cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intra-Mode Indexed Nonuniform Quantization Parameter Matrices in AVC/H.264

We generate nonuniform quantization parameter (QP) matrices to improve the perceptual quality of reconstructed video in the AVC/H.264 standard. The resulting 9 QP matrices are indexed to the 9 intra-frame prediction modes of the 4 times 4 blocks and can be applied to the 16 times 16 macroblock (MB)s which engage only the first 4 out of the 9 intra-modes. We also studied how the nonuniform QP matrices are affected by the local luminance level and the video frame rate. Two subjective experiments exploiting the luminance, texture, and temporal masking properties of the human vision system are conducted to generate the results. A third subjective experiment is conducted to evaluate the derived scheme. The data we collect from this experiment show that using the QP matrices instead of a uniform QP considerably improves the perceptual quality of AVC/H.264 compressed video sequences. Some implementation details are discussed
A Novel Algorithm for Completely Hiding Sensitive Association Rules

With rapid advance of the network and data mining techniques, the protection of the confidentiality of sensitive information in a database becomes a critical issue when releasing data to outside parties. Association analysis is a powerful and popular tool for discovering relationships hidden in large data sets. The relationships can be represented in a form of frequent itemsets or association rules. One rule is categorized as sensitive if its disclosure risk is above some given threshold. Privacy-preserving data mining is an important issue which can be applied to various domains, such as Web commerce, crime reconnoitering, health care, and customer's consumption analysis. The main approach to hide sensitive association rules is to reduce the support or the confidence of the rules. This is done by modifying transactions or items in the database. However, the modifications will generate side effects, i.e., nonsensitive rule falsely hidden (i.e., lost rules) and spurious rules falsely generated (i.e., new rules). There is a trade-off between sensitive rules hidden and side effects generated. In this study, we propose an efficient algorithm, FHSAR, for fast hiding sensitive association rules(SAR). The algorithm can completely hide any given SAR by scanning database only once, which significantly reduces the execution time. Experimental results show that FHSAR outperforms previous works in terms of execution time required and side effects generated in most cases.
School Choice Participation Rates: Which Districts are Pressured?

School choice policies are intended to provide students in poorly performing schools the option of transferring to a better school. The associated loss of funding to new competitors is expected, in turn, to benefit students who remain in their assigned schools by spurring improved performance among the educators in them. The prospects for such systemic improvement are greatest if in fact student transfers and the market signals they provide are determined by school effectiveness rather than the social and racial characteristics of a district’s students. To test this proposition, we employ a series of fixed effects regressions to analyze the relative influence of school effectiveness versus student demographic composition on participation rates in Michigan’s charter school and inter-district choice policies. Our results indicate that school effectiveness has no systematic influence on participation rates for either choice policy, while the loss of students to choice options increases significantly in districts serving high concentrations of low-income students. Therefore, Michigan’s school choice policies create financial pressures not on schools that are performing most poorly but rather on those that face the most difficult educational challenges.
A Specialized Citric Acid Cycle Requiring Succinyl-Coenzyme A (CoA):Acetate CoA-Transferase (AarC) Confers Acetic Acid Resistance on the Acidophile Acetobacter aceti

Microbes tailor macromolecules and metabolism to overcome specific environmental challenges. Acetic acid bacteria perform the aerobic oxidation of ethanol to acetic acid and are generally resistant to high levels of these two membrane-permeable poisons. The citric acid cycle (CAC) is linked to acetic acid resistance in Acetobacter aceti by several observations, among them the oxidation of acetate to CO2 by highly resistant acetic acid bacteria and the previously unexplained role of A. aceti citrate synthase (AarA) in acetic acid resistance at a low pH. Here we assign specific biochemical roles to the other components of the A. aceti strain 1023 aarABC region. AarC is succinyl-coenzyme A (CoA):acetate CoA-transferase, which replaces succinyl-CoA synthetase in a variant CAC. This new bypass appears to reduce metabolic demand for free CoA, reliance upon nucleotide pools, and the likely effect of variable cytoplasmic pH upon CAC flux. The putative aarB gene is reassigned to SixA, a known activator of CAC flux. Carbon overflow pathways are triggered in many bacteria during metabolic limitation, which typically leads to the production and diffusive loss of acetate. Since acetate overflow is not feasible for A. aceti, a CO2 loss strategy that allows acetic acid removal without substrate-level (de)phosphorylation may instead be employed. All three aar genes, therefore, support flux through a complete but unorthodox CAC that is needed to lower cytoplasmic acetate levels.
Nitrogen in the Marine Environment

Although the perception that nitrogen plays a major role in the ecology of the sea goes back at least to the turn of the century, it is only in the past 2 decades, after significant advances in analytical methodologies, that the importance of nitrogen to marine primary production and the importance of the oceans in the global nitrogen cycle have begun to be quantified. Articles on marine nitrogen cycling studies have appeared, and continue to appear, in every major journal dealing with the environment. The book Nitrogen in the Marine Environment is a compilation of the major results and insights of these studies.
Genital mycoplasmosis in rats: a model for intrauterine infection.

PROBLEM: Microbial infections of the chorioamnion and amniotic fluid have devastating effects on pregnancy outcome and neonatal morbidity and mortality. The mechanisms by which bacterial pathogens cause adverse effects are best addressed by an animal model of the disease with a naturally-occurring pathogen. METHOD OF STUDY: Intrauterine infection in humans as well as genital mycoplasmosis in humans and rodents is reviewed. We describe a genital infection in rats, which provides a model for the role of infection in pregnancy, pregnancy wastage, low birth weight, and fetal infection. RESULTS: Infection of Sprague-Dawley rats with Mycoplasma pulmonis either vaginally or intravenously resulted in decreased litter size, increased adverse pregnancy outcome, and in utero transmission of the microorganism to the fetus. CONCLUSION: Mycoplasma pulmonis is an ideal model to study maternal genital infection during pregnancy, the impact of infections on pregnancy outcome, fetal infection, and maternal-fetal immune interactions.
Networks, context, and the use of spatially-weighted survey metrics

Social context is a vitally important concept to political geographers, but one that suffers from measurement problems and ambiguities of definition, particularly at the most localized levels of measurement. In this paper, we argue that unique insights about context can be gained by combining the tools of survey research with the geographic tools of spatial analysis. By spatially interpolating indicators of neighborhood-level political discussion from egocentric network batteries, we capture meaningful variation in micro-level political environments. Focusing on three activist-driven measures of the political environment, we demonstrate that these measures pass key validity tests and improve model fit compared to unit-invariant measures of social context. We conclude by discussing the practical considerations and challenges associated with this measurement strategy and discuss other, more general dimensions of social context that might be captured utilizing this methodology.
Can rehabilitation help ataxia

Gait ataxia is one of the most common and debilitating motor disorders associated with cerebellar damage.1 Although some recovery occurs following a single, focal lesion (e.g., stroke, benign tumor),2 steady declines in gait and balance function are typical among individuals with cerebellar degenerative diseases. Currently, there are no pharmacologic treatments available to reverse or even substantially reduce motor disability caused by cerebellar degeneration. Thus, physical therapy forms the sole form of intervention to improve walking ataxia in these individuals. Studies of rehabilitation interventions in this population are difficult, and reports in the literature of their effectiveness remain scarce. Any improvement caused by an intervention could be masked completely by the natural decline associated with disease progression. Perhaps more importantly, the cerebellum is thought to be a primary site of motor learning3,4 and individuals with cerebellar lesions are known to have deficits in motor learning.5,6 This has led many to question whether these individuals are even capable of benefitting from any intervention …
Localization of the panhypopituitary dwarf mutation (df) on mouse chromosome 11 in an intersubspecific backross

Ames dwarf (df) is an autosomal recessive mutation characterized by severe dwarfism and infertility. This mutation provides a mouse model for panbypopituitarism. The dwarf phenotype results from failure in the differentiation of the cells which produce growth hormone, prolactin, and thyroid stimulating hormone. Using the backcross (DF/Bdf/df X CASA/Rk) X DF/B-df/df, we confirmed the assignment of df to mouse chromosome 11 and demonstrated recombination between df and the growth hormone gene. This backcross is an invaluable resource for screening candidate genes for the df mutation. The df locus maps to less than 1 CM distal to Pad-2 (0.85 + 0.85 CM). Two new genes localized on mouse chromosome 11, Rpot-1, and Edp-1, map to a region of conserved synteny with human chromosome 17. The localization of the o1 adrenergic receptor, Adra-1, extends a known region of synteny conservation between mouse chromosome 11 and human chromosome 5, and suggests that a human counterpart to df would map to human chromosome 6. Q isfn
Measuring Individual Differences in the Perfect Automation Schema.

OBJECTIVE: A self-report measure of the perfect automation schema (PAS) is developed and tested. BACKGROUND: Researchers have hypothesized that the extent to which users possess a PAS is associated with greater decreases in trust after users encounter automation errors. However, no measure of the PAS currently exists. We developed a self-report measure assessing two proposed PAS factors: high expectations and all-or-none thinking about automation performance. METHOD: In two studies, participants responded to our PAS measure, interacted with imperfect automated aids, and reported trust. RESULTS: Each of the two PAS measure factors demonstrated fit to the hypothesized factor structure and convergent and discriminant validity when compared with propensity to trust machines and trust in a specific aid. However, the high expectations and all-or-none thinking scales showed low intercorrelations and differential relationships with outcomes, suggesting that they might best be considered two separate constructs rather than two subfactors of the PAS. All-or-none thinking had significant associations with decreases in trust following aid errors, whereas high expectations did not. RESULTS therefore suggest that the all-or-none thinking scale may best represent the PAS construct. CONCLUSION: Our PAS measure (specifically, the all-or-none thinking scale) significantly predicted the severe trust decreases thought to be associated with high PAS. Further, it demonstrated acceptable psychometric properties across two samples. APPLICATION: This measure may be used in future work to assess levels of PAS in users of automated systems in either research or applied settings. Language: en
Wechsler Memory Scale–III Faces test performance in patients with mild cognitive impairment and mild Alzheimer's disease

Little is known about the sensitivity of the Wechsler Memory Scale-Third Edition (WMS-III) Faces subtest to memory impairment associated with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). In this study, Faces performance was examined in 24 MCI patients, 46 mild Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients, and 98 elderly controls. We hypothesized that participants with diagnoses of MCI or AD would be impaired relative to controls on Faces. Analyses showed that AD participants performed significantly worse than MCI and intact participants, although there were no significant differences between MCI and intact participants. Data suggest that brain areas specialized for face recognition memory may be less affected by MCI and mild AD than regions specialized for verbal memory.
Localization and Control of an Aerial Vehicle through Chained, Vision-Based Pose Reconstruction

While a global positioning system (GPS) is the most widely used sensor modality for aircraft navigation, researchers have been motivated to investigate other navigational sensor modalities because of the desire to operate in GPS denied environments. Due to advances in computer vision and control theory, monocular camera systems have received growing interest as an alternative/collaborative sensor to GPS systems. Cameras can act as navigational sensors by detecting and tracking feature points in an image. One limiting factor in this method is the current inability to relate feature points as they enter and leave the camera field of view. This paper continues research efforts to provide a vision- based position estimation method for aircraft guidance. A recently developed estimation method is integrated with a new, nonlinear flight model of a aircraft. The vision-based estimation scheme provides input directly to the vehicle guidance system and autopilot.
A New Automated Method to Estimate the Behavioral Response of a Small Animal Using a Multicolor Detection Technique

A new automated method to estimate the behavioral response of a small animal was developed using a multicolor detection technique. Two color markers were preliminarily applied to rats - yellow dye on the mouth and fluorescent green tape on the right hind paw. Behaviors of the animals were recorded in dual mode, from both above and below the subject, by two digital video cameras. Dual mode image processing proved approximately 20% more effective than single mode. To check errors of color discrimination principal component analysis and cluster analyses were performed, and the results demonstrated that these two colors were well discriminated and classified, predominantly by differences of the red component in these colors. A typical biphasic response of licking behavior induced by formalin was observed when the color range was set within appropriate limits. This technique has the potential to measure not only simple locomotor activity but also more elaborate behaviors such as flinching, biting or licking with high spatial and temporal resolution.
Observations on the social wasp Ropalidia montana from peninsular India

Four colonies of Ropalidia montana collected in August in the Nilgiri Hills of southern India had adult populations of 32,000-61,000. Queens represented 0·46-1·40% of the populations. All colonies contained males, but in widely varying proportions (1·47- 27 . 00%). The large adult populations and the fact that the nests were largely filled with brood in all stages of development indicate that the colonies were in a stage of active growth in this season. In December, however, colonies have been reported to have smaller adult populations and little brood. Thus brood production appears to be seasonal in southern India. Predation by the hornet Vespa tropica was observed in 4 of 31 active colonies. Ropalidia montana adults were defenseless in the face of these depredations, which appear to continue at a low level for days or weeks on a given nest.
Inositol N.F.: New Excipient for Chewable Tablets

An investigation of the suitability of inositol as a base for chewable tablets has been conducted by studying and comparing pertinent properties of inositol, mannitol, lactose, and a lactose-sucrose mixture (9:1). The amounts of moisture absorbed by the finely powdered materials, granulations made from these powders with the aid of selected binders, and tablets compressed from some of the granulations were determined (Karl Fischer method or difference in weight) before and after storage at selected relative humidities for specified periods of time. Tablets of similar weights and volumes were prepared from inositol as well as mannitol granulations and evaluated for hardness and dissolution times before and after aging and compared. Representative chewable tablets utilizing mannitol and inositol as bases were prepared for vitamins, antacids, and for acetylsalicylic acid and evaluated for compressability, hardness, dissolution, taste, and appearance. The experimental data indicate that inositol, due to its nonhygroscopic nature, chemical inertness, nontoxicity, physical stability, superior mouthfeel, and texture can be beneficially employed as the base for the formulation of chewable tablets.
Macroeconomic Uncertainty, Consumer Sentiments, Consumption Expenditures And US Fixed Private Investment Growth

Using Johansen Cointegration and Error Correction frameworks, as well as Granger Causality test Procedures, this study analyze both short and long-run relationships, and direction of causal association between US fixed private investment growth and selected explanatory variables. Test results based on quarterly time series data spanning the period (1960 -2010) shows deviations from equilibrium in fixed private investment growth tend to be corrected relatively faster than this study expected. This study also finds significant long-run and causal relationships between macroeconomic uncertainty, consumer sentiments, growth in consumption expenditures, and US fixed private investment growth.
Effect of Fungicide Application on Activity of Neozygites fresenii (Entomophthorales: Neozygitacaea) and Cotton Aphid (Homoptera: Aphididae) Suppression

The development of resistance in aphid populations highlights the importance of biological control as a pest management tactic. Four treatments were evaluated to determine the effects of pesticides on the population dynamics of Aphis gossypii Glover and Neozygites fresenii (Nowakowski) Batko: (1) weekly applications of the insecticide imidacloprid (Provado 1.6 F); (2) weekly applications of the fungicide chlorothalonil (Bravo 720); (3) applications of imidacloprid (Provado 1.6 F) when aphid densities exceeded 30 aphids per leaf, and (4) untreated control. Differences in aphid density among the four treatments were shown only to be significant during the 1997 growing season; however, aphid densities were greater in the chlorothalonil treatment than in the other treatments during each growing season. Percentage of N. fresenii-killed aphids was most often highest in the chlorothalonil treatment as well. The fungal epizootic caused by N. fresenii was delayed approximately 1 wk in the chlorothalonil treatment when compared with the other treatments. This delay allowed the aphids to temporarily escape suppression by the fungus and to continue to increase in density until the density-dependent effects of the epizootic overwhelmed the aphid population. N. fresenii also appeared to persist in the system when imidacloprid was in use and does appear responsible for initial aphid reductions. Treatment did not appear to have a large influence on yield outcome. Yield was variable from year to year and from location to location.
Real-time large-scale big data networks analytics and visualization architecture

Big data analytics and visualization emerged as socio-technical needs in this current century as well as will be main dominant workforces in next generation technologies. Today’s social and technological operations are centered around massive data transfer. These activities are more predominant for dynamic real-time data handling and operations. Better visualization techniques will help for clear and effective understanding in any real-time dynamic systems. Existing data analytics and visualization environment lacks functional features while operating over wide range real-time dynamic systems. Considering the drawbacks of existing data visualization systems in this paper we put forward 'Large-Scale System Data Visualization' architecture i.e. X-SimViz. This XSimViz framework will allow users for interactive real-time i.e. dynamic data analytics and visualization.
Weak value amplification of an off-resonance Goos–Hänchen shift in a Kretschmann–Raether surface plasmon resonance device

During the past two decades there has been increased interest in the optical excitation of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) at a metal–dielectric interface. This is due in large part to its potential applications in such areas as medical diagnostics and pharmaceutical research. Also occurring during this time has been a growing recognition by the quantum physics community that weak value amplification (WVA) can serve as a valuable metrological research resource. Recently WVA has been used to amplify very small optical Goos–Hanchen (GH) shifts in glass and it has also been shown that SPR can greatly enhance optical GH shifts at the metal/air interface in Kretschmann-Raether (KR) devices. This paper demonstrates experimentally the WVA of an off-resonance GH shift in a KR device and explains why WVA of sufficiently SPR enhanced optical GH shifts cannot be achieved.
The Asian American Idea

Bill Lann Lee offers his thoughts about Don Nakanishi when he attended Yale University and organized the Asian American Student Association and started Amerasia Journal. He also reflects on Don Nakanishi as an organizer and visionary for Asian American Studies and beyond.
Development of a field-based high-throughput mobile phenotyping platform

We developed a mobile platform to carry various sensors for high-throughput field phenotyping.The hardware and software design was modular, allowing easy sensor addition and removal and flexible system expansion.We examined possible position errors caused by time delays in data acquisition.We examined the effects of ambient light and temperature on sensor readings.We proposed a method of correcting IRT measurement error with an additional ambient air temperature sensor. In this study, a mobile, field-based, high-throughput phenotyping platform was developed for rapid measurement of plant characteristics. The platform consisted of three sets of sensors mounted on a high-clearance vehicle. Each set contained two infrared thermometers (IRT), one ultrasonic sensor, one Crop Circle multi-spectral crop canopy sensor, and one GreenSeeker crop sensing system. Each sensor set measured canopy temperature, crop height, and canopy spectral reflectance of a plant plot. Thus, three plots were measured simultaneously in a single pass. In addition to the sensors, the platform was equipped with a laser distance sensor to measure the height of the sensor beam and an RTK-GPS system that provided precise, accurate position data for georeferencing sensor measurements. Software for collecting, georeferencing, and logging sensor data was developed using National Instruments LabVIEW on a laptop computer. The hardware and software design was modular, allowing easy addition and removal of sensors and flexible system expansion. The fast sampling rates for sensors allowed the phenotyper to operate in field at a ground speed of 3.2km/h. Two verification tests were conducted to evaluate the phenotyping system. In the first test, data timestamps were analyzed to determine if the system could collect data at the required rates and if the time delays would cause significant position errors. Test results showed that data from all sensors were received within the desirable time frame and the largest position error was 17.9cm when the phenotyper was moving at a speed of 3.2km/h. The position errors can be corrected during data post processing. The second test determined whether changes in ambient light and ambient temperature had statistically significant effects on the accuracy of the sensor measurements. For the IRT sensors, a correction method using ground truth temperature measurement made during two periods within a day was recommended to correct the errors in surface temperature measured by the IRTs.
The Mind of the Master Class: History and Faith in the Southern Slaveholders' Worldview

This is a 3,000 word review of Elizabeth Fox-Genovese and Eugene D. Genovese's monumental study of the intellectual life of the ante-bellum South entitled "The Mind of the Master Class: History and Faith in the Southern Slaveholders' Worldview "(Cambridge University Press, 2005) While acknowledging the book as an outstanding achievement in terms of the sheer comprehensiveness of its scope and the breadth of its coverage of southern intellectual culture it concludes that the authors' pre-existing methodological assumptions imposed severe limitations on how deeply they could penetrate into the philosophical spirit animating "The Mind of the South" prior to the onset of the Civil War.
A Comparison of Real and Simulated Surface Roughness Characterizations

The effects of surface roughness on both transitional and turbulent flows have been studied for decades using primarily highly-idealized (“simulated”) topologies, yet the surface roughness encountered in a wide range of practical flows of interest is often quite complex, hence the moniker “real” (random, stochastic, industrial) roughness. This review highlights the similarities and differences between “real” and “simulated” roughness characterizations. In particular, the appropriateness of the equivalent sandgrain roughness height as a universal standard is critiqued, while the behavior of real and simulated roughness in the transitionally-rough regime is explored. Finally, the possibility of outer-layer similarity for turbulent flow over “real” surfaces is considered. Implications for possible improvements to roughness modeling in CFD are summarized.
Crystal structure of the human σ1 receptor

The human σ1 receptor is an enigmatic endoplasmic-reticulum-resident transmembrane protein implicated in a variety of disorders including depression, drug addiction, and neuropathic pain. Recently, an additional connection to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis has emerged from studies of human genetics and mouse models. Unlike many transmembrane receptors that belong to large, extensively studied families such as G-protein-coupled receptors or ligand-gated ion channels, the σ1 receptor is an evolutionary isolate with no discernible similarity to any other human protein. Despite its increasingly clear importance in human physiology and disease, the molecular architecture of the σ1 receptor and its regulation by drug-like compounds remain poorly defined. Here we report crystal structures of the human σ1 receptor in complex with two chemically divergent ligands, PD144418 and 4-IBP. The structures reveal a trimeric architecture with a single transmembrane domain in each protomer. The carboxy-terminal domain of the receptor shows an extensive flat, hydrophobic membrane-proximal surface, suggesting an intimate association with the cytosolic surface of the endoplasmic reticulum membrane in cells. This domain includes a cupin-like β-barrel with the ligand-binding site buried at its centre. This large, hydrophobic ligand-binding cavity shows remarkable plasticity in ligand recognition, binding the two ligands in similar positions despite dissimilar chemical structures. Taken together, these results reveal the overall architecture, oligomerization state, and molecular basis for ligand recognition by this important but poorly understood protein.
Infant botulism: anticipating the second decade.

Ten years have passed since infant botulism was recognized as a distinct clinical and epidemiological entity [1, 2] that results from a novel pathogenesis: the germination, outgrowth, and production of botulinal toxin in the infant intestine by ingested spores of the obligate anaerobe Clostridium botulinum [3, 4]. In the ensuing decade, the illness has been reported from 41 of the 50 United States (including Alaska and Hawaii) and from eight countries on the four continents of Australia [5-7], Europe [8-10], North America [11], and South America [12,13]. Undoubtedly, other countries and Africa and Asia will eventually report infant botulism, because C. botulinum spores are found in soils and on agricultural products worldwide [14]. The present paper from Italy [15] fittingly concludes the first decade and may presage the next. In a joint report from the Institute Superiore di Sanita and the Centers for Disease Control, Aureli et al. [15] describe the first two cases of infant botulism in Italy, which are also the first cases anywhere to have been caused by type E botulinal toxin. What makes this contribution even more remarkable is that the bacterium that produced the type E botulinal toxin was not C. botulinum, but was instead (by biochemical and chromatographic criteria) Clostridium butyricum [16]. This discovery enhances the significance of the recent report [17] of isolation of a Clostridium barati strain that produced type F botulinal toxin from a patient with infant botulism who was hospitalized in New Mexico in 1979 [18]. Until the appearance of these two novel organisms, all cases of infant botulism had been caused by proteolytic C. botulinum strains that produced either type A or type B (or B0 neurotoxin. Botulinal neurotoxin is the most potent poison known and exists in seven major antigenic forms that have arbitrarily been assigned the letters A-G [19]. All act by blocking peripheral cholinergic synapses, the most impor-
Electromyography and functional analytic findings in obstructive disorders of defecation. A contribution to the differentiation of neurogenic and myogenic sphincter damage

Zur Beurteilung der funktionellen Ergebnisse bei Patienten mit obstruktiven Defakationssto-rungen warden bei 27 Patienten (im Alter von 42–74 Jahren) elektromyographische, manometrische und radiologische Untersuchungen durchgefuhrt. Die Elektromyographie stellt eine dynamische Untersuchungstechnik dar und erlaubt eine Differenzierung zwischen neuro- und myogenen Storungen der willkurlichen Bekkenbodenmuskulatur. Patienten mit einer obstruktiven Defakation lassen sich elektromyographisch in eine Gruppe mit neurogenen, eine Gruppe mit myogenen und eine weitere Gruppe mit neuromyogenen Veranderungen einteilen. Die Gruppen mit neurogenen bzw. myogenen Veranderungen zeigten statistisch signifikante Unterschiede gegenuber der Kontrollgruppe bei der mittleren Amplitude, der Entladungsfrequenz und dem Integral. Die neurogene Patientengruppe zeigte weiterhin Unterschiede hinsichtlich der Aktionspotentialdauer und die myogene hinsichtlich der Aktionspotentialhohe. 77 % der untersuchten Patienten waren nicht in der Lage, wahrend der Defakation den Beckenboden zu relaxieren.
Repetitive Pulsed-Train "Off" Duration Mitigates Reductions in Root Growth Rates of Pisum sativum L. Induced by 60-Hz Electric Field

An investigation was undertaken to define a 60-Hz electric field exposure system which would affect a eukaryotic cell system while mitigating a potential thermal rise. The biological effectiveness of pulsed 60-Hz electric fields on a cell system of defined sensitivity to continuous-wave 60-Hz electric fields was sought. Roots of garden pea (Pisum sativum L.) were exposed to pulsed trains of 60-Hz, 430 V/m electric fields. The "on" time was constant at 1 s and the "off" time varied. The repetitive on:off regimens used were 1:20, 1:50, 1:100, 1:130, 1:200, and 1:300. With continuous or 1:20 pulsed fields the growth response was equivalent (representing a 60% depression in root growth rate). The severity of the growth effect diminished as the off time increased; for the 1:100 regimen, the relative growth rate was depressed by about 30%; for the 1:300 regimen, the relative growth rate was equal to that of the controls.
cis-Diammine[3-(3-chloro-7-meth­oxy-9,10-di­hydro­acridin-9-yl­idene­amino)­propan-1-amine-κ2N,N′]platinum(II) dinitrate

The title complex salt, [Pt(C16H17N3)(NH3)2](NO3)2, is of inter­est with respect to anti­cancer activity. The secondary amine of 9-amino­acridine coordinates with the platinum(II) atom, leading to imine–platinum complex cation formation. The crystal structure displays extensive N—H⋯O and N—H⋯N hydrogen bonding and weak C—H⋯Cl and C—H⋯O hydrogen bonding.
Study on Simulation for Ultimate Bearing Capacity of Oil-Derrick with Damage

Aiming at structure feature and damage mode of oil-derrick,the concept of the damage function was described,the damage functions were deduced which reflected three modes of structure damage,consequent simulation models were established.Based on these,double nonlinear mathematical model was established in which double effects of geometric and material nonlinear to ultimate bearing capacity of oil-derrick were considered according to the effect of girder-column and large displacement and using the concentrated inelasticity approach.And simulation evaluation system for ultimate bearing capacity of oil-derrick was proposed.Simulation analysis was carried out for the derrick in-service of an oilfield.The results indicate that the failure shape,dangerous position,scope of safety and ultimate bearing capacity can be obtained.The feasibility of this method was verified throughout load experiment.This method provides an effective way for the safety evaluation and state monitoring of oil-derrick with damage,suitable for practical engineering applications.
SU-G-201-13: Investigation of Dose Variation Induced by HDR Ir-192 Source Global Shift Within the Varian Ring Applicator Using Monte Carlo Methods

Purpose: The Varian tandem and ring applicators are used to deliver HDR Ir-192 brachytherapy for cervical cancer. The source path within the ring is hard to predict due to the larger interior ring lumen. Some studies showed the source could be several millimeters different from planned positions, while other studies demonstrated minimal dosimetric impact. A global shift can be applied to limit the effect of positioning offsets. The purpose of this study was to assess the necessities of implementing a global source shift using Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. Methods: The MCNP5 radiation transport code was used for all MC simulations. To accommodate TG-186 guidelines and eliminate inter-source attenuation, a BrachyVision plan with 10 dwell positions (0.5cm step sizes) was simulated as the summation of 10 individual sources with equal dwell times for simplification. To simplify the study, the tandem was also excluded from the MC model. Global shifts of ±0.1, ±0.3, ±0.5 cm were then simulated as distal and proximal from the reference positions. Dose was scored in water for all MC simulations and was normalized to 100% at the normalization point 0.5 cm from the cap in the ring plane. For dose comparison, Point A was 2 cm caudal from the buildup cap and 2 cm lateral on either side of the ring axis. With seventy simulations, 108 photon histories gave a statistical uncertainties (k=1) <2% for (0.1 cm)3 voxels. Results: Compared to no global shift, average Point A doses were 0.0%, 0.4%, and 2.2% higher for distal global shifts, and 0.4%, 2.8%, and 5.1% higher for proximal global shifts, respectively. The MC Point A doses differed by < 1% when compared to BrachyVision. Conclusion: Dose variations were not substantial for ±0.3 cm global shifts, which is common in clinical practice.
Interleukin-2 with or without lymphokine-activated killer cells as consolidative immunotherapy after autologous bone marrow transplantation for acute myelogenous leukemia

IL-2 with or without autologous lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells, administered early after ABMT for AML may eradicate residual disease and reduce relapses. This paper reports 14 patients who received IL-2 or IL-2 plus LAK cells after ABMT for AML in first relapse or at a later stage, in two separate trials. Patients with AML in first relapse (n = 9), second CR (n = 3) or second relapse (n = 2) underwent ABMT after busulfan (BU), CY and total body irradiation (n = 11) or BU/CY alone (n = 3), with marrow that was (n = 6) or was not (n = 8) purged with 4-HC. In a previously-reported Phase I trial, eight patients received IL-2 (Roche) by continuous infusion at 0.3-3.0 x 10(6) U/m2/day x 5 days and, after 6 days of rest, 0.3 x 10(6) U/m2/day x 10 days. In a subsequent trial, five patients received IL-2 at 3.0 x 10(6) U/m2/day x 5 days, underwent leukapheresis for 3 days and received their LAK cells plus IL-2 (0.3 x 10(6) U/m2/day x 10 days). A sixth patient received only 2 days of IL-2, developed sepsis and died of multiorgan failure. All other patients had mild to moderate toxicity which was reversible. All patients developed neutrophilia, lymphocytosis and thrombocytopenia. IL-2 with or without LAK therapy was initiated 21-91 days (median 51 days) after ABMT. Severe thrombocytopenia (< 10 x 10(9)/l) occurred during the apheresis days.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The Chinese Are Coming

Chinese multinationals’ growth strategies should be seen within the framework of growth options similar to that of other U.S. and Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) multi...
Ferric hydroxamate uptake system contributes to Edwardsiella ictaluri virulence.

Edwardsiella ictaluri is a Gram-negative facultative intracellular pathogen causing enteric septicemia in fish, particularly in channel catfish. Ferric iron is an essential micronutrient for bacterial survival, and some bacterial pathogens use secreted hydroxamate-type siderophores to chelate iron in host tissues. Siderophore-iron complexes are taken up by these bacteria via the ferric hydroxamate uptake (Fhu) system. In E. ictaluri, the Fhu system consists of fhuC, fhuD, fhuB, and fhuA genes. However, the importance of the Fhu system in E. ictaluri virulence has not been investigated completely. Here, we present construction of E. ictaluri fhuD and fhuB mutants (EiΔfhuD and EiΔfhuB) by in-frame gene deletion and evaluation of the mutants' virulence and immunogenicity in channel catfish fingerlings and fry. Immersion challenges showed that EiΔfhuD was not significantly attenuated (p < 0.05) in catfish fingerlings, whereas EiΔfhuB was significantly attenuated (p < 0.01). Catfish fingerlings immunized with EiΔfhuD and EiΔfhuB showed 100% and 97.62% survival, respectively. Fry immersion challenges indicated EiΔfhuB was also significantly attenuated (p < 0.05) in two-week old fry compared to the wild-type (48.96% vs. 82.14% mortalities). The survival rate in the fry vaccinated with EiΔfhuB was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than that of non-vaccinated fry (96.77% vs. 21.42% survival). Our data indicates that the fhuB gene, but not the fhuD gene, contributes to E. ictaluri virulence.
Ultrasensitive laser wave-mixing spectroscopic method for detection and separation of biomarkers and carcinogenic pollutants

Novel nonlinear multi-photon laser spectroscopic methods are presented for ultrasensitive detection, separation and identification of biomarker proteins for early diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS), cancer, metabolites of carcinogenic molecules, and nicotine and their metabolites. Using compact, portable capillary- or microchip-based separation methods, we demonstrate excellent detection sensitivity and chemical specificity levels. Laser wave mixing is an unusually sensitive optical absorption-based detection method that offers significant inherent advantages including excellent sensitivity, small sample requirements, short optical path lengths, high spatial reso lution, and high spectral resolution. Based on the quadratic dependence of the signal on analyte concentration, it allows more dramatic monitoring of small changes in analyte properties. Wave mixing detection sensitivity is comparable or better than thos e of fluorescence-based methods and enzyme-linked immunoassays for clinical diagnostic and screening. Since the wave-mixing signal is a laserlike coherent beam, it can be collected with virtually 100% efficiency and high signal-to-noise ratio. Laser excitation wavelengths can be tuned to detect multiple analytes in their native forms. Our analysis time is short (minutes) as compared to those of other conventional methods of separation, e.g., sodium dodecyl sulfate -polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). When wave mixing is coupled to a high-resolution capillary- or microchip-based separation system, disease biomarkers can be separated and identified at the zepto-mole levels. Laser wave mixing allows for sensitive detection of cancer biomarkers through complexation of cancer antigen with chromophores and absorptionmodifying tags.
Electronic Cigarette Explosion Resulting in a C1 and C2 Fracture: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND: Electronic cigarettes have seen a drastic increase in use. A lithium-ion battery is often used as the rechargeable battery of the electronic cigarette device and has recently received much attention in terms of safety. There are several recent case reports in the scientific literature of injuries due to electronic cigarette explosions that involved soft-tissue injuries. CASE REPORT: We report a significant spinal fracture from an electronic-cigarette explosion in a 27-year-old male. The electronic cigarette exploded during use, sending the mouthpiece through the pharynx and into the first cervical vertebra and resulting in fractures of the first and second vertebrae. An x-ray study of the neck showed a foreign body in the neck at the level of C1. A computed tomography scan of the neck showed fractures of C1. The foreign body was removed in the operating room. The patient was discharged home without neurologic sequelae. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Our case report is the first case of a cervical spine injury due to the explosion of an electronic cigarette. This case demonstrates that an electronic cigarette explosion can cause potentially serious penetrating neck injury. Emergency physicians should be aware of the potential danger of electronic cigarettes and have a low threshold to obtain radiographic tests and surgical consultation in the case of electronic cigarette explosion in the oral cavity. As the use of electronic cigarettes continue to increase, it is likely that injuries associated with them will also increase.Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Language: en
Ablation of the Duodenal Mucosa as a Strategy for Glycemic Control in Type 2 Diabetes: Role of Nutrient Signaling or Simple Weight Loss.

As our understanding of the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes (T2D) has advanced, new oral and injectable medications have been developed that target a growing number of the pathophysiological processes that cause hyperglycemia. In addition, weight-loss therapy, involving lifestyle interventions, antiobesity medications, or bariatric surgery, has been demonstrated to be highly effective in T2D management. The expanded number of treatment options has provided an increased capacity for glycemic control. Even so, T2D remains a progressive disease, requiring the intensification of therapy over time, and many patients still do not achieve HbA1c targets. Therefore, new therapeutic strategies for effective and safe glycemic control are critically needed. In this issue of Diabetes Care , Rajagopalan et al. (1) present a new therapeutic strategy for treatment of T2D. The strong point of the study is that the authors have developed and studied a novel therapeutic approach in T2D that could elucidate new disease mechanisms involving the role of the duodenum in metabolic regulation. The authors present a 6-month interim analysis of a phase I, single-arm, nonrandomized cohort study assessing safety and efficacy of endoscopic duodenal mucosal resurfacing (DMR) for treatment of T2D. This is a first-in-human experience with this intervention, which ablates the duodenal mucosa between the ampulla of Vater and the ligament of Treitz in a two-step endoscopic procedure. First, a catheter with a terminal balloon is passed into the duodenum that has three needles spaced at 120° around the balloon’s circumference. The needles are used to inject saline into the submucosal space in order to circumferentially separate and lift the mucosa from underlying tissues in the duodenal wall. A second catheter then introduces another balloon that thermally ablates (i.e., burns) the lifted mucosa at a temperature of ∼90°C (194°F). The conceptual basis of the procedure is derived from observations that …
A Case of Brachiocephalic Fistula Steal and the Emergency Physician's Approach to Hemodialysis Arteriovenous Fistula Complications

Abstract Background Chronic kidney disease is common in the United States, with many patients maintained on hemodialysis (HD). The process of HD requires vascular access through an arteriovenous (AV) fistula, AV graft, or central venous catheter. Today, as a result of the National Kidney Foundation's “Fistula First” initiative, nearly 55% of HD patients utilize an AV fistula. As there is significant morbidity and mortality associated with fistula placement and recurrent fistula cannulation, emergency physicians must be equipped to recognize and treat fistula complications. Objective To detail a case study of vascular insufficiency (vascular steal) presenting to an emergency department (ED) and provide an evidence-based approach to the emergency assessment and management of HD AV fistula complications. Discussion A 66-year-old man presented to the ED with left upper extremity pain, paresthesias, and loss of grip strength of 1-week duration 15 days after placement of left upper extremity brachiocephalic fistula. He was diagnosed with dialysis access-associated steal syndrome and taken to the operating room for revision. Patients with HD fistulas may experience several complications, including vascular insufficiency, hemorrhage, infection, stenosis, thrombosis, aneurysms, or pseudoaneurysms. Emergency physicians must be able to identify these complications and deliver timely treatment. Conclusions A comprehensive understanding of the appropriate management of AV fistula complications is paramount for the emergency physician. Early recognition and treatment of vascular insufficiency resulting from fistula creation, fistula hemorrhage, fistula infection, stenosis, thrombosis, and aneurysms or pseudoaneurysms is vital to reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with HD.
( Li 7 , Be 8 ) reaction on Ca 40

The ($^{7}\mathrm{Li}$, $^{8}\mathrm{Be}$) reaction has been shown to be useful for studying proton pickup. States in $^{39}\mathrm{K}$ have been studied at ${E}_{\mathrm{Li}}=34$ MeV using a $^{8}\mathrm{Be}$ detection system. Measured angular distributions from approximately 20\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} to 60\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} in the center of mass have been analyzed with finite range distorted-wave Born-approximation calculations in order to determine spectroscopic strengths. The data are compared with the results of another pickup reaction.