cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prior image constrained compressed sensing: Implementation and performance evaluation

Purpose: Prior image constrained compressed sensing (PICCS) is an image reconstruction framework which incorporates an often available prior image into the compressed sensing objective function. The images are reconstructed using an optimization procedure. In this paper, several alternative unconstrained minimization methods are used to implement PICCS. The purpose is to study and compare the performance of each implementation, as well as to evaluate the performance of the PICCS objective function with respect to image quality. Methods: Six different minimization methods are investigated with respect to convergence speed and reconstruction accuracy. These minimization methods include the steepest descent (SD) method and the conjugate gradient (CG) method. These algorithms require a line search to be performed. Thus, for each minimization algorithm, two line searching algorithms are evaluated: a backtracking (BT) line search and a fast Newton-Raphson (NR) line search. The relative root mean square error is used to evaluate the reconstruction accuracy. The algorithm that offers the best convergence speed is used to study the performance of PICCS with respect to the prior image parameter α and the data consistency parameter λ. PICCS is studied in terms of reconstruction accuracy, low-contrast spatial resolution, and noise characteristics. A numerical phantom was simulated and an animal model was scanned using a multirow detector computed tomography (CT) scanner to yield the projection datasets used in this study. Results: For λ within a broad range, the CG method with Fletcher-Reeves formula and NR line search offers the fastest convergence for an equal level of reconstruction accuracy. Using this minimization method, the reconstruction accuracy of PICCS was studied with respect to variations in α and λ. When the number of view angles is varied between 107, 80, 64, 40, 20, and 16, the relative root mean square error reaches a minimum value for α ≈ 0.5. For values of α near the optimal value, the spatial resolution of the reconstructed image remains relatively constant and the noise texture is very similar to that of the prior image, which was reconstructed using the filtered backprojection (FBP) algorithm. Conclusions: Regarding the performance of the minimization methods, the nonlinear CG method with NR line search yields the best convergence speed. Regarding the performance of the PICCS image reconstruction, three main conclusions can be reached. (1) The performance of PICCS is optimal when the weighting parameter of the prior image parameter is selected to be near α = 0.5. (2) The spatial resolution measured for static objects in images reconstructed using PICCS from undersampled datasets is not degraded with respect to the fully-sampled reconstruction for α near its optimal value. (3) The noise texture of PICCS reconstructions is similar to that of the prior image, which was reconstructed using the conventional FBP method.
Sulfur removal from coal by analytical-scale supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) under pyrolysis conditions

Sulfur removal methods were developed using analytical-scale supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) under pyrolysis (450 °C) conditions on a bituminous coal sample (IBC-101) obtained from the Illinois Basin Coal Sample Program (IBCSP) and on physically cleaned Indiana No. 3 coal samples from AMAX Research and Development Center. Approximately one-half of the total sulfur was removed from IBC-101 using supercritical CO2 (40.53 MPa) under pyrolysis-SFE conditions. Using on-line SFE gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SFE-g.c.-m.s.), the major organic sulfur forms removed by pyrolysis-SFE were identified as alkyl-thiophenes (C0-C5). When phosphoric acid was added to the coal prior to pyrolysis-SFE, about 80% of the total sulfur was removed from both coals regardless of whether the sulfatic sulfur, or both the sulfatic and pyritic sulfur, were removed (by HCl and HNO3 extraction, respectively) prior to pyrolysis-SFE. These results demonstrate that the major fraction of sulfatic, pyritic and organic sulfur were extracted in the presence of phosphoric acid. In contrast, pyrolysis-SFE with CO2-methanol appears to preferentially extract organic sulfur species, since only about 60% of the total sulfur was removed from the raw coal by pyrolysis-SFE using CO2 modified with 10% methanol, while about 80% of the total sulfur was extracted if the sulfatic and pyritic sulfur were removed prior to extraction.
Microstructure of Mixed Gelatin-Egg White Gels: Impact on Rheology and Application to Microparticulation†

The microstructure of mixed gelatin-egg white gels was examined by using both light and electron microscopy. Interpenetrating polymer network morphology was observed in mixed gels that were macroscopically single-phase systems. For two-phase gels, phase volumes were determined by optical image analysis and used to predict the composite shear modulus. Rheological properties were related to observable changes in the gel microstructure
A simple model for the enhancement of the low temperature heat capacity of vitreous silica above 1 K

Abstract It is suggested that a simple modification to the Debye model can be made by using a “suitably averaged” sound velocity for vitreous systems, which results in an enhancement of the Debye heat capacity, as seen in experiments.
Religious Attitudes, Internalized Homophobia, and Identity in Gay and Lesbian Adults

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to develop an empirical base for interventions and further research for lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults experiencing conflict between their religious beliefs and sexual orientation by identifying relations between religious beliefs, commitments, and attitudes to indicators of positive adjustment. Ninety-nine lesbian, gay, or bisexual participants responded to measures of internalized homophobia, gay identity development, religious commitment, scriptural literalism, and postconventional religious reasoning. Results indicated that among gay and lesbian adults: (1) levels of religious commitment did not predict positive adjustment and did not appear to interact with the other religious variables assessed; (2) scriptural literalism (i.e., interpreting Biblical scripture with comparatively little attention to historical context) was not related to internalized homophobia or sexual identity development; and (3) higher levels of postconventional religious reasoning (i.e.,...
Effects of organic matter in aquacultural waste on the ammonium exchange capacity of clinoptilolite

Abstract Clinoptilolite, an ammonium-selective ion exchanger, is being used to control ammonia accumulation in recirculating culture systems. Studies were conducted to establish a correlation among the ammonium exchange capacity of clinoptilolite, level of organic matter in aquacultural wastewater, and regenerant solution type. A recirculating culture system of 2300-I capacity provided wastewater with a represantative organic matrix. Treatment of the wastewater led to a decrease in the performance of clinoptilolite under non-equilibrium (packed-column) and equilibrium operating conditions. The extent of the effects increased with an increase in organic level of the treatment solution. In packed-column tests, the maximum observed reductions in mean removal efficiency (3.5%), volume of wastewater treated prior to reaching breakthrough (14.9%), and operating exchange capacity (19.7%), occurred in columns regenerated with a brine of pH 7.0. Columns regenerated with a brine of pH 10.5 showed little response. Treatment of aquacultural wastewater produced a brown discoloration of the packing which was removed by treatment with 1 bed volume of a hypochlorite restorant solution (0.5% Cl2).
Interpolation of operators of weak type between rearrangement invariant function spaces

Abstract Various types of theorems on interpolation of operators of weak type between L p (0, ∞) spaces can be found in the literature. The more general problem of interpolation between rearrangement invariant spaces is discussed in the present paper. It is proved that if a rearrangement invariant function space X lies, in a certain sense, between the rearrangement invariant spaces X 1 and X 2 , then every operator of weak type on X i , i = 1, 2, is a bounded operator on X .
Why We Laugh and What Makes Us Laugh: 'The Enigma of Humor'

Humor (and related concerns such as the nature of comedy and of laughter) is an enigmatic subject that has perplexed our greatest thinkers from Aristotle’s time to the present. There are four competing theories that explain humor, each of which argues that all humor is based on: superiority, incongruity, cognitive problems in processing humor and psychoanalytic perspectives (such as masked aggression).
Tau normal function influences Niemann-Pick type C disease pathogenesis in mice and modulates autophagy in NPC1-deficient cells.

The tauopathies are a diverse class of devastating neurodegenerative disorders, characterized by the hyperphosphorylation and aggregation of the microtubule binding protein tau. Niemann-Pick type C disease (NPC) is a tauopathy that affects children, and is caused by mutations in intracellular lipid and cholesterol trafficking proteins. Loss-of-function mutations in the NPC1 gene are responsible for 95 percent of all NPC cases, and lead to progressive neurodegeneration and early death. To assess the extent to which tau affects NPC pathology, we generated mice that lack both NPC1 and tau. NPC1/tau double-null mutants exhibit an exacerbated NPC phenotype, including severe systemic manifestations, and die significantly earlier than NPC1 single-null mutants. Since autophagy has been previously implicated in NPC pathogenesis, we investigated the impact of tau deletion on this pathway. Acute reductions of tau in NPC1-deficient fibroblasts significantly decrease autophagic induction and flux, while having n...
A Fourier analysis and dynamic optimization of the Petrov–Galerkin finite element method

A Fourier analysis of the linear and quadratic N + 1 and N + 2 Petrov–Galerkin finite element methods applied to the one-dimensional transient convective-diffusion equation is performed. The results show that a priori optimization of the N + 1 method is not possible because dissipative errors are introduced as dispersive errors are reduced (any optimization is subjective). However, a priori optimization of the N + 2 Petrov–Galerkin method is possible because the reduction of dispersion errors can be accomplished without the addition of artificial dissipation. The Spectrally Weighted Average Phase Error Method (SWAPEM) for the optimization of the N + 2 Petrov–Galerkin method is introduced, in which the N + 2 weighting parameter is chosen at each time step to minimize the integral over wave number of the phase error of Fourier modes, weighted by the frequency content of the global solution at the previous time step (obtained via FFT). The method is dynamic, and general in that the dependence of the weighting parameter on the solution waveform is accounted for. Optimal values predicted by the method are in excellent agreement with those suggested by the numerical experimentation of others. Simulations of the pure convective transport of a Gaussian plume and a triangle wave are discussed to illustrate the effectiveness of the method.
Intra‐arterial and extra‐arterial pH, PCO2 and PO2 monitors

In vitro blood gas analysers inherently limit the frequency of serial blood gas measurements because of blood loss and cost. In vivo blood gas monitors eliminate an inherent cost and blood loss associated with measurement. Optode microsensing is a technology that can be readily adapted to in vivo measurement of pH, PCO2, and PO2. Optode-based intra-arterial devices that display continuous values have been developed that are practical for routine use but consistent performance remains a problem; an extra-arterial device that provides intermittent values has been shown to be consistent but is not yet available for routine use. The transfer of blood gas measurements from laboratory analysers to the combination of point-of-care analysers and monitors should have as profound an impact on acute respiratory care as did the introduction of laboratory-based blood gas analysers over 30 years ago. However, we must be sure these devices are reliable, consistent and cost beneficial in order to avoid widespread adoption of yet another technology that provides more data, more cost, and questionable patient benefit.
IMAGING OF CO AND CO2 USING INFRARED PLANAR LASER-INDUCED FLUORESCENCE

Infrared (IR) planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) techniques for imaging of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide are reported. These diagnostics employ a tunable IR source to excite overtone and combination band transitions of CO and CO2, respectively, and one or two InSb focal plane arrays to collect fluorescence emitted via fundamental transitions from excited vibrational states. A brief outline of the theoretical framework for absorption and fluorescence modeling is presented, with most attention paid to the distinct characteristics stemming from the use of vibrational (IR) transitions as compared to more traditional electronic (UV) transitions. Of note are the conclusions that (1) acceptable fluorescence quantum yield (and therefore signal level) can be achieved despite relatively small Einstein A coefficients, as the quenching processes following IR excitation are often slow: and (2) vibration-to-vibration transfer to other IR-active species can enble imaging of more than one species with a single excitation wavelength. Experimentally, the large dynamic range afforded by the IR cameras (14 bit) allows for effective imaging despite the presence of background luminosity, while the use of two cameras enables imaging of multiple species simultaneously and/or common-mode rejection of luminous background in unsteady flows. PLIF imaging of CO and CO2 is demonstrated for room-temperature mixing processes with signal-to-noise ratio=1 detection limits near 1000 ppm. Imaging of both CO and CO2 in a steady laminar coflowing CO/Ar/H2 flame is also presented using laser excitation of CO only.
Computer aided design and analysis of standard IIR architectures — Part III

Presents a computer-aided design procedure for the popular direct, cascade, parallel, normal, Gray-Markel, and Wave IIR digital filter architectures. These architectures are developed within a common state variable format. Using linear algebraic techniques, the computer-derived filters are analyzed in terms of register overflow and roundoff metrics. In this part the fundamental problem and objectives are outlined. Overflow and roundoff errors, in a state-determined filter, are analyzed and formulated for computer-aided analysis.
Early and Mid Cambrian trilobites from the outer-shelf deposits of Nevada and California, USA

A latest Early Cambrian and earliest Mid Cambrian polymeroid trilobite fauna, consisting of 16 genera and 25 species, is reported from the peritidal deposits of the Mule Spring Limestone and outer-shelf deposits of the Emigrant and Monola formations of Nevada and California. The Mid Cambrian fauna includes a new genus, Tonopahella, and four new species, T. goldfieldensis, Oryctocephalus americanus, Onchocephalites claytonensis, and Syspacephalus variosus. The peri-Gondwana species Oryctocephalus orientalis, Oryctocephalites runcinatus, and Paraantagmus latus are recorded in Laurentia for the first time.
A cost analysis of endoscopic ultrasound in the evaluation of pancreatic head adenocarcinoma.

A cost analysis of endoscopic ultrasound in the evaluation of pancreatic head adenocarcinoma
Reevaluating producer's and consumer's risks in acceptance sampling

Abstract This paper presents improved methods for measuring a consumer's and producer's risk in acceptance sampling. We define Bayesian risks for both the consumer and producer. A Bayesian consumer's risk is defined as the probability that a lot which is accepted will contain more than a designated level of defectives, as opposed to the traditional measure of consumer's risk: the probability that a lot which contains a designated number of defectives will be accepted. A Bayesian producer's risk is defined as the probability that a lot which is rejected will contain less than a specified level of defectives, as opposed to the traditional measure: the probability that a lot which contains a designated number of defectives will be rejected. We conduct sensitivity analyses to examine the response of these risk measures to changes in the probability distribution on the number of defectives in the lot and to the variance of these distributions. We conclude that Bayesian consumer's risk gives better information to the decision maker than does a conventional consumer's risk and should be considered the preferred measure. We give practical equations for assessing these risks.
Aromatic Sulfonyl Fluorides Covalently Kinetically Stabilize Transthyretin to Prevent Amyloidogenesis while Affording a Fluorescent Conjugate.

Molecules that bind selectively to a given protein and then undergo a rapid chemoselective reaction to form a covalent conjugate have utility in drug development. Herein a library of 1,3,4-oxadiazoles substituted at the 2 position with an aryl sulfonyl fluoride and at the 5 position with a substituted aryl known to have high affinity for the inner thyroxine binding subsite of transthyretin (TTR) was conceived of by structure-based design principles and was chemically synthesized. When bound in the thyroxine binding site, most of the aryl sulfonyl fluorides react rapidly and chemoselectively with the pKa-perturbed K15 residue, kinetically stabilizing TTR and thus preventing amyloid fibril formation, known to cause polyneuropathy. Conjugation t50s range from 1 to 4 min, ∼1400 times faster than the hydrolysis reaction outside the thyroxine binding site. X-ray crystallography confirms the anticipated binding orientation and sheds light on the sulfonyl fluoride activation leading to the sulfonamide linkage to ...
Color appearance under chromatic adaptation varied along theoretically significant axes in color space

Changes in color appearance caused by chromatic adaptation were measured with a wide range of adapting fields. Observers viewed a 39′–55′ annular test field composed of an admixture of lights from the red phosphor and the green phosphor of a CRT. The annular mixture field was centered and superimposed upon a 4.7° steady, circular background field. After the observer was completely adapted to the background, the luminance of the red phosphor in the test was held fixed while the observer adjusted the luminance of the green phosphor until the test appeared neither reddish nor greenish. Twenty-two equiluminant backgrounds (4.5 cd/m2, ~50 Td) were systematically selected along two axes in Judd chromaticity space. One axis was along tritanopic confusion lines, with middle-wavelength-sensitive- (M-) and long-wavelength-sensitive- (L-) cone stimulation held constant. The other axis maintained constant short-wavelength-sensitive- (S-) cone stimulation. The results show that adapting backgrounds that were varied along tritanopic confusion lines do not have a differential effect on color appearance at high test levels (well above the adapting level). At lower test levels there is a systematic change in color appearance of the test light, which is quantitatively described by additive redness. Along constant S-cone-stimulation lines, adapting backgrounds differentially affect color appearance in a systematic way, reflecting changes in receptoral gain and the additive contribution. The measurements taken with adapting fields throughout color space are described by the two-process model of chromatic adaptation.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of hormone-induced breast changes in young premenopausal women ☆

Abstract Objectives We conducted a pilot study to identify whether MRI parameters are sensitive to hormone-induced changes in the breast during the natural menstrual cycle and whether changes could also be observed during an oral contraceptive (OC) cycle. Materials and Methods The New York University Langone Medical Center Institutional Review Board approved this HIPAA-compliant prospective study. All participants provided written informed consent. Participants were aged 24-31 years.We measured several non-contrast breast MRI parameters during each week of a single menstrual cycle (among 9 women) and OC cycle (among 8 women). Hormones were measured to confirm ovulation and classify menstrual cycle phase among naturally cycling women and to monitor OC compliance among OC users. We investigated how the non-contrast MRI parameters of breast fibroglandular tissue (FGT), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), magnetization transfer ratio (MTR), and transverse relaxation time (T2) varied over the natural and the OC cycles. Results We observed significant increases in MRI FGT% and ADC in FGT, and longer T2 in FGT in the luteal vs. follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. We did not observe any consistent pattern of change for any of the MRI parameters among women using OCs. Conclusions MRI is sensitive to hormone-induced breast tissue changes during the menstrual cycle. Larger studies are needed to assess whether MRI is also sensitive to the effects of exogenous hormones, such as various OC formulations, on the breast tissue of young premenopausal women.
From pixels to multi-robot decision-making: A study in uncertainty

Mobile robots must cope with uncertainty from many sources along the path from interpreting raw sensor inputs to behavior selection to execution of the resulting primitive actions. This article identifies several such sources and introduces methods for (i) reducing uncertainty and (ii) making decisions in the face of uncertainty. We present a complete vision-based robotic system that includes several algorithms for learning models that are useful and necessary for planning, and then place particular emphasis on the planning and decision-making capabilities of the robot. Specifically, we present models for autonomous color calibration, autonomous sensor and actuator modeling, and an adaptation of particle filtering for improved localization on legged robots. These contributions enable effective planning under uncertainty for robots engaged in goaloriented behavior within a dynamic, collaborative and adversarial environment. Each of our algorithms is fully implemented and tested on a commercial off-the-shelf vision-based quadruped robot. c 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
The Cognitive Interview Method of Conducting Police Interviews: Eliciting ExtensiveInformation and Promoting Therapeutic Jurisprudence

Police officers receive little or no training to conduct interviews with cooperative witnesses, and as a result they conduct interviews poorly, eliciting less information than is available and providing little support to assist victims overcome psychological problems that may have arisen from the crime. We analyze the components of a typical police interview that limits the amount of information witnesses communicate, and which militate against victims' overcoming psychological problems. We then describe an alternative interviewing protocol, the Cognitive Interview, which enhances witness recollection and also likely contributes to victims' well being. The component elements of the Cognitive Interview are described, with emphasis on those elements that likely promote better witness recollection and also help to assist victims' psychological health.
PEROMYSCUS FROM SANTA CATALINA ISLAND, SEA OF CORTEZ, MEXICO: TAXONOMIC IDENTITIES AND BIOGEOGRAPHIC IMPLICATIONS

Peromyscus slevini Mailliard (1924) is endemic to Santa Catalina Island, a small oceanic island in the southern Sea of Cortez. The species has been variously associated, formally or informally, with 2 subgenera— Haplomylomys and Peromyscus—and 5 species-groups—californicus, eremicus, maniculatus, and boylii or mexicanus. Based upon our taxonomic evaluations, we document that 2 species of Peromyscus, P. slevini and P. fraterculus, occur among the samples that authors have identified as P. slevini, clarify the diagnosis of P. slevini proper and allocate it to membership in the P. melanophrys species-group, and discuss biogeographic implications of this proposed relationship.
MIEC-SVM: Automated Pipeline for Protein Peptide/ligand Interaction Prediction

Motivation MIEC-SVM is a structure-based method for predicting protein recognition specificity. Here, we present an automated MIEC-SVM pipeline providing an integrated and user-friendly workflow for construction and application of the MIEC-SVM models. This pipeline can handle standard amino acids and those with post-translational modifications (PTMs) or small molecules. Moreover, multi-threading and support to Sun Grid Engine (SGE) are implemented to significantly boost the computational efficiency. Availability and implementation The program is available at http://wanglab.ucsd.edu/MIEC-SVM CONTACT: : wei-wang@ucsd.edu Supplementary information Supplementary data available at Bioinformatics online.
Effects of Incubation at 4 C on Calcium Uptake and Acrosin Activity in Turkey Spermatozoa

Turkey semen was diluted 1:1 with a phosphate diluent (Clemson Turkey Semen Diluent) containing radioactively labeled calcium-45 (45Ca) and stored in in vitro at 25 or 4 C to determine the effects of cold-storage on spermatozoa 45Ca permeability. In addition, acrosin activity of semen stored 24 hr at 4 C was compared with that of fresh diluted semen at 25 C. Cold-stored spermatozoa immediately sequestered 45Ca at an exponential rate until the 3 hr disintegrations per min/10(9) spermatozoa equalled that of spermatozoa stored 24 h at 4 C. Washing the spermatozoa after 3 hr incubation reduced the 45Ca of spermatozoa stored at 25 C but not at 4 C. Acrosin activity of spermatozoa diluted 1:1 with CTSD and stored at 4 C for 24 hr was 1.74 times greater than for fresh sperm held 1 hr at 25 C. These results suggest that cooling turkey spermatozoa causes an intracellular influx of calcium ions that may be associated with acrosin formation.
Viviparity in Reptiles: Evolution and Reproductive Endocrinology

Publisher Summary Viviparity is defined as the retention of an embryo in utero for the duration of embryonic development, resulting in the live birth of a fully developed neonate. Among vertebrates, squamate reptiles exhibit a significant number of transitions from oviparity to viviparity. The evolution of viviparity has been of considerable interest for over 100 years because of the high frequency of occurrence coupled with a complete absence of viviparity in other reptiles. In order for viviparity to fully evolve, viviparous species must overcome three major morphological and/or physiological modifications. First, egg retention time must be increased so that the embryo completes development in utero. Second, eggshell thickness must be decreased to reduce the physical barrier between embryonic and maternal environments. Third, a placenta must develop to facilitate maternal and embryonic exchange. This chapter provides a brief overview of some of the work that has shaped the understanding of these modifications associated with the evolution of viviparity. Further, a new hypothesis for the evolution of endocrine extraembryonic membranes is presented, including the placenta, of amniotes.
Effects of temperature dependence of electrical and thermal conductivities on the Joule heating of a one dimensional conductor

We examine the effects of temperature dependence of the electrical and thermal conductivities on Joule heating of a one-dimensional conductor by solving the coupled non-linear steady state electrical and thermal conduction equations. The spatial temperature distribution and the maximum temperature and its location within the conductor are evaluated for four cases: (i) constant electrical conductivity and linear temperature dependence of thermal conductivity, (ii) linear temperature dependence of both electrical and thermal conductivities, (iii) the Wiedemann–Franz relation for metals, and (iv) polynomial fits to measured data for carbon nanotube fibers and for copper. For (i) and (ii), it is found that there are conditions under which no steady state solution exists, which may indicate the possibility of thermal runaway. For (i), analytical solutions are constructed, from which explicit expressions for the parameter bounds for the existence of steady state solutions are obtained. The shifting of these bounds due to the introduction of linear temperature dependence of electrical conductivity (case (ii)) is studied numerically. These results may provide guidance in the design of circuits and devices in which the effects of coupled thermal and electrical conduction are important.
Implementation of surgeon-initiated Oncotype DX ordering among patients with breast cancer to reduce chemotherapy wait times.

166Background: Oncotype DX testing in breast cancer is associated with delayed chemotherapy initiation, which may adversely impact clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction. We sought to reduce delays between surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy initiation among patients who undergo Oncotype DX testing by developing standard ordering criteria and modifying surgical oncology, medical oncology, and pathology workflows. Methods: We implemented ‘reflex’ Oncotype DX testing for any patient ≤ 65 with the following tumor characteristics: T1cN0 (grade 2-3), T2N0 (grade 1-2), or T1/T2N1 (grade 1-2). A new process was developed whereby once pathology review is complete surgeons communicate the results to medical oncologists in real-time and initiate requests for Oncotype DX when appropriate. Medical oncologists can order Oncotype for cases outside the criteria. A streamlined pathology system for receiving and processing Oncotype DX requests was also developed. We then examined 649 consecutive breast cancer patients w...
A 19-Year-Old College Student With Headache, Photophobia, and Flulike Illness

Case Presentation A 19-year-old previously healthy man presented, minimally responsive, in respiratory distress to an ED after a 2-week history of headache, photophobia, and neck stiffness. Associated symptoms included low-grade fevers, malaise, and dark urine. He had no recent travel, ill contacts, consumption of undercooked meat, new sexual contacts, or illicit drug use. The patient resided in a campus dormitory and did not consume alcohol or tobacco.
Effect of Maladaptive Beliefs and Attitudes about Sleep among Communitydwelling African American Men at Risk for Obstructive Sleep Apnea

This study compared differences in both maladaptive beliefs and attitudes about sleep between African American (heareafter referred to as black) men at risk for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and those without OSA risk. Methods: A convenience sample of 120 community-dwelling men provided sociodemographic, health and sleep data. A validated questionnaire was used to identify men at high risk for OSA and the Dysfunctional Beliefs and Attitudes about Sleep (DBAS-16) scale was used to measure endorsed attitudes and beliefs about sleep. Results: The mean age of the sample was 42 ± 15 years. Men reported difficulty falling asleep (23%), difficulty maintaining sleep (23%), early morning awakening (35%), and use of sleep medicine (6%). 27% were at high risk for OSA. Men at high OSA risk had greater DBAS scores [F1, 92=13.68, p<0.001]; OSA risk was related to greater rate of sleep dissatisfaction overall [46% vs. 13%, Χ2=24.52, p<0.001]. Conclusion: The findings suggest that maladaptive beliefs and attitudes about sleep are important characteristics of black men at risk for OSA, and potential screenings around sleep difficulties should also consider these factors.
Friends, Girlfriends, and Sports: The Injuries Escalate and Become Personal

While Sennett and Cobb (The Hidden Injuries of Class. New York: Vintage Books, 1972) concentrated on educational credentials and occupational prestige as the focus for the hidden injuries of class, this chapter explores other important fields where the injuries escalate. These include friends and peers, girlfriends and boyfriends, and leisure, such as one’s prowess at various sporting activities. Here I will also discuss the debilitating effects of “rank-outs” (sometimes called “verbal sparring” or “the dozens”). Our version was nasty, vicious (aimed at the weaknesses of working-class families), and taken to heart (as recent research suggests) by working-class youth. The research on sports and leisure is also important for understanding working-class and middle-class identities. Finally, this chapter will look at another important area for the self-confidence of working-class youth (again, because they tend to take it to heart): love interests who are “out of one’s league.” Finally, I will consider the norms and values found in the neighborhood being examined, for better or worse.
Chapter 9 – Life-Cycle Assessment: The Energy Return on Invested of Biodiesel

High oil prices are driving renewed interest in biofuels, including biodiesel in the hope that it can substitute for petroleum-derived diesel. Although many criteria must be used to determine whether these biofuels offer benefits over their fossil fuel-derived counterparts, the primary criteria must be that the biofuels are able to generate an energy surplus, defined as a positive energy return on energy invested (EROI). A literature review of biodiesel EROI yields estimates that vary widely, from those below the energy-break-even point of 1:1 to those up to 8:1.
Effect of Upper Tropospheric Humidity and Sea Surface Temperature on Greenhouse Factor in Tropical Region

The availability of upper tropospheric humidity (UTH), sea surface temperature (SST) and outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) from INSAT-3D has given the opportunity for exploring the impact of these parameters on the greenhouse effect in the atmosphere. The clear-sky greenhouse effect, G is defined as the energy trapped in the atmosphere due to gases present in it. Measurement of SST and OLR from satellites gives us the opportunity to estimate the energy trapped in the atmosphere. In the tropics, due to deep convection water vapour exists in the upper troposphere and influences the greenhouse effect. The impact of UTH and SST on greenhouse effect is explored using these observed data from INSAT-3D. This analysis shows that an increase of 2 K in sea surface temperature may increase the greenhouse absorption by about 22 W/m2.
Surface Tension, Membrane Structure, Microscopic Resolution, and Cell Fractionation

This chapter presents various problem sets related to surface tension, membrane structure, microscopic resolution, and cell fractionation.
Information Fusion with the Power Average Operator

The power average provides an aggregation operator that allows argument values to support each other in the aggregation process. The properties of this operator are described. We see this mixes some of the properties of the mode with mean. Some formulations for the support function used in the power average are described. We extend this facility of empowerment to a wider class of mean operators such as the OWA and generalized mean.
Treatment of cutaneous nodules using electrochemotherapy

The ability to increase the amount of chemotherapeutic agents absorbed by tumor cells can be accomplished using electrochemotherapy. A preclinical study demonstrated the potential of this treatment; therefore, a clinical trial was initiated to determine if it would be effective in cutaneous and subcutaneous malignancies. Three melanoma, one adenocarcinoma and two basal cell carcinoma patients were treated. Each received a 10 unit/m2 dose of bleomycin intravenously. Eight 99 microseconds pulses at an amplitude of 1.3 kV/cm were administered directly to the tumors approximately 10-12 minutes after initiating the bleomycin injection and following the injection of 1% lidocaine solution around the treatment site. Two of three melanoma patients have responded positively to the treatment. Both basal cell carcinoma patients responded. The patient with adenocarcinoma responded as well. All patients tolerated the treatment well with no residual effects from the electric pulses. Although conclusions cannot be made, the results thus far are very encouraging.
Multi-Neuron Experiments: Observation of State in Neural Nets

During the last twenty years it has become common in the neurophysiology laboratory to record and study the electrical activity of single neurons, one at a time, and in a wide variety of stimulus and behavioral conditions in many creatures. Using statistical and computer methods (reviewed in the book by GLASER and RUCHKIN [1]), it is possible to associate firing patterns of single neurons with transmission of particular sensory or motor information. A striking discovery of this era has been that neurons with similar stimulus selectivity (preferences or tuning) lie together in spatially restricted clusters which may repeat at approximately regular spatial intervals. The best known examples are the cortical columns first described by MOUNTCASTLE [2] for somatosensory cortex and by HUBEL and WIESEL [3] for visual cortex.
Poststernotomy Complications: A Multimodal Review of Normal and Abnormal Postoperative Imaging Findings.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this article is to review the normal postoperative appearance of various sternotomy configurations as well as the pathophysiologic and imaging characteristics of sternotom...
Public memory and political street names in Košice: Slovakia's multiethnic second city

Abstract Many studies have demonstrated how street names have been utilized by political elites as a tool for communicating national histories and hegemonic state ideologies with the end goal of affecting public memory in a way that legitimizes the political order. Recent scholarship in the realm of public memory has shown that it is a negotiated, dialectic process by which elites attempt to gain acceptance for the sociopolitical order of the day through various means like street naming and in which everyday people react to such coercion in complex ways. However, not enough attention has been paid to the fact that nationalist movements have qualitatively different ideological goals and geographic scales in mind when reorienting city texts compared with those of communist regimes, whose task is much more difficult. This paper uses the city of Kosice, Slovakia to examine political street renaming and vernacular responses to nationalist and communist periods of odonymic change and their unique results.
Phonologic Error Distributions in the Iowa-Nebraska Articulation Norms Project: Consonant Singletons

The errors on consonant singletons made by children in the Iowa-Nebraska Articulation Norms Project (Smit, Hand, Freilinger, Bernthal, & Bird, 1990) were tabulated by age range and frequency. The prominent error types can usually be described as phonological processes, but there are other common errors as well, especially distortions of liquids and fricatives. Moreover, some of the relevant phonological processes appear to be restricted in the range of consonants or word-positions to which they apply. A metric based on frequency of use is proposed for determining that an error type is or is not atypical. Changes in frequency of error types over the age range are examined to determine if certain atypical error types are likely to be developmental, that is, likely to self-correct as the child matures. Finally, the clinical applications of these data for evaluation and intervention are explored.
Baseline Lymphatic Dysfunction Amplifies the Negative Effects of Lymphatic Injury.

Background Genetic mutations and obesity increase the risk of secondary lymphedema, suggesting that impaired lymphatic function before surgical injury may contribute to disease pathophysiology. Previous studies show that obesity not only decreases lymphatic function, but also markedly increases pathologic changes, such as swelling, fibroadipose deposition, and inflammation. However, although these reports provide circumstantial evidence supporting the hypothesis that baseline lymphatic defects amplify the effect of lymphatic injury, the mechanisms regulating this association remain unknown. Methods Baseline lymphatic morphology, leakiness, pumping, immune cell trafficking, and local inflammation and fibroadipose deposition were assessed in wild-type and Prox1-haploinsufficient (Prox1) mice, which have previously been shown to have abnormal vasculature without overt evidence of lymphedema. In subsequent experiments, wild-type and Prox1 mice underwent popliteal lymph node dissection to evaluate the effect of lymphatic injury. Repeated testing of all variables was conducted 4 weeks postoperatively. Results At baseline, Prox1 mice had dilated, leaky lymphatic vessels corresponding to low-grade inflammation and decreased pumping and transport function, compared with wild-type mice. Popliteal lymph node dissection resulted in evidence of lymphedema in both Prox1 and wild-type mice, but popliteal lymph node dissection-treated Prox1 mice had increased inflammation and decreased lymphatic pumping. Conclusions Subclinical lymphatic dysfunction exacerbates the pathologic changes of lymphatic injury, an effect that is multifactorial and related to increased lymphatic leakiness, perilymphatic accumulation of inflammatory cells, and impaired pumping and transport capacity. These findings suggest that preoperative testing of lymphatic function may enable clinicians to more accurately risk-stratify patients and design targeted preventative strategies.
Interference and nuclear medium effects on the eta-mesic nuclear spectrum

The missing-mass spectrum obtained in a recoil-free transfer reaction p(27Al,3He)π−p'X is analyzed. We find that the observed peak structure arises from the coherent contributions from two reaction processes in the energy region corresponding to a bound eta (η) meson. In one of the processes, the intermediate η is captured by the nucleus to form the η-mesic nucleus 25Mg. In the other process, the η does not form an η–nucleus bound state. The interference between these two processes has caused the peak of the spectrum to appear at an η binding energy stronger than the actual one. Our analysis also indicates that the data are consistent with an attractive N*(1535)–nucleus interaction at energies below the ηN threshold.
Comparative outcomes between COVID-19 and influenza patients placed on veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for severe ARDS.

BACKGROUND: ECMO is an established supportive adjunct for patients with severe, refractory ARDS from viral pneumonia. However, the exact role and timing of ECMO for COVID-19 patients remains unclear. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective comparison of the first 32 patients with COVID-19-associated ARDS to the last 28 patients with influenza-associated ARDS placed on V-V ECMO. We compared patient factors between the two cohorts and used survival analysis to compare the hazard of mortality over sixty days post-cannulation. RESULTS: COVID-19 patients were older (mean 47.8 vs. 41.2 years, p = 0.033), had more ventilator days before cannulation (mean 4.5 vs. 1.5 days, p < 0.001). Crude in-hospital mortality was significantly higher in the COVID-19 cohort at 65.6% (n = 21/32) versus 36.3% (n = 11/28, p = 0.041). The adjusted hazard ratio over sixty days for COVID-19 patients was 2.81 (95% CI 1.07, 7.35) after adjusting for age, race, ECMO-associated organ failure, and Charlson Comorbidity Index. CONCLUSION: ECMO has a role in severe ARDS associated with COVID-19 but providers should carefully weigh patient factors when utilizing this scarce resource in favor of influenza pneumonia.
Methods of Evaluating Ruminal pH in Dairy Cattle

Progress in understanding ruminal acidosis in dairy cattle has been limited by the methods available for determining ruminal pH. We evaluated three different methods of measuring ruminal pH in 8 ruminally-cannulated Holstein cows in early lactation as part of a 28-day nutritional study.
Detector Performance for the FIREBall-2 UV Experiment

We present an overview of the detector for the upcoming Faint Intergalactic Red-shifted Emission Balloon (FIREBall-2) experiment, with a particular focus on the development of device-integrated optical coatings and detector quantum efficiency (QE). FIREBall-2 is designed to measure emission from the strong resonance lines of HI, OVI, and CIV, all red-shifted to 195-225 nm window; its detector is a delta-doped electron multiplying charge coupled device (EM-CCD). Delta-doped arrays, invented at JPL, achieve 100% internal QE from the UV through the visible. External losses due to reflection (~70% in some UV regions) can be mitigated with antireflection coatings (ARCs). Using atomic layer deposition (ALD), thin-film optical filters are incorporated with existing detector technologies. ALD offers nanometer-scale control over film thickness and interface quality, allowing for precision growth of multilayer films. Several AR coatings, including single and multi-layer designs, were tested for FIREBall-2. QE measurements match modeled transmittance behavior remarkably well, showing improved performance in the target wavelength range. Also under development are ALD coatings to enhance QE for a variety of spectral regions throughout the UV (90-320 nm) and visible (320-1000 nm) range both for space-based imaging and spectroscopy as well as for ground-based telescopes.
Studies on the Characterization of the Sodium-Potassium Transport Adenosine Triphosphatase XV. DIRECT CHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF THE ACYL PHOSPHATE IN THE ENZYME AS AN ASPARTYL β-PHOSPHATE RESIDUE

Abstract Phosphoenzyme and dephosphoenzyme from the purified (sodium + potassium)-activated adenosine triphosphatase from Squalus acanthias were reduced with sodium [3H]borohydride followed by acid hydrolysis and treatment with NaOH. Standard homoserine and α-amino-δ-hydroxyvaleric acid were added, and amino acid analysis was carried out in an amino acid analyzer. In a modified buffer, homoserine and α-amino-δ-hydroxyvaleric acid were clearly separated without any overlapping of any of the other amino acids. There was a strong radioactive peak coinciding with the homoserine peak. The radioactivity in the homoserine peak from the dephosphoenzyme was less than 5% of that from the phosphoenzyme. No radioactivity was associated with any other amino acid. The yield of radioactivity from the 32P-labeled acyl phosphate recovered as radioactive homoserine ranged from 19 to 34%. In the complete amino acid analysis, the remainder of the tritium radioactivity was eluted with neutral material and in a small peak emerging at about 25 min. There was no difference in these peaks between dephospho- and phosphoenzyme. Since reduction of an aspartyl β-phosphate residue gives rise to homoserine and reduction of a glutamyl γ-phosphate residue gives rise to α-amino-δ-hydroxyvaleric acid, which can be recoverd after acid hydrolysis of the protein and alkaline treatment, we conclude that the acyl phosphate residue in the (sodium + potassium)-activated adenosine triphosphatase is an aspartyl β-phosphate residue. Under conditions of standard protein hydrolysis in acid for 36 hours, 13% of the α-amino-δ-hydroxyvaleric acid was quantitatively converted to proline. The remainder of the α-amino-δ-hydroxyvaleric acid was recovered unchanged.
Quantum Algorithms for Highly Structured Search Problems

We consider the problem of identifying a base k string given an oracle which returns information about the number of correct components in a query, specifically, the Hamming distance between the query and the solution, modulo r = max{2, 6 − k}. Classically this problem requires Ω(n logrk) queries. For k ∈ {2, 3, 4}, we construct quantum algorithms requiring only a single quantum query. For k > 4, we show that O(√k) quantum queries suffice. In both cases the quantum algorithms are optimal. PACS: 03.67.Lx