cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Automated segmentation of biventricular contours in tissue phase mapping using deep learning

Tissue phase mapping (TPM) is an MRI technique for quantification of regional biventricular myocardial velocities. Despite its potential, clinical use is limited due to the requisite labor-intensive manual segmentation of cardiac contours for all time frames. The purpose of this study was to develop a deep learning (DL) network for automated segmentation of TPM images, without significant loss in segmentation and myocardial velocity quantification accuracy compared with manual segmentation. We implemented a multi-channel 3D (three dimensional; 2D + time) dense U-Net that trained on magnitude and phase images and combined cross-entropy, Dice, and Hausdorff distance loss terms to improve the segmentation accuracy and suppress unnatural boundaries. The dense U-Net was trained and tested with 150 multi-slice, multi-phase TPM scans (114 scans for training, 36 for testing) from 99 heart transplant patients (44 females, 1-4 scans/patient), where the magnitude and velocity-encoded (Vx , Vy , Vz ) images were used as input and the corresponding manual segmentation masks were used as reference. The accuracy of DL segmentation was evaluated using quantitative metrics (Dice scores, Hausdorff distance) and linear regression and Bland-Altman analyses on the resulting peak radial and longitudinal velocities (Vr and Vz ). The mean segmentation time was about 2 h per patient for manual and 1.9 ± 0.3 s for DL. Our network produced good accuracy (median Dice = 0.85 for left ventricle (LV), 0.64 for right ventricle (RV), Hausdorff distance = 3.17 pixels) compared with manual segmentation. Peak Vr and Vz measured from manual and DL segmentations were strongly correlated (R ≥ 0.88) and in good agreement with manual analysis (mean difference and limits of agreement for Vz and Vr were -0.05 ± 0.98 cm/s and -0.06 ± 1.18 cm/s for LV, and -0.21 ± 2.33 cm/s and 0.46 ± 4.00 cm/s for RV, respectively). The proposed multi-channel 3D dense U-Net was capable of reducing the segmentation time by 3,600-fold, without significant loss in accuracy in tissue velocity measurements.
Syria, the Kurds and the End of the Turkish-American Alliance

This chapter will analyze the central role of the Kurdish issue in Syria in turning Turkish-American relations from a strategic alliance to a strategic predicament. It will argue that the American decision to support the YPG—a Kurdish militia in Syria linked with the PKK—has had three major consequences. First, a devastating impact on Turkey's Kurdish policy at home. Second, a major deterioration in Turkish-American relations. And third, a military rapprochement between Ankara and Moscow. Until the US decision to arm and support the Kurds, Ankara and Washington tried hard to compartmentalize their differences in the Syrian conflict. What is often unnoticed is that Turkey's image has also suffered tremendously in the eyes of the US military due to Ankara's tacit support of Jihadist groups in Syria. As a result, Syria has become ground zero for the two NATO partners. And the main beneficiary of such Turkish-American discord has been Moscow.
Faculty Perspectives on the Recruitment, Retention, and Preparation of Special Education Doctoral Students of Color:

The field of special education continues to grapple with the presence and implications of disproportional representation related to race and ethnicity. While research focuses mostly on disproportio...
Challenges to Climate Planning in Rural Inland Florida and Recommendations for Future Actions

Despite being farther away from direct impacts of sea-level rise, Florida’s rural inland localities, like those across the nation and world, can be as vulnerable to a changing climate as coastal ones. However, unlike their urban coastal peers, many have not addressed or acknowledged climate change. Few existing research projects have explored the reasons why. To begin filling the knowledge gap and understanding the complexities of the rural Florida climate story, this research aims to answer the question: What challenges are preventing rural inland communities in Florida from addressing climate change, and what do they need to overcome them? To characterize these obstacles and identify next steps, a combination of primary (i.e. surveys) and secondary sources from the author, government agencies, scientists, universities, and other expert organizations were analyzed holistically. The four challenges identified include: community sentiment, investment capacity, gaps in climate literacy, and external connections and coordination. These challenges are linked to numerous underlying issues characteristic of rural communities, such as socioeconomic levels, physical and social isolation, the availability of human capital, and cultural values and perceptions. Based on this information, the discussion section reviews how various stakeholders - local governments, community members, and external supporting agents - can actively curtail disparities in climate preparedness.
QoS-Aware Fair Queuing: A Low Overhead Packet Scheduling Discipline for Networked Multimedia Environments

Discrete service disciplines have been shown capable of emulating the ideal Generalized Processor Sharing (GPS) discipline within one maximum-sized packet's transmission time. As a result, the accuracy of such schemes increases with improvements in link speed due to the corresponding reduction in packet transmission delay. However, the merits of such accuracy diminish with improvements in link speed as the impact on call admission decisions decreases. Meanwhile, overhead, in terms of the number of scheduling decisions to be made per unit time, increases with the number of packets transmitted. In response, this paper will present the QoS-Aware Fair Queuing (QFQ) service discipline which enables emulation servers to dynamically “tune” their service quanta based upon the QoS requirements of their currently supported applications rather than the network's maximum packet size. The paper will also demonstrate how the overhead of a GPS emulation server can be reduced in high speed networks without jeopardizing QoS guarantees or adversely impacting fairness.
Assessment of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress by Graded Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Ca2+ Store Depletion in Coronary Smooth Muscle

This study examined the threshold of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ store depletion necessary for induction of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in coronary smooth muscle cells (CSM). Coronary ar...
The Purdue University Research Repository: HUBzero customization for dataset publication and digital preservation

Purpose – The purpose of this case study is to discuss the creation of robust preservation functionality within PURR. The study seeks to discuss the customization of the HUBzero platform, composition of digital preservation policies, and the creation of a novel, machine-actionable metadata model for PURR's unique digital content. Additionally, the study will trace the implementation of the Open Archival Information System (OAIS) model and track PURR's progress towards Trustworthy Digital Repository certification. Design/methodology/approach – This case study discusses the use of the Center for Research Libraries Trusted Repository Audit Checklist (TRAC) certification process and ISO 16363 as a rubric to build an OAIS institutional repository for the publication, preservation, and description of unique datasets. Findings – ISO 16363 continues to serve as a rubric, barometer and set of goals for PURR as development continues. To become a trustworthy repository, the PURR project team has consistently worked ...
The psychometric properties of the self-assessment of the Interpersonal Relationship Scale.

Purpose The specific aims of this study were to establish the reliability and validity of the Self-Assessment of the Interpersonal Relationship Scale (SAIRS) and to ascertain whether the SAIRS measured the development of interpersonal competencies. Design and method This was an exploratory methodological study undertaken to analyze the psychometric properties of the SAIRS. The sample was composed of 248 subjects between the ages of 18 and 60. Findings The factor analysis yielded a one-factor solution that explained 33.3% of the variance with one component explaining 21% of the variance. Cronbach's alpha (0.92), demonstrated high internal consistency. Practice implications SAIRS can provide nurses, supervisors, and educators with information regarding competency areas that need further instruction/practice to enhance the interpersonal relationship.
Polystyrene Microspheres in Tissue-Simulating Phantoms Can Collisionally Quench Fluorescence

Tissue-simulating phantoms that replicate intrinsic optical properties in a controlled manner are useful for quantitative studies of photon transport in turbid biological media. In such phantoms, polystyrene microspheres are often used to simulate tissue optical scattering. Here, we report that using polystyrene microspheres in fluorescent tissue-simulating phantoms can reduce fluorophore quantum yield via collisional quenching. Fluorescence lifetime spectroscopy was employed to characterize quenching in phantoms consisting of a fluorescein dye and polystyrene microspheres (scattering coefficients μs ∼100-600cm−1). For this range of tissue-simulating phantoms, analysis using the Stern-Volmer equation revealed that collisional quenching by polystyrene microspheres accounted for a decrease in fluorescence intensity of 6-17% relative to the intrinsic intensity value when no microspheres (quenchers) were present. The intensity decrease from quenching is independent of additional, anticipated losses arising from optical scattering associated with the microspheres. These results suggest that quantitative fluorescence measurements in studies employing such phantoms may be influenced by collisional quenching.
Association of VH4-59 Antibody Variable Gene Usage with Recognition of an Immunodominant Epitope on the HIV-1 Gag Protein

The human antibody response against HIV-1 infection recognizes diverse antigenic subunits of the virion, and includes a high level of antibodies to the Gag protein. We report here the isolation and characterization of a subset of Gag-specific human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that were prevalent in the antibody repertoire of an HIV-infected individual. Several lineages of Gag-specifc mAbs were encoded by a single antibody heavy chain variable region, VH4-59, and a representative antibody from this group designated mAb 3E4 recognized a linear epitope on the globular head of the p17 subunit of Gag. We found no evidence that mAb 3E4 exhibited any function in laboratory studies aimed at elucidating the immunologic activity, including assays for neutralization, Ab-dependent cell-mediated virus inhibition, or enhanced T cell reactivity caused by Gag-3E4 complexes. The findings suggest this immunodominant epitope in Gag protein, which is associated with VH4-59 germline gene usage, may induce a high level of B cells that encode binding but non-functional antibodies that occupy significant repertoire space following HIV infection. The studies define an additional specific molecular mechanism in the immune distraction activity of the HIV virion.
The Opportunity to Multiply: Demographic Aspects of Modern Colonialism

The era of modern colonialism has also been the period of rapid and accelerating population increase throughout most of the world. The beginning of this trend was in Europe, and along with the expansion of European-originating influences, shock waves of demographic change seized larger and larger parts of mankind. The culmination of this trend may not yet be in sight; the lack of economic balance which it has brought to many countries belongs to the legacy of the colonial era and constitutes one of the principal socio-economic problems of the present and the immediate future. Its probable continuation cannot be ignored here; forecasts of population growth made by the United Nations or found in other recent literature will therefore be discussed along with the historical data on population change. The latter as well as the former must perforce be presented in rather broad terms, as magnitudes rather than as precise data.
The New Federal Crowdfunding Exemption: Promise Unfulfilled

On April 5, 2012, President Barack Obama signed into law a new federal securities law exemption for crowdfunded securities offerings. Crowdfunding — the use of the Internet to raise small amounts of money from a large number of contributors — has become incredibly popular outside the securities context. But the use of crowdfunding to sell securities has been stymied by federal securities regulation. Securities Act registration is simply too expensive for small, crowdfunded offerings, and, until now, none of the registration exemptions fit crowdfunding well. Moreover, the web sites that facilitate crowdfunding could be considered brokers if they hosted securities offerings, imposing additional regulatory costs.The new crowdfunding exemption attempts to resolve both of those regulatory problems — by exempting crowdfunded offerings from the registration requirement of the Securities Act and by providing that crowdfunding sites that meet certain requirements will not be treated as brokers. However, the new exemption imposes substantial regulatory costs of its own and, therefore, will not be the panacea crowdfunding supporters hoped for. The regulatory cost of selling securities through crowdfunding may still be too high.This article analyzes the requirements of the new crowdfunding exemption and discusses its flaws.
Oxygen‐responsive genetic circuits constructed in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

As photoautotrophic prokaryotes, cyanobacteria are promising platforms for producing value-added bioproducts. However, few regulatory genetic parts and devices (e.g., inducible promoters and regulatory circuits) have been developed for these potential hosts. Furthermore, the devices that have been created respond only to a single input. To address these issues, we developed an inducible genetic circuit that generates heterologous proteins in response to oxygen, an environmental signal. To test its performance and utility in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, a model cyanobacterial strain, we connected this circuit to either heterologous nifHDK genes, which encode oxygen-sensitive nitrogenase's structural proteins, or a fluorescent protein gene. The circuit was transcriptionally activated to generate nifHDK transcripts or fluorescent output only in low oxygen conditions. We expanded the oxygen-responsive circuit into a more complex circuit by building a two-input AND gate, which allows Synechocystis to specifically control expression of the fluorescent reporter in response to two signals, low oxygen and high anhydrotetracycline. To our knowledge, the AND gate is the first complex logic circuit built in a cyanobacterial strain. This work expands the synthetic biology tools available for complex gene expression in cyanobacteria, increasing their potential as biotechnology platforms.
Dependence of the amount of open magnetic flux on the direction of the interplanetary magnetic field

Abstract The power generated by the solar wind—magnetosphere dynamo is proportional to the amount of the open magnetic flux Φ. It is difficult to use this fact in determining observationally the dependence of Φ on the orientation of the interplanetary magnetic field vector. It is shown that, for a simple vacuum superposition of the earth's dipole field and a uniform magnetic field, Φ is very closely proportional to sin θ/2) for a wide range of the intensity of the uniform field, where θ denotes the polar angle of the interplanetary magnetic field vector in the Y-Z plane of solar-magnetospheric coordinates.
Effect of trapping on the release of recoil injected gases from solids

Abstract Analytical solutions for the diffusion of fission recoil injected rare gas in the presence of homogeneously distributed traps in a solid have been obtained. Predicted release curves for the diffusing gas can be readily generated for any value of the diffusion coefficient, trap concentration, trap retention time, and recoil range. Particular combinations of the diffusion parameters are shown to yield release curves which can be falsely interpreted if the existence of a trapping process is not recognized.
Determination of molecular weight of a purified fraction of colloidal calcium phosphate derived from the casein micelles of bovine milk

Colloidal calcium phosphate (CCP) plays a key role in the formation and integrity of casein (CN) micelles. However, limited information is available on the molecular weight (M(w)) of CCP. Recently, we theoretically derived the M(w) of CCP and the objectives of this study were to experimentally determine the M(w) of CCP. We used 2 methods to prepare CCP fractions: skim milk was enzymatically digested with either trypsin or a combination of papain and proteinase enzymes to remove most CN. The CN phosphopeptides are resistant to trypsin hydrolysis. Digestion was carried out in a membrane tube that was dialyzed against the same bulk milk used in sample preparation to remove small peptides and to minimize perturbation of CCP. After digestion, the protein contents of the enzyme-treated milks were 0.92 and 0.36% for the trypsin and papain-proteinase treatments, respectively. Size-exclusion chromatography, coupled with multi-angle laser light scattering, was used to separate the CCP-phosphopeptide fraction from the digested mixture. Simulated milk ultrafiltrate was used as a mobile phase during size-exclusion chromatography separation to try to preserve the integrity of CCP. Size-exclusion chromatography peaks, which had higher Ca and P contents than the baseline, were identified as the likely fractions containing the phosphopeptide-stabilized CCP; this peak eluted with retention times of 100 to approximately 110 min for trypsinated samples. The papain-proteinase treatment caused excessive loss of CN that were needed to stabilize CCP, which resulted in no obvious peak that had elevated Ca and P contents. Debye plots at these retention times indicated that the weight-average M(w) for the fraction prepared by trypsin was 17,450 g/mol. Attempts to estimate the M(w) of the phosphopeptides associated with CCP using sodium dodecyl sulfate-PAGE were not successful, as we did not observe any peptide bands in these gels, presumably because of their low concentration in the isolated, unconcentrated fraction. Assuming that 4 CN phosphopeptides stabilized each CCP and if the M(w) of each of these phosphopeptides was about 2,500 g/mol, then the M(w) of CCP would be around 7,450 g/mol. This experimental value was close to the theoretically-derived M(w) of 4,897 and 9,757 g/mol for tetrahedron and bi-pyramid shaped objects, respectively, when using the brushite form of calcium phosphate.
Recent Developments in Air Particulate Monitoring

During the past 50 years, man has become acutely aware of the air pollution pervading our environment. Thus he has focused a considerable amount of scientific study on the chemical and physical properties of gaseous and particulate contaminants. A key element in the classification of particulate pollution is the sampling procedure used to collect particles, with the emphasis on separating the respirable from the non-respirable fraction. Generally, impaction techniques have been utilized for size collection of particulates, but these procedures can be affected by the nature of the impaction collection technique which can cause the particles to bounce from one stage to the next, particularly when larger sample quantities are desired for chemical analysis and gravimetrics. Recently EPA, working with several other investigators, perfected a dichotomous collection device, based on virtual impaction principles, which separates and collects particles into two size ranges, 0 to 3.5 microns and 3.5 to 20 microns. Particle bounce at the collection surface is not a problem with this sampler because particles are captured by filtration. The operation and design of manual and automated virtual impactors are discussed. In addition, the application of x-ray fluorescence to the analysis of particulates collected with the dichotomous sampler is described.
Error-Power Tradeoffs in QCA Design

In this work we present an error-power tradeoff study in a Quantum-dot Cellular Automata (QCA) circuit design. Device parameter variation to optimize performance is a very crucial step in the development of a technology. In this work we vary the maximum kink energy of a QCA circuit to perform an error-power tradeoff study in QCA design. We make use of graphical probabilistic models to estimate polarization errors and non-adiabatic energy dissipated in a clocked QCA circuit and demonstrate the tradeoff studies on the basic QCA circuits such as majority gate and inverter. We also show how this study can be used by comparing two single bit adder designs. The study will be of great use to designers and fabrication scientists to choose the most optimum size and spacing of QCA cells to fabricate QCA logic designs.
Evaluation of the forma specialis concept in Aphanomyces euteiches

One hundred and fifty-seven isolates of Aphanomyces euteiches were collected for comparison of morphology and pathogenicity. Pea, alfalfa or snapbean were used as baits for 140 isolates, 17 were collected using other crop and weed species. Isolates were tested for pathogenicity to seedlings of pea, alfalfa, snapbean, red clover and sugarbeet, and disease severity was rated with the aid of a five-class scale (1–5). Half of the isolates caused disease severity A. cochlioides . Ninety-five per cent of the isolates caused disease severity > 2·5 on alfalfa. Five per cent of the isolates were weakly virulent to both pea and alfalfa, but were morphologically similar to A. euteiches . Only one isolate was observed in the collection which matched the description of A. euteiches f.sp. phaseoli , and two isolates were highly virulent to red clover. Somatic segregation for virulence was also observed among cultures recovered from single zoospores of a broad host-range isolate. Such cultures differed from the parent isolate in virulence to every host except alfalfa. A relationship was found between the cropping history of agricultural soils and host specialization of isolates baited from such soils. Only 20% of the isolates baited from alfalfa root-rot soils were virulent to both pea and alfalfa, whereas 80–100% of the isolates from pea root-rot soils, and pea/alfalfa root-rot soils were moderately to highly virulent to both hosts.
South America's River Turtles: Saving Them by Use

The seven species of Podocnemis river turtles, in northern South America, have long been important sources of meat for local people; as such they have many advantages over both native mammals and imported domestic species. But most of the populations are now severely depleted, and several species are endangered. The author suggests that if nesting beaches were effectively protected these turtles would recover their numbers, and this, combined with careful management and sustained-yield cropping, would ensure their survival as a valuable resource.
Autonomic nervous system imbalance of the whole gastrointestinal tract in the newborn infant

T WO infants were seen with vomiting, bowel distention, and sufficient symptoms of partial bowel obstruction to be subjected to exploratory ]aparotomy. These symptoms were due to faulty innervation of the gastrointestinal tract. Both died from a terminal, adhesive peritonitis and malnutrition. The adhesive peritonitis has been explained as being due to chronic stasis, thinning of the bowel wall with leakage through the extremely thin bowel wall, and probable escape of organisms through the. lymphatics. Search of the usual literature 1-~ fails to reveal mention of the clinical picture displayed by these infants. The second, more recent case was seen by five other pediatricians, not as consultants, but as interested colleagues who were trying to be helpful. None had observed a similar condition. Neither the post-mortem findings nor x-ray studies suggested a congenital megacolon, of which subject there is an adequate and rapidly growing literature. There is nothing constructive to offer in the way of treatment in this report, various parasympathetic drugs having been used without success. It would have been extremely helpful, however, from the standpoint of :prognosis, had there been available a description of such a syndrome. Weeks of hopeful expectancy by the anxious parents could have been tempered by giving an unfavorable prognosis early in the course of the ailment.
RECONSTRUCTED HOLOCENE BIOCLIMATES

Paleopodzols and frost wedge polygons in and near the forest/ tundra ecotone indicate that Holocene fluctuation of the forest border has varied from 280 km (170 mi) north to a minimum of 50 km (30 mi) south of the modern forest border in southwest Keewatin. The 320 km (200 mi) wide range for Keewatin appears to decrease systematically northwestward across Mackenzie and northeastward across Labrador. Significant forest/tundra border displacements occurred at least six times during the postglacial period in response to relatively conservative changes in the incidence of Arctic and Pacific derived air masses.
Controversial cleanup: Superfund and the implementation of U.S. hazardous waste policy

While there is widespread public and political support for cleaning up the nation`s hazardous waste sites, Superfund has been fraught with dissension and controversy since its inception. Some criticisms of the program focus on deriding an all-too-expensive program run amuck with litigation and federal heavy-handedness. Other critics complain of an inefficient and ineffective program that has made painfully slow and inconsistent progress. Detractors do not disagree with the fundamental goal of the program--cleaning up hazardous waste sites. Rather, they focus on the fairness of Superfund`s liability provisions and the Environmental Protection Agency`s record of cleanup competency. This paper discusses these major issues at the core of the controversy over Superfund. The policy implications of Superfund program reform efforts and the ramifications for future hazardous waste policy are considered.
Preventing Potential Health Hazards Incidental to the Use of Pets in Therapy

AbstractThe potential therapeutic benefits of pet-human interaction are well recognized. Pets are now permitted in nursing homes in most states and are being recommended increasingly as adjuncts to the therapy of people with various physical and psychological handicaps. Counterbalancing this enthusiasm are the potential health hazards associated with exposure to animals. The statistics on animal bites, zoonotic infections, and allergies to pets in the general population explain why some physicians and other health workers think that the benefits of allowing pets into institutional settings may not outweigh the risks, especially in situations involving people who are aged, infirm, or handicapped. So far, pet therapy has a good safety record, however, longer experience with adequate surveillance is required to determine whether benefits compensate for the health risks. Pet-facilitated therapy could be jeopardized should zoonotic disease be transmitted or bite injuries occur during the trial stages. It is im...
Effect of the thiol group inhibitor monobromobimane and other inhibitors on the composition of the platelet cytoskeletal core and its association with glycoprotein IIIa

SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was used to study the effects of the thiol inhibitor monobromobimane (MB), EDTA, and prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) on the formation and composition of the platelet cytoskeletal core (Triton-insoluble residue) and its association with glycoprotein (GP) IIIa. Stimulation or aggregation of platelets in response to ADP or thrombin increased the amount of Triton-insoluble myosin. Aggregation resulted in incorporation of [125I]GP IIIa and a new band at about 210 kDa into the cytoskeletal core. EDTA and PGE1 caused little disaggregation of platelets that were aggregated in PRP with ADP and that had secreted the contents of their granules. In contrast to EDTA, PGE1 decreased the amount of Triton-insoluble residue and its association with GP IIIa. MB added after ADP-induced aggregation caused an increase in the amount of cytoskeletal core despite marked disaggregation and a substantial decrease in core-associated GP IIIa. With aspirin-treated platelets that had not secreted, EDTA, PGE1, and MB all caused disaggregation and loss of cytoskeletal GP IIIa. MB diminished, but did not reverse, thrombin-induced aggregation of washed platelets and arrested GP IIIa incorporation into the cytoskeletal core. Concanavalin A (Con A) cross-links glycoproteins on a single platelet and induces incorporation of GP IIIa into the Triton-insoluble residue in the absence of platelet aggregation. This induction was not inhibited by MB, although this reagent, as well as aspirin, inhibited Con A-induced secretion. Since GP IIIa incorporation caused by ADP-induced aggregation differs from that caused by Con A in its susceptibility to MB, it seems unlikely that thiol groups are directly involved in the association of GP IIIa with the cytoskeletal core.
Effect of glucose availability on functional membrane integrity, ultrastructure and contractile performance following hypoxia and reoxygenation in isolated feline cardiac muscle

Isolated, isometrically contracting feline papillary muscles were used to evaluate the effects of glucose availability during hypoxia and reoxygenation on interrelationships between changes in ultrastructure, contractile parameters and functional membrane integrity tested by an ionic lanthanum La probe technique. La3+ is an electron dense trivalent ion with size and electrochemical properties similar to those of the calcium ion (Ca2+). Thirty-five muscles were maintained in HEPES-buffered media, containing either 5 mm glucose or glucose-free (0 mm). After the final measurement of contractile parameters, muscles were exposed to media containing 5 mm LaCl3 for 1 h and then fixed for microscopic study. Control oxygenated muscles, with or without glucose, remained stable for 3 h and showed normal ultrastructure. La remained extracellular in these muscles as confirmed by both transmission and analytical electron microscopy of fixed tissue sections as well as unfixed, frozen-dried sections. With 5 mm glucose medium, muscles reoxygenated after 1 h and 15 min of hypoxia (pO2 < 40 mmHg) showed significant functional recovery and general preservation of ultrastructure although deposition of intracellular La was noted in focal areas. With glucose deficient media (0 mm), muscles reoxygenated after 1 h and 15 min and 2 h of hypoxia exhibited a progressive impairment in functional recovery and a progressive increase in extent of cellular injury with intracellular La accumulation. Ultrastructural examination revealed a mixed population of muscle cells including severely damaged cells with marked intracellular La deposition on myofibrils and within mitochondria, ultrastructurally intact muscle cells with mild cytoplasmic La deposition and ultrastructurally normal muscle cells devoid of La. La deposition generally was not associated with detectable structural defects in membranes with the possible exception of some severely damaged cells. Thus, in isolated feline papillary muscle, glucose availability influences the potential for recovery of hypoxia-induced contractile depression, ultrastructural alterations and membrane injury associated with increased permeability of plasma and mitochondrial membranes. The data also provide additional evidence for a correlation between the development of irreversible hypoxic injury and a membrane alteration associated with intracellular accumulation of large cations.
Gamma-hydroxybutyrate in the treatment of schizophrenia

Gamma-Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) inhibits firing of dopaminergic neurons and is thus potentially useful in the treatment of schizophrenia. GHB was administered to 10 schizophrenics concurrently with low-dose fluphenazine in a 6-week double-blind crossover study. No antipsychotic efficacy of GHB was noted. GHB had little if any effect on plasma prolactin levels after a single administration and caused few side effects. Trials with higher doses of GHB may be warranted.
Monte Carlo simulations of absorbed dose in a mouse phantom from 18-fluorine compounds

The purpose of this study was to calculate internal absorbed dose distribution in mice from preclinical small animal PET imaging procedures with fluorine-18 labeled compounds ({sup 18}FDG, {sup 18}FLT, and fluoride ion). The GATE Monte Carlo software and a realistic, voxel-based mouse phantom that included a subcutaneous tumor were used to perform simulations. Discretized time-activity curves obtained from dynamic in vivo studies with each of the compounds were used to set the activity concentration in the simulations. For {sup 18}FDG, a realistic range of uptake ratios was considered for the heart and tumor. For each simulated time frame, the biodistribution of the radionuclide in the phantom was considered constant, and a sufficient number of decays were simulated to achieve low statistical uncertainty. Absorbed dose, which was scaled to take into account radioactive decay, integration with time, and changes in biological distribution was reported in mGy per MBq of administered activity for several organs and uptake scenarios. The mean absorbed dose ranged from a few mGy/MBq to hundreds of mGy/MBq. Major organs receive an absorbed dose in a range for which biological effects have been reported. The effects on a given investigation are hard to predict; however, investigators should be awaremore » of potential perturbations especially when the studied organ receives high absorbed dose and when longitudinal imaging protocols are considered.« less
The evaluation of the healing rate of subtalar arthrodeses, part 2: the effect of low-intensity ultrasound stimulation

Background: Arthrodeses of hindfoot joints is commonly used to treat a multitude of painful conditions and deformity. Use of adjuvant low-intensity ultrasound bone stimulation has demonstrated promising results in the treatment of acute fractures and fracture nonunions. The purpose of this 12-month prospective study was to evaluate the healing rate and clinical results of patients undergoing primary subtalar arthrodeses with adjuvant low-intensity ultrasound bone stimulation. Materials and Methods: Fifteen consecutive patients participated in the study. Routine radiographs and CT scans were obtained, and clinical outcomes gathered. The clinical and radiographic data were compared to a similar cohort of patients previously reported on that had not received ultrasound bone stimulation. Results: The patients who received ultrasound bone stimulation showed a statistically significant faster healing rate on plain radiographs at 9 weeks (p = 0.034) and CT scan at 12 weeks (p = 0.017). A 100% fusion rate was not...
Multiple agendas in a changing society: Policy challenges confronting career guidance in the USA

Abstract Career guidance services in the United States are diverse in the settings in which they are located and comprehensive in their coverage of populations. Even though career guidance services are socio-political mechanisms, as reflected in their support from government policy, legislations and statutes, there is no unifying policy of career guidance at the federal or state government levels. There are, instead, many policies, guidelines, and legislative acts, the influences of which are often not distinguishable. These tend to differentiate career guidance services and practitioners by setting and population rather than co-ordinating such interventions and purposes under a comprehensive policy. Recommendations for the depoliticisation of and the use of a life-cycle approach to public policy in career guidance are discussed.
Pancreatic Trauma Revisited

Pancreatic trauma is rare with an incidence between one and two percent in patients with abdominal trauma. Morbidity and mortality, however, are significant with rates approaching 40-45% in some reports. The majority of patients with injuries to the pancreas have associated trauma to other organs which are primarily responsible for the high mortality rate. The continuity of the main pancreatic duct is the most important determinant of outcome after injury to the pancreas. If there is no evidence of ductal injury on fine-cut CT or on ERCP, nonoperative management is chosen. The indications for operative management are as follows: (1) peritonitis on physical examination; (2) hypotension and a positive FAST; and (3) evidence of disruption of the pancreatic duct on fine-cut CT or on ERCP. After exposure and evaluation of the extent of injuries to the pancreas and duodenum, a decision must be made on the procedure. For pancreatic contusions, hematomas, or small lacerations, simple external drainage or pancreatorrhaphy with drainage can be performed. For ductal transection at the neck, body, or tail, the procedure of choice is a distal pancreatectomy or Roux-en-Y distal pancreatojejunostomy. If the patient has suffered a ductal transection at the head of the pancreas without injury to the duodenum, a Roux-en-Y distal pancreatojejunostomy or anterior Roux-en-Y pancreatojejunostomy is the operation of choice. For combined pancreatoduodenal injuries, the options are repair and drainage, diversion via a pyloric exclusion procedure, or pancreatoduodenectomy. Complications of pancreatic injuries include fistulas and intra-abdominal abscesses, and an occasional pancreatic pseudocyst. Key Words.
Vibrational and configurational contributions to the thermodynamics of metallic solutions

Abstract We have developed a solution model for the thermo-dynamics of metallic systems that is composed of three contributions beyond the regular solution model. The contribution due to the nonrandomness is based upon a two-term expansion of the Guggenheim statistical mechanical model. There is a vibrational contribution that is treated as being an alloying effect on the Debye temperature. In fitting this model to the data in Hultgren et al. it was necessary to include a third term that represented a bias, the precise nature of which could not be determined. It was possible to select fixed values for the three parameters that represent these effects, along with an individual interaction energy for each system, that provided a satisfactory fit of the majority of the solution data in Hultgren et al.
Science Learning Progressions

Guided by the 2011 U.S. National Research Council framework for science education ( 1 ), the most recent draft of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) is briefly open for public comment ( 2 ). Key goals of this effort ( 3 ) include (i) reducing coverage to a select set of "big ideas" (e.g., atomic molecular theory, biodiversity, energy); (ii) providing a progression to facilitate coherence in learning of these ideas over the course of schooling; and (iii) promoting a practice-oriented approach to inquiry-based science learning.
Morte d'amour with subsequent electrophysiologic studies.

Abstract “Morte d'amour” (death by love) has been commonly described in men with coronary artery disease in which the excitement and cardiovascular stress of sexual relations has caused ischemia or fatal arrhythmia, or both. We describe ventricular fibrillation after sexual intercourse in a young woman without coronary artery disease.
Robust control of an absorption heat pump system

An absorption heat pump system is a complex nonlinear system. We proposed a practical procedure of controller design based on the idea of global linearization. Numerical simulation runs have illustrated this procedure is practical and effective for the complex nonlinear system.
Depression and self-esteem in adolescence:a study of senior high school students in Greece

Background and aims:The evaluation of depressive symptomatology and self-esteem in high school adolescent students in Greece and the assessment of their relation to demographic variables, school performance and adolescents' activities.Methods:The CES-D Scale (depressive symptomatology) and the Rosenberg scale (self-esteem) were administered to 713 students (396 girls and 317 boys, age 15-18), of the Athens Metropolitan Area, Senior's High School Grades 1-3. Personal data such as age, sex, school records, family's conditions and time spent per week in school-related (e.g. tutorials) and extracurricular (e.g. sports) activities were collected.Results:Considering CES-D cut-off score >28, 26.2% of the students (33.7% of females and 16.1% of males) could be considered as having depression. CES-D score was found to be associated to sex and school record (being less for students with a better record). Male students were having higher depression scores as they grew older, while respective scores for females were decreasing; at third grade boys had slightly higher CES-D mean score than girls.Self-esteem and depressive symptoms were negatively correlated among both boys and girls.Conclusions:A relatively high number of adolescent students in Greek schools can be considered as having significant depressive symptomatology and low self-esteem. The higher depression score in girls is consistent with the existing literature. The fact that boys have higher depression scores in the last grade of high school may be an indication of the higher pressure for academic achievement imposed by the family on them.
DNA restriction enzyme fragment polymorphism as a tool for rapid differentiation ofAspergillus flavus fromAspergillus oryzae

Abstract Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus oryzae are difficult to differentiate using standard morphologically based characteristics. This survey, using several restriction enzymes, showed that Sma I digestions of total DNA could be used to differentiate these two closely related species of Aspergillus . A different electrophoretic pattern was associated with each of the two species, while within a species the pattern remained constant. CsCl banding of DNA from one isolate of each species indicated the DNA that produced the species-specific pattern was associated with the nuclear DNA fraction.
The chemisorption and reaction of dichlorosilane on Ge(100) and Ge(111) surfaces

Abstract The reactions of dichlorosilane (SiCl 2 H 2 ) with Ge(100) and Ge(111) are investigated with soft X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy excited by synchrotron radiation. SiCl 2 H 2 is found to dissociatively chemisorb at all temperatures. At room temperature, the adsorbed layer is composed of multiple silicon chlorides and hydrides. At exposure temperatures between 200 and 400° C, the surfaces are covered primarily by SiCl with some higher chlorides and unchlorinated Si also present. The specific distributions of these species are slightly different on Ge(100) and Ge(111), with greater concentrations of higher silicon chlorides on Ge(111). For exposures in the range of 500 to 600° C, pure Si is deposited onto the surfaces, likely in the form of islands. For exposures at 700° C, Si is also interdiffused into the Ge substrate.
Replacing a Power Plant Control Room Simulation Laboratory for an Engineering Technology Program

Industry-centered education has been an integral part of the educational program at Maine Maritime Academy (MMA) since the founding of the college in 1941. This has included extensive use of laboratories and cooperative education as part of all MMA academic programs. Employers, graduates, and potential students describe MMA’s “hands-on” focus, reflected in the laboratory and cooperative education experiences, to be one of the main advantages of an MMA education, including the Power Engineering Technology (PET) program. In 1993, the MMA Engineering Department decided to build on this strength for the PET program by adding a personal computer-based, power plant control room simulator laboratory. The simulators were integrated into the PET Capstone experience, a two-course, nine credit hour sequence, that included both individual and team projects. The simulators were used to provide additional realistic, “hands–on” training as the students completed their degree. Over the course of the past fifteen years, while the simulators have continued to be a valued tool for the PET Program, the simulators were reaching the end point of their viable use due to hardware obsolescence. Since the simulator software was hardware specific, it had become impossible to procure replacement hardware for the simulators. In 2008, it was decided to replace the simulators and new simulator hardware and software have been procured and will be integrated into the PET Program beginning in the fall 2010 semester. This paper will describe the process used to determine the scope of the replacement process, the parameters for the new simulation systems, the procedure for determining the systems selected, and the process of integrating these new resources, including the assessment methods using the simulators, into the PET Program.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Human fetal myelinated organotypic cultures.

Abstract We have previously reported the establishment of organotypic cultures derived from human fetal brain tissue. Although these cultures permit the testing of multiple hypotheses about normal human neurodevelopment and neuropathologic conditions, they have the limitation of not being myelinated and therefore preclude the study of questions related to myelinogenesis and diseases of myelin. In the current communication, we describe recent developments that allow us to overcome this limitation and permit the establishment of a myelinated organotypic culture model. Sections of dorsal column dissected from the lumbar spinal cord of human fetuses ranging in age 21–23 weeks of gestation were placed in culture. The explants were maintained for up to 12 weeks during which time they were characterized and shown to express a number of CNS cell-type-specific markers including glial fibrillary acidic protein (astrocytes), nerve growth factor receptor and neurofilament protein (neurons), CD68 (microglia), and myelin basic protein, HNK-1 and galactocerebroside (oligodendrocytes). In addition, lectin histochemistry using Ricinus communis agglutinin-1 detected microglia and endothelial cells. Upon explantation, abundant myelin was seen by electron microscopy in the cultures. Although during the culture period there was degradation of myelin, there was also evidence of maintenance of intact myelin sheaths around small caliber axons and de novo myelin synthesis. This model system may permit the further use of human organotypic cultures to investigate issues related to neurodevelopment and to pathologic conditions including those relevant to dysmyelination and demyelination.
Multithreaded Global Address Space Communication Techniques for Gyrokinetic Fusion Applications on Ultra-Scale Platforms

We present novel parallel language constructs for the communication intensive part of a magnetic fusion simulation code. The focus of this work is the shift phase of charged particles of a tokamak simulation code in toroidal geometry. We introduce new hybrid PGAS/OpenMP implementations of highly optimized hybrid MPI/OpenMP based communication kernels. The hybrid PGAS implementations use an extension of standard hybrid programming techniques, enabling the distribution of high communication work loads of the underlying kernel among OpenMP threads. Building upon lightweight one-sided CAF (Fortran 2008) communication techniques, we also show the benefits of spreading out the communication over a longer period of time, resulting in a reduction of bandwidth requirements and a more sustained communication and computation overlap. Experiments on up to 130560 processors are conducted on the NERSC Hopper system, which is currently the largest HPC platform with hardware support for one-sided communication and show performance improvements of 52% at highest concurrency.