cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Theory of Simultaneous Multiple Streak Collimation in Continuous-Flow Electrophoresis by Superposition of Electro-Osmosis and Thermal Convection

Abstract The resolving power in continuous flow streak deflection electrophoresis (the “free flow” curtain electrophoresis as well as in “endless fluid belt” electrophoresis) is limited by the broadening of the streaks during the process of electro-migration. This effect becomes more pronounced as the diameter of the injector is increased to augment the throughput. A gain in the latter is thus achieved at a sacrifice in resolution. It has been possible until now to avoid this limitation for only one fraction of an electrophoretic mixture, namely that component whose electrophoretic velocity is equal and opposite to the velocity of the electro-osmotic flow adjacent to the wall of the electrophoretic curtain (6,7). This paper elucidates a way to achieve streak collimation (i.e. elimination of streak broadening) simultaneously for all components of an electrophoretic mixture and to do it in an optimal velocity configuration where the throughput increases with the square of the injector diameter without an es...
Moral conflict and ordinary emotional experience

If we ask ourselves whether ultimate moral conflicts exist, and if we take seriously the goal of capturing ordinary emotional experience in our views about morality, we find the evidence mixed. We might have some reason for concluding that some situations are ultimate moral conflicts, but we also have good reasons of the same kind for concluding that these situations are not ultimate moral conflicts. So this kind of argument does not provide secure enough footing for any sort of powerful criticism of moral theories which deny the existence of ultimate moral conflicts. Those who want to argue for the reality of ultimate moral conflicts can still argue from something other than ordinary emotional experience. Any such alternative strategy, though, will involve a retreat from the idea that ordinary emotional experience provides unambiguous support for the existence of ultimate moral conflicts and a secure point from which to criticize moral theories. I conclude, then, that accepting the reality of ultimate moral conflicts does not allow a truer picture of ordinary emotional experience. I am not sure, though, that this should be good news for those who believe in a moral realm without ultimate moral conflicts. What is most striking about ordinary emotional experience is not its tendency to support one or another picture of the moral realm, with or without ultimate moral conflicts, but its failure to endorse any very determinate picture of a moral realm. This suggests a rather shocking gap in our understanding of the concepts of moral obligation, prohibition, and permission, concepts which, after all, are alleged to play a familiar and vital role in our lives. Perhaps this gap can be filled by arguments beginning somewhere other than ordinary emotional experience. (Although skeptics will point to the failure of deontic logicians to find any decisive reason to choose between accounts that do and do not permit ultimate moral conflicts.) Alternatively, though, the ambiguity of ordinary emotional experience on the question of ultimate moral conflict might provide one kind of support for the suspicion, famously entertained by Elizabeth Anscombe, that the word “ought,” used to refer to a specifically moral realm, is a word “containing no intelligible thought: a word retaining the suggestion of force, and apt to have a strong psychological effect, but which no longer signifies a real concept at all - No content could be found in the notion ‘morally ought’; if it were not that - philosophers try to find an alternative (very fishy) content and to retain the psychological force of the term.” G.E.M. Anscombe, “Modem Moral Philosophy,” Philosophy 33 (1958): 8.
Low Dietary Intake of Vitamin D and Vitamin D Deficiency in Hemodialysis Patients.

Background: The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that decreased dietary intake of Vitamin D contributes to Vitamin D deficiency in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients on hemodialysis (HD). Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study of 58 hemodialysis outpatients from two Mount Sinai Medical Center (MSMC)-affiliated outpatient HD units in New York City and 648 outpatients at MSMC with CKD stages I-IV. Serum 25(OH)D concentrations were measured from August 2010 to July of 2011 in recruited hemodialysis patients (n=58) and linked with results of dietary and lifestyle surveys. The Mount Sinai Data Warehouse (electronic medical record) was used to capture 25(OH) Vitamin D levels for outpatients with CKD stages I-IV who had Vitamin D testing during the same time period. Results: The prevalence of Vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency in the HD cohort was 96.6%. Mean (SD) and median (IQR) 25(OH)D concentrations were 15.65 (6.82) and 13.55 (10.15) ng/mL, respectively. Dietary surveys showed a median weekly Vitamin D intake of 1044 IU (IQR=808, vs. a recommended weekly allowance of 4200 IU) and specific avoidance of foods containing both Vitamin D and phosphorus. In contrast, mean and median 25(OH)D concentrations in patients with CKD stages I-IV were 25.66 (13.44) and 23.60 (15.48) ng/mL (p<0.001 vs. HD patients). Conclusions: Vitamin D deficiency is more prevalent in HD patients than in pre-dialysis patients with CKD and is associated with decreased dietary intake of Vitamin D. Dialysis restrictions imposed to reduce dietary phosphorus intake likely contributes to the development of hypovitaminosis D in ESRD patients.
The relationship of cardiovascular risk factors to Alzheimer disease in Choctaw Indians.

Objectives To test the hypothesis that cardiovascular risk factors (CRFs) influence predisposition to and the clinical course of Alzheimer disease (AD), the authors compared Choctaw Indians, a group with known high CRF with white persons with AD. In addition to CRF history, the authors investigated the frequency of apolipoprotein E4 (apoE4) genotype andplasma homocysteine (HC) levels. Method The authors compared 39 Choctaw Indians with AD and 39 Choctaw Indians without AD to 39 white persons with AD with all groups similar in age. CRF history included diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol or hypolipidemic agent use, or myocardial infarction. The authors also compared plasma HC concentration and apoE4 allele frequency. Results Choctaw persons with AD differed significantly from white persons with AD in history of hypertension, diabetes, and in HC values but not from Indians without AD. There was a significantly lower apoE4 allele frequency in Choctaw Indian AD than white persons with AD, and both AD groups had an affected first degree relative significantly more often than Indian controls. There was no relationship between the number of CRF and age at onset among Indians or whites, whereas HC concentration was associated with significantly earlier age of onset for Choctaw Indians but not for whites. Conclusions This small study suggests that in Choctaw Indians modifiable risk factors may play more of a role in disease pathogenesis than in whites and that nonmodifiable risk factors such as apoE4 may play less of a role.
There is substantial agreement among interspecies estimates of DNA repair activity

Faithful maintenance of the genetic material is essential for cellular and organismal function. Thus the activity with which nuclear and mitochondrial DNA is repaired in somatic cells is likely to be an crucial determinant of maximal lifespan (MLS). However there has been controversy over both the actual rates of DNA repair in a variety of species, and the correlation of those rates with maximal lifespan. Five comparative studies of DNA repair have been re-analyzed with reference to an internal repair standard. Although some variance in measurements of DNA repair activity of the same species in different laboratories was observed, overall there is good agreement on the rank order of repair activity once those studies are internally calibrated. A six-fold range of relative DNA repair activity was observed, with mouse, rat and shrew lowest (0.9 to 1.0), and human and gorilla highest (4.5 to 5.3). The correlation between DNA repair activity and MLS was good, but not excellent (r2 = 0.845); a possible explanation is that active DNA repair is a necessary but not sufficient condition for long MLS. We investigated the kinetics of mitochondrial mutagenesis and tumorigenesis in mice and humans, and observed that each proceeds at a rate approximately 40-fold faster in mice than in humans. Thus one likely consequence of the deficiency of DNA repair in small rodents is an increased rate of mutagenesis and tumorigenesis. The large differences in metabolic investment in genomic maintenance in mice versus humans is a prediction of the disposable soma theory of aging, which is discussed.
Discrete laser spot transformation hardening of AISI O1 tool steel using pulsed Nd:YAG laser

Abstract Discrete laser spot transformation hardening is a process that creates isolated laser hardening spots, usually distributed in a certain pattern, on a component surface, covering only a fraction of the surface region that is being treated. The process offers several unique advantages for tribological applications, including improved lubrication conditions and wear performance and increased productivity. However, very limited information is available on the appropriate selection of processing parameters to achieve optimal results. In this paper, discrete laser spot hardening of AISI O1 tool steel has been studied using a pulsed Nd:YAG laser. Effect of various laser processing parameters, including laser pulse energy, pulse duration and defocus distance, on characteristics of the laser treated spots are investigated. Maps are experimentally established for processing parameter selections in discrete laser spot transformation hardening of the AISI O1 tool steel. Results show that the maximum diameter and depth of transformation hardening zones with no surface melting increase with the increase of laser pulse energy. However, they are not markedly affected by laser pulse duration. On the other hand, longer pulse durations at a given pulse energy reduce the size of softening zone surrounding the central hardening zone and are thus more favourable for most practical applications. Short laser pulse durations below 8 ms tend to produce shallower hardening zones and are not recommended for wear applications.
Hydrological cycle and ocean stratification in a coupled climate system: a theoretical study

As a logical progression of a deductive climate theory, this paper addresses three interconnected climatic features: the humidity profile, the atmospheric water transport and the ocean stratification—taking as given the thermal field previously determined. The theory invokes the maximization of the entropy production, which propels the tropospheric temperature and specific humidity to their updraft values, yielding moist-adiabatic lapse rate and bi-modal relative humidity in the vertical. With the humidity profile known, the atmospheric water transport at mid-latitudes can be linked to the thermal field, which then determines the ocean salinity range. The deduced density ratio across the thermocline however is quite larger than unity, suggesting considerable static stability. The model deductions, while crude, are consistent with observations, which underscore the internal control of the hydrological cycle and ocean stratification by energy balances, with significant implications on climate changes. Doubling the atmospheric CO 2 , for example, only slightly perturbs the energy balance and with it the global precipitation and the high relative humidity near the surface. The warming would however more strongly enhance the atmospheric water transport to accentuate the zonal-mean E-P pattern and ocean salinity contrast.
Human Umbilical Cord Blood Mononuclear Cells for the Treatment of Acute Myocardial Infarction

Cell transplantation is a new treatment to improve cardiac function in hearts that have been damaged by myocardial infarction. We have investigated the use of human umbilical cord blood mononuclear progenitor cells (HUCBC) for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction. The control group consisted of 24 normal rats with no interventions. The infarct + vehicle group consisted of 33 rats that underwent left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) ligation and after 1 h were given Isolyte in the border of the infarction. The infarct + HUCBC group consisted of 38 rats that underwent LAD ligation and after 1 h were given 10(6) HUCBC in Isolyte directly into the infarct border. Immunosuppression was not given to any rat. Measurements of left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction, LV pressure, dP/dt, and infarct size were determined at baseline and 1, 2, 3, and 4 months. The ejection fraction in the controls decreased from 88+/-3% to 78+/-4% at 4 months (p = 0.03) as a result of normal aging. Following infarction in the infarct + vehicle group, the ejection fraction decreased from 87+/-4% to 51+/-3% between 1 and 4 months (p < 0.01). In contrast, the ejection fraction of the infarcted + HUCBC-treated rat hearts decreased from 87+/-4% to 63+/-3% at 1 month, but progressively increased to 69+/-6% at 3 and 4 months, which was different from infarct + vehicle group rats (p < 0.02) but similar to the controls. At 4 months, anteroseptal wall thickening in infarct + HUCBC group was 57.9+/-11.6%, which was nearly identical to the control anteroseptal thickening of 59.2+/-8.9%, but was significantly greater than the infarct + vehicle group, which was 27.8+/-7% (p < 0.02). dP/dt(max) increased by 130% in controls with 5.0 microg of phenylephrine (PE)/min (p < 0.001). In the infarct + vehicle group, dP/dt(max) increased by 91% with PE (p = 0.01). In contrast, in the infarct + HUCBC group, dP/dt(max) increased with PE by 182% (p < 0.001), which was significantly greater than the increase in dP/dt(max) in the infarct + vehicle group (p = 0.03) and similar to the increase in the controls. Infarct sizes in the infarct + HUCBC group were smaller than the infarct + vehicle group and averaged 3.0+/-2.8% for the infarct + HUCBC group versus 22.1+/-5.6% for infarct + vehicle group at 3 months (p < 0.01); at 4 months they averaged 9.2+/-2.0% for infarct + HUCBC group versus 40.0+/-9.2% for the infarct + vehicle group (p < 0.001). The present experiments demonstrate that HUCBC substantially reduce infarction size in rats without requirements for immunosuppression. As a consequence, LV function measurements, determined by LV ejection fraction, wall thickening, and dP/dt, are significantly greater than the same measurements in rats with untreated infarctions.
Electronic beamsteering of active arrays with phase-locked loops

A new electronic beamsteering technique for active arrays is presented along with experimental results at 10 GHz. The technique uses a single balanced diode mixer to phase-lock neighboring oscillators in an active array. Each oscillator has its own antenna that radiates energy into free space, so the phase difference between oscillators determines the direction of the main radiating beam. An offset voltage added to the phase-locked loop controls the phase difference and beam direction. Experimental results demonstrate over 100/spl deg/ of adjustable phase difference between neighboring oscillators. Because of its simplicity, this technique has significant advantages over traditional beamsteering arrays. >
A probability density metric for automotive three-way catalyst diagnostics

A statistical classification technique based on the fraction of time the catalyst gain is very close to zero is used as a diagnostic metric for on-board monitoring of an automotive catalyst. Preliminary results indicate that it is possible to perform very accurate discrimination between catalyst operation, even near the on-board diagnostic detection threshold, using this technique. Experimental vehicle tests with each of the different catalysts are used as the basis for comparison.
Sagittal sinus thrombosis as a complication of regional enteritis.

A young woman with regional enteritis and a history of recurrent thrombophlebitis and pulmonary embolism developed sagittal sinus thrombosis during an acute exacerbation of her illness. Repeated attempts to document a hypercoagulable state were unsuccessful.
Multi-turn transmit coil to increase B1 efficiency in current source amplification

Purpose A multi-turn transmit surface coil design was presented to improve B1 efficiency when used with current source amplification.
Design of Tunneling Field-Effect Transistors Based on Staggered Heterojunctions for Ultralow-Power Applications

This letter presents the design of a tunneling FET with III-V-based tunnel heterojunctions for operation in digital circuits with supply voltages as low as 0.3 V. A representative implementation is predicted to achieve an on-state current drive of 0.4 mA/?m with an off-state current of 50 nA/?m. Comparison with homojunction counterparts reveals that the hetero-tunnel-junction implementations may address better the design tradeoff between on-state drive and off-state leakage.
Modulation of Ras signaling alters the toxicity of hydroquinone, a benzene metabolite and component of cigarette smoke

Benzene is an established human leukemogen, with a ubiquitous environmental presence leading to significant population exposure. In a genome-wide functional screen in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, inactivation of IRA2, a yeast ortholog of the human tumor suppressor gene NF1 (Neurofibromin), enhanced sensitivity to hydroquinone, an important benzene metabolite. Increased Ras signaling is implicated as a causal factor in the increased pre-disposition to leukemia of individuals with mutations in NF1. Growth inhibition of yeast by hydroquinone was assessed in mutant strains exhibiting varying levels of Ras activity. Subsequently, effects of hydroquinone on both genotoxicity (measured by micronucleus formation) and proliferation of WT and Nf1 null murine hematopoietic precursors were assessed. Here we show that the Ras status of both yeast and mammalian cells modulates hydroquinone toxicity, indicating potential synergy between Ras signaling and benzene toxicity. Specifically, enhanced Ras signaling increases both hydroquinone-mediated growth inhibition in yeast and genotoxicity in mammalian hematopoetic precursors as measured by an in vitro erythroid micronucleus assay. Hydroquinone also increases proliferation of CFU-GM progenitor cells in mice with Nf1 null bone marrow relative to WT, the same cell type associated with benzene-associated leukemia. Together our findings show that hydroquinone toxicity is modulated by Ras signaling. Individuals with abnormal Ras signaling could be more vulnerable to developing myeloid diseases after exposure to benzene. We note that hydroquinone is used cosmetically as a skin-bleaching agent, including by individuals with cafe-au-lait spots (which may be present in individuals with neurofibromatosis who have a mutation in NF1), which could be unadvisable given our findings.
Panel for Stimulus Control over Toggle-Switch Behavior in Technicians

This note describes a device which controls toggle-positioning behavior in technicians. Its application has eliminated toggle-positioning errors and superseded the daily verbal instructions previously employed. It can be applied to the reduction of technician errors in any situation in which a given set of equipment is used repeatedly in different ways over short periods of time.
The conference theme

The educational objectives in information science should focus on (1) theory concerning information, its environment and its relationship to information systems; (2) information systems; (3) information services and their administration. The program must be sufficiently flexible to allow students to specialize in areas of their personal interest or in the choice of their careers. A common core, if it exists, must transcend all professional interest in information science. Such a core would relate to those elements which are common to information irrespective of their environment.
Molecular characterization of microbial communities in treatment microcosm wetlands as influenced by macrophytes and phosphorus loading

There has been little understanding of soil microbial community patternsin phosphorus (P) processing in treatment wetlands. The description of soil microbial communities has been implicit, often treated as a ‘black box’. Microbes play an important role in P removal by direct P uptake and storage, mineralization of organic P, and direct and indirect control of the redox state of metals important to P removal. We conducted a microcosm wetland study focusing on phosphorus processing in treatment wetlands. The study collected basic data on microbial community structure, attempting to examine the influence of macrophytes and phosphorus loading on microbial communities that is critical in the treatment efficiency of constructed wetlands. Specifically, we fingerprinted soils from microcosms under different conditions of macrophyte and phosphorus loading using length heterogeneity PCR (LH-PCR). We also examined microbial diversity of some of those soils by cloning and sequencing communitylibraries. Principalcoordinateanalysis(PCO)and analysisofsimilarity(ANOSIM)ofthefingerprintssuggestedthat high-phosphorus loading has a recognizable impact (global R = 0.6, p = 2.9%) in altering overall soil microbial community structure, seemingly decreasing the microbial diversity (i.e., Shannon‐Weiner’s diversity index, H 0 ). The clone sequence data showedthat different bacterial groups were selected fordifferent phosphorustreatments.No significant effects ofthe presence of macrophytes on soil microbial communities were detected (global R = � 0.15; p = 80%), likely due to low growth of plants and sampling anomalies. Further study is underway to investigate possible linkages between the soil microbial community patterns and major operational components, including vegetation and phosphorus loading in treatment wetlands, which will help us eventually develop microbial community metrics and/or indicators that wetland engineers and managers can utilize as one tool in managing different operational conditions to achieve optimum phosphorus removal in treatment wetlands. # 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
The Role of Food Addiction in Clinical Research

Recent research has uncovered neurobiological and behavioral similarities between substance dependence and excess consumption of highly processed foods. These findings have led to the theory that food addiction may play a role in obesity and disordered eating. The inclusion of validated food addiction measures in clinical research, such as the Yale Food Addiction Scale, will add to the understanding of the clinical utility of this concept. Further exploring the food-addiction construct may also lead to a better clinical understanding of obesity and eating disorders and suggest future avenues for more effectively treating these problems.
Prebiotic synthesis on minerals: bridging the prebiotic and RNA worlds

An array of experimental findings suggest that the simple molecules required for the origin of life may have been available on the primitive Earth. The well-known MillerUrey electric discharge experiment yields HCN, amino acids, and carboxylic acids (1). Carbonaceous meteorites contain over 70 amino acids, some heterocyclic compounds, including purines, and carboxylic acids. Other organics may have been synthesized under the reducing conditions present in hydrothermal systems (2). Although some of these organics may have been present on the primitive Earth, there is no agreement on which was the most important for their formation. The Miller-Urey experiment requires the presence of either hydrogen gas or reduced carbon and hydrogen compounds, such as methane, carbon monoxide, and ammonia, in the atmosphere of the primitive Earth. Most geochemists believe that the Earth’s crust was not reducing when life originated, so the volcanic emissions that resulted in the primitive atmosphere were also not reducing. The notion that comets, meteorites, and asteroids delivered reduced organics to the surface of the primitive Earth is not favored by those who believe that, when these bodies hit the Earth’s atmosphere, the organic compounds present on them would have been pyrolyzed. The hydrothermal synthesis of reduced organics is a relatively new hypothesis that is just now undergoing experimental evaluation. Assuming that the requisite starting materials were available on the primitive Earth (2), and providing conditions that plausibly occurred at that time, I have undertaken to investigate how monomers, particularly mononucleotides,
The manipulation of plant toxins by a food-hoarding herbivore, Ochotona princeps

Generalist mammalian herbivores typically avoid plant species containing high levels of plant secondary compounds because generalists are thought to lack the ability to process large quantities of these chemicals. Here I propose and test two hypotheses: (1) that food-hoarding herbivores behaviorally overcome consumption limits imposed by secondary compounds by storing food until the toxins degrade; and (2) that the presence of secondary compounds in cached plant material facilitates the preservation of these items, as well as other cached items that lack such compounds. To evaluate these hypotheses, I conducted a number of field and laboratory experiments using the North American pika, Ochotona princeps, a generalist herbivore that consumes low-phenolic vegetation in the summer while it simultaneously collects and stores high-phenolic vegetation for subsequent consumption during winter. In experiments investigating decomposition of summer and winter diets of pikas, after 10 mo of storage, the winter diet retained 20.5% more biomass, and was higher in energy, lower in fiber, and equal in nitrogen compared to the summer diet. Moreover, a common food item in the winter diet, Acomastylis rossii, which contains high levels of phenolics, was the only plant extract to deter bacterial growth in a bioassay. Acomastylis rossii leaves with experimentally reduced phenolic levels retained significantly less biomass than leaves with natural phenolic concentrations. However, the presence of A. rossii in artificial caches containing a low-phenolic species, Trifolium parryi, did not facilitate the preservation of T. parryi. Approximately halfway through the typical storage period, phenolic concentrations of pika winter diet samples in artificial caches decreased to levels readily consumed by pikas in their summer diet. Examination of natural haypiles of pikas before and after storage revealed that pikas do increase their intake of A. rossii from the haypile sometime during the winter. In experiments with captive pikas, pikas preferred A. rossii with experimentally reduced phenolic concentrations over those with natural concentrations. Observations of pikas foraging from natural and artificial haypiles suggested that pikas do not increase their intake of A. rossii from the haypile until phenolics levels decrease. Taken together, the results support both of the hypotheses. Pikas manipulate plant chemistry by storing plants rich in allelochemicals and by delaying consumption of these plants until the toxins decay. Moreover, plants with high levels of secondary compounds exhibit superior preservation qualities so that more biomass and nutrients are retained during storage. As food caching is a common strategy among several animal classes and many foods contain potentially deleterious compounds, the manipulation of food toxins by storage may be a prevalent phenomenon.
An object-oriented maintenance-oriented model for software

The authors introduce an object-oriented model of software that is derived semiautomatically from the actual code. The model and its associated object methods are used to support basic tasks required during software maintenance. The object-oriented model provides a series of successively more abstract views of the code structure. Object methods provide an approximation to the functionality (specification) of the software as well as a two-way map between the functionality and the code structures. Object methods also provide the means of detailed connectivity analysis associated with the ripple effect and program-slicing types of activities during maintenance. >
EXPORT PERFORMANCE: DO MANAGERIAL PERCEPTIONS MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

Managers' perceptions of exporting are shown to have a critical influence on firm export performance in this study of machine tool manufacturers in the US and Canada. Of special importance are managers' perceptions of the advantages of exporting over domestic sales, especially perceptions of export‐related growth opportunities. Perceptions of the complexities associated with exporting and managers' work experience overseas are also shown to be related to the percentage of sales a firm obtains by exporting. Possible explanations of these findings are suggested and several implications are discussed.
Equatorial Solitary Waves. Part I: Rossby Solitons

Abstract Using the method of multiple scales, I show that long, weakly nonlinear, equatorial Rossby waves are governed by either the Korteweg-deVries (KDV) equation (symmetric modes of odd mode number n) or the modified Korteweg-deVries (MKDV) equation. From the same localized initial conditions, the nonlinear and corresponding linearized waves evolve very differently. When nonlinear effects are neglected, the whole solution is an oscillatory wavetrain which decays algebraically in time so that the asymptotic solution as t→∝ is everywhere zero. The nonlinear solution consists of two parts: solitary waves plus an oscillatory tail. The solitary waves are horizontally localized disturbances in which nonlinearity and dispersion balance to create a wave of permanent form. The solitary waves are important because 1) they have no linear counterpart and 2) they are the sole asymptotic solution as t→∝. The oscillatory wavetrain, which lags behind and is well-separated from the solitary waves for large time, dies o...
Clytemnestra at Aulis: Euripides and the Reconsideration of Tradition

Euripides in IA rehabilitates the character of Clytemnestra by evoking, for contrast, Aesch. Ag. and Eur. El. , and, for similarities, the Homeric Hymn to Demeter and Semonides’ Bee-woman.
Using Latent Semantic Analysis for Extractive Summarization

In this paper, we use simple techniques derived from on Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA) to provide a simple and robust way of generating extractive summaries for TAC 2008 Update Summarization task.
Statins in preparation for chemotherapy: "do these medications help your fitness for battle?".

The use of statins to manage hyperlipidemia and to optimally treat patients with established cardiovascular disease, hopefully preventing the progression of a host of vascular conditions, is clearly a major focus of cardiologists worldwide ([1][1]). The polypill concept uses a statin in a
New Ceramics and Composites for Joint Replacement Surgery

Abstract: Ceramics have been used as an alternative to metal-on- polyethylene in joint replacement surgery of arthritic hips and knees since the 1970s. In prosthetic hip and knee bearings, ceramics offer a major benefit of drastically reduced wear rates and excellent long-term biocompatibility, which can increase the longevity of prosthetic hip and knee joints. This benefit is important clinically because hip and knee replacements have become very common surgical procedures, particularly in the United States and Europe, and because these procedures are increasingly performed in younger patients who place greater demands on the prosthetic bearings. Modern ceramic bearings are safe and reliable if used with components of proven design and durability. However, catastrophic bearing failure in vivo, while rare, and the risk of ‘squeaking’ (audible noise) of ceramic bearings, while low, have served to diminish the enthusiasm of many patients and orthopedic surgeons for ceramic bearings in total joint replacement. Future material improvements are actively being investigated to reduce the risk of ceramic bearing failures even further, and to extend the range of ceramic bearing components available for total joint replacement. In this chapter, the properties, applications, and limitations of ceramics that have been used in orthopedic bearings are reviewed, and the new ceramics and composites that will be available for joint replacement surgery in the near future are discussed.
Determination of left atrial volume using sonomicrometry: a cast validation study

We developed a technique for left atrial (LA) volume estimation using two pairs of sonomicrometers sewn to the anteroposterior (LAX) and mediolateral (SAX) LA diameters and validated the method against water displacement of LA casts in 15 dogs. LA pressure was adjusted to a preselected level (5, 10, or 15 mmHg) by dextran infusion and was matched by postmortem infusion of casting resin (Conthane DPEN-18402). LA volume was modeled empirically as an ellipsoid of revolution without regression constants [(SAX)2(LAX)]. There was a strong correlation between the calculated LA volume and water displacement of the LA body [r = 0.87, standard error of estimate (SEE) = 3.3 ml, P = 0.0001] but a weaker correlation against water displacement of the entire LA (body+appendage, r = 0.81, SEE = 3.9 ml, P = 0.0003). The appendage volume fraction (appendage volume/total LA volume), as determined by water displacement of the casts, increased with increasing LA size (r = 0.78, P = 0.001). These data indicate that, in the normal canine heart, LA volume can be estimated accurately with high temporal and spatial resolution sonomicrometry using two atrial dimensions, and the contribution of appendage to total LA volume may become significant as the atrium enlarges.
Evaluation of Exothermic Reactions in Cofired Platinum /Alumina Microsystems

Cofired platinum/ high temperature cofire ceramic (HTCC) alumina ceramic microsystems are emerging as a technology of choice for implantable medical devices due to the long reliable history of Pt wire /alumina ceramics use as feedthrough structures in pacemakers. This work evaluates the materials interactions developed in a platinum / alumina cofired materials system. Reactions previously unreported have been investigated, including the catalytic reaction with organic binders, the reduction of alumina into PtAl3 and the reduction of the melting point of platinum 300 – 500 °C below its melting point, independent of the particle size (nano to micron size particles) or particle morphology. High temperature X-ray diffraction and SEM with EDS analysis were used to characterize each of these reactions.
Characterizing Information Processing With a Mobile Device Measurement of Simple and Choice Reaction Time

Information processing is typically evaluated using simple reaction time (SRT) and choice reaction time (CRT) paradigms in which a specific response is initiated following a given stimulus. The measurement of reaction time (RT) has evolved from monitoring the timing of mechanical switches to computerized paradigms. The proliferation of mobile devices with touch screens makes them a natural next technological approach to assess information processing. The aims of this study were to determine the validity and reliability of using of a mobile device (Apple iPad or iTouch) to accurately measure RT. Sixty healthy young adults completed SRT and CRT tasks using a traditional test platform and mobile platforms on two occasions. The SRT was similar across test modality: 300, 287, and 280 milliseconds (ms) for the traditional, iPad, and iTouch, respectively. The CRT was similar within mobile devices, though slightly faster on the traditional: 359, 408, and 384 ms for traditional, iPad, and iTouch, respectively. Intraclass correlation coefficients ranged from 0.79 to 0.85 for SRT and from 0.75 to 0.83 for CRT. The similarity and reliability of SRT across platforms and consistency of SRT and CRT across test conditions indicate that mobile devices provide the next generation of assessment platforms for information processing.
Deposition of Amorphous and Microcrystalline Si,C Alloy Thin Films by a Remote Plasma-Enhanced Chemical-Vapor Deposition Process

We have extended the remote PECVD process to the deposition of intrinsic and doped, amorphous and microcrystalline silicon, carbon alloy films, a-Si,C:H and μc-Si,C, respectively. The electrical and optical properties of a-Si,C:H deposited by remote PECVD are comparable to those of films deposited by the glow discharge or GD process. The degree of crystallinity in the μc-Si,C alloys, as determined from the relative intensities of crystalline and amorphous features in the Raman spectra, is lower than that of μc-Si films deposited under comparable deposition conditions. The Raman spectra indicate that the crystallites in the μc-Si,C alloys are Si, while the infrared measurements establish that the intervening amorphous component is an a-Si,C:H alloy.
DENSITY-DEPENDENT SEXUAL SELECTION IN THE FUNGUS BEETLE, BOLITOTHERUS CORNUTUS.

The hypothesis that population density can affect sexual selection on male horn size was tested in a three-year study of a fungus beetle, Bolitotherus cornutus. Males of this species have horns that vary greatly in length. These horns are used in fights over females; longer-horned males win the majority of fights, regardless of population density. However, density does affect the relationship between horn length and access to females. In six populations of naturally and experimentally varying densities, longer-horned males gained a greater advantage in access to females in low-density populations than at high density. This increase in access to females causes an increase in the number of females inseminated by longer-horned males; thus, sexual selection for longer horns is stronger at lower densities.
Inhibition of Hyaluronidase in vivo by Adrenal Cortical Activation

SummaryThe inhibition of hyaluronidase injected into the skin of patients with normal pituitary-adrenal responses to epinephrine has been observed. The diffusing effect of hyaluronidase was gauged by the disappearance of fluorescein dye injected with it intracutaneously. The failure of antagonism to the action of hyaluronidase to occur in patients with hypoadrenocorticism was noted. The possibility of utilizing the method described as a test for pituitary-adrenal response to epinephrine is discussed.
A Distributed Algorithm for Convex Constrained Optimization Under Noise

We present a novel distributed algorithm for convex constrained optimization problems that are subject to noise corruption and uncertainties. The proposed scheme can be classified as a distributed stochastic approximation method, where a unique feature here is that we allow for multiple noise terms to appear in both the computation and communication stages of the distributed iterative process. Specifically, we consider problems that involve multiple agents optimizing a separable convex objective function subject to convex local constraints and linear coupling constraints. This is a richer class of problems compared to those that can be handled by existing distributed stochastic approximation methods which consider only consensus constraints and fewer sources of noise. The proposed algorithm utilizes the augmented Lagrangian (AL) framework, which has been widely used recently to solve deterministic optimization problems in a distributed way. We show that the proposed method generates sequences of primal and dual variables that converge to their respective optimal sets almost surely.
Medical management of side effects related to CAR T cell therapy in hematologic malignancies

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells are genetically modified T cells, which by design, combine the advantage of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-independent antigen recognition with the cytotoxic ...
Microvascular Free Flaps: The First Decade

After a decade of microvascular free flap surgery, it is obvious that the procedure is here to stay and will become an increasingly important part of reconstructive plastic surgery. Among experienced plastic surgeons, the overall success rate is currently 95 per cent. This article reviews the major conceptual advances, the various donor sites and their specific uses, and the results, to date.
Educational Technology and Distance Supervision in Counselor Education

The authors used a nonexperimental descriptive design to examine the prevalence of distance supervision in counselor education programs, educational technology used in supervision, training on technology in supervision, and participants' (N = 673) perceptions of legal and ethical compliance. Program policies are recommended to guide the training and use of technology in supervision.
Cancer Pain: Palliative Care

Palliative care: definition and scope, frequency of pain and multiple sites of pain, barriers to treatment, and importance of development of evidence-based practice in the management of cancer pain
Abstract 503: Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 Regulates Proliferation of and Collagen Synthesis by Cardiac Fibroblasts

Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4) inhibitors, for example sitagliptin, are a new class of drugs for treatment of type 2 diabetes. Because there are multiple peptide substrates for DPP4, inhibition of DPP4 may entail risks due to augmented levels of biologically active peptides. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of DPP4 in regulating the effects of two of its substrates, neuropeptide Y1-36 (NPY1-36) and peptide YY1-36 (PYY1-36) (naturally occurring Y1 receptor agonists) on proliferation of and collagen production by cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) from spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) and Wistar-Kyoto normotensive (WKY) rats. For proliferation experiments, subconfluent cells were treated every 24 hours for 4 days with platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF) and various treatments, and cells were dislodged and counted. For collagen synthesis experiments, confluent cells were treated with PDGF, tritiated-L-proline and various treatments, and after 48 hours radioactivity in cells was quantified. In both SHR and WKY CFs, both NPY1-36 and PYY1-36 (1 to 10 nmol/L) increased cell number and proline incorporation (index of collagen synthesis). Sitagliptin (1 μmol/L) significantly enhanced these effects. For example, in SHR CFs 10 nmol/L of NPY1-36 increased cell number from 37,588 ± 503 to 51,990 ± 649; yet in the presence of sitagliptin, NPY1-36 increased cell number from 37,964 ± 508 to 62,047 ± 939 (mean ± SEM, n=6; p<0.000001, p-value for interaction between sitagliptin and NPY1-36). In both SHR and WKY CFs and in both the absence and presence of sitagliptin, BIBP3226 (1 μmol/L; Y1 receptor antagonist) blocked all effects of NPY1-36 and PYY1-36. Because DPP4 metabolizes NPY1-36 to NPY3-36 and PYY1-36 to PYY3-36, we also determined the effects of NPY3-36 and PYY3-36 on proliferation and collagen production. In both SHR and WKY CFs, these metabolites did not affect proliferation or collagen production, either in the absence or presence of sitagliptin. Conclusion: In cultured CFs, DPP4 inhibitors increase NPY1-36 and PYY1-36 induced activation of Y1 receptors leading to increased proliferation and collagen production. Therefore, DPP4 inhibitors might increase cardiac fibrosis in patients with chronically elevated levels of NPY1-36 or PYY1-36.
HSC-IoT: A Hardware and Software Co-Verification Based Authentication Scheme for Internet of Things

The Internet of Things (IoT) have become popular in diverse domains because of their accessibility and mobility as well as cost-efficient manufacturing, deployment, and maintenance process. The widespread deployment of IoT devices makes them an attractive target for an attacker trying to gain unauthorized access to an IoT-based system. An adversary clones a real hardware device or compromises embedded software to impersonate a legitimate device, and thus gains unauthorized access to sensitive information and performs security-critical operations. The existing security schemes for the mobile systems cannot be applied directly to an IoT-enabled infrastructure since devices are resource constrained regarding storage, processing power, and communication bandwidth. Additionally, the current security approaches for the IoT systems are unable to identify physically compromised IoT devices. In this paper, we propose HSC-IoT, a resource-efficient Physical Unclonable Function (PUF)-based security protocol that ensures both software and hardware integrity of IoT devices. HSC-IoT also provides a lightweight mutual authentication scheme for the resource-limited devices based on Elliptic Curve Cryptography. We present a detailed analysis of the security strength of HSC-IoT. We implemented a prototype of HSC-IoT on IoT devices powered by Contiki OS and provided an extensive comparative analysis of HSC-IoT with contemporary IoT security protocols.
Ethical Issues in Long-term Care: A Human Rights Perspective

Nursing home residents do not relinquish human rights just because they need care. In nursing homes in the USA, federal law guarantees certain rights to residents. This article provides a broader context for understanding the federal resident rights in the USA by examining them within the context of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics. In the USA, resident, family, and staff education of resident rights is typically the social worker’s responsibility. Two challenges, both of which can lead to ethical dilemmas and human rights violations, are discussed: substance use and resident-to-resident aggressive behavior. Social workers have an important role in developing sound organizational policies which support resident rights and in educating and supporting staff, families, and residents in understanding these rights with the intention of preventing conflicts when possible and addressing conflicts when necessary. Because many long-term nursing home residents will spend their remaining months or years within the nursing home, the home becomes their world where their rights should be respected and realized.
Heat-not-Burn Tobacco Products: Tobacco Industry Claims No Substitute for Science.

* Abbreviations: FDA — : US Food and Drug Administration HNB — : heat-not-burn IQOS — : I Quit Ordinary Smoking In the wake of the rapid rise of e-cigarettes over the past decade, the tobacco industry has launched its latest response to the documented harms of cigarette smoking: heat-not-burn (HNB) tobacco products. Philip Morris International created and is heavily marketing their version of these products, called the IQOS (I Quit Ordinary Smoking), which involves disposable tobacco sticks soaked in propylene glycol that are inserted into a holder in the HNB cigarette. Philip Morris markets these products as being “designed to create a flavorful and satisfying nicotine-containing vapor, without burning and without smoke.”1 Advertisements claim this product releases no smoke because the tobacco leaves are heated rather than burned, with no tobacco combustion. Claims and distracting wording, however, are no substitute for science. The authors of a recent report have shown that these tobacco products release cancer-causing chemicals.2 The IQOS is not yet sold in the United States, but in December 2016, Philip Morris submitted a modified risk tobacco product application to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). If its application is successful, Philip Morris will face looser restrictions in marketing HNB tobacco products than it does for conventional tobacco cigarettes. Moreover, Philip Morris seeks to make affirmative safety statements on packaging and advertising for IQOS, including “Scientific studies have shown that switching completely from conventional cigarettes to the IQOS system can reduce the risks of tobacco-related diseases.”3 … Address correspondence to Brian P. Jenssen, MD, MSHP, Department of Pediatrics, PolicyLab, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, 2716 South St, Philadelphia, PA 19146. E-mail: jenssenb{at}email.chop.edu