cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Case-based learningAbnormal labour

Cord prolapse is an obstetric emergency that complicates 0.1–1% of all deliveries with significant perinatal morbidity and mortality. Early diagnosis and swift management improves fetal outcomes. Immediate interventions include manual elevation of the presenting part, altered maternal position and filling of the bladder. Delivery is usually by Caesarean section unless the cervix is fully dilated when an instrumental delivery can be considered. Face presentation accounts for 0.2% of all live births. The overall vaginal delivery rate is 60–70% with the majority being in mento-anterior position. Those in persistent mento-posterior position usually require Caesarean section. Forceps delivery can be performed for prolonged second stage or abnormal CTG in mento-anterior position. Primary dysfunctional labour is very common. Interventions to consider include intravenous hydration, amniotomy and oxytocin. Oxytocin reduces the length of labour but does not alter the mode of delivery. Continuous fetal monitoring must be employed when utilizing oxytocin.
Spontaneous Formation of Geysers at Only One Pole on Enceladus's Ice Shell

The ice shell on Enceladus, an icy moon of Saturn, exhibits strong asymmetry between the northern and southern hemispheres, with all known geysers concentrated over the south pole, even though the expected pattern of tidal forced deformation should be symmetric between the north and south poles. Using an idealized ice-evolution model, we demonstrate that this asymmetry may form spontaneously, without any noticeable a priori asymmetry (such as a giant impact or a monopole structure of geological activity), in contrast to previous studies. Infinitesimal asymmetry in the ice shell thickness due to random perturbations are found to be able to grow indefinitely, ending up significantly thinning the ice shell at one of the poles, thereby allowing fracture formation there. Necessary conditions to trigger this hemispheric symmetry-breaking mechanism are found analytically. A rule of thumb we find is that, for Galilean and Saturnian icy moons, the ice shell can undergo hemispheric symmetry breaking only if the mean shell thickness is around 10 to 30 km.
Shifting baseline syndrome among coral reef scientists

The ‘shifting baseline syndrome’ has received much attention and acceptance within the conservation science community. In this study, the ‘shifting baseline syndrome’ based on which each generation of fisheries scientists accepts the stock size and species composition extant in the beginning of their careers as the normal baseline, as proposed by Pauly in 1995, was tested. It was hypothesized that Florida Keys reef scientists use the reef conditions at the beginning of their careers as the baseline for the evaluation of change. A cohort of these scientists was used as a study group to test this hypothesis and explore expert opinions on reef baselines. Snowball sampling led to a total of 54 interviews of Florida Keys Reef-experienced scientists. Among all contacts, 48% responded and were interviewed for a total of 37.6 h. Correlation statistics were used to analyse the respondent’s age and experience and their correlations with the reported baselines. Ninety-six percent of the interviewees were professional scientists. Baselines for the Florida Keys bank reef ecosystem were established based on the respondents’ testimonies. Independent of the age, experience, or affiliation, the respondents agreed that the baselines for the Florida Keys bank reef are a coral cover of ~33% and 44 years before present (1972). Seventy percent of the respondents who were under the age of 40 stated that they never witnessed an Acropora sp.-dominated reef, whereas 96% of the experts over the age of 60 stated the opposite. This demonstrates the dramatic change in the interaction with the coral reef from one generation of experts to the next; however, the consensus regarding the baselines is high. Our results indicate the general consensus regarding reef baselines among scientists, which may inform the management practices of a wide range of stakeholders. This study provides evidence that Florida Keys reef scientists are not subject to the shifting baseline syndrome, highlighting that education and experience may counter potential baseline shifting. These results can be used as references for the establishment of unified restoration goals in coral restoration programs. Appropriate coral baselines have been debated for decades, with little understanding of the community consensus.
A Genetic Algorithmic Approach to Determine the Structure of Li–Al Layered Double Hydroxides

Layered double hydroxides (LDH) demonstrate significant potential across a range of applications, including as catalysts, delivery vehicles for pharmaceuticals, environmental remediation, and supercapacitors. Explaining the mechanism of LDH action at the atomic scale in these and other applications is challenging, however, due to the difficulty in precisely defining the bulk and surface structure and chemical compositions. Here, we focus on the determination of the structure of lithium-aluminum (Li-Al) LDH, which has shown promise in the catalytic depolymerization of lignin, both directly as the catalyst and as a support for gold nanoparticles. While the relative positions of the Li and Al metals are generally well resolved by X-ray crystallography, it is the structures of the anionic layers, consisting of water and carbonate, that are less well established. Combinatorial analyses of all possible positions and rotations of the water and carbonate in the three-layered Li-AL LDH polytope reveals that the phase space is much too large to examine in any reasonable time frame in a one-by-one structure exploration. To overcome this limitation, we develop and deploy a genetic algorithm (GA) wherein fitness is determined by matching a calculated X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern for a given structure to the known experimental XRD pattern. The GA approach results in structures of high fitness that portend the bulk Li-Al LDH structure. Importantly, the GA approach offers the potential to determine the structures of other LDH, and more generally layered materials, which are generally difficult to describe given the large chemical and structural space to be explored.
SAT-Net: Self-Attention and Temporal Fusion for Facial Action Unit Detection

Research on facial action unit detection has shown remarkable performances by using deep spatial learning models in recent years, however, it is far from reaching its full capacity in learning due to the lack of use of temporal information of AUs across time. Since the AU occurrence in one frame is highly likely related to previous frames in a temporal sequence, exploring temporal correlation of AUs across frames becomes a key motivation of this work. In this paper, we propose a novel temporal fusion and AU-supervised self-attention network (a socalled SAT-Net) to address the AU detection problem. First of all, we input the deep features of a sequence into a convolutional LSTM network and fuse the previous temporal information into the feature map of the last frame, and continue to learn the AU occurrence. Second, considering the AU detection problem is a multi-label classification problem that individual label depends only on certain facial areas, we propose a new self-learned attention mask by focusing the detection of each AU on parts of facial areas through the learning of individual attention mask for each AU, thus increasing the AU independence without the loss of any spatial relations. Our extensive experiments show that the proposed framework achieves better results of AU detection over the state-of-the-arts on two benchmark databases (BP4D and DISFA).
Atmosphere-Ionosphere (A-I) Coupling as Viewed by ICON: Day-to-Day Variability Due to Planetary Wave (PW)-Tide Interactions

Coincident Ionospheric Connections Explorer (ICON) measurements of neutral winds, plasma drifts and total ion densities (:=Ne, electron density) are analyzed during January 1-21, 2020 to reveal the relationship between neutral winds and ionospheric variability on a day-to-day basis. Atmosphere-ionosphere (A-I) connectivity inevitably involves a spectrum of planetary waves (PWs), tides and secondary waves due to wave-wave nonlinear interactions. To provide a definitive attribution of dynamical origins, the current study focuses on a time interval when the longitudinal wave-4 component of the E-region winds is dominated by the eastward-propagating diurnal tide with zonal wavenumber s = -3 (DE3). DE3 is identified in winds and ionospheric parameters through its characteristic dependence on local solar time and longitude as ICON's orbit precesses. Superimposed on this trend are large variations in low-latitude DE3 wave-4 zonal winds (±40 ms-1) and topside F-region equatorial vertical drifts at periods consistent with 2-days and 6-days PWs, and a ~3-day ultra-fast Kelvin wave (UFKW), coexisting during this time interval; the DE3 winds, dynamo electric fields, and drifts are modulated by these waves. Wave-4 variability in Ne is of order 25%-35%, but the origins are more complex, likely additionally reflecting transport by ~20-25 ms-1 wave-4 in-situ winds containing strong signatures of DE3 interactions with ambient diurnal Sun-synchronous winds and ion drag. These results are the first to show a direct link between day-to-day wave-4 variability in contemporaneously measured E-region neutral winds and F-region ionospheric drifts and electron densities.
Endocannabinoid-Based Therapies.

The endocannabinoids are lipid-derived messengers that play a diversity of regulatory roles in mammalian physiology. Dysfunctions in their activity have been implicated in various disease condition...
Comparison of negative pressure wound therapy with an ultraportable mechanically powered device vs. traditional electrically powered device for the treatment of chronic lower extremity ulcers: A multicenter randomized‐controlled trial

The purpose of this study was to compare the ultraportable mechanically powered Smart Negative Pressure (SNaP(®)) Wound Care System to the traditional electrically powered Vacuum-Assisted Closure (VAC(®)) Therapy System in the treatment of chronic lower extremity wounds. This 12-center randomized-controlled trial of patients with noninfected, nonischemic, nonplantar lower extremity wounds had enrolled 65 patients, as of January 5, 2010, at the time of a planned interim analysis. Subjects were randomly assigned to treatment with either the SNaP(®) or VAC(®) Systems. The trial evaluated treatment for up to 16 weeks or till complete closure was achieved. Fifty-three patients (N=27 SNaP(®), N=26 VAC(®)) completed at least 4 weeks of therapy. Thirty-three patients (N=18 SNaP(®), N=15 VAC(®)) completed the study with either healing or 16 weeks of therapy. At the time of planned interim analysis, no significant differences (p=0.99) in the proportion of subjects healed between the two devices evaluated were found. In addition, the percent wound size reduction between treatment groups was not significantly different at 4, 8, 12, and 16 weeks, with noninferiority analysis at 4 weeks of treatment reaching the p-value <0.05 significance level (*p=0.019). These interim data suggest no difference in wound closure between the SNaP(®) System and the VAC(®) System in the population studied. We look forward to the final analysis results.
Effect of Cocoa on Blood Pressure

Consuming 50 g of cocoa daily will lower blood pressure 2 to 3 mm Hg on average in adults with hypertension. Evidence of improved patient-oriented outcomes does not exist.
Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and the histogenesis of epidermoid carcinoma of the cervix

Abstract The result of vertical starch gel electrophoresis of blood, cancerous, and noncancerous epithelium of the cervix of 18 patients who were heterozygous for G-6-PD variants is presented. Among 10 patients without cancer of the cervix, examination of the cervical epithelium showed 9 with 2 bands and one with 1 band. Among 8 patients with cancer, examination of the cancer tissue showed 5 with a single band (1A and 4B) and 3 with double bands. It is proposed that the evidence is consistent with the concept that epidermoid carcinoma of the cervix arises from a single cell. It is also concluded that the Lyon phenomenon is also functioning in at least some tumors.
Distribution of Star Formation Between Starbursts and Normal Galaxies

The combination of optical and near infrared observations of a portion of the Hubble Deep Field provides a data set that can be used for photometric redshift and photometric extinction determination. The more than a factor of 5 wavelength coverage greatly mitigates the partial degeneracy between extinction and galaxy type encountered in optical only studies. Once the parameters of redshift, extinction and galaxy spectral energy distribution have been determined, the question of the distribution of star formation between starburst galaxies and normal galaxy star formation can be addressed.
Synthesis of quinolines, pyridine ligands and biological probes in green media

Nitrogen heterocycles are prepared using hot pressurized water under microwave and thermal conditions. Selective reduction, cyclodehydrations (Friedlander and Pfitzinger syntheses), Suzuki coupling, and ligand exchange have been effected in water or water–protic solvent media.
Correlation effects in double-Weyl semimetals

We study the long-range Coulomb interaction effects on the double-Weyl fermion system, which is possibly realized in the three-dimensional semimetal ${\mathrm{HgCr}}_{2}{\mathrm{Se}}_{4}$ in the ferromagnetic phase. Within the one-loop renormalization-group analysis, we find that there exists a stable fixed point at which the Coulomb interaction is screened anisotropically. At the stable fixed point, the renormalized Coulomb interaction induces nontrivial logarithmic corrections to the physical quantities, such as specific heat, compressibility, the electrical conductivity, and the diamagnetic susceptibility that are obtained utilizing the renormalization-group equations.
Martha C. Nussbaum’s Political Emotions

Martha Nussbaum’s new book Political Emotions is a contribution to political philosophy and, simultaneously, a moral-psychological study of the emotions. In it, she revisits some of the most prominent themes in her 2004 book Hiding from Humanity and her 2001 treatise, Upheavals of Thought. As Nussbaum points out in the opening pages of Political Emotions, one of her goals in this work is to answer a call issued by John Rawls for a “reasonable moral psychology” (9) that would be conceptually refined and empirically grounded, since a complete theoretical account of the just society must be informed by a suitably complex, accurate conception of human emotions. On the whole, Political Emotions is a remarkably successful book that combines several areas of philosophical research in which the author’s proficiency is well known. It shows how problems that lie on the more intimate side of ethics, pertaining for instance to friendship and family life, have relevance for social justice and public culture; along the way, it also incorporates insightful readings of literary texts. Nussbaum’s book therefore ought to introduce readers of her work in one area (such as social philosophy) to aspects of her work in another (such as the philosophy of mind, or literary criticism). It explores the nature of human emotions, as they form early in life and develop in the context of personal relationships, in order to clarify some of the conditions of possibility for a just liberal democracy. Political Emotions asks: which emotions are essential for such a society to flourish, and which are apt to undermine its values and goals? In order to offer an account that can answer this question, Nussbaum draws upon her influential cognitive theory of emotion and, in the process, reformulates it in subtle yet significant ways. For the sake of this book symposium, I concentrate mainly upon how human emotions are depicted and explained in Political Emotions, and on what Nussbaum’s latest work reveals about her considered view about the nature of emotion. First, I address her analysis of some types of emotion that are specifically important to her project, voicing a few critical worries about how Nussbaum describes certain emotions that can undermine a just society; then, in the latter (and larger) part of this essay, I make several related observations about how Political Emotions appears to modify Nussbaum’s theory of emotion, making some friendly suggestions about which Phenom Cogn Sci (2014) 13:643–650 DOI 10.1007/s11097-014-9389-4
A constrained binary knapsack approximation for shortest path network interdiction

A modified shortest path network interdiction model is approximated in this work by a constrained binary knapsack which uses aggregated arc maximum flow as the objective function coefficient. In the modified shortest path network interdiction problem, an attacker selects a path of highest non-detection probability on a network with multiple origins and multiple available targets. A defender allocates a limited number of resources within the geographic region of the network to reduce the maximum network non-detection probability between all origin-target pairs by reducing arc non-detection probabilities and where path non-detection probability is modeled as a product of all arc non-detection probabilities on that path. Traditional decomposition methods to solve the shortest path network interdiction problem are sensitive to problem size and network/regional complexity. The goal of this paper is to develop a method for approximating the regional allocation of defense resources that maintains accuracy while reducing both computational effort and the sensitivity of computation time to network/regional properties. Statistical and spatial analysis methods are utilized to verify approximation performance of the knapsack method in two real-world networks.
It's Not Easy Trying to be One of the Guys: The Effect of Avatar Attractiveness, Avatar Sex, and User Sex on the Success of Help-Seeking Requests in an Online Game

Interactions in online environments are influenced by many of the same gender and sex-role stereotypes that people use in offline interactions. However, less research has examined systematically how the traits of an avatar and the avatar's user interact to influence stereotypical responses in virtual spaces. A field experiment manipulated avatar attractiveness, avatar sex, user sex, and favor difficulty to measure responses to a requested favor across 2,300 interactions in an online game. Attractive avatars received more help than less attractive avatars, but female users received less help than male users when represented by avatars that were less attractive or male.
Seeking Empirical Validity in an Assurance of Learning System

Business schools have established measurement tools to support their assurance of learning (AoL) systems and to assess student achievement of learning objectives. However, business schools have not required their tools to be empirically validated, thus ensuring that they measure what they are intended to measure. The authors propose confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) be utilized by business schools to evaluate AoL measurement systems. They illustrate a CFA model used to evaluate the measurement tools at their college. The authors’ approach is in its initial steps, currently evaluating individual measurement tools, but the authors are working toward developing a system that can evaluate the entire AoL measurement system.
The Ang II-induced growth of vascular smooth muscle cells involves a phospholipase D-mediated signaling mechanism.

Abstract Angiotensin (Ang) II acts as a mitogen in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) via the activation of multiple signaling cascades, including phospholipase C, tyrosine kinase, and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways. However, increasing evidence supports signal-activated phospholipases A 2 and D (PLD) as additional mechanisms. Stimulation of PLD results in phosphatidic acid (PA) formation, and PA has been linked to cell growth. However, the direct involvement of PA or its metabolite diacylglycerol (DAG) in Ang II-induced growth is unclear. PLD activity was measured in cultured rat VSMC prelabeled with [ 3 H]oleic acid, while the incorporation of [ 3 H]thymidine was used to monitor growth. We have previously reported the Ang II-dependent, AT 1 -coupled stimulation of PLD and growth in VSMC. Here, we show that Ang II (100 nM) and exogenous PLD (0.1–100 units/mL; Streptomyces chromofuscus ) stimulated thymidine incorporation (43–208% above control). PA (100 nM–1 μM) also increased thymidine incorporation to 135% of control. Propranolol (100 nM–10 μM), which inhibits PA phosphohydrolase, blocked the growth stimulated by Ang II, PLD, or PA by as much as 95%, an effect not shared by other β-adrenergic antagonists. Propranolol also increased the production of PA in the presence of Ang II by 320% and reduced DAG and arachidonic acid (AA) accumulation. The DAG lipase inhibitor RHC-80267 (1–10 μM) increased Ang II-induced DAG production, while attenuating thymidine incorporation and release of AA. Thus, it appears that activation of PLD, formation of PA, conversion of PA to DAG, and metabolism of DAG comprise an important signaling cascade in Ang II-induced growth of VSMC.
The interdisciplinary management of spinal disorders: A review of outcomes

In the United States, back pain has become a medical epidemic whose prevalence is increasing. The prevalence of neck and back pain is estimated to be 54%-80%. All types of neck pain have an estimated yearly prevalence of 12.1%-71.5%, and that of back pain is 15%-45%. Such a widespread prevalence, with lack of evidence-based recommendations for treatment, has fueled the development of novel pain treatments. Currently, the field of pain management has introduced the concept of interdisciplinary care in the biopsychosocial model.
Acoustic cues for the perception of place of articulation in aphasia

Two experiments assessed the abilities of aphasic patients and nonaphasic controls to perceive place of articulation in stop consonants. Experiment I explored labeling and discrimination of [ba, da, ga] continua varying in formant transitions with or without an appropriate burst onset appended to the transitions. Results showed general difficulty in perceiving place of articulation for the aphasic patients. Regardless of diagnostic category or auditory language comprehension score, discrimination ability was independent of labeling ability, and discrimination functions were similar to normals even in the context of failure to reliably label the stimuli. Further there was less variability in performance for stimuli with bursts than without bursts. Experiment II measured the effects of lengthening the formant transitions on perception of place of articulation in stop consonants and on the perception of auditory analogs to the speech stimuli. Lengthening the transitions failed to improve performance for either the speech or nonspeech stimuli, and in some cases, reduced performance level. No correlation was observed between the patient's ability to perceive the speech and nonspeech stimuli.
A Novel Approach to Image Enhancement and Thresholding Based on Fuzzy Theory

Image processing has to deal with many ambiguous situations. Fuzzy set theory is a useful mathematical tool for handling the ambiguity or uncertainty. In order to apply the fuzzy theory, selecting the fuzzy region of membership function is a fundamental and important task. In this paper, a new method of membership function based on fuzzy theory by PSO algorithm optimized was proposed by analyzing the deficiencies of traditional enhancement algorithm. A new entropy definition of a fuzzy set was proposed. The new entropy definition of a fuzzy set was not only related to the membership (fuzzy domain) but also related to the probability distribution (space domain), it can respond to the variety of image input information. In addition, by quoting a novel particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm to find the optimization parameters for membership. We have employed the new proposed approach to perform image enhancement and thresholding and obtained satisfactory results.
ATP-dependent bioluminescence in the firefly squid, Watasenia scintillans

Abstract The Japanese firefly squid, Watasenia scintillans, emits intense flashes of light from three tiny luminous organs that are located at the tip of each of a pair of ventral arms. Light is also produced from hundreds of other minute organs that are scattered over the body. The luminescence is due to an ATP-dependent reaction, with an optimal pH of 8.80. The decay of light intensity follows first-order kinetics and the decay constant is independent of initial ATP concentration. The light emission also requires MgCl2, a soluble component, and an insoluble component that is membrane bound. Squids represent a major group of organisms unrelated to fireflies in which ATP is required for bioluminescence.
An Investigation of the Trailing Vortex System Generated by a Jet-Flapped Wing Operating at High Wing Lift Coefficients.

Abstract : The purpose of the investigation was to measure the geometry of the trailing vortex generated behind a jet-flapped wing. Such vortices can pose a serious hazard to aircraft that penetrate them. Previous investigations performed on conventional wings indicate that these vortices persist for some time and have maximum tangential velocities which increase linearly with the lift coefficient. As future aircraft may employ high lift devices such as jet-flapped wings, the vortices generated could be even stronger. Two semispan models of a jet-flapped wing were tested in a subsonic wing tunnel. Parameters varied during testing included the jet flap angle, angle of attack, aspect ratio, and jet momentum coefficient. Vortex measurements were obtained using a vortex meter which measured the rotational speed of the fluid within the vortex. Values obtained were numerically integrated to yield the tangential velocity and circulation distributed through the vortex. Experimental results indicate that the maximum tangential velocity increases to a maximum and then decreases with continually increasing jet blowing. At high values of jet blowing, the vortex was found to decay rapidly downstream. (Author)
The Effect of Rater Severity On Person Ability Measure: A Rasch Model Analysis

This paper presents a method for analyzing oral examinations with an extended, many-faceted Rasch model that calibrates medical specialty candidates, protocols, and raters. Significant variance was found among protocol difficulties and rater severities. When candidates' raw scores were compared with calibrated measures corrected for the bias caused by the particular protocols and raters encountered, variation between candidate scores and measures were observed. The data were found to fit the Rasch model well enough to be suitable for making measurement on oral examinations more objective as well as providing specific feedback to oral examination raters. In this example a medical oral examination was used; however, the techniques are applicable to any situation in which trained professionals rate candidate or patient performances. For occupational therapists, potential applications include evaluation of a student's fieldwork performance or observation of a patient's task performance.
The smallest gene of the orbivirus, epizootic hemorrhagic disease, is expressed in virus-infected cells as two proteins and the expression differs from that of the cognate gene of bluetongue virus.

Abstract The smallest gene (S10) of the virus of epizootic hemorrhagic disease of deer (EHD, serotype 2) is expressed as two proteins in virus-infected cells. By contrast, the non-structural proteins (NS3 and NS3A) encoded in the smallest gene of bluetongue (BT) viruses are difficult to detect in virus-infected cells. The nucleotide sequence of S10 of EHDV-2 contains two in-frame initiation codons which allow for translation of proteins of mol. wt. 25503 and 23921 analogous to NS3 and NS3A of BT viruses. The S10 genes of BT viruses are highly conserved (82%–99%); the nucleotide sequence similarity of S10 of EHDV-2 and BT viruses is about 64%. Some structural features of NS3 and NS3A are conserved in the two viruses, despite the divergence in the amino acid sequences of the proteins. The hydrophobic domains of the proteins and the putative transmembrane sequences are conserved, as are potential glycosylation sites in the proteins. A cluster of proline residues, which is conserved at residues 36–50 in all of the published sequences of NS3 of BT viruses, is conserved exactly in the alignment of the sequence of NS3 of EHDV-2 with that of the BT viruses. An explanation for the differences in expression of NS3/NS3A in EHD and BT viruses was not evident in comparing the nucleotide sequences of S10 of the viruses.
Real-time implementation of a dual-mode ultrasound array system: In vivo results

Background, Motivation and Objective: We have previously presented a method of ultrasound image guidance known as a dual-mode ultrasound array (DMUA). A DMUA uses the same elements for imaging and therapy creating an inherent registration between the two modalities and allowing for precise HIFU targeting. Previous results have demonstrated the abilities of DMUAs on phantoms and in vitro tissues with offline data processing, here we present in vivo results from a fully functional, real-time implementation of a DMUA. Statement of Contribution/Methods: This system utilizes high-performance FPGAs and GPUs to implement a novel ultrasound-guided focused ultrasound (USgFUS) platform. This platform uses 33 frames per second synthetic aperture (SA) imaging to provide guidance for the selection of therapeutic targets. Single transmit focus (STF) imaging is interleaved with therapy at 1000 frame per second to provide real-time feedback on the treatment progress. The array contains a central opening to allow the coaxial alignment of a diagnostic transducer for image fusion between the diagnostic and DMUA imaging modalities. Results: A 3.5 MHz, 32 element DMUA was used for HIFU treatments in swine and rat animal models. The SA imaging allowed for the recognition of tissue structure and the tracking of natural tissue motion. STF imaging during therapy allowed for the detection of HIFU induced echogenic changes. The DMUA images allowed for the targeted placement of HIFU shots with sub-millimeter and millisecond spatial and temporal resolutions, respectively. Histological examinations have confirmed thermal lesion formation within the wall of the vessel. Discussion and Conclusions: Advances in computing power and array technology have enabled the development of a DMUA as a real-time USgFUS platform. These results represent the first in vivo demonstration of a DMUAs imaging and therapeutic capability. The system demonstrates the ability to image anatomical structures and deliver HIFU therapy safely and efficaciously.
On the Human Figure in Architectural Representation

Abstract This essay argues for the more thoughtful use of human figures in architectural drawing. In most contemporary architectural drawings, human figures help to provide simple and clear indications of scale or a proper sense of depth. These scale figures need not be merely metric, however. They can also help to project some of the immeasurable qualities of architecture. If they are well conceived and rendered, human figures in architectural drawings can help to show how projected buildings might be perceived and inhabited. They can also be used to understand how architecture can be shaped to accommodate human experiences and actions.
Algal recruitment and the maintenance of a plant mosaic in the low intertidal region on the Oregon coast

Abstract The role of recruitment of turf-forming algae in maintaining a low rocky intertidal plant mosaic on the central Oregon coast was investigated. Monthly samples suggested that spore release by one of the most abundant turf-forming red algae at wave-exposed sites (Constantinea simplex Setchell) occurred only in spring. In contrast, spore release by the two most abundant wave-sheltered red algae [Odonthalia floccosa (Esper) Falkenberg, Neorhodomela larix (Turner) Masuda] occurred at all times but winter. At wave-exposed sites, the turf-dominant colonized clearances frequently. At wave-sheltered sites, one dominant colonized frequently and the other turf-dominant colonized clearances infrequently. Experiments evaluated the rates of recruitment of these algae to manually cleared plots with respect to distance and direction from spore source, species of colonist, presence or absence of early colonists, wave turbulence (wave-exposed or wave-sheltered), and location. We also tested the effect of grazing at wave-exposed but not at wave-sheltered sites (where grazers were scarce). At one wave-exposed site, but not the other, recruitment of Constantinea within 1 sx 2 m cleared areas responded differently to distance depending on its direction from the propagule source. Significant variation also occurred between clearances and sites. The effects of preemptive competition and grazing were not significant. At wave-protected sites, recruitment of Odonthalia but not Neorhodomela varied significantly with several factors. These included presence of early colonists, blocks (one site only), and sites. However, no variation in recruitment of either species occurred with respect to direction or distance from propagule source. Compared to Odonthalia, recruitment of Neorhodomela was extremely low suggesting that the high abundance of the latter depends on vegetative growth and long persistence. We conclude that recruitment processes can contribute to the maintenance of a high diversity mosaic at wave-exposed sites, but are of minor importance at wave-sheltered sites.
An Inexpensive, Digital Instrument for Surface Tension, Interfacial Tension, and Density Determination

This article outlines the construction of a large-capacity, digital ring tensiometer, using common laboratory equipment, and reports the validation of this instrument against National Institutes of...
An Accurate Deterministic Projection Method for Hyperboles Systems with Stiff Source Term

We study numerical methods for one-dimensional hyperboUc systems of balance laws (x ∈ ℝ u ∈ ℝ N , N ≥1) with very stiff source terms: $$ {{u}_{t}} + f{{(u)}_{x}} = \frac{1}{\varepsilon }S(u),\quad 0 < \varepsilon < < 1. $$ (1)
Fine Sun Tracker for Advanced Orbiting Solar Observatory

The analysis and design of a fine sun tracker for the Advanced Orbiting Solar Observatory are discussed. The tracker provides accurate pointing information in pitch and yaw, permitting precise static and dynamic orientation of the observatory with respect to the sun's apparent disc, in accordance with ground commands. The tracker uses a servo driven optical slab in each axis to offset the optical null by the required amount. The error signal thus developed in a pair of matched silicon photo-voltaic cells is fed to the observatory control system, to produce the desired orientation in that axis. The essential features of the tracker design are incorporated in a breadboard model. The performance of this model verifies the inherent capability of the design to achieve a 2 are-second r.m.s. pointing accuracy.
Rampant teen sex: teen sexuality and the promise of happiness as obstacles to re-thinking adolescence

This article shows how efforts to introduce experienced teachers to theories of adolescence as a construct become stymied when such re-conceptualizations of youth included views of youth as sexual. Though re-theorizations of adolescence as a cultural construct potentially affect and disrupt a wide range of traits about adolescence, the trait that posed the greatest obstacle to considering a widely different way of viewing young people was imagining them as sexual. Part of the challenge of rethinking adolescence was detangling conceptions of sexually innocent youth from promises of the happiness to come from a life lived according to social norms that include youths' sexual innocence. Data are analyzed by following teachers' ‘felt investments’ to ideas about youth, as well as affective ‘jumps’ in their reactions to note when teachers felt vulnerable due to what appeared to be contested ideas about youth and about happiness. Data from the beginning of a seven-month study focuses on how teachers respond to t...
WE‐A‐218‐06: A Practical Method of CT Radiation Dose Adjustment for Patient Size and Tissue Composition

Purpose: The CTDIvol displayed on CTscanners is not patient specific. A practical method to estimate CT dose corrected for patient size, tissue composition, and anatomical location is presented. Methods: The measured CTDIvol of acrylic cylindrical phantoms of diameters from 6–32 cm on a CTscanner revealed a logarithmic relationship with the phantom mass. The relationship has been used in 25 cases of each category of adult head, chest, abdomen and pelvic CT exams. Actual patient CTimages have been used to measure the average CT numbers within image slices which are subsequently related to the total tissue mass. By applying the relationship between the actual CTDIvol and the total mass, the CT radiation dose has been adjusted for patient size and tissue composition. Results: Overall, dose underestimation by the scanner dose report is well demonstrated in all 25 cases of adult chest exams (ranging from 9% to 80% under‐estimation) because the lungtissue density is significantly lower. Even in the abdomen, which has a more consistent soft tissue density, there are adipose tissues and voids that complicate the dosimetry. The pelvis contains considerable amounts of bone, which has a much higher attenuation coefficient than soft tissues, complicating the estimation of radiation doses. Also, there is a significant variation in actual patient sizes even among adult patients; thus leads to a spread in actual CTDIvol delivered to these patients. Conclusions: There is a nationwide effort to monitor patient CT dose. Because the current scanner‐reported dose may underestimate the patient dose when the patient size is smaller than the assumed standard or the tissue density is lower, excessive dose outliers may be undetected. This is more likely to happen to pediatric patients. We present a practical method to provide a more accurate estimate of patient CT radiation dose.
Solid state RF MEMS resonators in standard CMOS

This paper presents a review of our work in CMOS-MEMS resonators fabricated in Front-End-of-Line (FEOL) processing of standard CMOS technology with no need for post-processing or special packaging. Acoustic resonators composed of Si and SiO2 found in the CMOS stack are demonstrated, confined by Acoustic Bragg Reflectors and sensed using a standard transistor embedded inside the acoustic resonant cavity. The merits of active transistor sensing of MEMS resonators at high frequencies are discussed, leading to the principle of the Resonant Body Transistors (RBTs) described in this work. RBTs realized in IBM's 32nm SOI process are demonstrated with resonance frequency above 11 GHz and Q~30, spanning a footprint of less than 15 μm2. Finally, thermal stability of <;3 ppm/K is shown for these CMOS-integrated devices. The CMOS-MEMS resonators presented here offer building blocks for RF circuit design which can be integrated seamlessly with supporting circuits for on-chip clocking and signal processing.
Assessment of postreperfusion myocardial hemorrhage using proton NMR imaging at 1.5 T.

BACKGROUNDIntramyocardial hemorrhage occurs frequently after reperfusion of acute myocardial infarction. However, its significance has not yet been established, mainly because of the lack of methods for detecting such hemorrhage. The following ex vivo study was carried out to assess the potential of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging to detect and quantitate postreperfusion intramyocardial hemorrhage.METHODS AND RESULTSSixteen adult mongrel dogs underwent 3 hours of coronary occlusion followed by 1 hour of reperfusion, and three dogs underwent 4 hours of occlusion without reperfusion. Radiolabeled microspheres and 51Cr-labeled red blood cells were used to assess flow and evaluate the extent of hemorrhage. These results were later compared with both NMR and histology. Spin-echo NMR imaging was performed on the excised hearts using a 1.5-T system. Macroscopic assessment of the sliced myocardium revealed the existence of hemorrhage in 14 of the 16 dogs that underwent reperfusion but in none of those wi...
Coactivation of Receptor Tyrosine Kinases in Malignant Mesothelioma as a Rationale for Combination Targeted Therapy

Introduction To identify new therapeutic approaches in malignant mesothelioma (MM), we examined the expression and activation of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) and the effects of specific RTK inhibitors and the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor rapamycin; the latter being of special interest in MM given the recent linkage between NF2 loss and mTOR activation. Methods We performed a screen for mutated or activated RTKs in 14 MM cell lines and 70 primary tumors. Expression of phosphorylated RTKs was analyzed by Western blotting and a membrane-based antibody array in normal growth conditions and after treatment by specific inhibitors. MET and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations were screened by sequencing. MET, hepatocyte growth factor, insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor, and EGFR expression were studied by Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and by Affymetrix expression microarrays. Results Profiling of the phosphorylation status of 42 RTKs showed prominent coactivation of MET and EGFR in 8 of 14 (57%) MM cell lines. MET, EGFR, and insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor were the main RTKs activated after mTOR inhibition and contributed to AKT feedback activation. Knockdown of MET by RNA interference inhibited not only the phosphorylation of MET but also that of EGFR. Conversely, stimulation with hepatocyte growth factor increased both phospho-MET and phospho-EGFR. The combination of PHA-665752 and the EGFR inhibitor, erlotinib, suppressed cell growth more than either agent alone in three of six cell lines tested. Finally, combinations of rapamycin and different RTK inhibitors were more active than either drug alone in 12 of 13 cell lines. Conclusion Combination targeting of kinase signaling pathways is more effective than single agents in most MM.
Suboptimal control of a class of discrete-continuous time systems

The synthesis of nonperiodic piecewise-constant feedback gains for a class of nonlinear systems with nonquadratic performance indices is presented in this paper. A mean-square error type performance index measuring the difference between the closed-loop and the open-loop control is minimized. A gradient algorithm is then used to synthesize the feedback gains and switching times for the suboptimal control law. The linear suboptimal control law so obtained is then compared to other recently published results.
Evaluation of pressure‐driven brain infusions in nonhuman primates by intra‐operative 7 tesla MRI

Purpose: To characterize the effects of pressure-driven brain infusions using high field intra-operative MRI. Understanding these effects is critical for upcoming neurodegeneration and oncology trials using convection-enhanced delivery (CED) to achieve large drug distributions with minimal off-target exposure. Materials and Methods: High-resolution T2-weighted and diffusion-tensor images were acquired serially on a 7 Tesla MRI scanner during six CED infusions in nonhuman primates. The images were used to evaluate the size, distribution, diffusivity, and temporal dynamics of the infusions. Results: The infusion distribution had high contrast in the T2-weighted images. Diffusion tensor images showed the infusion increased diffusivity, reduced tortuosity, and reduced anisotropy. These results suggested CED caused an increase in the extracellular space. Conclusion: High-field intra-operative MRI can be used to monitor the distribution of infusate and changes in the geometry of the brain's porous matrix. These techniques could be used to optimize the effectiveness of pressure-driven drug delivery to the brain. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2012; 36:1339–1346. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Non-covalent surface engineering of an alloplastic polymeric bone graft material for controlled protein release

Abstract Alloplastic materials, derived from poly(methylmethacrylate), such Bioplant-HTR, are a promising alternative to autologous bone in implant-dentistry and maxillofacial reconstruction. The clinical utility and outcomes using alloplasts such as HTR can be enhanced through the incorporation and release of proteins and growth factors. A simple, water-based process to surface engineer alloplast material to bear proteins has been developed. In this non-covalent process, the protein of choice is formulated into granules using gelatin-wet granulation and immobilized on the HTR alloplast surface, using water-soluble polymeric binders such as poly(vinyl alcohol) and Pluronics. The utility of this process has been verified using bovine serum albumin and horseradish peroxidase as model proteins. The process is capable of rendering these proteins on HTR surface in a reproducible manner, with formulated protein:HTR ratios less than 1:1 favoring more uniform surface coatings. By varying the ratio of the granulated protein to the HTR, surface protein concentration as high as 30 μg/mg of HTR particle can be achieved. By incorporating the protein-modified HTR particles with photocurable polymeric matrices and varying its hydrophobicity, sustained release of active HRP for at least 30 days was observed, with cumulative release ranging from 7–35% of loaded protein, depending on the protein:HTR ratio and the polymeric binder. The integrity of the released protein was also verified using SDS-PAGE gel and enzymatic assay. The simplicity of the surface modification strategy may make this suitable for ceramic and metal substrates as well.
Genetically modified human bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells for improving the outcome of human islet transplantation.

The objective of this study was to determine the potential of human bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) as gene carriers for improving the outcome of human islet transplantation. hBMSCs were characterized for the expression of phenotypic markers and transduced with Adv-hVEGF-hIL-1Ra to overexpress human vascular endothelial growth factor (hVEGF) and human interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (hIL-1Ra). Human islets were co-cultured with hBMSCs overexpressing hVEGF and hIL-1Ra. Islet viability was determined by membrane fluorescent method and glucose stimulation test. Transduced hBMSCs and human islets were co-transplanted under the kidney capsule of NOD.Cg-Prkdcscid Il2rgtm1Wjl/SzJ (NSG) diabetic mice and blood glucose levels were measured over time to demonstrate the efficacy of genetically modified hBMSCs. At the end of study, immunofluorescent staining of kidney section bearing islets was performed for insulin and von Willebrand Factor (vWF). hBMSCs were positive for the expression of CD73, CD90, CD105, CD146 and Stro-1 surface markers as determined by flow cytometry. Transduction of hBMSCs with adenovirus did not affect their stemness and differentiation potential as confirmed by mRNA levels of stem cell markers and adipogenic differentiation of transduced hBMSCs. hBMSCs were efficiently transduced with Adv-hVEGF-hIL-1Ra to overexpress hVEGF and hIL-1Ra. Live dead cell staining and glucose stimulation test have shown that transduced hBMSCs improved the viability of islets against cytokine cocktail. Co-transplantation of human islets with genetically modified hBMSCs improved the glycemic control of diabetic NSG mice as determined by mean blood glucose levels and intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test. Immunofluorescent staining of kidney sections was positive for human insulin and vWF. In conclusion, our results have demonstrated that hBMSCs may be used as gene carriers and nursing cells to improve the outcome of islet transplantation.