cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
PhenoGraph and viSNE facilitate the identification of abnormal T‐cell populations in routine clinical flow cytometric data

Background: Flow cytometric identification of neoplastic T-cell populations is complicated by the wide range of phenotypic abnormalities in T-cell neoplasia, and the diverse repertoire of reactive T-cell phenotypes. We evaluated whether a recently described clustering algorithm, PhenoGraph, and dimensionality-reduction algorithm, viSNE, might facilitate the identification of abnormal T-cell populations in routine clinical flow cytometric data. Methods: We applied PhenoGraph and viSNE to peripheral blood mononuclear cells labeled with a single 8-color T/NK-cell antibody combination. Individual peripheral blood samples containing either a T-cell neoplasm or reactive lymphocytosis were analyzed together with a cohort of 10 normal samples, which established the location and identity of normal mononuclear-cell subsets in viSNE displays. Results: PhenoGraph-derived subpopulations from the normal samples formed regions of phenotypic similarity in the viSNE display describing normal mononuclear-cell subsets, which correlated with those obtained by manual gating (r2 = 0.99, p < 0.0001). In 24 of 24 cases of T-cell neoplasia with an aberrant phenotype, compared with 4 of 17 cases of reactive lymphocytosis (p = 1.4 x 10−7, Fisher Exact test), PhenoGraph-derived subpopulations originating exclusively from the abnormal sample formed one or more distinct phenotypic regions in the viSNE display, which represented the neoplastic T cells, and reactive T-cell subpopulations not present in the normal cohort, respectively. The numbers of neoplastic T cells identified using PhenoGraph/viSNE correlated with those obtained by manual gating (r2 = 0.99; p < 0.0001). Conclusions: PhenoGraph and viSNE may facilitate the identification of abnormal T-cell populations in routine clinical flow cytometric data. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Adaptive optics for data recovery on optical disk fragments (Conference Presentation)

An adaptive optics system is designed and constructed to recover information from damaged optical media. The system is based on an Olympus IX70 microscope with custom illumination and detection. A scanning 408nm laser beam provides both the reference beam for the adaptive optics system and the data beam for imaging of data marks. A two-dimensional galvanometer system is used to scan the focused laser over the sample, and a precision z stage is used to change focus planes. The adaptive optics system is based on a Thorlabs AO kit with a Shack-Hartman wavefront sensor and a deformable mirror. A custom objective lens using a solid immersion lens is implemented that provides NA up to 1.5. Several types of data storage substrates are examined, including partial DVD and BD substrates, small 2cm-square pieces of DVD and BD substrates, and dust fragments on the order of 2mm in size. In order to view the dust fragments, they are collected on a microscope slide and melted to reflow the plastic and reveal data-containing flakes.
Come Get Some: Damsels in Distress and the Male Default Avatar in Video Games

Gaming embodies many of the contradictions between geek culture and masculinity, as avatars are often hypermasculine (athletic, militant, and violent) while the act of playing a video game is not inherently physical or masculine. In this chapter, we will examine the construction of the male geek avatar, from the sexually challenged Leisure Suit Larry to the stripper-rescuing Duke Nukem, and consider the roles that these games offer for male wish fulfillment and play. The focus on male as actor in these games allows us to consider the woman as passive, and that passivity holds consequences for the perception of feminine in geek identity. Games are already a highly charged space for gendered discourse, and while the female avatar has often been considered, the ubiquitous white male warrior avatar has gone relatively unremarked thanks to his status as “default.” We will probe the very notion of the white male hypermasculine as neutral by focusing on the most generic of avatars, as exemplified by the face of Doom’s space marine staring up at the player even as the player controls a first-person shooter.
Commentary: On Children’s Creativity: Defying Expectation

Our definitions of creativity are varied and broad, ranging from the invention of small works to the achievement of global contributions. As arbitrary as they may be, our understandings generate stereotypical expectations for creative individuals and their behavior. I argue here that these expectations (from artistic work as a priori creative to originality as a criterion) may stand in the way of our appreciating children’s artistic development and their acquisition of the necessary tools and confidence to find and break boundaries. I urge teachers to be creative themselves in their interpretation and acceptance of children’s creative endeavors.
Evaluation of Usability and Workload Associated with Paper Strips as Compared to Virtual Flight Strips Used for Ramp Operations

This paper describes a study comparing the use of paper strips with virtual flight strips depicted on a new user interface, the Ramp Traffic Console (RTC), designed for use by ramp controllers to be used in place of paper strips. A Human-In-the-Loop (HITL) experiment was performed as the fifth in a series of six HITL simulation studies designed to evaluate a pushback Decision Support Tool (DST) concept for Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT). Workload and usability were assessed in post-run and post-study questionnaires. In the RTC virtual flight strip condition, post-run questionnaire results show lower workload ratings across all aspects of workload; additionally, a trend is found toward increased usability ratings. Post-study questionnaire results indicate a preference for RTC over paper strips. Additional research is suggested with more training runs and a greater number of participants to increase statistical power. It is also suggested that this new technology be re-evaluated as a part of the ATD-2 field testing activities.
Aspects of the Animal Collagenases

Information accumulated over the past 13 years since the first animal collagenase was detected (Gross and Lapiere, 1962; Lapiere and Gross, 1963) indicates that collagenolysis in biological systems is accomplished by a series of enzymes one of which, operating at physiologic pH and temperature in the extracellular spaces, produces the first and critical cleavage in the helical body of the molecule within the fibril (Gross and Nagai, 1965; Kang et al., 1966; Sakai and Gross, 1967). This step is followed by one or more enzyme activities which reduce the polypeptide fragments to smaller peptides and amino acids. We know considerably more about the enzyme responsible for the initial attack than we do about subsequent dismantling of the fragments. How much of this latter series of events takes place within the cell has yet to be determined. The possibility of a preliminary cleavage of peptide bonds within the terminal nonhelical regions of the molecule resulting in loss of intermolecular cross-linking in insoluble fibrils is a real one, but such an enzyme activity at neutral pH has not yet been unequivocally detected.
Neuropsychology and Neuroimaging in Metabolic Dysfunction

Within the last 20 years, the worldwide prevalence of obesity in industrialized nations has reached epidemic proportions. Nowhere is this more evident than in the USA. According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 1991, there were only four states with adult obesity prevalence rates above 15%. By 2007, however, there was only one state with less than 20% and 30 states had prevalence rates higher than 25% (CDC, Behavioral risk factor surveillance system survey data, 2008). The health consequences of obesity are many, and nearly all individuals with sustained obesity will develop metabolic dysfunction. In fact, the spectrum of health conditions that comprises metabolic dysfunction is most often etiologically linked to obesity and includes disruptions in the body’s response to and production of insulin and resulting damage from hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia, hypertension, systemic inflammatory processes, and dyslipidemia – among others (Grundy et al, Circulation 112(17):2735–2752, 2005). These metabolic abnormalities tend to cluster together in the obese individual and are often referred to as metabolic syndrome (NCEP, JAMA 285:2486–2497, 2001). With a current prevalence of approximately 40% among individuals over 50 years of age (Ford, Diabetes Care 28:2745–2749, 2005), the costs associated with metabolic syndrome are significant. Analyses of Medicare expenditures indicate that individuals with metabolic syndrome incur 20–40% more health care costs over a 10-year period, representing a significant drain on the public health system in the USA (Curtis et al, Diabetes Care 30:2553–2558, 2007).
Manure/Effluent Management | Nutrient Recycling

Overapplication of nutrients to land leads to losses of fertilizer nutrients and is a threat to the environmental standards that we want, especially with respect to water quality. Nutrient accumulation on intensive food animal production farms stems from farm imports of elemental nutrients in purchased feeds being greater than nutrient exports in food animal products. Manure management and application has been targeted specifically by regulatory agencies in recent years to try to assure that losses, especially of nitrogen (N) or phosphorus (P), are low and to avoid environmental consequences, off-site. Monitoring of potassium (K) also is encouraged. This article focuses on the development of manure nutrient management budgets and needed nutrient management strategies
Syntax over focus.

This paper compares three factors affecting prosodic phrasing in Korean: syntax, focus and speech rate. The Syntax and Focus constraints have been claimed to be stronger than the Speech Rate constraint, but it is not known which of these -the syntactic constraint (SYNTAX) or the focus constraint (FOCUS) – is stronger. Based on production and perception data, it is found that SYNTAX is stronger than FOCUS, both at normal and fast speech rates, though less so at fast rate.
Characterization and identification of methods for phenotyping soybean populations with tolerance to the soybean aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae).

The development of soybeans tolerant to the soybean aphid [Aphis glycines Matsumura (Hemiptera: Aphididae)] remains unexplored. The objectives of this research were to determine the susceptibility of two high-yielding soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill (Fabales: Fabaceae)] genotypes involved in a breeding platform to develop aphid-tolerant recombinant inbred lines (RILs); characterize the peroxidase activity and relative expression of peroxidase transcripts in the parents of RILs; and identify an assay to phenotype aphid-tolerant RILs. Enzyme kinetic assays documented the total peroxidase activity for tolerant (KS4202), susceptible (SD76R), and two high-yielding (U09-105007 and U11-611112) soybeans during two vegetative stages (V1 and V3) at three sampling days (D4, D6, and D8 after aphid introduction). Enzyme kinetic assays showed that V3 infested tolerant and U11-611112 plants had significantly higher peroxidase activity than their respective control plants at D4, and infested tolerant plants were also higher than control plants at D6. There were no apparent trends when comparing the expression of peroxidase-specific transcripts in the absence of aphids (basal levels) in both V1 and V3. Relative expression analyses of two peroxidase transcripts (PRX52 and PRX2) performed to compare differences among the soybean genotypes indicated that, despite basal levels being similar for the treatments analyzed, tolerant soybeans had a tendency for a higher expression of PRX52 in the presence of aphids. Based on the different patterns observed and the feasibility of analyses performed in this study, enzyme kinetics using V3 infested plants may be a marker for screening RILs in a breeding program targeting the development of aphid-tolerant soybeans.
Ain’t She a Shakespearean: Truth, Giovanni, and Shakespeare

Following in the tradition of Sojourner Truth’s famous address “Ar’n’t I a Woman?,” Dennis Britton asks if Nikki Giovanni might be considered a Shakespearean. His essay recovers Giovanni’s commentary on the cultural purchase of Shakespeare and uses it to expose and challenge the implied white male identity of the Shakespeare scholar.
A Fractional Order Sliding Mode-based Fault Tolerant Tracking Approach for a Quadrotor UAV

This paper proposes a Fractional Order Sliding Mode (FSM)-based fault tolerant tracking approach for a quadrotor VAV subject to actuator faults. The approach is based on the design of a robust FSM Observer to estimate the immeasurable states of the quadrotor. A Fractional Order Terminal Sliding Mode Control (FTSMC) law is then derived to guarantee finite time stability of the closed loop system. The controller gains are dynamically adapted to ensure stability under unknown faults. Stability of the proposed approach is analyzed based on the Lyapunov theory and fractional calculus. Simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed approach in closely tracking the reference trajectory even under impaired conditions.
A Novel ZVS Turn-on Triangular Current Mode Control with Phase Synchronization for Three Level Inverters

Critical conduction mode (CRM)/ Triangular current mode (TCM) control with ZVS turn-on for single phase converters has led to significant improvement in efficiency at high switching frequencies (>300 kHz). The need to push power converters to high switching frequencies comes from the drive to achieve higher power density as high frequency operation leads to a significant decrease in filter volume which consumes most of the space in power converter systems. With recent advancements in wide bandgap devices' technology, it is possible to operate at high switching frequencies with very low turn-off losses, however, turn-on losses in hard switching continuous conduction mode (CCM) are still significant. Thus making it necessary to operate the inverter with zero voltage switching (ZVS) turn-on. A simple way of achieving soft switching in a three phase inverter is by connecting the DC bus mid-point to AC neutral, thus operating it as three single phase inverters in parallel. However, this results in phase a-synchronization and very high switching frequency variation. Switching frequency variation is minimized in TCM for a 2-level converter by clamping one of the phases. It is shown in this paper how this method can be extended to three level inverters. As compared to 2-level converters, 3-level converters offer several advantages such as reduced common mode voltage (CMV), the same benefit is extracted in proposed 3-level TCM by making use of reduced CMV switching states. The proposed modulation is applicable for any 3-level inverter topology, a 3-level NPC inverter is considered in this paper. The modulation presented is compared with sinusoidal pulse width modulation (SPWM), it has lower losses as well as lower CMV. It is also shown that huge reduction in inductor size is achieved by high switching frequency operation.
Tin gallium oxide solar-blind photodetectors on sapphire grown by molecular beam epitaxy

We report on tin gallium oxide ((Sn x Ga1−x)2O3) solar-blind metal–semiconductor–metal (MSM) photodetectors grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy on c-plane sapphire substrates with varying tin content up to X Sn =10%. Incorporation of Sn into Ga2O3 was found to shift the optical bandgap of the epilayers from 5.0 eV (248 nm) for 0% Sn to 4.6 eV (270 nm) for 10% Sn content. Varying of the Sn concentration was also found to enable controlled tuning of the peak responsivity and cutoff wavelengths of MSM devices fabricated from the epilayers, with peak responsivity ranging from 0.75 A/W to nearly 16 A/W as the Sn concentration was increased from 0% to 10%. The high responsivity is attributed to photoconductive gain that increases for higher Sn concentrations and is accompanied by a slowing of the temporal response of the MSM detectors.
Anomalies and Bounds on Charged Operators

We study the implications of the 't Hooft anomaly (i.e., obstruction to gauging) on conformal field theory, focusing on the case when the global symmetry is ${\mathbb{Z}}_{2}$. Using the modular bootstrap, universal bounds on ($1+1$)-dimensional bosonic conformal field theories with an internal ${\mathbb{Z}}_{2}$ global symmetry are derived. The bootstrap bounds depend dramatically on the 't Hooft anomaly. In particular, there is a universal upper bound on the lightest ${\mathbb{Z}}_{2}$ odd operator if the symmetry is anomalous, but there is no bound if the symmetry is nonanomalous. In the nonanomalous case, we find that the lightest ${\mathbb{Z}}_{2}$ odd state and the defect ground state cannot both be arbitrarily heavy. We also consider theories with a $U(1)$ global symmetry, and comment that there is no bound on the lightest $U(1)$ charged operator if the symmetry is nonanomalous.
The PRECICE magnetic IM compression nail for long bone nonunions: a preliminary report

The magnetic intramedullary (IM) compression nail is capable of providing sustained compression for the treatment of nonunions of long bones. This ability was previously only possible with the use of external fixation. We asked the following questions: How effective is the IM compression nail at achieving union? How do we know when adequate compression has been attained? Which types of nonunions are good candidates for this treatment? Fourteen patients with nonunions of the tibia (5) or femur (9) were treated with the PRECICE IM compression nail. The average age was 49 years number of previous surgeries was 1.9, 7 were atrophic and 7 normotrophic, 3 were metaphyseal and 11 diaphyseal. All PRECICE IM nails were pre-distracted prior to implantation. Compression was applied post-operatively until the locking bolts were seen on X-ray to be bending or the nail was no longer shortening despite applying the external magnet. Union was achieved in 13/14 cases. The time to union was 24.5 weeks (range 11–60). The two proximal tibia metaphyseal nonunions, both deformed into varus (4°) and flexion (10°) after compression was applied with one failing to unite. The distal tibia metaphyseal and diaphyseal nonunions did not deform upon compression. Three patients had positive cultures and were treated with IV antibiotics for 6 weeks followed by 3 months of oral suppression without subsequent infection. No mechanical nail failures were seen. The IM compression nail was successful at applying compression, preventing deformity, and obtaining union in all diaphyseal and in distal tibia metaphyseal nonunions. Signs of active compression are bending of the locking bolts and failure of the nail to shorten. Proximal tibia metaphyseal nonunion may not be suited for this treatment.
Spectro-temporal weighting of interaural time differences in speech.

Numerous studies have demonstrated that the perceptual weighting of interaural time differences (ITDs) is non-uniform in time and frequency, leading to reports of spectral and temporal “dominance” regions. It is unclear however, how these dominance regions apply to spectro-temporally complex stimuli such as speech. The authors report spectro-temporal weighting functions for ITDs in a pair of naturally spoken speech tokens (“two” and “eight”). Each speech token was composed of two phonemes, and was partitioned into eight frequency regions over two time bins (one time bin for each phoneme). To derive lateralization weights, ITDs for each time-frequency bin were drawn independently from a normal distribution with a mean of 0 and a standard deviation of 200 μs, and listeners were asked to indicate whether the speech token was presented from the left or right. ITD thresholds were also obtained for each of the 16 time-frequency bins in isolation. The results suggest that spectral dominance regions apply to speech, and that ITDs carried by phonemes in the first position of the syllable contribute more strongly to lateralization judgments than ITDs carried by phonemes in the second position. The results also show that lateralization judgments are partially accounted for by ITD sensitivity across time-frequency bins.
CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated Point Mutation in Nkx3.1 Prolongs Protein Half-Life and Reverses Effects Nkx3.1 Allelic Loss.

NKX3.1 is the most commonly deleted gene in prostate cancer and is a gatekeeper suppressor. NKX3.1 is haploinsufficient, and pathogenic reduction in protein levels may result from genetic loss, decreased transcription, and increased protein degradation caused by inflammation or PTEN loss. NKX3.1 acts by retarding proliferation, activating antioxidants, and enhancing DNA repair. DYRK1B-mediated phosphorylation at serine 185 of NKX3.1 leads to its polyubiquitination and proteasomal degradation. Because NKX3.1 protein levels are reduced, but never entirely lost, in prostate adenocarcinoma, enhancement of NKX3.1 protein levels represents a potential therapeutic strategy. As a proof of principle, we used CRISPR/Cas9-mediated editing to engineer in vivo a point mutation in murine Nkx3.1 to code for a serine to alanine missense at amino acid 186, the target for Dyrk1b phosphorylation. Nkx3.1S186A/-, Nkx3.1+/- , and Nkx3.1+/+ mice were analyzed over one year to determine the levels of Nkx3.1 expression and effects of the mutant protein on the prostate. Allelic loss of Nkx3.1 caused reduced levels of Nkx3.1 protein, increased proliferation, and prostate hyperplasia and dysplasia, whereas Nkx3.1S186A/- mouse prostates had increased levels of Nkx3.1 protein, reduced prostate size, normal histology, reduced proliferation, and increased DNA end labeling. At 2 months of age, when all mice had normal prostate histology, Nkx3.1+/- mice demonstrated indices of metabolic activation, DNA damage response, and stress response. These data suggest that modulation of Nkx3.1 levels alone can exert long-term control over premalignant changes and susceptibility to DNA damage in the prostate. SIGNIFICANCE: These findings show that prolonging the half-life of Nkx3.1 reduces proliferation, enhances DNA end-labeling, and protects from DNA damage, ultimately blocking the proneoplastic effects of Nkx3.1 allelic loss.
Analysis of genes (TMEM106B, GRN, ABCC9, KCNMB2, and APOE) implicated in risk for LATE-NC and hippocampal sclerosis provides pathogenetic insights: a retrospective genetic association study

Limbic-predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy neuropathologic change (LATE-NC) is the most prevalent subtype of TDP-43 proteinopathy, affecting up to 1/3rd of aged persons. LATE-NC often co-occurs with hippocampal sclerosis (HS) pathology. It is currently unknown why some individuals with LATE-NC develop HS while others do not, but genetics may play a role. Previous studies found associations between LATE-NC phenotypes and specific genes: TMEM106B, GRN, ABCC9, KCNMB2, and APOE. Data from research participants with genomic and autopsy measures from the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center (NACC; n = 631 subjects included) and the Religious Orders Study and Memory and the Rush Aging Project (ROSMAP; n = 780 included) were analyzed in the current study. Our goals were to reevaluate disease-associated genetic variants using newly collected data and to query whether the specific genotype/phenotype associations could provide new insights into disease-driving pathways. Research subjects included in prior LATE/HS genome-wide association studies (GWAS) were excluded. Single nucleotide variants (SNVs) within 10 kb of TMEM106B, GRN, ABCC9, KCNMB2, and APOE were tested for association with HS and LATE-NC, and separately for Alzheimer’s pathologies, i.e. amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Significantly associated SNVs were identified. When results were meta-analyzed, TMEM106B, GRN, and APOE had significant gene-based associations with both LATE and HS, whereas ABCC9 had significant associations with HS only. In a sensitivity analysis limited to LATE-NC + cases, ABCC9 variants were again associated with HS. By contrast, the associations of TMEM106B, GRN, and APOE with HS were attenuated when adjusting for TDP-43 proteinopathy, indicating that these genes may be associated primarily with TDP-43 proteinopathy. None of these genes except APOE appeared to be associated with Alzheimer’s-type pathology. In summary, using data not included in prior studies of LATE or HS genomics, we replicated several previously reported gene-based associations and found novel evidence that specific risk alleles can differentially affect LATE-NC and HS.
Defunding Police Agencies

This article contextualizes the police defunding movement and the backlash it has generated. The defunding movement emerged from the work of Black-led activists to reassert democratic control over policing and shift resources to social service agencies and other institutions serving community needs. In reaction, states have enacted anti-defunding bills checking local government reduction of law enforcement budgets. These anti-defunding measures continue a long tradition of state and federal control over local police spending, that subverts local democratic control over police agencies. These limits include direct legal constraints on local police spending, and indirect constraints through grants and authorization to collect fines, fees and forfeitures. These mechanisms form a ratchet, bribing local governments to increase police spending, and then mandating them to maintain it, at the eventual cost of cutting social services. This leaves cities little choice but to try to police their way out of the problems of poverty and inequality. Thus, constraints on local police funding help explain the decades-long shift of resources from social welfare to law enforcement. The problem revealed by the defunding controversy is not just the size of police budgets, but the perverse process determining those budgets. Before police agencies can be right-sized or reformed, police budgeting must be put in the hands of the people policed.
Estimating Aufwuchs Biomass

Estimates of Aufwuchs biomass derived from gravimetric, phytopigment, and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) analyses are evaluated and compared with respect to each method's specificities and biases. Samples of Aufwuchs from glass slides in artificial streams treated with chlorine, copper, dichromate, sucrose, dextrose, phosphate, or nitrogen were used to compare these nontaxonomic methods as water quality assessment techniques. The correlations and limitations of the methods are discussed. ATP analysis compared very favorably with the other techniques and added another important dimension in water quality assessment. When corrected for extraction efficiency, ATP analyses provide a reliable estimate of Aufwuchs biomass. This estimate can be used in combination with other estimates of biomass to partition the community into autotrophic-heterotrophic components or viable organic carbon and non-viable organic carbon. Ratios of organic carbon estimates such as chlorophyll a organic carbon/ash-free dry weight organic carbon (Trophic Index), chlorophyll a organic carbon/ATP organic carbon (Functional Trophic Index), and ATP organic carbon/-ash-free dry weight organic carbon (Viability Index) were used to further assess the impact of perturbations on the biomass of the Aufwuchs community.
Late Oral Adverse Effects of Cancer Treatments

This chapter describes the late adverse events of cancer therapy involving the oral tissues. A summary of the normal anatomy and physiology is followed by a review of the clinical presentation and management of the late oral adverse events in cancer patients. As the oral tissues involved are variable, the nature and quantity of late oral complications are extremely diverse. The impact of these oral complications can result in significantly debilitating basic oral functions, negatively affecting the quality of life. It is well recognized that surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy are associated with oral and maxillofacial morbidity. Furthermore, cancer therapy modalities have developed substantially over the years, resulting in newer types of radiotherapy, newer concept of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and emerging novel targeted therapy. These new modalities introduced a new set of oral complications, in addition to the classical oral complications attributed to surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Notably some of the essential supportive therapies (such as bisphosphonates) have oral complications as well. The clinical approach to these oral complications will be outlined.
Student perception of premedical coursework in the anatomical sciences (535.3)

A common assumption among anatomy educators is that students take upper-level undergraduate anatomy courses to excel in post-graduate work in the health sciences; however, the motivations of these ...
Mini-open Rotator Cuff Repair

Rotator cuff pathology is a common cause of shoulder pain and disability, and becomes more common with advancing patient age. Most symptomatic rotator cuff disease is seen in patients in their fifth and sixth decades. Tears of the rotator cuff are associated with pain and weakness and can result in significant disability.1 However, it is also known that asymptomatic rotator cuff tears exist in a large percentage of patients, and the presence of asymptomatic tears increases with increasing age.1,2 The cause of a tear of the rotator cuff is debated, but is most likely related to a combination of several factors: (1) impingement against the subacromial arch, (2) age-related degeneration or atrophy, (3) overuse, and (4) trauma.1,3 The rationale for repairing the torn rotator cuff is derived from multiple published studies demonstrating improved function and decreased pain after rotator cuff repair and rehabilitation. Although complete healing of the tendon does not always occur, rotator cuff repair is recognized as a beneficial procedure by (1) relieving pain, (2) improving strength, and (3) improving range of motion in the affected shoulder. The earliest report of rotator cuff repair comes from Codman in 1911.4 Since then, many studies have demonstrated good outcomes with improved pain and function following formal open repair of the rotator cuff with decompression of the subacromial space and acromioplasty.5–12 The method by which the cuff is repaired, however, has changed over the past two decades, with a movement toward minimally invasive techniques, including both mini-open and arthroscopic repair. The mini-open or deltoid-splitting approach to the rotator cuff is a well-characterized procedure with excellent outcomes and is a useful and successful method of rotator cuff repair.
Designing Protocols in Support of Digital Library Componentization

Reusability always has been a controversial topic in Digital Library (DL) design. While componentization has gained momentum in software engineering in general, there has not been broad DL standardization in component interfaces. Recently, the Open Archives Initiative (OAI) has begun to address this by creating a standard protocol for accessing metadata archives. We propose that the philosophy and approach adopted by the OAI can be extended easily to support inter-component protocols. In particular, we propose building DLs by connecting small components that communicate through a family of lightweight protocols, using XML as the data interchange mechanism. In order to test the feasibility of this, a set of protocols was designed based on the work of the OAI. Components adhering to these protocols were implemented and integrated into production and research DLs. The performance of these components was analyzed from the perspective of execution speed, network traffic, and data consistency. On the whole, this work has shown promise in the approach of applying the fundamental concepts of the OAI protocol to the task of DL component design and implementation.
Decision combination in speech metadata extraction

Speech metadata extraction can both improve speech recognition and enable novel interactive voice response applications. Unlike the previous research, which concentrates on the frame-level signal processing and pattern classification, this paper systematically studies the behavior of decision combination at the utterance level. We analyze the asymptotic characteristics, and the factors affecting frame-level classification. In addition, we introduce new methods to more accurately and efficiently combine frame-level decisions, including phoneme/power-based weighting and smart sampling. Experimental results in gender classification are presented.
Recreational physical activity and risk of postmenopausal breast cancer in a large cohort of US women.

Due to its potential effects on ovarian hormone production, physical activity has been proposed as a modifiable risk factor for breast cancer. The authors analyzed data from the American Cancer Society Cancer Prevention Study II (CPS-II) Nutrition Cohort to examine the association between various measures of physical activity and postmenopausal breast cancer risk. Information on physical activity was obtained in 1992 via a self-administered questionnaire for 72,608 postmenopausal female participants who were cancer-free. During the five year prospective follow-up, 1520 incident breast cancer cases were identified among these women. Cox proportional hazards modeling was used to compute hazard rate ratios (RR) and to adjust for potential confounding factors including mammography. Women who were most physically active (>42.0 MET-h/week) at baseline had 29% lower incidence rates than active women with the least activity (>0–7.0 MET-h/week) (95% CI, 0.49–1.02). The difference in risk was largest for localized breast cancer, and for women who did not use hormone replacement therapy (HRT) at enrollment. Our findings are consistent with other studies that show lower risk of postmenopausal breast cancer associated with regular physical activity.
Arte, política y subjetividad. algunas reflexiones a partir del análisis del grupo de arte callejero

This article seeks to analyze some artistic interventions of the Grupo de Arte Callejero in order to shoot some reflections about the links between art, politics and subjectivity. To this purpose, at first, once it has been established the emergency context of this group and has been briefly narrated its configuration, motivations and main characteristics, the paper describes the practices on which the analysis is focused, namely: a group of actions grouped by the form of escrache (Carteles viales, Juicio y castigo, Carteles de la memoria y Aqui viven genocidas) and de case of Blancos Moviles. In a second analytical time, based on the aforementioned practices, the article deals with the ways of doing politics of the group and the topic of political subjectivity, showing how these practices, through the modes by which re-encode public space and appropriate it, are proof not only of renewed ways of doing politics from art but also of an intense work on the aesthetic dimension of politics.
The Handbook of Structured Life Review by Barbara K. Haight and Barrett S. Haight

The Handbook of Structured Life Review was developed to teach health professionals, as well as laypersons, how to conduct a structured life review. The structured life review process transforms the...
Farmer identities and responses to the social–biophysical environment

Abstract Row crop production in the United States (US) Midwest is responsible for a myriad of water pollution issues in the Mississippi River Basin and the Gulf of Mexico. US federal and state governments have spent billions of dollars since the 1930's to understand and develop biological and geophysical practices that will reduce the negative impacts of agriculture on these landscapes and water bodies. However, significantly fewer resources have been applied to understanding the human factor within this social–ecological system. Recently the social psychological framework known as farmer identity as been used to better understand how farmers view themselves as they perform their role as farmer. To empirically test this concept in the US state of Iowa, a farmer identity question was developed and data were collected as part of an annual survey of Iowa farmers. Four farmer identities (Productivist, Conservationist, Civic-minded, and Naturalist) are identified using principal components analysis and tested for their ability to predict support for farm policy scenarios related to soil and water resource protection. Results show that Productivist, Conservationist, and Naturalist identities were likely to be activated by soil and water policies; and the Civic-minded identity was not activated by soil and water policies in general but was significantly against more money for conservation because it might mean more regulation.
Why Are There Still So Many Jobs? The History and Future of Workplace Automation

In this essay, I begin by identifying the reasons that automation has not wiped out a majority of jobs over the decades and centuries. Automation does indeed substitute for laborâ��as it is typically intended to do. However, automation also complements labor, raises output in ways that leads to higher demand for labor, and interacts with adjustments in labor supply. Journalists and even expert commentators tend to overstate the extent of machine substitution for human labor and ignore the strong complementarities between automation and labor that increase productivity, raise earnings, and augment demand for labor. Changes in technology do alter the types of jobs available and what those jobs pay. In the last few decades, one noticeable change has been a "polarization" of the labor market, in which wage gains went disproportionately to those at the top and at the bottom of the income and skill distribution, not to those in the middle; however, I also argue, this polarization is unlikely to continue very far into future. The final section of this paper reflects on how recent and future advances in artificial intelligence and robotics should shape our thinking about the likely trajectory of occupational change and employment growth. I argue that the interplay between machine and human comparative advantage allows computers to substitute for workers in performing routine, codifiable tasks while amplifying the comparative advantage of workers in supplying problem-solving skills, adaptability, and creativity.
Development and validation of an immunosensor for monocyte chemotactic protein 1 using a silicon photonic microring resonator biosensing platform.

Abstract Objectives We report the development of an optical immunosensor for the detection of monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1) in serum samples. MCP-1 is a cytokine that is an emerging biomarker for several diseases/disorders, including ischemic cardiomyopathy, fibromyalgia, and some cancers. Design and methods The detection of MCP-1 was achieved by performing a sandwich immunoassay on a silicon photonic microring resonator sensor platform. The resonance wavelengths supported by microring sensors are responsive to local changes in the environment accompanying biomarker binding. This technology offers a modularly multiplexable approach to detecting analyte localization in an antibody-antigen complex at the sensor surface. Results The immunosensor allowed the rapid detection of MCP-1 in buffer and spiked human serum samples. An almost 2 order of magnitude linear range was observed, between 84.3 and 1582.1 pg/mL and the limits of blank and detection were determined to be 0.3 and 0.5 pg/mL, respectively. The platform's ability to analyze MCP-1 concentrations across a clinically-relevant concentration range was demonstrated. Conclusions A silicon photonic immunosensor technology was applied to the detection of clinically-relevant concentrations of MCP-1. The performance of the sensor was validated through a broad dynamic range and across a number of suggested clinical cut-off values. Importantly, the intrinsic scalability and rapidity of the technology makes it readily amenable to the simultaneous detection of multiplexed biomarker panels, which is particularly needed for the clinical realization of inflammatory diagnostics.
Strategies for Data Reorientation during Non-rigid Warps of Diffusion Tensor Images

This paper describes work on the registration of diffusion tensor images of the human brain. An existing registration algorithm, the multi-resolution, elastic matching algorithm, [1-3], has been adapted for this purpose. One problem with the application of such a method to this new data type is that transformations of the image affect the DT values at each voxel, as the orientation can change with respect to the surrounding anatomical structures. Three methods for the estimation of an appropriate reorientation of the data from the local displacement field, which describes the image transformation, are presented and tested. Results indicate that the best matches are obtained from a reorientation strategy that takes into account the effects of local shearing on the data as well as the rigid rotational component of the displacement. The methods presented here may be useful for the computation of region based similarity measures of single valued intensity images, which also vary with local image orientation.
Unified dosimetry index (UDI): a figure of merit for ranking treatment plans.

We have formulated a unified dosimetry index (UDI) that computes, for any given treatment plan, its deviations in terms of dose coverage, conformity, homogeneity, and dose gradient vis-a-vis an ideal plan (which we define as a dosimetry plan of perfect dose coverage, conformity, homogeneity, and step-wise fall-off to zero dose outside the planning target volume). In order to validate the UDI scoring system, 21 stereotactic cranial radiosurgery cases were evaluated retrospectively. The cases were planned on the BrainSCAN treatment planning system (BrainLAB, Feldkirchen, Germany) using 6 to 8 non-coplanar static beams collimated with the micro multi-leaf collimator (mMLC). We suggest a technique for creating a ranking system that can be utilized for plan evaluation and comparison between multiple plans. Under this system treatment plans are classified as "excellent", "good", "average", or "poor". The proposed ranking system can be utilized as a general guide for generating an optimal dosimetry plan for external beam radiation therapy.
The Role of Content in Inquiry-Based Elementary Science Lessons: An Analysis of Teacher Beliefs and Enactment

The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) Video Study explored instructional practices in the United States (US) in comparison with other countries that ranked higher on the 1999 TIMSS assessment, and revealed that 8th grade science teachers in the US emphasize activities over content during lessons (Roth et al. 2006). This study applies the content framework from the TIMSS Video Study to a sample of 28 3rd grade teachers enacting an inquiry-based unit on floating and sinking, and seeks a deeper understanding of teachers’ practices through analysis of interviews with those teachers. Transcripts of observed lessons were coded according to the TIMSS framework for types of content, and transcripts of teacher interviews were coded to capture the ways in which teachers described their role in and purposes for teaching science, particularly with respect to the floating and sinking unit. Results indicate that teachers focused more on canonical, procedural and experimental knowledge during lessons than on real-world connections and the nature of science; however, none of the types of content received major emphasis in a majority of the classrooms in the sample. During interviews, teachers described their practice in ways that prioritized helping students to like science over specific content outcomes. The study suggests that elementary school teachers’ emphasis on doing and feeling during inquiry-based lessons may interfere with teaching of content.
Skp2B overexpression alters a prohibitin-p53 axis and the transcription of PAPP-A, the protease of insulin-like growth factor binding protein 4

Background We previously reported that the degradation of prohibitin by the SCFSkp2B ubiquitin ligase results in a defect in the activity of p53. We also reported that MMTV-Skp2B transgenic mice develop mammary gland tumors that are characterized by an increased proteolytic cleavage of the insulin-like growth factor binding protein 4 (IGFBP-4), an inhibitor of IGF signaling. However, whether a link exists between a defect in p53 activity and proteolysis of IGFBP-4 was not established. Methods and Results We analyzed the levels of pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A), the protease of IGFBP-4, in MMTV-Skp2B transgenic mice and found that PAPP-A levels are elevated. Further, we found a p53 binding site in intron 1 of the PAPP-A gene and that both wild type and mutant p53 bind to this site. However, binding of wild type p53 results in the transcriptional repression of PAPP-A, while binding of mutant p53 results in the transcriptional activation of PAPP-A. Since MMTV-Skp2B mice express wild type p53 and yet show elevated levels of PAPP-A, at first, these observations appeared contradictory. However, further analysis revealed that the defect in p53 activity in Skp2B overexpressing cells does not only abolish the activity of wild type of p53 but actually mimics that of mutant p53. Our results suggest that in absence of prohibitin, the half-life of p53 is increased and like mutant p53, the conformation of p53 is denatured. Conclusions These observations revealed a novel function of prohibitin as a chaperone of p53. Further, they suggest that binding of denatured p53 in intron 1 causes an enhancer effect and increases the transcription of PAPP-A. Therefore, these findings indicate that the defect in p53 function and the increased proteolysis of IGFBP-4, we had observed, represent two components of the same pathway, which contributes to the oncogenic function of Skp2B.
A laser doppler velocimeter employing a scanning interferometer

All previously reported laser Doppler velocity measuring devices employ either the local oscillator-heterodyne type of coherent detection or a two-beam differential Doppler technique. A third method employing a passive interferometer is proposed and shown to have significant advantages.
Insurance coverage and financial burden for families of children with special health care needs.

Objective To examine the role of insurance coverage in protecting families of children with special health care needs (CSHCN) from the financial burden associated with care. Methods Data from the 2001 National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs were analyzed. We built 2 multivariate regression models by using "work loss/cut back" and "experiencing financial problems" as the dependent variables, and insurance status as the primary independent variable of interest while adjusting for income, race/ethnicity, functional limitation/severity, and other sociodemographic predictors. Results Approximately 29.9% of CSHCN live in families where their condition led parents to report cutting back on work or stopping work completely. Families of 20.9% of CSHCN reported experiencing financial difficulties due to the child's condition. Insurance coverage significantly reduced the likelihood of financial problems for families at every income level. The proportion of families experiencing financial problems was reduced from 35.7% to 23.0% for the poor and 44.9% to 24.5% for low-income families with continuous insurance coverage (P Conclusions Continuous health insurance coverage provides protection from financial burden and hardship for families of CSHCN in all income groups. This evidence is supportive of policies designed to promote universal coverage for CSHCN. However, many poor and low-income families continue to experience work loss and financial problems despite insurance coverage. Hence, health insurance should not be viewed as a solution in itself, but instead as one element of a comprehensive strategy to provide financial safety for families with CSHCN.