cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Longitudinal flortaucipir ([18F]AV-1451) PET imaging in primary progressive apraxia of speech

Abstract Primary progressive apraxia of speech (PPAOS) is a term used to describe a neurodegenerative condition in which apraxia of speech (AOS; a planning and/or programming deficit) occurs in the absence of aphasia (a language deficit). PPAOS is strongly associated with 4-repeat tau pathology. Elevated flortaucipir ([18F]AV-1451; FTP) uptake has been observed cross-sectionally in patients with PPAOS and those with aphasia. Here, we evaluated longitudinal changes in previously-identified regions of uptake and their relationship with clinical presentation. Thirteen patients who were diagnosed with PPAOS (5 female) at presentation underwent FTP PET imaging at two visits (mean 1 year interval). Median age was 72, with a median of 4 years disease duration at initial testing. Beta-amyloid status was assessed with Pittsburgh Compound B (PiB), where a global PiB ratio>1.48 was deemed amyloid positive (n = 4). FTP uptake was assessed as cortical to cerebellar crus ratios (SUVr) in cortical regions of interest. A single hierarchical linear model (HLM) compared PPAOS patients to 52 cognitively unimpaired controls of similar age and sex. Annualized SUVr change was the outcome, predicted by region, clinical status, and age. Person-specific effects accounted for intra-patient correlations and contralateral regions were included as repeated measures. Changes in clinical measures were assessed using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests; statistically significant changes in the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, MDS-UPDRS, motor section, and PSP Rating Scale were noted between visits. Changes in FTP SUVr were greater for patients than controls. The strongest changes in PPAOS patients were in the precentral gyrus, pallidum, and mid and superior frontal gyri, per the HLM. Qualitatively, larger changes were seen in patients who had developed aphasia by the time of their baseline scan (n = 5). While the biological mechanisms of FTP signal in non-AD tauopathies are unknown, this study demonstrates the utility of FTP in tracking disease progression in 4R tauopathies.
Ukraine after Maidan: Revisiting Domestic and Regional Security

Ukraine After Maidan offers a multifaceted examination of national and European security, by a multinational team of scholars, not just since the 2013–2014 Ukrainian Revolution of Dignity but also ...
Chapter 9 – SPECIAL MATRICES

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on special matrices. The eigenvalues and the eigenvectors—including the generalized eigenvectors—of a matrix serve to characterize the matrix almost completely. With a knowledge of these properties, one can calculate the determinant of the matrix and, hence, determine its invertibility, find its Jordan canonical form, and compute functions of the matrix. There are certain classes of matrices, for example, real symmetric matrices, whose structures are such that their eigenvalues and eigenvectors are particularly simple. A nonzero vector is said to be normalized if it is divided by its magnitude. The chapter discusses orthonormal vectors. A set of vectors is called an orthogonal set if each vector in the set is orthogonal to every other vector in the set. A set of vectors is orthonormal if it is an orthogonal set having the property that every vector is a unit vector—a vector of magnitude 1.
Housing Price Appreciation and Economic Integration in a Transition Economy

This paper explores patterns of real estate price movements in an emerging upper-middle income economy, Kazakhstan. The country experienced an explosive, 11-fold increase in real housing prices in urban areas between 2000 and 2007, followed by a sharp decline and stabilization. This paper traces the movements across different regions, types of housing, unit size categories, and neighborhood types. We find that prices moved together fairly closely, implying a linked if not unified housing market, along with wealth effects that were felt broadly throughout the (urban) economy.
The Likelihood of Exclusion: Economic Disparity in the United States Trademark System

Present-day trademark law preserves the mark itself, as opposed to protecting the integrity of a business’s goods or services. Consequently, companies often abuse the trademark system and engage in overzealous trademark policing to prevent even remotely similar-looking marks from entering the market. This, combined with inadequate statutory safeguards and steep economic barriers to entry, effectively prevents small businesses and already-marginalized groups from utilizing the trademark system. Aside from statutory reformation, which is unlikely to occur, small businesses can rely on social networking and business savvy to take equally aggressive measures against oppressive corporate trademark practices. These methods are cost-effective and ensure economic viability for small businesses, whose livelihoods can be threatened by a single cease and desist letter. By re-balancing these inequities, the system helps promote a marketplace representative of all ideas, business models, and demographics.
Bayesian Analysis of Linear Factor Models with Latent Factors, Multivariate Stochastic Volatility, and APT Pricing Restrictions

We analyze a new class of linear factor models in which the factors are latent and the covariance matrix of excess returns follows a multivariate stochastic volatility process. We evaluate cross-sectional restrictions suggested by the arbitrage pricing theory (APT), compare competing stochastic volatility specifications for the covariance matrix, and test for the number of factors. We also examine whether return predictability can be attributed to time-varying factor risk premia. Analysis of these models is feasible due to recent advances in Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods. We find that three latent factors with multivariate stochastic volatility best explain excess returns for a sample of 10 size decile portfolios. The data strongly favor models constrained by APT pricing restrictions over otherwise identical unconstrained models.
Semantic need: guiding metadata annotations by questions people #ask

In its core, the Semantic Web is about the creation, collection and interlinking of metadata on which agents can perform tasks for human users. While many tools and approaches support either the creation or usage of semantic metadata, there is neither a proper notion of metadata need, nor a related theory of guidance which metadata should be created. In this paper, we propose to analyze structured queries to help identifying missing metadata. We conduct a study on Semantic MediaWiki (SMW), one of the most popular Semantic Web applications to date, analyzing structured "ask"-queries in public SMWinstances. Based on that, we describe Semantic Need, an extension for SMW which guides contributors to provide semantic annotations, and summarize feedback from an online survey among 30 experienced SMW users.
OSHA Trenching and Shoring Standards

If the construction industry is to comply with OSHA standards for trenching operations, it must develop a thorough understanding of the requirements. The results of an extensive review of the excavation and trenching standards are presented. The interpretation of these standards are made based on (1) A review of the current literature; (2) oral opinions expressed by OSHA officials at the area and regional level; and (3) court interpretations resulting from appeals of OSHA citations.
Association of Pancreas Divisum and Pan reatitis and Its Treatment by Sphincteroplasty of the Accessory Ampulla

All 519 endoscopic pancreatograms performed in the Massachusetts General Hospital Endoscopy Unit from 1973 to 1980 were reviewed. Patients who underwent pancreatograms for documented pancreatitis were more likely (p less than 0.005) to have the duct anomaly pancreas divisum (12%) than those patients who had pancreatograms incidental to cholangiography (2.9%), or for unexplained chronic abdominal pain (3.3%). When compared with patients with pancreatitis and normal duct development, patients with pancreatitis associated with pancreas divisum tended to be younger and to have a clinical pattern of recurrent acute attacks of pancreatitis. Nine patients with recurrent pancreatitis or severe chronic abdominal pain and pancreas divisum were treated by surgical sphincteroplasty of the accessory ampulla. Five of the 6 patients with documented acute attacks of pancreatitis received good to excellent pain relief and had no further attacks of acute pancreatitis. None of the 3 patients with severe chronic abdominal pain without objective evidence of pancreatitis derived significant benefit. Accessory ampulla sphincteroplasty seems to relieve pain and prevent further attacks of acute pancreatitis in patients with pancreas divisum and recurrent pancreatitis. This response to sphincteroplasty adds further credence to the stated association between pancreas divisum and pancreatitis.
Purulent Pericarditis Caused by Haemophilus parainfluenzae

Bacterial pericarditis is a rare disease in the era of antibiotics. Purulent pericarditis is most often caused by Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, or Haemophilus influenzae. The number of H. parainfluenzae infections has been increasing; in rare cases, it has caused endocarditis. We report a case of purulent pericarditis caused by H. parainfluenzae in a 62-year-old woman who reported a recent upper respiratory tract infection. The patient presented with signs and symptoms of pericardial tamponade. Urgent pericardiocentesis restored her hemodynamic stability. However, within 24 hours, fluid reaccumulation led to recurrent pericardial tamponade and necessitated the creation of a pericardial window. Cultures of the first pericardial fluid grew H. parainfluenzae. Levofloxacin therapy was started, and the patient recovered. Haemophilus parainfluenzae should be considered in a patient who has signs and symptoms of purulent pericarditis. Prompt diagnosis, treatment, and antibiotic therapy are necessary for the patient's survival. To our knowledge, this is the first report of purulent pericarditis caused by H. parainfluenzae.
Human brain program research progress in bioinformatics/ neuroinformatics.

The Human Brain Program (HBP) organized by the Office of Neuroinformatics of the National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, is a broadly based federal research initiative sponsored, in a coordinated fashion, by 15 federal organizations from four federal agencies (http://www.nimh.nih.gov/neuroinformatics/index.cfm). The scientific goals of this initiative are to enable the progress of neuroscience research through the creation of a Web- based set of distributed and federated databases, analytical and modeling tools, and simulators. Currently, neuroscientists collect complex data in ever-increasing amounts, fostering increased specialization, with resultant challenges to integrate data between and across levels of interaction, control, and function. The sheer quantity and complexity of the data are such that the field of neuroscience would benefit considerably from an information management system for its experimental data. The field should enhance its wealth of ever-increasing empirical data, accumulated from its many disciplines and experimental approaches, by developing appropriate databases and a greater capability for both theory development and simulation models. The focus section in this issue of JAMIA …
Judging a Book by Its Cover: The Differential Impact of Attractiveness on Predicting One's Acceptance to High- or Low-Status Social Groups

Emerging research suggests that the cues we glean from first impressions depend on our goals. This research uses sorority recruitment to examine whether groups that vary in social status rely on disparate cues to form first impressions of potential new group members. Current sorority members were given 500 ms to view pictures of women who wanted to join their sororities, and were then asked how likely it was that each prospective member would receive a bid from their sorority (bid expectancy). Prospective members were also rated on their attractiveness. Data were analyzed separately for high- vs. low-status houses. Results revealed that attractiveness was more predictive of liking and bid expectancy for the high-status houses, as compared to the low-status houses. jasp_824 2538..2550
Characteristics of Depressed Caregivers of Veterans with Dementia

This study examined the characteristics of caregivers and persons with dementia (PWD) to determine their association with caregiver depression. Participants included 508 PWD (veterans) and 486 caregivers from Boston, Houston, Providence, Beaumont (Texas), and Oklahoma City, identified from diagnoses from medical records and recruited from February 2007 to July 2009, for a larger study evaluating Partners in Dementia Care, a care-coordination intervention. Characteristics evaluated for PWD included activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living, cognitive impairment, and disruptive behavior. Caregiver characteristics evaluated included caregiver unmet needs, support-service use, and number of informal helpers. Caregiver depression was measured using the Iowa form 11-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Depressed caregivers reported significantly more unmet needs than the nondepressed caregivers. Depressed caregivers also reported a high frequency of disruptive behavior in their PWD. Caregiver perceptions of unmet needs may be an important target for intervention.
Treatment of the mentally ill in medieval and early modern England: A reappraisal

Conventional histories of psychiatry depict the medieval and early modern period as dominated by demonological ideas about mental illness and treatment of the insane as cruel and inhumane. English legal records from the thirteenth to the seventeenth century, generated by the Crown's jurisdiction over the mentally disabled, produce a radically different picture. When royal officials examined allegedly disturbed persons before local juries, they measured mental status with common sense criteria based on psychological and physiological notions of etiology. For established cases of disability, the Crown appointed supervised guardians. In the course of these centuries, the responsibility of guardians for the care and protection of the disabled underwent increasing expansion. The records of this jurisdiction exist largely in manuscript form, a documentary source which psychiatric historians have been slow to appreciate. These records cast doubt on the accuracy of traditional accounts of psychiatric history based on printed sources and on the validity of restricting historical research to published materials.
Crassostrea virginica as an indicator of cadmium pollution.

As much as 89, 176 and 292 μg Cd g-1 dry weight were accumulated by adult Crassostrea virginica after treatment for 40 wk with 5, 10 and 15 μg Cd kg-1, respectively, in flowing seawater at ambient salinity and temperature without mortalities. Cadmium accumulation increased with increased concentration of cadmium in seawater; greater amounts were accumulated during the summer months. Uptake patterns measured as cadmium content were similar among the total soft parts, gill, mantle and visceral mass. A continuous increase of cadmium concentration in the visceral mass was observed. This differed from the uptake patterns observed as cadmium concentration in gill, mantle and total soft parts. Although cadmium accumulation in the total soft parts and the tissues was curvilinear over the entire study period, significant linear relations between cadmium concentration and time indicated a general increasing trend. At seawater temperatures below 6°C, when oysters were not actively feeding, cadmium concentrations in the total soft parts varied significantly between treatments, but not within treatments. In the tissues, the rate of uptake expressed as cadmium concentrations was visceral mass>gill≥mantle. Cadmium concentration in the total soft parts varied inversely with dry weight, whereas cadmium concentration in the total soft parts increased, whereas the content decreased. Cadmium concentration decreased in mantle and gill but increased in the visceral mass during spawning, whereas cadmium content decreased in all tissues. Regression analyses indicated that during spawning dry weight decreased at the same rate in gill and mantle, but they lost less weight and lost it more slowly than visceral mass. Also, during spawning, cadmium content decreased in mantle and gill at the same rate but more slowly than in the visceral mass. In mid-August, Cd concentration decreased despite the continuous addition of cadmium to the seawater; however, Cd content increased, suggesting that organism weight was responsible for fluctuations in cadmium concentrations.
Time advancement in distributed event simulation

Abstract The problem of updating the simulation clock in distributed discrete event simulation is investigated. Three objectives for efficiently updating the simulation clock in processes modeled by the strongly connected components of a process graph are identified. An optimal solution is proposed for one of the objectives. The optimization problem for another objective is shown to be NP-complete. Consequently, a computationally efficient heuristic solution is proposed. The message complexity and time complexity of the proposed heuristic approach are shown to be asymptotically better than an existing one. Suitability of the algorithm to utilize special features of communication sub-systems such as “out-of-band” signaling and prioritized message delivery which could lead to non-FIFO delivery of messages is also elaborated.
Multidecadal Drought Cycles in the Great Basin Recorded by the Great Salt Lake: Modulation from a Transition-Phase Teleconnection

This study investigates the meteorological conditions associated with multidecadal drought cycles as revealed by lake level fluctuation of the Great Salt Lake (GSL). The analysis combined instrumental, proxy, and simulation datasets, including the Twentieth Century Reanalysis version 2, the North American Drought Atlas, and a 2000-yr control simulation of the GFDL Coupled Model, version 2.1 (CM2.1). Statistical evidence from the spectral coherence analysis points to a phase shift amounting to 6‐9 yr between the wet‐dry cyclesin theGreatBasinandthewarm–coolphasesoftheinterdecadalPacificoscillation(IPO).Diagnosesof the sea surface temperature and atmospheric circulation anomaliesattribute such a phase shift to a distinctive teleconnectionwavetrainthatdevelopsduringthetransitionpoints betweentheIPO’swarmandcoolphases. This teleconnection wave train forms recurrent circulation anomalies centered over the southeastern Gulf of Alaska; this directs moisture flux across the Great Basin and subsequently drives wet‐dry conditions over the Great Basin and the GSL watershed. The IPO life cycle therefore modulates local droughts‐pluvials in a quarter-phase manner.
The perceptual threshold for overweight

Normative, global overweight may play a prominent role in perpetuating the obesity epidemic via its contribution to weight-related norms that describe what is customary in a social environment. These weight-related norms include a perceptual standard determining where body weight shifts from normal to overweight. We introduce the construct of a perceptual threshold for overweight to identify this transition point. The perceptual threshold is measured on 0-100mm scales positioned below adult and child figures. This report presents three studies that evaluate the psychometric properties of this variable. Study 1explored its independence from BMI and body image in factor analyses with diverse samples (Ukrainian, Mexican and US Black, White, and Hispanic). Study 2 was a replication of this factor structure, and Study 3 investigated the reliability of the perceptual threshold using classical test (CT) and generalizability methods (GT). In Studies 1 and 2, two factors were identified (Perceptual Threshold for Overweight and Body Image/BMI) with almost identical factor structures in six analyses. In Study 3 the CT and GT procedures demonstrated adequate reliability. These results indicate that the psychometric properties of the perceptual threshold are sound, and support its use in exploring the social transmission of weight and evaluating obesity prevention and intervention programs.
CELF-mediated alternative splicing is required for cardiac function during early, but not later, postnatal life

During the transition from juvenile to adult life, the heart undergoes programmed remodeling at the levels of transcription and alternative splicing. Members of the CUG-BP and ETR-3-like factor (CELF) family have been implicated in driving developmental transitions in alternative splicing of cardiac transcripts during maturation of the heart. Here, we investigated the timing of the requirement for CELF activity in the postnatal heart using a previously described transgenic mouse model (MHC-CELFDelta). In MHC-CELFDelta mice, nuclear CELF activity has been disrupted specifically in the heart by cardiac-specific expression of a dominant negative CELF protein. Longitudinal analyses of two lines of MHC-CELFDelta mice with differing levels of dominant negative protein expression demonstrate that CELF splicing activity is required for healthy cardiac function during juvenile, but not adult, life. Cardiac function, chamber dilation, and heart size all recover with age in the mild line of MHC-CELFDelta mice without a loss of dominant negative protein expression or change in expression of endogenous CELF proteins or known CELF antagonists. This is the first example of a mouse model with genetically induced cardiomyopathy that spontaneously recovers without intervention. Our results suggest that CELF proteins are key players in the integrated gene expression program involved in postnatal cardiac remodeling and maturation.
The use of immobilized porphyrins and corrins to dehalogenate organochlorine pollutants

Porphyrins and corrins have been immobilized onto solid-phase supports and used to dehalogenate organohalides under reducing conditions. One such system has been used to dehalogenate an aqueous solution (10 ppm) of lindane for over 90 days at over 98% efficiency and for a further 150 days in excess of 65% efficiency. Dichloromethane has been shown to be effectively dehalogenated when supplied to immobilized systems in gaseous form.
Towards a theory of the dialectic of local rural development within the European Union

The concept of a dialectic is proposed as a contribution to a theory of local (rural) development. The dialectic juxtaposes the rhetoric and acts of identity creation at the level of a local initiative within the agendas of the extra-local (European) level. By casting the relationship as a dialectic, the mutual dependency is emphasized. The EU LEADER I programme and a case study in the Western Isles, Skye and Lochalsh initiative provide empirical material for the theory. Hier wird der Vorschlag gemacht, das Konzept der Dialektik in die Theorie der lokalen (landlichen) Entwicklung aufzunehmen. Das dialektische Prinzip stellt Rhetorik und Praxis der Identitatsbildung auf der Ebene einer lokalen Initiative im Rahmen von Programmen einer auserlokalen europaischen Ebene einander gegenuber. Indem die Beziehung dialektisch konzipiert wird, wird auch die gegenseitige Abhangigkeit betont. Das empirische Material zu dieser Theorie stammt aus dem EU Leader I Programm und einer Fallstudie uber eine Initiative auf den Western Isles, Skye and Lochalsh.
Foregut microbiome in development of esophageal adenocarcinoma

Esophageal adenocarcinoma (EA), the type of cancer linked to heartburn due to gastroesophageal reflux diseases (GERD), has increased six fold in the past 30 years. This cannot currently be explained by the usual environmental or by host genetic factors. EA is the end result of a sequence of GERD-related diseases, preceded by reflux esophagitis (RE) and Barrett’s esophagus (BE). Preliminary studies by Pei and colleagues at NYU on elderly male veterans identified two types of microbiotas in the esophagus. Patients who carry the type II microbiota are >15 fold likely to have esophagitis and BE than those harboring the type I microbiota. In a small scale study, we also found that 3 of 3 cases of EA harbored the type II biota. The findings have opened a new approach to understanding the recent surge in the incidence of EA.Our long-term goal is to identify the cause of GERD sequence. The hypothesis to be tested is that changes in the foregut microbiome are associated with EA and its precursors, RE and BE in GERD sequence. We will conduct a case control study to demonstrate the microbiome disease association in every stage of GERD sequence, as well as analyze the trend in changes in the microbiome along disease progression toward EA, by two specific aims. Aim 1 is to conduct a comprehensive population survey of the foregut microbiome and demonstrate its association with GERD sequence. Furthermore, spatial relationship between the esophageal microbiota and upstream (mouth) and downstream (stomach) foregut microbiotas as well as temporal stability of the microbiome-disease association will also be examined. Aim 2 is to define the distal esophageal metagenome and demonstrate its association with GERD sequence. Detailed analyses will include pathway-disease and gene-disease associations. Archaea, fungi and viruses, if identified, also will be correlated with the diseases. A significant association between the foregut microbiome and GERD sequence, if demonstrated, will be the first step for eventually testing whether an abnormal microbiome is required for the development of the sequence of phenotypic changes toward EA. If EA and its precursors represent a microecological disease, treating the cause of GERD might become possible, for example, by normalizing the microbiota through use of antibiotics, probiotics, or prebiotics. Causative therapy of GERD could prevent its progression and reverse the current trend of increasing incidence of EA.
Parental behaviour in the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus). I. Retrieval

Abstract Twelve pairs of Mongolian gerbils rearing 15 litters were tested for their responses to their own pups placed outside the nest area. All females and 3 of 12 males retrieved pups. Fewer pups were retrieved and more returned to the nest by themselves as the pups matured. The female's latency to retrieve pups also increased as the pups grew older. Due to retrieval by both parents and the spontaneous return of pups, few pups were left outside the nest after scattering. The possible mechanisms by which parental retrieval is elicited are discussed.
Impossibility of extending Pólya's theorem to "forms" with arbitrary real exponents

Abstract Polya proved that if a form (homogeneous polynomial) with real coefficients is positive on the nonnegative orthant (except at the origin), then it is the quotient of two real forms with no negative coefficients. While Polya’s theorem extends, easily, from ordinary real forms to “generalized” real forms with arbitrary rational exponents, we show that it does not extend to generalized real forms with arbitrary real (possibly irrational) exponents.
Skin Lesions and Lower Extremity Edema in a newly diagnosed HIV patient

The differential diagnosis of skin lesions in human immunodeficiency virus patients is diverse and includes both infectious and non infectious causes. In this case presentation, a 37 year old male newly diagnosed with HIV presented to a hospital in the United States with skin lesions and worsening lower extremity swelling. After presentation, he developed respiratory distress and was found to have disseminated Kaposi sarcoma with cutaneous and pulmonary involvement. Kaposi sarcoma has decreased in incidence in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy. However, it remains an important acquired immunodeficiency syndrome defining illness which may be the presenting complaint in a patient with occult HIV infection. Kaposi sarcoma has substantial mortality and morbidity and should be included in the differential diagnosis of skin lesions in a HIV positive patient. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jaim.v1i1.5833 Journal of Advances in Internal Medicine. 2012; 1(1): 12-15
Heteroatom Substitution Induced Changes in Excited-State Photophysics and Singlet Oxygen Generation in Chalcogenoxanthylium Dyes: Effect of Sulfur and Selenium Substitutions†

Photophysical properties of a series of tetramethylrosamine dyes in which the xanthylium oxygen atom has been replaced with sulfur or selenium were examined. Dyes with sulfur and, especially, with selenium show decreased fluorescence quantum yield and lifetimes, while at the same time proportionally larger increases in the rates of intersystem crossing lead to higher triplet yields (0.23 and 0.97, correspondingly). The selenium-containing dye (TMR−Se) displays prominent phosphorescence at 77 K and at room temperature when the solution is purged of oxygen. This is reflected in a high yield for singlet oxygen generation as shown by measurements of singlet oxygen phosphorescence. The high singlet oxygen yield for TMR−Se (0.87) suggests its use as an efficient photosensitizer for the generation of singlet oxygen in biology and chemistry applications.
Informing the uninformed: How drug advertising affects check-up visits

Direct-to-consumer drug advertising has recently become an important and controversial component of drug marketing. In this paper we examine one of the claimed benefits of drug advertising: encouraging the undiagnosed to seek out medical treatment. We measure how advertising affects an undiagnosed individual's decision to visit a physician for a check-up using detailed person-level panel data on more than 30,000 individuals from the Medical Care Expenditure Panel Survey. We find drug advertising is an important determinant of an individual's decision to get a check-up and that this effect of drug advertising appears to differ by demographic group. While the differences between demographic groups are not statistically different, our point estimates suggest that Blacks and the highly educated are the most responsive to drug advertising.
Polariton Bose–Einstein condensate at room temperature in an Al(Ga)N nanowire–dielectric microcavity with a spatial potential trap

A spatial potential trap is formed in a 6.0-μm Al(Ga)N nanowire by varying the Al composition along its length during epitaxial growth. The polariton emission characteristics of a dielectric microcavity with the single nanowire embedded in-plane have been studied at room temperature. Excitation is provided at the Al(Ga)N end of the nanowire, and polariton emission is observed from the lowest bandgap GaN region within the potential trap. Comparison of the results with those measured in an identical microcavity with a uniform GaN nanowire and having an identical exciton–photon detuning suggests evaporative cooling of the polaritons as they are transported into the trap in the Al(Ga)N nanowire. Measurement of the spectral characteristics of the polariton emission, their momentum distribution, first-order spatial coherence, and time-resolved measurements of polariton cooling provides strong evidence of the formation of a near-equilibrium Bose–Einstein condensate in the GaN region of the nanowire at room temperature. In contrast, the condensate formed in the uniform GaN nanowire–dielectric microcavity without the spatial potential trap is only in self-equilibrium.
CARMA1 regulation of regulatory T cell development involves modulation of interleukin-2 receptor signaling.

T cell receptor-stimulated NF-κB activation requires CARMA1 and is negatively regulated by the deubiquitinase CYLD. Recent studies suggest that CARMA1 regulates regulatory T cell (Treg) development, although the role of NF-κB in this event is incompletely understood. We show that CYLD deficiency causes constitutive NF-κB activation in thymocytes, which is associated with enhanced frequency of Treg cells. The NF-κB activation in CYLD-deficient thymocytes is independent of CARMA1, because the NF-κB activation was also detected in CYLD/CARMA1 double knock-out thymocytes. Interestingly, although loss of CYLD causes NF-κB activation in the CARMA1-deficient thymocytes, the CYLD deficiency fails to rescue the defect of CARMA1 knock-out mice in Treg development. Furthermore, inhibition of canonical NF-κB by an IκBα transgene only partially inhibits Treg development. We demonstrate that CARMA1 regulates IL-2 receptor signaling and controls the IL-2-stimulated maturation of Treg precursors to mature Tregs. These results suggest that the role of CARMA1 in Treg regulation involves both NF-κB activation and IL-2 receptor signaling.
Investigation of ozone (O3) effects on 14C distribution in ladino clover

Abstract Ladino clover plants were exposed to 0, 0.05, 0.10 or 0.15 ppm O 3 for 4 hr per day for 6 days starting 32 days after planting. Leaf injury was estimated and 14 CO 2 exposures were given 48 hr after the last O 3 exposure. One mature leaf per plant with visible injury roughly equivalent to whole plant injury was exposed to 14 CO 2 in a plexiglass chamber for 15 min. Twenty-four hours later, plants were harvested, placed on herbarium sheets, frozen and freeze-dried. Radioautographs were subsequently used to determine the distribution of 14 C and as a guide in partitioning plant material for quantification of radioactivity. Ozone exposures reduced root dry weight more than shoot dry weight of ladino clover. The maximum reduction for shoot dry weight was 24% while the maximum reduction for root dry weight was 42%. Total plant radioactivity values, determined 24 hr after the 14 CO 2 exposure, indicated that increasing O 3 concentrations reduced net photosynthesis of clover plants. The proportion of carbon allocated to the roots increased gradually from 35 to 52% with increasing O 3 levels up to 0.10 ppm and then decreased rapidly to 21% at 0.15 ppm. Carbon allocation to developing leaves decreased from 64 to 48% with increasing O 3 levels up to 0.10 ppm and then increased to 79% at 0.15 ppm.
Beyond liberal and conservative: Two-dimensional conceptions of ideology and the structure of political attitudes and values

This article analyzes conceptual similarities and differences in selected prior work on ideological multi-dimensionality and finds substantial conceptual convergence accompanied by some provocative divergence. The article also finds that evidence from a recent survey of the American public largely validates areas of conceptual convergence. Respondents' political attitudes vary in two dimensions that are associated with different value structures—specifically, with different rankings of liberty, order, and ‘caring for those who need help’. As a result, liberals, conservatives, and libertarians are identified more fully than previously possible. But the evidence does not allow the validation of one conception over another in the area where they diverge most markedly. Does the fourth ideological type value order and equality, making them ‘communitarians’, or are these respondents better understood as a humanitarian, paternalistic, hierarchical subtype, the ‘inclusive social hierarch’, since they value order ...
Clinical utility of elevated tumor markers in patients with disseminated appendiceal malignancies treated by cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC

Abstract Background Appendiceal malignancies with peritoneal spread have been successfully treated with Cytoreductive Surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC). The aim of this study is to clarify the utility of common tumor markers in selecting patients for the combined treatment. Methods Data on 56 patients with appendiceal neoplasms treated with CRS and HIPEC were prospectively collected. Chi square test was used to analyze a link between common tumor markers and completeness of cytoreduction score (CC score) and preoperative peritoneal cancer index score (PCI score). Cox proportional hazard model was used to perform survival analysis. Results Forty-two patients were alive after 3 years of follow-up. Hazard ratio of disease related death was 5.6 (95% CI, 1.8–17.2) among patients with high CC score as compared to those with low CC score. Number of abnormal tumor markers (0 vs 1/2/3) correlated with PCI score 16.2 vs 32.5 ( p p = 0.003). Conclusions Multiple abnormal tumor markers were not useful as an exclusion criterion for patients undergoing CRS. Elevation in CA 125 was an important indicator of survival in these patients. Complete cytoreduction was crucial for long-term survival.
NONLINEAR FEATURE EXTRACTION AND DIMENSION REDUCTION BY POLYGONAL PRINCIPAL CURVES

In this article we propose a polygonal principal curve based nonlinear feature extraction method, which achieves statistical redundancy elimination without loss of information and provides more rob...
Hemangiopericytoma of the head and neck.

Objective/Hypothesis: Hemangiopericytomas are uncommon neoplasms of vascular origin that may arise in the head and neck. Their rare occurrence and variable malignant potential have limited attempts to characterize their clinical behavior. This study reviews the experience in treating hemangiopericytomas of the head and neck at a single institution. Study Design: Retrospective. Methods: The records of 12 patients with hemangiopericytomas of the head and neck presenting between 1979 and 1995 were reviewed. Site of origin included the neck (4), oral cavity (3), parotid (2), orbit (1), maxillary sinus (1) and mandible (1). Five patients had lesions characterized as high or intermediate grade histologically, and six had lesions characterized as low grade. Results: Nine patients were treated with curative intent; three presented either with pulmonary metastasis (2) or unresectable primaries (1) and were treated with radiation therapy andlor palliative Adriamycin-based chemotherapy. Patients treated with curative intent underwent a variety of surgical resections dictated by tumor location and size. Four patients received postoperative radiation therapy to a median dose of 60 Gy, for positive surgical margins (2), high-grade histology (1) or a recurrent lesion (1). Five-year overall survival in patients treated surgically was 87.5%. A single mortality occurred in a patient with a recurrent high-grade lesion who failed at local, regional, and distant sites. Median follow-up of survivors was 73 months. Conclusion: The clinical behavior of hemangiopericytomas appears to be related to their histological grade. Aggressive local therapy including surgery and radiation therapy appears to be effective in providing tumor control.
Matrix transformers for renewable energy integration

this paper investigates the concept of using matrix transformers to achieve renewable energy integration. Matrix transformers can provide great design flexibility because they can be compatible with a variety of renewable energy sources as well as energy storage devices. Several key techniques raised by this concept are illustrated, and a high efficiency multiple-input and single output converter was designed to show how to use matrix transformers. Simulation and experimental results are presented that validate the approach presented in this paper.
Tropical Whites: The Rise of the Tourist South in the Americas

Catherine Cocks. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2013. ix and 255 pp., illustrations, photos, notes, and index. $59.95 cloth (ISBN 978-0-8122-4499-1); $59.95 electronic (ISBN 978-0-...
Towards a Real-Time Cognitive Radio Network Testbed: Architecture, Hardware Platform, and Application to Smart Grid

A real-time cognitive radio network testbed is being built. This is the first paper to capture the overall picture of this project. Project scope and philosophy, design architecture, hardware platform, and key algorithms are reported. The use of cognitive radio network for smart grid is for the first time proposed in this paper. This unique testbed is ideal for such purpose.
Courtship Behaviors, Relationship Violence, and Breakup Persistence in College Men and Women

This study assessed college men's (n= 85) and women's (n= 215) courtship persistence behaviors (approach, surveillance, intimidation, mild aggression), which have been linked to stalking, and examined their relations to initial courtship interest, relationship development, and future violence and persistence, while also exploring the role of gender in these relations. Findings showed individuals performed surveillance when initially more interested than the other. Whereas approach behaviors were positively associated with relationship establishment, surveillance and intimidation were negatively associated. As predicted, results showed continuity in persistence and violence over the course of dating relationships. For both genders, courtship mild aggression predicted relationship violence, and persistence behaviors predicted similar persistence at breakup. Early behaviors may foreshadow violence and stalking-related behaviors in both men and women.
Erdős--Ko--Rado theorems for permutations and set partitions

Let Sym([n]) denote the collection of all permutations of [n]={1,...,n}. Suppose [email protected]?Sym([n]) is a family of permutations such that any two of its elements (when written in its cycle decomposition) have at least t cycles in common. We prove that for sufficiently large n, |A|=<(n-t)! with equality if and only if A is the stabilizer of t fixed points. Similarly, let B(n) denote the collection of all set partitions of [n] and suppose [email protected]?B(n) is a family of set partitions such that any two of its elements have at least t blocks in common. It is proved that, for sufficiently large n, |A|=
Intrafamilial child sexual abuse: intervention programs for first time offenders and their families.

Abstract Traditional legal and therapeutic interventions in child sexual abuse cases are often unsuccessful and can be especially counterproductive for intrafamilial assaults. Many communities have responded with innovative programs. Three strategies that integrate treatment with legal procedures are described. They include a Pretrial Diversion program in which incarceration time is reduced if the offender attends a treatment program; a Post-Plea Diversion program that postpones the felony hearing pending the successful completion of an offender treatment program, and a PreLegal Diversion program in which there was no legal intervention if the accused successfully completed treatment. The programs are described and then compared across professional activity variables. It was found that: (a) Case processing was timely and equitable across the three programs; (b) victim medical examinations were uncommon; (c) counseling was the predominant type of service provided; and (d) services were not routinely provided to families. It appears that the most promising strategy for first offense, intrafamilial assaults, may be the Pre-Legal Diversion program because it provides the most protection to children through routine medical exams and juvenile court petitions, and it provides the most equitable distribution of services to the victims and offenders.
Pyrolytic graphite as a high efficiency filter for 13–15 meV neutrons☆

Abstract Highly oriented pyrolytic graphite is shown to be an extremely efficient λ 2 filter in the energy range between 13–15 meV. The transmission ratios for neutrons with energies of 13.7 and 14.8 meV are shown to be typically 3 4 for a filter 2″ thick and with a mosaic spread (fwhm) of 3.5°. The λ 2 component on the other hand suffers a transmission ratio of approximately 1 1500 . The efficiency of the filter for a given thickness, increases as the mosaic spread is decreased. The filtering process is a result of the high Bragg reflectivity of pyrolytic graphite for those neutrons that are directed along the c axis and that have certain specified wavelengths. Riste and Otnes have recently shown that pyrolytic graphite is an exceptionally good neutron monochromator. The present results demonstrate that highly oriented graphite can also be used as a selective single crystal filter to obtain a “clean” low energy neutron beam.
Optical Characteristics of Biological Molecules in the Terahertz Gap

Abstract : Terahertz Spectroscopy has been recently introduced as a promising technique for the collection of signature data in transmission spectra of biological materials including warfare agent simulants. To characterize material rather than sample, it is always desirable to obtain the material's optical properties as functions of frequency. In this work, we present results from parallel measurements of reflection and transmission spectra of biological molecules to enable detailed and direct calculation of refractive index and absorption coefficient spectra in the terahertz gap. DNA samples from herring and salmon as well as samples of Ovalbumin and Bacillus Subtillus spores have been characterized. The technique for simulation is described. Reflection spectra reveal resonance features similar to those demonstrated earlier for transmission, thereby affirming molecular vibrational modes in biological materials. The dispersion of refractive index and absorption coefficient is demonstrated within the Terahertz gap of 10 cm-1 to 25 cm-1.
A study of fatty acids as a taxonomic tool for dermatophyte fungi.

The fatty acid composition of 64 strains from 15 species of dermatophyte fungi was studied by gas-liquid chromatography. The percentage amounts of palmitic, palmitoleic, stearic, oleic and linoleic acids were measured. These proved to be very similar for all species, with considerable intraspecific variation. As a group, Epidermophyton floccosum strains could be distinguished but individual strains could not be assigned reliably to any species or genus. No significant changes due to age or formaldehyde treatment were noted.
SU‐F‐BRE‐09: Linac Isocenter Quality Assurance: A Stereotactic Approach

Purpose: A quantitative method was designed to independently determine the couch/collimator/gantry isocenters, as well as the overall LINAC mechanical isocenter in 3D. Methods: Performed on both a Varian TrueBeam™ STx and Trilogy with the gold standard front pointer positioned at 100 cm SAD, and a Radionics XKnife™ (RX) attached to the couch. At gantry and couch 0°, the RX laser alignment attachment (RXLAA) was centered to the front pointer using the micrometers (0.1-mm precision) on the RX. The 3D coordinates of the micrometers were recorded. The collimator was rotated to 90° and 270°. At each collimator rotation, the RXLAA was re-centered to the front pointer and the micrometer coordinates recorded. At collimator and gantry 0°, the process was repeated for couch angles 0°/90°/270°. Finally, at collimator and couch 0°, the steps were repeated for gantry rotations 0°/90°/180°/270°. The centers/radii of the smallest bounding spheres for the collimator, couch and gantry walkout were calculated (using MatLab™). The smallest bounding sphere containing the collimator, couch and gantry walkout spheres was then calculated. The center of this all-encompassing sphere is the overall mechanical isocenter of the LINAC. This position was dialed in on the RX. LINAC mechanical and radiation isocenter coincidence was determined by performing Winston- Lutz test at four cardinal gantry angles. Results: TrueBeam and Trilogy mechanical isocenters had overall walkout radii of 0.8 mm and 1.5 mm, respectively. For the TrueBeam and Trilogy 6-MV beams, the radii of radiation isocenter were 0.3 mm and 0.4 mm, respectively, with distances between LINAC mechanical and radiation isocenters of 0.5 mm and 0.9 mm, respectively. Conclusion: This efficient and simple method allows for an independent and reliable quantitative assessment of LINAC isocenter in 3D with equipment typically available in a radiation oncology clinic. It can easily be performed for LINAC commissioning and annual QA.