cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ephemeral Mechanisms and Historical Explanation

While much of the recent literature on mechanisms has emphasized the superiority of mechanisms and mechanistic explanation over laws and nomological explanation, paradigmatic mechanisms—e.g., clocks or synapses—actually exhibit a great deal of stability in their behavior. And while mechanisms of this kind are certainly of great importance, there are many events that do not occur as a consequence of the operation of stable mechanisms. Events of natural and human history are often the consequence of causal processes that are ephemeral and capricious. In this paper I shall argue that, notwithstanding their ephemeral nature, these processes deserve to be called mechanisms. Ephemeral mechanisms share important characteristics with their more stable cousins, and these shared characteristics will help us to understand connections between scientific and historical explanation.
Energy Conditions in the Epoch of Galaxy Formation

The energy conditions of Einsteinian gravity (classical general relativity) do not require one to fix a specific equation of state. In a Friedmann-Robertson-Walker universe where the equation of state for the cosmological fluid is uncertain, the energy conditions provide simple, model-independent, and robust bounds on the behavior of the density and look-back time as a function of red shift. Current observations suggest that the “strong energy condition” was violated sometime between the epoch of galaxy formation and the present. This implies that no possible combination of “normal” matter is capable of fitting the observational data.
Continuously infused intrathecal baclofen over 12 months for spastic hypertonia in adolescents and adults with cerebral palsy

Abstract Meythaler JM, Guin-Renfroe S, Law C, Grabb P, Hadley MN. Continuously infused intrathecal baclofen over 12 months for spastic hypertonia in adolescents and adults with cerebral palsy. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2001;82:155-61. Objective: To determine if the continuous intrathecal delivery of baclofen will control spastic hypertonia caused by long-standing cerebral palsy (CP). Design: Case series. Setting: Tertiary care outpatient and inpatient rehabilitation center directly attached to a university hospital. Patients: Thirteen CP patients (average age, 25yr; range, 13-43yr) with intractable spastic hypertonia and quadriparesis (one of whom had predominate diplegia) who had not responded to oral medications including baclofen. Intervention: Patients were screened via a bolus injection of baclofen intrathecally. Those who dropped an average of 2 points on their lower extremity (LE) Ashworth scores were offered computer-controlled pump implantation for 12 months of continuous delivery of intrathecal baclofen (ITB). Main Outcome Measures: Ashworth rigidity scores, spasm scores, and deep tendon reflex scores were collected for both the upper extremities (UEs) and LEs. Differences over time were assessed via descriptive statistics and Wilcoxon's signed-rank test. Results: After 1 year of continuous ITB treatment, the average LE Ashworth score ± standard deviation decreased from 3.4 ± 1.2 to 1.5 ± 0.7 ( p p =.1024), and reflex score from 2.5 ± 1.2 to 0.7 ± 1.1 ( p p p =.0135), and reflex score from 2.3 ± 0.7 to 0.5 ± 0.9 ( p Conclusion: Continuously infused ITB can reduce spastic hypertonia in the UEs and LEs associated with long-standing CP. This reduction in tone will allow more freedom of movement and the potential for improved function.
Spatial variations in slip rate along the Death Valley-Fish Lake Valley fault system determined from LiDAR topographic data and cosmogenic 10Be geochronology

[1] The Death Valley-Fish Lake Valley fault zone (DV-FLVFZ) is a prominent dextral fault system in the eastern California shear zone (ECSZ). Combining offset measurements determined with LiDAR topographic data for two alluvial fans with terrestrial cosmogenic nuclide 10Be ages from the fan surfaces yields a late Pleistocene slip rate of ∼2.5 to 3 mm/yr for the northern part of the DV-FLVFZ in Fish Lake Valley. These rates are slower than the late Pleistocene rate determined for the system in northern Death Valley, indicating that slip rates decrease northward along this major fault zone. When summed with the slip rate from the White Mountains fault, the other major fault in this part of the ECSZ, our results suggest that either significant deformation is accommodated on structures east of Fish Lake Valley, or that rates of seismic strain accumulation and release have not remained constant over late Pleistocene to Holocene time.
Solid state effects on X-ray absorption, emission and scattering processes

Abstract Atomic theory generally provides a good description of the photoeffect, including absorption, emission and scattering, over a broad range of energies from the far UV to X-ray wavelengths. However, solid state effects lead to corrections, typically about 10–20% or more in these spectra, particularly near transition thresholds. Here, we discuss such solid state corrections using a relativistic, real-space Green's function (RSGF) approach. In this approach both the real and imaginary parts of the X-ray scattering amplitude are calculated simultaneously in the complex energy plane, which simplifies the treatment of finite-temperature and experimental resolution. The approach also takes into account final state effects, including many body, core-hole effects, lifetime, and Debye–Waller factors. Several prototypical examples are given to illustrate the these effects.
On automatic methods of sleep staging by EEG spectra

Abstract Automatic classification of EEGs from sleeping subjects has both practical and theoretical importance. The practical importance of the techniques is to relieve the tedium of manual analyses and to reduce the factor of inter-judge reliability in large scale studies of the physiology and pathology of sleep. The techniques also makes a theoretical contribution by providing an objective means to test and aid in the identification of EEG measurement parameters which can supply the basis for reliable discrimination of sleep stages. This research grew out of a comparison of the multiple regression (MR) technique for sleep stages classification and the technique of multiple discriminant (MD) analysis as previously used by this laboratory. With the use of spectral data kindly provided by Dr. L. C. Johnson, a simple, routine application of the latter method showed a marked improvement in the identification of stage 3 sleep (from 0% to 77% agreement on equivalent samples) and a less impressive improvement on the identification of REM (from 70% to 75%) with a somewhat variable loss in the other stages; the greatest loss was a drop from 91% rate for stage 4 with MR to 69% for MD analysis. A prominent source of error in both techniques resided in the difficulty of identifying low-alpha subjects in stage 1 sleep and high-alpha subjects in REM. These findings prompted a systematic study of whether high- and low-alpha subjects, as identified by the waking records, differ in other stages of consciousness. We found that high- and low-alpha subjects were easily discriminated in all stages studied except REM, where only one record was misclassified from each group. Many techniques were investigated subsequently for their ability to improve the operation of the MD method. The combination of a layered decision process that is based on the identification of "clumps" in the test space and the use of smoothly curved decision boundaries ( i.e. , quadratic discrimination functions) raised the level of performance on the testing data sample to the following levels of percent agreement with clinical classification: waking, 91%; stage 1, 64%; REM, 66%; stage 2, 85%; stage 3, 85%; and stage 4, 85%. We conclude that spectra are adequate measurement parameters for all sleep stages with the possible exception of the stage 1/REM discrimination, where the level of performance is marginally acceptable.
Limits of Recognition for Binary and Ternary Vapor Mixtures Determined with Multitransducer Arrays

The discrimination of simple vapor mixtures from their components with polymer-coated multitransducer (MT) arrays as a function of the absolute and relative concentrations of those components is explored. The data set consists of calibrated responses to 11 organic vapors from arrays of 5 or 8 microsensors culled from a group of 5 cantilever, 5 capacitor, and 5 calorimeter transducers coated with 1 of 5 different sorptive-polymer films. Monte Carlo methods are applied to simulate error-enhanced composite responses to all possible binary and ternary mixtures of the 11 vapors, and principal component regression models are established for estimating expected rates of recognition as a function of mixture composition. The limit of recognition (LOR), defined as the maximum recognizable mixture composition range, is used as the metric of performance. With the optimal 8-sensor MT array, 19 binary and 3 ternary mixtures could be identified (i.e., discriminated from their components) with <5% error. The binary-mixtu...
A characterization of the existenceof optimal dominant strategy mechanisms

This paper provides two theorems which characterize the domains of valuation functions for which there exist Pareto efficient and truth dominant strategy mechanisms (balanced Groves mechanisms). Theorem 1 characterizes the existence of balanced Groves mechanisms for a general class of valuation functions. Theorem 2 provides new balance-permitting domains of valuation functions by reducing the problem of solving partial differential equations to the problem of solving a polynomial function. It shows that a balanced Groves mechanism exists if and only if each valuation function in the family under consideration can be obtained by solving a polynomial function with order less than \(n-1\), where n is the number of individuals.
Chronic abdominal pain after ventral hernia due to mesh migration and erosion into the sigmoid colon from a distant site: a case report and review of literature

Hernia repair is one of the most commonly performed procedures in general surgery. Use of mesh has been shown to decrease the overall recurrence rate. Mesh implantation, however, carries its own risks and complications. We report a case of a 41-year-old female who presented with nonspecific, chronic lower abdominal pain after ventral hernia repair with mesh implantation. The chronic pain was found to be the consequence of mesh migration and erosion into the sigmoid colon from a previous supraumbilical hernia repair. Hernia repair, use of mesh, and chronic abdominal pain are discussed.
A new era for sepsis treatment? Understanding sepsis as a consequence of host immune response

Sepsis is a syndrome of increasing prevalence and accounts for high mortality in the intensive care unit. The search for sepsis therapies in the past decades have been marked by disappointment and failure. More recently however, new insights have been gained in the process of sepsis which have broadened the field of therapeutic approaches. Elucidation of the signal transduction pathways that are involved in innate immunity have begun to link the pathogen-host interaction to the resulting broad host response. Insights into the host response have resulted in a greater understanding of its complexity as an intricate web involving inflammation, haemostasis and the endothelium. This recent explosion in understanding coincides with the first success in sepsis therapy with the advent of activated protein C and may herald a new era for sepsis treatment.
Proexosite-1 on Prothrombin Is a Factor Va-dependent Recognition Site for the Prothrombinase Complex

Although the contribution of basic residues of exosite-1 to the catalytic function of thrombin has been studied extensively, their role in the specificity of prothrombin recognition by factor Xa in the prothrombinase complex (factor Xa, factor Va, phosphatidylcholine/phosphatidylserine vesicles, and Ca2+) has not been examined. In this study, we prepared several mutants of prethrombin-1 (prothrombin lacking Gla and Kringle-1 domains) in which basic residues of this site (Arg35, Lys36, Arg67, Lys70, Arg73, Arg75, and Arg77 in chymotrypsinogen numbering) were individually substituted with a Glu. Following expression in mammalian cells and purification to homogeneity, these mutants were characterized with respect to their ability to function as zymogens for both factor Xa and the prothrombinase complex. Factor Xa by itself exhibited similar catalytic activity toward both the wild type and mutant substrates; however, its activity in the prothrombinase complex toward most of mutants was severely impaired. Further kinetic studies in the presence of Tyr63-sulfated hirudin-(54-65) peptide suggested that although the peptide inhibits the prothrombinase activation of the wild type zymogen with a KD of 0.5-0.7 microm, it is ineffective in inhibiting the activation of mutant zymogens (KD = 2-30 microm). These results suggest that basic residues of proexosite-1 on prothrombin are factor Va-dependent recognition sites for factor Xa in the prothrombinase complex.
Hume’s Causal Reconstruction of the Perceptual Relativity Argument in Treatise 1.4.4

Dans le Traite 1.4.4, Hume a presente au nom des philosophes modernes un argument causal qui demontre que nos impressions des qualites secondaires ne ressemblent pas aux qualites des objets eux-memes. Les predecesseurs de Hume n'ont pour-. tant pas employe d'argument causal, mais l'argument des qualites contraires. Je soutiens que la presentation qu'en a fait Hume n'est pas simplement a mettre au compte d'une difference stylistique «gratuite» mais est une correction importante dans la foulee de ses propres decouvertes philosophiques.
Implementation of holistic water resources-economic optimization models for river basin management - Reflective experiences

A holistic model embeds water resources and economic components into a consistent mathematical programming model, with the objective of maximizing economic profits from water uses in various sectors. Such a model can be used to address combined environmental-economic issues. Although holistic modeling represents a simple approach for building truly integrated water resources and economic models, it faces many difficulties in terms of temporal and spatial scale issues and model formulation, calibration, solution and result interpretation, as well as extensive data requirement. This paper addresses the difficulties involved in large-scale holistic modeling for integrated river basin management, and provides solution methods taking a self-reflective stance through a prototype model. This paper is a methodological paper for practitioners who are interested in integrated water resources-economic modeling.
Converting spatially encoded sensory information to motor signals using analog VLSI circuits

A collective computational architecture and real-time, analog VLSI implementation for localizing and tracking a stimulus in a sensory image are developed. This architecture is presented as a layered two-dimensional computationalframework which generates signals to autonomously control a mechanical system that tracks the stimulus. The framework is a schematic representation of the described computation. The input to the framework is a spatially encoded sensory image and the outputs are a set of pulse trains that are used to control a robotic motor system. The analog VLSI implementation is based upon circuits that provide a real-time, small-size, low-power implementation technology for this and other sensorimotor applications. The circuits perform the desired computation entirely in parallel on a single VLSI chip. The layer-to-layer communications occur via arrays of currents which are modified at each level in the framework and then communicated to the subsequent layer. The outputs generated by the circuit are a set of pulse-encoded signals sufficient to antagonistically control DC actuators. A system implementation and resulting data are also presented. The system combines a visual imaging array, computational circuitry, and a mechanical plant, which, through negative feedback, moves the imager to hold a stimulus (a bright spot on a darker background) stationary in the sensory field.
TH-C-220-09: High Resolution Image-Guided Irradiation of Murine Brain Tumors Using the Gamma Knife Perfexion Treatment Unit

Purpose: To provide a method of accurate, submillimeter image‐guidance for the targeting of small braintumors in an array of 5 mice when irradiating with the Gamma Knife Perfexion treatment unit. Small‐animal models provide a useful platform for studying the effects of radioprotectors and radiosensitizers on normal brain tissue and tumors. Efficient irradiation of an array of up to 5 mice in a single programmed sequence, using the Leksell Gamma Knife Perfexion (GKPfx) treatment unit, is an ongoing technique at our institution. One challenge in the process is to accurately guide the 4‐ mm‐diameter radiation beams' focus of the GKPfx treatment unit to irradiate only a small region of interest (ROI) that includes the hippocampus. This can be accomplished through image guidance using a high‐field, high‐resolution small‐animal MR imager and transforming the ROI image coordinates to Leksell stereotactic treatment coordinates. Materials and Methods: Uniquely‐tagged mice were individually‐scanned using a small‐animal MR imager. Prior to scanning, each mouse was carefully positioned and immobilized with ear bars and a bite bar using a specially designed mouse holder module, which has three, CT‐ and MR‐ viewable, fiducials embedded within it. The fiducials provide a 3‐D frame of reference to transform ROI image coordinates to Leksell stereotactic coordinates. A Matlab script displays the image set, provides a tool to locate fiducials and other ROIs in image coordinates, computes the coordinate system transforms and saves results in an Excel worksheet. Transform computation uses Horn's quaternion‐based method. Results: The previously described method shows accuracy of less than 1.0 mm, when imaging resolution is 0.3 mm in X and Y and 1.0mm in Z. Computation for one mouse holder position takes less than 2 s on 1.8GHz Centrino Duo PC.Conclusions: This image‐guided technique provides for fast and accurate MR/CT localized radiation targeting of mouse brain.
Clinical experience of the importance of daily portal imaging for head and neck IMRT treatments.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate patient setup in head and neck IMRT using daily portal imaging. At our institution, orthogonal digital portal images are taken daily to check patient positioning prior to head and neck IMRT treatment. Isocenter misalignments are corrected using a couch shift (3mm action level). Therapists also compare the DRRs and portal images looking at points more distant from the isocenter, particular in the supraclavicular region, and re-position the patient’s shoulders in the mask if considered necessary. The daily isocenter shifts (C2 region) and frequency of patient repositioning were investigated by review of record-and-verify records for 15 patients. The magnitude of the shoulder repositioning was evaluated for 10 of these patients by comparing portal images and plan DRRs for a point 8cm inferior of isocenter (T2-T4). For all patients, pretreatment isocenter discrepancies 3mm or smaller were recorded for a median of 92.5% of fractions (range: 71.4 – 100%). Patients were repositioned in the immobilization mask before treatment for a median of 14% of fractions (3-34%). Thirty percent of these were for shoulder shifts of 1cm or larger. Twenty percent of patients needed shoulder shifts of 1cm or more for more than 7/35 fractions, meaning that without setup based on daily imaging, parts of the CTV would have received less than 95% of the prescribed dose. In conclusion, with our current immobilization, isocenter positioning accuracy is excellent, while correct shoulder position is more variable, particularly for a small subset of patients. Frequent imaging of head and neck IMRT patients is essential to accurate delivery of therapy, with shoulder position an important factor.
Drainage, topographic, and gravity anomalies in the Lake Superior Region: Evidence for a 1100 Ma mantle plume

A topographic dome, radial drainage pattern, and regional negative gravity anomaly, all centered on Lake Superior, are vestiges of a 1100 Ma mantle plume that formed the Midcontinent Rift System of central North America. The topographic and gravimetric relations suggest that the dome is maintained isostatically by fundamental changes imprinted on the lithosphere by the plume, including magmatic underplating of the crust and depletion of the upper mantle. These changes occurred at distances of up to 500 km or more from the center of the plume, well beyond the margins of the rift.
Optic neuritis and the risk of multiple sclerosis--what can we learn from a brain MRI scan?

In the Optic Neuritis Study Group's 15-year final follow-up, the cumulative probability for developing multiple sclerosis (MS) after a first episode of optic neuritis was 50%, with the risk highest in the first 5 years. If the MRI was negative at baseline, the risk of MS was 25% overall, and much lower for males and those with atypical presentations of optic neuritis. A single lesion doubled the 15-year risk to 50%. The risk associated with three or more lesions was 78%. However, the conclusion that “even a single lesion more than doubles the future risk of MS” must be interpreted with caution when using the latest imaging technology—the baseline MRI scans in this study were performed before availability of gadolinium enhancement and advanced inversion recovery imaging. The 32% conversion rate to MS between years 10 and 15 for patients with a positive baseline scan suggests that patients should be followed up for longer in order to further define the natural history of the disease.
Constrained random walks and vortex filaments in turbulence theory

We consider a simplified model of vorticity configurations in the inertial range of turbulent flow, in which vortex filaments are viewed as random walks in thermal equilibrium subjected to the constraints of helicity and energy conservation. The model is simple enough so that its properties can be investigated by a relatively straightforward Monte-Carlo method: a pivot algorithm with Metropolis weighting. Reasonable values are obtained for the intermittency dimensionD, a Kolmogorov-like exponent γ, and higher moments of the velocity derivatives. Qualitative conclusions are drawn regarding the origin of non-gaussian velocity statistics and regarding analogies with polymers and with systems near a critical point.
Identifying the "optimal" duration of dual antiplatelet therapy after drug-eluting stent revascularization.

Uncertainty regarding the appropriate duration of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) with aspirin and a thienopyridine challenges every clinician involved in the care of patients considered for or treated with drug-eluting stents (DES). Despite guideline recommendations for extended (≥12 months) DAPT following percutaneous coronary revascularization with DES, few data are available to guide clinical decision-making beyond consensus opinion. Yet considering the clinical implications of stent thrombosis (ST) and its unpredictability in late occurring events, comprehensive assessment of the relationship between DAPT duration and ST over the long-term is a focus for DES-related clinical trials and an essential public health measure. Despite the potential for prolonged DAPT to reduce late-term cardiovascular events related to the progression of atherosclerosis, few studies have formally examined the safety and efficacy of extended DAPT and its impact on late ST events. The purpose of this paper is to appraise the existing evidence regarding the relationship between long-term DAPT and late cardiovascular events; address outstanding (and unstudied) dilemmas related to DAPT in DES-treated patients; and propose considerations for both trial design and clinical practice.
Immunization of adult brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis (Mitchill), fails to prevent the infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV) carrier state

. Adult brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis (Mitchill), mounted a strong humoral immune response after injection with inactivated infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV) in Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA). However, this immunization did not prevent the fish from becoming IPNV carriers. After an injection challenge with virulent IPNV, the immunized and control fish (FCA or water) shed virus in the faeces and reproductive products and had IPNV-infected leucocytes and visceral organs. Initially, from 1 to 3 weeks post-challenge (wpc), immunized fish had a lower prevalence of infection and virus titres in the plasma, and fewer infected leucocytes than the control fish. Immunization did not prevent the eventual infection of the leucocytes; over 75% of the immunized and control fish had leucocyte-associated viraemia from 6 to 15 wpc. When the organs were tested at 15 wpc, the immunized fish showed fewer infected organs per fish, and a lower prevalence of infection and virus titres in individual organs than the control fish, but these differences were not significant. Immunized male and female fish shed IPNV in the reproductive products, suggesting that immunization of adult fish would not prevent vertical transmission of IPNV to progeny.
Neural network classifier for ship domain assessment

Abstract The article presents an attempt to apply an artificial neural network in anti-collision systems at sea. Such systems determine safe trajectory for a ship by, most frequently, processing the information sourced from an automatic radar plotting aids (ARPA) type arrangement. In this research work the use of neural classifier has been proposed as an element supporting a navigator in the process of determining the ship’s domain, i.e., the area around a ship which, for safety reasons, should remain free from navigational obstacles. Neural classifier has a form of a multilayer feed-forward network of a perceptronic nature. It has been assigned a task to represent the evaluation of a navigational situation provided by an experienced navigator functioning as a teacher in the process of the network learning phase. Programs designed in the MATLAB language have been applied for the simulation of the network and also for the illustration of a navigational situation. Testing of the correctness of classification of the collision situations by the network have been also conducted. In the final part of the article conclusions have been formulated with regard to the application of the neural classifier in the process of determining a safe trajectory of a ship.
Infrared Laser Generation Of Heterogeneous Catalysts And Laser-Induced Reactions At Catalytic Surfaces

Infrared laser generation of heterogeneous catalystsand laser- induced reactions at catalytic surfacesWayne C. DanenLos Alamos National Laboratory, Chemistry DivisionCHM -4, MS J567, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545Sheng -San Cheng, Pradeep K. Iyer, Shan, -Jaw ChiouKansas State University, Department of ChemistryManhattan, Kansas 66506AbstractIt has been demonstrated that continuous wave infrared CO2 laser radiation can be util-ized to rapidly produce active catalysts from inert precursors. The activity and selectiv-ity of Ca0 produced from Ca(OH)2 for the isomerization of 1- butene to cis- and trans- 2 -but-ene is discussed. Variation of the laser irradiation time produces catalytic activity andselectivity qualitatively similar to that resulting from conventional calcination at differ-ent temperatures. Pulsed infrared laser- induced reactions at catalytic surfaces are alsodiscussed with emphasis on the dehydrobromination of 2- bromopropane and ethylene eliminationfrom glycine ethyl ester hydrochloride at BaSO4 , AUP04, and similar surfaces. Correlationsare made of the extent of reaction with various experimental parameters including nature ofthe catalyst, laser frequency, laser fluence, number of laser pulses, and reagent-catalystratioIntroductionThe use of infrared lasers to induce or augment chemical reactions has received consid-erable attention in recent years although the preponderance of such studies have been per-formed with homogeneous gas phase reactants.' We report herein the continuous wave (CW) in-frared laser generation of a heterogeneous catalyst as well as several pulsed infrared laserinduced reactions at solid catalytic surfaces. In the first case, a CW CO2 infrared laseris utilized to conveniently generate catalytically active Ca0 from Ca(OH)2. The techniqueis simple, fast, and gives reproducible catalytic behavior. Secondly, pulsed infrard laser -induced reactions at catalytic surfaces will be discussed with emphasis on the dehydrobrom-ination of glycine ethyl ester hydrochloride (GEEH).Experimental sectionLaser generation of catalytically active Ca0 from Ca(OH)2Experiments were conducted utilizing a 1 -m CW CO2 laser with an output power of 14 ± 1
Antitumor Agents XLV: Bisbrusatolyl and Brusatolyl Esters and Related Compounds as Novel Potent Antileukemic Agents

A series of new bisbrusatolyl and brusatolyl esters and related compounds were synthesized and tested for in vivo antileukemic activity against a quassinoid sensitive strain of P-388 lymphocytic leukemia in BDF1 mice. The bisbrusatolyl malonate, succinate, glutarate, adipate, and sebacate were as active or more active than brusatol. The C-3 esters of brusatol and bruceantin were also found to be as active or more active than brusatol or bruceantin in general. The free hydroxyl groups at C-ll and C-12 as well as the enone double bond in ring A of both bisbrusatolyl and brusatolyl esters are required for antileukemic activity. The presence of a double bond in the ester side chain contributes to the enhanced activity of these esters.
Gap junction heterogeneity in reentrant ventricular tachycardia.

See article by Cabo et al. [18] (pages 241−249) in this issue . The cells of all tissues are coupled by gap junctions, with the exception of blood and adult skeletal muscle cells. Gap junctions provide for homoeostasis and integrative function by mediating the exchange of ions and chemical second messenger molecules between adjacent cells. The electrical signaling provided by these specialized intercellular junctions is perhaps best understood in the heart, where their abundance serves to provide low electrical resistance pathways for current flow – ensuring fast and efficient transfer of the propagating cardiac action potential throughout the working myocardium. This role of the gap junction, or nexus as it was then called, was best demonstrated by Barr et al. [1] when they correlated the block of cardiac action potential propagation with disruption of the gap junction structure by extracellular hypertonic sucrose solutions [1]. Studies since the 1960s investigated the membrane structure of gap junctions, and the only structural changes noted were associated with irreversible uncoupling procedures [2–4]. These irreversible structural changes occurred after prolonged acidification or mechanical trauma and … *Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 315 464 5145; fax: +1 315 464 8014. Email address: veenstrr{at}upstate.edu
High Proportion of Indeterminate QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube Results in an Inpatient Population Is Related to Host Factors and Preanalytical Steps.

QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube test (QFT-GIT) is an interferon gamma (IFN-γ) release assay (IGRA) that uses an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to measure the amount of IFN-γ produced in response to in vitro stimulation of whole blood with specific Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) antigens [1]. IGRAs and tuberculin skin tests (TSTs) are often utilized in inpatients either for evaluating for latent tuberculosis (TB) infection (LTBI) among high-risk groups, or as an adjunctive test in addition to mycobacterial smears/cultures for diagnosis of active TB. IGRAs offer several advantages over TST. The logistical advantage of a single visit is particularly important for the inpatient setting where patients are often discharged from the hospital or transferred off the floor before a TST can be read. Objective output and potential higher specificity in BCG-vaccinated individuals are additional benefits of IGRAs [2, 3]. Challenges associated with IGRAs include poor reproducibility, variable sensitivity [1], and high rates of indeterminate results in certain groups [4]. Indeterminate results can be due to failure of the positive control tube, with low IFN-γ production in response to phytohemagglutinin or due to failure of the negative control tube, with detection of high IFN-γ levels in the absence of TB antigens [5]. The first scenario has been related to host immunosuppression [4, 6, 7], preanalytical steps such as delayed incubation or inadequate shaking [8, 9], and manufacturing defects. Elucidating whether indeterminate results in the inpatient setting result from inadequate processing or from host factors, is important for optimizing implementation of QFT-GIT in this setting. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to (1) examine the proportion of indeterminate results among hospitalized patients, (2) determine factors associated with indeterminate results, and (3) evaluate changes in MTB infection testing before and after QFT-GIT implementation.
Upper-limb evolution and development: skeletons in the closet. Congenital anomalies and evolution's template.

There was an Ape in the days that were earlier; Centuries passed, and his hair became curlier; Centuries more gave a thumb to his wrist— Then he was MAN, and a Positivist. (Edward James Mortimer Collins [1827-1876], from: “The British Birds. A Communication from the Ghost of Aristophanes”1) The human hand evolved from a specialized fin some 400 million years ago, and its many shapes and purposes have culminated in a masterful instrument capable of great skill—and a source of great despair. When things go awry in development, aberrancies range from the appearance of simple webbing and skin tags to the disappearance of the radius and mirror hand duplication. As surprising and rare as these conditions are, they occur in patterns of morphologic consistencies, although the inciting genetic programming and signaling pathways are complex, interrelated, and only provisionally understood. Identifying the gene's role in evolution has hallmarked much of evolutionary study in the twentieth century, with the discovery of genetic aberrations associated with anomalies often providing a clue to the normal orchestration and development of the limb bud. The scrutiny of limb-development morphology hearkens back to the nineteenth century natural scientists, who observed phenotypic features of human limbs compared with those of other primates and mammals. In his essay, commonly known as the Bridgewater Treatise2, Sir Charles Bell commented on the unique “perfection” of the human hand in its full array of possibilities as compared with the analogous structure in the chimpanzee, the horse, and the bird, among other animals. Although Charles Darwin first espoused natural selection as the mechanism of evolution in the Origin of Species in 1859 as a culmination of current thought and decades of observing insects and small exotic animals3, it was not until The Descent of Man in 1871 …
DARWIN'S INVISIBLE HAND: FEMINISM, REPROGENETICS, AND FOUCAULT'S ANALYSIS OF NEOLIBERALISM

In his 1979 lecture series now translated as The Birth of Biopolitics, Michel Foucault suggests that there is an important relationship between neoliberalism and the cluster of phenomena he had previously named "biopower." The relationship between these two apparently very different forms of governmentality is not obvious, however, and Foucault does not explicate it. The question has become a pressing one for feminists because it underlies a set of issues surrounding the emerging field of "reprogenetics." Feminists have been highly critical of invasive reproductive technologies for decades, viewing them as demeaning to and dangerous for women's bodies and as staunchly traditional in their reinforcement of gender roles and of maternity as female desire and destiny. Reprogeneticists accuse feminists of hypocrisy in seeking to curtail the widest technically possible range of "procreative choice." This essay traces some ways in which reprogenetics may be interpreted as a biopolitical formation as well as a neoliberal formation and suggests how the two seemingly antithetical types of phenomena might actually be overlapping and mutually reinforcing-perhaps opening the way for a more effective feminist critique.
Assessment of thymic output in adults after haematopoietic stem-cell transplantation and prediction of T-cell reconstitution

Summary Background The potential benefits of haematopoietic stemcell transplantation are tempered by the depletion of T-cells accompanying this procedure. We used a new technique which quantifies the excisional DNA products of T-cell-receptor (TCR) gene rearrangement to measure thymic output directly in patients with multiple myeloma, and thus assessed the contribution of the thymus to immune recovery after transplantation. Methods We studied 40 patients, 34–66 years of age, who had been randomly assigned myeloablative chemotherapy and autologous peripheral-blood haematopoietic stem-cell transplantation with unmanipulated grafts or grafts enriched for CD34 stem cells. CD4 and CD8 T-cell counts were measured, thymic output was estimated serially until 2 years after transplantation, and percentages of naive T-cells were measured. Findings The production of substantial numbers of new naive T cells by the thymus could be detected by 100 days posttransplant; there was a significant inverse relation between age and recovery of new T cells. In the CD34-unselected group, numbers of TCR-rearrangement excision circles returned to baseline after 2 years, whereas in the CD34-selected group, numbers at 2 years were significantly higher than both baseline numbers (p=0·004), and 2-year numbers in the unselected group (p=0·046). Increased thymic output correlated with, and was predictive of, increased naive T-cell numbers and broader T-cell-receptor repertoires. Interpretation Our results provide evidence that the adult thymus contributes more substantially to immune reconstitution after haematopoietic stem-cell transplantation than was previously thought, and therefore could be a target for therapeutic intervention.
Planning in logistics: a survey

Planning is an essential part of any logistics system. The paper tries to generalize the view of a logistics planner by framing it as a knapsack problem. We show how the various variants of the knapsack problem compare for different types of industries. We also introduce the pallet stacking problem and survey some of the recent advances made towards this problem.
Long-term Follow-up of Ambulatory Management of Osteomyelitis

Over four years, 50 patients with osteomyelitis (32 classified as acute and 18 as subacute or chronic disease) were treated with oral antibiotics in an ambulatory setting. The profile of clinical and laboratory parameters, including etiologic agents, was similar to previous series. Forty-eight patients initially received parenteral drugs, mean duration 14 days (range 0-36). Oral agents administered at home included cephalosporins, clindamycin, dicloxacillin, peni cillin VK, amoxicillin, and sulfa-trimethoprim. Mean duration of total therapy was 53.2 days (range 16-365). In follow-up, ranging from 12 to 60 months (mean 35), relapses occurred in one patient with acute and one with chronic disease. Both responded to oral treatment. No residual infection has resulted, although clinical and radiographic sequelae remain in six more patients initially termed subacute or chronic.Long-term follow-up of patients receiving high-dose oral antibiotic therapy for osteomyelitis due to sensitive organisms confirms the sa...
Nonlinear electrokinetics and "superfast" electrophoresis.

Abstract Nonlinear and nonequilibrium electrophoresis of spherical particles of radius a is shown to be possible when the solid surface allows field or current penetration. At low particle Peclet numbers, transient capacitative charging occurs until the surface polarization completely screens the external field. For a DC applied field E∞, the resulting electrokinetic velocity reaches Dukhin's maximum value of ϵ E 2 ∞ a/μ , where ϵ and μ are the liquid permittivity and viscosity. At high Peclet numbers, electroosmotic convection of the electroneutral bulk stops the transient charging before complete field-line exclusion. For an ion-selective and conducting spherical granule, the polarization is then determined by the steady-state Ohmic current driven by the penetrated external field. The high-Peclet electrokinetic velocity is lower, diffusivity-dependent and scales as E2/3∞a1/3.
SpinybotII: climbing hard walls with compliant microspines

A new climbing robot has been developed that can scale flat, hard vertical surfaces including concrete, brick, stucco and masonry without using suction or adhesives. The robot can carry a payload equal to its own weight and can cling without consuming power. It employs arrays of miniature spines that catch opportunistically on surface asperities. The approach is inspired by the mechanisms observed in some climbing insects and spiders. This paper covers the analysis and implementation of the approach, focusing on issues of spine/surface interaction and compliant suspension design
Impacting quality of life for patients with advanced cancer with a structured multidisciplinary intervention: a randomized controlled trial.

Purpose The primary goal of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a structured, multidisciplinary intervention targeted to maintain the overall quality of life (QOL), which is more comprehensive than psychosocial distress, of patients undergoing radiation therapy for advanced-stage cancer. Patients and Methods Radiation therapy patients with advanced cancer and an estimated 5-year survival rate of 0% to 50% were randomly assigned to either an eight-session structured multidisciplinary intervention arm or a standard care arm. The eight 90-minute sessions addressed the five domains of QOL including cognitive, physical, emotional, spiritual, and social functioning. The primary end point of maintaining overall QOL was assessed by a single-item linear analog scale (Linear Analog Scale of Assessment or modified Spitzer Uniscale). QOL was assessed at baseline, week 4 (end of multidisciplinary intervention), week 8, and week 27. Results Of the 103 participants, overall QOL at week 4 was ...
Multi-institutional validation of a preoperative scoring system which predicts survival for patients with glioblastoma

Abstract Glioblastoma is the most common and aggressive type of primary brain tumor in adults. Average survival is approximately 1 year, but individual survival is heterogeneous. Using a single institutional experience, we have previously identified preoperative factors associated with survival and devised a prognostic scoring system based on these factors. The aims of the present study are to validate these preoperative factors and verify the efficacy of this scoring system using a multi-institutional cohort. Of the 334 patients in this study from three different institutions, the preoperative factors found to be negatively associated with survival in a Cox analysis were age >60 years (p
The Evolving Nosology of Schizophrenia: Relevance for Treatment

The purpose of nosological systems (i.e., systems of classifying disease) is to define distinct disease entities which are uniquely identifiable and specifically treatable. Consequently, validity, reliability, and clinical utility are three critical elements of a useful diagnostic system. Our system of psychiatric classification recently underwent a major revision, resulting in the publication of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)-5 in 2013. Whereas improving validity and reliability of psychiatric diagnoses were key objectives in its development, enhancing clinical utility was the primary goal. With reference to psychotic disorders, changes in the new manual addressed limitations in DSM-IV while incorporating new information about the nature of these disorders generated over the past 20 years. With regard to schizophrenia, variation in distinct psychopathological dimensions is better able to account for the heterogeneity of this disorder than traditional subtypes. Therefore, changes in DSM-5 included elimination of the classic subtypes of schizophrenia and the addition of unique psychopathological dimensions. In view of the poor reliability and limited validity of schizoaffective disorder as defined in DSM-IV a clearer definition was provided in DSM-5. Additionally, the discrepant treatment of catatonia in DSM-IV has been corrected and it is now listed consistently across the DSM-5 manual. A new category of Attenuated Psychosis Syndrome is included in Section 3 as a condition for further study. In this chapter, the revisions in the DSM-5 criteria for schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders are summarized and their implications for clinical practice discussed.
Dual thresholding for digital wideband receivers with variable truncation scheme

A novel thresholding technique is presented for digital channelized receiver to minimize second signal false alarm. The additional constraint placed for signal detection improves the false alarm rate with minimal hardware increase due to the simplicity of the proposed algorithm. Preliminary dual-tone signal analysis with instantaneous dynamic range (IDR) from −12 to −20 dB shows favorable second signal detection rates with no false alarms reported based on 53760 samples per test. The implemented digital receiver samples at 2.048 GHz on Xilinx Virtex 4 field programmable gate array (FPGA) with output throughput rate of 62.5 ns. Exhaustive evaluation of fifty-eight 16 MHz channels includes signals not centered on the frequency bin, which also shows favorable detection results.
Fish Assemblages in Talladega National Forest's Choccolocco, Shoal, and Scarbrough Creeks

Abstract Fish assemblages within Choccolocco, Shoal, and Scarbrough creeks (Shoal Creek District, Talladega National Forest, AL) were surveyed each July from 2003–2007. Mean species diversity (Shannon Index) was 2.3 or higher for all sites except Scarbrough Creek (headwater site). Calculated IBI's for all sites scored were “good” with the exception of Scarbrough Creek which scored “poor.” At all sites except Scarbrough creek, fish communities were dominated by Cyprinella trichroistia (Tricolor Shiner), Semotilus atromaculatus (Creek Chub), Hypentelium etowanum (Alabama Hogsucker), Campostoma oligolepis (Largescale Stoneroller), and Notropis xaenocephalus (Coosa Shiner). At one site near a large lake (Shoal Creek), sunfish were also predominant. Limited numbers of the state-listed Etheostoma brevirostrum (Holiday Darter) were also observed in Shoal Creek. The Creek Chub was the only fish species observed in Scarbrough Creek at its headwaters. Although species diversity may be reduced relative to historical...
Effect of Pad/Caliper Stiffness, Pad Thickness, and Pad Length on Thermoelastic Instability in Disk Brakes

Thermoelastic instability (TEI) results in uneven heating of the rotor and the development of hot spots in automotive disk brake systems. The hot spots cause rotor distortion and thickness variation which can cause torque variation resulting in brake roughness or low frequency noise. Lee and Barber (1993, ASME J. Tribol., 115, pp. 607-614) developed an analytical model to predict the critical speed above which TEI would occur. This paper describes enhancements to the model to include the effects of caliper/pad stiffness, the pad friction material thickness, and the pad length. The effects of these changes on the predicted speed are calculated and compared to the original model.