cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Definitive Chemoradiotherapy (“Watch-and-Wait” Approach) ☆

Preoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) followed by total mesorectal excision has been the standard of care for locally advanced patients with rectal cancer. Some patients achieve a pathologic complete response (pCR) to CRT and the oncologic outcomes are particularly favorable in this group. The role of surgery in patients with a pCR is now being questioned as radical rectal resection is associated with significant morbidity and long-term effects on quality of life. In an attempt to better tailor therapy, there is an interest in a "watch-and-wait" approach in patients who have a clinical complete response (cCR) after CRT with the goal of omitting surgery and allowing for organ preservation. However, a cCR does not always indicate a pCR, and improved clinical and imaging modalities are needed to better predict which patients have achieved a pCR and therefore can safely undergo a "watch-and-wait" approach. This article reviews the current data on nonoperative management and on-going controversies associated with this approach.
Epidemiology of Retinoids and Cancer

A variety of in vitro and in vivo inquiries suggests that retinoids of various sorts may reduce the risk of cancer at various sites. Epidemiologic studies done by a number of different investigators similarly show a reduction in risk with increases in ingestion of vitamin A-containing diets. These reductions in risk are primarily of the squamous cell types of cancer: lung, larynx, mouth, cervix, and bladder cancers. Retinoids, particularly beta-carotene, may have a risk-reducing function for such sites. However, evidence has also been found that retinoids under certain conditions may increase the risk of prostate cancer as well as of Hodgkin's disease and leukemia. It is not an impossibility that, although beta-carotene could reduce risk under most circumstances, under certain other circumstances it could increase risk for different cancers. Obviously, more research is necessary, particularly with the carotenoids.
Methylandrostenediol: A Non-Virilizing Derivative of Testosterone in Metastatic Cancer of the Breast.∗

Methylandrostenediol‡ was chosen for clinical trial in patients with metastatic cancer of the breast because it was the first of a series of compounds tested which on bioassay showed renotropic eff...
On The Formation of Si Oxide by Ion Implantation

Oxygen 0 + ions have been implanted into Si both at room temperature and liquid nitrogen temperature in order to determine the effect of implantation temperature on SiO 2 formation. Samples were analysed by RBS with 1.5 MeV He + ions. The implants of 0 + in Si were done at 150 keV with current densities of ≤10 μA/cm 2 . For doses of more than 1.5×10 18 0 + /cm 2 , in-situ RBS experiments positively indicate a 2:1 oxygen silicon ratio. Increased 0 + doses (for both room temperature and liquid nitrogen temperature) cause the Si0 2 layers to spread uniformly and symmetrically toward both the surface and the interior. From these results, it is apparent that excess oxygen diffuses toward Si/Si0 2 interfaces in our experimental situation even at liquid nitrogen temperature.
Cardiac rhabdomyosarcoma: case report with review of clinical and pathologic features.

A patient with a cardiac rhabdomyosarcoma illustrates the clinical and pathologic features of this extremely rare malignancy. Presenting manifestations are variable and nonspecific. The two-dimensional echocardiogram is the best noninvasive means of diagnosi n g cardiac tumors. The nuclear magnetic resonance scan accurately demonstrated the presence and location of the intracardiac mass lesion. Pathologically, rhabdomyosarcomas require light and electron microscopic examination to establish the tumor type. Surgical resection, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy do not appear to alter the natural history, and death usually occurs within one year of diagnosis.
Analysis of HIV infection and associated factors among people seeking consultation in a VCT clinic in Guigang City in 2011-2013

Objective To investigate prevalence of HIV infection and its related factors among people receiving service in a voluntary counseling and testing(VCT)clinic in Guigang City,so as to provide scientific basis for formulating prevention and control measures. Methods Statistical analysis was made on data and test reports of people seeking consultation in the VCT clinic of Guigang Center for Disease Control and Prevention in 2011-2013. Results Totally,2,268,2,399 and 3,492 people recieved VCT in 2011,2012 and 2013respectively,among which 743 cases were found to be HIV positive,with an average HIV positive rate of 9.11%.The annual positive rates from 2011 to 2013were 8.43%(191/2,268),7.76%(186/2,399)and 10.49%(366/3,492)respectively,which were statistically significant(χ2=14.57,P=0.001).The male/female ratio of the VCT receivers was 1.16:1.52.32%(4,269/8,159)of them were aged 20-49 years.The positive rates among males,receivers aged over 60 years,receivers with education below junior middle school and the divorced or widowed were 12.03%(526/4,373),24.17%(293/1,212),12.91%(420/3,254)and 12.71%(69/543)respectively.The HIV positive rates of those with MSM history,those having sexual relationship with spouses or regular partners who were HIV positive,those with injection drug use history,and those with heterosexual sex were 35.48%,30.55%,4.08% and 8.31%respectively.Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that males,receivers aged 60 years or above,the married,receivers with low education level,active consultation- seekers,receivers having MSM behavior as the main reason for seeking consultation and those having positive syphilis detection results had higher prevalence of HIV infection. Conclusions HIV-positive rate is high in people seeking consultation in the VCT clinic of Guigang Center for Disease Control and Prevention.The associated factors include gender,age,marital status,education level,source of those seeking consultation,main reasons for seeking consultation and syphilis detection results.
Can Topology and Geometry be Measured by an Operator Measurement in Quantum Gravity

In the context of Lin-Lunin-Maldacena geometries, we show that superpositions of classical coherent states of trivial topology can give rise to new classical limits where the topology of spacetime has changed. We argue that this phenomenon implies that neither the topology nor the geometry of spacetime can be the result of an operator measurement. We address how to reconcile these statements with the usual semiclassical analysis of low energy effective field theory for gravity.
Talc granuloma presenting as a testicular mass.

AbstractA case of a benign talc granuloma in a 3-year-old boy is reported. Surgical wound contamination with various lubricant dusts from surgeons’ gloves and resultant granuloma formation is a well known phenomenon. However, there are few reported cases of peritesticular masses owing to talc granulomas.
A Hydroelastic Model of the Cochlea: An Analysis for Low Frequencies

A number of mathematical models of the low frequency behavior of the cochlea have appeared over the years, beginning with Helmholtz (1885), and continuing with Peterson and Bogert (1950) and Zwislocki (1965). This article deals, principally, with the theory developed by the author in conjunction with Dr. Richard Chadwick and Dr. Julian Cole. It differs from the earlier “long wave” theories in that it is based on modeling the cochlea using continuum theory and then reducing, when possible, the problem through the use of asymptotic approximations. In doing this, some of the results are the same as found in the earlier theories. However, there are also differences, relating to the contribution of the basilar membrane and fluid viscosity. Also, with our approach, the extension to more complicated geometries and higher frequency regimes is possible (e.g., Holmes, 1982).
Endurance Medicine: Medical Coverage for Mass Sporting Events

Individual participation in mass sporting events continues to gain popularity in the United States. The largest events can host up to 50,000 athletes (often in dense urban areas), and providing medical coverage for a large group of athletes can be challenging. Medical directors of mass events should work closely with the race director as well as the local law enforcement and emergency medical services to provide a safe environment for participants to race. Evaluation of potential weather hazards, security risks, and anticipated injuries is an essential element to consider during planning and implementation of a medical plan for mass endurance events. The medical director should provide a well-qualified staff of health-care professionals (including physicians, nurses, EMT, and athletic trainers) that can triage injuries and illnesses in order to mitigate the risk of overwhelming local hospitals or emergency rooms. The following chapter will outline anticipated medical encounters, medical staff and volunteer management, use of medical equipment and supplies, weather monitoring and alerts, medical team communications, and basic event security. A well-organized medical plan as outlined in this chapter will provide a safe and successful event for all participants.
Functional MRI Neural Activation Patterns in Early and Late Talkers

Neural activation patterns, produced while listening to and reading words and non-words, were evaluated by functional MRI in 48 school children, mean age 8 years, in a study at Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.
Utilitarian preference for redistribution: a concern with max-min

This paper studies an optimal linear tax or basic income regime with an extensive margin in the supply of labor and a utililitarian welfare criterion. The presence the extensive margin in labor supply breaks the connection between allocational efficiency and aggregate utility maximization. In a general framework, some redistribution maximizes aggregate utility, but a lesser degree than what Rawls’ max-min criterion would require. Rawls’ concept of the Original Position is useful, but the rationality of the max-min criterion is questionable.
Thiol Reactivity of Curcumin and Its Oxidation Products

The polypharmacological effects of the turmeric compound curcumin may be partly mediated by covalent adduction to cellular protein. Covalent binding to small molecule and protein thiols is thought to occur through a Michael-type addition at the enone moiety of the heptadienedione chain connecting the two methoxyphenol rings of curcumin. Here we show that curcumin forms the predicted thiol-Michael adducts with three model thiols, glutathione, N-acetylcysteine, and β-mercaptoethanol. More abundant, however, are respective thiol adducts of the dioxygenated spiroepoxide intermediate of curcumin autoxidation. Two electrophilic sites at the quinone-like ring of the spiroepoxide are identified. Addition of β-mercaptoethanol at the 5′-position of the ring gives a 1,7-dihydroxycyclopentadione-5′ thioether, and addition at the 1′-position results in cleavage of the aromatic ring from the molecule, forming methoxyphenol-thioether and a tentatively identified cyclopentadione aldehyde. The curcuminoids demethoxy- and ...
A descriptive analysis of drugged driving among rural DUI offenders

Objective: Although driving under the influence (DUI) arrests occur at higher rates in rural areas and previous studies have shown more extensive drug use histories, little is known about how this ...
Empirical Bayes Estimation and Prediction Using Summary-Level Information From External Big Data Sources Adjusting for Violations of Transportability

Large external data sources may be available to augment studies that collect data to address a specific research objective. In this article we consider the problem of building regression models for prediction based on individual-level data from an “internal” study while incorporating summary information from an “external” big data source. We extend the work of Chatterjee et al. (J Am Stat Assoc 111(513):107–117, 2006) by introducing an adaptive empirical Bayes shrinkage estimator that uses the external summary-level information and the internal data to trade bias with variance for protection against departures in the conditional probability distribution of the outcome given a set of covariates between the two populations. We use simulation studies and a real data application using external summary information from the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial to assess the performance of the proposed methods in contrast to maximum likelihood estimation and the constrained maximum likelihood (CML) method developed by Chatterjee et al. (J Am Stat Assoc 111(513):107–117, 2006). Our simulation studies show that the CML method can be biased and inefficient when the assumption of a transportable covariate distribution between the external and internal populations is violated, and our empirical Bayes estimator provides protection against bias and loss of efficiency.
"You learn and learn and learn.... and then you are an adult": parental perceptions of adolescence in contemporary Swaziland.

The developmental period of adolescence is explored in Swaziland from a multidisciplinary perspective. The study compares early anthropological research with contemporary interviews of Swazi parents. While the Swazi language, siSwati, does not have a term for "adolescent," there is evidence of a definite developmental period which could be defined as adolescence. Parents view this period as being qualitatively different from childhood and adulthood, but they also have gender-related interpretations of its nature and length. While biological maturation (especially menarche for females) is viewed as a vital step in becoming an adult, behaviors must be learned during this time (i.e., "adolescence") before one is completely of adult status.
An Application of Alterations to Dieudonné Modules

In this note we indicate a non-cohomological application of the results of [2] and [3]. The application concerns the crystalline Dieudonne module functor.
Comparative biochemistry of chondroitin sulphate-proteins of cartilage and notochord.

Fragments that consisted mainly of two polysaccharide chains joined by a short polypeptide bridge (doublets) were prepared from chondroitin sulphate–proteins of lamprey, sturgeon, elasmobranch and ox connective tissues after hydrolysis with trypsin and chymotrypsin. Consideration of molecular parameters, compositions and behaviour on gel electrophoresis and density-gradient fractionation leads to a proposed parent structure for chondroitin sulphate–proteins. A single polypeptide chain of about 2000 amino acid residues contains alternating short and long repeating sequences. A short sequence consists of less than 10 amino acid residues with one N-terminal and one C-terminal serine residue, each of which carries a polysaccharide chain linked glycosidically to its hydroxyl group. This structure constitutes the doublet subunit. Some variation is introduced when the doublet subunit carries only a single polysaccharide chain. The long sequence contains about 35 amino acid residues and is subject to cleavage by trypsin and chymotrypsin. The main polypeptide is probably homologous in the vertebrate sub-phylum with strong conservation of structure suggested for the short sequence. However, polymorphism of polypeptide structures cannot be excluded.
A Re-Examination of Risk and Resilience During Adolescence: Incorporating Culture and Diversity

We consider risk and resilience within the developmental contexts of youth of African, Asian, Latino, and Native American descent. Conceptual and definitional issues are explained in terms of the role that culture and diversity play in specifying risk and resilience factors for youth of African, Asian, Latino, and Native American descent. We promote a conceptual model of risk and resilience as multidimensional phenomenon. The relevance of culture and diversity in a developmental perspective of youth of African, Asian, Latino, and Native American descent is discussed in a manner that incorporates community psychology principles.
Nonsurgical Treatment Options for Upper Limb Spasticity

There are many nonsurgical treatment options for patients with upper limb spasticity. This article presents an algorithmic approach to management, encompassing evidence-based rehabilitation therapies, medications, and promising new orthotic and robotic innovations.
Ways of Approaching War That Are Sanctioned Within Religious Traditions

The book’s first chapter identifies four ways of approaching war that have been sanctioned within religious traditions. They are: (i) to fight militarily in the name of one’s state, (ii) to fight militarily in the name of one’s religion, (iii) to follow the way of the just war theory, and (iv) to follow the way of pacifism.
Preventive mechanism of bioactive dietary foods on obesity-related inflammation and diseases

Obesity is associated with low-grade chronic inflammation of adipose tissue, which leads to the development of metabolic disorders such as insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and cancer. Obesity and a high calorie diet are associated with altered endocrine and metabolic functions of adipose tissue, contributing to systemic inflammation as a result of the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines/adipokines into the circulation and metabolic endotoxemia. Furthermore, the accumulation of proinflammatory macrophages within the visceral adipose tissue may also be a major cause of chronic inflammation of adipocytes. Thus, it is important to understand the factors that regulate the function of both adipocytes and macrophages to find attractive strategies against the burden of obesity-induced health problems. Although the vast range of activities of dietary bioactive compounds on obesity and inflammation have been widely investigated, the mechanisms underlying their beneficial effects on obesity-associated inflammatory response are still poorly understood. This review focuses on the molecular biology mechanism of obesity-induced inflammation and the reciprocal interactions between the major molecular mechanisms and a range of dietary bioactive compounds.
Pore Size and Air Permeability of Four Nonwoven Fabrics

The relationship between pore size and air permeability in two spunlaced fabrics and two spunbonded/meltblown/spunbonded (SMS) fabrics were investigated. Minimum, maximum and mean flow pore sizes w...
Analysis of sphingolipid composition in human vitreous from control and diabetic individuals

Abstract Objective Sphingolipids have a fundamental role in many cellular processes, and they have been implicated in insulin resistance and Diabetes Mellitus (DM) and its complications, including diabetic retinopathy (DR). Little is known about how bioactive sphingolipids relate to retinopathies in human DM. In this study, we analyzed the sphingolipid composition of type 2 diabetic (T2DM) and non-diabetic human vitreous samples. Methods We conducted an observational study on post-mortem human vitreous samples from non-diabetic (Controls; n = 4; age: 71.6 ± 11.0 years, mean ± SD) and type 2 diabetic (T2DM; n = 9; age: 67.0 ± 9.2 years) donors to identify changes in sphingolipid composition. Samples were analyzed by a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer and individual sphingolipid species were identified and quantified using established protocols. Results The total quantity (pmol/mg) of ceramide (Cer), lactosylceramide (Lac-Cer), and sphingomyelin (SM) were increased in type 2 diabetic vitreous samples. Among individual species, we found a general trend of increase in the longer chain species of ceramides, hexosylceramides (Hex-Cer), Lac-Cer, and SM. Conclusions This study shows the presence of measurable levels of sphingolipids in human vitreous. The results indicate changes in sphingolipid composition in the vitreous due to type 2 diabetes, which could be connected to the disease pathologies of the retina, retinal vessels, vitreous and the surrounding tissues.
4.23 Subsequent Remedial Measures Generally Excluded

This article addresses the admissibility of subsequent remedial measures under FRE 407. It discusses the meaning of “subsequent” and the admissibility of evidence of third party or mandated remedial measures.
Variation in the headspace of bulk hexamethylene triperoxide diamine (HMTD): Part II. Analysis of non-detonable canine training aids

Abstract Detection canines are a major source of protection against the powerful peroxide explosive hexamethylene triperoxide diamine (HMTD), as well as other homemade explosives (HMEs). However, HMTD is an extremely unstable molecule, which makes it difficult to safely obtain and use for the purposes of canine training and testing. To address this challenge, several non-detonable canine training aids have been designed for canine training. Bulk HMTD has a complex headspace, as shown by previous studies. This makes it a difficult odor to mimic and, in turn, makes evaluations and comparison of such training aids essential. In this work, five non-detonable HMTD canine training aids that are either commercially available or under development were evaluated with the goal of determining which most accurately represents the headspace of bulk HMTD. Of the five training aids, two were observed to reasonably mimic HMTD. While the remaining three training aids contained similar headspace components as HMTD, they did not exhibit the complexity of the bulk compound headspace. While none of the tested training aids exactly mirrored the bulk HMTD samples, they may have use in maintenance training when no bulk material is available.
Optical Aberrations Following Laser In Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) Surgery

We investigated the optical consequences of comeal refractive surgery by monitoring aberration changes during recovery for a patient who elected LASIK surgery to correct myopic astigmatism. A Shack-Hartmann aberrometer was used to measure aberrations of the whole eye and a corneal topographer (EyeSys) was used to measure aberrations of the cornea. Results showed a marked asymmetry in wave aberrations between vertical and horizontal meridians; increased spherical aberration near the pupil margin, good correspondence between topography and whole-eye aberrations, and a modest reduction of aberration magnitude 2 months after surgery.
Outcome of combined bevacizumab and irinotecan for patients with progressive brain metastases from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

e19059 Background: About 30-44% of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) will develop brain metastases, with a median survival if untreated of less than 3 months. Treatment options are l...
Measurement of the tau lifetime

If the tau lepton couples to the charged weak current with universal strength, its lifetime can be expressed in terms of the muon's lifetime, the ratio of the masses of the muon and the tau, and the tau's branching ratio into e anti nu/sub e/ nu/sub tau/ as tau/sub tau/ = tau/sub ..mu../ (m/sub ..mu..//m/sub tau/)/sup 5/ B(tau ..-->.. e anti nu/sub e/nu/sub tau/) = 2.8 +- 0.2 x 10/sup -13/ s. This paper describes the measurement of the tau lifetime made by the Mark II collaboration, using a new high precision drift chamber in contunction with the Mark II detector at PEP. The results of other tau lifetime measurements are summarized.
Practicing the Patience of God: A Response to Technologically Induced Impatience by Way of Ancient Holy Habit:

This article addresses three interrelated concerns: the pervasive nature of technologically induced impatience, a theological understanding of divine patience, and, finally, a suitable response to ...
Effects of budesonide on bronchopulmonary bysplasia and HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB pathway in neonatal mice induced by hyperoxia

Objective To investigate the effects of budesonide (BUN) on high mobility group protein 1 (HMGB1)/toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) / nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) pathway in neonatal mice with hyperoxia-induced bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Methods 80 mice were randomly divided into control group, model group, low, medium and high dose BUN groups, with 16 mice in each group. Mice in the control group were exposed to air, and mice in model group and BUN low, medium and high dose groups were exposed to 60% oxygen to establish BPD model; After 24 hours of modeling, the control group and model group were inhaled with normal saline every day. The low, middle and high dose BUN groups inhaled (1, 2, 4 ml) BUN, respectively, 12 h/times, and continued to inhale until the mice were executed. On the 7th and 14th days of the model establishment, hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was used to observe the morphological changes of lung tissue; the levels of interleukin (IL) -1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in lung tissues were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); the levels of HMGB1, TLR4 and NF-κB in lung tissue were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and protein immunoblotting (WB). Results In the model group, the lung tissue structure was severely damaged and the alveolar volume was enlarged to form bullae on the 7th and 14th day. In low, middle and high dose groups, with the increase of BUN concentration, the lung tissue deformation gradually improved and the alveolar structure gradually became intact. Compared with the control group, the number of radial alveoli in the lung tissues of the model group decreased at 7th and 14th days; SOD activity decreased; the expression levels of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, MDA, HMGB1, TLR4 and NF-κB mRNA and protein were increased (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the number of radial alveoli and SOD activity in lung tissues of BUN groups increased gradually at 7th and 14th days , while the levels of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, MDA, HMGB1, TLR4 and NF-κB decreased gradually at different doses (P<0.05). Conclusions BUN may inhibit the levels of inflammatory factors and oxidative stress by regulating HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB pathway to achieve the protective effect on BPD neonatal mice. Key words: Budesonide; Hyperoxia; Bronchopulmonary dysplasia; HMGB1 protein; Toll-like receptor 4; NF-kappa B; Mice
Effect of a Place-Based Learning Community on Belonging, Persistence, and Equity Gaps for First-Year STEM Students

We combined tenets of learning communities and place-based learning to develop an innovative first-year program for STEM students. Using a quasi-experimental design, we found that participants in the place-based learning community had a stronger sense of belonging, improved academic performance, and increased first-year persistence relative to a matched reference group. We also showed that participation narrowed equity gaps in first-year outcomes for students underrepresented in the sciences. A sense of place arises not just from a location, but from interrelationships between people and the natural world, and these results suggest organizing learning around place can promote inclusive student success.
Neuromuscular urethral function and urethral urodynamic parameters between urgency and stress incontinence do not differ.

To describe and compare urethral neuromuscular function using concentric needle electromyography (CNEMG) and urodynamic (UDS) parameters between stress incontinent (SUI) and urge incontinent (UUI) women. Incontinent women were recruited from a urogynecology clinic if they answered “sometimes” or “always” to one of the items on the Medical, Epidemiologic, and Social Aspects of Aging questionnaire. Participants were categorized by MESA scores into stress (SUI) or urgency (UUI) incontinence groups. Participants underwent CNEMG of the striated urethral sphincter at three insertion sites using Medtronic multiple motor unit action potential analysis. UDS was performed with Laborie microtip catheters: urethral pressure profiles were obtained at baseline and 300 ml. Data were analyzed in SPSS. Continuous variables were compared with independent t-test or Mann-Whitney U, categorical variables with chi-square test. A logistic regression was performed to control for variables found to be significant on univariate analysis. Fifty-six women (37 SUI, 19 UUI) with mean ± SD age of 53 ± 13 years participated. At baseline, patients with SUI were younger, more likely to be premenopausal and had lower BMIs. There were no differences in urethral EMG or UDS parameters between UUI and SUI women except lower maximum cystometric capacity in women with UUI. When controlling for age, BMI and MCC on logistic regression, there remained no differences between SUI and UUI groups on EMG or UDS parameters. Women with UUI and DO show similar evidence of denervation-reinnervation injury to the striated urethral sphincter muscle as women with SUI.
Durability of plasma sprayed thermal barrier coatings with controlled properties part I: For planar disk substrates

Abstract Thermal Barrier Coatings (TBCs) have been qualified for their thermo-mechanical performance and durability using Furnace Cycle Testing (FCT) for decades. FCT provides guidance toward materials and process improvements. Although FCT is a relatively straightforward test, the interpretation can often be subject to uncertainty, making it difficult to link test results directly to engine performance. This is because in FCT, the coating and substrate are isothermally treated, while real turbine components experience strong thermal gradients and time transients. Gradient testing can be time-consuming and expensive, thus FCT tests provide a cost-effective first-order confidence screening for development. A review of the available literature on Air Plasma Spray (APS) TBC durability by FCT does not reveal consistent trends among processing, microstructure (i.e., porosity), and durability. Furthermore, the available literature does not comprehensively capture the influence of microstructural changes (i.e., sintering) on FCT durability. In this two-part study, APS TBCs were produced with systematically-controlled microstructures, using multiple powder types on different bond-coated superalloy substrates and subjected to different FCT conditions. In Part I, the focus is on disk specimens, where edge-delamination failure predominates, while Part II will address curved surfaces with different failure mechanisms. The FCT results for the systematically produced coatings suggest marginal trends between durability and porosity of APS TBCs, with denser/tougher microstructures providing more durable outcomes, i.e., segmented coatings. One coating was sprayed multiple times over six years and tested in FCT to benchmark the durability testing and coating process reproducibility at Stony Brook. The results were compiled in a unified framework, utilizing published formulations to calculate available elastic strain energy, which serves as a driving force for delamination. The current results highlight a few regimes of FCT performance based on coating toughness, stiffness, and nonlinear elastic parameters. In addition, the benefits and limitations of FCT are discussed in this study.
Comprehensive Analysis of Plant Lipids Using Sub-2-μm Particle CO 2 -Based Chromatography Coupled to Mass Spectrometry

Lipids play an essential role in plants, and historically manipulating their levels and composition has been an important target for metabolic engineering. A variety of analytical techniques, many based on mass spectrometry, have been utilized for lipid profiling, but the analysis of complex lipid mixtures still poses significant analytical challenges. Recent advances in technology have revived the supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) as a promising separation technique for lipid analysis. Utilization of sub-2-μm particle columns improves the separation efficiency and robustness of the SFC systems. The combination of SFC with sub-2-μm particle separation, commonly referred as ultra-performance convergence chromatography, has been successfully used for separation of both polar and neutral lipids. In this chapter, we present a simple method for lipid class separation using Sub-2-μm particle CO2-based chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. The supercritical fluid chromatography methodology is flexible and can be altered to provide greater retention and separation of lipid classes or individual lipids within class.
Copyright Law for Librarians and Educators: Creative Strategies and Practical Solutions

What's not to like about a copyright guide authored by Kenneth Crews? Director of the Copyright Management Center based at Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis, Crews is one of a handf...
What’s in a Name, or What’s at Stake When We Talk about ‘Hussites’?

Recent scholarship on the Waldensian and Cathar heresies has expressed considerable reservations about how scholars use names and labels to describe and categorize their subjects. The extensive debate on the appropriate use of terms for these movements has not, however, significantly or explicitly affected contemporary scholarship on the fifteenth-century Hussite movement and Utraquist Church, which both developed in Bohemia. After analyzing how scholars have used the traditional historiographic tropes of nationalism, revolution, and reformation to understand Hussite history, this article employs the insights of contemporary heresy scholars in order to determine how scholars can responsibly – or at least knowingly – use a conventional term like ‘Hussite’ to describe the process of religious reform in Bohemia without unduly limiting the scope of scholarly inquiry or tacitly ignoring the importance of the Utraquist period. Ultimately, it seems preferable to frame an analysis of heresy and reform in the Czech lands primarily as an independent Bohemian Reformation that lasted from the mid-fourteenth until the early seventeenth century, in which both the Hussite Revolution and Utraquist Church played foundational ideological and institutional roles.
Scale and translation invariant learning of spatio-temporal patterns using longest common subsequences and spiking neural networks

The ability to detect human actions or gestures is key for a wide range of applications that involve interactions between humans and robots. These actions are patterns that have a particular spatio-temporal structure. This paper presents an approach for encoding such patterns using spike-timing networks with axonal conductance delays. The proposed method brings the following contributions: first, it enables the encoding of patterns in an unsupervised manner. Second, it allows us to create models of specific patterns using a very small set of training samples, in contrast with standard pattern recognition approaches that typically require large amounts of training data. Based on these models, the method further enables classification of new patterns using a longest-common subsequence approach for matching between patterns of activated neurons. Third, the approach is invariant to scale and translation and thus it enables generalization across multiple scales and positions. Fourth, the approach also enables early recognition of patterns from only partial information about the pattern. The proposed method is validated on a set of gestures representing the digits from 0 to 9, extracted from video data of a human drawing the corresponding digits. The results are also compared with other state of the art pattern recognition algorithms.
Dynamic Time Step Control Algorithm Enhancements

Analog simulators typically use a dynamic, adaptive time step control strategy in order to minimize the calculations performed during inactive portions of a system's operation, while maintaining adequate time resolution during active portions. Without this dynamic control of time steps, one could generate too few time steps to accurately render fast-edged events, or spend a large percentage of CPU time calculating redundant values. These Dynamic Time Step (DTS) algorithms are often overzealous in their relaxation of time steps, and thus can render waveforms inadequately or inaccurately. Thus, the user can make poor decisions because of the incorrectly presented waveforms. Some simulators provide user-adjustable control parameters for the DTS. The Saber simulator, with four primary DTS control parameters, allows users to "dial in " just about any results they want. Which one is correct is often debatable. The techniques presented here allow the user to override the built-in DTS in order to obtain trustworthy results.
Generalized Image Restoration by the Method of Alternating Orthogonal Projections

We adopt a view that suggests that many problems of image restoration are probably geometric in character and admit the following initial linear formulation: The original f is a vector known a priori to belong to a linear subspace {\cal P}_b of a parent Hilbert space {\cal H}( , but all that is available to the observer is its image P_{a} f , the projection of f onto a known linear subspace {\cal P}_a (also in \cal H ). 1) Find necessary and sufficient conditions under which f is uniquely determined by P_{a} f and 2) find necessary and sufficient conditions for the stable linear reconstruction of f from P_{a} f in the face of noise. (In the later case, the reconstruction problem is said to be completely posed.) The answers torn out to be remarkably simple. a) f is uniquely determined by {\cal P}_{a} iff {\cal P}_{b} and the orthogonal complement of { \cal P}_{a} have only the zero vector in common. b) The reconstruction problem is completely posed iff the angle between {\cal P}_{b} and the orthogonal complement of {\cal P}_{a} , is greater than zero. (All angles lie in the first quadrant.) c) In the absence of noise, there exists in both cases a) and b) an effective recursive algorithm for the recovery of f employing only the operations of projection onto {\cal P}_{b} and projection onto the orthogonal complement of {\cal P}_{a} These operations define the necessary instrumentation.
Molecular regulation of urothelial renewal and host defenses during infection with uropathogenic Escherichia coli.

Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC), the principal cause of urinary tract infection in women, attaches to the superficial facet cell layer of the bladder epithelium (urothelium) via its FimH adhesin. Attachment triggers exfoliation of bacteria-laden superficial facet cells, followed by rapid reconstitution of the urothelium through differentiation of underlying basal and intermediate cells. We have used DNA microarrays to define the molecular regulators of urothelial renewal and host defense expressed in adult C57Bl/6 female mice during the early phases of infection with isogenic virulent (FimH+) or avirulent (FimH-) UPEC strains. The temporal evolution and cellular origins of selected responses were then characterized by real time quantitative reverse transcriptase-PCR, in situ hybridization, and immunohistochemical analyses. Well before exfoliation is evident, FimH-mediated attachment suppresses transforming growth factor-beta (Bmp4) and Wnt5a/Ca(2+) signaling to promote subsequent differentiation of basal/intermediate cells. The early transcriptional responses to attachment also include induction of regulators of proliferation (e.g. epidermal growth factor family members), induction of the ETS transcription factor Elf3, which transactivates genes involved in epithelial differentiation and host defense (inducible nitric-oxide synthase), induction of modulators, and mediators of pro-inflammatory responses (e.g. Socs3, Cebp/delta, Bcl3, and CC/CXC chemokines), induction of modulators of apoptotic responses (A20), and induction of intermediate cell tight junction components (claudin-4). Both early and late phases of the host response exhibit remarkable specificity for the FimH+ strain and provide new insights about the molecular cascade mobilized to combat UPEC-associated urinary tract infection.
Some effects of crystal rotation on large-scale Czochralski oxide growth: analysis via a hydrodynamic thermal-capillary model

Abstract A hydrodynamic thermal-capillary model (HTCM) for heat transfer in Czochralski crystal growth systems is used to calculate steady-state, axisymmetric solutions for heat transfer and fluid mechanics while incorporating a self-consistent description of the free boundaries of the melt/crystal interface, the melt meniscus, and the crystal diameter. The model employs a Galerkin finite-element method to discretize the model equations, and solutions are obtained using a Newton-Raphson iterative scheme. Sample results are presented for the growth of a large-dimension oxide crystal with thermophysical properties similar to those of gadolinium gallium garnet (GGG). Calculations with the HTCM show the effects of crystal rotation on heat transfer, flow in the melt, and melt/crystal interface shape. Severe deflections of the melt/crystal interface are calculated for moderate rotation rates, and limit points in the steady-state solutions are found with respect to crystal rotation.
Loss of inhibitory insulin receptor substrate-1 phosphorylation: An early event in endometrial hyperplasia and progression to carcinoma

The insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) is an adaptor protein that regulates the IGF-IR/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway to mediate proliferation. Activation of IGF-IR by insulin or IGF-I induces a phosphorylation cascade that promotes binding of IRS-1 to the IGF-IR and acti-vation of phosphatidylinositol 3’-kinase (PI3K) and Akt. Akt signals to the tuber-ous sclerosis complex 2 (TSC) tumor suppressor comprised of tuberin (TSC1) and hamartin (TSC2). The TSC1/2 heterodimer functions to inhibit activa-tion of mTORC1, a protein kinase that acts as an amino acid and ATP sensor to control nutrient availability and cell growth. Phosphorylation of TSC2 by Akt inactivates TSC and relieves repression of mTORC1, which results in phosphoryla-tion of 4EBP1, S6 kinase (S6K) and S6 ribosomal protein to promote protein transcription, translation and metabo-lism.
Formation of TiO2 Thin Films by Oxidation of TiN

TiN thin films were deposited by reactive sputtering onto Si substrates. TiO2 films were formed by subsequent oxidation of the TiN films, using either conventional furnace heating or rapid thermalprocessing (RTP). The materials properties of the resulting films were characterized by x-ray diffraction and Rutherford backscattering, and indicate conversion of the TiN to fully-oxidized rutile TiO2 by a diffusion-limited process. Electrical measurements of the insulating properties of the TiO2 films indicated a relative dielectric constant greater than 100, although the leakage current was greater than optimum. A fully in-situ process for the fabrication of microcapacitors is proposed, which involves the sputter deposition of TiN, the formation of TiO2 by RTP, and the deposition of a top TiN counterelectrode. This can be carried out under conditions that are compatible with Si microelectronic device processing.
HIGH-VISIBILITY CLOTHING FOR DAYTIME USE IN WORK ZONES

High-visibility safety clothing serves an important role in protection of personnel in highway construction. A total of 236 fatalities in highway and street construction were reported for 1992—1993 by the Laborers' Health and Safety Fund of North America, which puts the fatality rate of private-industry highway construction at twice that of other private-industry construction. A field study was conducted to determine the most conspicuous color of safety clothing for daytime use in the work zone. The 11 colors studied included 8 fluorescent (F1) colors (green, yellow-green, yellow, yellow-orange, red-orange, a combination of red-orange with yellow-green, red mesh over white back ground, and pink), two non-fluorescent colors (yellow and orange), and one semifluorescent color (yellow). Subjects were required to look through a shutter, which opened for 300 msec at 30.5-m intervals, as the researcher drove 32 km/hr toward a work zone. Subjects were instructed to indicate the point at which they first identifie...
Medical Assistant Coaching to Support Diabetes Self-Care Among Low-Income Racial/Ethnic Minority Populations: Randomized Controlled Trial

Innovative, culturally tailored strategies are needed to extend diabetes education and support efforts in lower-resourced primary care practices serving racial/ethnic minority groups. A randomized controlled trial (RCT) examined the effect of a diabetes self-care coaching intervention delivered by medical assistants and the joint effect of intervention and ethnicity over time. The randomized repeated-measures design included 270 low-income African American and Hispanic/Latino patients with type 2 diabetes. The 1-year clinic- and telephone-based medical assistant coaching intervention was culturally tailored and guided by theoretical frameworks. A1C was obtained, and a self-care measure was completed at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. Data were analyzed using mixed-effects models with and without adjustment for covariates. There was a significant overall improvement in mean self-care scores across time, but no intervention effect. Results revealed differences in self-care patterns across racial/ethnic s...
Radiographic parameters associated with lateral patella degeneration in young patients.

Purpose Localized articular cartilage degeneration in the patellofemoral joint is a common but yet understudied condition in younger patients. The purpose of this paper was to determine whether there are significant differences in radiographic alignment between those with and without isolated lateral patellofemoral degeneration.
Second-order reversible reactions and diffusion in a slab-like medium: an application of the weierstrass elliptic pe-function

Abstract Analytic solutions to a wide variety of steady-state, simultaneous diffusion plus second-order reaction schemes, both irreversible and reversible, are possible for slab-like media, even though the governing equations are nonlinear. Solutions for concentration profiles are derived in terms of the Weierstrass elliptic Pe-function. The application of this function to practical problems is explored. Standard formulae for internal effectiveness factors are expressed in terms of a new nomenclature standard. These algebraic expressions are all functions of ab initio known parameters and the centerline concentration, given by the analytic solution. New methods to estimate the centerline concentration are developed during the analysis. Three classes of second-order reversible kinetic schemes are observed to possess a true first-order behavior in any coordinate system for practical parameter values. This limiting behavior is examined. The analytic solution method can be extended to other kinetic systems, including third-order ones.