cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Social class and ethnicity effects on clinical judgments.

To resolve conflict between earlier studies finding contradictory recommendations on need for professional help of middle- vs lower-class persons given normal, neurotic, and psychotic behavior descriptions, and to explore ethnicity effects, 92 students (70 Anglo, 22 Chicano) rated fictitious biographical vignettes. A pro-middle-class bias was found consistent with Routh and King's study but inconsistent with that by Schofield and Oakes. Also contrary to the latter, treatment recommendations agreed with ratings. Ethnicity bias appeared, since Anglos recommended Chicanos more often for involuntary hospitalization. Inconsistency between the two earlier studies results from a methodological variation, discussed in this study.
Learning and Memory Test Performance in Alcoholics as a Function of Monetary Incentive

The performance deficits of alcoholics on tests of learning and memory are typically attributed to cognitive impairment. This study tests an alternative hypothesis that the deficits are due to motivational impairment. A face-name learning and memory test was administered to 30 sober male nonalcoholic and 40 alcoholic subjects in a 2×2 [Group (alcoholic, nonalcoholic) x Monetary incentive (incentive, no incentive)] between-subjects design. The monetary incentive was made contingent upon performance. Alcoholics required significantly more trials to learn face-name pairs, and they recalled fewer face-name pairs at the delayed recall. Incentive subjects manifested a trend toward impairment on the trials-to-learn measure. However, there were no significant Group x Incentive interactions in learning or memory, or on a self-report questionnaire of subjective states (e.g., effort expended) experienced during the test. Thus, no evidence was found to support the impaired motivation hypothesis; the cognitive hypothe...
Using SAGA and the Open Science Grid to Search for Aptamers

RNA aptamers are small oligonucleotide molecules whose composition and resulting folded structure enable them to bind with high affinity and high selectivity to target ligands and therefore hold great promise as potential therapeutic drugs. Functional aptamers are selected from a large, randomized initial library in a process known as SELEX (systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment). This is an iterative process involving numerous rounds of binding, elution, and amplification against a specific target substrate. During each iteration -- or round of selection -- we enrich for the species with the highest binding affinity to the target. After multiple rounds, we ideally have an enriched aptamer library suitable for subsequent investigation. Modern techniques employ massively parallel sequencing, enabling the generation of large libraries (~106 sequences) in a matter of hours for each round of selection. As RNA is single-stranded, covariance models (CMs) are ideal for representing motifs in their secondary structures, allowing us to discover patterns within functional aptamer populations following each round. CMs have been implemented in Infernal, a program that infers RNA alignments based on RNA sequence and structure. Calibrating a single CM in Infernal can take several hours and is a significant performance bottleneck for our work. However, as each CM calculation is itself independently determined and requires defined processing and memory resources, their computation in parallel offers a potential solution to this problem. In this paper, we describe using the Open Science Grid (OSG) to facilitate the identification of aptamer motifs by running CM calibrations and refinements in parallel across up to ten OSG clients. We use the Simple API for Grid Applications (SAGA) to interface with OSG and manage job submissions and file transfers. When run in parallel, our results show a significant speed up, constrained by typical latencies and QoS associated with nominal OSG usage. Our work demonstrates the ability of SAGA and the OSG to assist in parallelizing solutions to complex sequencing-based biomedical challenges.
Sequence and expression of an isocitrate dehydrogenase-encoding gene from a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon oxidizer, Sphingomonas yanoikuyae B1

An 18.5-kb DNA fragment was cloned from Sphingomonas yanoikuyae (Sy) B1 (previously Beijerinckia B1). Analysis of a 4.3-kb sequence revealed an isocitrate dehydrogenase (Idh)-encoding gene (idhA), an unidentified open reading frame (ORF) and a partial glucosamine synthetase-encoding ORF (glmS). As in a number of bacteria, Tn7 insertion was found specifically at a site past the stop codon of glmS. The predicted 406-amino-acid sequence of IdhA shows, for the first time, an extensive sequence identity (66%) with an eukaryotic NADP+-specific Idh. The idhA gene was expressed in Escherichia coli. Identical restriction fragments carrying idhA were found in B1, Sy IFO15102 and Sy Q1 (formerly S. paucimobilis Q1), indicating a well-conserved idh gene.
The conditional optimist: Walt Disney's postwar futurism

This article reconsiders popular and scholarly estimations of Walt Disney by exploring six short futuristic films he made in the 1950s and 1960s. Rather than blithe optimism or heavy‐handed conservatism, these productions peddled a conditional optimism. They expressed the hope that futuristic technologies – embedded in a robust space program and the imagined community of EPCOT in Florida – might deliver humanity from urban blight, overpopulation, plundered habitats and natural resources, and the damaging forces of weather. In doing so, Disney entered the fray of contemporary debates and anticipated later ones over the relationship between humankind and nature, the proper uses of technology, the dangers and opportunities of atomic energy, and the social pathologies of urban, industrialized America.
Gate oxide reliability of drain-side stresses compared to gate stresses

The gate oxide breakdown voltages of stresses applied to the gates of transistors are compared to the gate oxide breakdown voltages of stresses applied to the drains of transistors. The breakdown voltages for the drain-side stress are shown to be higher than the breakdown voltages for the gate stress. Using TCAD simulation data of a drain-side stress, the differences in breakdown voltages between the drain stresses and the gate stresses are compared to predictions of the gate oxide lifetime for various gate-stress and drain-stress cases.
Polarization of caudate nucleus and excitability of neurons in motorsensory cortex.

Abstract Responses of neurons in the anterior sigmoid gyrus of the cat were found to be characterized by depolarization when the dorsal portion of the caudate nucleus was anodally polarized in reference to the ventral portion. Hyperpolarization responses were recorded when the dorsal portion of the caudate was cathodally polarized. The threshold of the hyperpolarization response was higher than the threshold of the depolarization response. These responses were synaptically evoked and might have been the result of spatial and temporal activation of the cells and fibers in the caudate nucleus and its related structures.
Optimization of analog IC test structures

A methodology for designing optimal analog integrated circuit test structures is presented. An optimal test structure is a circuit which allows one to characterize a specified set of circuit parameters as accurately as possible in the presence of measurement noise and other potential errors. The methodology is based upon recently developed statistical techniques for optimal design of experiments; these techniques allow analog systems to be characterized as accurately and efficiently as possible, thereby reducing cost and/or increasing accuracy. The usefulness of the methodology is illustrated with a fabricated circuit. The most interesting result is that relatively complex circuits are frequently more efficient than commonly used simple circuits.
ROBAC: Scalable Role and Organization Based Access Control Models

In RBAC, roles are typically created based on job functions inside an organization. Traditional RBAC does not scale up well for modeling security policies spanning multiple organizations. To solve this problem, a family of extended RBAC models called Role and Organization Based Access Control (ROBAC) models is proposed and formalized in this paper. Two examples are used to motivate and demonstrate the usefulness of ROBAC. Comparison between ROBAC and other related RBAC models is given. We show that ROBAC can significantly reduce administration complexity for Web and Internet-based applications involving a large number of organizations. Some administrative issues for ROBAC are identified and discussed. Although the theoretical-expressive power of ROBAC is the same as that of RBAC, it is more succinct and intuitive to use ROBAC than to use RBAC when applications involve many organizations.
Time dependency of craving and response inhibition during nicotine abstinence.

Background: Nicotine withdrawal produces increased craving for cigarettes and deficits in response inhibition, and these withdrawal symptoms are predictive of relapse. Although it is well establish...
Histidine biosynthesis in plants

The study of histidine metabolism has never been at the forefront of interest in plant systems despite the significant role that the analysis of this pathway has played in development of the field of molecular genetics in microbes. With the advent of methods to analyze plant gene function by complementation of microbial auxotrophic mutants and the complete analysis of plant genome sequences, strides have been made in deciphering the histidine pathway in plants. The studies point to a complex evolutionary origin of genes for histidine biosynthesis. Gene regulation studies have indicated novel regulatory networks involving histidine. In addition, physiological studies have indicated novel functions for histidine in plants as chelators and transporters of metal ions. Recent investigations have revealed intriguing connections of histidine in plant reproduction. The exciting new information suggests that the study of plant histidine biosynthesis has finally begun to flower.
Individual differences and the conundrums of user-centered design: two experiments

Individual differences between users of information systems can influence search performance. In user-centered design it is important to match users with system configurations that will optimize their performance. Two matching strategies were explored in the first experiment: the capitalization match, and the compensatory match. Findings suggest that a compensatory match is likely to be encountered more frequently in designing information systems. Having determined an optimal match between users and system configurations, it is necessary to find ways to ensure that users are guided to the appropriate configuration. The second experiment examined user selection of system configurations, and concluded that users do not act to optimize system configuration when they select features. This result suggests that information systems must have mechanisms such as user models to direct users to optimal configurations. These experiments suggest some of the complexities and problems encountered in applying individual differences research to user-centered design of information systems.
Superconformal Unified Field Theory

We present the gauge theory of the graded conformal group. It contains four real fields with spins 2, $\frac{3}{2}$, 1, and \textonehalf{}. The theory is invariant under local proper conformal, scale, chiral, gravitational, and supersymmetry transformations. This is the first of a class of superunified field theories, possessing $\mathrm{U}(n)$ rather than $\mathrm{O}(n)$ internal gauge symmetries and without a cosmological constant. Unitarity, renormalizability, and asymptotic states and the cancellation of some complicated higher-order terms in one of the two supersymmetry variations remain to be investigated.
Sounds from shapes: audiovisual performance with hand silhouette contours in the manual input sessions

We report on The Manual Input Sessions, a series of audiovisual vignettes which probe the expressive possibilities of free-form hand gestures. Performed on a hybrid projection system which combines a traditional analog overhead projector and a digital PC video projector, our vision-based software instruments generate dynamic sounds and graphics solely in response to the forms and movements of the silhouette contours of the user's hands. Interactions and audiovisual mappings which make use of both positive (exterior) and negative (interior) contours are discussed.
How does potassium supplementation lower blood pressure

to the editor: Hypertension is one of the most common diseases in the United States, not easily controlled with medication, and its sequelae are among the most common causes of mortality. Interestingly, hypertension is found mainly in industrialized societies, with very low prevalence in isolated
Spatial Partitioning of Predation Risk in a Multiple Predator-Multiple Prey System

Minimizing risk of predation from multiple predators can be difficult, particularly when the risk effects of one predator species may influence vulnerability to a second predator species. We decomposed spatial risk of predation in a 2-predator, 2-prey system into relative risk of encounter and, given an encounter, conditional relative risk of being killed. Then, we generated spatially explicit functions of total risk of predation for each prey species (elk [Cervus elaphus] and mule deer [Odocoileus hemionus]) by combining risks of encounter and kill. For both mule deer and elk, topographic and vegetation type effects, along with resource selection by their primary predator (cougars [Puma concolor] and wolves [Canis lupus], respectively), strongly influenced risk of encounter. Following an encounter, topographic and vegetation type effects altered the risk of predation for both ungulates. For mule deer, risk of direct predation was largely a function of cougar resource selection. However, for elk, risk of direct predation was not only a function of wolf occurrence, but also of habitat attributes that increased elk vulnerability to predation following an encounter. Our analysis of stage-based (i.e., encounter and kill) predation indicates that the risk effect of elk shifting to structurally complex habitat may ameliorate risk of direct predation by wolves but exacerbate risk of direct predation by cougars. Information on spatiotemporal patterns of predation will be become increasingly important as state agencies in the western United States face pressure to integrate predator and prey management.
Calculating the orientation of a rectangular target in SAR imagery

Four algorithms that estimate the orientation of a target before classification are presented. Two of the algorithms are based on a widely used box-spinning method, and the other two are based on linear regression techniques. The algorithms are evaluated using synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery of a large civilian vehicle. These data consist of two sets: one in which the vehicle is deployed in an open field, the other in which the vehicle is deployed along a treeline. The data were collected using the MIT Lincoln Laboratory millimeter-wave SAR, a high-resolution (0.3 m*0.3 m), fully polarimetric SAR with a center frequency of 33.56 GHz. For the vehicle deployed in an open field, three of the four algorithms estimate the orientation with a similar degree of accuracy. The linear regression algorithm that is based on a reweighted least squares (RLS) technique is shown to provide the best performance when the vehicle is deployed along the treeline. >
A framework for personalized and collaborative clustering of search results

How to organize and present search results plays a critical role in the utility of search engines. Due to the unprecedented scale of the Web and diversity of search results, the common strategy of ranked lists has become increasingly inadequate, and clustering has been considered as a promising alternative. Clustering divides a long list of disparate search results into a few topic-coherent clusters, allowing the user to quickly locate relevant results by topic navigation. While many clustering algorithms have been proposed that innovate on the automatic clustering procedure, we introduce ClusteringWiki, the first prototype and framework for personalized clustering that allows direct user editing of the clustering results. Through a Wiki interface, the user can edit and annotate the membership, structure and labels of clusters for a personalized presentation. In addition, the edits and annotations can be shared among users as a mass-collaborative way of improving search result organization and search engine utility.
Orrin hatch and the dietary supplement health and education act: Pandora's Box revisited.

Products of unknown safety and efficacy were once referred to as “quackery,” and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was empowered to protect public health by preventing their sale and forcin...
Titanium surface characteristics, including topography and wettability, alter macrophage activation

Abstract Biomaterial surface properties including chemistry, topography, and wettability regulate cell response. Previous studies have shown that increasing surface roughness of metallic orthopaedic and dental implants improved bone formation around the implant. Little is known about how implant surface properties can affect immune cells that generate a wound healing microenvironment. The aim of our study was to examine the effect of surface modifications on macrophage activation and cytokine production. Macrophages were cultured on seven surfaces: tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS) control; hydrophobic and hydrophilic smooth Ti (PT and oxygen-plasma-treated (plasma) PT); hydrophobic and hydrophilic microrough Ti (SLA and plasma SLA), and hydrophobic and hydrophilic nano-and micro-rough Ti (aged modSLA and modSLA). Smooth Ti induced inflammatory macrophage (M1-like) activation, as indicated by increased levels of interleukins IL-1β, IL-6, and TNFα. In contrast, hydrophilic rough titanium induced macrophage activation similar to the anti-inflammatory M2-like state, increasing levels of interleukins IL-4 and IL-10. These results demonstrate that macrophages cultured on high surface wettability materials produce an anti-inflammatory microenvironment, and this property may be used to improve the healing response to biomaterials. Statement of significance Metals like titanium (Ti) are common in orthopaedics and dentistry due to their ability to integrate with surrounding tissue and good biocompatibility. Roughness- and wettability-increasing surface modifications promote osteogenic differentiation of stem cells on Ti. While these modifications increase production of osteoblastic factors and bone formation, little is known about their effect on immune cells. The initial host response to a biomaterial is controlled primarily by macrophages and the factors they secrete in response to the injury caused by surgery and the material cues. Here we demonstrate the effect of surface roughness and wettability on the activation and production of inflammatory factors by macrophages. Control of inflammation will inform the design of surface modification procedures to direct the immune response and enhance the success of implanted materials.
Multi-Agent Decentralized Network Interdiction Games

In this work, we introduce decentralized network interdiction games, which model the interactions among multiple interdictors with differing objectives operating on a common network. As a starting point, we focus on decentralized shortest path interdiction (DSPI) games, where multiple interdictors try to increase the shortest path lengths of their own adversaries, who all attempt to traverse a common network. We first establish results regarding the existence of equilibria for DSPI games under both discrete and continuous interdiction strategies. To compute such an equilibrium, we present a reformulation of the DSPI games, which leads to a generalized Nash equilibrium problem (GNEP) with non-shared constraints. While such a problem is computationally challenging in general, we show that under continuous interdiction actions, a DSPI game can be formulated as a linear complementarity problem and solved by Lemke's algorithm. In addition, we present decentralized heuristic algorithms based on best response dynamics for games under both continuous and discrete interdiction strategies. Finally, we establish theoretical bounds on the worst-case efficiency loss of equilibria in DSPI games, with such loss caused by the lack of coordination among noncooperative interdictors, and use the decentralized algorithms to empirically study the average-case efficiency loss.
New Thoughts about the Cause and Treatment of the Severe Ocular Manifestations of Graves' Disease

The ocular manifestations of Graves' disease are probably due to autoimmunity. Thyroglobulin and complexes of thyroglobulin and antithyroglobulin have a predilection to attach to extraocular muscle membranes in vitro. It is suggested that in vivo these molecules are directed, probably via lymphatics, to the orbit where they attach to the muscle cell membranes. B lymphocytes, which have been shown to be capable of combining with both thyroglobulin and complexes, attach on to these molecules. The tissue damage is probably caused by the complexes, the lymphocytes, or both.Treatment of hyperthyroidism in a patient with ophthalmopathy should be cautious and with antithyroid drugs. This will reduce, though not completely eliminate, the possibility of a post-treatment exacerbation. If for some reason definitive treatment of the hyperthyroidism is essential, worsening of the ophthalmopathy may be prevented by prescribing steroids or immunosuppressive drugs at the time of surgical or radioiodine treatment.When pro...
Oral sensory stimulation improves glucose tolerance in humans: effects on insulin, C-peptide, and glucagon.

In animals, bypassing the oropharyngeal receptors by intragastric administration of glucose results in glucose intolerance. To determine whether the absence of oral sensory stimulation alters glucose tolerance in humans, we monitored plasma levels of glucose and hormones after intragastric administration of glucose, with and without subjects tasting food. Plasma glucose area under the curve (AUC) was significantly lower after oral sensory stimulation (3,433 +/- 783 vs. 5,643 +/- 1,397 mg.dl-1. 195 min-1; P < 0.03; n = 8). Insulin and C-peptide AUCs were higher during the first one-half of the sampling period (insulin, 5,771 +/- 910 vs. 4,295 +/- 712 microU. ml-1.75 min-1; P < 0.05; C-peptide, 86 +/- 10 vs. 66 +/- 9 ng.ml-1. 75 min-1; P < 0.03) and lower during the second one-half of the sampling period compared with the control condition (1,010 +/- 233 vs. 2,106 microU.ml-1. 120 min-1; P < 0.025; 31 +/- 8 vs. 56 +/- 18 ng.ml-1. 120 min-1; P < 0.05; insulin and C-peptide, respectively). Oral sensory stimulation markedly increased plasma glucagon compared with the control condition (1,258 +/- 621 vs. -2,181 +/- 522 pg.ml-1. 195 min-1; P < 0.002). These data provide evidence in humans that oral sensory stimulation influences glucose metabolism and suggest that the mechanisms elicited by this cephalic stimulation are necessary for normal glucose homeostasis.
Symposium on Peyronie's disease Society of Impotence Research meeting at the 1997 American Urological Association meeting.

Symposium on Peyronie’s disease Society of Impotence Research meeting at the 1997 American Urological Association meeting
Donepezil in more advanced Alzheimer's disease.

OBJECTIVE Donepezil is currently approved for treatment of patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, since cholinergic activity declines as AD progresses, increasing acetylcholine levels would be expected to provide benefits in severe AD. The primary objective of this article is to review the recent data demonstrating that patients with advanced AD can benefit from treatment with the cholinesterase inhibitor donepezil. DATA SOURCES A MEDLINE (PubMed) literature search was performed using the key words "donepezil" and "advanced AD." STUDY SELECTION The search yielded 13 articles, which were then further screened for the criterion: randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS Two studies were found that met these specific study criteria. In the first study, donepezil-treated patients with moderate to severe AD showed significant improvements in cognition and behavior, with preservation of activities of daily living compared with placebo-treated patients. Similar improvements in donepezil-treated patients were seen in the second study involving 27 nursing homes. In this study of older patients, donepezil treatment significantly improved cognition, function, and agitated and aggressive behaviors. Safety and tolerability findings of these two studies are further assessed. Considerations for drug therapy as well as a case study are presented to illustrate the benefits of donepezil treatment in patients with advanced AD. CONCLUSION . The decision to continue treating severe AD patients with donepezil is an opportunity for consultant pharmacists to decrease the burden of caregivers and to maximize a patient's quality of life for as long as possible.
Clonal sublines of rat neurotumor RT4 and cell differentiation: I. Isolation and characterization of cell lines and cell type conversion☆

A neurotumor of a peripheral nerve origin, RT4, was induced by subcutaneous injection of a newborn BDIX strain rat with ethylnitrosourea. The tumor cells were adapted to cell culture and, after about 2 months, were found to consist of cells displaying four distinct morphologies (AC, B, D, and E). Clonal lines of the four cell types were established. Their morphological stability suggested that there was a stem cell type (AC) which differentiated into other types of cells (B, D, and E). Presumptive stem cell lines were established from single cells. In 10 of the 12 clonal stem cell lines, colonies of differentiated cells appeared in approximately 40 days. One stem cell culture was maintained for 55 days, and all three differentiated cell types resulted in the same culture. The differentiated cells are morphologically indistinguishable from the cells isolated from the original tumor. We are thus able to demonstrate a stem cell in the RT4 neurotumor apparently capable of multipotential differentiation in vitro. We call this phenomenon cell type conversion. The stem cells (AC) and one type (D) of the differentiated cells produce a nervous system specific protein, S100 protein, while its production is arrested when the stem cells differentiate into two other cell types (B and E). No appreciable levels of neurotransmitter synthesizing enzymes (choline acetyltransferase, tyrosine hydroxylase, and glutamic acid decarboxylase) are detected in any cells. The chromosome number of each line is predominantly that of normal diploid rat cells, which is 42.
Developments on Measuring Methods and Theoretical Studies of Diffusion in Liquid Metals

Measuring methods and theoretical studies of diffusion in liquid metals were introduced. Merits and faults of experimental methods were contrasted, and reasons of deviation of measured value from theoretical value were analyzed. The existing problems and the directions of future research were also pointed out.
Evaluation of Homemade Ballistic Gelatin Phantoms as a Low-Cost Alternative to Commercial-Grade Phantoms in Medical Education

Cost limitations of commercial-grade ultrasound phantoms often prevent ultrasound education from being incorporated into medical curricula (Bahner et al., Acad Med. 89:1681–6, 2014). While production of homemade agar gelatin phantoms to offset costs has been well documented, use of ballistic gelatin has only recently been described (Domenico et al., J Ultrasound. 11 (4):135-42, 2008; Zerth et al., J Emerg Med. 43:1066-9, 2012; Chao et al., J Emerg Med. 45:240-3, 2013; Shobeiri et al., J Ultrasound Med. 32:1393-6, 2013; Woywodt et al., Clin Nephrol. 79:241-5, 2013; Zeiler et al., Can J Neurol Sci. 40:225-9, 2013; Hunt et al., Eur J Radiol. 82:594-600, 2013; Lo et al., Emerg Med J. 29:738-41, 2012; Li et al., J Ultrasound Med. 30:263-72, 2011; Morrow and Broder, J Emerg Med. 49 (3):313-7, 2015). There exists a critical need for learner evaluation of homemade ballistic gelatin phantoms (BGPs) and their comparison to commercial-grade phantoms to better inform BGP introduction into medical education. The primary aim of this study is to describe survey-based evaluation of homemade BGPs and commercial-grade Blue PhantomsTM by medical students. The secondary aim is to compare image quality of BGPs and Blue PhantomsTM. Described are construction of BGPs and introduction in voluntary ultrasound training sessions offered to 61 first through fourth-year medical students. The evaluation and success of this model are reported. Students reported that versatility of homemade BGPs surpassed that of commercially available phantoms (4.52 ± 0.71) and that they felt more confident in their ultrasound skills after the session (4.82 ± 0.37). Side-by-side evaluation of images generated using BGPs and Blue PhantomsTM had comparable simulated vessel shape and echogenicity, adding objective assessment to subjective survey-based results. Training sessions were enabled by low-cost homemade BGPs at $4 vs $400+ cost of commercial-grade phantoms, a 100-fold reduction in cost. As students found BGPs and Blue PhantomsTM comparable, the results of this study can equip other institutions struggling with costs of incorporating ultrasound into their medical curricula with not only a cost-effective solution but also a learner-validated one.
Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a common injury that is sustained in the face of most blunt mechanisms of injury. TBI may be classified as mild, moderate, or severe. These classifications are based on the Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) and findings on computed tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Patients with loss of consciousness or amnesia to the event should undergo imaging studies to identify intracranial injury.
Near-infrared spectroscopy and MRI co-registration of tumor tissue physiology

We studied the physiological changes in animal model tumors by co-registration of near-infrared spectroscopy and MRI. T2 weighted and Gd-DTPA enhanced MRI images correlate with changes observed in Hb, HbO2 and water concentrations measured by near-infrared spectroscopy.
Biomimetic Total Knee Arthroplasty With Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Preservation Restores Normal Kinematics

INTRODUCTION ACL retaining (BCR) Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA) provides more normal kinematics than ACL sacrificing (CR) TKA. However, in the native knee the ACL and the asymmetric shape of the tibial articular surface with a convex lateral plateau are responsible for the differential medial/lateral femoral rollback (medial pivot). Therefore, the hypothesis of this study was that an asymmetric biomimetic articular surface together with ACL preservation would better restore native knee kinematics than retention of the ACL alone. Normal knee kinematics from bi-planar fluoroscopy was used to reverse engineer the tibial articular surface of the biomimetic implant. This was achieved by moving the femoral component through the healthy knee kinematics and removing material from a tibial template. METHODS LifeModeler KneeSIM software was used to analyze a biomimetic BCR implant (asymmetric tibia with convex lateral surface), a contemporary BCR (symmetric shallow dished tibia) and a contemporary CR (symmetric dished tibia) implant during simulated deep knee bend and chair sit. Components were mounted on an average bone model created from Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) data of 40 normal knees. The soft-tissue insertions were obtained from the average knee model and the mechanical properties were obtained from literature. Femoral condyle center motions relative to the tibia were used to compare different implant designs. In vivo knee kinematics of healthy subjects from published literature was used for reference. RESULTS During simulated deep knee bend, the ACL sacrificing contemporary CR implant showed initial posterior femoral subluxation due to the absent ACL, followed by paradoxical anterior sliding until 90° flexion, and no medial pivot rotation. Retention of the ACL in the contemporary BCR implant reduced the initial posterior shift of the femur in extension. However, medial pivot rotation and steady posterior rollback could not be achieved. In contrast, the biomimetic BCR implant showed knee motion very similar to that reported for healthy knees in vivo, with medial pivot rotation and greater, consistent rollback of the lateral femoral condyle than the medial condyle (11 mm medial vs. 16 mm lateral, Fig. 1 and Fig. 3). Similar trends were seen for all implants during simulated chair sit (Fig. 2 and Fig. 3). CONCLUSION An ACL preserving biomimetic TKA implant was able to restore normal knee kinematics unlike contemporary ACL retaining and ACL sacrificing implants, during the simulated activities. This confirmed the hypothesis that a biomimetic articular surface together with ACL preservation is required to restore normal knee kinematics.
Validations in 2-D Flows

Transition models are validated using the benchmark flat plate cases and two-dimensional airfoils in this chapter. Validations are performed for the European Research Community on Flow, Turbulence and Combustion T3 series of the experimental flat plat cases, the Schubauer and Klebanoff flat plate, as well as several two-dimensional airfoils including Aerospatiale-A, VA-2, S809, and NACA4412. The effect of the Stall Delay Method is demonstrated on the NACA4412 airfoil with the trailing edge flow separation.
Laurence Tribe’s Visionary Theories of the Equal Protection Clause

The Equal Protection Clause defies easy interpretation within the framework of the structural inference, text, and history of the Constitution. The history of the Fourteenth Amendment clearly indicates that its principal purpose was to legitimate the Civil Rights Acts. However, the broad sweep of the language of the Equal Protection Clause demonstrates just as clearly that the Clause and the Amendment of which it is a part were meant to do more than merely assure full citizenship for blacks.Professor Laurence Tribe suggests that the Fourteenth Amendment be understood in light of an “antisubjugation principle.” This principle would focus on the impact government has on disadvantaged groups, rather than on the discriminatory intent of actors. Under this principle, government would have a duty “not to sanction tests, rules, practices and policies that predictably and avoidably perpetuate the inferior position of a group originally relegated to that position by a ruthless regime of official discrimination and exploitation.” That no such effects were intended by those who devised the welfare programs would be legally irrelevant. Strict judicial scrutiny would apply, and Federal judges would be charged with devising a welfare system that did not injure the true interests of blacks.Despite that Professor Tribe’s antisubjugation principle meets some of the difficulties that arise under the Equal Protection Clause, there are numerous criticisms of his theory which deserve much closer scrutiny. For example, Tribe’s concept of “historically subjugated groups” lacks a real anchor in history. Further, his proposal suggests that courts should declare governmental acts unconstitutional without supplying a remedy. The necessity for judicial inquiries into legislative motive is rarely appetizing, and the acceptance of such inquiries in any event leaves unresolved the very real difficulties that Tribe so boldly attempts to address.
Dominance and Sexual Dimorphism Pervade the Salix purpurea L. Transcriptome.

The heritability of gene expression is critical in understanding heterosis and is dependent on allele-specific regulation by local and remote factors in the genome. We used RNA-Seq to test whether variation in gene expression among F1 and F2 intraspecific Salix purpurea progeny is attributable to cis- and trans-regulatory divergence. We assessed the mode of inheritance based on gene expression levels and allele-specific expression for F1 and F2 intraspecific progeny in two distinct tissue types: shoot tip and stem internode. In addition, we explored sexually dimorphic patterns of inheritance and regulatory divergence among F1 progeny individuals. We show that in S. purpurea intraspecific crosses, gene expression inheritance largely exhibits a maternal dominant pattern, regardless of tissue type or pedigree. A significantly greater number of cis- and trans-regulated genes coincided with upregulation of the maternal parent allele in the progeny, irrespective of the magnitude, whereas the paternal allele was higher expressed for genes showing cis × trans or compensatory regulation. Importantly, consistent with previous genetic mapping results for sex in shrub willow, we have delimited sex-biased gene expression to a 2 Mb pericentromeric region on S. purpurea chr15 and further refined the sex determination region. Altogether, our results offer insight into the inheritance of gene expression in S. purpurea as well as evidence of sexually dimorphic expression which may have contributed to the evolution of dioecy in Salix.
Retroareolar masses and intraductal abnormalities detected on screening ultrasound: can biopsy be avoided?

To investigate the malignancy rate of retroareolar masses and intraductal abnormalities discovered in asymptomatic females during screening whole breast ultrasound (US-S) and determine if biopsy can be avoided.Methods:This is a HIPAA compliant retrospective study. Our radiology electronic medical records were searched for the phrases “retroareolar mass” or “intraductal mass” combined with “screening whole breast ultrasound” performed between 10/1/2009 and 5/30/2015. Inclusion criteria included retroareolar masses in asymptomatic females with normal mammography, mammographically dense breast tissue and imaging or biopsy follow-up.Results:1136 charts were reviewed. 87 BI-RADS 3 and 4 retroareolar findings were included in final analysis. The average lesion size was 9.5 mm (range 4–28 mm). 47/87 lesions were classified as BI-RADS 3 and 40/87 BI-RADS 4. Of the 47 BI-RADS 3 lesions, 36 were stable on follow-up; 6 benign lesions were biopsied at patients’ request; and 5 biopsied due to suspicious interval chang...
A new multi-objective economic-emission dispatch in microgrids

This paper presents a new multi-objective economic-emission dispatch framework, based on a new optimization technique, Pareto Concavity Elimination Transformation (PaCcET). The proposed framework finds the best Pareto front, i.e., a Non-Dominated Set (NDS) of solutions, instead of a single optimal solution. In the PaCcET algorithm, an iterative objective space transformation is performed to allow a linear combination of objective functions (in the transformed objective space) to find the solutions on concave areas of the Pareto front. In this paper, PaCcET-based economic-emission dispatch is implemented on a microgrid with various distributed energy resources (DERs) to find the most economic operating condition to not only minimize the total fuel cost but to also find the best environmentally friendly solutions. The simulation results of the new technique are compared to the results obtained by the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA-II) as a well-known multi-objective benchmark algorithm, with respect to the quality of the solutions and the computational complexities. We find that the PaCcET-based technique results in more accurate solutions with less computational time (both in per-evaluation and in per-computation time measures) compared to the NSGA-II-based technique.
Direct numerical simulation of reactor two-phase flows enabled by high-performance computing

Abstract Nuclear reactor two-phase flows remain a great engineering challenge, where the high-resolution two-phase flow database which can inform practical model development is still sparse due to the extreme reactor operation conditions and measurement difficulties. Owing to the rapid growth of computing power, the direct numerical simulation (DNS) is enjoying a renewed interest in investigating the related flow problems. A combination between DNS and an interface tracking method can provide a unique opportunity to study two-phase flows based on first principles calculations. More importantly, state-of-the-art high-performance computing (HPC) facilities are helping unlock this great potential. This paper reviews the recent research progress of two-phase flow DNS related to reactor applications. The progress in large-scale bubbly flow DNS has been focused not only on the sheer size of those simulations in terms of resolved Reynolds number, but also on the associated advanced modeling and analysis techniques. Specifically, the current areas of active research include modeling of subcooled boiling, bubble coalescence, as well as the advanced post-processing toolkit for bubbly flow simulations in reactor geometries. A novel bubble tracking method has been developed to track the evolution of bubbles in two-phase bubbly flow. Also, spectral analysis of DNS database in different geometries has been performed to investigate the modulation of the energy spectrum slope due to bubble-induced turbulence. In addition, the single- and two-phase analysis results are presented for turbulent flows within the pressurized water reactor (PWR) core geometries. The related simulations are possible to carry out only with the world leading HPC platforms. These simulations are allowing more complex turbulence model development and validation for use in 3D multiphase computational fluid dynamics (M-CFD) codes.
Allhoff, Fritz. Terrorism, Ticking Time-Bombs, and Torture: A Philosophical Analysis

Fritz Allhoff’s Terrorism, Ticking Time-Bombs, and Torture is, in many ways, a brave book. Much of the philosophical literature on torture defends an absolutist position, one that implies that there are no realistically imaginable cases in which torture is morally permissible, not even in the infamous ticking-bomb scenario (TBS). By contrast, Allhoff argues that there are “conditions under which interrogational torture could be reasonably countenanced” (76). This is not a defense of torture quite generally since Allhoff contends that no other variety of torture—say, punitive torture—“offers much moral promise” (77). Still, if Allhoff is correct, no robust version of moral absolutism about torture could be correct, a result that is at least at odds with what rather many philosophers have contended. Allhoff’s discussion links torture with terrorism (3, 40) and he defends the view that interrogational torture can be a morally permissible response to terrorism in supreme emergencies (22, 27–8, 75). And the typical TBS is a supreme emergency if there ever was one. One refreshing feature of Allhoff’s project is his refusal to stipulate that the TBS is common or even conceivable; he patiently enumerates the conditions necessary for a supreme emergency to obtain, although the occasional pithy summary of those conditions shows up from time to time as well (130, 143). Allhoff takes seriously the charge that the TBS is unrealistic at best and impossible at worst, and convincingly, I think, argues that the TBS is neither as fanciful nor as unrealistic as critics sometimes contend. I greatly appreciated Allhoff’s willingness to engage in experimental philosophy as well. He provides data concerning standard assessments of the moral permissibility of interrogational torture in response to the TBS (103–8) that suggests at least two important results. First, there is good reason to suppose that the moral culpability of the individual being tortured is relevant to judgments about torture’s permissibility: we are significantly more likely to judge that torturing an individual responsible for planting a ticking bomb is morally permissible and much less likely to judge that torturing an innocent who had nothing to do with planting the bomb is morally permissible. Second, judgments about torture’s moral permissibility seem not all that sensitive to the certainty or uncertainty of its success in preventing disaster: respondents are no less likely to judge that torture is permissible when Ethic Theory Moral Prac (2013) 16:675–676 DOI 10.1007/s10677-012-9395-y
The role of pyridoxal phosphate in the refolding of serine hydroxymethyltransferase

Escherichia coli serine hydroxymethyltransferase is reversibly unfolded in 1 to 8 M urea solutions in Tris buffer, pH 7.3. Three methods were used to study the refolding process; fluorescence of tryptophan residues, circular dichroism of both secondary structure and pyridoxal phosphate binding, and size separation by high performance liquid chromatography. During unfolding the earliest event is the dissociation of pyridoxal phosphate which occurs in solutions between 1 and 2 M urea. Separation of the dimer subunits occurs between 2.5 and 6 M urea. Complete loss of secondary and tertiary structure occurs above 6.5 M urea. Refolding studies were done at 0.8 M urea in both the presence and absence of pyridoxal phosphate. Greater than 95% of the catalytic activity could be recovered from fully unfolded enzyme in 10 minutes at 30 °C. There was a lag period of 30 seconds before the appearance of active enzyme. The addition of pyridoxal phosphate did not cause a significant change in the refolding kinetics. When refolding was done at 4 °C no active enzyme was formed in a period of several hours, but both secondary and tertiary structure appeared to be like native enzyme. Analysis on high performance liquid chromatography size exclusion gels showed that after a few minutes of refolding at 4 °C the enzyme was a mixture of monomer and dimer species. After one hour the enzyme was all dimer. Analysis by circular dichroism and Trp fluorescence during this period showed that pyridoxal phosphate did not bind to either the monomer or dimer formed at 4 °C. We conclude that pyridoxal phosphate binds only to the native apoenzyme and does not play a role in the refolding process of this enzyme.
Review of the Institute of Medicine report: long-term health consequences of exposure to burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Abstract : A previous issue of the AMEDD Journal included an article I wrote concerning solid waste disposal in the US Central Command (CENTCOM) area of operations. That article described how the Department of Defense (DoD) conducted numerous monitoring studies at Joint Base Balad (JBB), the location with the US military's largest burn pit in theater. Screening health risk assessments, publicly released in 2008, stated that the burn pits at JBB and other US military locations in Iraq posed an acceptable health risk based on the contaminant levels measured. While sampling can be used to identify a potential concern, it does not refute every concern because it cannot address all locations and conditions at all times. I discussed the limitations of the sampling efforts, including the points that sampling identifies conditions at the time of sampling, and that burn pit sampling was intermittent while waste streams and meteorological conditions were variable. As waste streams vary, analyte concentrations would be expected to vary. The methodology does not incorporate particulate matter (PM) such as PM10 or PM2.5 concentrations. Particulate matter is a mixture, and does not have a toxicological value for use in the methodology. The list of analytes was not exhaustive. Screening health risk assessments indicate the general probability that a risk is present under very specific exposure conditions. This can be useful to make decisions regarding the need to take remedial actions, but is not well-suited to inform regarding an individual's health risk.