cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Measurement of shear-induced diffusion of red blood cells using dynamic light scattering-optical coherence tomography

Dynamic Light Scattering-Optical Coherence Tomography (DLS-OCT) takes the advantages of using DLS to measure particle flow and diffusion within an OCT resolution-constrained 3D volume, enabling the simultaneous measurements of absolute RBC velocity and diffusion coefficient with high spatial resolution. In this work, we applied DLS-OCT to measure both RBC velocity and the shear-induced diffusion coefficient within penetrating venules of the somatosensory cortex of anesthetized mice. Blood flow laminar profile measurements indicate a blunted laminar flow profile, and the degree of blunting decreases with increasing vessel diameter. The measured shear-induced diffusion coefficient was proportional to the flow shear rate with a magnitude of ~ 0.1 to 0.5 × 10-6 mm2 . These results provide important experimental support for the recent theoretical explanation for why DCS is dominantly sensitive to RBC diffusive motion.
Development and validation of a transitions-of-care pharmacist tool to predict potentially avoidable 30-day readmissions.

Purpose A practical tool for predicting the risk of 30-day readmissions using data readily available to pharmacists before hospital discharge is described. Methods A retrospective cohort study to identify predictors of potentially avoidable 30-day readmissions was conducted using transitions-of-care pharmacy notes and electronic medical record data from a large health system. Through univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses of factors associated with unplanned readmissions in the study cohort ( n = 690) over a 22-month period, a risk prediction tool was developed. The tool’s discriminative ability was assessed using the C statistic; its calibration was assessed using the Hosmer–Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test. Results Three factors predictive of readmission risk were identified; these variables—medication count, comobidity count, and health insurance status at discharge—form the 3-predictor MEDCOINS score. Among patients identified as being at high risk for readmission using the MEDCOINS tool, the estimated readmission risk was 22.5%, as compared with an observed readmission rate of 21.9%. The discriminatory performance of MEDCOINS scoring was fair (C statistic = 0.65 [95% confidence interval, 0.60–0.70]), with good calibration (Hosmer–Lemeshow p = 0.99). Conclusion Among a cohort of patients who were seen by a transitions-of-care pharmacist during an inpatient hospitalization, comorbidity burden, number of medications, and health insurance coverage were most predictive of 30-day readmission. The MEDCOINS tool was found to have fair discriminative ability and good calibration.
Block Copolymer Templated Fabrication of TiO2 Nanodot Films Using Pulsed Laser Deposition

Block copolymer (BCP) templated inorganic material nanopatterning, often termed as BCP lithography, has received significant attention in recent years because of its self-assembly property offering direct synthesis of nanostructures with different morphologies. In this paper, we report an approach combining BCP template and pulsed laser deposition (PLD) to synthesize TiO2 nanodots of sub-50 nm dimension. Our results show that the BCP templated TiO2 nanodots maintained the exact form of the top of polystyrene cylindrical template in the growth process as seen from the top view of scanning electron microscopy images. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirms the presence of Ti and O, and X-ray diffraction results show existence of both anatase and rutile TiO2 crystalline phase in the nanodot films. The photoluminescence spectrum for the fabricated TiO2 is dominated by a broad peak extending from visible to near-infrared (NIR) that appears because of overlap of the characteristic peaks for TiO2 anatase (visi...
The Cerebellar-Vestibular Role in Phobias and Related Mental Events

The discovery of the c-v role in phobias and related mental events was a natural and inevitable scientific outcome resulting from the correlation of data derived from three simultaneous paths of investigation: (1) the cross-sectional and longitudinal follow-up studies of dyslexic children into adulthood; (2) the retrospective and reconstructive analysis of adult dyslexic symptoms back to their childhood origin; and (3) the independent and simultaneous practice of psychiatry and psychoanalytic psychotherapy (Fig. 12–1).
Using a Structured Writing Workshop to Help Good Readers Who are Poor Writers

This study explores the influence of a Writing Academy on the strategy applications, perceptions, and emotions that good readers who are poor writers experience when writing narrative text on-demand. Eleven fifth grade students (12 years old) were identified as good readers who are poor writers based on their academic history of passing the state-required End-Of-Grade Reading Test when they were in the third and fourth grades, but failing the state-required Fourth Grade Narrative Writing Test. Each subject participated in a specially-designed 16 week Writing Academy. Special Needs students who exhibited an identified behavioral or learning disability participated in the class but not in the study. This qualitative study included individual in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. Data for each student consisted of interviews, teacher annotations from conferences, writing portfolio, self-assessment writing, and scores on the Writer Self-Perception Scale. These data were systematically analyzed using the constant comparative method, and classified according to their relationship to two construct categories that emerged (a basic profile of good readers who are poor writers, and the impact of the Writing Academy), and/or to a theme category (strategies, common experiences, and emotions). Results indicate that good readers who are poor writers (a) lack knowledge and application of both prewriting strategies and story grammar schema to plan and generate narrative texts; (b) do not employ self-regulation strategies to evaluate and to revise the texts they compose; (c) are inhibited in their writing by strong, negative emotions coupled with the perception of themselves as poor writers; and (d) benefit from participating in a structured writing workshop aimed at addressing the above mentioned problems.
Application of Genetic Bit Analysis (GBATM) for allelic selection in plant breeding

Genetic Bit Analysis (GBA) is a relatively new technique developed to score single-nucleotide polymorphisms among alleles. It is currently being used as a genetic diagnostic tool in human paternity tests as well as in pedigree analysis of farm animals. GBA relies on the polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked colorimetry to distinguish differences among genotypes. The identification of a single-nucleotide polymorphism which distinguished the plastome of cytoplasmic male-sterile onion varieties from the plastome of fertile lines provided a model system for testing the utility of GBA in plants. Our results demonstrate that GBA permits rapid and accurate allele determination in onion breeding lines, resulting in accurate prediction of sterility at the seedling stage. The use of 96-well microtiter plates and automated liquid-handlers allowed semi-automation of Genetic Bit Analysis.
Perspectives of human information behaviour: contexts, situations, social networks and information horizons

This paper presents an evolving framework of human information behavior. The framework emerges from theories and empirical studies from a variety of research traditions, including information science, communication, sociology and psychology, that inform our understanding of human information behaviour. First, fundamental concepts, such as context, situation, and social networks, are discussed. Using these concepts, a series of propositions that strive to elucidate, that is, prove a framework for exploring, human information behaviour are proposed. Information exploration, seeking, filtering, use and dissemination, are included (to varying degrees) in the framework. The framework also incorporates cognitive, social and system perspectives. A key concept in the framework is the notion of an "information horizon" in which individuals can act. Information horizons, which may consist of a variety of information resources, are determined socially and individually, and may be conceptualized as densely populated solution spaces. In a densely populated solution space, many solutions are assumed, and the information retrieval problem expands from determining the most efficient path to the best solution, to determining how to make possible solutions visible--to an individual(s) and to other information resources.
Biomechanics of Flexor Pulley Reconstruction

Many surgical techniques have been described for pulley reconstruction to restore hand function.2,3,7,8 Biomechanically, a successfully reconstructed pulley should maintain adequate strength and similar compliance as those of the normal intact ligaments. In addition, it should provide the proper constraint of tendon to restore the functions of the digits. In this study, the efficacy of different types of pulley reconstruction on hand function were compared based on the joint motion and tendon excursion measurements. The mechanical properties of reconstructed pulleys were also tested to determine the strength and stiffness.
Leak And Partial Blockage Detection

Leak and partial blockage are common in pipelines, typically at junctions, joints and connections. Huge losses of drinking water due to leaks in pipelines are well documented [AWWA 1990; Weil 1993]. In addition to reduced flows, there may be economical losses and environmental issues. A pipeline, on the other hand, may be partially blocked due to chemical or physical deposition. Deposition of solid wastes in sewers, freezing of water in water pipelines and a jammed valve in an industrial piping system are typical examples of partial blockage in a piping system.
Fracture Toughness and Critical Crack Sizes for the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Motor D6AC Steel Case

Fracture toughness and critical crack size tests were conducted on a variety of fracture specimens that were machined from actual Space Shuttle solid rocket motor (SRM) D6AC steel cylindrical case segments. Plane-strain fracture toughness tests were conducted at four temperatures ranging from -30 °C to 55 °C. Average values ranged from a low of 87.6 NPa-m 1 / 2 at -30 °C to a high of 120.3 NPa-m 1 / 2 at room temperature. Fracture tests were also conducted on seven different crack configurations that simulate details in the SRM field and factory joint locations. These configurations included: surface and through cracks, corner and through cracks at an open hole, and through and corner cracks at a pin-loaded hole. Elastic stress-intensity factors at failure, K I e , were found to be constant within ′ 10 % for the range of crack and specimen sizes tested. The fatigue pre-cracking stress levels were found to have a strong influence on K I e . An effective elastic fracture toughness, accounting for crack-closure effects, was found to be nearly constant for a wide range of fatigue pre-cracking stress-intensity factor levels. Fatigue tests were also conducted on simulated SRM case-segment joint leak-check port specimens to determine crack initiation locations, fatigue-crack growth and critical crack sizes. Eddy-current probes, identical to those used in actual hardware, were used to monitor crack growth. Specimens were cycled at either proof-test load or flight-load levels at various temperatures until failure. Critical crack sizes obtained were greater than 25 mm in length and required more than 2,700 cycles to grow from a damage-tolerant crack size (1 mm) to failure.
Relational Politics of Clinical Care: Lessons from the University of California PRIME-LC Program

This essay offers a relational approach that uses humility as a key to unlocking postures toward patients that in turn enable deep listening and structural awareness. The approach has been developed through my work with first, second, and third year medical students and residents. I was hired in 2004 as the founding faculty for the Program in Medical Education for the Latino Community (PRIME-LC), a state-funded expansion of the medical school cohort for students committed to working with the Spanishspeaking medically underserved. I was recruited to PRIME-LC because my work examines the ways bioclinical science systematically cleaves the social from the biological for conditions like type 2 diabetes with obvious and well-accepted ecological preconditions.
BINDU: deadlock-freedom with one bubble in the network

Every interconnection network must ensure, for its functional correctness, that it is deadlock free. A routing deadlock occurs when there is a cyclic dependency of packets when acquiring the buffers of the routers. Prior solutions have provisioned an extra set of escape buffers to resolve deadlocks, or restrict the path that a packet can take in the network by disallowing certain turns. This either pays higher power/area overhead or impacts performance. In this work, we demonstrate that (i) keeping one virtual-channel in the entire network (called 'Bindu') empty, and (ii) forcing it to move through all input ports of every router in the network via a pre-defined path, can guarantee deadlock-freedom. We show that our scheme (a) is topology agnostic (we evaluate it on multiple topologies, both regular and irregular), (b) does not impose any turn restrictions on packets, (c) does not require an extra set of escape buffers, and (d) is free from the complex circuitry for detecting and recovering from deadlocks. We report 15% average improvement in throughput for synthetic traffic and 7% average reduction in runtime for real applications over state-of-the-art deadlock freedom schemes.
Omentum wrapped MSCs-PLGA engineer heart tissue improve transplanted cell survival in myocardial infarction rats

Objective We construct engineer heart tissue (EHT) with MSCs and PLGA. We grafted the EHT onto the surface of female myocardial infarction SD rats. We hypothesized that omentum wrapped MSCs-PLGA EHT would improve transplanted cell survival when the isehemic microenvironment was attenuated.Methods MSCs were isolated from male SD rats and cultured on PLGA polymers in vitro. Eight weeks after female SD rats were subjected to left anterior descending ligation, two treatments were conducted: MSCs-PLGA EHT implantation (group E), and omentum wrapped MSCs-PLGA EHT implantation (group O). Control group underwent no treatment (group C). The myocardial infarction group (group MI) underwent LAD ligation only. 4 weeks after EHT transplantation, the following variables were evaluated: cell apoptosis by TUNEL staining, microvascular density by immunochemistry staining of vWF, specimen staining by picrosirius red. Results Transplanted cell apoptosis was significantly reduced in group O compared with group E one week after EHT implantation (P < 0.05). Favtor Ⅷ characterized microvascular density was higher in group O compared with group E (P<0.05). Picrosirius red staining showed infarction ventricular wall thickness of group O was significantly increased compared with group MI and group C (P<0.05). Conclusion Transplantation of MSCs-PLGA EHT with omentum wrapping resulted higher microvessel density.The ameliorate microenvironment reduced cell apoptosis. Key words: Myocardial infarction; Engineer heart tissue; Omentum; Apoptosis
Splitting shock heating between ions and electrons in an ionized gas

Abstract When a shock passes through an ionized plasma, a question exists about how much of the shock energy should go to the ions and how much should go to the electrons. Until recently, we have used the simplest possible model (based on Zel’dovich and Raizer [1], dumping all of the shock energy into the ions and ignoring the electronic fluid completely. However, we have become aware of work from the early 2000’s by Velikovich et al. [2] that has convinced us that a more sophisticated approach can be worthwhile in problems that involve ionization of elements with atomic number (Z) as low as five or six. We describe an approach for splitting the shock energy according to the values of ion and electron viscosity. We examine several calculations to explore the difference between our previous approach and our new one. Finally, we conclude with a brief discussion of when ion/electron shock heat splitting will matter and when it will not, along with some ideas for future research.
Association of ABI3 and PLCG2 missense variants with disease risk and neuropathology in Lewy body disease and progressive supranuclear palsy

Missense variants ABI3_rs616338-T and PLCG2_rs72824905-G were previously associated with elevated or reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), respectively. Despite reports of associations with other neurodegenerative diseases, there are few studies of these variants in purely neuropathologically diagnosed cohorts. Further, the effect of these mutations on neurodegenerative disease pathologies is unknown. In this study, we tested the effects of ABI3_rs616338-T and PLCG2_rs72824905-G on disease risk in autopsy cohorts comprised of 973 patients diagnosed neuropathologically with Lewy body disease (LBD-NP) and 1040 with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), compared to 3351 controls. LBD-NP patients were further categorized as high, intermediate and low likelihood of clinical dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB-CL) based on DLB Consortium criteria. We also tested for association with both Braak neurofibrillary tau tangle (nTotal = 2008, nPSP = 1037, nLBD-NP = 971) and Thal phase amyloid plaque scores (nTotal = 1786, nPSP = 1018, nLBD-NP = 768). Additionally, 841 PSP patients had quantitative tau neuropathology measures that were assessed for genetic associations. There was no statistically significant association with disease risk for either LBD-NP or PSP in our study. LBD intermediate category disease risk was significantly associated with ABI3_rs616338-T (OR = 2.65, 95% CI 1.46–4.83, p = 0.001). PLCG2_rs72824905-G was associated with lower Braak stage (s = − 0.822, 95% CI − 1.439 to − 0.204, p = 0.009). This effect was more pronounced in the PSP (s = − 0.995, 95% CI − 1.773 to − 0.218, p = 0.012) than LBD-NP patients (s = − 0.292, 95% CI − 1.283 to 0.698, p = 0.563). PLCG2_rs72824905-G also showed association with reduced quantitative tau pathology for each lesion type and overall tau burden in PSP (s = − 0.638, 95% CI − 1.139 to − 0.136, p = 0.013). These findings support a role for PLCG2_rs72824905-G in suppressing tau neuropathology. ABI3_rs616338-T may influence disease risk specifically in the LBD-NP intermediate category comprised of patients with diffuse neocortical or limbic LB, concurrently with moderate or high AD neuropathology, respectively. Our study provides a potential mechanism of action for the missense PLCG2 variant and suggests a differential disease risk effect for ABI3 in a distinct LBD-NP neuropathologic category.
Limited Benefits Halt Enrollment in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Trial for Stiff-Person Syndrome: Should There Be More to Come?

Stiff-person syndrome (SPS) is an autoimmune disease characterized by stiffness of truncal and proximal limb muscles due to co-contracture of agonist and antagonist muscles resulting in hyperlordosis, difficulty bending, slow gait, and statue-like appearance; episodic spasms precipitated by unexpected auditory, tactile, visual, or stressful stimuli; and task-specific phobias.1,2 High-titer autoantibodies against glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD)–65, the rate-limiting enzyme for GABA synthesis, or glycine receptors are detected in most patients, denoting impaired inhibitory neurotransmission causing excitotoxicity, spasms, and stiffness.1–3 High GAD titers are also seen, or overlap with, autoimmune epilepsy, encephalitis, cerebellar ataxia, and myoclonus, forming the GAD spectrum disorder.2,3 SPS responds to GABA-enhancing drugs (diazepam, baclofen, anticonvulsants) and certain immunotherapies.1–4 A placebo-controlled trial with IV immunoglobulin (IVIg) showed significant improvements in 70% of patients,5 but a randomized controlled trial with rituximab did not reach significance due to strong placebo effect, although 35% of patients improved.6 Plasmapheresis, corticosteroids, and immunosuppressants variably show limited benefits.2–4 Patients poorly responding to these therapies may become permanently impaired, requiring walkers or wheelchairs. Additional immunotherapies are therefore welcome.
Exceptional origin activation revealed by comparative analysis in two laboratory yeast strains

We performed a comparative analysis of replication origin activation by genome-wide single-stranded DNA mapping in two common laboratory strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae challenged by hydroxyurea (HU), an inhibitor of the ribonucleotide reductase. By doing so we gained understanding of the impact on origin activation by three factors: replication checkpoint control, DNA sequence polymorphisms, and relative positioning of origin and transcription unit. Our analysis recapitulated the previous finding that the majority of origins are subject to checkpoint control by the Rad53 kinase when cells were treated with HU. In addition, origins either subject to Rad53 checkpoint control or impervious to it are largely concordant between the two strains. However, these two strains also produced different dynamics of origin activation. First, the W303-RAD53 cells showed a significant reduction of fork progression than A364a-RAD53 cells. This phenotype was accompanied by an elevated level of Rad53 phosphorylation in W303-RAD53 cells. Second, W303-rad53K227A checkpoint-deficient cells activated a greater number of origins accompanied by global reduction of ssDNA across all origins compared to A364a-rad53K227A cells; and this is correlated with lower expression level of the mutant protein in W303 than in A364a. We also show that sequence polymorphism in the consensus motifs of the replication origins plays a minor role in determining origin usage. Remarkably, eight strain-specific origins lack the canonical 11-bp consensus motif for autonomously replicating sequences in either strain background. Finally, we identified a new class of origins that are only active in checkpoint-proficient cells, which we named "Rad53-dependent origins". The only discernible feature of these origins is that they tend to overlap with an open reading frame, suggesting previously unexplored connection between transcription and origin activation. Our study presents a comprehensive list of origin usage in two diverse yeast genetic backgrounds, fine-tunes the different categories of origins with respect to checkpoint control, and provokes further exploration of the interplay between origin activation and transcription. Author SummaryComparative analysis of origins of replication in two laboratory yeast strains reveals new insights into origin activation, regulation and dependency on the Rad53 checkpoint kinase.
Variability within rare cell states enables multiple paths toward drug resistance

Molecular differences between individual cells can lead to dramatic differences in cell fate, such as death versus survival of cancer cells upon drug treatment. These originating differences remain largely hidden due to difficulties in determining precisely what variable molecular features lead to which cellular fates. Thus, we developed Rewind, a methodology that combines genetic barcoding with RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization to directly capture rare cells that give rise to cellular behaviors of interest. Applying Rewind to BRAFV600E melanoma, we trace drug-resistant cell fates back to single-cell gene expression differences in their drug-naive precursors (initial frequency of ~1:1,000-1:10,000 cells) and relative persistence of MAP kinase signaling soon after drug treatment. Within this rare subpopulation, we uncover a rich substructure in which molecular differences among several distinct subpopulations predict future differences in phenotypic behavior, such as proliferative capacity of distinct resistant clones after drug treatment. Our results reveal hidden, rare-cell variability that underlies a range of latent phenotypic outcomes upon drug exposure.
A Machine Learning based Threat Intelligence Framework for Industrial Control System Network Traffic Indicators of Compromise

Cyber-attacks on our Nation's Critical Infrastructure are growing. In this research, a Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) framework is proposed, developed, and tested. The results of the research, using 5 different simulated attacks on a dataset from an Industrial Control System (ICS) testbed, are presented with the extracted IOCs. The Bagging Decision Trees model showed the highest performance of testing accuracy (94.24%), precision (0.95), recall (0.93), and F1-score (0.94) among the 9 different machine learning models studied.
A generalized equation approach for hyoid bone displacement and penetration–aspiration scale analysis

Swallowing physiology includes numerous biomechanical events including displacement of the hyoid bone, which is a crucial component of airway protection and opening of the proximal esophagus. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential relations between the trajectory of hyoid bone movement and the risk of airway penetration and aspiration during a videofluoroscopic swallowing study. Two hundred sixty-five patients were involved in this study, producing a total of 1433 swallows of various volumes consisting of thin liquid, nectar-thick liquid, and solids during a fluoroscopic exam. The anterior and posterior landmarks of the body of the hyoid bone were manually marked in each frame of each fluoroscopic video. Generalized estimation equations were applied to evaluate the relationship between penetration–aspiration scores and mathematical features extracted from the hyoid bone trajectories, while also considering the influence of other independent variables such as age, bolus volume, and viscosity. Our results indicated that penetration–aspiration scores showed a significant relation to age. The maximum anterior (horizontal) displacement of the anterior hyoid bone landmark was significantly associated with the penetration–aspiration scores. Differences in the displacement of the hyoid bone are useful observations in airway protection.
Analysis of adverse events following immunization in Zhejiang, China, 2019: a retrospective cross-sectional study based on the passive surveillance system.

Objectives: This study summarizes passive surveillance data for adverse events following immunization (AEFI) in Zhejiang province.Methods: The AEFI reports and number of doses on all vaccines used ...
Using Ray Tracing to Model the Plasmaspheric Wave Field for Active Experiments in Space

Whistler mode waves in the Earth's inner magnetosphere playa key role in local energy transfer between particle populations and in larger scale processes such as scattering of trapped energetic electrons into the atmospheric loss cone. A body of recent research has focused on active experiments which generate whistler waves (e.g. via an antenna or accelerating an unstable electron beam) with the intent of influencing these processes. Accurately modeling how whistlers evolve on a global scale is an important step toward evaluating the impacts of these experimental efforts.
Extending Color Psychology to the Personality Realm: Interpersonal Hostility Varies by Red Preferences and Perceptual Biases

The color psychology literature has made a convincing case that color is not just about aesthetics, but also about meaning. This work has involved situational manipulations of color, rendering it uncertain as to whether color-meaning associations can be used to characterize how people differ from each other. The present research focuses on the idea that the color red is linked to, or associated with, individual differences in interpersonal hostility. Across four studies (N = 376 undergraduates), red preferences and perceptual biases were measured along with individual differences in interpersonal hostility. It was found that (a) a preference for the color red was higher as interpersonal hostility increased, (b) hostile people were biased to see the color red more frequently than nonhostile people, and (c) there was a relationship between a preference for the color red and hostile social decision making. These studies represent an important extension of the color psychology literature, highlighting the need to attend to person-based, as well as situation-based, factors.
Technology, Residual Claimants, and Corporate Control

Corporate law requires that incorporated firms be managed under the direction of a board of directors who are legally accountable to the firm's shareholders (Henn; Eisenberg). The latter delegate to the board the formal authority to hire, fire, and compensate the firm's professional managers. Economists have begun to study how governance structures like the board of directors limit managerial discretion (agency) in large corporations, economize on the transaction costs associated with this organizational form, and influence firm performance (Baysinger and Butler, 1985a; Fama and Jensen, 1983a, 1983b; Williamson, 1984). Along the same lines, organization theorists have examined the board's ability to set the premises of managerial decision making through the exercise of its formal authority and, hence, to control the goal setting and strategy formulation processes (Mizruchi). Preliminary empirical tests tend to support the notion that the board of directors contributes to the effective governance of large business corporations (Baysinger and Butler, 1985a).
Abstract 14935: Impact of Paravalvular Regurgitation after Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement for Severe Aortic Stenosis: An Intraoperative Transesophageal Echocardiography Study

Introduction: Greater than mild paravalvular regurgitation (PVR) is reported to worsen late mortality after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). However the impact of PVR on the prognosis after surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) is not determined. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of PVR on the prognosis after SAVR in patients with aortic stenosis (AS) using intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography (iTEE). Hypothesis: We hypothesized that the prognosis of mild PVR after SAVR in patients with AS is benign. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 304 consecutive patients with severe AS who underwent isolated SAVR using bioprosthesis and who had color Doppler iTEE images after SAVR. Severity of PVR was determined by the sum of the cross-sectional area of the vena contracta (VCA) using 2D color Doppler just after SAVR. Grading of PVR was determined using the following VCA cutoffs: trivial 0-4 mm2; mild 5-9 mm2; moderate 10-29 mm2; severe ≥ 30 mm2. We investigated the clinical course after SAVR including death, re-hospitalization due to heart failure exacerbation, and reoperation. Results: The patients were 76 ± 10 years old, and 57% were male. PVR was trivial in 28 patients (9%), mild in 18 (6%), moderate in 9 (3%), severe in 0. During the follow-up period of 1111 ± 582 days (median 1071 days), there were significant differences in survival between moderate and none/trivial or mild PVR group (p Conclusions: Although infrequent, moderate PVR showed worse survival following SAVR for severe AS, while the prognosis of mild PVR was benign.
Design and realization of a multi-modal/multi-agency transit management and information system

In past work we described a system of components that are used to construct transit traveler information applications. In this paper we describe an ongoing project that uses the same component architecture to combine maps, schedules, and AVL information from four transit agencies. The result is a set of Web applications suitable for both transit management and traveler information. We describe both the technical and administrative challenges to be overcome in building a regional (10000 square miles) transit AVL and information system.
Relational learning in stimulus sequences

This paper proposes a new analysis of generative performances derived from contingencies that establish the production of stimulus sequences. Neither simple chaining nor within-sequence conditional stimulus control can account for the production of novel, untrained sequences that have been the outcomes of a number of experiments. The alternative analysis we propose focuses on relations among stimuli within sequences and across sequences trained independently of one another, and behavioral tests that evaluate whether such relations possess the properties of an order relation (i.e., asymmetry, transitivity, and connectedness). Our approach is an extension of Sidman’s analysis of relations among stimuli in equivalence classes. It provides a framework for examining how equivalence and order relations interact to yield extensive repertoires of novel behaviors that occur under appropriate circumstances. The concepts and procedures we present outline a behavior analytic approach to studying aspects of phenomena like syntactic development and transitive inference.
Mycotic Infections Acquired outside Areas of Known Endemicity, United States

In the United States, endemic mycoses--blastomycosis, coccidioidomycosis, and histoplasmosis--pose considerable clinical and public health challenges. Although the causative fungi typically exist within broadly defined geographic areas or ecologic niches, some evidence suggests that cases have occurred in humans and animals not exposed to these areas. We describe cases acquired outside regions of traditionally defined endemicity. These patients often have severe disease, but diagnosis may be delayed because of a low index of suspicion for mycotic disease, and many more cases probably go entirely undetected. Increased awareness of these diseases, with a specific focus on their potential occurrence in unusual areas, is needed. Continued interdisciplinary efforts to reevaluate and better describe areas of true endemicity are warranted, along with a more nuanced view of the notion of endemicity. The term "nonendemic" should be used with care; mycoses in such regions might more accurately be considered "not known to be endemic."
Parts-per-trillion LC-MS(Q) analysis of herbicides and transformation products in surface water.

The goal of this study was to develop a robust method of analyzing surface water samples for S-triazine herbicides, chloroacetanilide herbicides, and their transformation products (TPs) using solid-phase extraction (SPE) followed by liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) with electrospray ionization (ESI) by in-source collision-induced dissociation (ISCID) capability of an orthogonal electrospray ionization probe on a single quadrupole LC-MS system. The method developed here met the goals of the study and yielded estimated method detection limits (EMDLs) averaging 0.3 ± 0.1 ng L−1 for S-triazines and their TPs and 0.7 ± 0.4 ng L−1 for chloroacetanilides and TPs. Spiked filtered river water yielded SPE recoveries ranging from 94.2 % ± 4.8 % for S-triazines and TPs after eliminating three compounds with less that 65 % recovery from analysis and 95.9 % ± 19 % for chloroacetanilides and their TPs. The method was field-tested with filtered water samples collected from four sites over a four-month perio...
Die Behandlung der Epilepsien

Die Geschichte der Epilepsiebehandlung in den fruheren Jahrhunderten ist in Form zahlreicher weit verstreuter Hinweise aus den Werken von Hippokrates (um 400 v. Chr.), Neuburger u. Pagel (1902), Baumann (1923), Temkin (1945), Diepgen (1949) u. a. zu entnehmen. Von entscheidender Bedeutung, sowohl fur den Fortschritt der konservativen als auch der chirurgischen Behandlung der Epilepsie, sind die letzten 100 Jahre. Die Einfuhrung des Broms durch Locock (1851–57), des Luminals durch Hauptmann (1912) und der Hydantoine durch Merritt u. Putnam (1937/38) hat es ermoglicht, die medikamentose Therapie wesentlich erfolgreicher zu gestalten Ahnliche Meilensteine sind fur die chirurgische Behandlung die Entdeckung und Einfuhrung der Antisepsis und Asepsis [Lister (1867)], die Schaffung der Grundlagen fur die cerebrale Lokalisation [Fritsch u. Hitzig (1870) Ferrier (1873/76), Forster (1926) u. a.] und die Verbesserung der Anaesthesietechnik [Schleich (1901) u. a.]. Die Entdeckung des EEG durch Berger (1924/29) hat auch den Gesamtbereich der Epilepsietherapie wesentlich gefordert. Aufgabe weiterer Forschungen der Neurophysiologie, Biochemie und Neuropharmakologie wird es sein, das Wesen der den Epilepsien zugrunde liegenden pathopysiologischen Vorgange mehr und mehr zu erhellen, damit eine kausale Therapie ermoglicht wird, die die bei den Krampfkranken gestorten biologischen Vorgange nur erganzt, reguliert und durch physiologische Behandlungsmethoden das Versagen der notwendigen ortlichen und zeitlichen Spannungsbegrenzung [Gibbs (1949)] beseitigt. In Erganzung dazu sollte es Ziel einer intensiveren Prophylaxe wahrend der Schwangerschaft, Geburt und der ersten Lebensjahre sein, den Prozentsatz der therapeutisch so schlecht angehbaren, schwer cerebralgeschadigten Kinder zu vermindern.
Quasi-phasematched optical frequency conversion in LiNbO/sub 3/ waveguides

We have demonstrated a variety of quasi-phase matched frequency conversion devices in LiNbO/sub 3/ waveguides. Development of models describing the material fabrication processes used for domain inversion and waveguide fabrication allow rapid device demonstration and optimization. More sophisticated quasi-phasematched optical frequency devices will be demonstrated in the near future. >
On the Magnitude of the Electric Field Near Thunderstorm-Associated Clouds

Electric field measurements made in and near clouds during two airborne field mill programs are presented. Aircraft equipped with multiple electric field mills and cloud physics sensors were flown near active convection and into thunderstorm anvil and debris clouds. The magnitude of the electric field was measured as a function of position with respect to the cloud edge in order to provide an observational basis for modifications to the lightning launch commit criteria (LLCC) used by the U.S. space program. These LLCC are used to reduce the risk that an ascending launch vehicle will trigger a lightning strike that could cause the loss of the mission or vehicle. The results suggest that even with fields of tens of kV/m inside electrically active convective clouds, the fields external to these clouds decay to less than 3 kV/m within fifteen kilometers of cloud edge. Fields exceeding 3 kV/m were not found external to anvil and debris clouds.
Difficulties with the partial quantization of systems

Proposals of quantizing matter without also quantizing fields are assessed. In one of these the principle of superposition is given up and an estimate of its violation is suggested. Another proposal, which retains the principle of superposition, is shown to be inconsistent with the equations of motion.
A New Species of Parasquilla (Stomatopoda ) From the Gulf of Mexico, With a Redescription of Squilla Ferussaci Roux 1)

Description de la troisieme espece du genre Parasquilla, P. coccinea, de Floride et du Golfe du Mexique. La rare espece mediterraneenne, P. ferussaci (Roux), est redecrite pour faciliter la comparaison des trois especes. Parasquilla peut representer le lien unissant les genres bien connus de Stomatopodes, Squilla et Pseudosquilla.
Azaserine-induced pathology in dogs☆

Abstract Administration of azaserine, acid-degraded azaserine and ethyldiazoacetate to dogs using various doses and routes resulted in pathologic changes only from azaserine. Graded doses of azaserine varying from 20 to 50 mg/kg were administered to 10 dogs by iv infusion, 6 dogs by po gelatin capsules and 3 dogs by gavage. Acid degraded azaserine was given in single doses of 30 mg/kg to 2 sex-paired dogs via 5 hr iv infusions and to 2 dogs by gavage. Ethyldiazoacetate, an analog of azaserine, was given by iv infusion of 19.8 mg/kg to 2 dogs. Two control dogs received iv infusion of 0.1 m phosphate-buffered saline at pH 7.5, and 2 dogs received no treatment. Major sites of azaserine-induced pathology were in kidneys, prostate and salivary glands. Prostatic lesions occurred in 50% of the animals and included necrosis, atrophy and squamous metaplasia. Mandibular salivary gland lesions occurred in 89% of the animals in included necrosis, atrophy, sialoadenitis and a decrease in sulfated mucopolysaccharides. The affected tissues are all known to contain an enzyme active in the degradation of azaserine. The selective toxicity in these organs suggested that azaserine might have clinical potential for treatment of salivary gland and prostatic tumors.
Hormonal control of delayed development in Macrotus waterhousii. II. Radioimmunoassay of plasma estrone and estradiol 17-β during pregnancy ☆

Abstract The leaf-nosed bat is thought to exemplify the process of delayed development. Copulation occurs in late September through early October with an ensuing, uninterrupted gestation lasting until the following spring. Maternal plasma concentration of estrone ( E 1 ) and estradiol 17-β ( E 2 ) were measured at regular intervals in the 9-mo gestation period. A pattern was found consisting of relatively high concentrations ( E 1 = 15 pg/ml; E 2 = 60 pg/ml) during the first trimester while the following 5 mo of retarded development was characterized by much lower estrogen concentrations ( E 1 = 11 pg/ml; E 2 = 35 pg/ml). The last few weeks of pregnancy displayed drastic increases in hormone levels ( E 1 = 25 pg/ml; E 2 = 78 pg/ml). Our data lend support to a possible hormonal regulation of delayed development. The first estrogen peak is thought to correspond to the time of nidation or to the period shortly thereafter, the decreased estrogen levels occur during the period of embryonic diapause and the final estrogen peak corresponds to the culmination of fetal development and growth and parturition.
Increased production of proinflammatory cytokines by murine macrophages following oral exposure to sodium selenite but not to seleno-L-methionine

Selenium (Se) is an essential as well as a toxic trace element in animal and human nutrition. The immune system is a known target of Se intoxication. The objectives of the present study were to determine the effects of oral exposure to inorganic and organic forms of Se on the murine immune system and to compare the relative toxicity of the different chemical forms. Male BALB/c mice, 6-7 weeks of age, were exposed continuously to 0, 1, 3 or 9 ppm of Se as sodium selenite or seleno-L-methionine in the drinking water for 14 days. Following the treatment period mice were euthanized; trunk blood, spleen, thymus, liver and kidney were aseptically collected and organs weighed. Single-cell splenocyte cultures were made from the spleens and used to determine the effects of Se treatment on mitogen-induced lymphocyte blastogenesis and cytokine production. There were no changes in the 0 and 1 ppm Se groups as selenite. The thymus/body weight ratio was significantly reduced at 3 ppm Se as sodium selenite, and all other parameters remained unaffected. Exposure to 9 ppm of Se as sodium selenite resulted in marked decrease in body weight gain and relative organ weights. Treatment of mice with 9 ppm Se as sodium selenite increased erythrocyte counts in peripheral blood, reduced splenic cellularity, but increased the basal rate of splenocyte proliferation and induced a dose-dependent increase in phytohemagglutinin-P-induced lymphocyte proliferation. Sodium selenite at this dose increased the production of proinflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin-1 beta, in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated splenic macrophages. Mice exposed to Se as seleno-L-methionine in the drinking water did not display any effects on the parameters examined at the dose range in this study. Results indicated that splenic macrophages and lymphocytes are sensitive to Se intoxication and there is a disparity in the immune system toxicity of inorganic and organic forms of Se administered via the drinking water, inorganic Se being more toxic.
A theorem on maximal monotonic sets in Hilbert space

Let H be a Hilbert space, with real or complex scalars. For X, y E H, we denote by (x, y) the real part of the inner product. A set E C (H x H) is called monotonic (see [I, 21) provided that for all (x1 , yr), (xs , ya) E E, we have (x1 xs , yr ys) 3 0, and is called maximal if it is not properly contained in another monotonic set. The zero vector of H will be denoted by 0. The set S C H will be said to surround f3 provided every ray R, = {tx : t > 0} (for x # 0) contains a point of S. The closed convex hull of S is denoted by K(S). (By a well known theorem, K(S) is also weakly closed.) The main theorem of this paper is:
Microoptics and microelectronics for image processing

Outlines progress in microoptics and discusses concepts that blend epitaxial layers of analog circuitry, microoptics, microlaser arrays, and detector arrays with neural retinal designs. Sensor developments can lead to tightly-coupled adaptive focal plane arrays. Key focal plane 'amacronic' functions are motion detection, edge enhancement and space-variant dynamic range reduction. 'Amacronics' refers to layers of optically and competitively-coupled focal planes with local electronic processing cells. With an optically crosslinked detector array, competitive nonlinear center-surround designs that form the basis of biological amacrine functions could be implemented. >
Analysis and testing of PLEXIL plans

Autonomy is increasingly important in missions to remote locations (e.g., space applications and deep sea exploration) since limited bandwidth and communication delays make detailed instructions from a remote base (e.g., Earth or a land base) impractical. The planning systems used for autonomous operation are difficult to verify and validate because they must create plans for use in a specific environment and the correct behavior might not be easy to define. To explore verification and validation of planning systems, we have developed a verification framework for the PLEXIL plan execution language. The framework allows us to perform verification and test case generation using Java Symbolic PathFinder. Using this framework, we have performed verification, bounded verification and test-case generation for NASA-relevant PLEXIL plans and discovered two bugs in the PLEXIL language semantics: one in the definition of the If/Then/Else construct in the Extended PLEXIL language that could lead to plan deadlocks, and one in the semantics of the core language that could cause the PLEXIL executive to crash.
Exact equivalence of the D = 4 gauged Wess-Zumino-Witten term and the D = 5 Yang-Mills Chern-Simons term

We derive the full Wess-Zumino-Witten term of a gauged chiral Lagrangian in D=4 by starting from a pure Yang-Mills theory of gauged quark flavor in a flat, compactified D=5. The theory is compactified such that there exists a B{sub 5} zero mode, and supplemented with quarks that are 'chirally delocalized' with q{sub L} (q{sub R}) on the left (right) boundary (brane). The theory then necessarily contains a Chern-Simons term (anomaly flux) to cancel the fermionic anomalies on the boundaries. The constituent quark mass represents chiral symmetry breaking and is a bilocal operator in D=5 of the form: q{sub L}Wq{sub R}+h.c, where W is the Wilson line spanning the bulk, 0{<=}x{sup 5}{<=}R, and is interpreted as a chiral meson field, W=exp(2i{pi}-tilde/f{sub {pi}}), where f{sub {pi}}{approx}1/R. The quarks are integrated out, yielding a Dirac determinant which takes the form of a 'boundary term' (anomaly flux return), and is equivalent to Bardeen's counterterm that connects consistent and covariant anomalies. The Wess-Zumino-Witten term then emerges straightforwardly, from the Yang-Mills Chern-Simons term, plus boundary term. The method is systematic and allows generalization of the Wess-Zumino-Witten term to theories of extra dimensions, and to express it in alternative and more compact forms. We give a novelmore » form appropriate to the case of (unintegrated) massless fermions.« less