cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Routledge International Handbook of Memory Studies

The Routledge International Handbook of Memory Studies, edited by Anna Lisa Tota and Trever Hagen, joins a growing body of edited volumes, collections, readers, and companions to the by now well es...
A two-stage approach for bi-objective integer linear programming

Abstract We present a new exact approach for solving bi-objective integer linear programs. The new approach employs two of the existing exact algorithms in the literature, including the balanced box and the ϵ -constraint methods, in two stages. A computationally study shows that the new approach has three desirable characteristics. (1) It solves less single-objective integer linear programs. (2) Its solution time is significantly smaller. (3) It is competitive with the two-stage algorithm proposed by Leitner et al. (2016).
X-Shaped Oligomeric Pyromellitimide Polyradicals

The synthesis of stable organic polyradicals is important for the development of magnetic materials. Herein we report the synthesis, isolation, and characterization of a series of X-shaped pyromellitimide (PI) oligomers (Xn-R, n = 2–4, R = Hex or Ph) linked together by single C–C bonds between their benzenoid cores. We hypothesize that these oligomers might form high-spin states in their reduced forms because of the nearly orthogonal conformations adopted by their PI units. 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopies confirmed the isolation of the dimeric, trimeric, and tetrameric homologues. X-ray crystallography shows that X2-Ph crystallizes into a densely packed superstructure, despite the criss-crossed conformations adopted by the molecules. Electrochemical experiments, carried out on the oligomers Xn-Hex, reveal that the reductions of the PI units occur at multiple distinct potentials, highlighting the weak electronic coupling between the adjacent redox centers. Finally, the chemically...
Patient Acceptance of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Questions on Intake Forms in Outpatient Clinics: A Pragmatic Randomized Multisite Trial.

Objectives To (1) test whether patient attitudes toward intake forms at three Midwestern outpatient clinics are significantly more negative among those who are asked to complete SOGI questions versus those who are not; and (2) gain an in-depth understanding of patient concerns about SOGI questions. Study Setting Data were collected between 6/29/2015 and 2/29/2016 from new patients (N = 491) who presented at three outpatient clinics in a large academic medical center. This study was originally a quality improvement project, and later, institutional review board approval was obtained for secondary data analysis. Study Design Two-stage mixed-methods study. (1) Experimental: New patients at three sites were randomly assigned to complete either routine intake forms (control) or routine intake forms with SOGI questions (experimental); and (2) qualitative: interviews with patients who responded negatively to SOGI questions. Principal Findings There were no significant differences in patient attitudes between experimental and control groups (p > .05). Of those who received SOGI questions, only 3 percent reported being distressed, upset, or offended by the SOGI questions. Conclusions Collection of SOGI data as a part of the routine clinical patient intake process is not distressing to 97 percent of patients who are heterosexual, cisgender, and older than 50 years.
A Comparison of Methods for Assessing the Structural Similarity of Proteins

The link between biological form and function is well known, and is assumed to hold true at the molecular level. Since identifying similar protein structures is the first step in identifying similar functions, much effort has been placed in developing methods to detect structural similarity. Several methods exist, including: SCOP [8], the DALI algorithm (from the FSSP Database [6]), the VAST algorithm (from the MMDB database [5]), and Root Mean Square (RMS) superimposition [9]. The latter three provide quantitative metrics describing protein similarity on an objective, continuous scale. Statistical analyses can then be performed on similarity scores for a set of proteins, to obtain a plot of ‘protein structure space’ [7]. Before such analyses are done however, one must be sure that the metric used accurately represents similarity.
Principles of Green Manufacturing

The purpose of this chapter is to illuminate some of the basic principles of green manufacturing. That is, establish a framework of principles against which relevant examples can then be mapped to determine how green a system or solution is and find areas for potential improvements. This forms the structure of the discussion in following chapters where specific manufacturing processes or systems are investigated in more detail. We propose the following five principles: (1) a comprehensive systems approach must be used to evaluate and improve manufacturing processes from a green perspective, (2) the system should be wholly viewed across both the vertical and horizontal directions, (3) harmful inputs and outputs of the system to the environment and humans should be reduced or removed, (4) net resource use should be lowered, and (5) temporal effects on the system should always be considered. These are discussed in detail.
The expanding use of total elbow arthroplasty for distal humerus fractures: a retrospective database analysis of 56,379 inpatients from 2002-2014.

Objectives: Distal humerus fractures are challenging to treat, with significant morbidity. Precontoured distal humerus locking plates and total elbow arthroplasty implants have become available in ...
Robotic Parastomal Hernia

Parastomal hernias are a common complication of operations requiring fecal or urinary diversion with an incidence approaching 50%. Patients with parastomal hernias can experience issues with obstruction, pain, and decreased functional mobility often necessitating operative repair. The review of the available literature suggests that the laparoscopic modified Sugarbaker repair offers improved recurrence rates with decreased wound complications as compared with open approaches. However, only approximately 10% of hernias are repaired via minimally invasive techniques. Robotic platforms offer increased degrees of freedom and could potentially decrease the learning curve for laparoscopic repair. We review the available literature and discuss the technique required for robotic-assisted laparoscopic parastomal hernia repair.
Evaluating the influence of racially targeted food and beverage advertisements on Black and White adolescents' perceptions and preferences.

Abstract Introduction The present study measures how racially-targeted food and beverage ads affect adolescents’ attitudes toward ads and brands, purchase intentions for advertised products, and willingness to engage with brands on social media. Methods Black and White adolescents were recruited through Survey Sampling International in 2016. Participants completed an online survey in which they were randomized to view either four food and beverage ads (e.g., soda, candy commercials) featuring Black actors or four food and beverage ads featuring White actors. Results For the two components of the attitudinal outcome, Black participants were more likely to report a positive affective response toward racially-similar ads compared to Whites. However, White participants were more likely to like ads that were racially-dissimilar compared to Black participants. Data were analyzed in 2016–2017, and we used an alpha level of 0.05 to denote statistical significance. Conclusions Both Black and White adolescents reported more positive affective responses to ads that featured Blacks compared to ads that featured Whites. Because there were no differences on two outcomes, future research should examine the influence of racially-targeted marketing in real-world contexts (e.g., social media) and longitudinal exposure to targeted advertising on dietary behavior.
A Heat Shock Protein 48 (HSP48) Biomolecular Condensate Is Induced during Dictyostelium discoideum Development.

ABSTRACT The social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum’s proteome contains a vast array of simple sequence repeats, providing a unique model to investigate proteostasis. Upon conditions of cellular stress, D. discoideum undergoes a developmental process, transitioning from a unicellular amoeba to a multicellular fruiting body. Little is known about how proteostasis is maintained during D. discoideum’s developmental process. Here, we have identified a novel α-crystallin domain-containing protein, heat shock protein 48 (HSP48), that is upregulated during D. discoideum development. HSP48 functions in part by forming a biomolecular condensate via its highly positively charged intrinsically disordered carboxy terminus. In addition to HSP48, the highly negatively charged primordial chaperone polyphosphate is also upregulated during D. discoideum development, and polyphosphate functions to stabilize HSP48. Upon germination, levels of both HSP48 and polyphosphate dramatically decrease, consistent with a role for HSP48 and polyphosphate during development. Together, our data demonstrate that HSP48 is strongly induced during Dictyostelium discoideum development. We also demonstrate that HSP48 forms a biomolecular condensate and that polyphosphate is necessary to stabilize the HSP48 biomolecular condensate. IMPORTANCE During cellular stress, many microbes undergo a transition to a dormant state. This includes the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum that transitions from a unicellular amoeba to a multicellular fruiting body upon starvation. In this work, we identify heat shock protein 48 (HSP48) as a chaperone that is induced during development. We also show that HSP48 forms a biomolecular condensate and is stabilized by polyphosphate. The findings here identify Dictyostelium discoideum as a novel microbe to investigate protein quality control pathways during the transition to dormancy.
Oral Health and the Oral Microbiome in Pancreatic Cancer: An Overview of Epidemiological Studies.

PURPOSE The aim was to provide a cohesive overview of epidemiological studies of periodontal disease, oral microbiome profiles, and pancreatic cancer risk. DESIGN A PubMed search of articles published in English through July 2017 with additional review of bibliographies of identified articles. RESULTS Risk estimates for periodontal disease associated with pancreatic cancer consistently ranged from 1.5 to 2, aligning with a meta-analysis summary relative risk of 1.74. Analyses of antibodies to pathogenic and/or commensal oral bacteria in prediagnostic blood provided evidence that some oral bacteria and oral microbial diversity may be related to pancreatic cancer. CONCLUSIONS Overall, the data present a plausible but complex relationship among pancreatic cancer, the oral microbiome, periodontal disease, and other risk factors that might be explained by systemic effects on immune and inflammatory processes. Larger comprehensive studies that examine serially collected epidemiological/clinical data and blood, tissue, and various microbial samples are needed to definitively determine how and whether oral health-related factors contribute to pancreatic cancer risk.
Real-Time, Intraoperative Doppler/Ultrasound Monitoring of Islet Infusion During Total Pancreatectomy With Islet Autotransplant: A First Report

Abstract Chronic pancreatitis (CP), secondary to a wide variety of etiologies, is a progressive and irreversible disease. Initially, CP is managed with endoscopic interventions, long-term analgesia for its associated chronic abdominal pain syndrome and pancreatic enzyme replacement for exocrine dysfunction. As the disease advances, pancreatic drainage procedures and partial resections are considered, but they leave diseased tissue behind and usually result in short-term relief only. Total pancreatectomy alone is widely viewed as a last resort treatment option because it causes brittle diabetes mellitus. However, total pancreatectomy with islet autotransplantation (TPIAT) can prevent the development of diabetes and cure the chronic pain syndrome. One serious, albeit rare, complication of TPIAT is (partial) portal vein thrombosis. Its incidence is probably about 5%. To prevent the occurrence of portal vein thrombosis, we propose herein, and have successfully performed, continuous real-time Doppler ultrasonography during the islet infusion to study portal vein and intrahepatic flow patterns, as well as changes in Doppler signals. Flow and signal changes may allow for timely adjustment of the infusion rate, before a marked increase in portal vein pressure is noted and decrease the risk of portal vein thrombosis.
Mortality reduction after thrombectomy for acute intracranial large vessel occlusion: meta-analysis of randomized trials

Background Thrombectomy for patients with emergent large vessel occlusion (ELVO) is currently recognized as the standard of care for appropriately selected patients. As proven in several randomized clinical trials and meta-analyses, treatment with thrombectomy lowers rates of poor functional outcomes after ELVO, compared with standard medical management. However, combined mortality rates of the most recent, high-quality clinical trials have not been collectively assessed. Objective The goal of this study was to assess the combined mortality rates of patients with ELVO following thrombectomy using data from the most recent, high-quality clinical trials. Methods Meta-analysis was performed in clinical trials comparing thrombectomy and medical management for patients with anterior circulation ELVO. Cumulative rates of mortality (mRS 6) as well as mortality or severe disability (mRS 5-6) were calculated. Results Ten clinical trials fit the inclusion criteria, including PISTE, REVASCAT, DAWN, THRACE, SWIFT PRIME, ESCAPE, DEFUSE 3, THERAPY, EXTEND-IA, and MR CLEAN, with 2233 patients assessed for mortality alone and 2229 for mortality or severe disability. There was a significantly reduced risk of death with thrombectomy compared with standard medical care (14.9% vs 18.3%, P=0.03; RR 0.81, 95% CI 0.67 to 0.98), as well as a reduced risk of mortality or severe disability (mRS 5–6) in ELVO patients treated with thrombectomy (21.1% vs 30.5%, P Conclusions Overall, these results suggest a lower risk of death, as well as death or severe disability, in patients with ELVO treated with thrombectomy compared with medical management alone.
The Judiciary's Efforts to Save Public Employers from the Bargains They Have Made: The Non-Delegability and Against Public-Policy Doctrines

Among the critiques of collective bargaining in the public sector is that unions, for a variety of reasons, are able to extract too many concessions from their employers. However, this view is subject to serious challenge in the area of discipline and appointment—the subject of this article. While the vast majority of collective bargaining agreements (“CBA”) require that employees be discharged only for just cause, state courts are becoming increasingly active in helping public employers get out from under arbitration decisions, requiring either the reinstatement or appointment of employees as required by the CBA. The primary forms that these challenges take are in the nondelegability and against-public policy doctrines. The theory behind the non-delegability doctrine is that an employer cannot bargain away the right or ability to personally perform its responsibilities, such as certain hiring and firing decisions. The result is that courts will, occasionally, vacate an arbitration award that orders reinstatement of an employee on the theory that the arbitrator has exceeded her or his authority by treading upon the employer’s exclusive rights under a statute. For example, a CBA might require a school principal to grant a transfer request to the most senior applicant, but the principal chooses to transfer
Classifying creativity: Applying machine learning techniques to divergent thinking EEG data.

Abstract Prior research has shown that greater EEG alpha power (8–13 ​Hz) is characteristic of more creative individuals, and more creative task conditions. The present study investigated the potential for machine learning to classify more and less creative brain states. Participants completed an Alternate Uses Task, in which they thought of Normal or Uncommon (more creative) uses for everyday objects (e.g., brick). We hypothesized that alpha power would be greater for Uncommon (vs. Common) uses, and that a machine learning (ML) approach would enable the reliable classification data from the two conditions. Further, we expected that ML would be successful at classifying more (vs. less) creative individuals. As expected, alpha power was significantly greater for the Uncommon than for the Normal condition. Using spectrally weighted common spatial patterns to extract EEG features, and quadratic discriminant analysis, we found that classification accuracy for the two conditions varied widely among individuals, with a mean of 63.9%. For more vs. less creative individuals, 82.3% classification accuracy was attained. These findings indicate the potential for broader adoption of machine learning in creativity research.
Factor Analysis of the Administrator-Research Campus Climate Collaborative (ARC3) Survey.

Sexual assault, dating violence, stalking, and sexual harassment present serious challenges to the health and well-being of college students across the United States. An estimated one in five femal...
The relationship between high school GPA and information literacy pre and post-test scores

Although many studies explore the effect of library instruction on information literacy test scores, there are far fewer studies exploring the relationship between high school Grade Point Average (GPA) and scores on information literacy pre- and post-tests of first year college students. This research study compares the scores of three cohorts of Franklin Pierce University students--honors students, Center Scholars (students with a cumulative high school GPA of below 2.5) and Average GPA students --on an information literacy pre-test administered in the first two weeks of the fall, and a similar post-test administered after students have attended a library instruction session. The results of this study show a relationship between high school GPA and pre-test scores and reveal an even stronger relationship between high school GPA and scores on the post-test, with honors students attaining the highest scores and Center Scholars the lowest. This article proposes explanations for these results as well as recommendations for addressing the test score disparities between these three cohorts.
Fertility intentions and recent births among US abortion patients.

Abstract Objective To examine fertility intentions among abortion patients and the potential of abortion for avoiding short birth intervals. Study Design We used national data from a sample of more than 8000 individuals obtaining abortions in the United States in 2014. We created a measure of fertility intentions based on prior births and responses to an item asking about future childbearing expectations. We identify respondents who reported having a birth in the last 12 months as at risk of a short birth interval. We used simple logistic regression to assess for differences in these measures according to key demographic variables. Results Most commonly, 39% of patients intended to have (more) children, with similar proportions wanting to delay a first birth (20%) or postpone a second or higher order birth (19%). Some 31% of abortion patients had completed childbearing; they had one or more prior births and did not want to have any more children. Similar proportions of respondents were not sure if they wanted to have children (16%) or did not want to have any children (15%). Among abortion patients who had children, 14% had had a birth in the prior year. We estimate that as many as 77,800 short birth intervals were averted in 2014 because individuals had access to abortion. Conclusions These findings support the view that abortion allows individuals to plan and space their births according to their reproductive life plans and intentions. Implications Access to abortion may help thousands of individuals in the United States avoid short birth intervals, potentially leading to improvements in maternal and child health.
The promise and peril of parallel chat in video meetings for work

We report the opportunities and challenges of parallel chat in work-related video meetings, drawing on a study of Microsoft employees’ remote meeting experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. We find that parallel chat allows groups to communicate flexibly without interrupting the main conversation, coordinate action around shared resources, and also improves inclusivity. On the other hand, parallel chat can also be distracting, overwhelming, and cause information asymmetries. Further, we find that whether an individual views parallel chat as a net positive in meetings is subject to the complex interactions between meeting type, personal habits, and intentional group practices. We suggest opportunities for tools and practices to capitalise on the strengths of parallel chat and mitigate its weaknesses.
Abu Rayhan Biruni: the founder of anthropology and intercultural communication studies

The history of anthropology and intercultural communication studies is much longer and extensive than the current literature indicates. This article looks at the life, times, and the works of Abu R...
A Variational Framework for a Second Order Discrete Boundary Value Problem with Mixed Periodic Boundary Conditions

In this paper, a Banach space and an associated functional are presented to study the existence of solutions to a second order discrete boundary value problem with mixed periodic boundary conditions. The proofs make use of critical point theory. Some illustrative examples are provided.
Incarceration as a Fundamental Social Cause of Health Inequalities: Jails, Prisons and Vulnerability to COVID-19

Although research has established the disproportionate health burdens among incarcerated persons, the literature has yet to identify a theoretical framework for outlining the harms of incarceration associated with pandemics. We advance the literature theoretically by arguing two points. First, we assert that incarceration is a potent structural driver of health inequalities that must be considered as a fundamental social cause of disease. To underscore this point, we review how incarceration meets each of the four fundamental social cause criteria originally proposed by Link and Phelan. Second, given that incarceration is a fundamental social cause of disease, both currently and formerly incarcerated populations are likely to face heightened vulnerabilities to pandemics, including COVID-19, further exacerbating health disparities among incarceration-exposed groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of British Journal of Criminology is the property of Oxford University Press / USA and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Effects of Amino Acids on Phosphate Adsorption Onto Iron (Oxy)hydroxide Minerals under Early Earth Conditions

Phosphate, an essential molecule in biochemistry, is not abundant in modern oceans and would have been even less abundant in early Earth’s oceans. One possible mechanism for concentrating phosphate...
Lyme Neuroborreliosis: Mechanisms of B. burgdorferi Infection of the Nervous System

Lyme borreliosis is the most prevalent tick-borne disease in the United States, infecting ~476,000 people annually. Borrelia spp. spirochetal bacteria are the causative agents of Lyme disease in humans and are transmitted by Ixodes spp ticks. Clinical manifestations vary depending on which Borrelia genospecies infects the patient and may be a consequence of distinct organotropism between species. In the US, B. burgdorferi sensu stricto is the most commonly reported genospecies and infection can manifest as mild to severe symptoms. Different genotypes of B. burgdorferi sensu stricto may be responsible for causing varying degrees of clinical manifestations. While the majority of Lyme borreliae-infected patients fully recover with antibiotic treatment, approximately 15% of infected individuals experience long-term neurological and psychological symptoms that are unresponsive to antibiotics. Currently, long-term antibiotic treatment remains the only FDA-approved option for those suffering from these chronic effects. Here, we discuss the current knowledge pertaining to B. burgdorferi sensu stricto infection in the central nervous system (CNS), termed Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB), within North America and specifically the United States. We explore the molecular mechanisms of spirochete entry into the brain and the role B. burgdorferi sensu stricto genotypes play in CNS infectivity. Understanding infectivity can provide therapeutic targets for LNB treatment and offer public health understanding of the B. burgdorferi sensu stricto genotypes that cause long-lasting symptoms.
Viscous field training induces after effects but hinders recovery of overground locomotion following spinal cord injury in rats.

Abstract Robotic-assisted gait training was able to improve the unassisted overground locomotion of rats following a cervical spinal cord injury. Specifically, four weeks of daily step training in the Robomedica Rodent Robotic Motor Performance System, where the device actively guided the hindlimbs through a pre-injury stepping pattern while the rats walked over a moving treadmill belt in a quadrupedal posture, was able to improve unassisted overground locomotion as measured by the CatWalk gait analysis device. Unfortunately the improvements were minimal. In fact, control animals that received only body weight supported treadmill training and no active robotic forces showed an even greater restoration of unassisted overground locomotion. This led us to further investigate the effects of the specific forces used in rehabilitative training. The robotic training device was modified to apply assistive (negative viscosity) or resistive (viscous) fields in lieu of the standard active guidance. Within the device, daily training with a viscous field resulted in small, constrained steps that were similar to pre-injury steps. However, when the robot was off for weekly assessments, the steps opened up and deviated away from pre-injury levels. Training in a negative viscosity field produced the opposite effect; large open steps that were unlike pre-injury during daily training, and constrained steps that were more like pre-injury during weekly assessment. These training induced after-effects washed out 2 weeks after the cessation of training. Additionally, these distinct after effects seen in the training device did not translate to distinct differences in the recovery of unassisted overground locomotion, with the body weight supported treadmill training controls showing the greatest recovery of overground locomotion. Still, the fact that different applied forces can induce different after effects has interesting implications for rehabilitative training – is it better to have healthy looking steps during training only to induce abnormal after effects, or have abnormal performance during training but with desirable after effects? The data presented here is the first step in addressing this question.
Multiplicative random cascade models of multifractal urban structures

Abstract Spatial structures of urban systems are best described as multifractals. To provide insight on a hidden mechanism responsible for such scaling we investigate the multiplicative random cascade (MRC) model of urban spatial structure. MRC is a multiplicative process capable of producing multifractal 2D patterns, which is expressed in a closed analytical form. We use street intersection points pattern (SIPP) data as a proxy of urban structure. Renyi’s generalized dimensions (RGD) spectra, probability distributions of intersections densities, and urban layouts generated by the MRC model are compared to the same descriptors extracted from SIPP data for six U.S. metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs). We found that the RGD spectrum of the best-fit MRC model closely matches the observed spectrum in all cases. We also found that CDF of models’ density distributions do not match closely observed density distributions, although, in some cases, differences are not large. Observed density distributions have forms that are close to the log-normal distribution which suggests that a hidden process is multiplicative. Finally, we found that the MRC model is broadly compatible with the observed urban layouts. Given our findings, we suggest that the hidden process of urban scaling is the preferential attachment dynamics — development is attracted to areas in proportion to the degree of their existing development.
Black families’ resistance to deficit positioning: addressing the paradox of black parent involvement

Traditional conceptualizations of parent involvement are applied in paradoxical ways to Black families – schools ostensibly seek families’ participation in schooling, while positioning multiply-mar...
Copper iodide nanoparticles as a hole transport layer to CdTe photovoltaics: 5.5 % efficient back-illuminated bifacial CdTe solar cells

Abstract We report the role of copper iodide (CuI) nanoparticles (NPs) as a hole transport layer (HTL) in cadmium sulfide/cadmium telluride (CdS/CdTe) photovoltaics. These CuI NPs were prepared using solution processing at room temperature and used to fabricate monofacial and bifacial CdTe solar cells with different back contacts. Using CuI/Au as the back contact, the device efficiency reached to 14.8% with outstanding fill factor (FF) of 79.2%. Replacing the gold (Au) electrode with sputtered transparent indium tin oxide (ITO), a CuI/ITO back contact yielded photoconversion efficiencies (PCEs) of 11.6% and 5.5% under front and back illumination respectively. Bifacial devices (CdTe/ITO) without the CuI NP HTL have an efficiency of 7.0% and 1.0% for front and back illumination, respectively. For CuI/ITO, a current collection of 12.0 mAcm−2 was observed upon back illumination which significantly improved over an ITO-only back contact (5.0 mAcm−2). The PCE obtained from back illumination was enhanced when using CuI NPs as the HTL due to the reduced back barrier height, and improved back interface as determined by temperature dependent current vs. voltage characteristics and impedance spectroscopy analysis. The improvement in device performance of the bifacial configuration is a significant step forward toward realizing thin film photovoltaic modules which harvest energy incident on the rear of the module.
Panorama Image Construction Using Multiple-Photos Stitching from Biological Data

This paper presents an image construction tool for biological image visualization and education using image matching and stitching approaches. The image matching technique is based on the algorithm SURF (Speeded-up Robust Feature) [3, 4], a successor to the popular feature detection algorithm SIFT (Scale Invariant Feature Transform) [1, 2]. Unlike a traditional image stitching approach, our tool assumes that biological images are taken on a linear model with similar degrees of overlap and orientation angle towards ground from air. With these aspects in mind, generated panoramas will display less distortion and more raw valuable details. Such a tool will facilitate the scientific research and education through applications of visual information processing in fields of Biology, Astronomy, Geology, etc.
Hemoglobin and Escherichia coli, a Lethal Intraperitoneal Combination

Intraperitoneal injection into mice of approximately 8 × 106 washed cells of Escherichia coli suspended in a lysate of washed human red blood cells or an aqueous solution of crystalline hemoglobin was lethal. E. coli suspended in washed intact erythrocytes, whole blood, plasma, or saline was innocuous. Fractionation of non-hemoglobin proteins from hemoglobin in lysates showed that only hemoglobin promoted a lethal infection. Overwhelming intraperitoneal growth of E. coli was attained in about 12 hr in lethal infections. The polymorphonuclear leukocytic response was ineffective against this rapid growth. The lethal mechanism is hypothesized to center on a unique role for free hemoglobin in inhibiting peritoneal absorption and stimulating an intraperitoneal exudate which supports luxuriant bacterial growth. Death is attributed to a lethal intoxication from bacterial endotoxins. This role for hemoglobin involves neither enhanced bacterial virulence nor lowered host resistance, and it would be of importance not only in peritonitis but also in problems where hemolysis and infection coexist.
The Three-Body Problem in Stellar Dynamics

In studies of the three-body problem, bound orbits and especially periodic orbits have traditionally received much attention. Complementary to these, however, are the scattering orbits, where at least one body is unbound initially and (in the generic case) also at least one body escapes after a finite period of close three-body interaction. These scattering orbits play an important role in stellar dynamics. Three-body interactions exchange energy and angular momentum between internal degrees of freedom of binary stars, and external degrees of freedom of both the single stars and the center of mass motion of binaries. In this way three-body scattering can significantly influence the evolution of a star cluster.
Sonographic and Doppler features of infantile hepatic hemangiomas with pathologic correlation.

Abstract The sonograms of five patients with a diagnosis of infantile hepatic hemangioma were retrospectively reviewed to analyze their sonographic and Doppler characteristics. Three patients had single lesions, whereas two had multifocal involvement. All lesions except one were hypoechoic, well-circumscribed, and solid; the exception was hyperechoic. Findings of high flow, ie, large draining veins, an abrupt change in aortic caliber, and the presence of Doppler signal throughout the lesion were seen in three of five patients. The sonographic findings correlate well with the pathologic findings of multiple vascular channels separated by fibrous septa. The major differential diagnosis of infantile hepatic hemangioma includes hepatoblastoma and metastatic neuroblastoma. Although some of their sonographic features may simulate a hemangioma, large draining veins and changes in aortic caliber are not reportedly seen. Doppler flow was not seen in either of these malignant neoplasms in our study and, to date, has only been reported peripheral to three cases of hepatoblastoma and not at all in metastatic neuroblastoma. We propose an algorithmic approach dependent upon the sonographic-Doppler appearance.
A nomograph for the computation of the growth of fish from scale measurements

Abstract Directions are given for the construction and operation of a nomograph that can be employed for the computation of the growth of fish from scale measurements regardless of the nature of the body-scale relationship, so long as that relationship is known. The essential feature of the nomograph that makes rapid calculations possible is a ruler on which the graduations are in terms of length with the distance of each length graduation from the O graduation equal to the corresponding theoretical scale measurement. The chief advantage of the nomograph lies in the fact that the calculation of the lengths for all years of life of an individual fish requires only one setting of the single movable part.
Histologic criteria for the diagnosis of mycosis fungoides: proposal for a grading system to standardize pathology reporting

Background: The histological diagnosis of early lesions of mycosis fungoides (MF) is often difficult for dermatopathologists and prior studies have shown a low agreement rate among pathologists. An important reason for such difficulty may be the lack of specific histological criteria. Methods: We tested a new method to interpret and report biopsies suspicious for MF. The method is based on a grading system reflecting the pathologist's degree of diagnostic certainty. A panel of four pathologists independently assessed a set of 50 biopsies suspicious for MF first without (Phase I) and subsequently with specific histological criteria (Phase II). A third Phase was carried out after a training session, using a new set of cases with corresponding immunophenotyping and gene rearrangement analysis. Weighted and unweighted kappa statistics were used to assess inter- and intra-pathologist variation. Results: The consensus rate among pathologists improved from 48% in Phase I to 76% in Phase III. Overall precision weighted kappas increased from 0.630 in Phase I to 0.854 in Phase III, indicating excellent inter-pathologist agreement by Phase III. There was a significant association between the presence of an abnormal phenotype and/or T-cell clonality and a higher diagnostic score. Conclusions: The use of uniform criteria and training sessions can substantially improve the consensus rate among pathologists in the diagnosis of MF. Guitart J, Kennedy J, Ronan S, Chmiel JS, Hsiegh YC, Variakojis D. Histologic criteria for the diagnosis of mycosis fungoides: proposal for a grading system to standardize pathology reporting. J Cutan Pathol 2001; 28: 174-183.
A procedure for estimating the total fatigue life of notched and cracked members

Abstract A model for combining strain cycle fatigue and fracture mechanics concepts in order to estimate the total fatigue life of notched and cracked members is presented. The model provides a nonarbitrary definition of fatigue crack initiation length. This crack length serves as a bridge between crack initiation and crack propagation analysis procedures. Material properties, loading, and geometric parameters are incorporated into the model in such a manner that the relative portion of fatigue life spent in initiation and propagation varies appropriately. Estimates of total fatigue life are compared with experimental data reported in the literature for two steels and an aluminum alloy.
Preparation station: a practice tool for CS1 and CS2 students in peerspace

Addressing the needs of students in entry-level Computer Science courses, an online social-network-based learning environment, PeerSpace, was successfully developed to enhance student learning and performance. PeerSpace integrates a suite of Web 2.0 tools that promote student interactions on course-related topics as well as purely social matters. Part of this suite is a practice tool, Preparation Station, developed to strengthen and reinforce students' grasp of concepts learned in class, to encourage student participation in PeerSpace, and to trigger course-related communication among students. PeerSpace is implemented atop the open-source Elgg social network framework. This paper presents design of Preparation Station as well as an assessment of its effectiveness in improving student learning.
Effect of inoculation on the biodegradation of butterfat-detergent mixtures in fixed-film sand columns

Abstract The purpose of this work was to investigate the feasibility of biodegradation of butterfat using an aerobic sand column system. Two bench-scale sand columns were inoculated with lipolytic microorganisms to colonize the sand with an active biofilm, and two uninoculated columns were used as controls. Butterfat was fed daily to the columns in artificial wastewaters that were supplemented with a detergent to provide emulsification. Sand columns exhibited physical infiltration, trapping butterfat in the sand, and resulted in an apparent high degree of COD and BOD5 removal from the effluent. Accumulation of biomass on the sand grains was demonstrated by measurement of ATP. Biomass accumulated in the columns over the 259-day experiment. At the end of the experiment, the amount of biomass was comparable in inoculated and uninoculated columns. Uninoculated columns were shown to lag behind inoculated columns by about 100 days in COD removal.
Commentary: Fear of movement/(re)injury and activity avoidance in persons with neurogenic versus vascular claudication: why are spinal stenosis patients scared stiff?

COMMENTARY ON Wood DW, Haig AJ, Yamakawa KSJ. Fear of movement/(re)injury and activity avoidance in persons with neurogenic versus vascular claudication. Spine J 2012;12:292–300 ( in this issue ).
Electron multiple inelastic scattering in the geometry of rheed

Abstract Energy distributions of the reflected electrons are derived from Landau's equation for the geometry of Reflection High Energy Electron Diffraction (RHEED). The Poisson distribution is shown to be valid if the collecting angle of the Electron Energy-Loss Spectrometer (EELS) is small enough compared with the glancing reflection angles of the electrons. The scattering parameter is derived from the dielectric excitation theory of surfaces for the Bragg reflection case. The Fourier-log deconvolution theory is shown to be applicable for reducing a single plasmon loss function from the spectra of reflection EELS (REELS). The penetration depths of a 120 keV energy incident electron beam into a GaAs (110) surface are measured as about 17 A. 22 A and 31 A for the (660), (880) and (10. 10. 0) specular reflections respectively.
Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Selectively InducesMnSOD Expression via Mitochondria-to-Nucleus Signaling, whereas Interleukin-1β Utilizes an Alternative Pathway

Abstract Mitochondrial levels of the anti-oxidant enzyme, manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), are dramatically elevated in response to stimulation with tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). However, the precise intracellular signaling pathways responsible for this inducible expression are poorly understood. MnSODexpression in pulmonary epithelial and endothelial cells, treated with inflammatory mediators and various inhibitors, was studied by Northern analysis. The mitochondrial electron transport chain inhibitors, antimycin A and myxothiazol, selectively blocked TNF-α-inducible expression of MnSOD but not that of IL-1β or LPS, indicating different signaling pathways. N-Acetylcysteine could reliably decrease inducible MnSOD expression by TNF-α, but not IL-1, linking reactive oxygen species (ROS) to the TNF-α signaling pathway. Elevated levels of arachidonic acid have been demonstrated previously to generate mitochondrial ROS. A specific cytoplasmic phospholipase A2 inhibitor reduced stimulatedMnSOD expression by TNF-α, but not by IL-1β, further supporting the role of ROS. Other investigators have shown thatMnSOD expression may be regulated by NF-κB. Our results with a specific inhibitory κ-kinase inhibitor indicate that NF-κB modulates IL-1β signaling but not the TNF-α pathway. Thus, we have demonstrated that although inducible MnSOD transcription may appear similar at the messenger RNA level, the intracellular signaling pathways are differentially regulated.
Reversibility of inotropic effects of ouabain on canine atrial and ventricular tissues.

The experiments reported here were designed to quantitate reversibility of ouabain-induced inotropy in atrial and ventricular trabeculae of the dog heart. At 30°C, 1 Hz, 2 m m Ca 2+ and 5.9 m m K + , the positive inotropic effects, measured after a 1 h exposure to a single priming concentration of 0.5 μ m ouabain, decreased after the removal of the drug with a half time (t 1/2 ) of washout of 9.52±2.72 h in atrial and 7.64±1.58 h in ventricular trabeculae. When toxicity occurred it was of three types: transient toxicity, toxicity resembling a ‘fast washout’, and severe toxicity characterized by profound and persistent negative inotropy and contracture. Use of the classical glycoside bioassay (Hatcher's digitalis titration) during and after washout, provided a semiquantitative estimation of ouabain remaining in the trabeculae; after a 4 h washout of the drug, the trabeculae were challenged by the addition of one-half of the initial concentration of ouabain (0.25 μ m ). Trabeculae, which had responded to ouabain with only positive inotropic effects and no toxicity, still contained substantial concentrations of ouabain. Trabeculae which reacted clearly with toxicity to the priming dose of ouabain, showed a significant loss of contractile force and development of contracture. The fastest ouabain washout we observed was 3.1 h.
Synchronization and power sharing for droop-controlled inverters in islanded microgrids

Motivated by the recent and growing interest in smart grid technology, we study the operation of DC/AC inverters in an inductive microgrid. We show that a network of loads and DC/AC inverters equipped with power-frequency droop controllers can be cast as a Kuramoto model of phase-coupled oscillators. This novel description, together with results from the theory of coupled oscillators, allows us to characterize the behavior of the network of inverters and loads. Specifically, we provide a necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of a synchronized solution that is unique and locally exponentially stable. We present a selection of controller gains leading to a desirable sharing of power among the inverters, and specify the set of loads which can be serviced without violating given actuation constraints. Moreover, we propose a distributed integral controller based on averaging algorithms, which dynamically regulates the system frequency in the presence of a time-varying load. Remarkably, this distributed-averaging integral controller has the additional property that it preserves the power sharing properties of the primary droop controller. Our results hold for any acyclic network topology, and hold without assumptions on identical line admittances or voltage magnitudes.
Liposome-collagen gel matrix: a novel sustained drug delivery system

This report describes the properties of a novel sustained-release drug delivery system comprising liposomes sequestered in a collagen gel. Two peptide hormones, insulin and growth hormone encapsulated in vesicles sequestered within the matrix, are slowly released into the circulation from either an intramuscular or subcutaneous injection site. A maximum 3–5-d release for insulin or a 14-d growth hormone release was observed. Enhanced sequestration of liposomes with the collagen can be achieved by modifying the liposome surface with fibronectin. The liposome gel delivery system appears to offer several advantages over other liposome formulations or gel formulations constructed only with free drug.
Natural killer cell activity in major depression: a prospective study of the in vivo effects of desmethylimipramine treatment.

To evaluate NK activity changes associated with both the diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD) and the in vivo treatment of MDD with the tricyclic antidepressant desmethylimipramine (DMI), 15 MDD outpatients (11 females, four males) and eight controls (six females, two males) were evaluated prospectively at intake and after an average of 12 weeks of standardized DMI treatment. Plasma DMI concentrations at follow-up and severity of depression using the Extracted Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (EH) score at both intake and follow-up were also evaluated. At intake, NK activity was significantly higher in depressed patients compared to controls (P or = 8 at follow-up). At intake, there was no difference between responders and nonresponders while at follow-up NK activity was lower in nonresponders (P < 0.0001). Only nonresponders had a significant decrease in NK activity from intake to follow-up. No correlation was found between DMI blood level and NK activity, and no difference in NK activity was present between those with the highest and lowest DMI blood levels. Although it is apparent that both MDD and its treatment influenced NK activity in this study, it is unclear whether the decrease in NK activity in nonresponding patients was a function of persistent depressed mood and/or DMI treatment.