cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Objective video quality assessment for tracking moving objects from video sequences

Video quality assessment has a great importance in several image processing applications. Recently, various objective video quality metrics have been proposed in order to predict the human visual perception and to achieve high correlation with the human perception of the image quality. In this paper, a novel objective quality metric is proposed for tracking moving objects in video sequences. The proposed metric particularly considers the moving objects in video sequences as visually important content. Foreground masks are produced by background subtraction based an approximate median filter. Existing metrics are then modified by the weighting factors of the foreground masks. Our results show that our metrics have better performance than existing objective metrics.
Protein Assembly in Serum and the Differences from Assembly in Buffer

This chapter illustrates how analytical ultracentrifugation methods, coupled with the fluorescence detection system, are an excellent approach to characterizing and comparing protein-binding interactions in dilute solution and concentrated, crowded solutions like serum. We show that in serum, the binding and assembly states for a pair of endogenous protein ligands and an antibody inhibitor are dramatically different than those observed in dilute, simple buffers. This type of analysis approach may be helpful in research efforts intent at discerning the underpinnings to a therapeutic's activity and pharmacokinetic properties in vivo.
Error Reflection Embracing Growth Mindset in the General Music Classroom

As music teachers, part of the job description involves the detection of student errors and the use of our experience and education to eliminate them. This article is an exploration of the role of ...
Collaborating With a Statistician: Bringing a Clinical Perspective to Statistics.

Peruse the author lists of articles in any medical journal, and you will quickly appreciate that research is performed by teams. Similar to any team that you might encounter in sports, there is a distribution of labor among the research team members that makes them operate effectively and efficiently. Although statisticians are critical members of the research team, they are frequently engaged to assist with analysis well after the study has been designed and executed. The statistical methods used to answer a research question directly affects the study design, the data collection instruments, and the operationalization of the variables. Therefore, the consequence of delaying a statistician’s engagement is that the collected data may have significant limitations that statistical techniques alone cannot fix to answer the intended questions. However, involving a statistician from the onset on a research team does not relegate all statistical responsibilities to the statistician. It is still incumbent on the clinical study members to lend their insights and content expertise to guide the statistician in developing and executing the analysis. Consequently, dialogue between the clinicians and statisticians is paramount to making appropriate decisions and reaching sound conclusions from a study in the most efficient manner. In this article, which is intended for clinicians who conduct research, we explore this critical interface and discuss how clinicians can better collaborate with a statistician throughout the research process. Familiarity with the study and the field helps a statistician engage in your research, learn the language and statistical techniques commonly used in your area of expertise, and operate most efficiently. Although some statisticians may have been through training programs that expose them to some basics in medicine (ie, biostatistics), many will not be familiar with even the basic clinical concepts that make your topic relevant. Spend time explaining the science, providing …
Haploid Plants from Anther Culture

This chapter provides a brief overview of immature anther culture to obtain haploid plants. The many factors to consider in establishing a workable protocol for success in anther culture are presented. These factors include donor plant and anther treatments, determination of anther developmental stage, culture medium development, and culture environmental conditions. Resulting haploid plants can be doubled to result in completely homozygous parental lines for use in breeding improvement programs. Hapliod plants are also useful in genetic transformation and plant genome mapping.
Finite observability in delay systems

Abstract Based on the method of steps, a condition for the finite observability of a delay system (this is observability with finitely generated initial data) is derived. This leads to approximate observability of the infinite dimensional system in a precise sense. Of independent interest, we present in an appendix a generalized condition for observability of a finite dimensional system, that may be fail to be completely observable, but contains side information regarding its initial conditions. It generalizes the known PBH tests.
Move Along to Where? Property in Service of Democracy (A Tribute to André van der Walt)

When the police in cities that prohibit sleeping in public spaces command that people on the streets “move along,” advocacy groups for the homeless have started a campaign that pointedly asks “move along to where?” This question seeks to highlight the reality that homeless persons are being subjected to an order with which they have no capacity to comply. In this instance, the state is defining and rigidly enforcing property rights without concern for the consequences of its doing so; it apparently is only after this exercise in definition and enforcement that the state can move to respect fundamental democratic values — such as dignity and equality — in the space that remains. Inspired by the work of Andre van der Walt, we here present the alternate thesis that property exists in service of the values that characterize our democracy. We advance this thesis through the lens of two stories of eviction — the leading cause of homelessness in the U.S. — in which our democratic values seemingly and, in our view, unacceptably are taking a backseat to property.
Interlaboratory validation of an improved method for detection of Cyclospora cayetanensis in produce using a real-time PCR assay

A collaborative validation study was performed to evaluate the performance of a new U.S. Food and Drug Administration method developed for detection of the protozoan parasite, Cyclospora cayetanensis, on cilantro and raspberries. The method includes a sample preparation step in which oocysts are recovered from produce using an enhanced produce washing solution containing 0.1% Alconox and a commercially available method to disrupt the C. cayetanensis oocysts and extract DNA. A real-time PCR assay targeting the C. cayetanensis 18S rDNA gene with an internal amplification control to monitor PCR inhibition provides species-specific identification. Five laboratories blindly analyzed a total of 319 samples consisting of 25 g of cilantro or 50 g of raspberries which were either uninoculated or artificially contaminated with C. cayetanensis oocysts. Detection rates for cilantro inoculated with 200, 10, and 5 oocysts, were 100%, 80%, and 31%, respectively. For raspberries, the detection rates for samples inoculated with 200, 10, and 5 oocysts were 100%, 90% and 50%, respectively. All uninoculated samples, DNA blank extracts, and no-template PCR controls were negative. Reproducibility between laboratories and analysts was high and the method was shown to be an effective analytical tool for detection of C. cayetanensis in produce.
Rapid Isolation of Centromeres from Scheffersomyces stipitis

Centromeres (CENs) are the chromosomal regions promoting kinetochore formation for faithful chromosome segregation. In yeasts, CENs have been recognized as the essential elements for extra-chromosomal DNA stabilization. However, the epigeneticity of CENs makes their localization on individual chromosomes very challenging, especially in many not well-studied nonconventional yeast species. Previously, we applied a stepwise method to identify a 500-bp CEN5 from Scheffersomyces stipitis chromosome 5 and experimentally confirmed its critical role on improving plasmid stability. Here we report a library-based strategy that integrates in silico GC3 chromosome scanning and high-throughput functional screening, which enabled the isolation of all eight S. stipitis centromeres with a 16 000-fold reduction in sequence very efficiently. Further identification of a 125-bp CEN core sequence that appears multiple times on each chromosome but all in the unique signature GC3-valley indicates that CEN location might be accu...
Recommendations For Prevention Of Medical Errors Through An Empirical Investigation Of The Error Reporting Systems Within Acute Care Hospitals In Pennsylvania

The researcher investigated the procedures taken by healthcare administrators within twenty-two Pennsylvania acute care hospitals with respect to the prevention of medical errors. Structured interview questions provided relevant data in relation to how healthcare administrators could structure the workplace environment in hopes to prevent the number of medical errors that occur in acute care hospitals in Pennsylvania. Recommendations for prevention include conducting needs assessments the areas of cultural assessment, error reporting system assessment, workplace environment assessment, corrective action procedures assessment, and policies and procedures assessment. Recommendations and implications for conducting the needs assessments are provided in this paper in an effort to bring attention to actions that may be taken by hospital administrators in hopes of reducing the number of medical errors that occur within acute care hospitals in Pennsylvania.
Bacterial Soft Rot

Bacterial soft rots are best known as diseases of fleshy plant structures such as potato tubers, fruits, and flower bulbs. They are also diseases of stems and flowers and other above-ground parts. Perhaps no other group of related diseases causes more damage to vegetables. Soft rots attack a large number of plants. They strike in the fields, in storehouses, in the marketplaces, and in homes throughout the world.
Boxing fatalities in relation to rule changes in Japan: secondary data analysis.

Objectives: To examine whether changing weigh-in from the same day of the match to the day before the match and prohibiting 6-oz gloves are associated with fatalities in boxing matches sanctioned b...
Additionality in U.S. Agricultural Conservation Programs

Agricultural conservation programs aim to improve environmental quality by using payments to support voluntary adoption of environmentally sound practices. Supported practices, however, yield additional environmental gain only if they would not have been adopted without payment. We estimate additionality for selected practices using propensity score matching to analyze data from the Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS). We find that greater than 95% of off-field structural practices (filter strips, riparian buffers) supported by payments are additional but that less than 50% of conservation tillage payments yield additional adoption. The effect of nutrient management payments varies across nutrient management practices and crops.
Fast Neutron Therapy: Problems and Promise

It took only six years from the discovery of the neutron and the production of fast neutron beams with cyclotrons for Dr. Robert Stone to start his pioneering work on human cancer. At that time (1938), there was no theoretical indication that neutron therapy might be more effective in controlling human cancer than conventional x-ray therapy. Thus, neutrons were empirically tested, just as x-rays had been shortly after their discovery in 1895. Stone and his colleagues knew that neutrons had a higher relative biologic effectiveness (RBE) compared to x-rays and used a ratio of 2.5 for their dose estimation. This factor was derived from single-fraction experiments on human skin. The fact that the RBE increases with fractionated small-dose irradiation was not known then. This led to a significant overdosage in many patients treated in this first trial with neutrons with consequent severe late normal tissue injury. In summarizing his experience with neutrons, Stone (1948), concluded that “neutron therapy as administered by us resulted in such bad delayed sequelae in proportion to a few good results that it should not be continued.” Since a sound bio logic rationale for neutron therapy was lacking, this unfavorable experience was enough to dis courage further attempts at neutron therapy for 25 years.
Host Response Differences to Infection May Affect Disease susceptibility in atherosclerotic patients

Publisher Summary Epidemiological studies for infections in human populations have shown the associations between atherosclerotic disease and positive serology. Despite not all authors reported positive associations, such studies have made essential contributions to the totality of evidence. Basic researches have demonstrated pathogen antigens or nucleic acids in arterial tissues taken from patients undergoing vascular operation or autopsy. These data supported the epidemiological findings, and provided direct observation of what actually happens in human. Although a clear mechanism for the infection in the development atherosclerosis has not been established, numerous investigations that have attempted to link atherosclerosis in humans with infection with various pathogens, such as CMV, Chlamydia pneumoniae and Helicobacter pylori, have led to the suggestion that infection-related cardiovascular disease is an inflammation and immune reaction-mediated process. The susceptibility to the atherogenic effects of infectious agents depend, at least in part, on the capacity of the host to pathogen induced inflammatory activity or immunr responses. Therefore, it is likely that a complete understanding of the potential role of infection in atherosclerosis will be achieved only after the more complex interrelations between a pathogen and the host's response to the pathogen are elucidated.
Two Advising Paradigms

Chapter 11 suggested methods to improve the rate of learning of the BOXES algorithm. This chapter expands upon the suggested structural alteration to the methodology to include the use of advisor cells which are defined as those that are positioned close to active cells in the state space. If the cumulative value of their advice outweighs the cell’s own natural strength, an advisor enhanced decision is allowed to prevail. If the advice is weak, the natural value is asserted. In either case, during the post-processing phase, the advisor cells are statistically rewarded or penalized based on their contribution or suggestions. This chapter discusses two advising schema and an improvement to either one that involves delaying the advising process until the system has gained some maturity. To illustrate the method results obtained from simulations of an inverted pendulum are included which show the profound impact that advisor logic has on the learning performance of the familiar learning algorithm.
A novel approach for flutter prediction of pitch–plunge airfoils using an efficient one-shot method

Abstract In this work, the one-shot method previously developed for the solution of limit cycle oscillation problems is extended to predict flutter boundaries of aeroelastic systems. In essence, the one-shot method determines the aeroelastic response of wings and airfoils in a tightly-coupled fashion where both aerodynamic and structural dynamic problems are solved simultaneously using harmonic balance. This approach is superior to the frequency-based techniques previously reported in the literature such that it eliminates the need to sweep over a range of frequencies to determine flutter conditions. For each Mach number of interest, the values of flutter frequency and flutter velocity are determined as part of a single aeroelastic run. A method for identifying appropriate initial conditions is also presented. It is shown that the flutter onset point for given flow conditions can be accurately identified by prescribing a very small pitch amplitude treating flutter prediction as a response problem instead of the classical stability problem. Using this technique, three two-degree-of-freedom aeroelastic models, including a flat plate, the NACA 64A010 airfoil and the supercritical NLR 7301 airfoil, are studied under different flow conditions ranging from low-speed, inviscid flow to transonic, viscous, turbulent flow. The results are verified against reference results from the literature. In addition, two other established flutter methods are implemented in this work for verification purposes, and the efficiency and robustness of the one-shot method are investigated.
Self-Folding Hybrid Graphene Skin for 3D Biosensing.

Biological samples such as cells have complex three-dimensional (3D) spatio-molecular profiles and often feature soft and irregular surfaces. Conventional biosensors are based largely on 2D and rigid substrates, which have limited contact area with the entirety of the surface of biological samples making it challenging to obtain 3D spatially resolved spectroscopic information, especially in a label-free manner. Here, we report an ultrathin, flexible skinlike biosensing platform that is capable of conformally wrapping a soft or irregularly shaped 3D biological sample such as a cancer cell or a pollen grain, and therefore enables 3D label-free spatially resolved molecular spectroscopy via surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). Our platform features an ultrathin thermally responsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-graphene-nanoparticle hybrid skin that can be triggered to self-fold and wrap around 3D micro-objects in a conformal manner due to its superior flexibility. We highlight the utility of this 3D bio...
Augmenting cognitive load during split-belt walking increases the generalization of motor memories across walking contexts

Abstract Cognitive load plays a role on the movement recalibration induced by sensorimotor adaptation, but little is known about its impact on the generalization of movements from trained to untrained situations. We hypothesized that altering cognitive load by distracting subjects during sensorimotor adaptation would facilitate the generalization of recalibrated movements beyond the training condition. We reasoned that awareness of the novel condition inducing adaptation could be used to consciously contextualize movements to that particular situation. To test this hypothesis, young adults adapted their gait on a split-belt treadmill (moving their legs at different speeds) while they observed visual information that either distracted them or made them aware of the speed difference between their feet. We assessed the adaptation and aftereffects of spatial and temporal gait features known to adapt and generalize differently when walking on the treadmill or overground. We found similar adaptation and aftereffects on the treadmill across all groups. In contrast, both groups with altered cognitive load (i.e., distraction and awareness groups) generalized their movements from the treadmill to overground more than controls, who walked without altered cognitive load. Of note, this effect was only observed in temporal gait features, which are less susceptible to online motor adjustments, and were eliminated upon experiencing large errors by briefly removing the split perturbation during adaptation (i.e., catch trial). Taken together, increasing cognitive demands during sensorimotor adaptation facilitates the generalization of movement recalibration, but this cognitive-mediated effect cannot eliminate the specificity of actions due to context-specific errors. New and Noteworthy Little is known about how cognition affects the generalization of motor recalibration induced by sensorimotor adaptation paradigms. We showed that augmenting cognitive load during adaptation on a split-belt treadmill led to greater recalibration of movements without the training device. However, this effect was eliminated when unusual motor errors were experienced on the treadmill. Thus, cognition can influence the generalization of sensorimotor adaptation, but it cannot suppress the context-specificity originated by the errors that one feels.
Biophysical Characterization of a Nanodisc with and without BAX: An Integrative Study Using Molecular Dynamics Simulations and Cryo-EM.

Summary B cell lymphoma-2-associated X protein (BAX) plays a pivotal role in triggering cell apoptosis by permeabilizing the mitochondrial outer membrane. Contrary to previous findings, recent electron microscopy (EM) experiments showed that BAX monomers are able to perturb phospholipid nanodiscs (NDs) by forming lipidic pores. Here, we provide structural and thermodynamic interpretation of such data using multiscale resolution molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Our results suggest that BAX is able to disrupt the stability, lateral packing and enhance the desorption propensity of the lipids in the ND, resulting in the formation of a stable toroidal-like pore. These findings prompted to re-evaluate the previously reported cryo-EM data to generate an improved reconstruction, thereby allowing for a more accurate localization of BAX in the EM map. We conclude that the reduced stability of the BAX-embedded ND eliminates the necessity of forming active BAX oligomers for its disruption.
Lesions of the Patch Compartment of Dorsolateral Striatum Disrupt Stimulus–Response Learning

The striatum mediates habit formation and reward association. The striatum can be divided into the patch and matrix compartment, which are two distinct regions that sub-serve different aspects of behavior. The patch compartment may mediate reward-related behaviors, while the matrix compartment may mediate adaptive motor functions. Previous studies indicate that enhanced relative activation of the patch versus matrix compartment is associated with inflexible behaviors, such as stereotypy. Habitual behaviors are also inflexible in nature, but whether enhanced activation of the patch compartment contributes to habitual behavior is not known. The goal of the current study was to examine the role of patch compartment in the development of habit formation. We used dermorphin-saporin to ablate neurons of the patch compartment in the dorsolateral striatum prior to training animals to self-administer sucrose on a random interval schedule of reinforcement. Our data showed that patch compartment lesions in the dorsolateral striatum reduced the reinstatement of sucrose self-administration after sucrose devaluation, indicating that destruction of this region prevented the development of habitual behavior. Additionally, in animals with patch compartment lesions in the DLS that did not develop habitual behavior, activation of the dorsolateral striatum and sensorimotor cortex was diminished, while activity in the dorsomedial striatum and prefrontal cortex was increased, suggesting less engagement of regions that mediate habitual behaviors and heightened engagement of regions that mediate goal-directed behaviors occurs with reduced habit formation. These data indicate that the dorsolateral patch compartment may mediate habit formation by altering information flow through basal ganglia circuits.
"If You Want to Know About the Book, Ask the Author": Enhancing Community Engagement Through Participatory Research in Clinical Mental Health Settings.

Participatory research, in which people with lived experience of the study phenomenon are involved as collaborators, has been conducted for decades; however, these innovations have struggled to tak...
A Technology-Assisted, Brief Mind-Body Intervention to Improve the Waiting Room Experience for Chemotherapy Patients: Randomized Quality Improvement Study.

Background: Patients waiting for chemotherapy can experience stress, anxiety, nausea, and pain. Acupressure and meditation have been shown to control such symptoms. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of an integrative medicine app to educate patients about these self-care tools in chemotherapy waiting rooms. Methods: We screened and enrolled cancer patients in chemotherapy waiting rooms at two Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center locations. Patients were randomly assigned into an intervention arm in which subjects watched acupressure and meditation instructional videos or a control arm in which they watched a time- and attention-matched integrative oncology lecture video. Before and after watching the videos, we asked the patients to rate four key symptoms: stress, anxiety, nausea, and pain. We performed the analysis of covariance to detect differences between the two arms postintervention while controlling for baseline symptoms. Results: A total of 223 patients were enrolled in the study: 113 patients were enrolled in the intervention arm and 110 patients were enrolled in the control arm. In both groups, patients showed significant reductions in stress and anxiety from baseline (all P<.05), with the treatment arm reporting greater stress and anxiety reduction than the control arm (1.64 vs 1.15 in stress reduction; P=.01 and 1.39 vs 0.78 in anxiety reduction; P=.002). The majority of patients reported that the videos helped them pass time and that they would watch the videos again. Conclusions: An integrative medicine self-care app in the waiting room improved patients’ experiences and reduced anxiety and stress. Future research could focus on expanding this platform to other settings to improve patients’ overall treatment experiences.
Understanding and Improving Regression Test Selection in Continuous Integration

Developers rely on regression testing in their continuous integration (CI) environment to find changes that introduce regression faults. While regression testing is widely practiced, it can be costly. Regression test selection (RTS) reduces the cost of regression testing by not running the tests that are unaffected by the changes. Industry has adopted module-level RTS for their CI environment, while researchers have proposed class-level RTS. In this paper, we compare module-and class-level RTS techniques in a cloud-based CI environment, Travis. We also develop and evaluate a hybrid RTS technique that combines aspects of the module-and class-level RTS techniques. We evaluate all the techniques on real Travis builds. We find that the RTS techniques do save testing time compared to running all tests (RetestAll), but the percentage of time for a full build using RTS (76.0%) is not as low as found in previous work, due to the extra overhead in a cloud-based CI environment. Moreover, we inspect test failures from RetestAll builds, and although we find that RTS techniques can miss to select failed tests, these test failures are almost all flaky test failures. As such, RTS techniques provide additional value in helping developers avoid wasting time debugging failures not related to the recent code changes. Overall, our results show that RTS can be beneficial for the developers in the CI environment, and RTS not only saves time but also avoids misleading developers by flaky test failures.
Using Sinusoidally-Modulated Noise as a Surrogate for Slow-Wave Sleep to Accomplish Stable Unsupervised Dictionary Learning in a Spike-Based Sparse Coding Model

Sparse coding algorithms have been used to model the acquisition of V1 simple cell receptive fields as well as to accomplish the unsupervised acquisition of features for a variety of machine learning applications. The Locally Competitive Algorithm (LCA) provides a biologically plausible implementation of sparse coding based on lateral inhibition. LCA can be reformulated to support dictionary learning via an online local Hebbian rule that reduces predictive coding error. Although originally formulated in terms of leaky integrator rate-coded neurons, LCA based on lateral inhibition between leaky integrate-and-fire (LIF) neurons has been implemented on spiking neuromorphic processors but such implementations preclude local online learning. We previously reported that spiking LCA can be expressed in terms of predictive coding error in a manner that allows for unsupervised dictionary learning via a local Hebbian rule but the issue of stability has not previously been addressed. Here, we use the Nengo simulator to show that unsupervised dictionary learning in a spiking LCA model can be made stable by incorporating epochs of sinusoidally-modulated noise that we hypothesize are analogous to slow-wave sleep. In the absence of slow-wave sleep epochs, the |L| 2 norm of individual features tends to increase over time during unsupervised dictionary learning until the corresponding neurons can be activated by random Gaussian noise. By inserting epochs of sinusoidally-modulated Gaussian noise, however, the |L| 2 norms of any activated neurons are down regulated such | that individual neurons are no longer activated by noise. Our results suggest that slow-wave sleep may act, in part, to ensure that cortical neurons do not "hallucinate" their target features in pure noise, thus helping to maintain dynamical stability.
PT symmetry in optics and nonlinear optics

Parity-time (PT)-symmetric arrangements can lead to unusual optical properties both in the linear and nonlinear regimes. Here, we review recent developments in the physics and applications of PT-symmetric optical systems.
Evaluation of Alternative Messages and Sign Locations on Driver Response to a Dynamic Speed Feedback Sign on a Freeway Interchange Ramp

Research was undertaken to determine effective messaging strategies and sign positions for dynamic speed feedback signs (DSFS) when used for speed management at freeway ramp curves. A field evaluat...
Diagnostic Yield of Electroencephalography When Seizure is Suspected in Acute Ischemic Stroke (2081)

Objective: Stroke is a common cause of epilepsy in older adults. Electroencephalography (EEG) assists with the diagnosis of seizures, however its diagnostic yield when seizure is suspected in the setting of acute ischemic stroke is unknown. This study examines the diagnostic yield of EEG monitoring during hospitalization for acute ischemic strokes. Background: Estimated rate of early post-ischemic stroke seizures is 3%. Although seizures are common after stroke, indications for if, and when, to obtain EEG monitoring remain unclear. Cost of a routine awake EEG (CPT 95816) and a 24-hour continuous EEG (CPT 95951) monitoring in the inpatient setting is $370.12 and $329.40, respectively based on the CY 2019 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. Identifying unnecessary testing and utilization of healthcare resources is paramount in the effort to contain costs. Design/Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of patients admitted to a single academic tertiary care center in the United States between September 1, 2015 – November 30, 2019 with a primary diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke and who were monitored on EEG for suspected seizures. The primary outcome was how often EEG monitoring changed clinical management defined as starting, stopping, or changing the dose of an anti-epileptic drug. Secondary analysis was estimating the cost of EEG monitoring per change in management. Results: We identified 126 patients admitted with acute ischemic stroke who underwent EEG of which 70 met all inclusion and exclusion criteria. EEG monitoring resulted in a change in management in 22 patients (31%). Predictors associated with EEG monitoring resulting in a change in management were admission to the ICU, pre-existing atrial fibrillation, and symptomatic hemorrhagic transformation. Estimated cost of EEG per change in management was $1374.96 USD. Conclusions: EEG monitoring resulted in a changed management in nearly one third of patients admitted with acute ischemic stroke suspected of having seizures. Disclosure: Dr. Hareesh has nothing to disclose. Dr. ALGaeed has nothing to disclose. Dr. Grewal has nothing to disclose. Dr. Sadeghikhah has nothing to disclose. Dr. Gholipour has nothing to disclose. Dr. Chen has nothing to disclose. Christopher Leon Guerrero has nothing to disclose.
Lesions of the Lower Uterine Segment

Abstract Background: The lower uterine segment (LUS) may become involved in cervical and endometrial lesions. In addition, some lesions are unique to the LUS, and identifying carcinomas in this region may have prognostic significance. Objectives: The aim of this review is provide useful coverage of the scope of lesions affecting the LUS. Methods: A Medline® search was conducted, using the term lower uterine segment. Reported lesions of the LUS were reviewed. Results: Adenocarcinomas arising in the LUS can be associated with Lynch syndrome. Endometrial adenocarcinoma spreading to the LUS may indicate an increased risk of lymph-nodal involvement. Endometrial carcinomas arising from—as well as spreading to—the LUS may have prognostic significance. Conclusions: Understanding the scope of LUS lesions, as presented in this review, will assist in developing a differential diagnosis if a patient with such a lesion is encountered. (J GYNECOL SURG 32:1)
Chapter 10 Models for water and air quality management

Publisher Summary This chapter elaborates on the management models for water and air quality that have been developed over the last years. The chapter describes the fundamental models of pollutant transport and transformation in water and air. It includes a mathematical description of pollutant transport and transformation appropriate to the particular medium. Management models that address problems of water quality and those that address air quality have similar forms. The issues inherent in water quality management constitute classic forms in public sector problems. Efficiency objectives overlay standards that are required to be met, and equity challenges the derived solutions pushing policy toward feasible and just solutions. The descriptive model for river water quality; management model for water quality in rivers; and regional treatment plant siting are described in the chapter. From a mathematical programming perspective, the fundamental issues in air quality management are issues concerning the allocation of limited resources. The physical and chemical processes that govern air pollutant transport and transformation are similar and identical to those for water-based pollutants. The chapter discusses the long-range transport modelling and optimization models for air quality management.
Worldwide List of Graduate Programs in Learning, Design, Technology, Information, or Libraries

Specializations—Doctor of Education in Distance Education Master of Education in Distance Education Post-Baccalaureate Diploma in Distance Education Technology Post-Baccalaureate Diploma in Instructional Design Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Instructional Design Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Technology-Based Learning
Deep-seated, well differentiated lipomatous tumors of the chest wall and extremities: the role of cytogenetics in classification and prognostication.

BACKGROUND Intramuscular lipomas and atypical lipomatous tumors (ALT) are common deep-seated lipomatous tumors of the chest wall and extremities. Distinguishing between these two entities can be difficult based on histologic analysis alone. However, the cytogenetic profiles of ALT and intramuscular lipomas are distinct. Correct classification is important, because aggressive local disease recurrence occurs more frequently in patients with ALT than in patients with intramuscular lipoma. The authors examined their single institutional experience and correlated their classification with clinical features and outcome. METHODS In the current study, 106 patients with deep-seated, well differentiated adipose tumors of the chest wall and extremities were classified as having ALT or intramuscular lipoma using a combined approach of histology and cytogenetics, if available. The classification was correlated with clinicopathologic features and follow-up data. RESULTS Fifty-five patients were classified as having intramuscular lipoma and 51 were classified as having ALT. Classification did not correlate with age and gender (P = 0.28 and P = 0.96, respectively). Intramuscular lipomas were smaller than ALTs (P < 0.0001), but there was significant overlap between the 2 groups. ALT occurred preferentially in the lower extremity (P < 0.0009). Four percent of patients with intramuscular lipomas and 27% of patients with ALTs developed local disease recurrence (P = 0.0006). Disease recurrence did not correlate with patient age at diagnosis, patient gender, tumor size, and tumor location (P = 0.45, P = 0.26, P = 0.49, and P = 0.28, respectively). Within the subset of patients with ALTs, disease recurrence did not correlate with patient age at diagnosis, patient gender, or tumor location (P = 0.38, P = 0.54, and P = 0.86, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Classification of deep-seated, well differentiated lipomatous tumors of the extremities and chest wall using a combined approach of histology and cytogenetics correlated well with biologic behavior/disease recurrence. This combined approach is advocated to better stratify patients for treatment purposes and follow-up. Cancer 2005. © 2004 American Cancer Society.
Chronic persistent hepatitis and unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia.

Abstract The authors studied 12 patients with chronic persistent hepatitis and persistent or intermittent mild unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia. Maximum serum total bilirubin concentration ranged from 2.1 to 3.6 mg/dl. Hemolysis was not evident. Hepatic bilirubin UDP-glucuronyltransferase activity assayed in each patient ranged from 0.16 to 0.39 U (mean ± SEM=0.27 ± 0.02) compared to 0.68–1.99 (1.35 ± 0.08) in 23 normals, 0.78–2.28 (1.41 ± 0.05) in 53 patients with acute hepatitis, 0.34–1.74 (0.81 ± 0.09) in 16 patients with anicteric chronic persistent hepatitis, and 0–0.62 (0.24 ± 0.03) in 33 patients with Gilbert's syndrome. The mean UDP-glucuronyltransferase activity was significantly lower in anicteric chronic persistent hepatitis compared to normals, but higher than in Gilbert's syndrome. The incidence of unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia among first degree relatives was 0:32 in icteric chronic persistent hepatitis compared to 24:85 (28%) in Gilbert's syndrome. These results show that the likely cause for the unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia associated with chronic persistent hepatitis is an acquired depression of hepatic bilirubin UDP-glucuronyltransferase activity. The data suggest that the enzyme defect is related to chronic persistent hepatitis.
Design of Lower Limb Prosthesis Transverse Plane Adaptor With Variable Stiffness

A lower limb prosthesis is able to restore mobility to patients who have lost a limb; however, no current replacement is as moveable and adaptable as the limb that was lost. Therefore, all amputees suffer from a reduction in function at some level. Movement in the transverse plane of a lower limb prosthesis is often negated in a traditional prosthesis, and those devices that do allow for transverse plane motion are set to a single, fixed stiffness, and incapable of adapting to the varying activities of the user. A prototype device has been created that allows for varying stiffness in the transverse plane of a lower limb prosthesis. The variable stiffness torsion adapter (VSTA) functions by way of a movable pivot lever arm that can actively modify the mechanical advantage between the outer housing and the internal spring. The motion of the pivot is perpendicular to the external torque allowing for low power adjustments of the stiffness. Bench tests were performed and demonstrate the ability of the VSTA to vary torsional stiffness between 0.12 and 0.91 N m/deg over a ±30 deg rotational range of motion. The device also includes a mode for fully locked operation. The VSTA may improve the mobility of lower limb amputees by allowing for activity-dependent transverse plane stiffness.
Does allochthony in lakes change across an elevation gradient

Ecosystems are subsidized with inputs of mass and energy from their surroundings. These allochthonous inputs regulate many ecosystem characteristics. In inland waters, terrestrial inputs of organic matter regulate food-web structure, ecosystem metabolism, water clarity, and thermal stratification. Future changes in allochthony may be especially pronounced in high-elevation ecosystems due to increases in vegetation and precipitation associated with climate change. Several techniques exist to characterize the degree of allochthony of organic matter in aquatic systems, including metrics such as ΔH, the net isotopic discrimination between water and particulate organic matter (POM) of deuterium stable isotopes, and the fluorescence index (FI), which characterizes the fluorescence of dissolved organic matter (DOM). Despite the importance of allochthonous organic carbon inputs, little is known about either how allochthony varies across elevation gradients or whether different metrics are similarly related to allochthony. We measured AH, FI, and a suite of related water-quality characteristics in 30 lakes across a montane to alpine elevation gradient (2340 to 3205 m) in the Beartooth Mountains of Montana and Wyoming, USA, to understand how FI and AH varied with elevation, with one another, and with other allochthony-related water-quality characteristics. We hypothesized that allochthony of POM and DOM would decrease at higher elevations, with alpine lakes above treeline being more autochthonous compared with low-elevation lakes below treeline. We observed a significant inverse linear relationship between AH and Fl, with both metrics indicating a decrease in allochthony at higher elevations. Characteristics including the natural log of the ratio of concentrations of dissolved organic carbon to chlorophyll a (ln(DOC: Chl)), the spectral slope ratio between different spectra of two wavebands (SR, ratio of spectra at 275-295 to 350-400 nm), and a ratio of diffuse attenuation coefficients at 320 and 380 nm (KR, Kd320: Kd380) varied with both ΔH and FI while pH varied only with ΔH. High-elevation systems were characterized by low ln(DOC: Chl) and K(R), and high S(R) and pH. These results indicate that high-elevation lakes are more autochthonous than low-elevation lakes. The relationships among ΔH, FI, elevation, and other water-quality characteristics provide important insights to understand future changes in carbon cycling in mountain ecosystems.
Microwave Theory of Ballistic GaAs Solid State Diodes and Triodes

Based on a vacuum tube analogy, which should be valid for ballistic n+–n−–n+ solid state diodes at sufficiently large forward currents and certainly for ballistic n+–n−–grid–n−–n+ solid state triodes under the same conditions, the microwave signal and noise theory of these ballistic diodes and triodes is developed. It is shown that picosecond electronics should be possible. The triode should act as an amplifier up to 500 GHz. The ballistic triode with hf short-circuited cathode and grid can act as a negative conductance oscillator at about ωτ1 = 3π/2. The difference with the permeable base transistor is that the latter is collision-dominated and not ballistic, so that the theory of Section 3 does not hold there. Mit Hilfe einer Vakuumrohrenanalogie, die fur ballistische n+–n−–n+-Festkorperdioden bei einer hinreichend hohen angelegten Spannung gultig sein sollte und die gewis gultig ist fur ballistische n+–n−–Gitter–n−–n+ Festkorpertrioden unter gleichen Bedingungen, wird die Mikrowellensignal-und Rauschtheorie dieser ballistischen Dioden und Trioden entwickelt. Es wird gezeigt, das Picosekunden-Elektronik moglich wird. Die Triode kann bis zu 500 GHz als Verstarker benutzt werden. Die ballistische Triode mit Kurzschlus bei hohen Frequenzen zwischen Kathode und Gitter kann in der Nahe von ωτ1 = 3π/2 als Oszillator mit negativer Leitfahigkeit gebraucht werden. Der Unterschied zum Transistor mit permeabiler Basis ist, das dieser durch Zusammenstose charakterisiert wird und nicht ballistisch ist, so das die Theorie des Abschnitts 3 hier nicht gultig ist.
Investigation of metal complex coordination structure using collision-induced dissociation and ion–molecule reactions in a quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer

Abstract A technique described previously using ion–molecule (I–M) reactions to determine metal complex coordination number has been combined with collision-induced dissociation (CID) in a quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer. Nitrogen-containing tripodal ligands complexed with some first-row transition metals [i.e. Mn(II), Co(II), Fe(II), and Ni(II)] are generated by electrospray ionization, and the coordination number of these metal complex ions are determined in the gas phase using I–M reactions. Information about the coordination sphere structure (i.e. metal–ligand connectivity) is then gathered by dissociating the metal complexes, reacting their product ions, and comparing the coordination number of these product ions with their parent ions. Results suggest that a change in the coordination number upon dissociation allows identification of the functionality involved in coordination to the metal. Conversely, no change in the coordination number indicates either the lost functional group is not involved in the coordination or the ligand rearranges to fill a coordination site vacated by the dissociated group. Distinguishing between the two processes (i.e. when coordination number does not change) was very difficult in these studies, but results suggest that, in some cases, ligand rearrangement does not occur. Also, some product ions did not provide any useful coordination information upon reaction. In these cases the product ions either did not contain the metal or contained the metal in a reduced oxidation state. The preliminary results presented here are promising and suggest that with further investigation of the dynamics of metal complex I–M reactions, a combination of CID and I–M reaction may allow metal-complex coordination structure to be determined using mass spectrometry.
Evidence that the leukocyte-common antigen is required for antigen-induced T lymphocyte proliferation

The leukocyte-common antigen (L-CA) is a family of large molecular weight glycoproteins uniquely expressed on the surface of all nucleated cells of hematopoietic origin. The glycoprotein consists of a heavily glycosylated exterior domain, a single membrane spanning region, and a large cytoplasmic domain that contains tyrosine phosphatase activity. To investigate the function of this family, we generated T cell clones that lacked L-CA (L-CA-). The expression of the alpha beta T cell receptor, CD3, CD4, IL-2 receptor (p55), LFA-1, Thy-1, and Pgp-1 (CD44) was normal. The L-CA- T cell clones failed to proliferate in response to antigen or cross-linked CD3; however, they could still proliferate in response to IL-2. An L-CA+ revertant was obtained and the ability to proliferate in response to antigen and cross-linked CD3 was restored. These data indicate that L-CA is required for T cells to enter into cell cycle in response to antigen.
Assessing early grade reading: the value and limits of ‘words per minute’

Primary school enrolment in low-income countries has increased in recent years. The quality of education is, however, still a cause for concern. Better measurement of early reading progress has been suggested as a means of improving education quality. Benchmarks based on the number of ‘words per minute’ (WPM) students are able to read correctly have been proposed as a basis for assessment and comparison, even where languages and orthographies differ. This paper explores the extent to which WPM benchmarks, based mainly on research with native English speakers, are appropriate for cross-language comparisons. A quantitative study of early grade reading in two European (English and Dutch) and two African languages (Sabaot and Pokomo) analysed WPM and comprehension scores of over 300 children in three countries. Results indicate that similar comprehension scores were associated with diverse WPM rates. This suggests that WPM is not a reliable comparative measure of reading development since linguistic and ortho...