cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Utilizing Different Optical Coherence Tomography Devices for Clinical Purposes and in Multiple Sclerosis Trials

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) derived retinal measures, particularly peri-papillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness, have been proposed as outcome measures in remyelinating and neuroprotective trials in multiple sclerosis (MS). With increasing utilization of multiple centers to improve power, elucidation of the impact of different OCT technologies is crucial to the design and interpretation of such studies. In this study, we assessed relation and agreement between RNFL thickness and total macular volume (in MS and healthy controls) derived from three commonly used OCT devices: Stratus time-domain OCT, and Cirrus HD-OCT and Spectralis, two spectral-domain (SD) OCT devices. OCT was performed on both Cirrus HD-OCT and Stratus in 229 participants and on both Cirrus HD-OCT and Spectralis in a separate cohort of 102 participants. Pearson correlation and Bland-Altman analyses were used to assess correlation and agreement between devices. All OCT retinal measures correlated highly between devices. The mean RNFL thickness was 7.4 µm lower on Cirrus HD-OCT than Stratus, indicating overall poor agreement for this measurement between these machines. Further, the limits of agreement (LOA) between Cirrus HD-OCT and Stratus were wide (−4.1 to 18.9 µm), indicating poor agreement at an individual subject level. The mean RNFL thickness was 1.94 µm (LOA: −5.74 to 9.62 µm) higher on Spectralis compared to Cirrus HD-OCT, indicating excellent agreement for this measurement across this cohort. Although these data indicate that these three devices agree poorly at an individual subject level (evidenced by wide LOA in both study cohorts) precluding their co-utilization in everyday practice, the small difference for mean measurements between Cirrus HD-OCT and Spectralis indicate pooled results from these two SD-devices could be used as outcome measures in clinical trials, provided patients are scanned on the same machine throughout the trial, similar to the utilization of multiple different MRI platforms in MS clinical trials.
A finite element formulation for elastoplasticity based on a three-field mixed variational equation

Abstract A three-field variational equation, which expresses the momentum balance equation, the plastic consistency condition, and the dilatational constitutive equation in a weak form, is proposed as a basis for finite element computations in hardening elastoplasticity. The finite element formulation includes algorithms for the integration of the elastoplastic rate constitutive equations which are similar to members of the “return mapping” family of algorithms employed in displacement formulations, except that the proposed algorithms are not required to explicitly satisfy the plastic consistency condition at the end of each time step. This condition is imposed globally by the inclusion of a variational equation that suitably constrains the solution. The plastic incompressibility constraint is also treated in an appropriate variational sense. Solution of the nonlinear finite element equations is obtained by use of Newton's method and details of the linearization of the variational equation are given. The formulation is developed for an associative von Mises plasticity model with general nonlinear isotropic and kinematic strain hardening. A number of numerical test examples are provided.
Impact of climatic factors on the active layer and permafrost at Barrow, Alaska

A finite difference model for one-dimensional heat flow with phase change was used to investigate the effect of climatic factors on thermal processes of the active layer and permafrost at Barrow, Alaska. Results show that the effective depth hoar fraction of the seasonal snow cover ranged from 0·11 through 0·35, with an average of 0·18±0·08. The thickness of the depth hoar layer varied from 2·7 cm to 4·8 cm, with an average value of 3·7±0·7 cm. The calculated mean annual ground and permafrost surface temperatures were about 0·7 °C higher than the measured values. The calculated active layer thicknesses were less than 10% greater than the measured values. Results from sensitivity analysis indicate that among the variable climate factors, air temperature is the most important single factor controlling the soil temperatures, while seasonal snow cover and soil moisture are also important but secondary factors. The existence of thin depth hoar layer within the seasonal snow cover is crucial to its insulating effect, while snow thickness becomes a secondary factor. Thawing index and soil moisture conditions are the most important factors influencing active layer thawing processes. Freezing index and seasonal snow cover influence the development of the active layer but their effects are very limited. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Surgical management of hilar cholangiocarcinoma.

Cholangiocarcinoma is a relatively rare tumor with an estimated incidence of 3000 cases in the United States in 2002.1 A review of 294 patients with cholangiocarcinoma by Nakeeb et al2 demonstrated that two thirds of patients had hilar tumors, 27% of tumors were in the distal bile duct, and 6% were intrahepatic. It is difficult to accurately estimate the proportion of patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HCCA) that are amenable to surgical resection. This is because the majority of series published reflect only patients that are referred for surgical management and do not include patients that present with unresectable disease that are never seen by a surgeon. Perhaps the best current estimate is presented in a series by Jarnagin et al;3 approximately 30% of patients with HCCA seen at their multidisciplinary hepatobiliary cancer center presented with unresectable disease, while 70% went on to some attempt at surgical management. Of those patients managed surgically, only 50% had an attempted curative resection. The low number of patients amenable to curative resection results in few surgeons outside of specialized centers gaining experience in the management of this formidable disease. Early reports of resection of HCAA consisted mainly of resections of the biliary tree and bilioenteric anastomosis to the intrahepatic ducts.4,5 Blumgart and Launois, pioneers of modern hepatobiliary surgery, were early proponents of the addition of liver resection to bile duct resection for this disease;6,7 however, the concept was greeted with little enthusiasm by surgeons at the time that had a relatively nihilistic view of any surgical treatment of HCAA. Advances in liver surgery over the last 2 decades have led to a more aggressive approach to HCAA. Partial liver resection was added to biliary resection to manage those tumors with direct hepatic invasion, as well as to obtain oncologic margins on tumors that frequently extend longitudinally out the hepatic ducts.3,8–10 However, major liver resection in the setting of liver dysfunction caused by biliary obstruction can be associated with increased mortality.11 With relatively few exceptions, reports to date by necessity include case series that extend over a prolonged time period. These reports incorporate patients that underwent bile duct resection alone who would currently be managed with the addition of liver resection. This study examines the results of surgical management of HCAA during a time period when liver resection in addition to bile duct resection was considered the standard management for curative resection of HCAA.
Involvement of miR-30c and miR-301a in immediate induction of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 by placental growth factor in human pulmonary endothelial cells

Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) is a key physiological inhibitor of fibrinolysis. Previously, we reported placenta growth factor (PlGF) mediated transcriptional upregulation of PAI-1 mRNAexpression via activation of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α and activator protein-1 in human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (HPMVEC); which resulted in elevated PAI-1 in humans with sickle cell anemia (SCA). Herein, we identified the role of post-transcriptional mechanism(s) of PlGF-mediated accumulation of PAI-1 mRNA in HPMVEC by examining the role of microRNAs in PlGF-induced PAI-1 mRNA stability. Our results show reduced expression of miR-30c and miR-301a, but not of miR-99a in response to PlGF, which have evolutionarily conserved binding sites in the 3′-untranslated region (3′UTR) of PAI-1 mRNA. Transfection of anti-miR-30c or anti-miR-301a oligonucleotides resulted in increased PAI-1 mRNA levels, which were further increased with PlGF stimulation. Conversely, overexpression of pre-miR-30c or pre-miR-301a resulted in attenuation of PlGF-induced PAI-1 mRNA and protein levels. Luciferase reporter assays using wild-type and mutant 3′UTR constructs confirmed that PAI-1-3′UTR is indeed a direct target of miR-30c and miR-301a. Finally, plasma levels of miR-30c and miR-301a were significantly downregulated in patients with SCA, compared to normal controls. These data provide a post-transcriptional regulatory mechanism of PlGF-inducedPAI-1elevation.
AN OPERATIONAL PLANNING MODEL FOR THE DYNAMIC VEHICLE ALLOCATION PROBLEM WITH UNCERTAIN DEMANDS

Abstract The dynamic vehicle allocation problem arises when a motor carrier must simultaneously and in real time coordinate the dispatching of vehicles from one region to the next all over the country. The decision to send a vehicle loaded or empty from one region to the next, arriving in the destination region at some point in the future, must anticipate the downstream impacts of the decision. The consequences of another load in a particular region at some point in the future, however, are highly uncertain. A simple methodology is proposed which calculates approximately the marginal value of an additional vehicle in each region in the future. This information is then used to generate a standard pure network which can be efficiently optimized to give dispatching decisions for today.
Dissociation of Aβ16–22 Amyloid Fibrils Probed by Molecular Dynamics

Abstract The mechanisms of deposition and dissociation are implicated in the assembly of amyloid fibrils. To investigate the kinetics of unbinding of Aβ 16–22 monomers from preformed fibrils, we use molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and the structures for Aβ 16–22 amyloid fibrils. Consistent with experimental studies, the dissociation of Aβ 16–22 peptides involves two main stages, locked and docked, after which peptides unbind. The lifetime of the locked state, in which a peptide retains fibril-like structure and interactions, extends up to 0.5 μs under normal physiological conditions. Upon cooperative rupture of all fibril-like hydrogen bonds (HBs) with the fibril, a peptide enters a docked state. This state is populated by disordered random coil conformations and its lifetime ranges from ∼ 10 to 200 ns. The docked state is stabilized by hydrophobic side chain interactions, while the contribution from HBs is small. Our simulations also suggest that the peptides located on fibril edges may form stable β-strand conformations distinct from the fibril “bulk”. We propose that such edge peptides can act as fibril caps, which impede fibril elongation. Our results indicate that the interactions between unbinding peptides constitute the molecular basis for cooperativity of peptide dissociation. The kinetics of fibril growth is reconstructed from unbinding assuming the reversibility of deposition/dissociation pathways. The relation of in silica dissociation kinetics to experimental observations is discussed.
Crystal structure of Plasmodium falciparum phosphoglycerate kinase: evidence for anion binding in the basic patch.

Abstract 3-Phosphoglycerate kinase (EC 2.7.2.3) is a key enzyme in the glycolytic pathway and catalyzes an important phosphorylation step leading to the production of ATP. The crystal structure of Plasmodium falciparum phosphoglycerate kinase (PfPGK) in the open conformation is presented in two different groups, namely I222 and P6122. The structure in I222 space group is solved using MAD and refined at 3 A whereas that in P6122A is solved using MR and refined at 2.7 A. I222 form has three monomers in asymmetric unit whereas P6122 form has two monomers in the asymmetric unit. In both crystal forms a sulphate ion is located at the active site where ATP binds, but no Mg2+ ion is observed. For the first time another sulphate ion is found at the basic patch where the 3-phosphate of 1,3-biphosphoglycerate normally binds. This was found in both chains of P6122 form but only in chain A of I222 form.
Comparison of NaI(Tl), CdTe, and HgI2 surgical probes: Effect of scatter compensation on probe performance

Spatial variation in the background source distribution makes tumor detection difficult for single‐detector probes. Using a single energy window that brackets the photopeak helps discriminate against background events dominated by Compton scattering. Another approach is to use the information provided by an additional window in the Compton region. The performances of NaI(Tl), CdTe, and HgI2 surgical probes have been compared under realistic simulations of a tumor‐staging procedure using optimal single‐sided energy windows and a two‐window scatter‐subtraction technique. Results showed that despite the differences in energy resolution of the detectors, the performances of the probes in a variable background were similar when optimal single energy windows were used. When the background variations were large, using information provided by a second window improved probe performance.
Optimizing and Diversifying the Electric Range of Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles for U.S. Drivers

To provide useful information for automakers to design successful plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) products and for energy and environmental analysts to understand the social impact of PHEVs, this paper addresses the question of how many of the U.S. consumers, if buying a PHEV, would prefer what electric ranges. The Market-oriented Optimal Range for PHEV (MOR-PHEV) model is developed to optimize the PHEV electric range for each of 36,664 sampled individuals representing U.S. new vehicle drivers. The optimization objective is the minimization of the sum of costs on battery, gasoline, electricity and refueling hassle. Assuming no battery subsidy, the empirical results suggest that: 1) the optimal PHEV electric range approximates two thirds of one s typical daily driving distance in the near term, defined as $450/kWh battery delivered price and $4/gallon gasoline price. 2) PHEVs are not ready to directly compete with HEVs at today s situation, defined by the $600/kWh battery delivered price and the $3-$4/gallon gasoline price, but can do so in the near term. 3) PHEV10s will be favored by the market over longer-range PHEVs in the near term, but longer-range PHEVs can dominate the PHEV market if gasoline prices reach as high as $5-$6 per gallonmore » and/or battery delivered prices reach as low as $150-$300/kWh. 4) PHEVs can become much more attractive against HEVs in the near term if the electric range can be extended by only 10% with multiple charges per day, possible with improved charging infrastructure or adapted charging behavior. 5) the impact of a $100/kWh decrease in battery delivered prices on the competiveness of PHEVs against HEVs can be offset by about $1.25/gallon decrease in gasoline prices, or about 7/kWh increase in electricity prices. This also means that the impact of a $1/gallon decrease in gasoline prices can be offset by about 5/kWh decrease in electricity prices.« less
Structural modifications of Methanococcus jannaschii flagellin proteins revealed by proteome analysis

Methanococcus jannaschii is an autotrophic archaeon originally isolated from an oceanic thermal vent. The primary metabolic pathway for energy production in this hyperthermophilic microbe is methanogenesis from H2 and CO2. As an autotroph, M. jannaschii requires only CO2 as a carbon source for synthesizing all necessary biomolecules. Changes in the environmental availability of these molecules can be expected to activate regulatory mechanisms manifested as the up and down regulation of specific genes and the concomitant increase and decrease in abundance of the corresponding proteins. In our analysis of the proteome of M. jannaschii, we have observed significant changes in the abundance of a common subset of predominant proteins in response to reduced H2 concentration, limited ammonium availability, and the stage of cell growth (exponential compared with stationary). The masses of tryptic peptides from these proteins match those predicted by M. jannaschii genome open reading frames annotated as flagellin B1 (MJ0891) and flagellin B2 (MJ0892). Multiple proteins with different isoelectric points and molecular weights match each of these proteins, and the abundance of these protein variants changes with growth conditions. These data indicate that structural modifications altering both the isoelectric point and size of the M. jannaschii flagellin B1 and B2 proteins occur in response to growth conditions and growth stage of M. jannaschii and further suggest the regulation of M. jannaschii motility through structural modifications of the building blocks of the flagella.
A high-affinity (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase from Zea mays microsomes

Abstract By assaying at low ATP concentrations without added Mg 2+ , we have shown that microsomal membranes, prepared from Zea mays seedling shoots, contain a (Ca 2+ + Mg 2+ )ATPase. The Mg 2+ requirement of the enzyme is met by traces of Mg 2+ present in the enzyme and substrate preparations. The enzyme is half-maximally activated at 0.2 μM Ca 2+ . The enzyme has been solubilized and partially purified. The estimated M r is 105 ± 6 x 10 3 , and the pH optimum is 6.5. It has a broad substrate specificity, hydrolysing nucleotide triphosphates with rates in the order ATP > UTP > CTP > GTP. Activity on p -nitrophenylphosphate is negligible. The enzyme is compared with a similar enzyme from animal cells.
GCM studies of the African summer monsoon

A 37-year simulation of global climate by a 9-level GCM on an 8°×10° grid showed realistic interannual variation of the computed precipitation over the African Sahel. The model includes an interactive ocean so that interannual variations of sea-surface temperature (SST) also occur. Comparison of an ensemble of five summers that were rainy over the Sahel with five summers of simulated drought showed that insufficient ambient moisture was the immediate cause of the lack of moist convection. The drier conditions are shown to result from weaker moisture advection over the southeast Atlantic Ocean. Weaker southerly winds there and lower sea-level pressure gradients seemed to result from anomalously warm SST. Such SST anomalies have been linked to Sahelian drought in previous observational studies. These regional circulations that were conducive to lower rainfall rates during the north African summer monsoon were not manifestations of the more generalized zonal mean circulation.
New diagnosis of type A interrupted aortic arch at age 24 years.

![Figure][1] [![Graphic][3] ][3][![Graphic][4] ][4] A 24-year-old woman who had moved to the United States 5 years earlier received a routine evaluation. Mild systemic hypertension, a systolic murmur, prominent neck pulsations, and diminished lower-extremity pulses were
Abortion and the argument from innocence

There is an argument against abortion that should be rejected. It is the argument that abortion is the killing of an innocent human being, and since the killing of an innocent human being is immora...
Cross-country analysis of spambots

Spam is a vector for cybercrime and commonly legally prohibited. Why do certain national jurisdictions produce a higher percentage of spam than others despite its prohibition? Why do some countries have a higher percentage of systems acting as spambots compared to other countries? We begin to answer there questions by conducting a cross-country empirical analysis of economic factors that correlate with the prevalence of spam and associated botnets. The economic factors under consideration are grounded in traditional theories of crime offline, as well as prior research in security economics. We found that more than 50% of spam can be attributed to having originated from merely seven countries, indicating that deterrence through policy is both feasible and economically rational. As expected, higher Internet adoption is correlated with higher percentage of spam from a country. Counterintuitively, Internet adoption is also positively correlated with the percentage of infected machines.
Performance analysis of a high-end CPU under a heavy computational load and varying RAM amount using thermal imaging techniques

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of different RAM amounts on the CPU surface temperature distribution while operating under a heavy computational load. Two experiments corresponding to different RAM amounts were carried out under relatively poor cooling conditions. A personal computer with a high-end Intel Pentium IV CPU was used to conduct the experiments. The computational load was the multiplication of two dimensional matrices (6000 by 6000) containing double precision numbers. In order to monitor temperature distributions, a high resolution thermal imaging camera was utilized. A data acquisition system was interfaced with the camera to acquire thermal images of CPU at pre-defined computational stages. The analysis of the thermal images showed that the CPU surface temperature increases as more RAM becomes available to perform the computation. The surface temperature distribution was used to identify the location of possible hotspots on the CPU
Stimulation of Preterm Infants

1. Tiffany M. Field, PhD* 1. *Director, Touch Research Institutes, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, FL After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Describe the research data on the three most popular forms of stimulation for preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit. 2. Describe the primary benefits of these three forms of stimulation. 3. Describe related data from animal models that suggest underlying mechanisms for these effects. 4. Review cost-effective methods of implementing these interventions. Almost 2 decades ago, Dr Jerry Lucey, editor of Pediatrics, said the following in a foreword to a book on stimulation of the preterm infant: “The prematurely born infant emerges into a hectic, cold, noisy, and bright environment filled with mysterious equipment and peopled by masked strangers who try to help. Almost everything done to or for the infant is painful, and that pain can certainly be felt, although it cannot be communicated. The infant who must have an endotracheal tube cannot cry and is not fed by mouth for weeks. His or her feet are slashed periodically for blood samples. The infant’s respirator roars away night and day, keeping his or her lungs inflated and sustaining life - but at what price?” In an article on stimulation of preterm infants published in Pediatrics in Review in 1988, we reviewed several studies on calming and growth-enhancing stimulation. The current article reviews studies that basically replicated the investigations reviewed in the 1988 report. The most widely documented forms of supplemental stimulation are nonnutritive sucking, kangaroo care, and massage therapy. Sucking on the hand is one of the most common behaviors by the fetus and newborn. Indeed, some infants are born with abrasions on their wrists from vigorous sucking in utero. Newborn distress often is followed by handsucking. Nonnutrititive sucking is a complex behavior involving the coordination of numerous muscle groups to generate rhythmic oral motor patterns (Finan, 1999). Because this …
On the classification of minimal mass blowup solutions of the focusing mass-critical Hartree equation

Consider the focusing mass-critical nonlinear Hartree equation iut+?u=-(||-2*|u|2)u for spherically symmetric initial data with ground state mass M(Q) in dimension d5. We show that any global solution u which does not scatter must be the solitary wave eitQ up to phase rotation and scaling
Avoiding Death by PowerPoint

This is a continuing series of quarterly articles on lessons learned and best practices in civil engineering education. The intent of the series is to reinforce good practices, describe new or developing practices, and provide a forum for what works well and what does not. It is hoped that this series will be an important quarterly read for all civil engineering educators and all those interested in what’s going on in civil engineering education today. Authors and topics will vary from issue to issue. Contact the associate edi tor, Mark Evans, at mark.evans@usma.edu if you wish to contribute to an upcoming issue.
Microspectrophotometry of Arthropod Visual Screening Pigments

Absorption spectra of visual screening pigments obtained in vitro with a microspectrophotometer using frozen sections are given for the insects Musca domestica, Phormia regina, Libellula luctuosa, Apis mellifera (worker honeybee only), Drosophila melanogaster (wild type only) and the arachnids Lycosa baltimoriana and Lycosa miami. The spectral range covered is 260–700 nm for Lycosa and Drosophila and 310–700 nm for the remainder of the arthropods. A complete description of the instrumentation is given. For the flies, Phormia and Musca, light absorption by the yellow and red pigments is high from 310 to about 610 nm. This implies that for these insects there should be no wavelength shift in electroretinogram (ERG) results due to light leakage among neighboring ommatidia for this wavelength range. The same comment applies to Calliphora erythrocephala, which is known to have similar screening pigments. For some of the insects studied a close correspondence is noted between screening pigment absorption spectra and spectral sensitivity curves for individual photoreceptors, available in the literature. In some cases the screening pigment absorption spectra can be related to chemical extraction results, with the general observation that some of the in vitro absorption peaks are shifted to the red. The Lycosa, Apis, and Libellula dark red pigments absorb strongly over a wide spectral range and therefore prevent chemical identification.
Murine cytochrome P4503A is induced by 2-methyl-3-buten-2-ol, 3-methyl-1-pentyn-3-ol(meparfynol), and tert-amyl alcohol.

1. Colupulone, a constituent of hops, was shown to be a potent inducer of hepatic P4503A in mouse. The olefin, 2-methyl-3-buten-2-ol (RC=CH2), is formed from lupulones when hops are exposed to atmospheric hydroxyl radicals. This suggested the possibility that the same reaction may occur in vivo, The credibility of this hypothesis was enhanced when RC=CH2 was shown to induce P4503A in mouse. Ethylmorphine (EM) N-demethylation, a functional marker for P4503A, was also induced by RC=CH2.2. 3-Methyl-1-pentyn-3-ol (RC=CH, meparfynol), a sedative and close structural analogue of RC=CH2, also induced P4503A and EM N-demethylation. Tert-amyl alcohol (RC-CH3), the saturated analogue of RC=CH2, was included in the study with the expectation that it would serve as a negative control for the anticipated induction of P4503A by the other two alcohols. This proved not to be the case; RC-CH3 was about as active an inducer of P4503A as RC=CH2 and RC=CH. The possibility is considered that, like valproic acid, RC-CH3 is met...
Enabling Flexible Collective Communication Offload with Triggered Operations

Low latency collective communications are key to application scalability. As systems grow larger, minimizing collective communication time becomes increasingly challenging. Offload is an effective technique for accelerating collective operations, however, algorithms for collective communication constantly evolve such that flexible implementations are critical. This paper presents triggered operations -- a semantic building block that allows the key components of collective communications to be offloaded while allowing the host side software to define the algorithm. Simulations are used to demonstrate the performance improvements achievable through the offload of MPI_Allreduce using these building blocks.
Slow elastic dynamics in a resonant bar of rock

Recent resonant bar experiments on Berea sandstone show that nonlinear excitation of the sample excites a slow dynamics with a time scale many orders of magnitude longer than the excitation period, 2π/ω. That is, a nonlinear resonant frequency decays to the linear resonant frequency long after the high amplitude drive has been turned off. We postulate a phenomenological theory of slow nonlinear dynamics in the context of a resonant bar experiment. The normalized elastic modulus of the resonant bar is allowed to be nonlinear and time dependent. The nonlinear terms are derived from a model of elasticity in rocks that includes anharmonic and hysteretic contributions. We use this theory to explain the experimental results. We find an explanation for the slow relaxation of the experimental resonant frequency using an anharmonic contribution to the modulus that responds instantaneously to a disturbance, and a contribution derived from elastic hysteresis that displays slow dynamics. We suggest an acoustic NMR-type experiment to explore slow nonlinear dynamics.
Spatial Strategies and Territoriality in the Maine Lobster Industry

Although territoriality of one kind or another is found in every society, our understanding of the way territorial systems come into being remains undeveloped. In this article, we use game theory to understand the evolution of institutional arrangements in the Maine lobster fishery. Nash equilibrium of models explains the three stages observed in the local-scale informal system of the past century. These stages are the result of decisions to invade or defend territorial lines that have changed over the course of time in response to a number of factors, including adoption of better technology, transportation costs, ecological changes, ability to organize defensive and offensive groups, and better law enforcement - all captured by crucial parameters of our model. We explore the broader implications of this industry study, especially the issues it raises for rational choice theory and the generation of institutions and norms.
Scuba diving and kinesiology: development of an academic program.

The use of scuba diving as a recreational activity within traditional university instructional programs has been well established. Departments focusing on kinesiology, physical education, or exercise science have often provided scuba diving lessons as part of their activity-based course offerings. However, few departments have developed an academic scuba diving minor designed to meet the professional needs of students interested in both a scuba-based career and a traditional kinesiology profession. The Department of Kinesiology at Western Illinois University has developed and implemented an academic minor in scuba diving designed to provide unique academic and professional preparation for students interested in diving as a professional career. Students from a variety of academic majors, including kinesiology, are benefitting from courses designed to prepare students scientifically, technically, and academically for future employment in recreational, law-enforcement, and scientific careers utilizing scuba ...
Experience with vertebral artery origin stenting and ostium dilatation: results of treatment and clinical outcomes.

Background The vertebral artery (VA) ostium (VAO) is a common stenosis site. Most patients with VAO stenosis refractory to medical treatment are treated endovascularly using stenting. To optimally cover the ostial plaque, which frequently extends into the adjacent subclavian artery, part of the stent must overhang in the subclavian artery. This configuration makes subsequent VA access very challenging in cases of in-stent or distal vertebrobasilar pathology; it also obstructs the distal subclavian artery. Objective To determine whether angioplasty at the ostium with a dual balloon (Flash Ostial) specially designed to allow the subclavian end of the stent to flare might circumvent these problems and, most importantly, provide optimal plaque coverage around the vertebral ostium. Methods Between June 2012 and July 2014, 11 patients with symptomatic VAO stenosis refractory to best medical therapy were treated with stenting and dual balloon Flash angioplasty. Demographics, results, and outcomes were reviewed. Results A total of 12 VAO stenting–dual balloon angioplasty procedures were performed (mean stenosis, 83.6%; range, 78–90%). Nine patients had mild-to-moderate (40–60%) contralateral VAO stenosis. The initial average modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score was 1.25. In all cases, immediate postangioplasty angiography showed excellent stent apposition against the VA and around the ostium in the subclavian artery. No permanent perioperative complications or deaths occurred. At a mean follow-up of 10.8 months (range 2–24), all patients had symptom resolution and no evidence of symptomatic restenosis on neuroimaging/Doppler studies; the average mRS score was 0.66. Three patients continued to have previously diagnosed mid-cervical VA stenosis; one of them had postprocedure dissection and an asymptomatic in-stent stenosis at 8 months. Conclusions Safety and feasibility were demonstrated using the Ostial Flash system for VAO stenting and angioplasty. No permanent perioperative complications were seen.
Exploiting three-dimensional (3D) memory stacking to improve image data access efficiency for motion estimation accelerators

Enabled by the emerging three-dimensional (3D) integration technologies, 3D integrated computing platforms that stack high-density DRAM die(s) with a logic circuit die appear to be attractive for memory-hungry applications such as multimedia signal processing. This paper considers the design of motion estimation accelerator under a 3D logic-DRAM integrated heterogeneous multi-core system framework. In this work, we develop one specific DRAM organization and image frame storage strategy geared to motion estimation. This design strategy can seamlessly support various motion estimation algorithms and variable block size with high energy efficiency. With a DRAM performance modeling/estimation tool and ASIC design at 65nm, we demonstrate the energy efficiency of such 3D integrated motion estimation accelerators with a case study on HDTV multi-frame motion estimation.
Effective QED actions: Representations, gauge invariance, anomalies and mass expansions

We analyze and give explicit representations for the effective Abelian vector gauge field actions generated by charged fermions with particular attention to the thermal regime in odd dimensions, where spectral asymmetry can be present. We show, through ζ-function regularization, that both small and large gauge invariances are preserved at any temperature and for any number of fermions at the usual price of anomalies: helicity (parity) invariance will be lost in even (odd) dimensions, and in the latter even at zero mass. Gauge invariance dictates a very general “Fourier” representation of the action in terms of the holonomies that carry the novel, large gauge-invariant, information. We show that large (unlike small) transformations and hence their Ward identities are not perturbative order-preserving, and clarify the role of (properly redefined) Chern-Simons terms in this context. From a powerful representation of the action in terms of massless heat kernels, we are able to obtain rigorous gauge-invariant expansions, for both small and large fermion masses, of its separate parity even and odd parts in arbitrary dimension. The representation also displays both the nonperturbative origin of a finite renormalization ambiguity and its physical resolution by requiring decoupling at infinite mass. Finally, we illustrate these general results by explicit computation of the effective action for some physical examples of field configurations in the three-dimensional case, where our conclusions on finite temperature effects may have physical relevance. Non-Abelian results will be presented separately.
Critical point detection in fluid flow images

An algorithm for critical point detection in fluid flow images is presented. It is able to locate occluded and degraded flow structures. Applications of this algorithm to flow imagery are included. A performance analysis of the algorithm is included, and it is compared to existing detectors.
Real-time cloud simulation and rendering

Clouds are a ubiquitous, awe-inspiring, and ever-changing feature of the outdoors. They are an integral factor in Earth's weather systems, and a strong indicator of weather patterns and changes. Their effects and indications are important to flight and flight training. Clouds are an important component of the visual simulation of any outdoor scene, but the complexity of cloud formation, dynamics, and light interaction makes cloud simulation and rendering difficult in real time. In an interactive flight simulation, users would like to fly in and around realistic, volumetric clouds, and to see other aircraft convincingly pass within and behind them. Ideally, simulated clouds would grow and disperse as real clouds do, and move in response to wind and other forces. Simulated clouds should be realistically illuminated by direct sunlight, internal scattering, and reflections from the sky and the earth below. Previous real-time techniques have not provided users with such experiences.
On the computation of the ranges of detected delay fault sizes

Existing methodologies for determining gate delay fault coverages through the computation of detected fault sizes are shown to have certain deficiencies. A method is proposed to determine all the possible ranges of detected fault sizes, thereby maximizing the fault coverage of a given test sequence. The ultimate goal of ensuring that the coverage for a particular fault extends up to the actual circuit slack is explored, and methods are given to achieve such coverages wherever possible. Results of experiments performed to evaluate the practical benefits of the proposed methods are reported. >
Nonlinear Behavior of Strong Surface Waves Trapped in Sedimentary Basins

Abstract Numerical calculations and observations indicate that surface waves reverberate within sedimentary basins. A site response approach is inapplicable to the nonlinear attenuation of these waves as the energy passes repeatedly through the shallow subsurface. Computed dynamic stresses obtained by using published ShakeOut calculations (Graves et al. , 2008) indicate that nonlinear attenuation is modest but not negligible in the Los Angeles, California, basin for large earthquakes on the San Andreas fault. The dominant surface waves have velocity amplitudes of ∼1.5 m sec -1 and periods ∼3.5 sec. Around 20% of the total elastic strain energy resides above dynamic/lithostatic stress ratios of 0.2 for both Rayleigh and Love waves where prestressed rock is highly likely to fail somewhat in friction.
Adaptive, efficient, parallel execution of parallel programs

Future multicore processors will be heterogeneous, be increasingly less reliable, and operate in dynamically changing operating conditions. Such environments will result in a constantly varying pool of hardware resources which can greatly complicate the task of efficiently exposing a program's parallelism onto these resources. Coupled with this uncertainty is the diverse set of efficiency metrics that users may desire. This paper proposes Varuna, a system that dynamically, continuously, rapidly and transparently adapts a program's parallelism to best match the instantaneous capabilities of the hardware resources while satisfying different efficiency metrics. Varuna is applicable to both multithreaded and task-based programs and can be seamlessly inserted between the program and the operating system without needing to change the source code of either. We demonstrate Varuna's effectiveness in diverse execution environments using unaltered C/C++ parallel programs from various benchmark suites. Regardless of the execution environment, Varuna always outperformed the state-of-the-art approaches for the efficiency metrics considered.
β-Lactams Increase the Antibacterial Activity of Daptomycin against Clinical Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Strains and Prevent Selection of Daptomycin-Resistant Derivatives

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has emerged to be one of the most important pathogens both in health care and in community-onset infections. Daptomycin (DAP) is a cyclic anionic lipopeptide recommended for treatment of skin infections, bacteremia, and right-sided endocarditis caused by MRSA. Resistance to DAP (DAPr) has been reported in MRSA and is mostly accompanied by a parallel decrease in oxacillin resistance, a process known as the “seesaw effect.” Our study provides evidence that the seesaw effect applies to other β-lactams and carbapenems of clinical use, including nafcillin (NAF), cefotaxime (CTX), amoxicillin-clavulanic (AMC), and imipenem (IMP), in heterogeneous DAPr MRSA strains but not in MRSA strains expressing homogeneous β-lactam resistance. The antibacterial efficacy of DAP in combination with β-lactams was evaluated in isogenic DAP-susceptible (DAPs)/Dapr MRSA strains originally obtained from patients that failed DAP monotherapy. Both in vitro (MIC, synergy-kill curve) and in vivo (wax worm model) approaches were used. In these models, DAP and a β-lactam proved to be highly synergistic against both heterogeneous and homogeneous clinical DAPr MRSA strains. Mechanistically, β-lactams induced a reduction in the cell net positive surface charge, reverting the increased repulsion provoked by DAP alone, an effect that may favor the binding of DAP to the cell surface. The ease of in vitro mutant selection was observed when DAPs MRSA strains were exposed to DAP. Importantly, the combination of DAP and a β-lactam prevented the selection of DAPr variants. In summary, our data show that the DAP–β-lactam combination may significantly enhance both the in vitro and in vivo efficacy of anti-MRSA therapeutic options against DAPr MRSA infections and represent an option in preventing DAPr selection in persistent or refractory MRSA infections.
A wireless surface electromyography system

Surface electromyography (SEMG) systems are utilized throughout the medical industry to study abnormal electrical activity of the human muscle. Historically, SEMG systems employ surface (skin) mounted sensors that transmit electrical muscle data to a computer base via an umbilical cord. A typical SEMG analysis may exercise multiple sensors, each representing a unique data channel, positioned about the patient's body. Data transmission cables are linked between the surface mounted sensor nodes and a backpack worn by the patient. As the number of sensors increases, the patient's freedom of mobility decreases due to the lengthy data cables linked between the surface sensors and the backpack. An N-channel wireless SEMG system has been developed based on the ZigBee wireless standard. The system includes N-channels, each consisting of a wireless ZigBee transmitting modem, an 8-bit microcontroller, a low-pass filter and a pre-amplifier. All channels stream data to a central computer via a wireless receiving modem attached directly to the computer. The data is displayed to the user through graphical development software called LabView. The wireless surface electromyography (WSEMG) system successfully transmits reliable electrical muscle data from the patient to a central computer. The wireless EMG system offers an attractive alternative to traditional wired surface electromyography systems as patient mobility is less compromised.
Growth of Saccharomycopsis fibuligera in a continuous‐stirred‐tank fermentor

Growth rates and amylase production rates were determined for the yeast Saccharomycopsis fibuligera grown on a simulated potato processing waste in a continuous-stirred-tank fermentor. Saccharomycopsis fibuligera formed large multicellular flocs in the fermentor, and cell growth was reduced at low dilution rates because of mass-transfer resistance. The average Thiele modulus, which is the measure of extent of substrate diffusion, had a value ranging from phi (average) = 2.2 for D = 0.10 to 0.3 for D = 0.40. Growth rates were described by the Monod equation modified to include mass-transfer effects. This modified Monod equation was used to predict growth rates from measured floc-size distribution. Experimentally determined growth rates were in close agreement with these predicted values. (Refs. 21).
Antiepileptic drugs in development

Summary Background Despite the success of several new antiepileptic drugs, about one third of patients with epilepsy are not seizure free on medication. Improvement in this situation might lie in drugs that are currently in development. Recent developments Some new antiepileptic drugs are modifications of those already available, referred to in this Rapid Review as evolutionary drugs. These modifications of existing drugs are developed to improve effectiveness, often by increasing tolerability. Other drugs work by new mechanisms and are usually discovered through screening of animal models. Where next? The large number of drugs currently in clinical trials provides a measure of hope for patients whose epilepsy is not controlled with currently available medication. In the future, this range of antiepileptic drugs will probably increase because of the use of new animal models, discovery of new basic mechanisms of epileptogenesis, acceleration of proof of principle studies in people, and development of new methods of drug delivery.
On multicarrier signals where the PMEPR of a random codeword is asymptotically logn

Multicarrier signals exhibit a large peak-to-mean envelope power ratio (PMEPR). In this correspondence, without using a Gaussian assumption, we derive lower and upper probability bounds for the PMEPR distribution when the number of subcarriers n is large. Even though the worst case PMEPR is of the order of n, the main result is that the PMEPR of a random codeword C=(c/sub 1/,...,c/sub n/) is logn with probability approaching one asymptotically, for the following three general cases: i) c/sub i/'s are independent and identically distributed (i.i.d.) chosen from a complex quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) constellation in which the real and imaginary part of c/sub i/ each has i.i.d. and even distribution (not necessarily uniform), ii) c/sub i/'s are i.i.d. chosen from a phase-shift keying (PSK) constellation where the distribution over the constellation points is invariant under /spl pi//2 rotation, and iii) C is chosen uniformly from a complex sphere of dimension n. Based on this result, it is proved that asymptotically, the Varshamov-Gilbert (VG) bound remains the same for codes with PMEPR of less than logn chosen from QAM/PSK constellations.
Broth Microdilution and E-Test for Determining Fluoroquinolone Activity against Streptococcus Pneumoniae

OBJECTIVE:To compare broth microdilution and E-test minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 4 fluoroquinolones against Streptococcus pneumoniae and to determine the effect of these in vitro MIC methods on the calculation of AUC0–24/MIC ratios.METHODS:Levofloxacin, gatifloxacin, moxifloxacin, and gemifloxacin MICs were determined by broth microdilution (incubated in air) and E-test (incubated in CO2) for 100 clinical isolates of S. pneumoniae. MIC50, MIC90, and geometric mean MIC were calculated. Steady-state serum concentration—time profiles were simulated for once-daily, oral dosing of levofloxacin 500 mg, gatifloxacin 400 mg, moxifloxacin 400 mg, and gemifloxacin 320 mg. After correcting for protein binding, AUC0–24 of unbound drug was calculated for each regimen, and AUC0–24/MIC ratios were calculated using MIC data from both in vitro methods. Differences in MICs between methods were determined for each agent using the paired t-test (after logarithmic transformation of MICs) and the Wilcoxon signed...