cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A comparative analysis of automated and manual measurements of volume fraction of inclusions in aluminum-alloy rolled sheets

Abstract Several automated and manual methods have been used for the determination of small volume fractions of inclusions in rolled sheets prepared from five aluminum 7075-T6 type alloys. It is found that the data obtained with automated systems can be biased for reasons other than statistical. These are (a) the lack of resolution, (b) the accuracy of grey value calibration, and (c) the polishing conditions. Methods using the optical microscope will, in general, provide values of V v biased by the lack of resolution of this instrument. For the size range of inclusions analyzed (0.1–10 μm) and for % V v ⋍ 1% , this error may be as large as 12% of V v . The lack of resolution of the optical-manual and automated methods was established by their comparison with a high-resolution SEM-manual point-counting technique. A practical method is suggested for the estimation of % errors of volume fraction measurements in oriented structures.
Location of the ‘missing’ 0+, T = 1 state in 26Al

Abstract In the 24Mg(τ,p)26Al reaction at a bombarding energy of 19.5 MeV, the state at Ex = 3.72 MeV is seen to be populated by an L = 0 transition and with the strength expected for a 0+, T = 1 state of the pure (K = 1 2 + ) 2 configuration. This result, together with previous information on 26Al, makes compelling the identification of this state as the ‘missing’ 0+, T = 1 analog to the 3.58 MeV state in 26Mg and the 3.32 MeV state in 26Si.
Mineral Deposits and Earth Evolution, Geological Society Special Publication 248. I. Mcdonald, A. J.Boyce, I. B. Butler, R. J. Herrington, and D. A. Polya, Editors. 268 Pp. London. 2005. ISBN 1-86239-182-3. Price £75.00.

This book contains 13 papers based on presentations at the Geological Society’s Fermor Flagship Meeting in 2003 on World Class Mineral Deposits and Earth Evolution. The volume begins with two papers on impact features and ore deposits. The first, by Grieve, is a review and classification of impact-hosted deposits that formed before, during, or after the impact. Among other things, it reviews evidence that the Sudbury magmas are of crustal origin and stops just short of telling us whether this crust was already enriched in Cu and Ni. The other paper, by Hayward et al., presents trace element evidence against significant mobility of Witwatersrand gold during the Vredefort impact event, and drives yet another nail in the coffin of the hydrothermal model. A second set of papers deals with ore deposits and tectonic processes. De Wit and Thiart show that Archean …
Measuring quality in heart failure: do we have the metrics?

As we approach the end of the first decade of the 21st century, it is evident that the epidemic of heart failure has not abated, nor have concerns about the quality of care received by patients with this condition. Recent data from the American Heart Association1 and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention2 reaffirm that the number of patients hospitalized with heart failure has grown steadily over the past 30 years. With aging of the US population, this trend will undoubtedly continue, but it is also noteworthy that the increase in heart failure hospitalizations over the past few decades is not limited to the Medicare population.2 Moreover, the outcome of heart failure patients after hospital discharge is not improving. Despite evidence-based guidelines, performance measures, quality improvement programs, and public reporting of hospital-level performance data, the number of patients dying or readmitted to hospitals within 30 days of hospital discharge has not declined3–6 and is equivalent in patients with depressed and those with preserved left ventricular systolic function.7 Hospital readmission is expensive and contributes to the increasing economic burden of heart failure, but this is often a preventable event. However, the characteristics of patients who will require rehospitalization have not been identified,5 and it is impossible to predict which patients will be readmitted. In many cases it is not the patient, but the healthcare system involving multiple providers and transitions of care, that makes the conditions ripe for high readmission rates. Article See p 29 The fundamental first step in identifying and correcting gaps in healthcare quality is setting standards of care through development of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. From quality indicators emphasized in guidelines, clinical performance measures can be derived to evaluate the quality of care provided by hospitals and by individual practitioners. …
Looking for the Balkan (Br)other: The National Gaze in Dzhanik Faiziev's The Turkish Gambit

Dzhanik Faiziev's 2005 The Turkish Gambit, based on Boris Akunin's novel of the same name, presents a spy story unfolding against the backdrop of the Russo-Turkish War (1877–78) in the Balkans (today's Bulgaria). Bulgarians occupy a particular place in the Russian imagination. During the Russo-Turkish War, Bulgarians entered the Russian cultural space as southern Orthodox Slavs in need of help. This image changed during the Soviet period, when Bulgaria was considered one of the most faithful Soviet satellites and also a favorite vacation spot which comforted with its familiar culture but offered enough differences with exotic southern touches. The post-Communist era, the turn of the twentieth century when the novel and film were created, brought more unexpected alterations to the Russian perception of Bulgarians. Analyzing the representation of Bulgaria and Bulgarians in Faiziev's film, I contend that the seemingly reassuring sameness is marked by awkward otherness. I utilize scholarship on Russia's imperial experience in relation to the Caucasus and its patterns of artistic othering in my analysis in order to shed more light on these patterns and reveal their persistent nature. To complicate matters further, I argue that Alexander Etkind's concept of “internal colonization” sheds some light on these alterations but falls short of fully illuminating Russia's post-Communist national anxieties.
Duplication of the Thumb A 20-year retrospective review

Thumb duplication is a common congenital abnormality accounting for 6.6% of all hand deformities. The object of the primary surgery is to achieve a thumb with aligned joint surfaces and epiphyses perpendicular to the long axis, central flexor and extensor tendons, and adequate collateral ligaments. Experienced surgeons with an understanding of the abnormal anatomy and knowledge of the numerous refinements in technique cannot guarantee a flawless result. Of 43 cases treated in this Unit during the period 1970-1989 49% were noted to have secondary deformities. Angulation at the IP and/or MP joints were the most commonly observed problems. Unsatisfactory results were seen with a greater frequency following correction of the more complex deformities.
Two-variable polynomials: intersecting zeros and stability

In order to construct two-variable polynomials with a certain zero behavior, the notion of intersecting zeros is studied. We show that generically two-variable polynomials have a finite set of intersecting zeros, and give an algorithm on how to construct a polynomial with the desired intersecting zeros. Relations with the Cayley-Bacharach theorem are addressed. In addition, we will also address the case when stable polynomials are sought.
The Acoustic Assessment of Voice in Continuous Speech

Acoustic measures are an essential component in the assessment of voice disorders, but the value of these measures is dependent on their relationship to perceptual voice quality and the degree to which these measures reflect the typical speaking patterns of the individual being assessed. Therefore, acoustic measures that can be accurately and reliably derived from continuous speech contexts, which are more representative of every day speaking patterns than sustained vowels, are fundamental to the assessment of voice. In this article, I review the current findings on acoustic measures that are applicable to continuous speech. I will identify spectral- and cepstral-based measures that show strong relationships to perceptual ratings of overall voice severity or relate to particular dimensions of voice quality. I also will discuss the prominence of the cepstral peak as a measure that consistently shows strong predictive capacity for perceptually rated voice severity and provides excellent discrimination of dy...
Extended Gallai's Theorem

Abstract Let G and H be graphs. We say G is H-critical, if every proper subgraph of G except G itself is homomorphic to H. This generalizes the widely known concept of k-color-critical graphs, as they are the case H = K k − 1 . In 1963 [T. Gallai, Kritiche Graphen, I., Magyar Tud. Akad. Mat. Kutato Int. Kozl. 8 (1963), 373-395], Gallai proved that the vertices of degree k in a K k -critical graph induce a subgraph whose blocks are either odd cycles or complete graphs. We generalize Gallai's Theorem for every H-critical graph, where H = K k − 2 + H ′ , (the join of a complete graph K k − 2 with any graph H ′ ). This answers one of the two unknown cases of a problem given in [J. Nesetřil, Y. Nigussie, Finite dualities and map-critical graphs on a fixed surface. (Submitted to Journal of Combin. Theory, Series B)]. We also propose an open question, which may be a characterization of all graphs for which Gallai's Theorem holds.
Subchronic sleep restriction causes tissue-specific insulin resistance.

Context: Short sleep duration is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Subchronic sleep restriction (SR) causes insulin resistance, but the mechanisms and roles of specific tissues are unclear. Objective: The purpose of this article was to determine whether subchronic SR altered (1) hepatic insulin sensitivity, (2) peripheral insulin sensitivity, and (3) substrate utilization. Design: This was a randomized crossover study in which 14 subjects underwent 2 admissions separated by a washout period. Each admission had 2 acclimatization nights followed by 5 nights of either SR (4 hours time in bed) or normal sleep (8 hours time in bed). Main Outcome Measure/Methods: Insulin sensitivity (measured by hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp) and hepatic insulin sensitivity (measured by stable isotope techniques) were measured. In addition, we assayed stress hormone (24-hour urine free cortisol, metanephrine, and normetanephrine), nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA), and β-hydroxybutyrate (β-OH butyrate) lev...
Functional Requirements for Online Tools to Support Community-Led Collections Building

The Digital Water Education Library collection (DWEL) is being generated by primary and secondary school teachers in the United States. This complex process involves both individual research and team design, and the use of a variety of online tools, such as an online cataloguing tool. Interactions amongst DWEL members are being ethnographically analysed in order to identify requirements for further development of these tools. The analysis suggests that many DWEL members envision their work as occurring in an integrated environment with stable documents, a situation which is not supported by the current configuration of DWEL tools. The design implications of these findings are reviewed.
Low-frequency atmospheric radio noise in Florida

On the basis of data obtained at frequencies of 15, 52, 189, and 530 kc at Gainesville, Florida, a study was made of diurnal and seasonal variations in average noise level, and of average frequency spectra. Both diurnal and seasonal variations in noise intensity were found to depend on frequency and on propagation conditions. The seasonal variations were found to conform fairly closely to sine functions at 15 and 52 kc, and somewhat less closely at the higher frequencies. The diurnal variation of the frequency spectrum of noise also indicated to some degree the effect of propagation conditions on noise level. The possibility is pointed out that the average noise spectrum in the frequency range 10-500 kc at the source of the noise is constant. The noise level was found to be almost directly proportional to wavelength during periods when propagation conditions had no appreciable effect. During sudden ionospheric disturbances the noise levels rose, indicating the incidence of ionospheric conditions similar to those experienced at night.
β-Blockers and Depression: The More the Murkier?:

OBJECTIVE:To review the literature regarding the purported association between oral ingestion of β-blocker drugs and depressed mood.DATA SOURCE:MEDLINE was searched for published articles using the key words propranolol, atenolol, metoprolol, nadolol, timolol, β-blocker, β-adrenergic antagonist, or β-adrenergic blocker in combination with the key words depression, depressive symptomatology, major depressive disorder, or depressed mood from January 1966 through December 1996.DATA SYNTHESIS:Findings regarding the association are equivocal. Plausible explanations include study design, case definition, and confounding disease states. Most of the evidence supporting an association has used case series and case reports. Findings from cross-sectional observational studies and case–control studies are equivocal. Case definition and measurement instruments may partially explain these inconsistencies. Studies using a diagnosis of depression generally do not support the relationship. Trials using depressive symptoms...
Exploiting pipelining to tolerate wire delays in a programmable-reconfigurable processor

As fabrication technologies advance, increasing wire delays in semiconductor systems are leading to larger and larger gaps between the clock rates of circuits implemented in reconfigurable logic and those of conventional microprocessors. In this paper, we present a pipelining scheme for the Amalgam programmable-reconfigurable processor that divides long wire delays into multi-cycle operations and supports overlapping of independent computations. On streaming benchmark programs, this pipelining scheme increases the clock rates of Amalgam's reconfigurable clusters by up to 72%, allowing the pipelined Amalgam to maintain a 2.6/spl times/ performance advantage over a purely-programmable processor in a wide range of fabrication processes.
PGSE-NMR & Sans from TPB Based Microemulsions

Self-diffusion coefficients from pulsed-gradient spin-echo NMR are reported for four components of the tetradecylpyridinium bromide - 85% heptane/15% pentanol - water pseudoternary system. Measurements were taken throughout the inverted microemulsion region and also in a small isotropic region beyond the domain of lamellar liquid crystals. Observations of the self-diffusion coefficients for water relative to those of the surfactant, oil and alchohol show several distinct structural transitions within the water-in-oil region of the phase diagram. The smaller isotropic region exhibits a complete inversion of phase relative to the water-in-oil region. Conductivity measurements were used to further clarify the NMR data. Subsequent small angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements on the same system show the transition from the single particle (heavy water + Stern layer droplet) scattering regime at low water concentration to the mixed single/interdroplet scattering regime when the intermicellar distance becomes comparable to the size of the micelles.
Active motion-based segmentation of human body outlines

We present an integrated approach towards the segmentation and shape estimation of human body outlines. Initially, we assume that the human body consists of a single part, and we fit a deformable model to the given data using our physics-based shape and motion estimation framework. As an actor attains different postures, new protrusions emerge on the outline. We model these changes in the shape using a new representation scheme consisting of a parametric composition of deformable models. This representation allows us to identify the underlying human parts that gradually become visible, by monitoring the evolution of shape and motion parameters of the composed models. Based on these parameters, their joint locations are identified. The algorithm is applied iteratively over subsequent frames until all moving parts are identified. We demonstrate the technique in a series of experiments with very encouraging results. >
Remote Control of Quality Using Ethernet Vision and Web-enabled Robotic System

A dynamic, globalized and customer driven market brings opportunities and threats to companies, depending on the response speed and production strategies. One strategy is concurrent engineering (CE) that focuses on improving the product development process, by the consideration of various factors associated with the life cycle of the product from the early stages. Design for manufacturing (DFM) has proven to be an effective approach to implement CE concept. Recently, an important DFM concept in product quality has drawn much attention from both academia and industry. This is because intense domestic and international competition has put more emphasis on quality. This study investigates the feasibility of integrating Ethernet-based vision system and assembly robot for the purpose of remote quality control. The accuracy and repeatability of the system were tested and verified over the Internet, prior to the quality inspection. The web-enabled quality check and robotic operations present many benefits, such ...
Wideband adaptive arrays based on the coherent signal-subspace transformation

This paper presents a family of adaptive arrays which are based on approximations of the Coherent Signal-Subspace (CSS) processing method [1]. This approach requires a preliminary estimation of the directions of arrival of the signals. The array structure includes a frequency-dependent transformation stage followed by a narrowband constrained nulling procedure. If the exact CSS transformation is used, it is shown that the steering and nulling bandwidth of the array becomes infinite. Realizable approximations to the exact transformation are then presented.
SERIES EXPANSION OF THE SABR JOINT DENSITY

Under the SABR stochastic volatility model, pricing and hedging contracts that are sensitive to forward smile risk (e.g., forward starting options, barrier options) require the joint transition density. In this paper, we address this problem by providing closed-form representations, asymptotically, of the joint transition density. Specifically, we construct an expansion of the joint density through a hierarchy of parabolic equations after applying total volatility-of-volatility scaling and a near-Gaussian coordinate transformation. We then establish an existence result to characterize the truncation error and provide explicit joint density formulas for the first three orders. Our approach inherits the same spirit of a small total volatility-of-volatility assumption as in the original SABR analysis. Our results for the joint transition density serve as a basis for managing forward smile risk. Through numerical experiments, we illustrate the accuracy of our expansion in terms of joint density, marginal density, probability mass, and implied volatilities for European call options.
Susceptibility of select agents to predation by predatory bacteria

Select Agents are microorganisms and toxins considered to be exploitable as biological weapons. Although infections by many Select Agents can be treated by conventional antibiotics, the risk of an emerging or engineered drug resistant strain is of great concern. One group of microorganisms that is showing potential to control drug resistant Gram-negative bacteria are the predatory bacteria from the genera Bdellovibrio spp. and Micavibrio spp. In this study, we have examined the ability of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus (B. bacteriovorus) strain 109J, HD100 and Micavibrio aeruginosavorus (M. aeruginosavorus) ARL-13 to prey on a variety of Select Agents. Our findings demonstrate that B. bacteriovorus and M. aeruginosavorus are able to prey efficiently on Yersinia pestis and Burkholderia mallei. Modest predation was also measured in co-cultures of B. bacteriovorus and Francisella tularensis. However, neither of the predators showed predation when Burkholderia pseudomallei and Brucella melitensis were used as prey.
Carbon nanotube based spectrum infrared detectors

Carbon nanotubes (CNT) have a potential to be efficient infrared (IR) detection materials due to their unique electronic properties. The ballistic electronic transport property makes the noise equivalent temperature difference smaller compared to other semi-conducting materials. By overlaying CNT-based mid-IR (3-5μ) detectors on a long-wave IR (8-15μ) focal plane array, the mid-IR detector causes no filters loss. In order to verify this approach, a single pixel CNT- based infrared photodetector is fabricated by depositing the CNTs on the substrate surface and then aligning them using the atomic force microscopy (AFM)-based nanomanipulation system. Functionality of the single pixel CNT infrared detector is then verified and dark current is analyzed experimentally.
Notes From the Incoming Editor

In July of this year, a new team of editors will assume leadership of Circulation . We follow in the footsteps of visionary leaders in our field who have established and fostered a journal of impeccable reputation. Our team has been afforded the opportunity to capitalize on the richness and remarkable strengths of Circulation , indeed the entire portfolio of Circulation journals. Our profession—and I personally—owe a sincere debt of gratitude to Dr Joseph Loscalzo, his team of editors, and the editors who preceded them. Looking to the future, cardiovascular science and medicine face a wide range of challenges and unprecedented opportunities. In Circulation , we will bring robust energy and dedication to our opportunity to help shape the future of cardiovascular medicine. We have conceived a model that is innovative and novel, one in which we capitalize on changes in cardiovascular disease, cardiovascular science, technology, and more. Just as heart disease, vascular disease, and stroke are evolving, so will we. As technological advances proliferate, we will evolve in innovative ways to capitalize on those advances. Circulation will be innovative, and we will not be afraid to experiment. We will launch bold initiatives, and we hope that many of them will succeed. Likely, some will fail. These “experiments” in medical publishing will be coupled with …
Dollars and Sense: Ethnically Based Redistribution in Bipolar States

In this essay, I examine how ethnically based redistributive (EBR) policies impact, and are impacted by, electoral democracy and its attendant institutions in post-colonial states characterized by bipolar identity distributions. EBRs consist of those public policies that take resources from one or more ethnic communities in a society and target them towards specific groups with the stated intention of lessening the gap in economic performance between ethnic groups. My main contention is that EBRs are less oriented towards “leveling the playing field” between ethnic groups in post-colonial states and are more oriented towards creating and maintaining a dominant ethnic core. In terms of its impact on democracy, I suggest that these policies are an important part of an overall strategy that can maintain some degree of interethnic stability in light of the sometimes centrifugal tensions inherent in ethnic politics. Unfortunately, this stability comes at the cost of full and equal democratic participation by all ethnic groups. By extension, this implies that the difficulties often attributed to democratic reforms are less institutional and more closely related to the persistence of anti-democratic mythologies that reject political dominance by non-majority communities.
A Novel Pressure Control Mechanism for Common Rail Fuel Injection Systems

This paper presents the modeling of a novel pressure control mechanism for a common rail (CR) fuel injection system of internal combustion engines (ICE). The pressure fluctuations in the common rail caused by multiple injections negatively affect the accuracy of both injected fuel quantities and flow rates. The objective of this work is to design a new control mechanism to suppress the pressure pulsation in the rail. First we develop a one-dimensional distributed model for the common rail by using basic fluid flow equations, which can capture the distributed dynamics of the pressure disturbances in the rail and this result is validated with a physics based simulation model in AMESIM® . The periodic nature of injection event due to stroke by stroke motion of the ICE generates disturbance in the rail which in the rotational angle domain presents a primarily periodic signal. However, the period changes in the time domain due to the variation in engine speed. We then propose the concept of an active fluid storage device like a piezoelectric actuator (PZT) to minimize this pressure fluctuations. The location of the actuator on the common rail has also been evaluated to maximize its effect. Finally a time-varying repetitive controller is designed to compensate for the periodic pressure disturbances in the rotational angle domain.© 2009 ASME
Effects of Experience and Task Relevance on the Ability to Detect Changes in a Real-World Task

The effect of task experience on the allocation of visual attention in a real-world task was investigated by comparing three different experience groups (naive, typical, and expert) on a change det...
Ovarian Blood Flow in the Rat: Association with Body Weight, the Estrous Cycle, and Pseudopregnancy

The relationships of ovarian blood flow (OBF) to ovarian function, body weight, cyclic state, and age of the corpus luteum were studied in aging rats with acutely implanted electromagnetic blood flow probes. Ovarian function was monitored by estimation of serum 17-beta-estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P) levels during (i) different stages of body maturation as indexed by body weight, and (ii) various stages of the estrous and pseudopregnancy (PSP) cycles. A distinct elevation in basal OBF rates was observed to occur in relation to body weight/age. Basal OBF rates and body weight exhibited a near linear correlation (r = 0.985; P less than or equal to 0.001) between 200 and 260 g, with a rise in mean basal OBF rates from 1.1 to 3.2 ml/min occurring in Day-8 PSP rats (Day 0 = ovulation). In weight-regulated (greater than or equal to 250 g) cycle rats, OBF increased in parallel with serum E2 levels during the proestrus-estrus period in association with ovulation, and subsequently declined to basal levels on diestrus. In PSP rats, OBF remained elevated between Days 1 and 8, during the period of peak luteal function. Between Days 8 and 12, both OBF and luteal function declined in a parallel manner as the ovary prepared for the subsequent ovulatory period. These results indicate that during the estrous cycle, OBF rates and serum E2 levels rise in a parallel manner, whereas during PSP, serum P levels and OBF are positively correlated. The parallel decline in OBF and serum P during luteolysis suggest that both parameters are functionally related and may be regulated by either a systemic or intraovarian controlling mechanism.
The Doctrine of the Mean as Derived from the Book of Changes

The doctrine of the mean in traditional Chinese philosophy was derived from the Book of Changes(Yi),which advocates a balanced middle approach to life problems.when it regarded all good results were presented by the propitious mean position of Yao.The ideology was inherited and developed by both Confucianism and Taoism,but each in different ways.Confucianism upheld the practice of the doctrine of the mean and therefore developed a value of moderation between extremes.On the other hand,Taoism preached for going back to the original state of man,and valued retuning to nature and taking no action.Like the two sides of a coin,Confucianism and Taoism worked together to have perfected the unique value of the golden mean,which played the most important role in Chinese culture.
Analysis of Physical and Chemical Deterioration of Polymeric Coatings for Structural Steel

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a series of results on the photo degradation of polymer-based coatings induced by UVA, UVB, Xe-light and natural light irradiation as studied by slow positron annihilation and electron spin resonance methods. The S-parameter and o-Ps intensity from the positron method are found to decrease with exposure time. Current results show that the slow positron technique is a sensitive tool for detecting coating degradation in a time much earlier than any existing testing methods. The electron spin resonance results show promise for identifying the specific chemical bonds or locations that are responsible for the deterioration of coatings. Combining these two atomic and molecular testing methods will be pursued next in a systematic way for both commercial products and model compounds. The next major research activity is to perform engineering tests and to corelate change in macroscopic engineering properties with observed nanoscale changes detected by PAS and ESR.
Arterial stiffness variations by gender in African-American and Caucasian children.

OBJECTIVE: Most arterial stiffness studies have been conducted in adult populations as a part of the aging process in the arterial system. Arterial stiffness is an important early marker of disease identification that may lead to improved cardiovascular health. The aim of this study was to assess the gender and ethnic differences in the arterial stiffness levels among children and adolescents. DESIGN: From a subgroup of schoolchildren who participated in a prospective cohort study in Minnesota, Caucasian and African-American children who completed 16 timed visits were included in this report (n=487). The participants were followed from 1978 (7.68 +/- 0.72 years) to 1987 (16.65 +/- 0.71 years). A surrogate measure of arterial stiffness-arterial pulse pressure (APP in mmHg)--was used. RESULTS: Adjusted APP differences started to appear around 12.67 years and persisted throughout the study. Boys consistently had higher APP levels than the girls. Ethnic differences in adjusted APP levels were observed at an earlier age (7.68 years) but did not persist after age 10. CONCLUSION: APP levels were different between gender and ethnic groups in youth. These early indications of arterial stiffness warrant further exploration of arterial stiffness etiology.
Cerebellar Cognitive Affective Syndrome

Neuropsychological effects of cerebellar tumor resection were evaluated in 19 children at the Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA.
Technologies for secure RFID authentication of medicinal pills and capsules

This paper addresses the problem of counterfeiting of medicines in the form of pills and capsules by proposing a novel micron-scale secure RFID tag that would be inserted into the pill or capsule during the manufacturing process. For secure identification and authentication, a tagged pill or capsule would be scanned by a small inexpensive RFID reader, and key medicine information such as the drug type, manufacturer, and expiration date would be retrieved from a secure database. This application is enabled by an RFID tag integrated circuit (IC) incorporating an on-chip ID storage and custom security engine with a novel on-chip antenna (OCA) structure that has the potential to achieve an order of magnitude greater working distance at constant power level when compared to prior art passive single-chip silicon RFID tags with OCAs. This paper describes the proposed solution in detail and presents analysis, electromagnetic simulation, and circuit simulation results supporting its design and performance.
Bone Marrow Stem Cell-Stimulating Factors and Brain Recovery After Stroke

Stroke is a major cause of death and long-term neurological disability in adults worldwide. In the United States alone, stroke presents a serious public health problem, and it has created heavy public and personal financial burdens. By contrast to the severity of stroke in public health, the treatment of stroke is very limited. Currently, a clot-dissolving drug (rtPA) is the only treatment available for ischemic stroke. The majority of stroke patients are not able to receive this treatment due to the narrow therapeutic window: 4.5 h after stroke onset. Developing new treatment that fits the majority of stroke patients is a huge challenge for stroke research. Over the past decade, numerous studies have shown the therapeutic potential of stem cell factor (SCF) and granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), the two essential hematopoietic growth factors, in acute, subacute, and chronic stroke. In this chapter, we have reviewed the biological function of SCF and G-CSF in both the hematopoietic system and central nervous system, summarized the progress of SCF and G-CSF research in adult ischemic stroke in both basic and clinical studies, and discussed the directions for future studies.
Coexistence and B(E2)'s in 42 Ca

Abstract New data have just appeared for Coulomb excitation of 42Ca, providing E2 transition matrix elements connecting several low-lying states. I have applied a simple two-state mixing model to the lowest two 0 + , 2 + , and 4 + states in order to fit the experimental matrix elements. Results indicate that the 0 + and 4 + states are nearly pure, whereas the 2 + states are strongly mixed. My excited band is found to be about 3.6 times more collective than the ground band.
Inequality trends in proximal and distal colon cancers.

565Background: Recently, the USPHTF released new colon cancer screening guidelines. No priority was given to any screening method. Given studies showing that Blacks had a greater proportion of proximal cancers, we sought to better highlight the inequalities in outcomes in order to consider the appropriateness of sigmoidoscopies versus colonoscopies. Methods: The SEER database was utilized to pull incidence and 5 year relative survival data (1992-2013). Patients aged 50-84 were divided by race and percentage of a county’s population below the poverty line ( 15%). Adenocarcinomas were divided between distal cancer in the sigmoid, rectum, and anus versus cancer in the remainder of the colon. This data was analyzed using HDCalc, modelling rate difference, rate ratio, and the Index of Disparity. The Joinpoint regression program was then used to model Average Annual Percent Change (AAPC). Results: The AAPC in distal cancer incidence among Whites (-3.2%, [95% CI = -3.5%, -2.8%], p < 0.05) was greater than...
Absence of a secondary glucocorticoid response in C57BL/6J mice treated with topical dexamethasone

Glucocorticoids such as dexamethasone can cause an increase in intraocular pressure (IOP) in some of the population, but not all. In this paper we used a mouse model of glucocorticoid induced ocular hypertension to examine the changes in the anterior segment of the eye in mice that failed to respond to glucocorticoid treatment with a sustained increase in IOP. C57BL/6J mice were treated with either 0.1% dexamethasone sodium phosphate ophthalmic solution or sterile PBS 3 times daily for up to 5 weeks. IOP was measured weekly at approximately the same time of the day. After 3-5 weeks of treatment, eyes were enucleated and evaluated for changes associated with steroid induced glaucoma. These studies showed that IOP was significantly elevated in dexamethasone (DEX) treated mice compared to PBS treated mice after 3 weeks of treatment, but IOP in DEX treated mice returned to baseline levels after 5 weeks of treatment. All the mice demonstrated a response to the glucocorticoid treatments and showed an elevation in FKBP5 expression after both 3 and 5 weeks of DEX treatment (primary glucocorticoid response protein) and a weight loss. Western blot analysis of anterior segments from treated mice, however, did not show an increase in secondary glucocorticoid response proteins such as β3 integrin or myocilin. Fibronectin levels were also not statistically different. The data suggest that in mice, which do not exhibit a prolonged increase in IOP in response to the DEX treatment, there is a compensatory mechanism that can prevent or turn off the secondary glucocorticoid response.
Effects of solvent parameters on the electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry response of glucose

Rationale The importance of saccharides, the most abundant biomolecules on Earth, extends beyond their biological roles and to consumer products and industrial processes. Electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS) is an attractive tool for the analysis of underivatized saccharides (US), but they tend to have relatively low sensitivities due to their low surface activities and lack of easily protonable or deprotonable chemical groups. An understanding of the influences that solvent parameters have on their signal intensities would enhance the usefulness of ESI-MS/MS for their analysis. Methods Solutions of glucose, a model analyte for US, in various combinations of solvent, additive, additive concentration, and pH were analyzed by flow injection analysis ESI-MS/MS in both the positive and negative ionization mode. The blank-corrected signal intensities of the solvent parameter combinations were then compared. Results The addition of acetonitrile led to severe ionization suppression in the positive ionization mode through its competition with glucose for cation adduction. High signal intensity was achieved under wide pH and concentration ranges for methanol: water solutions containing ammonium trifluoroacetate in the positive ionization mode. The highest signal intensities for acetonitrile: water solutions were those containing ammonium formate or lithium fluoride in the negative ionization mode. Conclusions An understanding of the influence of solvent parameters on the signal intensity of a given analyte is useful for guiding the selection process of mobile phases/flow solvents that lead to low limits of detection or the minimization of matrix effects by allowing its detection at high dilution factors.
Clinical outcomes of patients with resected, early-stage ALK-positive lung cancer.

Abstract Objectives Reports of the prognostic significance of ALK-rearrangement in resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have been contradictory. We aimed to determine the prognosis of early-stage ALK-positive lung cancers relative to KRAS- and EGFR-mutant lung cancers. Material and methods We reviewed medical records of patients with resected NSCLC harboring an ALK rearrangement (n = 29) or a driver mutation in EGFR (n = 255) or KRAS (n = 480). Recurrence-free survival (RFS) was estimated for each genotype with the differences reported as a hazard ratio (HR). Results Among the 764 patients, 555 (73%), 101 (13%), and 108 (14%) had stage I, II, and III NSCLC, respectively. ALK-positive patients were distributed across all stages: 10 (34%) stage I, 6 (21%) stage II, and 13 (45%) stage III. Median RFS was not reached for EGFR-mutant patients, 24.3 months (95%CI 11.4–65.3) for ALK-positive patients, and 72.9 months (95%CI 59.7 to undefined) for KRAS-mutant patients. When adjusted for stage, ALK-positive NSCLC remained associated with worse RFS compared to EGFR-mutant (HR 1.8, 95%CI: 1.1-3.1), but not when compared to KRAS-mutant (HR 1.3, 95%CI: 0.8-2.1) NSCLC. Conclusions In this large series of resected NSCLC, ALK rearrangements were associated with a trend toward inferior disease outcomes compared to other clinically relevant genomic subsets. These data support the need for clinical trials evaluating use of ALK inhibitors among ALK-positive patients with localized or locally-advanced disease.
Increased tau phosphorylation follows impeded dopamine clearance in a P301L and novel P301L/COMT-deleted (DM) tau mouse model.

In Alzheimer’s disease, the phosphorylation of tau is a critical event preceding the formation of neurofibrillary tangles. Previous work exploring the impact of a dopamine blocking antipsychotic on tau phosphorylation in a tau transgenic model suggested that extracellular dopamine may play a regulatory role in the phosphorylation state of tau. In order to test this hypothesis, and in order to develop a mouse model of impaired dopamine metabolism and tauopathy, an extant P301L transgenic tau model of Alzheimer’s disease and a novel P301L/catechol-O-methyltransferase deleted model (DM mouse) were treated with the norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor reboxetine, and prefrontal dopamine concentrations and the phosphorylated state of tau was quantified. In two experiments, male and female P301L+/+//COMT+/+ and P301L+/+//COMT−/− (DM) mice were treated with reboxetine 20 mg/kg IP. In one experiment, acutely following reboxetine injection, the prefrontal cortex of mice were microdialyzed for dopamine, and its metabolites, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and homovanillic acid, utilizing the MetaQuant technique. In another experiment, acutely following reboxetine injections, tau phosphorylation was quantified in the frontal cortex, striatum, and hippocampus of the mice. Reboxetine injections were followed by significant increases from baseline in extracellular dopamine concentrations in P301L and DM mice, with significantly higher peak levels in the DM mice. Treatment was also followed by increases in tau phosphorylation spread throughout brain regions, with a larger impact on female mice. Extracellular dopamine concentrations exert an influence on the phosphorylation state of tau, with surges in dopamine associating with acute increases in tau phosphorylation.
Integrated Mitochondrial Function and Cancer-Related Fatigue in Men With Prostate Cancer Undergoing Radiation Therapy

Introduction Fatigue experienced by cancer patients is one of the most common symptoms with the greatest adverse effect on quality of life, but arguably the least understood. The purpose of this study was to explore changes in integrated mitochondrial function and fatigue in non-metastatic prostate cancer patients receiving localized radiation therapy (XRT). Materials and methods We proposed a mitochondrial bioenergetics mechanism of radiation-induced fatigue linking impaired oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) through complex III and decreased adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production as consequences of XRT. Integrated mitochondrial function was measured as mitochondrial OXPHOS from patients' peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Fatigue was measured using the revised Piper Fatigue Scale. Data were collected before (day 0) and at day 21 of XRT. Results At day 21 of XRT, fatigue symptom intensified in 15 prostate cancer patients (P<0.05). Mitochondrial OXPHOS complex III-linked and uncoupled complex III rates were significantly decreased in mononuclear cells at day 21 during XRT compared to that before XRT (P<0.05). Additionally, increased fatigue appeared to be associated with decreased OXPHOS complex III-linked respiration in patients undergoing XRT. Conclusion Fatigue was associated with OXPHOS complex III-linked oxidation and a defect in oxidation starting at complex III in mononuclear cell mitochondria was revealed at day 21 of XRT in 15 prostate cancer patients. Complex III is a potential target for pharmacological and, in particular, nutraceutical interventions, eg, Q10, for design of interventions for CRF.
Adapting to Access Locality via Live Data Migration in Globally Distributed Datastores

Storing data close to where it is used improves the performance of cloud applications. However, data access patterns change dynamically over time. Many datastores statically shard data making locality-adaptation difficult, and some provide limited capability for controlling the data-placement or migration. This leads to increased latency, reduced throughput, and expensive operations. To address this problem, we investigate the requirements for live data-migration and design four data-migration polices. Our policies use heuristics to determine the optimal data placement based on the access locality in the workload and load-balancing constraints. We show that even simple heuristics can be effective, and the topology-aware policies demonstrate overall better results with up to 70% latency improvement in medium locality workloads and nearly 95% improvement in workloads exhibiting very strong single-region access locality.
Blood plasma versus serum: which is right for sampling circulating membrane microvesicles in human subjects?

We have read with great interest the article by Kato and colleagues regarding the ‘Apoptosis-derived membrane vesicles drive the cGAS–STING pathway and enhance type I IFN production in systemic lupus erythematosus’.1 However, we are concerned that the authors studied exclusively blood serum, that is, all blood samples from their patients with lupus and healthy controls were coagulated ex vivo before analysis. At least three major changes can occur to the population of membrane microvesicles (MVs) during coagulation in a test tube. First, a subset of circulating MVs participate in, and become consumed by, clotting. For example, studies from our group and others indicated that over half of the total membrane MVs in blood plasma …
An emergency ECG sign of ST elevation myocardial infarction.

The occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) is usually characterized by the ST-segment elevation associated with a tall and peaked T wave in precordial leads. We reported a case who suffered from typical chest pain and tall and positively symmetrical T waves in leads V2–6, J point depression with upsloping ST-segment depression. However, the coronary angiogram demonstrated a 100% occlusion of midshaft LAD artery. Recognition of this atypical electrocardiogram (ECG) pattern can ensure immediate reperfusion therapy regarding acute myocardial infarction.
Upstream Liability, Entities as Boards, and the Theory of the Firm

Directors have fiduciary duties, and the most litigated and most demanding of those duties is the duty of loyalty. The key questions for duty of loyalty litigation are director- by-director questions: Did this particular director have a conflict? Is it futile to make a demand on that particular director? What does it mean to ask director-by-director questions if corporations have just one director, which is itself an entity? Shall we inquire about particular humans in the managing entity or limit our analysis to the entity itself? The question becomes richer and more important if the board-entities opt to bundle services: We know how to evaluate a conflict when a director urges the company to patronize her own accounting or banking firm. How should we evaluate the conflict if a managing entity opts to use its own accounting or banking department? Our conflict analysis is usually of contractual transactions but the essence of the Coasian firm is the absence of a contract to analyze. I explore how the duty of loyalty might work when entities manage entities and uncover important lessons about how loyalty works.
Transcriptional Response to Genome Editing Machinery in CD34+ HSPCs

Abstract Genome editing technology is now being translated to the clinic. However, the cellular effects of genome editing machinery have yet to be fully elucidated. Here, we performed global gene expression microarrays on human CD34+ HSPCs that underwent editing. In addition to probing effects of the entire editing process, we sought to parse out contributions of each component individually, including electroporation, Cas9 (mRNA or protein) with gRNA, and AAV6. Of these, treatment with Cas9 mRNA resulted in the greatest number of differentially-expressed genes and gene ontology (GO) processes. Cas9 mRNA evoked dramatic immune and viral responses as well as global transcriptional down-regulation, particularly of metabolic and cell cycle GOs. Electroporation also induced a large degree of transcriptional change, particularly in immune and apoptotic processes. However, AAV6 evoked no detectable viral or immune response. Among the relatively small number of enriched GOs in Cas9/gRNA ribonucleoprotein (RNP)- and AAV6-treated HSPCs, we observed DNA damage and apoptotic responses. Therefore, we sought to determine if inhibition of apoptosis could reduce loss of viability upon editing. We found that treating cells with irreversible caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK significantly improved cell viability during the editing process in HSPCs. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.