cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structurofunctional resting-state networks correlate with motor function in chronic stroke.

Abstract Purpose Motor function and recovery after stroke likely rely directly on the residual anatomical connections in the brain and its resting-state functional connectivity. Both structural and functional properties of cortical networks after stroke are revealed using multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Specifically, functional connectivity MRI (fcMRI) can extract functional networks of the brain at rest, while structural connectivity can be estimated from white matter fiber orientations measured with high angular-resolution diffusion imaging (HARDI). A model that marries these two techniques may be the key to understanding functional recovery after stroke. In this study, a novel set of voxel-level measures of structurofunctional correlations (SFC) was developed and tested in a group of chronic stroke subjects. Methods A fully automated method is presented for modeling the structure-function relationship of brain connectivity in individuals with stroke. Brains from ten chronic stroke subjects and nine age-matched controls were imaged with a structural T1-weighted scan, resting-state fMRI, and HARDI. Each subject's T1-weighted image was nonlinearly registered to a T1-weighted 152-brain MNI template using a local histogram-matching technique that alleviates distortions caused by brain lesions. Fractional anisotropy maps and mean BOLD images of each subject were separately registered to the individual's T1-weighted image using affine transformations. White matter fiber orientations within each voxel were estimated with the q-ball model, which approximates the orientation distribution function (ODF) from the diffusion-weighted measurements. Deterministic q-ball tractography was performed in order to obtain a set of fiber trajectories. The new structurofunctional correlation method assigns each voxel a new BOLD time course based on a summation of its structural connections with a common fiber length interval. Then, the voxel's original time-course was correlated with this fiber-distance BOLD signal to derive a novel structurofunctional correlation coefficient. These steps were repeated for eight fiber distance intervals, and the maximum of these correlations was used to define an intrinsic structurofunctional correlation (iSFC) index. A network-based SFC map (nSFC) was also developed in order to enhance resting-state functional networks derived from conventional functional connectivity analyses. iSFC and nSFC maps were individually compared between stroke subjects and controls using a voxel-based two-tailed Student's t-test (alpha = 0.01). A linear regression was also performed between the SFC metrics and the Box and Blocks Score, a clinical measure of arm motor function. Results Significant decreases (p Conclusion The results demonstrate that changes after a stroke in both intrinsic and network-based structurofunctional correlations at rest are correlated with motor function, underscoring the importance of residual structural connectivity in cortical networks.
Moisture Effects on Development and Survival of the Plum Curculio (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Laboratory-reared larvae of Conotrachelus nenuphar Herbst were exposed to three soil moisture treatments in pots containing a mix of soil and vermiculite, whereby pots were either watered daily (we...
Cone Theorem Revisited

The purpose of this chapter is to present Mori’s original idea (cf. Mori [1][2]) to prove the cone theorem (in the smooth case) through his ingenious method of “bend and break” to produce rational curves of some bounded degree (with respect to an ample divisor or to the canonical divisor). This method leads to the result of Miyaoka—Mori [1] claiming the uniruledness of Mori fiber spaces, yielding the generalization by Kawamata [13] claiming that (every irreducible component of) the exceptional locus of an extremal contraction is also uniruled in general.
Critical Role of Ultrathin Graphene Films with Tunable Thickness in Enabling Highly Stable Sodium Metal Anodes.

Sodium (Na) metal has shown great promise as an anode material for the next-generation energy storage systems because of its high theoretical capacity, low cost, and high earth abundance. However, the extremely high reactivity of Na metal with organic electrolyte leads to the formation of unstable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) and growth of Na dendrites upon repeated electrochemical stripping/plating, causing poor cycling performance, and serious safety issues. Herein, we present highly stable and dendrite-free Na metal anodes over a wide current range and long-term cycling via directly applying free-standing graphene films with tunable thickness on Na metal surface. We systematically investigate the dependence of Na anode stability on the thickness of the graphene film at different current densities and capacities. Our findings reveal that only a few nanometer (∼2–3 nm) differences in the graphene thickness can have decisive influence on the stability and rate capability of Na anodes. To achieve the...
Visualization of dynamic fiber-matrix interfacial shear debonding

To visualize the debonding event in real time for the study of dynamic crack initiation and propagation at the fiber–matrix interface, a modified tension Kolsky bar was integrated with a high-speed synchrotron X-ray phase-contrast imaging setup. In the gage section, the pull-out configuration was utilized to understand the behavior of interfacial debonding between SC-15 epoxy matrix and S-2 glass fiber, tungsten wire, steel wire, and carbon fiber composite Z-pin at pull-out velocities of 2.5 and 5.0 m s−1. The load history and images of the debonding progression were simultaneously recorded. Both S-2 glass fiber and Z-pin experienced catastrophic interfacial debonding whereas tungsten and steel wire experienced both catastrophic debonding and stick–slip behavior. Even though S-2 glass fiber and Z-pin samples exhibited a slight increase and tungsten and steel wire samples exhibited a slight decrease in average peak force and average interfacial shear stress as the pull-out velocities were increased, no statistical difference was found for most properties when the velocity was increased. Furthermore, the debonding behavior for each fiber material is similar with increasing pull-out velocity. Thus, the debonding mechanism, peak force, and interfacial shear stress were rate insensitive as the pull-out velocity doubled from 2.5 to 5.0 m s−1. Scanning electron microscope imaging of recovered epoxy beads revealed a snap-back behavior around the meniscus region of the bead for S-2 glass, tungsten, and steel fiber materials at 5.0 m s−1 whereas those at 2.5 m s−1 exhibited no snap-back behavior.
Polarized single-scattering phase function determined for a common reflectance standard from bidirectional reflectance measurements

We report on Mueller matrix bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) measurements of a sintered polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) sample over the scattering hemisphere for incident angles from 0° to 75° and for four wavelengths from 351 nm to 1064 nm. The data are fit to a radiative transfer equation solution for a diffuse medium, letting parameters describing the single scattering phase function be adjusted.
Good agreement between smart device and inertial sensor-based gait parameters during a 6-min walk.

Abstract Background Traditional laboratory-based kinetic and kinematic gait analyses are expensive, time-intensive, and impractical for clinical settings. Inertial sensors have gained popularity in gait analysis research and more recently smart devices have been employed to provide quantification of gait. However, no study to date has investigated the agreement between smart device and inertial sensor-based gait parameters during prolonged walking. Research question Compare spatiotemporal gait metrics measured with a smart device versus previously validated inertial sensors. Methods Twenty neurologically healthy young adults (7 women; age: 25.0 ± 3.7 years; BMI: 23.4 ± 2.9 kg/m2) performed a 6-min walk test (6MWT) wearing inertial sensors and smart devices to record stride duration, stride length, cadence, and gait speed. Pearson correlations were used to assess associations between spatiotemporal measures from the two devices and agreement between the two methods was assessed with Bland-Altman plots and limits of agreement. Results All spatiotemporal gait metrics (stride duration, cadence, stride length and gait speed) showed strong (r>0.9) associations and good agreement between the two devices. Significance Smart devices are capable of accurately reflecting many of the spatiotemporal gait metrics of inertial sensors. As the smart devices also accurately reflected individual leg output, future studies may apply this analytical strategy to clinical populations, to identify hallmarks of disability status and disease progression in a more ecologically valid environment.
A scientific approach to practical induction

The purpose of practical induction is to create systems for powerful (efficient and effective) generalization learning. This paper argues that a scientific approach to practical induction promotes discovery of essential principles. Some have emerged from development of the author’s learning systems, which have contributed promising methods and unique results.
Design and Production of Human Monoclonal Antibodies to Human Cancers

Central questions of the tumor immunologist pertain to the type and nature of antigens appearing in the malignant state and methods used to detect them. Monoclonal antibody (MAb) technology (Kohler and Milstein, 1975) provides investigators an opportunity to study virtually any immunogenic molecule with exact precision and has been successful in detecting human tumor antigens (Boss et al., 1983). Recently, hybridoma technology has been extended to the production of human MAbs (Olsson and Kaplan, 1980; Schlom et al., 1980; Croce et al., 1980; Glassy et al., 1981, 1983a; Sikora and Phillips, 1981; Edwards et al., 1982) and is being used to study human tumor antigens.
The Absorption, Metabolism, and Pharmacokinetics of Chocolate Polyphenols

Cacao products such as chocolate and cocoa are major food sources of polyphenolic compounds in the form of monomeric catechins and oligomeric procyanidins. These compounds display a myriad of health-related properties that are only realized after they have transited through the digestive tract, interacted with the intestinal microflora, undergone presystemic biotransformations, and become absorbed from the intestinal milieu.
Quality in R&D: Applying Quality To R&D Means ‘Learn-As-You-Go’

Quality principles, initially applied to the product and manufacturing process sectors, are being increasingly applied to less tangible activities such as administration and services. R&D is the la...
Total Synthesis of (+)-Rubellin C.

The rubellins are a family of stereochemically complex anthraquinoid heterodimers containing an unprecedented chemical scaffold. Although the rubellins have been known for over three decades, no to...
Do Hotel Attributes and Amenities Affect Online User Ratings Differently across Hotel Star Ratings

This study investigates the impact of hotel attributes and complimentary and emerging amenities on online user ratings and compares their effects across star ratings. By combining data scraped from...
The Right of Publicity as Market Regulator in the Age of Social Media

The proliferation of social media marketing has resulted in a growing number of right of publicity claims brought by non-celebrities. In cases such as these, compared to those involving celebrities, plaintiffs face additional hurdles in order to succeed. Some of these hurdles hinge on the courts’ interpretation of the scope of the right, specifically with respect to the notions of “consent” and “injury.” This Note examines whether this latter class of obstacles should be removed, and if so, why. In doing so, it contextualizes the right of publicity within wider concerns over (mis)uses of personal data in the information economy. Frequent calls for a reconceptualization of the right of publicity in the context of online advertising and social media marketing have, until now, overlooked the societal repercussions of the right’s doctrinal shortcomings. In social media marketing cases, the injury is scrutinized on an individual basis, which may make it seem trivial. But since the value of a social media user’s unwitting endorsement lies in the aggregate, the injury also has a collective dimension. This Note suggests that these types of misappropriations detract from the public good in two interrelated ways: (1) they increase the imbalance of power between companies and consumers by concealing the true nature of their relationship; and (2) they siphon economic value to the company away from the prosumer(producer-consumer) who has created it. This has negative economic ramifications that go beyond the relationship between the company and the single user. A rethinking of the right of publicity in the age of social media should take into account these far-reaching consequences.
Chin-Chun-Chan: Popular Sinophobia in Early Twentieth-Century Mexico City

This article looks at popular responses to the zarzuela Chin-Chun-Chan and the issues that surfaced around its timely subject in early twentieth-century Mexico City. The principal source is the Mexico City satiric penny press for workers, supplemented by somewhat less polemical broadsides, both sold on the streets of the capital. Aimed mostly at working-class Mexicans, these sources offer a glimpse at popular attitudes circulating in a public sphere otherwise dominated by the perspective of educated elites. The article has four sections. First, it briefly reviews social commentary on the democratization of musical theater. Second, it examines Chin-Chun-Chan as a political symbol that crystalized around working-class complaints about the Porfirian regime, especially its alleged disregard for Mexican workers and Mexican national identity. Third, it analyzes the ways in which the phrase “Chin-Chun-Chan” entered popular language as a racial signifier for a range of things, some of which bore little relation to its theatrical origins. Finally, it links popular Sinophobia in late Porfirian Mexico City to the virulent anti-Chinese campaigns in northern Mexico, which played a key role in defining national identity after the 1910 Revolution, and to the “hemispheric orientalism” that has characterized anti-Asian sentiments throughout the Americas.
Reflections on hosting summer undergraduate researchers in the midst of a pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact nearly every aspect of our lives, including academic research. In this Matter of Opinion, we reflect on hosting both in-person and virtual undergraduate students during these challenging times.
Unsettling Victory: Storylines of Success and Anxiety in the Coverage of the Decline of ISIS in Three U.S. Newspapers

This study analyzed contested media narratives of the ISIS/ISIL terrorist group as it transitioned from a self-declared caliphate to a decentralized terrorist group. The study focused on U.S. newspaper coverage during 2017 as a key period of transition during which the Islamic State’s territorial assets diminished drastically. Utilizing a combination of topic modeling and close qualitative analysis, our investigation analyzed changes in news narratives during the shrinking of the organization’s material features and critically examined deep structures in the news coverage: How was the nature of the threat posed by ISIS (re)defined narratively in light of its territorial losses? And did this “victory” at Mosul fortify the U.S. meta-narrative around a newly vanquished ISIS? Analysis found intersecting storylines of American success and sustained anxiety about future attacks in the United States and continued struggles against ISIS. More fundamentally, these findings point to ISIS’s deeply embedded influence and place in U.S. narratives as it lost its physical space yet retained an assemblage of potential global terrorist relationships that construct its imagined caliphate and expands its network.
Examining the quality of mobile-assisted, video-making task outcomes: The role of proficiency, narrative ability, digital literacy, and motivation:

Although increasing evidence has demonstrated the benefits of mobile technology in diverse aspects of language learning, research on the use of mobiles in task-based instruction has been scarce. Pa...
Spatial and Temporal Interpolation of CYGNSS Soil Moisture Estimations

High Spatio-temporal soil moisture is essential for many meteorological, hydrological, and agricultural applications and studies. Spaceborne Global Navigation Satellite System Reflectometry (GNSS-R) provides a promising opportunity for high-resolution soil moisture retrievals. NASA's Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System is a preeminent GNSS-R application that offers high spatial and temporal resolution observations from Earth's surface. However, the quasi-random sampling of land surface by the CYGNSS constellation circumvents obtaining fully observed daily soil moisture predictions. This work investigates multidimensional spatial and temporal interpolation of the CYGNSS soil moisture estimates using methods such as linear, nearest, and natural interpolation. The results indicate that the interpolation error (RMSE) was 0.032 $m^{3}/m^{3}$ , 0.038 $m^{3}/m^{3}$ , and 0.030 $m^{3}/m^{3}$ for linear, nearest, and natural interpolation, respectively. The results also show that interpolated and observed CYGNSS SM values have the similar performance metrics when validated with the SMAP 9-km gridded SM product.
Molecular Characterization of Skeletal Muscle Dysfunction in Sigmar1 Knockout Mice.

Abstract Sigmar1 is a widely expressed, multitasking molecular chaperone protein playing functional roles in several cellular processes. Mutations in the Sigmar1 gene have been reported to associate with several distal neuropathies with strong manifestation in skeletal muscle dysfunction with phenotypes like muscle wasting and atrophy. However, the physiological function of Sigmar1 in skeletal muscle remained unknown. Here, the physiological role of Sigmar1 in skeletal muscle structure and function in gastrocnemius (Gastro), quadriceps (Quad), soleus (Sol), extensor digitorum longus (EDL), and tibialis anterior (TA) muscles was determined. Quantification of myofiber cross-sectional area (CSA) showed altered myofiber size distribution and changes in myofiber-type in the skeletal muscle of the Sigmar1-/- mice. Interestingly, ultrastructural analysis by transmission electron microscopy showed the presence of abnormal mitochondria, and immunostaining showed derangements in dystrophin localization in skeletal muscles from Sigmar1-/- mice. Additionally, myopathy in Sigmar1-/- mice was associated with an increased number of central nuclei, increased collagen deposition, and fibrosis. Functional studies also showed reduced endurance and exercise capacity in the Sigmar1-/- mice without any changes in voluntary locomotion, markers for muscle denervation, and muscle atrophy. Overall, for the first time, a potential physiological function of Sigmar1 in maintaining healthy skeletal muscle structure and function was demonstrated in this manuscript.
Generating Diverse 3D Reconstructions from a Single Occluded Face Image.

Occlusions are a common occurrence in unconstrained face images. Single image 3D reconstruction from such face images often suffers from corruption due to the presence of occlusions. Furthermore, while a plurality of 3D reconstructions is plausible in the occluded regions, existing approaches are limited to generating only a single solution. To address both of these challenges, we present Diverse3DFace, which is specifically designed to simultaneously generate a diverse and realistic set of 3D reconstructions from a single occluded face image. It consists of three components: a global+local shape fitting process, a graph neural network-based mesh VAE, and a Determinantal Point Process based diversity promoting iterative optimization procedure. Quantitative and qualitative comparisons of 3D reconstruction on occluded faces show that Diverse3DFace can estimate 3D shapes that are consistent with the visible regions in the target image while exhibiting high, yet realistic, levels of diversity on the occluded regions. On face images occluded by masks, glasses, and other random objects, Diverse3DFace generates a distribution of 3D shapes having ~50% higher diversity on the occluded regions compared to the baselines. Moreover, our closest sample to the ground truth has ~40% lower MSE than the singular reconstructions by existing approaches.
Applying probabilistic well-performance parameters to assessments of shale-gas resources

*Slightly adapted reprint of U.S.G.S. Open-File Report 2010-1151 (http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2010/1151/), which in turn was adapted from oral presentation at AAPG Annual Convention and Exhibition, New Orleans, Louisiana, April 11-14, 2010. See related article, Search and Discovery Article #40579 (2010), a reprint of U.S.G.S Open-File Report 2010-1138, “Assembling Probabilistic Performance Parameters of Shale-Gas Wells” (http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2010/1138/).
Populations at Special Health Risk: Children: Children's Mental Health Services

Population-based mental health services for children use an Assess → Plan → Intervene → Evaluate cycle to ensure that decisions made about a community's mental health services are intentional, informed by data, and stretch existing resources to meet the needs of the community's children. Services proceed from an understanding of current research on child development and psychopathology; are predicated on data-based portraits that describe children's mental health status; are planned to meet the needs that have been identified; comprise universal prevention, interventions for children at risk, and intensive therapeutic services; and are continuously evaluated to monitor impact and the changing mental health status of children. Challenges presented by the shift to population-based models are described.
The Art of Building in the Classical World: Vision, Craftsmanship, and Linear Perspective in Greek and Roman Architecture

Introduction: challenges of analysis and interpretation 1. The ideas of architecture 2. Vision and spatial representation 3. The genesis of scale drawing and linear perspective 4. Architectural vision Excursus: envisioning cosmic mechanism in Plato and Vitruvius Appendix A: analysis of the dimensions of the blueprint for entasis at Didyma Appendix B: analysis of the hypothetical working drawing for platform curvature at Segesta Appendix C: analysis of the hypothetical working drawing for platform curvature in the Parthenon.
On Binocularly Viewed Occlusion Junctions

Under binocular viewing of a scene, there are inevitably regions seen only in one eye or camera. Normally, this is a source of trouble for stereopsis algorithms which must deal with these regions on non-correspondence. This paper points out that in fact half-occlusion can be a source of valuable information. This is done by deriving a formula relating the displacement of an occlusion junction in the two eyes' images and the depth difference between the scene edges that comprise the occlusion junction. This paper represents the first quantitative result on the cue of half-occlusion in stereopsis.
InP-based HEMTs with AlIn/sub 1-x/P Schottky barrier layers grown by gas-source MBE

We report on the performance of a new class of InP-based HEMTs in which the conventional Al/sub x/In/sub 1-x/As Schottky barrier layer is replaced with Al/sub x/In/sub 1-x/P. The study of alternative Schottky barrier designs is aimed at improving the performance of InP-based HEMTs for applications that require high breakdown voltages, such as microwave power amplifiers. The typical low gate-to-drain breakdown voltage (BV/sub gd/) of 20 V reported for GaAs MESFETs and HEMTs. In addition, the increased Al concentration may limit both device reliability and yield due to poor gate metal adhesion to the Al-rich layer. Phosphorous containing materials are an attractive candidate for a wide bandgap Schottky layer design with low aluminum content. A pseudomorphic GaAs-based HEMT with Al/sub 0.52/In/sub 0.48/P barrier layer has been reported with BV/sub gd/ of -17 V and -10 V for 1.0 and 0.1 /spl mu/m long gate devices, respectively. More recently, a pseudomorphic channel InP HEMT with an Al/sub 0.2/In/sub 0.8/P barrier was reported with a BV/sub gd/=-15 V for a gate length of 0.5 /spl mu/m. In this paper, we present for the first time the performance of a Al/sub x/In/sub 1-x/P/AlInAs/GaInAs HEMT in which the channel is lattice matched to the InP substrate. We compare the performance of this new device with an Al/sub 0.6/In/sub 0.4/As/Al/sub 0.48/In/sub 0.52/As/Ga/sub 0.47/In/sub 0./$ d5/sub 3/As HMT to illustrate the improved device characteristics with the AlInP barrier layer. >
Paleomobility in the Tiwanaku diaspora: Biogeochemical analyses at Rio Muerto, Moquegua, Peru

Paleomobility has been a key element in the study of the expansion of ancient states and empires, including the Tiwanaku polity of the South Central Andes (AD 500–1000). We present radiogenic strontium and oxygen isotope data from human burials from three cemeteries in the Tiwanaku-affiliated Middle Horizon archaeological site complex of Rio Muerto in the Moquegua Valley of southern Peru. At Rio Muerto, archaeological human enamel and bone values range from 87Sr/86Sr = 0.70657–0.72018, with a mean of 87Sr/86Sr = 0.70804 ± 0.00207 (1σ, n = 55). For the subset of samples analyzed for oxygen isotope values (n = 48), the data ranges from δ18Ocarbonate(VSMOW) = +18.1 to +27.0‰. When contextualized with other lines of archaeological evidence, we interpret these data as evidence for an archaeological population in which the majority of individuals had “local” origins, and were likely second-generation, or more, immigrants from the Tiwanaku heartland in the altiplano. Based on detailed life history data, we argue a smaller number of individuals came at different ages from various regions within the Tiwanaku polity. We consider whether these individuals with isotopic values consistent with “nonlocal” geographic origins could represent first-generation migrants, marriage exchange partners, or occupationally mobile herders, traders or other travelers. By combining isotopic life history studies with mortuary treatment data, we use a person-centered migration history approach to state integration and expansion. Isotopic analyses of paleomobility at the Rio Muerto site complex contribute to the role of diversity in ancient states by demonstrating the range of geographic origins rather than simply colonists from the Lake Titicaca Basin. Am J Phys Anthropol 155:405–421, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Free radical-mediated molecular damage. Mechanisms for the protective actions of melatonin in the central nervous system.

Abstract: This review briefly summarizes the multiple actions by which melatonin reduces the damaging effects of free radicals and reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. It is well documented that melatonin protects macromolecules from oxidative damage in all subcellular compartments. This is consistent with the protection by melatonin of lipids and proteins, as well as both nuclear and mitochondrial DNA. Melatonin achieves this widespread protection by means of its ubiquitous actions as a direct free radical scavenger and an indirect antioxidant. Thus, melatonin directly scavenges a variety of free radicals and reactive species including the hydroxyl radical, hydrogen peroxide, singlet oxygen, nitric oxide, peroxynitrite anion, and peroxynitrous acid. Furthermore, melatonin stimulates a number of antioxidative enzymes including superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, and catalase. Additionally, melatonin experimentally enhances intracellular glutathione (another important antioxidant) levels by stimulating the rate-limiting enzyme in its synthesis, γ-glutamylcysteine synthase. Melatonin also inhibits the proxidative enzymes nitric oxide synthase and lipoxygenase. Finally, there is evidence that melatonin stabilizes cellular membranes, thereby probably helping them resist oxidative damage. Most recently, melatonin has been shown to increase the efficiency of the electron transport chain and, as a consequence, to reduce election leakage and the generation of free radicals. These multiple actions make melatonin a potentially useful agent in the treatment of neurological disorders that have oxidative damage as part of their etiological basis.
A New Species of Strongyluris (Nematoda: Heterakidae) from the Lizard, Lophognathus temporalis (Sauria: Agamidae) from Papua New Guinea

Abstract: Strongyluris dracocola n. sp. from the intestine of Lophognathus temporalis collected in Papua New Guinea is described and illustrated. Strongyluris dracocola n. sp. represents the 32nd species assigned to the genus and the sixth from the Australo-Papuan region. It can be easily separated from the other Australo-Papuan species because it is the only species to have an unpaired median papilla adjacent to the sucker.
Pathophysiology of coronary calcification

Calcification is a prominent feature of atherosclerosis, frequently associated with myocardial infarction and other adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Currently, calcification is widely viewed as an end-stage, degenerative process which is inevitable in advanced atherosclerosis. Pathologists, however, have long noted that calcification may occur early in atherosclerosis and, at times, may appear histologically identical to organized bone, including areas resembling bone marrow. These observations suggest that rather than being a passive process, atherosclerotic calcification may instead be an active, regulated process similar to that of osteogenesis. Using an in-vitro model of arterial calcification a subpopulation of artery wall cells, capable of producing hydroxyapatite mineral in vitro was discovered. This article discusses some of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of arterial calcification identified utilizing this in-vitro model of vascular calcification.
Weekly docetaxel is safe and effective in the treatment of advanced-stage acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-related Kaposi sarcoma.

BACKGROUND Intravenous paclitaxel, 100 mg/m2, given over 3 hours every 2 weeks is associated with a response rate of 59% in patients with recurrent or refractory acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related Kaposi sarcoma (KS). However, this regimen is associated with significant myelosuppression, and the inconvenience of a 3-hour infusion. Moreover, no effective therapies have been defined for use after treatment failure with this agent. A Phase II trial was conducted with weekly docetaxel in patients with advanced-stage KS to assess safety and antitumor activity. METHODS Docetaxel was administered at a dose of 25 mg/m2 intravenously over 15–30 minutes weekly for 8 weeks. Thereafter, if the patient experienced stable disease or better response, treatment doses were given every other week until complete disease remission, disease progression, or unacceptable toxicity occurred. RESULTS Twelve patients were accrued—9 had > 25 mucocutaneous lesions, 1 had lymphedema, and 2 had visceral involvement. Ten patients (83%) had previous systemic chemotherapy, including 4 who received previous paclitaxel. Treatment was well tolerated, with no Grade 4 toxicity of any type. Grade 3 neutropenia occurred in 33% of patients but no patient had neutropenic fever. Five patients (42%) achieved a partial response, including 1 who had previously failed to respond to paclitaxel. The median time to disease progression was 26 months (range, 5–53 months). With a median follow-up period of 45 months, the median survival point had not been reached. CONCLUSIONS Weekly docetaxel is safe, with reasonable antitumor activity in patients with advanced-stage, recurrent, or refractory AIDS-related KS. Cancer 2005. © 2004 American Cancer Society.
Efficacy of atropine as an endoscopic premedication

To determine the efficacy of atropine as an endoscopic premedication, we prospectively evaluated in double-blind fashion 196 elective endoscopies performed on 189 consecutive consenting patients. Group 1 (95 endoscopies) received meperidine, 1.5mg/kg, intramuscularly 30 min prior to endoscopy. Group 2 (101 endoscopies) additionally received atropine, 0.6mg, in the same injection. Endoscopy was performed by one of two investigators using a 13-mm fiberoptic instrument. Endoscopists and patients filled out postendoscopy questionnaires. Both endoscopists (p 0.05). Moreover, there were no differences in the patients' assessments of the acceptability of the procedure between the two groups (p>0.05). We concluded that although atropine does not improve patients' tolerance for the examination or the endoscopists' ability to do an adequate examination, it does objectively decrease the amount of gastric motility and oral secretions. This latter effect could potentially decrease the hazard of aspiration, but such a benefit could not be demonstrated in our series.
Regression of cardiac wall thickness following chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation for light chain (AL) amyloidosis

Abstract: Increased cardiac wall thickness (WT) is a hallmark of amyloid cardiomyopathy. Sporadic reports have suggested that there may be a regression of cardiac WT after successful therapy of pri...
On the Nature of the “Moss” Observed by TRACE

"Moss" is the name given to low-lying (~3000 km), hot (~1 MK) solar coronal plasma that has been observed recently by the Transition Region and Coronal Explorer (TRACE). This paper investigates two hypotheses regarding the nature of the moss: (1) emission from small, million degree loops; (2) emission from the legs of 3-10 million degree loops. We update the coronal radiative loss curve, using the most recent results for coronal abundances, and use an analytical loop model to find that the first hypothesis requires a filling factor close to unity to reproduce the observed emission measure, while the second hypothesis results in a filling factor of about 0.1, in agreement with other independent multiwavelength analyses of moss. We find that the vertical extent and the height of the moss layer above the limb are also very well reproduced with the second hypothesis. We further show that the observed brightness of the moss scales linearly with the loop pressure and filling factor, independent of the loop length, and we derive a general expression for the conversion factor.
Afro-Americans and Arabs: An Alliance in the Making?

It has been reported that: Polling some 3,200 Black people in Harlem, Bedford-Stuyvesant and East Harlem (New York), in 1974, the newspaper [Muhammad Speaks] found that 71 percent support the Arabs while only 29 percent sided with Israel or had no view [relative to the October War]. This marked a significant change in view from 1970, when a similar poll revealed that 40 percent agreed with the Arabs while 38 percent were sympathetic to Israel.... 65 percent of the Afro-Americans interviewed felt that the Palestinians should have the right to reclaim the land and property taken from them by the Israeli state.' Because we do not know how rigorously this data was gathered, we must be somewhat cautious in our interpretation of this report. However, while the percentages may not be as scientific as we would like, the trend indicating a growing sympathetic sentiment for the Arab cause between 1970 and 1974 on the part of Afro-Americans is no doubt accurate. Even more, should such a poll be replicated today the trend would likely indicate a continuing increase in the extent to which Afro-Americans support the Arab cause. How do we explain the trend pointed out by the poll cited above? Further, what is the importance of that trend for the situation of AfroAmericans? And more central to the discussion here: what is the relevance of that trend for a relationship between Afro-Americans and Arab Americans, presently and potentially? Hopefully, the answers to these questions
Magnetic analog of the mott transition

Abstract A model hamiltonian with only on-site interactions is introduced and solved for a hypothetical … LiHLiH… array with variable lattice spacing R . The paramagnetic (large R ) system becomes diamagnetic, with a finite magnetic gap, as the bandwidth is increased. The sharp transition is marked by a symmetry change of the exact ground state ¦ ψ〉.
Leiomyosarcoma of the stomach: Results of surgery and chemotherapy in an eleven‐year‐old girl with liver metastases

This report describes an 11-7/12-year-old girl with leiomyosarcoma of the stomach metastatic to liver who was treated with surgical resection and combination chemotherapy, which included adriamycin. She remains well 52 months after diagnosis and 27 months after cessation of chemotherapy. The favorable course of this patient suggests that aggressive adjuvant chemotherapy should be considered for patients with leiomyosarcoma who have poor prognostic features.
Dye alignment in luminescent solar concentrators: II. Horizontal alignment for energy harvesting in linear polarizers

We describe Linearly Polarized Luminescent Solar Concentrators (LP-LSCs) to replace conventional, purely absorptive, linear polarizers in energy harvesting applications. As a proof of concept, we align 3-(2-Benzothiazolyl)-N,N-diethylumbelliferylamine (Coumarin 6) and 4-dicyanomethyl-6-dimethylaminostiryl-4H-pyran (DCM) dye molecules linearly in the plane of the substrate using a polymerizable liquid crystal host. We show that up to 38% of the photons polarized on the long axis of the dye molecules can be coupled to the edge of the device for an LP-LSC based on Coumarin 6 with an order parameter of 0.52.
Complications in cervical spine surgeries

Abstract Complications in cervical spine surgeries can occur infrequently; however, these adverse events can be catastrophic. Each approach to the cervical spine has its own unique set of complications that can occur. Pre-operative planning, vigilance intraoperatively, and careful postoperative care can help avoid complications and allow early detection of adverse events that can prevent long-term sequelae. Both anterior and posterior surgical approaches consistently offer great results, each approach can be technically demanding, and surgeons should be familiar with the appropriate techniques and possible complications.
Significance of Histological Prognostic Indicators in Patients with Carcinoma of the Prostate

Summary— The relationships between histological prognostic indicators and their relative significance in prognosis were studied in 139 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy. The estimated progression rates at 5 and 8 years were 14 and 52% respectively for patients with high grade tumours, 25 and 50% for those with capsular penetration, 31 and 58% for patients with seminal vesicle invasion and 23 and 55% for those with lymph node metastases. Each of the 4 parameters yielded an approximately equal increased risk of disease progression at 5 and 8 years. The occurrence of 2 or more risk factors in the same patient did not result in a statistically increased risk of progression at 5 and 8 years. The effect of capsular involvement on progression was directly related to the extent of invasion. The progression rate at 8 years was 3% for patients with mild involvement, 19% for those with extensive invasion and 50% for those with capsular penetration.
The Role of Initial Conversations in Determining Attraction to Similar and Dissimilar Strangers

The present study focused on identifying the independent and conjoint influence of attitude similarity and initial interaction on interpersonal attraction to relative strangers. Participants were informed they would be working on a project with either an attitudinally similar or an attitudinally dissimilar stranger. Half of the participants next engaged in an initial interaction with their partner and the other half did not. All participants then filled out a scale that included a measure of interpersonal attraction. Results indicated that the conjoint, nonadditive effects of attitude similarity and initial interaction overrode the significant main effects of these variables. Although attitudinally similar noninteractants were more attracted to their partners than dissimilar noninteractants, no differences in attraction were observed among similar and dissimilar interactants. Dissimilar interactants were more attracted to their partners than dissimilar noninteractants, but no differences in attraction were observed between similar interactanls and noninteractants.
Analysis of FDA in-house food reference materials with anticoincidence INAA

In-house reference material (IRM) cocoa powder (CCP) has been in use at US Food and Drug Administration laboratories for about 15 years. A single lot of commercial material was originally characterized for 32 elements by several laboratories and five techniques. A unique approach for basis weight determination based upon ambient relative humidity was developed for CCP, eliminating the need for dry weight determinations. The CCP Reference Sheet is updated by incorporating new results approximately every 5 years. The last update occurred in 2006. As part of an effort to revalidate and update values for CCP, anticoincidence instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) was used to determine mass fractions for 16 of the originally characterized elements, as well as to provide information on 16 other elements. Results were in very good agreement with 2006 Reference Sheet values. A new candidate IRM, fresh-frozen swordfish (FFSF) powder, was produced by adding inorganic As, Cd, Cr, Hg, Pb, Sb, and Se to liquid nitrogen-frozen commercial swordfish filets which were then homogenized. Portions of FFSF were analyzed by INAA to provide mass fraction and homogeneity information for As, Cd, Cr, Hg, Sb, and Se as well as for eight other elements occurring naturally in the material. Non-homogeneities were ≤2.5 % for As, Br, Cd, and Cs, and ≤1.8 % for Cr, Hg, Rb, Sb, and Se. Certified reference materials DORM-3 Fish Protein powder and fresh-frozen SRM 1947 Lake Michigan Fish Tissue were analyzed as controls.
Three-dimensional treatment planning considerations for prostate cancer

Over 300 treatment plans for a total of eight disease sites based on 3-D treatment planning considerations utilizing serial CT delineated target volumes were generated by four institutions as part of an NCI supported contract to both assess the current state-of-the-art capabilities and point directions for future efforts. Two patients with stage C prostate cancer were evaluated with protocol plans which required treatment of the prostate to 70 Gy and the pelvic lymph nodes to 46 Gy. When full 3-D target definition and multiple beam arrangements were employed, all institutions were able to submit plans which scored higher on tumor coverage and had lower normal tissue complication scores compared to traditional plans. The 3-D plans using standard beam arrangements, however, were often rated as highly as the 3-D unconstrained plans due to the multiple beam arrangements already selected to optimize standard plans at most institutions. For this site, heterogeneity corrections, beam energy changes and changes in CT number did not substantially change plan scores.
Business Strategy: Ideas for Construction Master's Degrees

Kenneth Andrews and Michael Porter developed strategic perspectives on business while teaching at the Harvard Business School. This article synthesizes their sometimes congruent, sometimes diverse views.
Accelerometer measured physical activity and the integrity of the anterior visual pathway in multiple sclerosis

Abstract Purpose To examine the associations among objectively-measured physical activity with the optical coherence tomography (OCT) metrics of retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness and total macular volume (TMV) in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods Eighty four participants with MS, without ocular disease or high myopia underwent a neurological examination for Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scoring, followed by OCT. Participants then wore an accelerometer during the waking hours of a 7-day period to objectively measure physical activity as steps/day. Results Mean RNFL thickness for the sample was 91.46μm (SD=15.0), and mean TMV was 6.61mm 3 (SD=0.5). The mean score from the accelerometer was 4287 steps/day (SD=2563). Steps/day was significantly associated with both RNFL thickness ( Wald χ 2 =46.48, p Wald χ 2 =1798.27, p Wald χ 2 =58.93, p Wald χ 2 =0.001, p =0.973). Conclusions Physical activity was associated with integrity of the anterior visual pathway, assessed by OCT, in persons with MS, and this association was independent of sex, MS subtype, disease duration, disability, and visual function. Researchers should consider examining the causal nature of the association between physical activity and markers of the visual system in MS.
Effect of Radiation on Diesel Engine Combustion and Heat Transfer

An investigation of the effect of radiation on NOx emission was conducted for low temperature diesel engine combustion by using advanced numerical models in a Computational Fluid Dynamics code. The Discrete Ordinates Method (DOM) model was used for the prediction of radiation, which is mainly radiated from soot emissions. The advanced numerical model was able to predict the pressure and heat release rate for a wide range of Start Of Injection (SOI) timing cases. It was found that the influence of the radiation was larger on soot formation than on NOx formation. However, the influence of the radiation on the emissions was smaller than the influence of the wall temperature on emissions. The reaction-induced interaction between NOx and soot emissions was found to be very small, only up to 2.5 % difference of engine-out NOx concentration.
Type of snack influences satiety responses in adult women

The effect of different snack foods on satiety and plasma glucose and hormone responses was assessed. Nineteen fasted adult women (mean age: 39.2 + or - 0.7 years, mean BMI: 26.1 + or - 0.8 kg/m(2)) consumed test foods including dried plums, low-fat cookies, white bread and water only on separate days. The test foods (with the exception of water) provided 238 kcal and were similar in total carbohydrate, fat and protein content but differed in fiber and sugar content. Subjects rated their feelings of hunger using satiety index scales prior to snack consumption and again every 15 min for 2h following initiation of intake. Blood samples were collected at baseline and 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 min following intake. At the end of the 120-min test period, subjects were presented with a meal to be consumed until satisfied. The satiety index AUC was greater for the dried plum trial versus the low-fat cookie trial (p < or = 0.05). There was no difference in post-snack consumption between the dried plums and cookie trials. The dried plums trial elicited lower plasma glucose and insulin AUC than the low-fat cookie trial (p < or = 0.05) and tended to promote a greater plasma ghrelin AOC (p = 0.056). These results demonstrate that consuming dried plums as a snack suppresses hunger relative to a low-fat cookie as evidenced by lower glucose and/or satiety-regulating hormone concentrations.