cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ultra-wideband antenna performance comparison

For ground penetrating radar applications antennas with bandwidth typically 3-to-1 or greater are required. Many designs can be found in the literature but performance tends to suffer when extending the bandwidth to lower frequencies. Here the nominal frequency range is 0.3–2.3 GHz (154%) and the TEM horn is used as a reference for performance comparisons. Planar antenna designs have many advantages such as low-profile, light-weight, and ease of fabrication and integration. Various planar monopole and a slot-type antennas are compared where the results show that increasing the size can extend the bandwidth to lower frequencies but introduce radiation pattern instability at high frequency. This paper summarizes a numerical investigation using FEKO to provide antenna alternatives for multistatic radar systems. The results serve to guide the selection of broadband antenna elements for ground penetrating radar system developers.
Evaluation of Gossypium arboreum L. Germplasm for resistance to thrips

As part of a project to assess the U.S. Asiatic Cotton Germplasm Collection as a source of genes for pest resistance, forty-three accessions of Gossypium arboreum L. were evaluated for resistance to thrips. Thrips, Thysanoptera spp., are a minor, but widespread pest on cotton, G. hirsutum L. and G. barbadense L. Accessions were planted in free-choice field tests in 1988, 1989, and 1990 at the Cotton Branch Experiment Station, Marianna, Arkansas. Damage ratings, based on a scale of 0 (no damage) to 7 (severe damage), were made approximately one month after planting. Relative score was computed by dividing the rating of each accession by the rating of the reference, G. hirsutum ‘Stoneville 506’. The relative score averaged over all G. arboreum accessions by year varied with the year, but was less than 100 (relative score for Stoneville 506) in each case. When data were combined for all three years, twenty-five accessions were significantly better than Stoneville 506. Introgression of the better accessions into G. hirsutum is now in progress.
Ab initio and DFT calculations on the Cope rearrangement, a reaction with a chameleonic transition state

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews experiments and calculations that have been performed in order to elucidate the nature of the transition structure (TS) for the Cope rearrangement. It discusses the contribution of abinitio and density functional calculations to the current understanding of the mechanism for this reaction and the effects of substituents on it. The contribution of two diradical extremes to the TS for the Cope rearrangement results in the energy of this structure being calculated to be rather insensitive to changes in the interallylic bond lengths in it. The variability of the TS with different abinitio methods made calculating its geometry challenging, and inclusion of dynamic electron correlation proved essential for obtaining an unbiased potential energy surface. The variability of the geometry of the TS with radical stabilizing substituents is shown by B3LYP calculations, which are responsible for the cooperative and competitive effects of phenyl substituents on the rates of Cope rearrangements. A simple mathematical model that embodies the chameleonic nature of the TS and the strong effect of substituents on its geometry has been developed and shown to predict quite well the phenyl substituent effects that have been revealed by these experiments.
Targeting Virulence for Antibacterial Chemotherapy

The antibacterial drug discovery industry is fast losing participants; at the same time it is facing the challenge of developing new antibiotics that are effective against frequently occurring and multiply resistant organisms. One intriguing approach is to target bacterial virulence, and the last decade or so has seen a focus on bacterial pathogenesis along with the development of reagents and strategies that could make this possible. Several processes utilised by a range of bacteria to cause infection may be conserved enough to make attractive targets; indeed it is known that mammalian cells can affect bacterial gene expression and vice versa. Interesting targets involving virulence include type III secretion systems, two-component signal transduction systems, quorum sensing, and biofilm formation. In order to better understand these systems and strategies, investigators have developed novel strategies of their own, involving negative selections, surrogate models of infection, and screens for gene induction and antigenicity. Inhibitors of such targets would be unlikely to adversely affect patients, be cross-resistant to existing therapies, or cause resistance themselves. It might be the case that virulence target-based therapies would not be powerful enough to clear an existing infection alone, but if they are instead considered as adjunct therapy to existing antibiotics, or potentiators of the host immune response, they may show efficacy in a non-traditional way.
ν2 and ν4 bands of the NT3 molecule

Abstract The ν4 and ν2 bands of the NT3 molecule located at 10 and 15 microns have been recorded with a high resolution vacuum grating spectrometer. Rotational constants have been determined from an analysis of the band ν4. These data have been combined with published data on the NH3 and ND3 molecvles to calculate the ground-state energy levels of NT3. “Giant” l-type doubling has been observed in the band ν4 and the doubling constant, q, has been calculated. From the observations on ν2 it is evident that the inversion splitting of the first excited state of ν2 is about 0.8 cm−1.
En-gauging the light

Synthetic gauge fields that enable controllable confinement and guiding via bound states in the continuum are demonstrated, offering new ways to confine and manipulate localization of radiation in space and opportunities to new applications of artificial gauge fields in photonics.
Protein splicing: an analysis of the branched intermediate and its resolution by succinimide formation.

Abstract Protein splicing involves the excision of an internal domain from a precursor protein and the ligation of the external domains so as to generate two new proteins. Study of this process has recently been facilitated by the isolation of a precursor and a branched intermediate from a thermophilic protein splicing element expressed in a foreign protein context. Two aspects of protein splicing are examined in this paper. We demonstrate a succinimide at the C-terminus of the spliced internal protein, implicating cyclization of asparagine in resolution of the branched intermediate, and we identify an alkali-labile bond in the branched intermediate. A revised protein splicing model based on these experimental results is presented.
17 – Miscellaneous Preparations

Publisher Summary The preparation of adamantane from readily available starting materials has opened the door to a study of its many substitution products, both from a chemical and a biological point of view. Adamantylamine hydrochloride for example, has been found to exhibit antiviral activity. This chapter presents several procedures for the preparation of adamantane derivatives. The epoxidation of olefins, as well as other oxidative procedures, require the use of percarboxylic acids. The chapter presents the two of the more easily prepared and more stable compounds for percarboxylic acids. Although diazomethane is both toxic and explosive, its chemical capabilities are so important that it has found widespread use in a variety of organic reactions. It may decompose explosively on contact with rough edges, such as boiling chips or ground glass joints, but it can safely be prepared and used when appropriate precautions are observed. Trichloroisocyanuric acid smells like hypochlorous acid. It has been used synthetically as an oxidizing agent.
Does neck dissection affect post-operative outcomes in parotidectomy? A national study.

Abstract Objective To characterize post-operative complications in parotidectomy with neck dissection. Methods Patients age ≥ 18 receiving a parotidectomy or parotidectomy with neck dissection between 2005 and 2017 were eligible for inclusion. Patients with unknown demographic variables were excluded. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed. Results A total of 13,609 parotidectomy patients were analyzed, 11,243 (82.6%) without neck dissection and 2366 (17.4%) with neck dissection. Both length of surgery (mean minutes ± standard deviation [SD] = 335.9 ± 189.2 vs. 152.9 ± 99.0, p 0.05) or rates of readmission (OR = 1.007 (95%CI 0.740–1.369), p > 0.05). Parotidectomy with neck dissection was more likely to be inpatient (OR = 4.411 (95%CI 3.887–5.004), p Conclusions Nationwide data demonstrates that parotidectomy with neck dissection is associated with increased rates of post-operative complications; however, neck dissection did not significantly impact readmission or reoperation rates. These findings indicate that neck dissection is a relatively safe addition to parotidectomy and provide novel evidence in the management of parotid malignancies.
FDA postmarketing safety labeling changes: What have we learned since 2010 about impacts on prescribing rates, drug utilization, and treatment outcomes.

Purpose Prior literature reviews have identified gaps in understanding of how postmarketing safety labeling changes and related FDA communications impact key clinical and behavioral outcomes. We conducted a review of newly published studies on this topic to determine what new evidence exists and to identify which gaps may still remain. We believe that this information can support FDA as it develops and implements future risk communication approaches. Methods We searched PubMed and Embase for studies published between January 1, 2010, and August 7, 2017 that examined the impact of labeling changes or associated FDA safety-related communications. For each study, we extracted information on research design and findings for key clinical outcomes and behaviors. We also conducted a ROBINS-I review to identify potential for bias in the research design of each study. Results We found that the estimated impacts of FDA labeling changes on several key outcomes-including adverse events-varied. Labeling changes also yielded unintended consequences on drug prescribing in some cases, despite low provider adherence. Finally, some studies we reviewed exhibited potential for bias due to confounding, among other factors. Conclusions The new studies we reviewed contain many of the same limitations identified in previously published reviews. While there are several challenges to conducting this research there is substantial room for improvement in the quality of the evidence base. More information, particularly with respect to the types of populations and medications affected by labeling changes, is needed to support the development of more effective and targeted safety communications.
Ethics and Environmental Risk Assessment

In its most common form, environmental risk assessment is an adaptation of consequentialist ethical theory. Hazards are identified as significant through careful articulation of the values (axiology) that determine why outcomes are considered to be bad, harmful or adverse, and exposure quantification is used to characterize risk as an expected value. Several leading examples of how this framework is operationalized in the characterization of environmental risks from agrifood biotechnology are discussed, including risks to biodiversity, weediness and acquired resistance to the effectiveness of pesticides. Epistemological uncertainties plague the quantification of expected values, however, and feed both public doubts and deeper controversy. As risk communication strives to assuage those doubts, an ironic cycle of mistrust emerges, even among those who apply rigorous standards of risk analysis: Assuming that others are less careful, they regard their contrary findings as evidence of error, rather than prompting a further check on the initial assessment. For anyone inclined to see the technology as risky, the alleged carelessness of analysts amplifies the evidence for risk.
Advancements within Modern Machine Learning Methodology: Impacts and Prospects in Biomarker Discovery.

BACKGROUND The adoption of biomarkers as part of high-throughput, complex microarray or sequencing data has necessitated the discovery and validation of these data through machine learning. Machine learning has remained a fundamental and indispensable tool due to its efficacy and efficiency in both feature extraction of relevant biomarkers as well as the classification of samples as validation of the discovered biomarkers. OBJECTIVES This review aims to present the impact and ability of various machine learning methodologies and models to process high-throughput, high-dimensionality data found within mass spectrometry, microarray, and DNA/RNA-sequence data; data that precluded biomarker discovery prior to the use of machine learning. METHODS A vast array of literature highlighting machine learning for biomarker discovery was reviewed, resulting in the eligibility of 21 machine learning algorithms/networks and 3 combinatory architectures, spanning 17 fields of study. This literature was screened to investigate the usage and development of machine learning within the framework of biomarker discovery. RESULTS Out of the 93 papers collected, a total of 62 biomarker studies were further reviewed across different subfields-49 of which employed machine learning algorithms, and 13 of which employed neural network-based models. Through the application, innovation, and creation of tools in biomarker-related machine learning methodologies, its use allowed for the discovery, accumulation, validation, and interpretation of biomarkers within varied data formats, sources, as well as fields of study. CONCLUSION The use of machine learning methodologies for biomarker discovery is critical to the analysis of various types of data used for biomarker discovery, such as mass spectrometry, nucleotide and protein sequencing, and image (e.g. CT-scan) data. Further studies containing more standardized techniques for evaluation, and the use of cutting- edge machine learning architectures may lead to more accurate and specific results.
Fellow travelers or Trojan horses? Similarities across pro-Russian parties’ electorates in Europe:

Scholarship analyzing Russia’s influence in Europe has focused primarily on the supply-side of this relationship, especially on the links between the Kremlin and specific parties. Surprisingly few ...
Examining the competing effects of contemporary land management vs. land cover changes on global air quality

Abstract. Our work explores the impact of two important dimensions of land system changes, land use and land cover change (LULCC) as well as direct agricultural reactive nitrogen (N r ) emissions from soils, on ozone (O 3 ) and fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) in terms of air quality over contemporary (1992 to 2014) timescales. We account for LULCC and agricultural N r emissions changes with consistent remote sensing products and new global emission inventories respectively estimating their impacts on global surface O 3 and PM 2.5 concentrations as well as N r deposition using the GEOS-Chem global chemical transport model. Over this time period, our model results show that agricultural N r emission changes cause a reduction of annual mean PM 2.5 levels over Europe and northern Asia (up to − 2.1 µ g m −3 ) while increasing PM 2.5 levels in India, China and the eastern US (up to + 3.5 µ g m −3 ). Land cover changes induce small reductions in PM 2.5 (up to − 0.7 µ g m −3 ) over Amazonia, China and India due to reduced biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) emissions and enhanced deposition of aerosol precursor gases (e.g., NO 2 , SO 2 ). Agricultural N r emission changes only lead to minor changes (up to ±0.6 ppbv) in annual mean surface O 3 levels, mainly over China, India and Myanmar. Meanwhile, our model result suggests a stronger impact of LULCC on surface O 3 over the time period across South America; the combination of changes in dry deposition and isoprene emissions results in − 0.8 to + 1.2 ppbv surface ozone changes. The enhancement of dry deposition reduces the surface ozone level (up to − 1 ppbv) over southern China, the eastern US and central Africa. The enhancement of soil NO emission due to crop expansion also contributes to surface ozone changes (up to + 0.6 ppbv) over sub-Saharan Africa. In certain regions, the combined effects of LULCC and agricultural N r emission changes on O 3 and PM 2.5 air quality can be comparable ( >20 %) to anthropogenic emission changes over the same time period. Finally, we calculate that the increase in global agricultural N r emissions leads to a net increase in global land area ( + 3.67 × 10 6 km 2 ) that potentially faces exceedance of the critical N r load ( >5 kg N ha −1 yr −1 ). Our result demonstrates the impacts of contemporary LULCC and agricultural N r emission changes on PM 2.5 and O 3 in terms of air quality, as well as the importance of land system changes for air quality over multidecadal timescales.
Binary ensemble machine learning for confident decisions

Folk wisdom on the subject of human knowledge holds that it is “better to know nothing than to know what ain’t so1”. In some circumstances that precept may be particularly important. If the negative consequences of false knowledge are sufficiently severe, we may be willing to forgo the benefits of knowing some facts to avoid the dangers of believing “facts” that are incorrect. This is the foundation of the “innocent until proven guilty” system of justice. According to English jurist William Blackstone, “it is better that ten guilty persons escape than that one innocent suffer2”. Similar principles apply wherever it is especially harmful to act upon false beliefs. If we wish to employ machine learning as an aid to human judgment, it may in some cases be advisable to insist upon near-certainty from the machine’s reported results. One way of working towards this goal is to use an ensemble of different agents. If their results are consistent with each other, we can have greater confidence in their overall reliability. We can also set a threshold value for the average confidence of the agents themselves. This paper explores the decision-making process for developing an ensemble of classifiers, and evaluates the results in the context of an example set. This set is appropriately categorized by a hierarchical structure, which permits less-specific judgments to be made if confidence falls below our predetermined threshold. We examine the tradeoffs to be made when setting parameters, and discuss aligning them with overarching requirements.
Commentary on Thomas Aquinas's Treatise on Divine Law

Thomas Aquinas's classic Treatise on Divine Law is brought to life in this illuminating line-by-line commentary, which acts as a sequel to Budziszewski's Commentary on Thomas Aquinas's Treatise on Law. In this new work, Budziszewski reinvestigates the theory of divine law in Aquinas's Summa Theologiae, exploring questions concerning faith and reason, natural law and revelation, the organization of human society, and the ultimate destiny of human life. This interdisciplinary text includes thorough explanations, applications to life, and ancillary discussions that open up Aquinas's dense body of work, which tends to demand a great deal from readers. More than a half-century has passed since the last commentary on Thomas Aquinas's view of these matters. Budziszewski fills this gap with his consideration of not only the medieval text under examination, but also its immediate relevance to contemporary thought and issues of the modern world.
Women in Glass: Women at the Harvard Observatory during the Era of Astronomical Glass Plate Photography, 1875–1975:

Starting in the late 19th century, the Harvard Observatory hired women to study stars via the Astronomical Photographic Glass Plate Collection. Some of these women—such as Annie Jump Cannon, Henrie...
The Impacts of Proliferation and Autonomy of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems on Security

Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) have become a regular part of military operations and civilian life since the early 2000s. The proliferation of drone technologies has led to reduced costs and increased accessibility for individuals, states, and non-state actors. While extensive research and commentary have been made on the impacts of high-end military drones, the literature is comparatively sparse on the impacts of small UAS. With the regulations for civilian drones set to be finalized shortly, the potential impacts of small UAS on safety, privacy, and security need to be understood to have the right regulatory framework in place. This chapter deals with estimating the projected impacts of small UAS proliferation and increased autonomy on security. A robust analysis is presented by evaluating the disruptive potential of national security in various scenarios by analyzing the current and future trends of drone technologies, regulations, threats, and other important variables. The framework provided lays the groundwork for further studies into the impact of small UAS on security and hopes to inform future usage, perception, and policy surrounding these systems.
Multifunctional Gold Nanostars for Sensitive Detection, Photothermal Treatment and Immunotherapy of Brain Tumor

Glioblastoma (GBM), the most common type of brain cancer, is a severe threat to human health with only 15 months of median survival even after aggressive treatment including surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. There is an urgent need to develop novel methods to improve brain cancer management. We have developed multifunctional gold nanostars (GNS) as a novel nanoplatform for sensitive brain cancer imaging and specific photoimmunotherapy. The developed GNS nanoprobe has demonstrated the feasibility of non-invasive submillimeter brain tumor detection with PET/CT scan. Furthermore, the developed GNS nanoprobe, with superior tip-enhanced plasmonics for effective photothermal therapy, has been found to successfully trigger memorized anti-cancer immune response, “Cancer Vaccine” effect, to prevent cancer recurrence. Therefore, the biocompatible GNS nanoparticles have the promise for future clinical translation to improve brain cancer diagnostics and therapeutics.
Ḥafṣa and al-Muṣḥaf: Women and the Written Qurʾān in the Early Centuries of Islam

This study examines the ways male medieval Muslim writers portrayed Ḥafṣa bt. ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb (d. 45/665) and other seventh-century women and their roles as authorities and authenticators of the written word of God. By tracing Ḥafṣa’s ownership of the first complete written copy of the Muslim scripture, I identify the late third/ninth and fourth/tenth centuries as a period of conflict over the chain of transmission of the first Qurʾān. I argue that late third/ninth and fourth/tenth-century accounts of the collection and codification of the Qurʾān illustrate a conscious rewriting of Ḥafṣa’s role in those projects. I suggest that Ḥafṣa’s literacy may have been deemed a threat to the authenticity of the Qurʾān collected by Abū Bakr, resulting in a scholarly attempt to sever her from the codification project.
Radiographic Imaging of the Cochlear Implant Candidate: Preliminary Results

Preoperative radiographic imaging of the temporal bone is well accepted in otology for both the diagnosis of disease and the delineation of anatomic structure for surgical planning. Until recently ...
Cubical approximation and computation of homology

The purpose of this article is to introduce a method for computing the homology groups of cellular complexes composed of cubes. We will pay attention to issues of storage and efficiency in performing computations on large complexes which will be required in applications to the computation of the Conley index. The algorithm used in the homology computations is based on a local reduction procedure, and we give a subquadratic estimate of its computational complexity. This estimate is rigorous in two dimensions, and we conjecture its validity in higher dimensions.
Solving Domain Mismatch and Schema Mismatch Problems with an Object-Oriented Database Programming Language

Domain mismatch _. and schema mismatch are two of the important semantic integration problems for interoperating heterogeneous databases. This paper structures the domain mismatch problem, illustrates approaches to its solution, and then extends r.his to the schema mismatch problem. Structuring of the problem and solution includes notions of conceptual territory, spheres, domain groups, localized and integrator functions, and type and function groups. Despite this structuring, the full generality of the problem still requires a rich language in which to describe the rules for reconciling discrepancies. Exarnple solutions are illustrated in the Iris Progr;ring Language (IPL) extension of Iris
Unraveling the temporal fabric of knowledge conversion: a model of media selection and use

We draw from and extend Nonaka's (1994) theory of knowledge creation to develop a model of media selection and use in the knowledge conversion (KC) process. KC is a process wherein an individual is affected by the experiences of another. The outcomes of KC-transferred and transformed knowledge-hinge on the development of understanding. The KC process is enabled via various communicative and noncommunicative media. Because the KC process occurs over time, it possesses a temporal fabric or structure. We explore the practical realities of KC as a dynamic, time- and experience-dependent process. We consider how the temporal fabric of KC creates an evolving reciprocal relationship among perceived media utility, selection, and use of media, as well as switching and/or combining media. We propose and discuss two key factors as determinants of perceived media utility use in the KC process: (1) the temporal behavior of individuals engaged in the KC process and (2) individual and joint experience-based factors. We also discuss the role of contextual factors as antecedents. Finally, we offer and illustrate two primary temporal structures for KC media selection and use: (1) monophasic, wherein KC participants use a single medium at a time, and (2) polyphasic, wherein KC participants deploy multiple media simultaneously. We conclude with a discussion of the implications for the design of KC-enabling systems and directions for future research.
Force and Moment Measurements with Pressure-Sensitive Paint

The potential of pressure-sensitive paint (PSP) to provide aerodynamic loads measurements has been a driving force behind the development of this measurement technique. To demonstrate the suitability of PSP for this purpose, it is necessary to show that PSP-derived pressures can be accurately integrated over the model surface. This cannot be done simply by demonstrating the accuracy of PSP as compared to pressure taps. PSP errors due to misregistration or temperature sensitivity may be high near model edges, where they will have a strong effect on moment measurements, but where pressure taps are rarely installed. A more suitable technique is to compare integrated PSP data over the entire model surface with balance and/or CFD results. This paper presents results from three experiments in which integrated PSP data is compared with balance and/or CFD data. This allows the usefulness of PSP for force and moment measurements, and by implication for loads measurements, to be assessed.
Multimegawatt dynamic NEP PMAD study

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lewis Research Center (NASA LeRC) is developing a Fortran–based model of a complete nuclear electric propulsion (NEP) vehicle to be used for piloted or cargo missions to the Moon or Mars. The proposed vehicle will use either a Brayton or K‐Rankine power conversion cycle, and either ion or magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thrusters. In support of this effort, Rocketdyne evaluated various power management and distribution (PMAD) approaches and selected a low‐frequency design that is based on the direct use of the alternator voltage and frequency for power transmission. This approach was compared with dc and high‐frequency ac designs, and selected on the basis of mass, efficiency, and qualitative assessments of power quality, reliability and development costs. This low‐frequency architecture will be used as the reference in future NEP PMAD studies and for the subsequent Fortran model development.
Isolation and Analysis of a Novel Class of Suppressor of Ty Insertion Mutations in Saccharomyces Cerevisiae

Using a new scheme for the isolation of suppressor of Ty insertion mutations (spt mutations) in yeast, we have identified six new SPT genes. Mutations in two of these genes, SPT13 and SPT14, exhibit a novel suppression pattern: suppression of complete Ty insertion mutations, but not of solo delta insertion mutations. Transcriptional analysis shows that spt13- and spt14-mediated suppression of Ty insertion mutations is the result of an elevation in the levels of adjacent gene transcription. In spite of the failure of these mutations to suppress solo delta insertion mutations, they do cause changes in transcription of at least one solo delta insertion mutation. In addition, spt13 and spt14 mutations are epistatic to mutations in certain other SPT genes that do suppress solo delta insertion mutations. These results suggest that the SPT13 and SPT14 gene products may act via sequences in both the delta and epsilon regions of Ty elements. Finally, mutations in SPT13 cause sporulation and mating defects and SPT14 is essential for growth, suggesting that these two genes have important roles in general cellular functions.
A case for stocking O D+ red blood cells in emergency room trauma bays.

Background AABB Standard 5.27 requires transfusion services to have a process for urgent release of blood before completion of compatibility testing. Our institution endorses a policy for the emergency release of group O, D+ red blood cells (RBC; O+ RBC) to males and females at least 50 years of age. Our emergency department (ED) stocks 4 O− RBC units. To determine if O+ RBCs can replace ED O− RBCs, we performed a retrospective review. Study Design and Methods Patients admitted to the ED between January 2001 and August 2011 and transfused emergency-release O− RBCs were identified. Data were collected on sex, age, length of stay, clinical status, ABO/Rh, RBC transfusions, and RBC antibody screen results. Results A total of 498 ED O− RBC units were transfused to 268 patients (168 male, 100 female). A total of 322 units were transfused to males and 114 to females at least 50 years of age. Thirty-nine (14%) were D− with 18 receiving O+ RBCs. A total of 109 had follow-up antibody screens; one D− patient developed alloanti-D. Conclusions The findings support the placement of O+ RBCs in the ED. The majority of ED O− RBCs (88%) went to patients who qualified for O+ RBCs; a minority (1.5%) of patients were D− females less than 50 years of age. The rate of alloimmunization was low.
Timing of Carotid Endarterectomy After Stroke

Background Timing of carotid endarterectomy after stroke in a patient with a fixed neurological deficit remains an important but unresolved question. Early surgery has been associated with cerebral hemorrhage and infarct extension. Delayed endarterectomy exposes the patient to recurrent stroke and carotid occlusion. This review investigates the hypothesis that timing of surgery after stroke influences outcome and complications. Summary of Review This analysis critically evaluates peer-reviewed reports that retrospectively examined outcome after surgery performed “early” and “late” after stroke. The basis for intracerebral hemorrhage after endarterectomy is discussed. Clinical features that influence outcome are investigated. Conclusions Patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy are considered a heterogeneous group based on the following features: presence of low density on cranial CT, vascular territory of the infarct, brain shift, and level of consciousness. While critical review of these retrospective ...
‘Intermediate mixed’ state magnetization measurements

Abstract Magnetization measurements on PbTl and niobium samples with the Ginzburg-Landau parameter κ between 0.71 and 1 demonstrate the behavior to be expected of a sample in the intermediate-mixed state of Type II superconductors. In particular, the magnetization curve is intrinsically irreversible.
A Longitudinal Study of the Role of Manufacturing Technology in Business Strategy

Reports on a study of the use of flexible manufacturing systems in three strategic business units over a period of six years. Describes each SBU′s manufacturing technology strategy and contrasts it with tactical measures of actual operations to gain insight into the role of manufacturing technology in the SBU′s business strategy and its evolution. Presents study results in ten propositions which question our knowledge of how strategy truly evolves in organizations.
Lipid composition of human parotid saliva from light and heavy dental calculus-formers.

Abstract The major lipid components in the saliva of both low and high calculus-formers were free fatty acids, triglycerides, cholesterol, cholesterol esters, and neutral and sulphated glyceroglucolipids. The heavy calculus-formers exhibited an elevated level of free fatty acids, cholesterol esters and glyceroglucolipids. The lipid extracts of saliva from the light calculusformers were considerably richer in triglycerides and free cholesterol.
Nonlinear analysis of a large bridge with isolation bearings

Abstract As a part of the California Toll Bridge Seismic Retrofit Program, a global nonlinear time history analysis of the Benicia-Martinez Bridge was conducted using ADINA. A key component of the retrofit strategy was the implementation of friction pendulum bearings. Proper application of the frictional contact surface and the simulation of the restoring force of the bearing were critical to the evaluation of the proposed seismic retrofit. Various local models of the bearing system were developed to study its response and sensitivity to the modeling parameters. Responses of the ADINA friction pendulum bearing representation were compared to those of other nonlinear codes. The behavior predicted by the system of elements used in ADINA for the friction pendulum bearing produced results that matched very closely with other programs. Other important issues for analyzing the Benicia-Martinez Bridge are also discussed.
Late-Holocene paleoclimate and treeline fluctuation in Wyoming’s Wind River Range, USA

This study presents evidence for treeline advance in the central Rocky Mountains, United States, between 1800 and 800 cal. yr BP. This evidence was generated by systematic survey, sampling, and acc...
Effect of chronic dexfenfluramine on Fos in rat brain

The acute appetite suppressant effect of dexfenfluramine (DF) in rats, which may depend upon its action to release serotonin (5-HT) in the brain, often declines with repeated dosing (tolerance). The mechanisms of this tolerance remain unclear. Previously, we used Fos-like immunoreactivity (Fos-IR) to map potential brain sites activated by single injections of DF in rats. A dose of 5 mg DF/kg activated the central amygdala (CeA), bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BST), caudate-putamen (CPu), lateral parabrachial nucleus (LPB), nucleus tractus solitarius (NST), frontal cerebral cortex and the parvocellular paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus (PVN). We now report studies using Fos-IR in an attempt to understand which regions might underlie tolerance to the action of DF. Pretreatment of rats with an escalating dosage regimen of DF (0.5-4 mg/kg, i.p.) was associated with complete loss of Fos-IR to a probe dose (5 mg DF/kg) in the cortex, CPu, PVN and NTS, and partial loss of Fos-IR in the BST, CeA and LPB. Second, repeated treatment with DF (2 mg/kg), which has been shown to produce tolerance the anorexia caused by DF but not cholecystokinin (CCK), likewise reduced Fos-IR induced in the above brain regions, but had no effect on Fos-IR induced by either CCK or the 5-HT agonist, 5-carboxamidotryptamine. Third, repeated treatment with 5-HT (2 mg/kg, s.c.) had no effect on Fos-IR induced by a probe dose of DF. These data show that regionally heterogeneous hyporesponsiveness to the induction of Fos by DF develops after repeated low doses of DF; however, the Fos response to other putative anorectics or weight reducing agents is not affected. This may be related to behavioral tolerance.
Access roads for RAG-ged terrains: control of T cell receptor gene rearrangement at multiple levels.

Abstract Antigen-specific immune response requires the generation of a diverse antigen (Ag)-receptor repertoire. The primary repertoire is generated through somatic gene rearrangement and molded by subsequent cellular selection. Constraints during gene recombination influence the ultimate shape of the repertoire. One major control mechanism of gene rearrangement, investigated for many years, is exerted through regulated chromosomal accessibility of the recombinase to the antigen receptor loci. More recent studies began to explore the role of interactions between the recombinase and its cognate recognition DNA sequences. The emerging results suggest that formation of the primary repertoire is controlled by two, partially independent factors: chromosomal accessibility and direct recombinase–DNA interactions.
A simple scatter correction method for dual energy contrast-enhanced digital breast tomosynthesis

Dual-Energy Contrast Enhanced Digital Breast Tomosynthesis (DE-CE-DBT) has the potential to deliver diagnostic information for vascularized breast pathology beyond that available from screening DBT. DE-CE-DBT involves a contrast (iodine) injection followed by a low energy (LE) and a high energy (HE) acquisitions. These undergo weighted subtraction then a reconstruction that ideally shows only the iodinated signal. Scatter in the projection data leads to “cupping” artifacts that can reduce the visibility and quantitative accuracy of the iodinated signal. The use of filtered backprojection (FBP) reconstruction ameliorates these types of artifacts, but the use of FBP precludes the advantages of iterative reconstructions. This motivates an effective and clinically practical scatter correction (SC) method for the projection data. We propose a simple SC method, applied at each acquisition angle. It uses scatter-only data at the edge of the image to interpolate a scatter estimate within the breast region. The interpolation has an approximately correct spatial profile but is quantitatively inaccurate. We further correct the interpolated scatter data with the aid of easily obtainable knowledge of SPR (scatter-to-primary ratio) at a single reference point. We validated the SC method using a CIRS breast phantom with iodine inserts. We evaluated its efficacy in terms of SDNR and iodine quantitative accuracy. We also applied our SC method to a patient DE-CE-DBT study and showed that the SC allowed detection of a previously confirmed tumor at the edge of the breast. The SC method is quick to use and may be useful in a clinical setting.
Accuracy Improvement on the Measurement of Human-Joint Angles

A measurement technique that decreases the root mean square error (RMSE) of measurements of human-joint angles using a personal wireless sensor network is reported. Its operation is based on virtual rotations of wireless sensors worn by the user, and it focuses on the arm, whose position is measured on $5$ degree of freedom (DOF). The wireless sensors use inertial magnetic units that measure the alignment of the arm with the earth's gravity and magnetic fields. Due to the biomechanical properties of human tissue (e.g., skin's elasticity), the sensors’ orientation is shifted, and this shift affects the accuracy of measurements. In the proposed technique, the change of orientation is first modeled from linear regressions of data collected from $15$ participants at different arm positions. Then, out of eight body indices measured with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, the percentage of body fat is found to have the greatest correlation with the rate of change in sensors’ orientation. This finding enables us to estimate the change in sensors’ orientation from the user's body fat percentage. Finally, an algorithm virtually rotates the sensors using quaternion theory with the objective of reducing the error. The proposed technique is validated with experiments on five different participants. In the DOF, whose error decreased the most, the RMSE decreased from $2.20^{\circ}$ to $0.87^{\circ}$ . This is an improvement of $60\%$ , and in the DOF whose error decreased the least, the RMSE decreased from $1.64^{\circ}$ to $1.37^{\circ}$ . This is an improvement of $16\%$ . On an average, the RMSE improved by $44\%$ .
Upper-montane plant invasions in the Hawaiian Islands: Patterns and opportunities

Abstract In the Hawaiian Islands, massive volcanoes have created extreme elevation gradients, resulting in environments ranging from nearly tropical to alpine, spread across a distance of only a few dozen kilometers. Although the Hawaiian Islands are widely recognized for opportunities to study lowland tropical forest invasions, less attention has been paid to invasions of Hawaii's upper-montane forest, sub-alpine and alpine environments. This study synthesizes current knowledge of plant naturalization in upper-montane environments of the Hawaiian Islands in order to (1) determine whether patterns of tropical versus temperate species invasion change with elevation, and (2) evaluate whether upper-montane invaders are having significant impacts on native plant communities. A total of 151 naturalized plant species have been recorded at 2000 m or higher. Most species (93%) are herbaceous, and over half (52%) are native to Europe/Eurasia. Twenty-one species (14%) are reported to be disruptive in native plant communities, mainly by forming dense stands that appear to inhibit recruitment of natives, but also by altering vegetation structure or causing changes in ecosystem processes. Fourteen species (9%) were first recorded within the past 30 years, indicating that new invasions of upper-montane habitats are ongoing. At 1200 m elevation, only 38% of naturalized species are temperate in origin, but the proportion of temperate species increases linearly with elevation up to 3000 m (alpine habitat), where all naturalized species are temperate in origin and over 80% are native to Europe/Eurasia. Declining temperature along the elevation gradient probably drives this pattern. The extreme elevation gradients in the Hawaiian Islands provide specific opportunities for comparative studies on the ecology and evolution of temperate invaders while also creating a unique field environment for understanding interactions between temperate and tropical species.
Effects of Physostigmine on the Egg-Day Survivals of Chloramphenicol-Treated Embryonated Chick Eggs

Abstract Increases in egg-day survival were used as a criterion for determining potentiation, by physostigmine, of the antibacterial activity of chloramphenicol on bacteria-infected embryonated chicken eggs. Per cent egg-day survivals were increased by physostigmine potentiation of 0.1 mg./egg of the antibiotic. Attempts to enhance the antibacterial activity of higher doses of chloramphenicol resulted in a decrease in the survival percentage, probably due to the toxicity of the antibiotic. Both experimental observations were interpreted as being due to an increase in the penetration of the antibiotic into the chick embryo.
Platelet-derived growth factor-stimulated migration of murine fibroblasts is associated with epidermal growth factor receptor expression and tyrosine phosphorylation

Abstract Previous studies have shown that epidermal growth factor (EGF) synergizes with various extracellular matrix components in promoting the migration of B82L fibroblasts expressing wild-type EGF receptors and that functional EGF receptors are critical for the conversion of B82L fibroblasts to a migratory cell type (1). In the present study, we examined the effects of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) on the motility of B82L fibroblasts using a microchemotaxis chamber. We found that PDGF can enhance fibronectin-induced migration of B82L fibroblasts expressing wild-type EGF receptors (B82L-clone B3). However, B82L cells that lack the EGF receptor (B82L-parental) or that express an EGF receptor that is kinase-inactive (B82L-K721M) or C-terminally truncated (B82L-c′973) exhibit little PDGF-stimulated migration. In addition, none of these three cell lines exhibit the capacity to migrate to fibronectin alone. These observations indicate that, similar to cell migration toward fibronectin, PDGF-induced cell migration of B82L fibroblasts is augmented by the expression of an intact EGF receptor kinase. The loss of PDGF-stimulated motility in B82L cells that do not express an intact EGF receptor does not appear to result from a gross dysfunction of PDGF receptors, because ligand-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of the PDGF-β receptor and the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases are readily detectable in these cells. Moreover, an interaction between EGF and PDGF receptor systems is supported by the observation that the EGF receptor exhibits an increase in phosphotyrosine content in a time-dependent fashion upon the addition of PDGF. Altogether, these studies demonstrate that the expression of EGF receptor is critical for PDGF-stimulated migration of murine B82L fibroblasts and suggest a role for the EGF receptor downstream of PDGF receptor activation in the signaling events that lead to PDGF-stimulated cell motility.
Accessing elaborations on core information in a hypermedia environment

Strategies for managing information in a hypermedia learning environment require the text to carry indicators that describe the presence and type of additional information available from a specific point on a computer text screen. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of link display strategy and link density on ease of use and measures of interaction. Independent variables were link strategy (three levels) and link density (two levels), yielding six treatment groups (n = 108). Within-subjects variables were time interval and type of elaboration accessed. Dependent measures were time spent on elaborations, number of elaborations accessed, and ease of use. Primary findings were that indicating all elaborations by common link indicators in the text reduced readability and led to more extensive and random browsing behavior in users; that indicating elaborations by destination-specific link indicators in the text reduced readability and increased users' tendency to target specific elaborations; and that locating link indicators in submenus increased ratings on ease of use but drastically reduced the number of elaborations accessed and time spent reading elaborations. These findings lead to the conclusion that hypermedia designers will have to make choices between promoting exploration and reducing screen readability.
Microbial ecology of meat slicers as determined by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis

Cross-contamination of pathogens and spoilage bacteria during slicing of ready to eat meats is an important factor that has been shown to impact both food quality and consumers' safety. In this study we analyzed the microbial diversity and total microbiological ecology of different niches on 8 deli meat slicers using standard plate counts as well as culture-independent PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis. Using aerobic plate counts it was determined that areas underneath the slicer and on the back plate had the highest total bacterial populations. There was slight similarity between total aerobic plate counts by slicer and the number of bacterial genera/species determined by DGGE. The DGGE analysis demonstrated that members of the genus Pseudomonas were the most common bacteria to be found on slicers. This may serve as an estimate of the effectiveness of current cleaning and sanitizing practices to remove biofilms, a possible role for competitive inhibition in preventing colonization by pathogens and an indication of the range and diversity of non-pathogens on these food contact surfaces.