cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prediction of Inter-Turbine Burner (ITB) Performance With Curved Radial Vane Cavity at Various Equivalence Ratios

The combustion processes present in modern propulsion systems exhibit very complex turbulent chemically reacting unsteady multiphase flow with fuel spray evaporation and heat and mass transfer. The understanding and design of such systems represents a challenging research area. Ultra-short compact, high performance combustion systems are desirable for advanced propulsion systems. AFRL has proposed placing an Ultra-Compact Combustor (UCC) between a high pressure turbine stage and low pressure turbine stage, to create an innovative Inter-Turbine Burner (ITB) concept. This analysis focuses on ITB combustor technologies that can enable the development of compact, high-performance combustion systems. Compact combustors weigh less and require less volume for space-limited turbine engine aero applications. For turbulent conditions flame speed is directly proportional to the square root of G and high G flames exhibit increased flame speeds, which can aid in the design of shorter combustion systems. This paper presents the Ultra-Compact Combustor (UCC), a novel design based on a high G flame driven by high swirl in a circumferential cavity (CC) utilized to enhance mixing rates via high G-loading on the order of 3000 G’s within the CC. Flow field predictions utilizing FLUENT are presented for the UCC-ITB for a variety of operating conditions: (1) the addition of curved Radial Vanes (CRV) in the combustor flow path, (2) a comparison performance of the combustor at various fuel/air ratios. The effect of various equivalence ratios on the resulting G load distribution, predicted total pressure loss, the entrainment and the calculated exit temperature profile are discussed. The analysis and comparison with available rig test data supplements the understanding of the design space required for future engine designs that may use these novel, compact, high-G combustion systems.Copyright © 2008 by ASME and U.S. Government
Distributed Network Optimization With Heuristic Rational Agents

A network of distributed agents wants to minimize a global cost given by a sum of local terms involving nonlinear convex functions of self and neighboring variables. Agents update their variables at random times by observing the values of neighboring agents and applying a random heuristic rule intent on minimizing the local cost with respect to their own variables. The heuristic rules are rational in that their average result is the actual optimal action with respect to the given values of neighboring variables. By identifying heuristic rational optimization with stochastic coordinate descent, it is shown that all agents visit a neighborhood of the optimal cost infinitely often with probability 1. An exponential probability bound on the worst deviation from optimality between visits to near optimal operating points is also derived. Commonly used models of consensus and opinion propagation in social networks, Markov random field estimation in wireless sensor networks, and cohesive foraging of animal herds are cast in the language of heuristic rational optimization. Numerical simulations for these three examples are presented to corroborate analytical results.
Calculating Radiated Emissions Due to I/O Line Coupling on Printed Circuit Boards Using the Imbalance Difference Method

High frequency signals on printed circuit board (PCB) traces can couple to I/O nets that carry the coupled energy away from the board resulting in significant radiated emissions. Automated tools to detect unacceptable levels of coupling during the board layout rely on fast methods for estimating the amount of coupling and the resulting radiated emissions. A modeling technique is proposed to speed up the analysis of PCBs with coupled traces that induce common-mode currents on attached cables. Based on the concept of imbalance difference, differential-mode sources are converted to equivalent common-mode sources that drive the attached cable and the PCB reference plane. A closed-form expression based on the imbalance difference model is developed to estimate the maximum radiated emissions due to I/O line coupling in PCBs.
Living with Sugar: Influence of Cultural Beliefs on Type 2 Diabetes Self-Management of English-Speaking Afro-Caribbean Women

Studies show that cultural beliefs influence disease conceptualization, adaption, and coping strategies of chronic diseases. This study investigated the type 2 diabetes cultural belief model of English-speaking Afro-Caribbean women in southwest Florida. A 53 item cultural consensus beliefs questionnaire was designed and administered to 30 Afro-Caribbean women diabetics. Cultural consensus analysis found that these women shared a single cultural belief model about type 2 diabetes, .72 ± .081 SD. Women with higher cultural knowledge scores (rs = –.41730, P = .0218) were significantly younger at type 2 diabetes diagnosis than women with lower scores. In qualitative interviews, women described ongoing struggles to modify their traditional Caribbean diet and believed in the efficaciousness of traditional Caribbean medicine and prayer to treat type 2 diabetes. These findings suggest that health practitioners treating English-speaking Afro-Caribbean diabetics should offer culturally appropriate nutritional guidance and inquire about their use of traditional Caribbean medicines.
Lasonolides C-g, five new lasonolide compounds from the sponge Forcepia sp.

Five new marine-derived macrolide compounds, lasonolides C (3), D (4), E (5), F (6), and G (7), have been isolated from the sponge Forcepia sp. along with the parent compound in the series, lasonolide A (1). Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral data. Compounds 3−5 inhibit the in vitro proliferation of A-549 human lung adenocarcinoma cells with IC50's of 0.13, 4.5, and 0.31 μM, respectively. Compounds 3−6 inhibit the in vitro proliferation of PANC-1 human pancreatic carcinoma cells with IC50's of 0.38, 4.89, 0.57, and 15.6 μM, respectively. Compound 3 inhibits the in vitro proliferation of the NCI-ADR-RES cell line with an IC50 of 1.12 μM.
Androgen stimulated elevation in androgen receptor levels is inhibited by the synthetic glucocorticoid triamcinolone acetonide

Two cloned tumor cell lines derived from the rat prostate and hamster ductus deferens contain receptors for androgens and glucocorticoids. Androgens increase both the rate of proliferation in these cells and induce a doubling in the number of androgen receptors within 6 hours. This elevation in androgen receptors is dependent on protein synthesis. The glucocorticoid triamcinolone acetonide specifically inhibits both these androgen mediated events without altering the equilibrium dissociation constant (Kd) of the androgen receptor for either [3H]-methyltrienolone (Kd = 0.46 nM) or [3H]-dihydrotestosterone (Kd = 0.2 nM). These observations infer that androgen receptor up-regulation is an important facet of androgen action which may be modulated by glucocorticoids.
FLOSSmole: A collaborative repository for FLOSS research data and analyses

This article introduces and expands on previous work on a collaborative project, called FLOSSmole (formerly OSSmole), designed to gather, share, and store comparable data and analyses of free, libre, and open source software (FLOSS) development for academic research. The project draws on the ongoing collection and analysis efforts of many research groups, reducing duplication, and promoting compatibility both across sources of FLOSS data and across research groups and analyses. The article outlines current difficulties with the current typical quantitative FLOSS research process and uses these to develop requirements and presents the design of the system.
Room temperature synthesis of carbon nanotubes using Dip Pen Nanolithography (DPN)

ABSTRACT Carbon Nanotubes (CNT) were synthesized on heated scanning probes and under ambient conditions without requiring Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) apparatus. Dip pen technique s were utilized for deposition of catalyst precursors on the probe tips in the form of aqueous solution of metal salts. A layer of Fullerene (C60) was deposited on the probe tip using a microfluidics apparatus and the probes were heated individually using a microheater. The temperature of the heated probes reached ~350 °C during the synthesis of CNT. The synthesized CNTs were subsequently characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Raman Spectroscopy. The Raman spectroscopy showed peaks in the Radial Breathing Mode (RBM) mode, as well as the Graphitic band. The RBM peaks indicate that the synthesized SWCNT has a diameter of ~1 nm. The single peak in the Raman spectra in RBM mode is indicative of SWCNT of a single chirality. Hence this process can be optimized to synthesize SWCNT of a specific chirality. Keywords: carbon nanotube, CNT, nanotechnology, nanosynthesis, nanofabrication, nanomanufacturing, chirality, single walled, dip pen nanolithography, MEMS, nanotechnology, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, SEM
Indices for detecting unusual patterns: Links between two general approaches and potential applications

Two distinct approaches, one based on item re sponse theory and the other based on observed item responses and standard summary statistics, have been proposed to identify unusual response patterns of re sponses to test items. A link between these two ap proaches is provided by showing certain correspon dences between Sato's S-P curve theory and item response theory. This link makes possible several ex tensions of Sato's caution index that take advantage of the results of item response theory. Several such in dices are introduced and their use illustrated by appli cation to a set of achievement test data. Two of the newly introduced extended indices were found to be very effective for purposes of identifying persons who consistently use an erroneous rule in attempting to solve signed-number arithmetic problems. The poten tial importance of this result is briefly discussed.
Paroxysmal pseudoventricular tachycardia and pseudoventricular fibrillation in patients with accelerated A-V conduction

Abstract Patients with accelerated atrioventricular conduction are peculiarly prone to paroxysmal atrial tachycardia and atrial fibrillation, which with the conduction anomaly result in very rapid arrhythmias, producing bizarre electrocardiograms. The pseudo bundle branch block causes the development of pseudoventricular complexes and the accelerated atrioventricular conduction gives rise to high ventricular rates that are alarming. These are usually more rapid than the simulated serious ventricular mechanism disorders. The importance of taking the seemingly good general status of the patient into consideration in electrocardiographic interpretation is emphasized. The diagnostic criteria have been set forth with emphasis on the presence of a P wave on every complex in the tachycardia and short runs of definite supraventricular fibrillation with narrow QRS in between the bizarre pseudoventricular runs of complexes. Some of the cases of a paroxysmal ventricular tachycardia and some of the cases of paroxysmal ventricular fibrillation with recovery reported in the literature are probably of this pseudoventricular disorder. The relatively excellent prognosis of the pseudo type is emphasized. However, it must be remembered that, in a rare case, the patient has died suddenly in a paroxysm of tachycardia. The relatively prompt and satisfactory response to procaine amide intravenously has been demonstrated. Some patients seem to be somewhat refractory to quinidine during a paroxysm and digitalization does not effectively slow the ventricular rate in this type of atrial fibrillation and accelerated conduction. The probable pathophysiology of these pseudoventricular paroxysms, tachycardia, or fibrillation have been discussed. The conspicuously high ventricular rates are the result of the accelerated A-V transmission. The clinical axiom follows that the presence of ventricular paroxysmal disorders, regular or irregular, with rates above 240 is presumptive evidence of the presence of accelerated A-V conduction as the fundamental cardiac mechanism disorder in the patient.
State-university collaboration: Role of the psychiatric hospital medical director

Medical directors are clinician-executives who provide leadership to advance state-university collaboration programs, and to facilitate recruiting and empowering a professional staff in the public sector. This article examines the medical director's role and tasks from the perspective of a “social systems clinician” who interacts with medical staff, hospitals, agencies, and university systems to meet oversight responsibilities and promote organizational development.
Mesothelin-induced pancreatic cancer cell proliferation involves alteration of cyclin E via activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription protein 3.

Mesothelin (MSLN) is a cell surface glycoprotein that is overexpressed in human pancreatic cancer. Although its value as a tumor marker for diagnosis and prognosis and as a preferred target of immunointervention has been evaluated, there is little information on the growth advantage of MSLN on tumor cells. In this study, we examined the effect of MSLN on pancreatic cancer cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, expression of cell cycle regulatory proteins, and signal transduction pathways in two pancreatic cancer cell lines, MIA-MSLN (overexpressing MSLN in MIA PaCa-2 cells) and BxPC-siMSLN (silencing MSLN in BxPC-3 cells). Increased cyclin E and cyclin-dependent kinase 2 expression found in MIA-MSLN cells correlated with significantly increased cell proliferation and faster cell cycle progression compared with control cells. BxPC-siMSLN cells showed slower proliferation and slower entry into the S phase than control cells. Signal transducer and activator of transcription protein 3 (Stat3) was constitutively activated in MIA-MSLN cells, but not in control cells. Inhibition of Stat3 activation in MIA-MSLN cells by the Janus-activated kinase–selective inhibitor tyrphostin AG490 was followed by a marked decrease in proliferation of the cells. Small interfering RNA against Stat3 significantly reduced the MIA-MSLN cell cycle progression with a concomitant decrease in cyclin E expression. Our data indicate that overexpression of MSLN in pancreatic cancer cells leads to constitutive activation of the transcription factor Stat3, which results in enhanced expression of cyclin E and cyclin E/cyclin-dependent kinase 2 complex formation as well as increased G1-S transition. (Mol Cancer Res 2008;6(11):1755–65)
CofE catalyzes the addition of two glutamates to F420-0 in F420 coenzyme biosynthesis in Methanococcus jannaschii.

The protein product of the Methanococcus jannaschii MJ0768 gene has been expressed in Escherichia coli, purified to homogeneity, and shown to catalyze the GTP-dependent addition of two l-glutamates to the l-lactyl phosphodiester of 7,8-didemethyl-8-hydroxy-5-deazariboflavin (F420-0) to form F420-0-glutamyl-glutamate (F420-2). Since the reaction is the fifth step in the biosynthesis of coenzyme F420, the enzyme has been designated as CofE, the product of the cofE gene. Gel filtration chromatography indicates CofE is a dimer. The enzyme has no recognized sequence similarity to any previously characterized proteins. The enzyme has an absolute requirement for a divalent metal ion and a monovalent cation. Among the metal ions tested, a mixture of Mn2+, Mg2+, and K+ is the most effective. CofE catalyzes amide bond formation with the cleavage of GTP to GDP and inorganic phosphate, likely involving the activation of the free carboxylate group of F420-0 to give an acyl phosphate intermediate. Evidence for the occu...
Low Testosterone Levels and Increased Inflammatory Markers in Patients with Cancer and Relationship with Cachexia

Context: Male cancer patients suffer from fatigue, sexual dysfunction, and decreased functional performance and muscle mass. These symptoms are seen in men with hypogonadism and/or inflammatory conditions. However, the relative contribution of testosterone and inflammation to symptom burden in cancer has not been well-established. Objective: The aim of this study was to measure testosterone levels in male cancer patients and determine the relationship between testosterone, inflammation, and symptom burden. Design/Setting: This cross-sectional study enrolled patients from a tertiary-care center. Subjects/Outcome Measures: Subjects included males with cancer-cachexia (CC; n = 45) and cancer without cachexia (CNC; n = 50), as well as noncancer controls (CO; n = 45). Total testosterone (TT), bioavailable testosterone, C-reactive protein (CRP), and IL-6 were measured in plasma. Functional performance was assessed by the ECOG (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group) and KPS (Karnofsky Performance Scales), and sexua...
Bias and accuracy of resting metabolic rate equations in non-obese and obese adults.

Summary Background & aims Consensus on the best equation for predicting metabolic rate in healthy people remains elusive. New equations continue to appear. The purpose of the current study was to validate several standard and new metabolic rate equations in obese and non-obese adults. Methods Resting metabolic rate was measured with indirect calorimetry and calculated using the Mifflin St. Jeor, Livingston, Harris Benedict, Muller, Vander Weg, WHO equations, and the Oxford variation of WHO. Each equation was compared for accuracy (percent of estimates falling within 10% of measured) and bias (95% confidence intervals of differences between estimate and measured expenditure that excluded zero). Results Three hundred thirty-seven ambulatory, community-living adults were measured. The Mifflin St. Jeor equation was unbiased (95% confidence interval −26 to +8 kcal/day), the Livingston equation tended to underestimate true metabolic rate (95% confidence interval −63 to −25 kcal/day), while all other equations tended to overestimate true metabolic rate. Accuracy rate was similar between Mifflin St. Jeor and Livingston (82 vs. 79%). Accuracy rate was lower in obese than non-obese volunteers, no matter which equation was used (for example 87 vs. 75% for the Mifflin St. Jeor equation). Conclusion The Mifflin St. Jeor equation is confirmed as a useful prediction equation for resting metabolic rate in community-living ambulatory adults of various body sizes, though the Livingston equation is similar. Accuracy rate is lower in obese than non-obese people, and so an obesity-specific equation is proposed. This equation needs validation before it is adopted for clinical use.
Monochromatic light and folic acid regulation of serotonin metabolites, in vitro

Abstract 1. Carbon 14 serotonin, added to long term organ cultures, was converted into tissue melatonin, 5- 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid, methoxytryptamine, tryptamine and methoxytryptophol, in nine wavelengths of light over four time periods. 2. Incorporation of label occurred over 1, 2, 3 and 6 hr. 3. Nine wavelengths significantly influenced formation of six metabolites. 4. Folic acid changed rate patterns. 5. Rate of formation of amines varied from each other; total amount formed in time periods varied according to wavelengths. 6. These results are further evidence of photoreceptor capabilities of arachnid brain and gut tissues in organ cultures. Folic acid influences photoreceptor driven mechanisms.
Marmycins A and B, cytotoxic pentacyclic C-glycosides from a marine sediment-derived actinomycete related to the genus Streptomyces.

Two new cytotoxic quinones of the angucycline class, marmycins A and B (1, 2), were isolated from the culture broth of a marine sediment-derived actinomycete related to the genus Streptomyces. The gross structures and absolute configurations of both compounds were determined by spectroscopic and crystallographic methods. Marmycin A (1) displayed significant cytotoxicity against several cancer cell lines, some at nanomolar concentrations; while compound 2, a chloro analogue of 1, was less potent. For marmycin A (1), tumor cell cytotoxicity appeared to coincide with induction of modest apoptosis and arrest in the G1 phase of the cell cycle.
Association of depression with increased risk of dementia in patients with type 2 diabetes: the Diabetes and Aging Study.

Context Although depression is a risk factor for dementia in the general population, its association with dementia among patients with diabetes mellitus has not been well studied. Objective To determine whether comorbid depression in patients with type 2 diabetes increases the risk of development of dementia. Design The Diabetes and Aging Study was a cohort investigation that surveyed a racially/ethnically stratified random sample of patients with type 2 diabetes. Setting A large, integrated, nonprofit managed care setting in Northern California. Participants A sample of 19 239 diabetes registry members 30 to 75 years of age. Main Outcome Measures The Patient Health Questionnaire 8, International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) diagnoses of depression, and/or antidepressant prescriptions in the 12 months prior to baseline were used to identify prevalent cases of depression. Clinically recognized dementia was identified among subjects with no prior ICD-9 Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) diagnoses of dementia. To exclude the possibility that depression was a prodrome of dementia, dementia diagnoses were only based on ICD-9-CM diagnoses identified in years 3 to 5 postbaseline. The risk of dementia for patients with depression and diabetes relative to patients with diabetes alone was estimated using Cox proportional hazard regression models that adjusted for sociodemographic, clinical, and health risk factors and health use. Results During the 3- to 5-year period, 80 of 3766 patients (2.1%) with comorbid depression and diabetes (incidence rate of 5.5 per 1000 person-years) vs 158 of 15 473 patients (1.0%) with diabetes alone (incidence rate of 2.6 per 1000 person-years) had 1 or more ICD-9-CM diagnoses of dementia. Patients with comorbid depression had a 100% increased risk of dementia during the 3 to 5 years postbaseline (adjusted hazard ratio, 2.02; 95% confidence interval, 1.73-2.35). Conclusion Depression in patients with diabetes was associated with a substantively increased risk for development of dementia compared with those with diabetes alone.
Assessment of tafoni distribution and environmental factors on a sandstone djinn block above Petra, Jordan

Abstract Through the measurement of tafoni dimensions on an isolated, and unrecorded ‘djinn block’ in Petra's Ordovician Disi Sandstone, minimum surface recession were prevalent on eastern and western faces ranging from 10 to 127 mm/millennia. Moderate tafoni development was identified on northern aspects ranging from 105 to 110 mm/millennia. While on southern vertical faces, the greatest development ranged from 120 to 220 mm/millennia. Solar flux was correlated to the measured tafoni cell dimensions and revealed a minimal recession rate (and depth) of approximately 10–45 mm/millennia above which northern influences increased deterioration ‘moderately’ up to 110 mm/millennia, and southern influences had the greatest exacerbating effect with a maximum recessional rate of 220 mm/millennia – producing the greatest recession of nearly one inch (22 mm) each century. It is speculated that weathering accelerated on shaded (northern) faces through more frequent and longer spans of wetting and drying cycles, in addition to the effects of lichen and cyanobacteria overgrowth. While on regularly sunlit surfaces (southern), increased solar flux (up to ∼3000 MJ/m 2 /year) accelerated deterioration though more rapid, and extreme heating and cooling cycles. As rarely documented, tafoni on eastern faces were the smallest, and they were only slightly larger on western faces. Slightly increased heating from afternoon temperatures, in tandem with the incidence of frontal precipitation is attributed to the only slightly larger tafoni found on western faces (than on eastern aspects).
Native predators and exotic prey –an acquired taste?

Only a small proportion of exotic species invasions give rise to hyper-successful nuisance species, but those that do have dramatic negative impacts on ecosystems, such as the displacement of native species and disruption of native food webs. For a native predator, such changes may mean a major transformation in its resource base and a decline in its fitness. However, native predators may adapt to become more effective at feeding on exotic prey, either rapidly, via existing phenotypic plasticity, or more slowly, via natural selection. Despite a rapidly growing number of publications on the importance of species invasions as a driver of contemporary evolution in both invading and native species, we know little about how the arrival of exotic prey affects native predators. We propose that native predators could be important in regulating the long-term dynamics of invading species and, consequently, that the overexploitation of predators could facilitate biological invasions.
Lumpectomy cavity shaved margins do not impact re-excision rates in breast cancer patients.

The benefits of taking shaved cavity margins (SCM) at the time of lumpectomy are unclear. We sought to determine if taking SCM decreases re-excision rates by increasing the total breast tissue volume excised. We undertook a retrospective review of breast cancer patients who underwent lumpectomy from 2004 to 2006. Patients were divided into three groups. Group 1 had lumpectomy alone, group 2 had lumpectomy plus select (1–3) SCM, and group 3 had lumpectomy plus complete (≥4) SCM. Pathologic findings and surgical outcomes were compared between groups. 773 cancers treated by lumpectomy were included in this study; 197 were in group 1, 130 were in group 2, and 446 were in group 3. The mean total volume of breast tissue excised in group 1 (106.6 cm3) was significantly larger than the volume excised in groups 2 (79.3 cm3) and 3 (76.3 cm3). Rates of re-excision and successful breast-conservation therapy (BCT) were not significantly different between groups. Despite a lower total volume of breast tissue excised in groups 2 and 3, there was no significant increase in locoregional recurrence rates (LRR) at median follow-up of 54 months. Taking additional SCM during lumpectomy resulted in a significantly lower overall volume of breast tissue excised, with no increase in LRR. Contrary to prior studies, we found that SCM did not decrease re-excision rates or impact the success of BCT. Therefore, the main advantage of taking SCM appears to be that less breast tissue is excised, which could potentially improve cosmetic outcomes.
Presidential address: Pediatric surgery—Whither goest thou?

What I have attempted to do in this analysis is to give you my views of pediatric surgery as it stands today in terms of its original goals. I have also attempted to look ahead and to analyze the straws in the wind, hopefully offering some potential solutions for the issues we are currently facing. If we remember who we really are and what our purpose is, great opportunity lies ahead. To those of us who are not satisfied with the present outlook there is much to be investigated and much to be contributed.
Document binarization with automatic parameter tuning

Document analysis systems often begin with binarization as a first processing stage. Although numerous techniques for binarization have been proposed, the results produced can vary in quality and often prove sensitive to the settings of one or more control parameters. This paper examines a promising approach to binarization based upon simple principles, and shows that its success depends most significantly upon the values of two key parameters. It further describes an automatic technique for setting these parameters in a manner that tunes them to the individual image, yielding a final binarization algorithm that can cut total error by one-third with respect to the baseline version. The results of this method advance the state of the art on recent benchmarks.
In vivo quantification of human lumbar disc degeneration using T1ρ-weighted magnetic resonance imaging

Diagnostic methods and biomarkers of early disc degeneration are needed as emerging treatment technologies develop (e.g., nucleus replacement, total disc arthroplasty, cell therapy, growth factor therapy) to serve as an alternative to lumbar spine fusion in treatment of low back pain. We have recently demonstrated in cadaveric human discs an MR imaging and analysis technique, spin-lock T1ρ-weighted MRI, which may provide a quantitative, objective, and non-invasive assessment of disc degeneration. The goal of the present study was to assess the feasibility of using T1ρ MRI in vivo to detect intervertebral disc degeneration. We evaluated ten asymptomatic 40–60-year-old subjects. Each subject was imaged on a 1.5 T whole-body clinical MR scanner. Mean T1ρ values from a circular region of interest in the center of the nucleus pulposus were calculated from maps generated from a series of T1ρ-weighted images. The degenerative grade of each lumbar disc was assessed from conventional T2-weighted images according to the Pfirmann classification system. The T1ρ relaxation correlated significantly with disc degeneration (r=−0.51, P<0.01) and the values were consistent with our previous cadaveric study, in which we demonstrated correlation between T1ρ and proteoglycan content. The technique allows for spatial measurements on a continuous rather than an integer-based scale, minimizes the potential for observer bias, has a greater dynamic range than T2-weighted imaging, and can be implemented on a 1.5 T clinical scanner without significant hardware modifications. Thus, there is a strong potential to use T1ρ in vivo as a non-invasive biomarker of proteoglycan loss and early disc degeneration.
The Poisson-lognormal model for bibliometric/scientometric distributions

Abstract The Poisson-lognormal model assumes that the intensity parameter of a Poisson process has a lognormal distribution in a sample of observations. This model can yield highly skewed, discrete distributions, but must be estimated by numerical methods. When applied to many of the empirical data sets related to the ‘laws’ of Lotka, Bradford, and Zipf, this compound Poisson model produces good to excellent fits. Discussion includes possible ‘causal’ processes and some implications for future bibliometric and scientometric studies.
Skin cancer detection using spectroscopic oblique-incidence reflectometry

This paper presents a technique for classifying skin abnormalities using oblique-incidence diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The objective is to provide a non-invasive computer-assisted tool to dermatologists for lowering the number of unnecessary biopsies. A high accuracy of detection (95%) has been obtained.
Neglected leptospirosis in raccoons (Procyon lotor) in Indiana, USA.

Background: Leptospirosis is a globally important zoonotic disease occurring clinically and subclinically in humans and animals.Objectives: To determine whether raccoons in Indiana carried leptospires in their kidneys.Animals and methods: Thirty-four raccoons were live-trapped from two forest patches in central Indiana. Following euthanasia, a portion of kidney (2 cm2) from each raccoon was homogenized and used for leptospiral culture. Leptospiral cultures were subjected to DNA extraction and various polymerase chain reaction (PCR) procedures reported previously. Serum sample from each raccoon was collected and antibody titers to leptospiral serovars were determined by microscopic agglutination test (MAT).Results: All leptospiral cultures were positive for Leptospira by various PCR procedures. The PCR with the primers targeting the conservative region of LipL32 gene was the most sensitive PCR in the detection of pathogenic leptospires. The variable LipL32 PCR amplicons were sequenced and compared to the r...
Residual sleep disturbance and risk of relapse during the continuation/maintenance phase treatment of major depressive disorder with the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor fluoxetine

Background Relapse of major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common clinical problem. This study was designed to determine whether residual sleep disturbance (insomnia and hypersomnia) predict risk of relapse during the continuation and maintenance treatment of MDD.
Smelling, feeling, tasting and touching: behavioral and neural integration of antennular chemosensory and mechanosensory inputs in the crayfish

Crustaceans possess two pairs of prominent, movable sense organs on the rostral aspect of their bodies termed antennae: (1) a relatively short, usually bifurcate pair, the 1st antennae, also referred to as antennules, and (2) a much longer, uniramous pair, the 2nd antennae, or just 'antennae'. The antennules are equipped with diverse arrays of six or more types of cuticular setae, most of which are believed to have a sensory function. Axons from these structures course within the antennular nerve to the deutocerebrum, a large middle brain region that is known to receive chemoreceptor and mechanoreceptor inputs. In crayfish, axons from two kinds of single sensory-function setae, the olfactory receptor aesthetasc sensilla and as yet unidentified hydrodynamic sensilla, on the lateral antennular flagellum terminate, respectively, within the ipsilateral olfactory lobe and the lateral antennular neuropil of the deutocerebrum, where their activity generates synaptic potentials in local interneurons having dendritic fields that span both of those regions. It has been suggested that the short-latency hydrodynamic input gates or otherwise supplements the olfactory input signals. Much less is known about the functional capabilities of the other sensillar types on the antennular flagella, including the bimodal sensilla: how their inputs are distributed to the various neuropils of the deutocerebrum, whether they target common or separate brain neurons, and the nature, if any, of their functional relationships to the aesthetasc and hydrodynamic sensilla. Integrated processing of chemical and hydrodynamic signals undoubtedly plays an important role in locating odorant sources, perhaps by detecting boundaries of odorant plumes (tropotactic discrimination); other less-plausible strategies include time averaging of turbulent odorant signals and determination of concentration slopes within turbulence-generated odorant patches. These gaps in our understanding present important, but surmountable, experimental challenges for the future.
The Management of Antiplatelet Therapy in Patients With Coronary Stents Undergoing Noncardiac Surgery

Whereas the development of coronary stents has been a major breakthrough in the treatment of coronary artery disease, stent thrombosis, associated with myocardial infarction and death, has introduced a new challenge in the care of patients with coronary stents undergoing noncardiac surgery. This review presents the authors’ recommendations regarding the optimal management of such patients. Elective surgery should be postponed for at least 6 weeks and optimally 3 months for a bare-metal stent and at least 1 year for a drug-eluting stent. On the other hand, managing a patient undergoing non-elective surgery is more difficult and necessitates a case-by-case assessment of bleeding risk versus thrombotic risk based on patient comorbidities, type of stents present, details of the coronary intervention, and type of surgical procedure. Patients with a risk of bleeding that outweighs the risk of stent thrombosis should discontinue at least clopidogrel, whereas all other patients should continue dual antiplatelet t...
The subcellular distribution of acetylcholine, choline acetyltransferase and cholinesterases in lobster walking leg nerves.

—Nerve bundles from the walking legs of the lobster have been homogenized in either isosmotic or hyperosmotic sucrose solutions and subjected to differential and discontinuous density gradient centrifugation. The resulting subcellular fractions were analysed for their concentrations of acetylcholine (ACh), choline acetyltransferase (ChAc) and cholinesterase (ChE). Enzymic characteristics were used for a biochemical identification of the subfractions. Regardless of the osmotic conditions, ACh was always found in the free form; there was no evidence of any‘bound’ester. After ultracentrifugation of homogenates in the hyperosmotic medium a pellet floating atop was formed; it consisted of membrane fragments and contained more than 30 per cent of the choline-esterhydrolysing enzymes, with a 3 to 4-fold increased specific activity. ChAc was found to be increasingly soluble if the ionic concentration was raised to that of the haemolymph body fluid of the lobster. Thus, all the components of the ACh system were present in substantial amounts but the question of their physiological function remains open.
Correlation between cord insertion type and chorionic villus vascularization of the co-twin in diamniotic-monochorionic twin pregnancies.

Abstract Background Recent evidence suggests that cord insertion type of one twin correlates with chorionic plate vascularization of the monochorionic co-twin. Specifically, for twins with paracentral cords, chorionic plate vascularization is significantly greater when the co-twin has a velamentous, rather than paracentral cord insertion. Aims To determine whether this correlation between cord insertion type and vascularization of the co-twin also extends to the deeper chorionic villus tree. Study design Morphometric analysis of chorionic villus vascularization in CD31-immunostained sections of a retrospective cohort of gestational age-matched third trimester monochorionic placentas with discordant paracentral/velamentous (PC/V) or concordant paracentral/paracentral (PC/PC) cord insertions. Outcome measures Vascular numerical density (number of vascular profiles per unit villus stromal area) of intermediate villi (> 80 μm diameter) and terminal villi ( Results For twins with paracentral cord insertion, the vascular numerical density of intermediate villi was significantly higher for twins in a discordant PC/V relationship than for those in a concordant PC/PC relationship (P Conclusions Early placental angiogenesis in monochorionic twin gestations may be influenced by implantation and cord localization of the co-twin. The regulation of terminal villus angiogenesis appears to be dissociated from more proximal villus angiogenesis and independent of cord insertion of the co-twin.
Predictors of Being Unsafe: Participation in the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System 2006 Intimate Partner Violence Module

A common reason for not participating in intimate partner violence (IPV) research is thought to be fear for one’s safety. However, little is known about those who do not participate due to safety fears. To better characterize this population, we investigated correlates of being “not safe” to answer the optional IPV module in the 2006 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS), a yearly cross-sectional telephone survey in the United States. We compared those who said they were not safe to complete the module with those who were safe and reported (+IPV) or denied (−IPV) IPV. Forward stepwise multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify significant correlates of being not-safe. Those who said they were not safe to answer IPV questions were found to have lower income, lower education levels, and were older than either +IPV or −IPV respondents. They were also more likely to be male than the +IPV group. The not-safe differ from those traditionally identified as being at greatest risk for I...
The onset of bio‐thermal convection induced by a combined effect of gyrotactic and oxytactic microorganisms

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the stability of a suspension containing both gyrotactic and oxytactic microorganisms for the case when the suspension occupies a horizontal layer of finite depth. The lower boundary of the layer is assumed rigid while at the upper boundary both situations of rigid and stress‐free boundary conditions are considered.Design/methodology/approach – Linear instability analysis is utilized, and the obtained eigenvalue problem is solved analytically using a one‐term Galerkin method.Findings – The obtained eigenvalue equation relates three Rayleigh numbers, the traditional thermal Rayleigh number and two bioconvection Rayleigh numbers, for gyrotactic and oxytactic microorganisms.Research limitations/implications – Only the case of non‐oscillatory instability (which always occurs when heating from the bottom is considered) is analyzed. Further experimental research is needed to elucidate possible interaction between gyrotactic and oxytactic microorganisms. The ...
Fusing Quantitative Requirements Analysis with Model-based Systems Engineering

A vision is presented for fusing quantitative requirements analysis with model-based systems engineering. This vision draws upon and combines emergent themes in the engineering milieu. "Requirements engineering" provides means to explicitly represent requirements (both functional and non-functional) as constraints and preferences on acceptable solutions, and emphasizes early-lifecycle review, analysis and verification of design and development plans. "Design by shopping" emphasizes revealing the space of options available from which to choose (without presuming that all selection criteria have previously been elicited), and provides means to make understandable the range of choices and their ramifications. "Model-based engineering" emphasizes the goal of utilizing a formal representation of all aspects of system design, from development through operations, and provides powerful tool suites that support the practical application of these principles. A first step prototype towards this vision is described, embodying the key capabilities. Illustrations, implications, further challenges and opportunities are outlined.
Remotely accessible solar energy laboratory for high school students

A remotely accessible solar energy laboratory has been developed for real-time experimentation using solar heating and photovoltaic equipment that is physically located at Purdue University. Indiana high school students are the first customers for this on-line resource. In addition to sensor data, the Web-based laboratory includes lesson plans, tutorials, assessment questions, and a feedback utility. This project is helping science teachers meet new state science standards from the Indiana Department of Education, which call for hands-on laboratory activities and real time data analysis. Remotely accessed labs are becoming popular because they offer the opportunity for large numbers of students to learn from state-of-the-art equipment. The cost of expensive laboratory equipment is easier to justify if it can be widely used.
Graph-Based Rare Category Detection

Rare category detection is the task of identifying examples from rare classes in an unlabeled data set. It is an open challenge in machine learning and plays key roles in real applications such as financial fraud detection, network intrusion detection, astronomy, spam image detection, etc. In this paper, we develop a new graph-based method for rare category detection named GRADE. It makes use of the global similarity matrix motivated by the manifold ranking algorithm, which results in more compact clusters for the minority classes; by selecting examples from the regions where probability density changes the most, it relaxes the assumption that the majority classes and the minority classes are separable. Furthermore, when detailed information about the data set is not available, we develop a modified version of GRADE named GRADE-LI, which only needs an upper bound on the proportion of each minority class as input. Besides working with data with structured features, both GRADE and GRADE-LI can also work with graph data, which can not be handled by existing rare category detection methods. Experimental results on both synthetic and real data sets demonstrate the effectiveness of the GRADE and GRADE-LI algorithms.
G-tree: a new data structure for organizing multidimensional data

The author describes an efficient data structure called the G-tree (or grid tree) for organizing multidimensional data. The data structure combines the features of grids and B-trees in a novel manner. It also exploits an ordering property that numbers the partitions in such a way that partitions that are spatially close to one another in a multidimensional space are also close in terms of their partition numbers. This structure adapts well to dynamic data spaces with a high frequency of insertions and deletions, and to nonuniform distributions of data. We demonstrate that it is possible to perform insertion, retrieval, and deletion operations, and to run various range queries efficiently using this structure. A comparison with the BD tree, zkdb tree and the KDB tree is carried out, and the advantages of the G-tree over the other structures are discussed. The simulated bucket utilization rates for the G-tree are also reported. >
Liberalizing Professional Education: Integrating General and Professional Ability Outcomes

Though many educators agree with frequent recommendations regarding the integration of general and professional outcomes within pharmacy education, fewer have as clear an understanding regarding th...
Optogenetic Activation of Brainstem Serotonergic Neurons Induces Persistent Pain Sensitization

The rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) is a key brainstem structure that conveys powerful descending influence of the central pain-modulating system on spinal pain transmission and processing. Serotonergic (5-HT) neurons are a major component in the heterogeneous populations of RVM neurons and in the descending pathways from RVM. However, the descending influence of RVM 5-HT neurons on pain behaviors remains unclear. In this study using optogenetic stimulation in tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (TPH2)- Channelrhodopsin 2 (ChR2) transgenic mice, we determined the behavioral effects of selective activation of RVM 5-HT neurons on mechanical and thermal pain behaviors in vivo. We found that ChR2-EYFP-positive neurons strongly co-localized with TPH2-positive (5-HT) neurons in RVM. Optogenetic stimulation significantly increased c-fos expression in 5-HT cells in the RVM of TPH2-ChR2 mice, but not in wild type mice. Behaviorally, the optogenetic stimulation decreased both mechanical and thermal pain threshold in an intensity-dependent manner, with repeated stimulation producing sensitized pain behavior for up to two weeks. These results suggest that selective activation of RVM 5-HT neurons exerts a predominant effect of pain facilitation under control conditions.