cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SVM-based automatic scanned image classification with quick decision capability

Digital copiers are now widely used. One major issue for a digital copier is copy quality. In order to achieve as high quality as possible for every input document, multiple processing pipelines are included in a digital copier. Every processing pipeline is designed specifically for a certain class of document, which may be text, picture, or a mixture of both as is illustrated by the three examples shown in Fig. 1. In this paper, we describe an algorithm that can effectively classify an input image into its corresponding category. Publisher’s Note: The first printing of this volume was completed prior to the SPIE Digital Library publication and this paper has since been replaced with a corrected/revised version.
Survey Of Methods For The Complete Determination Of A State Of Polarization

Various types of instruments capable of giving a complete polarization state measurement are reviewed. Included are those which employ adjustable combinations of a retarder and analyzer, continuously rotating elements, polarization-modulating elements, and interferometry. General comments are made regarding precision and accuracy, and specific comparisons are made on the basis of speed, ease of data reduction, spectral regions and range, and amenability to computer control. Applications of polarimeters are also reviewed briefly. They fall into two categories, depending on whether the light is supplied by the instrument or comes from outside the instrument; they include astronomical measurements, characterization of light sources, and the measurement of the polarization-altering properties (including depolarization) of optical systems.
PS120. Are Outcomes of Tibial Artery Atherectomy or Stenting Superior to Tibial Angioplasty Alone Over Time in the US Medicare Population

Author Disclosures: D. R. Campbell: Nothing to disclose; E. L. Chaikof: Nothing to disclose; K. A. Giles: Nothing to disclose; A. D. Hamdan: Endologix,Consulting fees or other remuneration (payment); P. Nandivada: Nothing to disclose; F. B. Pomposelli: Nothing to disclose; M. L. Schermerhorn: Boston Scientific,Consulting fees or other remuneration (payment) Endologix,Consulting fees or other remuneration (payment) Medtronic,Consulting fees or other remuneration (payment); J. J. Siracuse: Nothing to disclose; M. C. Wyers: Endologix,Consulting fees or other remuneration (payment).
Sodium ascorbate induces DNA single-strand breaks in human cells in vitro.

Abstract Incubation of human lymphocytes, neonatal fibroblasts, and Molt-4 cells (T-cell leukemia cell line) with sodium ascorbate for 1 h resulted in a concentration-dependent increase in DNA single-strand breaks as assayed by an alkaline microgel electrophoresis technique. Fibroblasts and Molt-4 cells were significantly more sensitive than lymphocytes to the induction of DNA single-strand breaks by 25, 50, and 100 μM concentrations of sodium ascorbate. Significant cell loss was observed in Molt-4, but not in lymphocyte and fibroblast cultures, after 4 h of incubation in 50 μM of sodium ascorbate, a concentration similar to the plasma level of ascorbic acid in humans.
Potentials and displacements for two theoretical seismic sources

Theoretical, P, SV, and SH displacement potentials and displacements for a double couple or point shear dislocation source and for a ‘mixed quadrupole’ source at any arbitrary orientation in an isotropic homogeneous elastic space are expressed as multiple integral and derivative operations on the source history in the time domain and their algebraic equivalent in the frequency domain. These sources have the same angle orientation functions, which are given explicitly. The double couple and ‘mixed quadrupole’ are both quadrupole sources but, unlike the double couple, the P and S waves from a ‘mixed quadrupole’ have different source histories. Analytic displacements are obtained using as examples the Ohnaka shear dislocation history for a double couple and the Randall and Archambeau tectonic release histories for ‘mixed quadrupole’ sources. The displacement fields are investigated numerically, in order to establish a criterion for estimating the minimum range for applying far-field theory results to the total displacement field. The chosen criterion is the ratio of the far-field peak amplitude, which is a function of source rise or duration time, to the static displacement, which is a near-field phenomenon. The proposed criterion is found to be conservative as to the minimum range for the farfield, predicted (1/R) dependence of the total field peak amplitude, but quite satisfactory for time domain estimates of moment and corner frequency based on far-field theory.
Thalamo-cortical connectivity: what can diffusion tractography tell us about reading difficulties in children?

Reading is an essential skill in modern society, but many people have deficits in the decoding and word recognition aspects of reading, a difficulty often referred to as dyslexia. The primary focus of neuroimaging studies to date in dyslexia has been on cortical regions; however, subcortical regions may also be important for explaining this disability. Here, we used diffusion tensor imaging to examine the association between thalamo-cortical connectivity and children's reading ability in 20 children with typically developed reading ability (age range 8–17/10–17 years old from two imaging centers) and 19 children with developmental dyslexia (DYS) (age range 9–17/9–16 years old). To measure thalamo-cortical connections, the structural images were segmented into cortical and subcortical anatomical regions that were used as target and seed regions in the probabilistic tractography analysis. Abnormal thalamic connectivity was found in the dyslexic group in the sensorimotor and lateral prefrontal cortices. These results suggest that the thalamus may play a key role in reading behavior by mediating the functions of task-specific cortical regions; such findings lay the foundation for future studies to investigate further neurobiological anomalies in the development of thalamo-cortical connectivity in DYS.
Persons with disorders of consciousness: are oral feedings safe/effective?

Primary objective: Evaluate the safety and efficacy of providing oral feedings to persons early in coma recovery following a severe brain injury.Research design: Descriptive, retrospective study.Methods and procedures: Medical chart reviews of all patients admitted to a rehabilitation hospital following severe brain injury.Main outcomes and results: Twenty-five patients met the inclusion criteria, 22 had a tracheostomy, and all were NPO. Subjects were divided into two cohorts. Group 1, n = 10, mean age 43.5 years, received oral feedings early in coma recovery. Group 2, n = 15, mean age 45.2 years, did not. Group 1, 30% returned to an oral diet of three meals daily at discharge from inpatient rehabilitation as compared to 40% in group 2 (χ2 = 0.260, p = 0.610). Average cost of care for group 1 = US$45 759 and group 2 = US$41 056 (p = 0.634).Conclusion: Safe therapeutic oral feedings, in accordance with findings from instrumental swallowing examinations, are possible for patients with disordered consciousne...
Imported problem definitions, legal culture and the local dynamics of Israeli abortion politics

(1998). Imported problem definitions, legal culture and the local dynamics of Israeli abortion politics. Israel Affairs: Vol. 5, Israel: The Dyanamics of Change and Continuity, pp. 226-245.
Thermally grown Si3N4 thin films on Si(100): Surface and interfacial composition.

Synchrotron photoemission measurements of the Si(2p) and N(1s) levels have been made on ${\mathrm{Si}}_{3}$${\mathrm{N}}_{4}$ thin films grown in situ by high-temperature reaction of Si(100) with ${\mathrm{NH}}_{3}$. Surface sensitivity is enhanced in comparison to laboratory photoemission experiments by selecting photon energies that minimize the photoelectron mean free path in the nitride film. From the results, we are able to determine not only the types of chemical species present, but their approximate location within the film as well. Careful analysis of the Si(2p) photoemission spectra reveals the presence of a unique silicon species with a Si(2p) binding energy intermediate between elemental silicon and silicon in ${\mathrm{Si}}_{3}$${\mathrm{N}}_{4}$. Furthermore, the persistence of this species with increasing nitride-film thickness supports its assignment to a monolayer of silicon at the outermost surface layer, on top of the growing stoichiometric ${\mathrm{Si}}_{3}$${\mathrm{N}}_{4}$ film. These surface silicon atoms can be distinguished from silicon atoms in intermediate oxidation states at the ${\mathrm{Si}}_{3}$${\mathrm{N}}_{4}$/Si interface. The spectroscopic evidence for chemically distinct surface, nitride, and interfacial silicon is discussed in terms of the silicon nitridation mechanism.
Differential hemispheric activation during complex visuomotor performance: Alpha trends and theta

Abstract Two experiments were done to study asymmetry in left and right cerebral hemispheres while subjects performed in verbal and nonverbal tasks, including a complex visuomotor T.V. tennis game (Pong ®). Previous analyses demonstrated asymmetries of alpha activity during these tasks, and in this paper we describe sequential changes of alpha asymmetry associated with playing Pong. Alpha power was stable in the left hemisphere but decreased in the right hemisphere during each rally, returning to symmetry during inter-rally intervals. Theta activity increased bilaterally in most of the tasks and differed from the alpha patterns in several respects. The second experiment demonstrated the usefulness of video games for assessing sex and age differences in visuospatial capacities'- male performance was better than female and performance was inversely related to age.
Super Bowl outcome's association with cardiovascular death.

A previous analysis from Los Angeles showed that death rates increased among hometown fans after losing the Super Bowl in 1980 and decreased after a win in 1984. Data are unavailable in the era of drug-eluting stents, dual antiplatelet therapy, statins, and modern medical therapy. Two high drama and intense Super Bowls were analyzed: NYC beat New England (Massachusetts) in 2008 and Pittsburgh defeated Arizona in 2009. Daily death certificate data were obtained. The case period included eight consecutive days beginning Super Bowl day. The control period included eight consecutive days beginning Super Bowl day in non-case period Super Bowls from 2005 to 2009. After Massachusetts’ defeat, circulatory deaths increased by 20 % (p = 0.0004) and ischemic heart disease deaths increased by 24 % (p = 0.01) in Massachusetts. After Pittsburgh’s victory circulatory deaths decreased by 25 % (p = 0.046), ischemic heart disease deaths decreased by 31 % (p = 0.03), and myocardial infarction deaths decreased by 46 % (p = 0.01) in Pittsburgh. Cardiovascular death rates did not change in Arizona (all p > 0.19). Massachusetts and Pittsburgh show stronger support for their home teams compared with Arizona. A Super Bowl with high drama/intensity can be associated with changes in cardiovascular death rates among a fan base with a strong attachment to the team even in the contemporary era. An increase in death rates can be associated with a loss and a decrease in death rates can be associated with a win.
The Role of Surface Divergence and Vorticity in the Life Cycle of Convective Rainfall. Part I: Observation and Analysis

Abstract The role of the surface velocity fields in the formation, maintenance and decay of convective storms is examined using approximately 90 days of measurements in a densely instrumented network (660 km2) in south Florida. The results show statistically strong cause and effect relationships between surface convergence and onset of rain, storm intensity and duration. Short-term prediction of the onset of rain and the amount of rain produced proves possible. The surface fields of divergence provide an estimate of storm mass and moisture transports. The size of the surface area of convergence, by governing the supply of moisture, plays a controlling role in storm intensity. Large storms are efficient (72%), in terms of moisture supplied to rain produced, compared to smaller storms (37%). Within the confines of the experiment network, weak storms are in near mass balance, while inflow greatly exceeds outflow in the intense storm. The near mass balance of the weak storm suggests cloud-to-subcloud layer in...
Comprehensive Pharmaceutical Care: An Overview of an Evolving Practice Model

SUMMARYThis manuscript briefly describes the Minnesota Pharmaceutical Care Project and explains how those involved in the Project worked to apply the philosophy of pharmaceutical care in actual daily practice. The end product of these efforts has been the development of the Comprehensive Pharmaceutical Care practice model. The practice model has been developed by pharmacists, for pharmacists, in the community practice setting. We will describe the process used to develop the model that begins with a practice philosophy, includes the use of a therapeutic relationship and identification of patient need and culminates in the definition of a basic pharmaceutical care service.
Cytogenetic Evolution of Myeloid Neoplasms at Relapse after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation

s / Biol Blood Marrow Transplant 20 (2014) S151eS164 S155 remains the only curative therapy for primary refractory AML, there have been sparse reports regarding the outcome of cord blood transplantation (CBT) for the population. Patients and methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients diagnosed as primary refractory AML who underwent CBT at our institute from Mar. 2003 to June 2013 consecutively. Results: Seventy-seven patients were included in this study. Underlying diseases were de novo AML in 50 (65%) and AMLMRC in 27 (35%). Forty-nine (61%) were male and 30 (39%) were female. Their median age was 59 years (range 19-72). The number of prior chemotherapy was 1 course in 28 (36%), 2 in 30 (39%), and more than 3 in 19 (25%), respectively. Median time from diagnosis to transplantation was 162 days (range; 64-1539). TBI+Cy/Bu+Cy was used as pretransplant conditioning regimen in 4 patients, Flu+Mel80+TBI4 in 23, Flu+Bu16+Mel80 in 26, Flu+Bu16+TBI2-4 in 12, and other RIC regimens in 12. Nineteen patients died before engraftment. Among the remaining 58 patients, 42 achieved neutrophil engraftment with a median of 21 days post-transplant (range; 13-45). Nine patients received urgent 2nd CBT for primary graft failure (n1⁄46) or early disease relapse (n1⁄43). Among the 42 evaluable patients, 36 (86%) developed acute GVHD of grade II or higher, including 11 (26%) patients who developed that of grade III or IV. Of the 36 patients who survived longer than 100 days post-transplant, 21 patients developed chronic GVHD, including 13 with limited and 8 with extensive form. With a median observation time for survivors of 16.5 months (range; 3-94), 2 year overall survival (OS) and disease free survival (DFS) were 31.4% and 22.4%, respectively. Cumulative incidences of relapse and non-relapse mortality (NRM) at 2 years post-transplant were 35% and 42.2%, respectively. In univariate analysis, patients with aged 19-60 showed superior OS at 2 years compared to elderly patients (>61 years) (44.8% vs 16.4% p1⁄40.013). Relapse rate was significantly higher in the elderly compared to those with aged 19-60 (50.5% vs 21.7%, P<0.01), whereas NRM did not differ between the two groups (43.3% vs 40.2%, P1⁄40.87). Eighteen patients died of disease relapse and 36 died of NRM, including graft failure (3), infection (20), bleeding (2), organ failure (4), TMA (3) and idiopathic pneumonia syndrome (4). Conclusion: Our results suggested that CBT is a feasible and promising treatment approach for patients with primary refractory AML. Optimal strategies for decreasing relapse especially in the elderly should be established to improve the outcome.
Laser antisepsis of Phorphyromonas gingivalis in vitro with dental lasers

It has been shown that both pulsed Nd:YAG (1064nm) and continuous diode (810nm) dental lasers kill pathogenic bacteria (laser antisepsis), but a quantitative method for determining clinical dosimetry does not exist. The purpose of this study was to develop a method to quantify the efficacy of ablation of Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) in vitro for two different lasers. The ablation thresholds for the two lasers were compared in the following manner. The energy density was measured as a function of distance from the output of the fiber-optic delivery system. Pg cultures were grown on blood agar plates under standard anaerobic conditions. Blood agar provides an approximation of gingival tissue for the wavelengths tested in having hemoglobin as a primary absorber. Single pulses (Nd:YAG: 100- is; diode: 100-msec) of laser energy were delivered to Pg colonies and the energy density was increased until the appearance of a small plume was observed coincident with a laser pulse. The energy density at this point defines the ablation threshold. Ablation thresholds to a single pulse were determined for both Pg and for blood agar alone. The large difference in ablation thresholds between the pigmented pathogen and the host matrix for pulsed-Nd:YAG represented a significant therapeutic ratio and Pg was ablated without visible effect on the blood agar. Near threshold the 810-nm diode laser destroyed both the pathogen and the gel. Clinically, the pulsed Nd:YAG may selectively destroy pigmented pathogens leaving the surrounding tissue intact. The 810-nm diode laser may not demonstrate this selectivity due to its longer pulse length and greater absorption by hemoglobin.
Ennio Flaiano and his Italy: Postcards from a changing world, by Marisa S. Trubiano

Ennio Flaiano and his Italy: Postcards from a changing world, by Marisa S. Trubiano, Madison, NJ, Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, 2010, 225 pp., US$49.50 (hardcover), ISBN 978-08-38642-13-9 B...
Pirfenidone inhibits inflammatory responses and ameliorates allograft injury in a rat lung transplant model

Objective Tumor necrosis factor α is a proinflammatory cytokine that has been proved to play a crucial role in inducing posttransplantation lung injury. The present study was performed to determine whether pirfenidone, a new nonpeptide drug with potent anti–tumor necrosis factor α activity, promotes protection against acute allograft injury through inhibiting pulmonary inflammatory responses in a rat model of orthotopic lung transplantation. Methods Three transplant groups were formed: isografts, untreated allografts, and allografts treated with pirfenidone (0.5% chow starting on day 1 after transplantation). The implants were harvested on day 21 after transplantation. Acute cellular rejection grade and degree of allograft injury were evaluated on the basis of hematoxylin-and-eosin staining. The pulmonary inflammatory response and inflammation-induced oxidative stress were assessed on the basis of neutrophil accumulation (myeloperoxidase immunoreactivity and enzymatic activity) and iron deposition (Prussian blue staining). In addition, circulating levels of tissue necrosis factor α in all animals were measured. Results The degree of allograft injury was significantly reduced in pirfenidone-treated allografts relative to untreated allografts ( P P P P Conclusion These results suggest that pirfenidone, with its anti–tissue necrosis factor α activity, reduced neutrophil recruitment and iron accumulation, hence limiting the acute lung allograft injury.
Calcium-dependent second-messenger regulation of low-density lipoprotein oxidation by human aortic smooth muscle cells.

Background. We postulated that the response of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) to oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) may be modulated through calcium and 3′, 5′ cyclic adenosine monophosphate (Ca+2-cAMP) second-messenger activity. Methods. Changes in cytosolic calcium [Ca+2]i in aortic SMCs exposed to native (N-) and oxidized (Ox-) LDL were measured with a Fura 2-AM indicator. The influence of cAMP on this response was determined by incubating the cells with either forskolin or 8-bromo-cAMP (stimulatory) or galanin (inhibitory). The cells were then activated by an initial preincubation with N- or Ox-LDL, and the subsequent cellular oxidation of N-LDL was measured. The effect of cAMP mediators alone or in conjunction with calcium antagonism was studied. Results. Exposure of SMCs to Ox-LDL resulted in a marked elevation of [Ca+2]i(306±12 nmol/L) compared with that in the control group (192±15 nmol/Liter; p Conclusions. Oxidized LDL-induced Ca+2-cAMP signaling modulates the cellular oxidation of N-LDL. This finding suggests a mechanism through which the scavenger uptake of modified LDL may potentially be regulated.
Jordan form of a binomial coefficient matrix over Zp

The pn × pn matrix over Zp with (i, j) entry i × ji 0 ⩽ i, j ⩽ pn - 1, is diagonalizable, with minimal polynomial x3 - 1. We compute the multiplicity of each eigenvalue. These results are proved with the method of generating functions.
Do Patient-specific Guides Improve Coronal Alignment in Total Knee Arthroplasty?

Background Coronal alignment may impact clinical outcome and survivorship in TKA. Patient-specific instrumentation has been developed to restore mechanical or kinematic axis and potentially reduce component malpositioning. Although it is clear these instruments add cost, it is unclear whether they improve alignment.
Self-broadened half-widths and self-induced line shifts for water vapor transitions in the 3.2–17.76 μm spectral region via complex Robert–Bonamy theory

Abstract Water vapor in the Earth’s atmosphere is being studied in the 3.2–17.76 μm spectral region by the atmospheric infrared sounder (AIRS) on Aqua, the troposphere emission spectrometer (TES) and the high-resolution dynamics limb sounder (HIRDLS) on Aura, both part of the NASA EOS mission. However, the lack of sufficient data on spectral parameters will hamper the prospect of accurate retrievals of temperature and concentration profiles. The spectral parameters for thousands of water vapor transitions are required, which are hard to determine by measurements alone. As reported previously [Can. J. Chem. 82 (2004) 1013–1027], of the 10 602 measurements of H2O self-broadening half-widths only 440 intercomparisons with more than 3 data points have estimated uncertainty less than 10%. In this work, we have employed the mean relative thermal velocity approximation of the complex implementation of Robert–Bonamy formalism to obtain the self-broadened half-widths and self-induced line shifts for 5442 water vapor transitions in the 3.2–17.76 μm region. The calculations are compared with the measurement database and trends in the half-widths and line shifts are studied.
Parallel Randomly Compressed Cubes : A scalable distributed architecture for big tensor decomposition

This article combines a tutorial on state-of-the-art tensor decomposition as it relates to big data analytics, with original research on parallel and distributed computation of low-rank decomposition for big tensors, and a concise primer on Hadoop?MapReduce. A novel architecture for parallel and distributed computation of low-rank tensor decomposition that is especially well suited for big tensors is proposed. The new architecture is based on parallel processing of a set of randomly compressed, reduced-size replicas of the big tensor. Each replica is independently decomposed, and the results are joined via a master linear equation per tensor mode. The approach enables massive parallelism with guaranteed identifiability properties: if the big tensor is of low rank and the system parameters are appropriately chosen, then the rank-one factors of the big tensor will indeed be recovered from the analysis of the reduced-size replicas. Furthermore, the architecture affords memory/storage and complexity gains of order for a big tensor of size of rank F with No sparsity is required in the tensor or the underlying latent factors, although such sparsity can be exploited to improve memory, storage, and computational savings.
Experimental Analysis of Viscoelastic Behavior in Nanoindentation

Conventional analysis of load displacement curves in nanoindentation experiments determine modulus by using the elastic portion of the unloading slope or power law fitting the unloading slope. For polymeric materials, however, this analysis is not adequate because they behave viscoelastically. In companion research, L. Cheng has developed analytical models for flat tip and spherical tip indentation using a three element Kelvin-Voigt model, with a spring in series with a parallel dashpot and a spring for compressible and incompressible materials. Incompressible (v=0.5) polydimethylsiloxane coatings with thicknesses of 2 and 78 microns, a compressible (v=0.33) bulk polystyrene (PS) and a 16 Jim styrene-acrylate block copolymer coating (v=0.33) have been used to verify the models. The polymers were indented using flat tip and spherical tip indenters with a nanoindentation apparatus in creep (constant load) and relaxation modes (constant depth). The data was fit to the analytical models using a non-linear least squares fit algorithm varying three parameters. In general the fitted elastic and shear moduli compared favorably with conventional rheological and mechanical measurements on the same bulk polymers. However, it appears that the agreement for the thin film analysis can be improved by taking the hydrostatic pressure dependence of the modulus and substrate effects into consideration.
A Different Kind of New Federalism? The Health Insurance Portability And Accountability Act of 1996

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 has been praised and criticized for asserting federal authority to regulate health insurance. We review the history of federalism and insurance regulation and find that HIPAA is less of a departure from traditional federal authority than it is an application of existing tools to meet evolving health policy goals. This interpretation could clarify future health policy debates about appropriate federal and state responsibilities. We also report on the insurance environments and the HIPAA implementation choices of thirteen states. We conclude with criteria for judging the success of HIPAA and the evolving federal/state partnership in health insurance regulation.
The effectiveness of negative feedback in regulating plasma calcium in the dog

Abstract The short-term regulation of plasma calcium was studied in unanesthetized dogs by continuously infusing either calcium gluconate or disodium ethylenediaminetetra-acetic acid intravenously at a constant rate until the plasma calcium attained a steady state. By using different infusion rates in different experiments, steady-state concentrations of calcium ranging from about 6 to about 14 mg 100 ml. of plasma were achieved in both normal and thyroparathyroidectomized animals. The exponential approach to a steady state was somewhat faster in the normal dogs (half-time about 1·2 hours) than in the thyroparathyroidectomized dogs (half-time about 2·0 hours). But in both groups, reasonably constant concentrations were reached by teh eighth hour of infusion. Over the range studied, the increment in steady-state calcium concentration produced by a given increment in rate of infusion was about half as great in the normal as in the parathyroidectomized dogs, indicating substantial, but not very precise homeostatic control.
Preferential Release of Newly Synthesized Prolactin Granules Is the Result of Functional Heterogeneity among Mammotrophs

Pituitary cells maintained in monolayer culture for 48 h were used for double isotope labeling to study the release of newly synthesized vs. old PRL. The intracellular pathway taken by newly synthesized PRL was studied by autoradiography. For double labeling the cells were first incubated in a 14C-labeled amino acid (4 h) and then in a 3H-labeled amino acid (1 h), each followed by a 1-h chase. Total PRL (RIA) and radiolabeled PRL (immunoprecipitation) were determined in both cells and media. The rate of release of PRL (RIA) was stable throughout the experimental period. In unstimulated cells the ratio of 3H- to uC-labeled PRL in the medium at the end of a 1-h incubation following the second chase was twice that in the cells at the beginning of this incubation, indicating that newly synthesized [3H]PRL was preferentially released. Stimulation with TRH resulted in increased release of older [14C]PRL. The earliest that radiolabeled (14C or 3H) PRL could be detected in the medium was 15-30 min after exposure ...
The distribution and temporal dynamics of the estuarine macroalgal community of San Francisco Bay

Long-term sampling of intertidal macroalgae along permanently marked transects within San Francisco Bay has shown a marked decline in overall species number along the estuarine gradient from the ocean to the river, presumably as a result of decreasing salinity and a progressive lack of hard substrata in the upstream direction. Green algae penetrated further landward than either brown or red species. Seasonally, macroalgal species diversity is lowest during the winter-spring months when salinity, temperature, and irradiance are at yearly minima. Macroalgal abundance as measured by percent cover was maximum during the late spring near the mouth of the estuary and during late summer towards the head. The seasonal increase in algal abundance is related to increasing salinity, temperature, and light availability to the bottom. The summer increase in irradiance is due to the longer photoperiod, increased frequency of day-time low tides, and reduced levels of suspended sediments. The aperiodic occurrence of algal blooms in San Pablo Bay may be caused by a combination of physical factors which are ultimately associated with the river inflow. A hypothesis based on interannual differences in river inflow and the contribution of phytoplankton to nutrient cycles in the benthos is presented to explain the occurrence of nuisance algal blooms.
Developmental cognitive neuroscience: Origins, issues, and prospects

Abstract This commentary explains how the field of developmental cognitive neuroscience (DCN) holds the promise of a much wider interdisciplinary integration across sciences concerned with development: psychology, molecular genetics, neurobiology, and evolutionary developmental biology. First we present a brief history of DCN, including the key theoretical issues it addresses; then we comment on how the four articles in this special section exemplify a DCN approach and raise important theoretical and methodological issues for the field of DCN; and we close by considering the future of DCN, especially the key role developmental psychologists can play as DCN becomes increasingly interdisciplinary.
UPDATE ON CHEMOTHERAPY FOR ADVANCED BLADDER CANCER

ABSTRACTPurpose:: Recent years have seen several advances in the treatment of locally advanced and metastatic bladder cancer. We summarize the current state of the art for advanced bladder cancer treatment.Materials and Methods:: A comprehensive review of published, prospective phase II/III clinical trials and retrospective analyses of patients with advanced bladder cancer was performed.Results:: Adjuvant and neoadjuvant chemotherapeutic strategies around the time of radical cystectomy have been used to decrease the risk of subsequent metastatic disease. Although the benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy remains unproven, neoadjuvant chemotherapy is associated with a modest 5% to 6% absolute survival benefit in 2 meta-analyses of the available data. Chemoradiation is feasible and effective in some patients, allowing bladder preservation with an acceptable risk of progression. Randomized, phase III data comparing methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin and cisplatin chemotherapy to gemcitabine/cisplatin showed s...
Use of extended dimensions in global optimization

In a recent Letter, Faken et al. described a new algorithm for global optimization that used extra dimensions to go around energy barriers in the physical three-dimensional (3D) space. The present work describes an improvement to this algorithm and also explores how its performance depends on the number of non-physical dimensions.
Stimulus control and function of arm and wall travel by rats on a radial arm floor maze

Hoffman, Timberlake, Leffel, and Gont (1999) concluded that the tactic of effective trail following (in the form of arm and wall travel), rather than distance minimizing, central-place search, or random search, best characterized the locomotion of rats on a radial arm maze placed flat on the floor of an arena (a floor RAM). The present experiments analyzed further the stimulus control and function of arm and wall travel. Experiment 1 showed that arm travel was controlled more by the edge of a maze arm than by its surface. Experiment 2 showed that rats with whiskers clipped on one side traveled along arms less and along walls more than did intact rats. Experiment 3 showed that maze arms increased search effectiveness and decreased suppression of locomotion by bright light and a novel environment. The results support the hypothesis that arm and wall travel are based on mechanisms of trail following, which, in natural settings, contribute to food finding and regulation of social relations and fear.
Glucocorticoid stimulation of fatty acid synthesis in explants of human fetal lung.

We examined the effects of glucocorticoids and thyroid hormone (T3) on fatty acid synthesis, fatty acid composition and fatty acid synthetase activity in explants of human fetal lung (16–23 wk gestation). Explants were cultured 1–7 days in the absence (control) or presence of dexamethasone (10 nM) and/or T3 (2 nM). In control explants fatty acid synthesis and fatty acid synthetase activity increased 200% and 455%, respectively, between 1 and 5 days. Dexamethasone (10 nM) stimulated fatty acid synthesis (tritiated water incorporation) 155% and fatty acid synthetase activity 117% after 5 days in culture. T3 (2 nM) was not stimulatory, either alone or in the presence of dexamethasone. Dexamethasone increased the proportion of newly synthesized fatty acid recovered in phosphatidylcholine from 72% (control) to 90% (P < 0.02) of total fatty acid. Dexamethasone stimulation of fatty acid synthetase activity was consistent with a receptor-mediated process: (1) stimulation was saturable and dose-dependent (Kd = 1.5 ± 0.3 nM); (2) the potency of glucocorticoid analogs and other steroids reflected their glucocorticoid activity; (3) stimulation was reversible when cortisol was removed from the medium. Stimulation by dexamethasone was apparent within 24 h of hormone exposure, and increased to a maximum between 4 and 6 days. Fatty acid synthetase activity was higher in Type II cells (3.54 ± 0.58 nmol malate/min per mg protein) than in fibroblasts from treated explants. Although both cell types responded to hormone treatment the stimulation was greater for Type II cells (200% vs. 75% increase). The fatty acid composition of PC showed increases in 14:0 and 16:1 with culture alone which were further stimulated by dexamethasone but not T3. These results indicate glucocorticoid stimulation of fatty acid synthesis and are consistent with a key role for fatty acid synthetase in the hormonal induction of pulmonary surfactant phosphatidylcholine synthesis in cultured fetal lung.
Child and Adolescent Resiliency Following a Residential Fire: The Role of Social Support and Ethnicity

The link between trauma and posttraumatic stress has been well-established; however, less is known about the relationship between trauma and resiliency. Traditionally, resilience has been defined as behavioral competence and adaptation following a stressful event. The purpose of this study was to examine resilience, as measured by both internal and external forms of competence, following a residential fire. This study also sought to examine the roles of social support and ethnicity in moderating the relationship between resource loss and resilience. The participants for this study were 90 children and adolescents (ages 8–18) and their families who had been affected by residential fires. Self and parent-report measures were used to assess the variables of interest. A resilience scale was developed using responses on the Child Behavior Checklist. As predicted, results indicated there was a significant relationship between loss and resilience. Specifically, resource loss was found to negatively predict resilience. However, social support and ethnicity were not found to significantly moderate this relationship. Implications for these findings are discussed.
Experimental and Numerical Analysis of Read/Write Head Suspension Dynamics for High-Performance Floppy Drive Systems

Read/write head suspensions are critical components of high-performance floppy disk drives. Their dynamics affect head/media compliance, wear, and tracking performance. Vibration measurements are necessary in order to verify and adjust finite element models, to observe the influence of actual loading and operating conditions, and to study the effects of unmodeled components such as electrical wires and adhesives. A nonintrusive measurement technique using a Laser Doppler Vibrometer is utilized to measure the submicron vibrations. Excitation of the suspension is provided by a specially designed miniature air hammer and a piezoelectric transducer. Natural frequencies and mode shapes are extracted from the measurements and compared with numerical data from the finite element model. Research shows that boundary conditions are the most important parameters in the modeling of the suspension. A new design is proposed, using the verified model, to increase the tracking performance of the suspension. Synergy between experimentation and numerical analysis is emphasized.
In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation of Albumin Synthesis Rate of Porcine Hepatocytes in a Flat‐Plate Bioreactor

Several configurations of extracorporeal bioartificial liver devices have been developed for the potential treatment of fulminant hepatic failure or as a bridge to liver transplantation. Recently, we developed a microchannel flat-plate bioreactor with an internal membrane oxygenator in which porcine hepatocytes are cultured as a monolayer on the bottom glass surface. In the present study, we investigated synthetic function of porcine hepatocytes in the bioreactor in both in vitro and in vivo flow circuit models. In vitro, albumin synthesis was stable in the bioreactor for up to 4 days of perfusion. In vivo, with the extracorporeal connection of the bioreactor to rat vasculature, porcine albumin was detectable for 24 h in the rat plasma. We also developed a simple mathematical model to predict the in vivo porcine albumin concentration in rat plasma. These results indicate that this configuration of a microchannel flat-plate bioreactor has potential as a liver support device and warrants further investigation.
Robot Learning from Human Teachers

Learning from Demonstration (LfD) explores techniques for learning a task policy from examples provided by a human teacher. The field of LfD has grown into an extensive body of literature over the past 30 years, with a wide variety of approaches for encoding human demonstrations and modeling skills and tasks. Additionally, we have recently seen a focus on gathering data from non-expert human teachers (i.e., domain experts but not robotics experts). In this book, we provide an introduction to the field with a focus on the unique technical challenges associated with designing robots that learn from naive human teachers. We begin, in the introduction, with a unification of the various terminology seen in the literature as well as an outline of the design choices one has in designing an LfD system. Chapter 2 gives a brief survey of the psychology literature that provides insights from human social learning that are relevant to designing robotic social learners. Chapter 3 walks through an LfD interaction, surveying the design choices one makes and state of the art approaches in prior work. First, is the choice of input, how the human teacher interacts with the robot to provide demonstrations. Next, is the choice of modeling technique. Currently, there is a dichotomy in the field between approaches that model low-level motor skills and those that model high-level tasks composed of primitive actions. We devote a chapter to each of these. Chapter 7 is devoted to interactive and active learning approaches that allow the robot to refine an existing task model. And finally, Chapter 8 provides best practices for evaluation of LfD systems, with a focus on how to approach experiments with human subjects in this domain.
Polarizer uniformity measurements taken with an imaging polarimeter

The objective of this paper is to evaluate four types of polarizers in terms of three criteria: (1) their contrast ration, (2) the uniformity of their contrast ratios across 20 mm apertures, and (3) the uniformity of their transmission axis orientations across 20 mm apertures. The types of polarizers evaluated are calcite Glan-Thompson polarizers, polarizing beam splitters, silver glass polarizers, and stretched polymer polarizers. The measurements are performed with a rotating polarizer imaging polarimeter.
Islet Cell Survival During Isolation Improved Through Protein Kinase C Epsilon Activation

Strategies inhibiting cell death signaling pathways may enhance the availability of islet transplantation for patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus. The epsilon isoform of protein kinase C (PKCe) has been shown to have an anti-apoptotic effect in many cell types. The present study investigated whether activation of PKCe may improve the yield of functional islet cells for transplantation. Islet cells were isolated from wild-type BALB/c mice preconditioned with either a PKCe activator (ψeRACK) or a TAT carrier control peptide and further treated with the same agents during isolation and in vitro for either 0, 1, 16, or 40 hours. Islet cells were assessed at each time point for viability, apoptosis, and function. ψeRACK-treated islets showed significantly decreased islet cell death up to 40 hours after isolation compared with TAT-treated control islets. Beta-cell function in response to high glucose challenge remained unchanged.
Urban Mappings: A Rhetoric of the Network

This article outlines a rhetoric of digital mapping through the specific example of Detroit, Michigan. In particular, the essay challenges representational mapping by offering a database driven rhetoric. This rhetoric, the essay argues, offers possibilities for new media invention and arrangement practices.
Discretization Based on Entropy and Multiple Scanning

In this paper we present entropy driven methodology for discretization. Recently, the original entropy based discretization was enhanced by including two options of selecting the best numerical attribute. In one option, Dominant Attribute, an attribute with the smallest conditional entropy of the concept given the attribute is selected for discretization and then the best cut point is determined. In the second option, Multiple Scanning, all attributes are scanned a number of times, and at the same time the best cut points are selected for all attributes. The results of experiments on 17 benchmark data sets, including large data sets, with 175 attributes or 25,931 cases, are presented. For comparison, the results of experiments on the same data sets using the global versions of well-known discretization methods of Equal Interval Width and Equal Frequency per Interval are also included. The entropy driven technique enhanced both of these methods by converting them into globalized methods. Results of our experiments show that the Multiple Scanning methodology is significantly better than both: Dominant Attribute and the better results of Globalized Equal Interval Width and Equal Frequency per Interval methods (using two-tailed test and 0.01 level of significance).
Electrostatic Fields near the Active Site of Human Aldose Reductase: 2. New Inhibitors and Complications Caused by Hydrogen Bonds

Vibrational Stark effect spectroscopy was used to measure electrostatic fields in the hydrophobic region of the active site of human aldose reductase (hALR2). A new nitrile-containing inhibitor was...
Information centers and coloniality in cliff swallows: statistical design and analysis ― A comment

Commentaires et analyse de l'article de Brown sur la theorie des centres d'information que constituent les colonies d'oiseaux pour l'efficacite alimentaire
Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-binding Protein Inhibits Responses to Cell-bound LPS

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-binding protein (LBP) is an acute phase reactant that may play a dual role in vivo, both potentiating and decreasing cell responses to bacterial LPS. Whereas low concentrations of LBP potentiate cell stimulation by transferring LPS to CD14, high LBP concentrations inhibit cell responses to LPS. One inhibitory mechanism involves the ability of LBP to neutralize LPS by transferring it to plasma lipoproteins, whereas other inhibitory mechanisms, such as the one described here, do not require exogenous lipoproteins. Here we show that LBP can inhibit monocyte responses to LPS that has already bound to membrane-bound CD14 (mCD14) on the cell surface. LBP caused rapid dissociation of LPS from mCD14 as measured by the ability of LBP to inhibit cross-linking of a radioiodinated, photoactivatable LPS derivative to mCD14. Whereas LBP removed up to 75% of the mCD14-bound LPS in 10 min, this was not accompanied by extensive release of the LPS from the cells. The cross-linking data suggest that much of the LPS that remained bound to the cells was associated with LBP. The ability of LBP to inhibit cell responses could not be explained by its effect on LPS internalization, because LBP did not significantly increase the internalization of the cell-bound LPS. In cell-free LPS cross-linking experiments, LBP inhibited the transfer of LPS from soluble CD14 to soluble MD-2. Our data support the hypothesis that LBP can inhibit cell responses to LPS by inhibiting LPS transfer from mCD14 to the Toll-like receptor 4-MD-2 signaling receptor.
Biochemical and molecular characterization of the novobiocin and rifampicin resistant Aeromonas hydrophila vaccine strain AL09-71N+R compared to its virulent parent strain AL09-71.

Abstract To understand the fitness cost of novobiocin- and rifampicin-resistance in an attenuated Aeromonas hydrophiila vaccine strain AL09-71 N+R compared to its virulent parent strain AL09-71, colony size, cell size, cell proliferation rate, chemotactic response, and the ability to invade catfish gill cells of the two strains were compared. Our results revealed that: (1) the cell size and the colony size of AL09-71 N+R was significantly ( P P P P gyrB and rifampicin's target site RNA polymerase subunit B rpoB were sequenced from the two strains. Our results revealed the following five mutations: (1) two missense mutations (CGC to ATC resulting in arginine/R to serine/S; TAC to TGC resulting in tyrosine/Y to cysteine/C) between AL09-71 gyrB and AL09-71 N+R gyrB ; (2) three missense mutations (GAC to AAC resulting in aspartic acid/D to asparagine/N; CTG to CCG resulting in leucine/L to proline/P; CTG to CCG resulting in leucine/L to proline/P) between AL09-71 rpoB and AL09-71 N+R rpoB . To determine whether any unique DNA sequences were present in AL09-71 but absent in AL09-71 N+R, PCR-select bacterial genome subtractive hybridization was performed. Of 96 clones selected from the subtractive genomic DNA library, 32 sequences were found. None of the 32 sequences was confirmed to be present in AL09-71 but absent in AL09-71 N+R. At the transcription level, 29 of the 32 genes were found to be expressed greater than 10-fold in AL09-71 N+R compared to that in AL09-71.