significant application in the development of low-cost antenna arrays and reconfigurable apertures, due to its potential to support novel systems architectures. This paper presents a brief history and the state-of-the-art in the development of RF MEMS devices, with primary emphasis on switches and Si-micromachined circuit components for use in high-performance high-density on-wafer packaged circuits.
The application of continent urinary stomas to bladder augmentation or replacement in the failed exstrophy reconstruction.

Objective To determine the application and success of continent urinary stomas in the failed bladder exstrophy reconstruction. Patients and methods A total of 3 5 patients underwent construction of a continent urinary stoma during bladder replacement or bladder augmentation between 1987 and 1993. The continent stoma was constructed with appendix (19 patients), tapered ileum (2), Benchekroun (12), Indiana (1) and Mainz type stoma (1). Results Three patients required revision of their continent stoma, one for incontinence and two for difficulty in catheterization. Overall, 95% experienced daytime continence on an intermittent catheterization regimen, while 90% were dry at night. The upper tract remained normal in 34 of 3 5 patients. Conclusions While the Benchekroun technique is reliable in producing continence, difficulty with catheterization has been a chronic problem due to stomal stenosis. Our positive experience with using the appendix as a cath-eterizable conduit into either the bladder template or bowel segment has led us to prefer this method of continent stoma construction in the patient with a failed exstrophy. In the absence of an appendix, our preference is a tapered ileal segment. The failed exstrophy reconstruction can be salvaged with a continent stoma and substitution or augmentation cystoplasty in most patients, thus avoiding urinary diversion.
Application of Fluid Mechanics to Dark Matter

A dark matter field fluid model is proposed. This model assumes that interstellar space is uniformly filled with dark matter, which possesses a fluid property and a field property; the fluid property follows general fluid mechanics, the interaction of the field with an ordinary baryonic object is proportional to the mass of the object, it also has a force opposing gravity. The data of the Moon-Earth gravitational system agrees with this model very well and the average dark matter field fluid constant is 4.39 × 10-22s-1m-(1-n). This is the first proof that the motion of celestial objects can be treated in a fluid medium. The cosmological redshift formula derived from this model describes the observed redshifts very well. A huge redshift from a distant celestial object may not necessarily indicate that it is quickly receding from us. The universe may not expand as rapidly as thought.
Comparison of Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA) and Duplex Ultrasound Arterial Mapping (DUAM) prior to infrainguinal arterial reconstruction

Objective: the purpose of this study is to compare Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA) to Duplex Ultrasound Arterial Mapping (DUAM) and intraoperative findings to determine the clinical, accuracy of MRA for planning lower extremity revascularization procedures. Methods: forty-two patients who underwent lower extremity revascularization procedures had both MRA and DUAM evaluations. These data were analyzed retrospectively and two distinct endpoints were considered. First, we compared the MRA and DUAM findings for aorto-iliac, femoral-popliteal and infra-popliteal segments to intraoperative findings and evaluated the degree to which they agreed. Second, if there was a disagreement between imaging modalities, it was established whether a change in operative procedure would have resulted. Results: MRA and DUAM findings agreed in 26 of 31 cases (83%) of aorto-iliac segments, in 25 of 31 cases (81%) of femoral-popliteal segments, and in 16 of 21 cases (76%) of infra-popliteal segments. In total, DUAM agreed with intraoperative findings in 98% of cases while MRA agreed in 82% (p<.001). Disagreement between intraoperative findings and DUAM lead to an alternate surgical procedure in only one case (2%) while disagreement with MRA lead to a different procedure in 38% of cases (p<.001). Conclusions: these data show that MRA is not yet adequate to replace conventional angiography and is less accurate that DUAM. Further improvements are necessary before MRA can be used as the sole modality for formulation of a pre-operative plan for lower extremity revascularization. Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg 25, 139–146 (2003)
Nursing behaviour as a predictor of alternate-year reproduction in muskoxen

Our finding significant differences in nursing behavior during the post-rut period supports the hypothesis that female muskoxen use factors other than their nutritional condition to determine their reproductive strategy.
Determining the isomeric heterogeneity of neutral oligosaccharide-alditols of bovine submaxillary mucin using negative ion traveling wave ion mobility mass spectrometry.

Negative ions produced by electrospray ionization were used to evaluate the isomeric heterogeneity of neutral oligosaccharide-alditols isolated from bovine submaxillary mucin (BSM). The oligosaccharide-alditol mixture was preseparated on an off-line high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) column, and the structural homogeneity of individual LC fractions was investigated using a Synapt G2 traveling wave ion mobility spectrometer coupled between quadupole and time-of-flight mass spectrometers. Mixtures of isomers separated by both chromatography and ion mobility spectrometry were studied. Tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) of multiple mobility peaks having the same mass-to-charge ratio (m/z) demonstrated the presence of different structural isomers and not differences in ion conformations due to charge site location. Although the oligosaccharide-alditol mixture was originally separated by HPLC, multiple ion mobility peaks due to structural isomers were observed for a number of oligosaccharide-alditols f...
Characterizing Polymeric Leachants for Potential System Contaminants of Fuel Cells

The role of system contaminants in the performance degradation of Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cells has been underappreciated to date. This work seeks to identify potential contaminants of system components with the ultimate goal of tying contaminant exposure to performance and durability After aging of select polymers in solution, leachant samples were qualitatively identified via GCMS and FTIR-ATR. Total Organic Carbon (TOC) content quantitatively provided information relative to contaminant level extracted from polymeric samples. Results will be presented focusing on SBR rubber and neoprene. Qualitative concentration vs. time charts elucidate leachant evolution, showing among other things potential chemical degradation in solution.
Low Energy Intraband Plasmons and Electron Energy Loss Spectra of Single and Multilayered Graphene

We present a theory for the calculation of the low energy intraband plasmon frequencies and the electron energy loss (EEL) spectra of single layer and multilayer graphene sheets. Our calculation shows that the number of plasmons that can be excited is equal to the number of graphene layers in the sample. One of these is the dominant in-phase plasmon having a square root dependence on the wave number at low wave vectors, whereas the others are out-of-phase plasmons having near linear dependences on the wave number. The EEL spectra of a single layer graphene shows a single peak at the plasmon frequency, which has been observed experimentally. The EEL spectra of all multilayer graphenes have two peaks, one corresponding to the dominant in-phase plasmon and the other due to the out of phase plasmons. We predict that careful measurement of the EEL of multilayer graphene will show both peaks due to the low energy intraband plasmons.
Manufacturing Requirements for Mini-car Development

This article introduces the integration between general assembly manufacture process and product design in the mini-car development process.Through manufacture process,which includes tooling equipment,bill of process and assembly process,it inputs product design and optimize assembly process in new developed mini-car product.
The application of trace cell culture method in the EV71 virus research

Objective To construct a trace cell culture method for isolating the hand-foot-and-mouth virus and screening drugs to inhibit the EV71 virus.Methods The differences of EV71 virus detection using a combination of trace cell culture and real-time PCR or single real-time PCR were studied,and inhibition effects of ribavirin against EV71 were investigated through the trace cell culture using cytopathic effect and MTT analysis.Results Through the trace cell culture,EV71 and CA-16 positive detection ratio values were 90% and 80%,respectively;and the EV71-positive value was 20% in PE negative samples.With the ribavirin concentration of 0.4,0.2,0.1 mg/mL,the inhibition ratio values against EV71 virus were 30.28%,28.09% and 29.61%,respectively.Conclusion The trace cell culture method is feasible for the isolating and detecting the hand-foot-and-mouth virus,and also the screening of inhibition drugs.Meanwhile,this method is more simple,convenient and time-saving.
Planar: Parallel lightweight architecture-aware adaptive graph repartitioning

Graph partitioning is an essential preprocessing step in distributed graph computation and scientific simulations. Existing well-studied graph partitioners are designed for static graphs, but real-world graphs, such as social networks and Web networks, keep changing dynamically. In fact, the communication and computation patterns of some graph algorithms may vary significantly, even across their different computation phases. This means that the optimal partitioning changes over time, requiring the graph to be repartitioned periodically to maintain good performance. However, the state-of-the-art graph (re)partitioners are known for their poor scalability against massive graphs. Furthermore, they usually assume a homogeneous and contention-free computing environment, which is no longer true in modern high performance computing infrastructures. In this paper, we introduce Planar, a parallel lightweight graph repartitioner, which does not require full knowledge of the graph and incrementally adapts the partitioning to changes while considering the heterogeneity and contentiousness of the underlying computing infrastructure. Using a diverse collection of datasets, we showed that, in comparison with the de-facto standard and two state-of-the-art streaming graph partitioning heuristics, Planar improved the quality of graph partitionings by up to 68%, 46%, and 69%, respectively. Furthermore, our experiments with an MPI implementation of Breadth First Search and Single Source Shortest Path showed that Planar achieved up to 10x speedups against the state-of-the-art streaming and multi-level graph (re)partitioners. Finally, we scaled Planar up to a graph with 3.6 billion edges.
On the Fundamental Relationship Between the Achievable Capacity and Delay in Mobile Wireless Networks

In this work, we establish the fundamental relationship between the achievable capacity and delay in mobile wireless networks. Under an i.i.d. mobility model, we first obtain the following upper bound on the achievable capacity given a delay constraint. For a mobile wireless network with n nodes, if the per-bit-averaged mean delay is bounded by \( \bar D\), then the upper bound on the per-node capacity is on the order of \( \sqrt[3]{{\frac{{\bar D}} {n}}}\log n\). By studying the conditions under which the upper bound is tight, we are able to identify the optimal values of several key scheduling parameters. We then develop a scheduling scheme that can almost achieve the upper bound (up to a logarithmic factor). This suggests that the upper bound is tight. Our scheduling scheme also achieves a provably larger per-node capacity than schemes reported in previous works. In particular, when the delay is bounded by a constant, our scheduling scheme achieves a per-node capacity that is inversely proportional to the cube root of n (up to a logarithmic factor). This implies that, for the i.i.d. mobility model, mobility improves the achievable capacity of static wireless networks, even with constant delays! Finally, the insight drawn from the upper bound allows us to identify limiting factors in existing scheduling schemes. These results present a relatively complete picture of the achievable capacity-delay tradeoffs under different settings.
Annealed high band gap tunnel junctions with peak current densities above 800 A/cm 2

The development of high-performance high band gap tunnel junctions is critical for producing efficient multijunction photovoltaic cells that can operate at high solar concentrations. The n-InGaP/GaAs/p-AlGaAs TJ has been demonstrated to produce peak tunneling currents (J pk ) above 1000 A/cm2 with minimal absorption losses due to the use of thin (≤50 A) GaAs layer. We will report on the growth and device modeling of these structures as well as the effect of high temperature annealing on J pk . A method to grow TJ structures resistant to annealing will be described, which has resulted in thermally annealed TJ with J pk above 800 A/cm2. This is the highest value ever reported for an annealed high band gap TJ. Device modeling has been used to investigate the source of the high tunneling current, as well as the behavior of the annealed TJ.
Flexor Tendon Ruptures After Distal Scaphoid Excision for Scaphotrapeziotrapezoid Osteoarthritis.

Background: Distal scaphoid excision is one treatment option for osteoarthritis of the scaphotrapeziotrapezoid (STT) joint following failure of conservative measures. Potential complications of thi...
Reservoir Computing in Embedded Systems: Three variants of the reservoir algorithm.

The rich computational dynamics coupled with simple training in reservoir computing (RC) algorithms makes them a natural choice for spatiotemporal learning systems in embedded platforms. In this article, we study three variants of the reservoir algorithm: the echo-state network (ESN), the liquid-state machine (LSM), and the time-delay reservoirs (TDRs). A digital reservoir architecture is used as a baseline test bed to benchmark for epileptic seizure detection. An average accuracy of 85% is observed across the three variants of the algorithm and the effectiveness of the reservoir is assessed with different metrics.
Glioblastoma Genomics: A Very Complicated Story

ABSTRACT Glioblastoma is a deadly disease that has not shown improvement despite the development of new diagnostic tools and innovative targeted therapies. This grim outcome is mainly related to a complex intra- and inter-individual heterogeneity resulting from severe genetic instability. Understanding glioblastoma biology may establish a foundation to improve prophylaxis, early diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment prediction, thus leading to a better outcome. Recent advances in technologies such as genomics, epigenomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics have led to unprecedented discoveries of potential prognostic and predictive markers. Several of these biomarkers are in deep need of validation to be used in clinical routine. In this chapter, we will discuss the most accomplished recent advances in the genomics of glioblastoma and insight into personalized medicine using validated, and not yet validated, biomarkers that may have great potential to improve patients’ outcomes.
A decade of rapid change: Biocultural influences on child growth in highland Peru.

Objectives In the past decade many areas of Peru have been undergoing extreme environmental, economic, and cultural change. In the highland hamlet of Chugurpampa, La Libertad, climate change has ruined harvests and led to frequent periods of migration to the coast in search of livelihood. This biocultural research examines how the changes could be affecting the growth of children who maintain residence in the highlands. Methods Clinical records from the early 2000s were compared to those from the early 2010s. Charts were randomly selected to record anthropometric data, netting a sample of 75 children ages 0-60 months of age. Analysis of covariance was run to compare mean stature, weight, and BMI between cohorts. Percentage of children who fall below the −2 threshold for z-scores for height and weight were compared by age and cohort. Results A significant secular trend in growth was found, with children born more recently larger than those born a decade before. The effect is most notable in the first year of life, with the growth advantage attenuated by the age of 3 for height and age 4 for weight. While children were unlikely to be stunted from 0 to 3 years of age, 44% of the later cohort were stunted and 11% were underweight from 4 to 5 years of age. Conclusions Three possible explanations for the rapid shift are entertained: more time spent on the coast during gestation and early childhood, which may attenuate the effect of hypoxia on child growth; dietary change; and increased use of biomedicine.
Special Issue: Journal of Bisexuality At the Intersection: Exploring Experiences of Bisexual People of Color and Indigenous People

The Journal of Bisexuality invites submission of abstracts for a special issue on bisexual/bi+/plurisexual/queer (henceforth bi+) People of Color and Indigenous People (POCI) to be co-edited by Kir...
Ethnizität und Rasse Ein konstruktivistischer Ansatz

Auch wenn Maturin hier nicht uber Ethnizitat oder Rasse spricht, so hatte es doch genauso gut darum gehen konnen. Ganz ahnliche Uberlegungen finden sich namlich auch bei Fredrik Barth (vgl. Barth 1969), der bereits vor langerer Zeit Selbst- und Fremdzuschreibung zu den entscheidenden Faktoren bei der Konstruktion ethnischer Gruppen und Identitaten erklarte. Demnach entstehen ethnische Gruppen und Identitaten in einer Wechselbeziehung zwischen Zuweisungen von ausen, (fur wen oder was andere uns halten) und unseren eigenen Anspruchen (wer oder was wir selbst zu sein behaupten) (vgl. Ito-Adler 1980). Diese wechselseitigen Zuschreibungsprozesse finden fortlaufend statt und stellen damit tatsachlich eine Art reziproken Kreislauf (‚reciprocal fluxion‘) dar. Aufgrund der Wechselseitigkeit dieser Zuschreibungsprozesse lassen sich praktisch auch keine feststehenden Aussagen uber das Endprodukt machen.
Left ventricular systolic and diastolic function after pericardiectomy in patients with constrictive pericarditis: Doppler echocardiographic findings and correlation with clinical status.

AbstractOBJECTIVESThe study assessed changes in left ventricular systolic and diastolic function after pericardiectomy in patients with constrictive pericarditis and correlated postoperative Dopple...
Spinal Cord Pain Systems

Nociceptors detect damage or threat of damage by responses to noxious mechanical, thermal, or chemical stimuli. Their axons are usually Aδ or C fibers. Dorsal horn neurons are termed low-threshold, wide dynamic range, or high-threshold, based on responses to mechanical stimuli. Nociceptive dorsal horn neurons evoke flexion reflexes or signal pain. Ascending nociceptive paths include the spinothalamic, postsynaptic dorsal column, spinoreticular, and spinolimbic tracts. Pain processing is controlled by pathways descending from cerebral cortex, amygdala, periaqueductal gray, locus coeruleus, and rostral ventral medulla. Sensitization of peripheral or central nociceptive neurons leads to primary or secondary allodynia and hyperalgesia.
Structure and Properties of Rigid and Semirigid Liquid Crystalline Polyesters

One class of liquid crystalline polymers consists of rigid, rod-like materials containing predominantly symmetrical aromatic components. Their typically high melting points are lowered to permit melt processability by any of several methods which disrupt their highly regular, crystalline structures. Several thermal transitions occur in these materials: glass transition, crystalline to liquid crystalline, and finally clearing point to isotropic melt.
Loci Classici et Res Novae

In the preceding chapter, a case was made for the thorough inadequacy of current textbooks on the psychology of language use in regard to language production, and more specifically speech production and the temporal organization of speaking. Some indications have already been given there that the three sources referred to as loci classici are themselves involved in this inadequacy. Chapter 5 can be looked upon as a tentative diagnosis, if you will; what we need now is an investigation of the etiology of this pathology: not only what is wrong with the archival literature in the field, but why it has developed historically as it has.