cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Increased potency of nondepolarizing relaxants after poliomyelitis.

The pathophysiology of poliomyelitis and the recognition of the "post-polio syndrome" suggest that susceptibility to muscle relaxants of patients previously affected by this disease, may be altered. We compared the effects of d-tubocurarine (dTc), pancuronium (P), and gallamine (G) on two pediatric surgical patient groups: one with a previous history of polio disease, occurring 6 to 12 years prior admission (N = 30, average age: 13 yrs, weight: 43 kg) and another without history of this disease (N = 51, average age: 11 yrs, weight: 39 kg). Following uniform premedication, thiopental, N2O/O2 + narcotic (fentanyl) anesthesia was given for reconstructive surgeries. For orotracheal intubation the patients were briefly paralyzed with 0.7 mg/kg suxamethonium. The thumb adductor responses to supramaximal 1/5 Hz impulses (continuous mode) and to 50 Hz tetanic stimuli (periodically) were recorded. After full recovery from the effect of suxamethonium (100% return of the neurally evoked muscle response) cumulative ED50 values and the recovery index (minutes elapsed from 90% to 50% block of the twitch response) of the three nondepolarizing muscle relaxants were determined. The ED50 of dTc and P were significantly lower with both neuromuscular responses in the post-polio groups (dTc, N = 12 and P, N = 10) as compared to the controls (N = 24 and 18). A tendency toward lower ED50 values in the polio group was also observed with G (N = 6). The differences, however, as compared to the control group (N = 9) were not significant (P less than .2). Recovery times were identical in the polio versus non-polio groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Demons, Spirits, and Elephants: Reflections on the Failure of Public Administration Theory

For the past half-century, those defining the field of Public Administration in their role as its leading "theorists" have been preoccupied with defending the enterprise against the evils of value-neutral logical positivism. This polemical review of that period focuses on the Simon-Waldo debate that ultimately leads the field to adopt a "professional" identity rather than seek disciplinary status among the social sciences. A survey of recent works by the field's intellectual leaders and "gatekeepers" demonstrates that the anti-positivist obsession continues, oblivious to significant developments in the social sciences. The paper ends with a call for Public Administrationists to engage in the political and paradigmatic upheavals required to shift the field toward a disciplinary stance.
Enhanced speechreading in deaf adults: can short-term training/practice close the gap for hearing adults?

This study investigated effects of short-term training/practice on group and individual differences in deaf and hearing speechreaders. In two experiments, participants speechread sentences with fee...
Emergency and critical care.

Ten years have passed since Dr Pamela Wilkins edited the last issue of Veterinary Clinics of North America: Equine Practice with the title, “Critical Care for All Ages.” Much has changed since that 2004 issue, and the field of equine critical care has continued to grow. This has been reflected in the slow, but steady growth of large animal specialists within the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care. These Veterinary Clinics of North America: Equine Practice articles provide a unique perspective from textbook information as they represent the most up-to-date information from leaders in the field of equine critical care medicine and surgery. The goal of this issue is not to present a comprehensive overview of equine critical care and emergency topics, but rather to touch on highlights of critical care medicine that have not been recently reviewed, while not excluding some key, clinically relevant topics that may be immediately applied in the field. Unique topics that may not be found elsewhere, such as gunshot wounds in the horse as well as more advanced topics pertaining to physiology, systemic inflammatory response syndrome, and hemorrhage and blood transfusions, are also covered. Among the more common conditions encountered by the emergency equine veterinarian are colic and neonatal triage. New information regarding pathogenesis, diagnostics, and therapy is available, so these and closely related topics are covered in depth. With the relatively recent RECOVER initiative pertaining primarily to small animal CPR, we felt it was appropriate to review the most recent and relevant techniques in equine CPR. This topic is further supported with a general review of triage in the neonatal foal as well as articles specific to management of neonatal sepsis and use and interpretation of blood lactate measurements in foals. Our colic coverage includes a beautifully illustrated review of abdominal ultrasound; an article dedicated to the diagnostic workup and making the decision for referral; a review of the latest evidence-based information on crystalloid and colloid therapy; the use of lactate as a diagnostic tool; and diagnosis, pathogenesis, and treatment of coagulopathies.
Hybrid Checkpointing for MPI Jobs in HPC Environments

As the core count in high-performance computing systems keeps increasing, faults are becoming common place. Check pointing addresses such faults but captures full process images even though only a subset of the process image changes between checkpoints. We have designed a hybrid check pointing technique for MPI tasks of high-performance applications. This technique alternates between full and incremental checkpoints: At incremental checkpoints, only data changed since the last checkpoint is captured. Our implementation integrates new BLCR and LAM/MPI features that complement traditional full checkpoints. This results in significantly reduced checkpoint sizes and overheads with only moderate increases in restart overhead. After accounting for cost and savings, benefits due to incremental checkpoints are an order of magnitude larger than overheads on restarts. We further derive qualitative results indicating an optimal balance between full/incremental checkpoints of our novel approach at a ratio of 1:9, which outperforms both always-full and always-incremental check pointing.
Chemoselective Ligation of Sulfinic Acids with Aryl-Nitroso Compounds

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) acts as a second messenger during cell signaling and, at low levels, regulates an array of physiological functions.[1] Conversely, excessive H2O2 can lead to oxidative stress, which is a chronic state implicated in the etiology or progression of human diseases, including cancer.[2] Owing to the high nucleophilicity of the thiol group, reactive cysteine residues in proteins can be modified by H2O2 to form sulfenic acid (RSOH).[3] This cysteine oxoform can be reduced back to the thiol group or be further oxidized to sulfinic (RSO2H) and sulfonic acid (RSO3H) (see Figure S1 in the Supporting Information). Each of these species exhibits unique chemical properties and affords a versatile mechanism to alter protein function.[4]
Thermal noise in the semiconductor regime of double-injection space charge limited solid-state diodes

Abstract An earlier difficulty in the calculation of the thermal noise spectrum in the semiconductor regime of double-injection space-charge-limited solid-state diodes is removed and the final result is obtained in closed form. It consists of a term that can be expressed as thermal noise of the d.c. resistance Va/Ia at all frequencies and a g-r-like noise term that disappears at high frequencies and that is not very significant for a long diode.
High-temperature phase relationships for Y x Nd 1- x Ba 2 Cu 3 O y (0<=x<=0.5) superconductors via containerless processing

This paper presents the results of drop-tube experiments performed on Y x Nd 1– x Ba 2 Cu 3 O y (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.5) to understand some of the effects of partial substitutions of Nd for Y on the phase relationships in these systems at elevated temperatures. Powders from 50 to 100 μm in diameter were processed in pure O 2 at furnace temperatures from 1400 to 1800 °C, every 25 °C. The resulting samples were examined microstructurally using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and optical microscopy. Powder x-ray diffraction was performed for phase identification. It was verified that Nd substitution alters phase selection by introducing at least one new phase and allowing for solidification of the superconducting composition directly from the melt via undercooling to below the peritectic transformation temperature. In addition, solidification pathways are altered for samples processed at temperatures just below the liquidus temperature. Microstructural and x-ray diffraction evidence was used to map the liquidus with increasing Nd substitution. It was found that a minimum in this liquidus occurs at or near the composition Y 0.1 Nd 0.9 Ba 2 Cu 3 O x and at a temperature of 1500 °C (±25 °C).
Sampling Errors in Wind Fields Constructed from Single and Tandem Scatterometer Datasets

Abstract Sampling patterns and sampling errors from various scatterometer datasets are examined. Four single and two tandem scatterometer mission scenarios are considered. The single scatterometer missions are ERS (with a single, narrow swath), NSCAT and ASCAT (dual swaths), and QuikSCAT (a single, broad swath obtained from the SeaWinds instrument). The two tandem scenarios are combinations of the broad-swath SeaWinds scatterometer with ASCAT and QuikSCAT. The dense, nearly uniform distribution of measurements within swaths, combined with the relatively sparse, nonuniform placement of the swaths themselves create complicated space–time sampling patterns. The temporal sampling of all of the missions is characterized by bursts of closely spaced samples separated by longer gaps and is highly variable in both latitude and longitude. Sampling errors are quantified by the expected squared bias of particular linear estimates of component winds. Modifications to a previous method that allow more efficient expecte...
Avoiding the Burn: Maintaining a Sun-Safe Attitude for the Solar Probe Plus Spacecraft

The Solar Probe Plus (SPP) mission plans to send a spacecraft to explore the inner region of the heliosphere and is currently working towards launch in 2018. The SPP spacecraft will make in-situ measurements and remote observations over a series of 24 nearly-ecliptic solar orbits with perihelion decreasing from 35 solar radii (Rs) to a minimum of 9.86 Rs over a period of 7 years. Proper orientation of the spacecraft and solar arrays relative to the Sun is essential for a successful mission. A large shield must be kept between the main body of the spacecraft and the Sun for most of the mission when the spacecraft is within 0.7 AU of the Sun. The bulk of the fault management effort for SPP focuses on maintaining a Sun-safe attitude and safe thermal conditions for the solar arrays and their active cooling system. This paper discusses aspects of the guidance and control (G&C) system designed to respond to conditions that could lead to spacecraft attitude deviations and how these interact with the overall spacecraft fault management responses. Initial G&C modes of operation are identified based on different combinations of the available sensors and actuators. The design and operation of solar limb sensors, customized to provide an external detection of offnominal attitude at close solar distances, is described. Examples of attitude control using the solar limb sensor measurements are presented. Tolerance to short-duration interruptions of closed-loop control from high-level safing responses is investigated. Results of initial simulations show that attitude deviations can be corrected in sufficient time to prevent unwanted solar illumination of spacecraft bus components intended to remain in the shadow of the thermal protection shield.
HETEROTOPIC BONE IN A JUVENILE RECTAL POLYP: CASE REPORT.

A case of heterotopic bone in a juvenile polyp, as an incidental finding, is reported. Experimental studies have shown that such bone formation occurs in areas of misplaced urogenital tissue.
Infectivity of Insect-parasitic Nematodes (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae, Heterorhabditidae) for Larvae of Some Manure-breeding Flies (Diptera: Muscidae)

Third-instar larvae of Musca domestica, Ophyra aenescens, Fannia canicularis , and Fannia femoralis were exposed to parasitic nematodes in the laboratory. Four strains of Steinernema feltiae , two of Steinernema bibionis , and one of Heterorhabditis heliothidis were tested on moist filter paper in petri dishes. Considerable variability in infectivity within and among hosts was noted for the different nematode strains. Strains of S. feltiae were more infective than S. bibionis or H. heliothidis , but all could infect the four hosts. F. femoralis was highly resistant to infection by S. bibionis and H. heliothidis. Further tests on chicken manure and fly rearing medium showed that infectivity of several nematodes for M. domestica and F. canicularis larvae was markedly less than on filter paper.
A Study on Initial Orbit Determination for Satellites Based on Angle Measurements

In this paper,initial orbit determination for satellites based on angle measurements is studied.When having one circle of angle observing data,a new method of initial orbit calculation for satellites-diagram approach is presentsd.When only having short-arc angle measurements,the Genetic Algorithm(GA)is used for the computation. And an Algorism Float-Coded Genetic Algorithm (AFCGA) is designed,which have high convergence speed,high optimization accuracy and simple realization.In the end,simulation results show the validity of both diagram approach and AFCGA.
The peroxisomal disorders.

It is now recognized that absence of normal peroxisomal function is associated with far-reaching and devastating consequences. A group of diverse genetic disorders in which either defective formation of the peroxisome or deficiency of one or more of its constituent enzymes is the central pathogenetic feature has recently been described. Three principal conditions are discussed.
Aging of the Brain

The processes of maturation and aging of the brain are becoming increasingly relevant and active research areas as the average longevity of the population increases. In 1900, about 4% of the population of the United States exceeded the age of 65. In 1980, the figure approximated 12%, and it is predicted that by the year 2000, more than 15% of the population (at least 35 million people) will be 65 years of age or older. Although remarkably little is known about the aging process, it is increasingly clear that senility and aging are not synonymous. One of the major thrusts of recent neural research has been to separate the phenomenon of normal, vigorous aging from a broad range of disease patterns that alter the structure and function of the brain and the cognitive and psychosocial behavior of the individual.
And now the hard work begins: achieving the promise of computer science education: keynote address

The recent news of a major federal financial commitment to support computer science education may lead some to believe that the long battle for the discipline has been won, but the reality is that it has just begun. Now, under an international spotlight, we are called on to make computer science an exemplary academic discipline that is rigorous yet accessible and engaging to all students at all educational levels. To achieve this, we must address significant academic, economic, and social challenges. This presentation will explore how we got to where we are, what is left to be done, and how academe and industry can work together to fulfill what we have promised. It will also provide insight into how Google in particular sees its role and determines how it can best support these efforts.
Hypothalamic arcuate nucleus tyrosine hydroxylase neurons play orexigenic role in energy homeostasis

Energy homeostasis, food intake, and body weight are regulated by specific brain circuits. Here we introduce an unexpected neuron, the tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) neuron of the arcuate nucleus (ARC), that we show makes an orexigenic contribution. Optogenetic stimulation of mouse ARC TH neurons increased food intake; attenuating transmitter release reduced body weight. Optogenetic stimulation of ARC TH cells inhibited pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons through synaptic mechanisms. ARC TH cells project to the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus; optogenetic stimulation of ARC TH axons inhibited paraventricular nucleus neurons by dopamine and GABA co-release. Dopamine excited orexigenic neurons that synthesize agouti-related peptide and neuropeptide Y but inhibited anorexigenic neurons that synthesize POMC, as determined by whole cell recording. Food deprivation increased c-fos expression and spike frequency in ARC TH neurons. The gut peptide ghrelin evoked direct excitatory effects, suggesting these neurons monitor metabolic cues. Together these data support the view that ARC TH cells play an unrecognized and influential positive role in energy homeostasis.
Should anyone with Philadelphia chromosome-positive ALL who is negative for minimal residual disease receive a hematopoietic stem cell transplant in first remission?

Outcomes for patients with Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph+ ALL) in the pre-imatinib era were poor, particularly if patients did not receive an allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant. This led to the recommendation that all patients with Ph+ ALL, if they were transplant candidates, should be transplanted. With the introduction of imatinib and subsequently other tyrosine kinase inhibitors, patient outcomes improved dramatically, raising the question of whether transplant in first complete molecular remission for these patients is really necessary. This review looks at evidence from clinical studies around the world in an attempt to answer this question.
Engaging Montana high school students in optical sciences with a polarization photo contest

Getting students interested in science, specifically in optics and photonics, is a worthwhile challenge. We developed and implemented an outreach campaign that sought to engage high school students in the science of polarized light. We traveled to Montana high schools and presented on the physics of light, the ways that it becomes polarized, how polarization is useful, and how to take pictures with linear polarizers to see polarization. Students took pictures that showed polarization in either a natural setting or a contrived scene. We visited 13 high schools, and presented live to approximately 450 students.
Creating an Evaluation System for Future Guide Dogs: A Case Study of Designing for Both Human and Canine Needs

It is incredibly expensive to breed, train, and place a working guide dog; costs are tens of thousands of dollars for many organizations. During this training process, approximately 40% of canines are dropped due to medical, behavioral, or other reasons. Since guide dog schools do not have unlimited resources, they must focus on the most promising candidates so they can maximize resources to meet the growing need for guide dogs. Staff at some schools use evaluations to predict how successful a dog will be in the program. While current processes have achieved some positive results, they are highly-subjective, and rely on people with years of experience and knowledge. As a major first step towards an objective evaluation, we developed a system for a human operator to annotate canine behavior while simultaneously collecting physiological and accelerometer data. In collaboration with Guiding Eyes for the Blind, we designed the system from the ground up to meet the needs of both canine and human users.
From de novo to "de nono": most novel protein coding genes identified with phylostratigraphy represent old genes or recent duplicates

The evolution of novel protein-coding genes from noncoding regions of the genome is one of the most compelling evidence for genetic innovations in nature. One popular approach to identify de novo genes is phylostratigraphy, which consists of determining the approximate time of origin (age) of a gene based on its distribution along a species phylogeny. Several studies have revealed significant flaws in determining the age of genes, including de novo genes, using phylostratigraphy alone. However, the rate of false positives in de novo gene surveys, based on phylostratigraphy, remains unknown. Here, I re-analyze the findings from three studies, two of which identified tens to hundreds of rodent-specific de novo genes adopting a phylostratigraphy-centered approach. Most of the putative de novo genes discovered in these investigations are no longer included in recently updated mouse gene sets. Using a combination of synteny information and sequence similarity searches, I show that about 60% of the remaining 381 putative de novo genes share homology with genes from other vertebrates, originated through gene duplication, and/or share no synteny information with non-rodent mammals. These results led to an estimated rate of ~12 de novo genes per million year in mouse. Contrary to a previous study (Wilson et al. 2017), I found no evidence supporting the preadaptation hypothesis of de novo gene formation. Nearly half of the de novo genes confirmed in this study are within older genes, indicating that co-option of preexisting regulatory regions and a higher GC content may facilitate the origin of novel genes.
On-line assurance in the initial definitive management of multiple trauma: evaluating system potential

The TraumAID system has been designed to provide on-line decision support throughout the initial definitive management of injured patients. Here we describe its retrospective evaluation and the use we subsequently made of judges comments on the validation data to evaluate TraumaTIQ, a new critiquing interface for TraumAID, investigating the question of whether, with timely recording of information, a system could produce commentary in line with that of human experts. Our results show that (1) comparable commentary can be produced, and (2) validation studies, which take great time and effort to conduct, can produce useful data beyond their original design goals.
Racial and Structural Discrimination Toward the Children of Indigenous Mexican Immigrants

My research examines the role of patron saint celebrations in how the children of indigenous Oaxacan immigrants living in Los Angeles, California form ethnic, community, and national identities. Religious practices among immigrants have been characterized as a reterritorialization of religious practices (McAlister in Gatherings in diaspora: Religious communities and the new immigration, 1998). Importantly, legal status may influence transborder movement for undocumented immigrants thereby affecting the extent and character of immigrants’ transnational activities, including their religious practices (Menjivar in J Ethn Migr Stud 28:531–552, 2002). In cases when immigrants may be unable to return their country of origin, rituals figuratively transport immigrants between the sending and receiving community (Tweed in J Am Acad Religion 70:253–277, 2002). Thus, religious identities and practices also enable immigrants to sustain membership in multiple locations, allowing them to affirm continued attachments to a particular sending community or nation even if they are unable to return to their home country (Levitt in Int Migr Rev 37:847–873, 2003). Playing in village-based bands, performing traditional dances, or attending patron saint festivities facilitate indigenous youths’ social integration into the U.S. by fostering a strong sense of ethnic pride in the face of anti-indigenous discrimination from within the Latino population or anti-immigrant hostility from mainstream society. This article explores the racism at structural and individuals levels the children of indigenous immigrants contend with, as well as the effects of these on patterns of identity formation for the children of undocumented indigenous immigrants and on their children’s transnational practices.
A Convolutional Neural Network Approach to Automated Lung Bounding Box Estimation from Computed Tomography Scans

In this work, a convolutional neural network (CNN) based method for automated lung boundary estimation from computed tomography (CT) scans is presented and validated. The CNN model was trained to regress the locations of the superior and inferior borders of the lungs from multiple tissue-specific 2D projections of thoracic CT images. The model utilized a DenseNet architecture and was trained and evaluated on CT images from the COPDGene study. The median (95th percentile) localization error was 2.51 (11.18) for the inferior border and 1.52 (7.21) for the superior border of the lungs.
Successful Use of Adjunctive Red Blood Cell Exchange Therapy for Treatment of an Acute Hemolytic Reaction After ABO-Incompatible Red Blood Cell Transfusion.

An acute hemolytic transfusion reaction is a potentially fatal complication resulting from the transfusion of mismatched blood products. Symptoms vary from mild to severe depending on how much incompatible antigen was transfused and the nature of the recipient's antibodies. There is no consensus agreement of appropriate management other than discontinuing the transfusion and basic supportive methods including adjunctive pharmacologic agents. A 40-year-old male presented with a gunshot wound to the upper torso. During surgery, the O+ patient lost 1.3 L of blood and postoperatively was inadvertently given one unit of A+ packed red blood cells. The blood bank noticed the error and notified the floor within the hour. An acute hemolytic transfusion reaction had progressed to shock and disseminated intravascular coagulation within hours. The clinical course continued to decline despite a norepinephrine drip and a red blood cell exchange transfusion was implemented within 5 h of the mismatched transfusion. The patient's hematological parameters and clinical markers improved and he was eventually discharged in stable condition. An adjunctive red blood cell exchange transfusion may be useful when treating an ABO-incompatible acute hemolytic transfusion reaction if there has been a large volume mismatched transfusion and a poor clinical response to basic supportive methods. J Hematol. 2019;8(3):141-143 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/jh541
Risk of Urinary Tract Infection Symptoms after Posthysterectomy Cystoscopy with 50% Dextrose as Compared with Saline Cystoscopy with Indigo Carmine.

ABSTRACT Study Objective Compare odds of postoperative urinary symptoms in women who had cystoscopy after benign laparoscopic hysterectomy with 50% dextrose and with normal saline solution with intravenous indigo carmine. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Two tertiary care centers. Patients All women who underwent benign laparoscopic hysterectomy and intraoperative cystoscopy carried out by a single surgeon. Interventions We compared postoperative urinary symptoms in patients who received 50% dextrose cystoscopy fluid (January 2016–June 2017) with those who received saline cystoscopy with intravenous indigo carmine (November 2013–April 2014). Measurements and Main Results A total of 96 patients had cystoscopy with 50% dextrose and 104 with normal saline with intravenous indigo carmine. Differences in baseline characteristics of the two groups of participants mainly reflected institutional population diversity: age (45.2 vs 41.9, p = .01), body mass index (26.9 vs 33.4, p Conclusion Overall, most women experienced no urinary symptoms after benign laparoscopic hysterectomy. There were no significant differences in postoperative urinary symptoms or empiric treatment of urinary tract infection after the use of 50% dextrose cystoscopy fluid as compared with normal saline. The previous finding of increased odds of urinary tract infection after dextrose cystoscopy may be due to use in a high-risk population.
Effects of Sequential Clinician Focused Interventions on Childhood Obesity Recognition and Management

Background: Guidelines exist for appropriate management of pediatric obesity, and include documentation of weight status at each visit and laboratory screening for associated comorbidities. However, adherence to guidelines remains low and uneven across individual clinicians and practices. Objective: Evaluate the impact of sequential interventions on appropriate obesity recognition documentation and on adherence to management recommendations. Methods: During 2016, several obesity-related interventions (Table 1) were implemented at sites within a single large urban/suburban pediatric primary care network serving > …
Population genetic structure and gene flow of rare and endangered Tetraena mongolica Maxim. revealed by reduced representation sequencing.

Background Studying population genetic structure and gene flow of plant populations and their influencing factors is of particular significance in the field of conservation biology, especially important for species such as rare and endangered plants. Tetraena mongolica Maxim. (TM), belongs to Zygophyllaceae family, a rare and endangered plant with narrow distribution. However, for the last decade, due to excessive logging, urban expansion, industrial and tourism development, habitat fragmentation and loss of natural habitats have become major threats to the population of endangered plants. Results In this study, genetic diversity, population genetic structure and gene flow of TM populations were evaluated by reduced representation sequencing technology, and a total of more than 133.45 GB high-quality clean reads and 38,097 high-quality SNPs were generated. Analysis based on multiple methods, we found that the existing TM populations have moderate levels of genetic diversity, and very low genetic differentiation as well as high levels of gene flow between populations. Population structure and principal coordinates analysis showed that 8 TM populations can be divided into two groups. The Mantel test detected no significant correlation between geographical distances and genetic distance for the whole sampling. Moreover, the migration model indicated that the gene flow is more of a north to south migration pattern in history. Conclusions This study demonstrates that the present genetic structure is mainly due to habitat fragmentation caused by urban sprawl, industrial development and coal mining. Our recommendation with respect to conservation management is that, all 8 populations should be preserved as a whole population, rather than just those in the core area of TM nature reserve. In particular, the populations near the edge of TM distribution in cities and industrial areas deserve our special protection.
A TRANSIENT SUPERGIANT X-RAY BINARY IN IC 10: AN EXTRAGALACTIC SFXT?

We report the discovery of a large amplitude (factor of ~100) X-ray transient (IC 10 X-2, CXOU J002020.99+591758.6) in the nearby dwarf starburst galaxy IC 10 during our Chandra monitoring project. Based on the X-ray timing and spectral properties, and an optical counterpart observed with Gemini, the system is a high-mass X-ray binary consisting of a luminous blue supergiant and a neutron star. The highest measured luminosity of the source was 1.8 × 1037 erg s–1during an outburst in 2003. Observations before, during, and after a second outburst in 2010 constrain the outburst duration to be less than 3 months (with no lower limit). The X-ray spectrum is a hard power law (Γ = 0.3) with fitted column density (NH = 6.3 × 1021 atom cm–2), consistent with the established absorption to sources in IC 10. The optical spectrum shows hydrogen Balmer lines strongly in emission at the correct blueshift (-340 km s–1) for IC 10. The N III triplet emission feature is seen, accompanied by He II [4686] weakly in emission. Together these features classify the star as a luminous blue supergiant of the OBN subclass, characterized by enhanced nitrogen abundance. Emission lines of He I are seen, at similar strength to Hβ. A complex of Fe II permitted and forbidden emission lines are seen, as in B[e] stars. The system closely resembles galactic supergiant fast X-ray transients, in terms of its hard spectrum, variability amplitude, and blue supergiant primary.
Teaching and Gaining a Voice: A Rhetorical Intersectionality Approach to Pedagogy of Feminist Organizational Communication:

We propose a rhetorical intersectionality pedagogy to teach Buzzanell’s (1994) “Gaining a Voice.” Specifically, we advance Buzzanell’s vision by presenting a way to teach this article in an interse...
Biodynamic signatures from ex vivo bone marrow aspirates are associated with chemotherapy-induced neutropenia in cancer-bearing dogs

Background Neutropenia is the most common dose-limiting side effect of cytotoxic chemotherapy in cancer-bearing dogs. Biodynamic imaging (BDI) is a functional imaging technology that measures dynamic light scattering from living, three-dimensional tissues to characterize intracellular motion within those tissues. Previous studies have associated BDI biomarkers with tumour sensitivity to chemotherapy agents in dogs with naturally occurring cancer. We hypothesized that BDI, performed ex vivo on bone marrow aspirate samples, would identify dynamic biomarkers associated with the occurrence of specific degrees of neutropenia in tumour-bearing dogs receiving doxorubicin chemotherapy. Materials and methods Bone marrow aspirates were collected from 10 dogs with naturally occurring cancers prior to initiation of doxorubicin treatment. BDI was performed on bone marrow samples treated ex vivo with doxorubicin at 0.1, 1, 10 and 100 μM along with 0.1% DMSO as a control. Dogs then were treated with doxorubicin (30 mg/m2 , intravenously). Peripheral blood neutrophil counts were obtained on the day of treatment and again 7 days later. Receiver operating characteristic curves identified provisional breakpoints for BDI biomarkers that correlated with specific changes in neutrophil counts between the two time points. Results Provisional breakpoints for several BDI biomarkers were identified, specifying dogs with the largest proportionate change in neutrophils and with neutropenia that was grade 2 or higher following doxorubicin treatment. Conclusions Biodynamic imaging of bone marrow aspirates may identify those dogs at greater risk for neutropenia following doxorubicin chemotherapy. This approach may be useful for pre-emptively modifying chemotherapy dosing in dogs to avoid unacceptable side effects.
Statistics of SPDEs: From Linear to Nonlinear

We study statistical inference for stochastic partial differential equations (SPDEs). Though inference linear SPDEs have been studied well (with lot of problems still remain to be investigated) in the last two decades, inference for nonlinear SPDEs is in its infancy. The inference methods use both inference for finite-dimensional diffusions and inference for classical i.i.d. sequences. Solving 2D Navier-Stokes equation is one of the challenging problem of the last century. However, with additive white noise, the equation has a strong solution. We estimate the viscosity coefficient of the 2D stochastic Navier-Stokes (SNS) equation by minimum contrast method. We show $n$ consistency in contrast to $\sqrt n$ consistency in the classical i.i.d. case where $n$ is the number of observations. We consider both continuous and discrete observations in time. We also obtain the Berry-Esseen bounds. Then we estimate and control the Type I and Type II error of a simple hypothesis testing problem of the viscosity coefficient of the SNS equation. We study a class of rejection regions and provide thresholds that guarantee that the statistical errors are smaller than the given upper bound. The tests are of likelihood ratio type. The proofs are based on the large deviation bounds. Finally we give Monte Carlo test procedure for simulated data.
Zoonosis as a Risk to the Xenograft Recipient and to Society: Theoretical Issues

Scientists have proffered widely varying opinions on the extent to which xenotransplantation clinical trials threaten to introduce new infections into the human community. Observers at one extreme conclude that the risk of introducing new infections to the human community is too great, and the potential for benefit is too unclear. These observers argue that the only responsible stance is to impose a complete moratorium on clinical xenotransplantation until there is sufficient knowledge to assess these risks. Observers on the other extreme argue that in the absence of data to support these fears, restrictions that slow or halt the progress of xenotransplantation research would unnecessarily impede progress in an area that promises unmeasurable relief to human suffering. Other observers note that both the risks and the benefits associated with clinical xenotransplantation remain theoretical at present. Advocates of this approach argue that these trials can be accompanied by safeguards stringent enough to adequately protect the public. Laboratory-based studies of xenograft survivors will also increase one's ability to quantify xenotransplant-associated risks and thereby expand one's capacity to make science-based assessments of appropriate public policy. The risk that any xenograft recipient may become infected with porcine endogenous retrovirus (PERV) is likely a function of multiple factors associated with the source animal, the xenotransplantation technique, the characteristics of the human recipient, and the level of PERV expression by the transplanted cells. Reviews of historic developments in xenotransplantation coupled with critiques of developing public policy and procedures have furthered efforts at consensus development.
Duration of antibiotic prophylaxis: An experimental study

An animal wound model was used to evaluate single dose cefazolin, multiple dose cefazolin, and single dose cefonicid in the prevention of wound infection. Incisions made in Swiss-Webster mice were contaminated with either Staph. aureus (1.94 X 10(8) colony forming units) or E. coli (4.39 X 10(8) colony forming units). Five experimental groups were studied. Group I encompassed control animals given saline solution, Group II animals given 10 mg cefazolin preoperatively, Group III animals given 10 mg of cefazolin preoperatively and postoperatively, Group IV animals given 10 mg of cefonicid preoperatively, and Group V animals given 20 mg of cefonicid preoperatively. All medications were given by intraperitoneal injection. Antibiotics were given 1 hour before operation. Postoperative doses were given 4 hours after operation. Incisions were opened 48 hours after surgery and wound bacterial concentrations were determined. After both Staph. aureus and E. coli contamination, each of the four cephalosporin regimens significantly reduced the mean wound bacterial concentrations compared with that of the control animals (p less than 0.001). Each of the four cephalosporin regimens also significantly reduced the number of infected wounds compared with that of the control subjects (p less than 0.001). No significant differences were noted among the four antibiotic regimens with respect to mean wound bacterial concentration or infection rate. In the context of this model, a single dose of cefazolin seems to be equally effective as multiple doses of the drug for surgical prophylaxis. Extended half-life cephalosporins, like cefonicid, do not appear to be more effective than a single dose of cefazolin, which is a much less expensive antibiotic.
Combining Non-Expert and Expert Crowd Work to Convert Web APIs to Dialog Systems

Thousands of web APIs expose data and services that would be useful to access with natural dialog, from weather and sports to Twitter and movies. The process of adapting each API to a robust dialog system is difficult and time-consuming, as it requires not only programming but also anticipating what is mostly likely to be asked and how it is likely to be asked. We present a crowd-powered system able to generate a natural languageinterface for arbitrary web APIs from scratch without domain-dependent training data or knowledge.Our approach combines two types of crowd workers: non-expert Mechanical Turk workers interpret the functions of the API and elicit information from the user, and expert oDesk workers provide a minimal sufficient scaffolding around the API to allow us to make general queries.We describe our multi-stage process and present results for each stage.
Regulation and Function of the Envelope Stress Response Controlled by σE

This chapter discusses regulation and function of the σ E envelope stress response. σ E is regulated by its antisigma factor, RseA. The cytoplasmic fragment of RseA is degraded by ClpXP, an ATPdependent cytoplasmic protease, and active σ E is released. This proteolytic cascade is activated by unassembled porins, which accumulate during appropriate envelope stress. Degradation of RseA by appropriate envelope stress releases σ E that is active for transcription. Two issues remain to be resolved concerning the proposed mechanism of induction. First, the critical contact between DegS and the porin is made by the -1 position of the peptide, an amino acid that is not a critical determinant of induction ability. Second, whereas wild-type (wt) DegS is active only in the presence of added C-terminal peptides, DegSΔPDZ cleaves RseA on its own. The current validated σ E regulon in E. coli K-12 is presented. It was recently shown that numerous proteins localized to the cytoplasmic membrane are controlled by σ 32, including two proteins essential for lipoprotein maturation: signal peptidase II and CutE. The porin signal allows the cell to use the σ E response to respond to general envelope stress as well as specific problems in porin/LPS status. The core function of the regulon is to maintain porin and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) homeostasis so that the barrier function of the cell is intact. The signal transduction system and the transcriptional circuitry of the core regulon are set up to ensure that this function is performed efficiently.
Properties of the projective mapping of cameras and projectors

The geometric pinhole camera model (PCM) for cameras and projectors which is used in computer vision research is examined. The author also analyzes the closely-related central projection equations (CPEs) for the camera mapping of object points to projected rays. The equations of five planes which characterize the PCM are shown to arise neatly from the CPEs. A simple degree-of-freedom (DOF) analysis performed on the CPEs and the PCM reveals that both models contain one redundant DOF. Finally, it is shown that the location of the lens center, in world coordinates, can be found for a calibrated optical device (i.e., an optical device whose central projection parameters have been estimated), by simply solving three simultaneous linear equations in the three unknown point coordinates. >
Neural networks for constrained optimization problems

This paper is concerned with utilizing neural networks and analogue circuits to solve constrained optimization problems. We propose a novel neural network architecture for solving a class of non-linear programming problems. the proposed neural network is then used, and if necessary modified, to solve minimum norm problems subject to linear constraints. Minimum norm problems have many applications in various areas, but we focus on their applications to the control of discrete dynamic processes. the applicability of the proposed neural network is demonstrated on numerical examples.
Effects of Chronic Caffeine Ingestion on Growth and Myocardial Function

Experiments were conducted to determine whether chronic caffeine consumption during early growth and development affected cardiac performance and development of adipose tissue. Dams were fed a nutritionally complete diet with or without the addition of 10 mg/kg caffeine during lactation. After weaning, the pups were maintained on this diet until they were sacrificed at 88 days of age. Body weight at the time of sacrifice was comparable for both groups. The hearts from caffeine-fed animals were significantly (P less than 0.05) larger based on both dry and wet weights although the dry weight/wet weight ratios were similar. Ventricular function curves were generated on each heart using an isolated working heart preparation. The isolated hearts of caffeine-fed rats exhibited a significant reduction in cardiac output, stroke volume, mean aortic pressure, and estimated myocardial work when compared to controls. The rats fed caffeine had greater plasma triglyceride levels with no significant differences in adipocyte size or number in the epididymal and perirenal depots. It is concluded that chronic caffeine intake from birth may alter cardiac function of the offspring.
Hyperabrupt Tuning Diode Theory and Application to AM Radio

Tuning diodes are voltage-variable capacitors (varactors) based on semiconductor junction phenomena, which can be used for electric tuning applications. This paper is intended to explain how varactors function, introduce a new varactor applicable to AM radio, and describe the characteristics of this device.
Vanishing of self-extensions over symmetric algebras

Abstract We study self-extensions of modules over symmetric artin algebras. We show that non-projective modules with eventually vanishing self-extensions must lie in AR components of stable type Z A ∞ . Moreover, the degree of the highest non-vanishing self-extension of these modules is determined by their quasilength. This has implications for the Auslander–Reiten Conjecture and the Extension Conjecture.
Abrasive wear resistance of titanium- and nitrogen-implanted 52100 steel surfaces☆

Abstract The wear resistance of titanium- and nitrogen-implanted 52100 bearing steels was measured by an abrasive wear technique with a depth resolution of 20–30 nm. Titanium-implanted surfaces were extremely resistant to wear against fine (1–5 microm) diamond abrasion, which suggests a very hard surface layer. Nitrogen-implanted surfaces, by contrast, wore at the same rate as non-implanted surfaces. Wear resistance versus depth profiles of titanium-implanted surfaces followed the concentration versus depth profile of the implanted titanium. Auger depth profiles indicated a large concentration of carbon (≈20 at.% maximum) distributed with a diffusion-like profile from the titanium-implanted surface into the bulk. The carbon was identified by Auger line shape analysis as a titanium carbide, and the wear resistance of the surface was attributed in part to its presence.
The influence of gravity on the structure and functions of plant material.

Abstract Growth process generate plant form and relate to most physiological functions. The Earth's gravity force affects plant growth in both obvious and subtle ways. It is a major environmental influence on morphology and physiology of plants. Gravity is less important as an agent for plant stress than as an environmental signal to guide growth. The plant's bioaccelerometers are remarkably sensitive, especially in hypogravity. Simulation (clinostat) studies and experiments in satellite laboratories are needed to understand the sensing, transduction, and response characteristics of g related mechanisms. By examining how plants alter growth processes to accomplish developmental or physiological “objectives” we may find it pragmatically desirable to ask ourselves how we might design a plant to achieve such responses to environmental influences. Examples of this design engineering approach for gravity related effects are described as an aid to experimentation.