cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Emotional and cognitive changes during adolescence

Adolescence is a critical period for maturation of neurobiological processes that underlie higher cognitive functions and social and emotional behavior. Recent studies have applied new advances in magnetic resonance imaging to increase understanding of the neurobiological changes that occur during the transition from childhood to early adulthood. Structural imaging data indicate progressive and regressive changes in the relative volumes of specific brain regions, although total brain volume is not significantly altered. The prefrontal cortex matures later than other regions and its development is paralleled by increased abilities in abstract reasoning, attentional shifting, response inhibition and processing speed. Changes in emotional capacity, including improvements in affective modulation and discrimination of emotional cues, are also seen during adolescence. Functional imaging studies using cognitive and affective challenges have shown that frontal cortical networks undergo developmental changes in processing. In summary, brain regions that underlie attention, reward evaluation, affective discrimination, response inhibition and goal-directed behavior undergo structural and functional re-organization throughout late childhood and early adulthood. Evidence from recent imaging studies supports a model by which the frontal cortex adopts an increasingly regulatory role. These neurobiological changes are believed to contribute, in part, to the range in cognitive and affective behavior seen during adolescence.
Cerebellar afferents in teleost catfish (lctaluridae)

The cerebellar afferents in the bullhead catfish (Teleostei) were labeled by relying on the retrograde transport of horseradish peroxidase (HRP). Retrogradely labeled neurons were seen in: spinal cord, lateral cuneate nucleus, inferior olive, reticular nuclei, vestibular nuclei, nucleus subeminentialis, n. lateralis valvulae, locus coeruleus, n. mesencephalicus dorsalis, the basal optic nuclei, and a nucleus at the isthmic level which may be equivalent to the pontine nuclei of birds and mammals. Inputs to the molecular layer arise from the inferior olive, locus coeruleus and n. lateralis valvulae in addition to subjacent granule cells. No projections to cerebellum were seen to arise from either the optic tectum or from the inferior lobe. The so-called "lobo-cerebellar" tract in teleosts was reported by Goldstein, amongst many others, who mistook the superior secondary gustatory nucleus for a deep cerebellar nucleus.
Cutaneous malignant melanoma of the head and neck

A computer-aided analysis of 5,109 patients with malignant melanoma was performed. Patient population characteristics according to body site (head and neck, extremity, and trunk) were determined for the following parameters: sex, histologic type of melanoma, Clark's level, Breslow thickness, age, clinical status of regional nodes, presence or absence of ulceration, and recurrence. Head and neck melanomas accounted for 17% of the total population (N = 877). A detailed analysis of general population characteristics according to subsites within the head and neck region (ear, face, neck, nose, and scalp) was performed. Survival characteristics were determined for head and neck patients according to lymph node surgery, histologic type of tumor, and tumor thickness. The effect on survival of lymph node dissection (elective for stage I disease and therapeutic for stage II disease) was analyzed by univariate and multivariate methods. Elective lymph node dissection (ELND) was performed on 77 patients and 39 patients underwent therapeutic nodal dissection (TLND). Overall, survival was significantly improved following ELND as compared to TLND; however, multivariate analysis indicated the improved survival was related to variations of age within the population rather than the beneficial effect of lymph node surgery. Elective lymph node dissection did significantly reduce the incidence of recurrence for head and neck patients (p = 0.002). Since recurrence was demonstrated to be directly related to survival, the trend toward improved survival following ELND after 5 years was felt to be important. There was no difference in survival according to the histologic type of melanoma.
A model for the growth of Guinier-Preston zones-the vacancy pump

Abstract Vacancies highly in excess of equilibrium are thought to be responsible for the high rates of formation of Guinier-Preston zones (G.P. zones) after the quench from high temperatures. A kinetic model is developed for the growth of spherical G.P. zones based on the diffusion of solute-vacancy complexes to the zones. Under certain favorable physical conditions, when the complex arrives at the zone-matrix interface, the solute and vacancy are no longer bound; and the vacancy can now contribute to enhancing a vacancy concentration gradient directed radially outward from the zone. The vacancies are thus driven back into the matrix to again collide with solute atoms, once more becoming complexes. In this way the zone acts as a vacancy pump, maintaining a high vacancy concentration for long periods of time. Mathematical equations are derived based on this model, and kinetic data for Al-rich Zn is considered. A rather good comparison with experiment is found for early in the zone-forming process.
Models for D → Kπℓν decay

Abstract We present the predictions of various models for D → Kπlν decay for the K-π system in the region of the K∗ resonance. In this system both vector and axial vector currents can be studied. One of these models also applies to the D → Klν decay mode. Also, tests are given for general Kπlν of the pure vector hypothesis for the (c, s) current.
Adverse Impact of Feed Channel Spacers on the Performance of Pressure Retarded Osmosis

This article analyzes the influence of feed channel spacers on the performance of pressure retarded osmosis (PRO). Unlike forward osmosis (FO), an important feature of PRO is the application of hydraulic pressure on the high salinity (draw solution) side to retard the permeating flow for energy conversion. We report the first observation of membrane deformation under the action of the high hydraulic pressure on the feed channel spacer and the resulting impact on membrane performance. Because of this observation, reverse osmosis and FO tests that are commonly used for measuring membrane transport properties (water and salt permeability coefficients, A and B, respectively) and the structural parameter (S) can no longer be considered appropriate for use in PRO analysis. To accurately predict the water flux as a function of applied hydraulic pressure difference and the resulting power density in PRO, we introduced a new experimental protocol that accounts for membrane deformation in a spacer-filled channel to...
Theoretical Study of the Transient Shock Wave Propagation During Laser Ablation

Laser ablation consists of three coupled processes: i) heat conduction within the solid, ii) flow through a discontinuity layer (evaporation wave) attached to the solid surface, and iii) shock wave expansion of the laser induced vapor. In this paper; a one-dimensional solution for all three coupled processes is presented. The heat conduction and the evaporation wave are solved numerically. The shock wave expansion of the laser induced vapor, how ever, is solved analytically for the first time Analytical solutions for the classic Riemann problem have been employed to solve the transient propagation of the strong shock wave. This model provides a sound theoretical basis for the analysis of the laser ablation process. The effects of the laser intensity, back temperature and back pressure are analyzed. The temperature pressure; density and velocity of the laser induced vapor are calculated and the results are discussed.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Supernodes in network employing spread spectrum with code division multiple access

Abstract A spread-spectrum channel can accommodate severa concurrent successful transmissions, and a single-transceiver node can thus utilize only a small fraction of the channel's capacity. As a result, the maximum network throughput is much lower than this capacity whenever a single node, such as a gateway or a file server, must carry a large fraction of the traffic. In order to allocate the appropriate fraction of capacity to a “busy” node, we propose to equip it with several transmitters and receivers, thereby turning it into a “supernode”. Several architectures and operation policies for supernodes are suggested and compared. It is shown, for example, that an M -receiver supernode can significantly outperform M independent conventional nodes. In a slotted system with packet lengths of one slot, this is achieved by special routing of the supernode's inbound traffic. In an unslotted system, it is achieved by appropriate code assignment policies. Packet-ratio networks with half-duplex nodes, as well as networks with full-duplex nodes, are considered.
Plasma Nitriding of 20CrMo Steel with Nanostructured Surface Layer

A nanostructured surface layer was produced on an 20CrMo steel plate by means of ultrasonic shot peening (USSP) treatment. Plasma nitriding of the treated and un-treated sample were investigated by using structure analysis (X-ray diffraction, optical microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy ) as well as hardness measurements. It was found that a nanostructured surface layer sample developed a compound layer twice as thick as that in a coarse-grained sample under the same plasma nitriding conditions (530 oC for 6 h). In addition, the USSP nitrided sample exhibited higher hardness and thicker hardened surface layer in comparison with coarse-grained nitrided sample.
Comparison of basis pursuit algorithms for sparse channel estimation in underwater acoustic OFDM

Recently it has been shown that sparse channel estimation, implemented with orthogonal matching pursuit (OMP) and basis pursuit (BP) algorithms, has impressive performance gains over alternatives that do not take advantage of the channel sparsity, for underwater acoustic (UWA) communications. We in this paper compare the performance and complexity of three popular BP algorithms, namely l1 ls, SpaRSA, and YALL1, using both simulation and experimental data for underwater orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) systems with both single and multiple transmitters. We find that all BP solvers achieve similar block-error-rate performance, considerably outperforming OMP. In terms of complexity, both SpaRSA and YALL1 reduce the runtime by about one order of magnitude relative to l1 ls, catching up with OMP. The efficient BP solvers such as SpaRSA and YALL1 are thus appealing to be implemented in real-time underwater OFDM modems.
Nuclear and cellular alignment of primary corneal epithelial cells on topography

The basement membrane of the corneal epithelium presents biophysical cues in the form of topography and compliance that can modulate cytoskeletal dynamics, which, in turn, can result in altering cellular and nuclear morphology and alignment. In this study, the effect of topographic patterns of alternating ridges and grooves on nuclear and cellular shape and alignment was determined. Primary corneal epithelial cells were cultured on either planar or topographically patterned (400-4000 nm pitch) substrates. Alignment of individual cell body was correlated with respective nucleus for the analysis of orientation and elongation. A biphasic response in alignment was observed. Cell bodies preferentially aligned perpendicular to the 800 nm pitch; and with increasing pitch, cells increasingly aligned parallel to the substratum. Nuclear orientation largely followed this trend with the exception of those on 400 nm. On this biomimetic size scale, some nuclei oriented perpendicular to the topography while their cytoskeleton elements aligned parallel. Both nuclei and cell bodies were elongated on topography compared to those on flat surfaces. Our data demonstrate that nuclear orientation and shape are differentially altered by topographic features that are not mandated by alignment of the cell body. This novel finding suggests that nuanced differences in alignment of the nucleus versus the cell body exist and that these differences could have consequences on gene and protein regulation that ultimately regulate cell behaviors. A full understanding of these mechanisms could disclose novel pathways that would better inform evolving strategies in cell, stem cell, and tissue engineering as well as the design and fabrication of improved prosthetic devices.
Mycoplasma-Associated Pericarditis

Mycoplasma pneumoniae-associated pericarditis may result in pronounced morbidity unless appropriate therapy is administered. In this report, we describe a patient who had recurrent episodes of chest pain, intermittent constitutional symptoms, and, eventually, cardiac tamponade due to pericarditis despite treatment with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Immunofluorescence antibody titers were consistent with recent M. pneumoniae infection, and antibiotic therapy resulted in rapid and complete resolution of the patient's symptoms. This treatable entity may be underrecognized and can now be diagnosed with sensitive serologie testing.
Salivary gland material from the sand fly Lutzomyia longipalpis has an inhibitory effect on macrophage function in vitro

Summary Previous work from our laboratory demonstrated that the infectivity of the protozoan parasite Leishmania major was enhanced in mice if the infecting inoculum contained salivary gland lysates from the sand fly vector Lutzomyia longipalpis. The present study was designed to address the hypothesis that sand fly salivary gland material may function by inhibiting the host immune response. Results indicated that sand fly saliva inhibited the ability of macrophages to present leishmanial antigens to parasite-specific T cells.
TRANSFORMATION OF BALB 3T3 CELLS EXPOSED TO A GERMICIDAL UV LAMP AND A SUNLAMP

— The effect of germicidal UV and sunlamp exposure on direct and simian virus-40 (SV-40) transformation of Balb 3T3 cells was studied. Transformation was determined by the ability of transformed cells to grow as clones in agar. Radiation from these lamps enhanced direct transformation, and enhanced viral transformation to approximately the same degree. Enhanced transformation was seen with exposures of light that caused no measurable cell killing, which suggests that the induction of new transformants is involved rather than the selection of pre-existing transformants. Induction is also suggested by post-irradiation growth kinetics experiments.
Development of a radiology faculty appraisal instrument by using critical incident interviewing

Rationale and Objectives. To develop a valid and reliable radiology faculty appraisal instrument based on scientific methods. Materials and Methods. Fifteen radiology residents participated in critical incident interviewing. During a 1-hour interview, a resident was asked to described five incidents each of effective and ineffective faculty behavior. Two investigators independently listened to the tape-recorded interviews, and two different investigators sorted the incidents into broad categories. A faculty appraisal instrument was developed by listing similar incidents under broad categories. A five-point rating scale was applied to each item. Content validity was assessed by resident and faculty critique of the appraisal instrument. Results. A total of 168 incidents of faculty behavior were generated. The frequency with which similar incidents were reported was recorded. The most common behaviors reported were related to staff expertise and teaching. Interjudge reliability was good, as determined by computing k indices of agreement (overall k = 0.59). There was good agreement regarding instrument content validity among residents but not among faculty. Conclusion. Residents supported the use of the new appraisal instrument, but further tests of validity and reliability and faculty acceptance of the instrument will determine its usefulness as a tool for monitoring faculty teaching performance and making decisions regarding faculty promotion.
Fabrication of 3D components by laser-aided direct metal deposition

Breinan and Kear first reported fabrication of three-dimensional metallic components via layer by layer laser cladding in 1978 and subsequently a patent was issued to Brown et al. in 1982. Recently, various groups are working world wide on different types of layered manufacturing techniques for fabrication of near net shape metallic components. Integration of lasers with multi-axis presently available CNC machines, CAD/CAM, sensors and powder metal delivery through co-axial nozzles along with the laser beam are the main innovations for fabrication of 3-Dimensional components. Continuous corrective measures during the manufacturing process are necessary to fabricate net shape functional parts with close tolerances and acceptable residual stress. The closed loop Direct Metal Deposition(DMD) System, using an optical feedback loop along with a CNC working under the instructions from a CAD/CAM software, indicate that it can produce three dimensional components directly from the CAD data eliminating intermediate machining and reduces final machining considerably. This technology is now being commercialized.© (2005) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Flowfield and vehicle parameter influence on hypersonic heat transfer and drag

A numerical study of several parameters that influence heat transfer, drag, and shock-layer mass-flow rate at laminar and transitional (laminar and turbulent) flow conditions was conducted. The calculations were performed with a detailed computer code, which has been demonstrated to yield excellent comparisons with flightand ground-test data and with results of other detailed codes. The study focuses the attention of designers of future transatmospheric vehicles on fundamental parameters, such as bluntness and angle of attack, which can have an impact on even initial design and trajectory options. Although the requirement of a reliable transition criterion was not as critical in this study as it obviously would be in aeroheating design studies, the problem of selecting a dependable criterion for the present investigation was evident in this discussion. The effects and trends of the parameters, which also include influence of gas chemistry, are intended to be general in nature, but the information should be of practical use in the design of slender hypersonic vehicles for the ranges of body angle and angle of attack considered in this study.
Beyond Mass Production: Competitive Transformation Trends in the US Textile Industry

This paper concludes our analysis of competitive business adaptation to the changing market dynamics in the US textile industry. We present a summary of modern manufacturing trends that describe th...
Effect of oxidation of methionine in a peptide substrate for human elastases: A model for inactivation of α1-protease inhibitor

Abstract Human α1-protease inhibitor which is an important plasma protein, contains a methionine residue at its reactive site. A model synthetic peptide substrate, succinyl-L-alanyl-L-alanyl-L-prolyl-L-methionine p-nitroanilide, has been employed to study the effect of oxidation of methionine on the rate of hydrolysis of this substrate by human elastases. The methionine sulfoxide derivative obtained by mild oxidation of this substrate is hydrolyzed by pancreatic elastase 2 and leukocyte elastase at rates that are 5% and 0.3% of the rates measured for hydrolysis of the parent compound by the respective enzymes. These results suggest that oxidation of the active site methionine residue of human α1-protease inhibitor may decrease the rate of reaction of pancreatic or leukocyte elastase with this inhibitor.
Surface effects on orientation of liquid crystals

Optical second harmonic generation (SHG) is now being used to measure the orientations of mesogens adsorbed at a variety of polar organic surfaces (e.g. rubbed films of polyimides). For some surfaces, at least, these measurements can be used to predict the anchoring of bulk liquid crystals. Few rules exist, however, to guide the design of surfaces for manipulation of the orientations of adsorbed mesogens (and thus bulk anchoring). These rules are difficult to establish on surfaces as complicated as those of rubbed polymers. Self-assembled monolayers formed from functionalized alkanethiols on semi-transparent films of gold and silver do permit the synthesis of well defined surfaces, and these surfaces are now being used in studies of the anchoring of liquid crystals. Orientations of liquid crystals on these surfaces differ substantially from orientations observed in the past on surfaces formed from organosilanes.
A fuzzy logic map matching for wheelchair navigation

Global Positioning System (GPS) plays a central role in solving the location-based needs of wheelchair users and efficient route guidance. An essential process in wheelchair navigation is matching the position obtained from GPS or other sensors on a sidewalk network. This process of map matching in turn assists in making decisions under uncertainty. However, GPS-based wheelchair navigation systems have difficulties in tracking wheelchairs in urban areas due to poor satellite availability. To overcome this, a fuzzy logic-based algorithm is applied to effectively perform matching wheelchair movements on sidewalks. Fuzzy logic, based on fuzzy reasoning concepts, in many circumstances can take noisy and imprecise input to yield numerically accurate output. Experiments on a university campus validate it practicable.
The no smoking sign--insular infarction.

BACKGROUND Cigarette smoking is the most common preventable cause of morbidity and mortality in developed countries. Smokers with brain damage involving the insula are 136 times more likely to stop smoking immediately after the injury than smokers with brain injuries elsewhere. METHODS Case Report RESULTS A 58-year-old woman with a history of hypertension, coronary artery disease, and 40 pack-year history (1 pack per day for 40 years) of smoking presented with sudden confusion and word-finding difficulty. Initial neurological examination showed disorientation to time, difficulty following commands, and perseveration. No focal motor, sensory, or visual deficit was present. Noncontrast head CT showed a new insular ischemic stroke. Five months after discharge from the hospital, the patient reported that she had not resumed smoking cigarettes, had not used any smoking cessation aids, and had not intended to stop smoking. Her daughter reported that “it was as if she forgot that she used to smoke.” CONCLUSION Unintentional abrupt smoking cessation serves as a unique lesion localizer. Insular hypocretin transmission plays a permissive role in the motivational properties of nicotine in animals. Whether the mechanism of smoking cessation relates to hypocretin secretion has yet to be proven in humans.
Human-computer discourse in the design of a PASCAL tutor

An effective human-computer discourse system requires more than a clever grammar or a rich knowledge base. It needs knowledge about the user and his understanding of the domain in order to produce a relevant and coherent discourse. We describe MENO, a prototype tutor for elementary PASCAL, which uses a set of speech patterns modelled after complex human discourse and a richly annotated knowledge base to produce a flexible interactive system for the user.
Remote sensing of smoke, land, and clouds from the NASA ER‐2 during SAFARI 2000

The NASA ER-2 aircraft was deployed to southern Africa between August 17 and September 25, 2000 as part of the Southern Africa Regional Science Initiative (SAFARI) 2000. This aircraft carried a sophisticated array of multispectral scanners, multiangle spectroradiometers, a monostatic lidar, a gas correlation radiometer, upward and downward spectral flux radiometers, and two metric mapping cameras. These observations were obtained over a 3200 x 2800 km region of savanna, woody savanna, open shrubland, and grassland ecosystems throughout southern Africa, and were quite often coordinated with overflights by NASA's Terra and Landsat 7 satellites. The primary purpose of this sophisticated high altitude observing platform was to obtain independent observations of smoke, clouds, and land surfaces that could be used to check the validity of various remote sensing measurements derived by Earth-orbiting satellites. These include such things as the accuracy of the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectro-radiometer (MODIS) cloud mask for distinguishing clouds and heavy aerosol from land and ocean surfaces, and Terra analyses of cloud optical and micro-physical properties, aerosol properties, leaf area index, vegetation index, fire occurrence, carbon monoxide, and surface radiation budget. In addition to coordination with Terra and Landsat 7 satellites, numerous flights were conducted over surface AERONET sites, flux towers in South Africa, Botswana, and Zambia, and in situ aircraft from the University of Washington, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.
Impact of Palivizumab on RSV Hospitalizations for Children with Hemodynamically Significant Congenital Heart Disease

The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of palivizumab prophylaxis on respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) hospitalizations among children with hemodynamically significant congenital heart disease (CHD). In 2003, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) revised the bronchiolitis policy statement and recommended the use of palivizumab in children <24 months old with hemodynamically significant CHD (HS-CHD). California statewide hospital discharge data from years 2000–2002 (pre-AAP policy revision) were compared to those from years 2004–2006 (post-AAP policy revision). Hospitalizations due to RSV bronchiolitis for children <2 years of age were identified by IDC-9 CM codes 4661.1, 480.1, and 079.6 as the Principal Diagnosis. Children with CHD and children with HS-CHD were identified by the codiagnoses. The overall RSV hospitalization rate was 71 per 10,000 children <2 years of age. Of all RSV hospitalizations, 3.0% were among children with CHD, and 0.50% among children with HS-CHD. HS-CHD patients accounted for 0.56% of RSV hospitalizations in 2000–2002, compared to 0.46% RSV hospitalizations in 2004–2006. That represents a 19% reduction in RSV hospitalizations among HS-CHD patients after 2003. The 19% decrease in RSV hospitalizations equates to seven fewer hospitalizations (76 hospital days) per year among HS-CHD patients. We conclude that, since the recommendation of palivizumab for children with HS-CHD in 2003, the impact on RSV hospitalizations in California among HS-CHD patients has been limited. Considering the high cost of palivizumab administration, the cost-benefit of RSV prophylaxis with palivizumab warrants further investigation.
Antimicrobial peptides containing unnatural amino acid exhibit potent bactericidal activity against ESKAPE pathogens

Abstract A series of 36 synthetic antimicrobial peptides containing unnatural amino acids were screened to determine their effectiveness to treat Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pnemoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter species (ESKAPE) pathogens, which are known to commonly infect chronic wounds. The primary amino acid sequences of these peptides incorporate either three or six dipeptide units consisting of the unnatural amino acids Tetrahydroisoquinolinecarboxylic acid (Tic) and Octahydroindolecarboxylic acid (Oic). The Tic-Oic dipeptide units are separated by SPACER amino acids with specific physicochemical properties that control how these peptides interact with bacterial cell membranes of different chemical compositions. These peptides exhibited minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) against these pathogens in the range from >100 to 6.25 μg/mL. The observed diversity of MIC values for these peptides against the various bacterial strains are consistent with our hypothesis that the complementarity of the physicochemical properties of the peptide and the lipid of the bacteria’s cell membrane determines the resulting antibacterial activity of the peptide.
On a method of Bownds for solving Volterra integral equations

An initial-value method of Bownds for solving Volterra integral equations is reexamined using a variable-step integrator to solve the differential equations. It is shown that such equations may be easily solved to an accuracy ofO(10−8), the error depending essentially on that incurred in truncating expansions of the kernel to a degenerate one.
Evaluation of high quantum efficiency silicon photodiodes for calibration in the 400 nm to 900 nm spectral region

The reflectance and internal quantum efficiency (QE) of three single-element photodiodes are determined using two different light-trapping devices. The QED-200 light trapping device which is based on inversion layer photodiodes exhibits the best performance within the short wavelengths of the visible spectrum (VIS), while the A-O device based on p-n photodiodes, performs best in the long wave VIS up to 950 nm. The combination of the two light-traps provides nearly 100 percent external QE coverage from 400 to 950 nm. The reflectances and internal QE were determined within this spectral range for three photodiodes: UV100, an inversion layer photodiode; X-UV100, a shallow diffused n-p photodiode; and 10DPI/SB, a blue-enhanced p-n photodiode.
PCV: Predicting contact volume for reliable and efficient data transfers in opportunistic networks

Exploiting opportunistic contacts between mobile devices to enable deployment of real applications through reliable and efficient data transfers poses a significant research challenge. Indeed, accurate prediction of contact volume, defined as the maximum amount of data transferable during a contact, can improve performance of deployments. However, existing schemes for estimating contact volume that make use of preconceived patterns or contact time distributions may not be applicable in uncertain environments. In this paper, we propose a novel scheme called PCV that predicts contact volume in soft real-time to enable efficient and reliable data transfers in opportunistic networks. An Android Application that learns data rate profiles has been developed to facilitate PCV. In addition, an analytical model has been developed to depict variable data rates between mobile devices. Extensive simulations are carried out on both synthetic and real world mobility traces to validate the usefulness of PCV. Experimental results show the effectiveness of our approach in terms of reliable data transfers.
Novel optically coupled electronic imaging techniques for digital mammography

This research is aimed at developing a novel `radiation- shielding, CCD scanning' technique for digital mammography. Using this technique, small size electronic imagers can be used effectively to cover a large field without losing spatial resolution.
Theory of hydrodynamic convection in soap films

Abstract We propose a hydrodynamic theory for gravity-driven convection in vertical mobile soap films. Under steady-state conditions the equations reduce to the classical theory of film drainage and pull-out. We demonstrate that the steady-state film profile for drainage can be unstable against lateral convection. The unstable mode — which is localized near the film border — is found to incorporate the physical characteristics of the “marginal regeneration” phenomenology proposed by Mysels. We discuss the mathematical relationship between soap film convection and Rayleigh-Benard convection in thermal cells and suggest experiments to test the analogy.
Effects of human recombinant granulocyte colony stimulating factor (HR-GCSF) on the hemogram of lactating dairy cattle.

Summary Mastitis commonly occurs in the dairy cow and results in an influx of granulocytes into the mammary gland. Presently, colony stimulating factors have been isolated. One factor, granulocyte colony stimulating factor (GCSF), has been identified and reproduced using recombinant DNA technologies. In an experiment, lactating bovine were given a bacterially-synthesized human recombinant granulocytic colony stimulating factor (Hr-GCSF) at a specified dose rate to monitor and characterize their hematological responses. Doses of Hr-GCSF were administered subcutaneously and blood samples collected from the tail vein into vacutainer tubes. Results of the study indicated a toleration by the bovine for the Hr-GCSF for the tested period, and that the Hr-GCSF can stimulate a sustained elevation of circulating neutrophils.
Transient muscle paralysis disrupts bone homeostasis by rapid degradation of bone morphology

We have previously shown that transient paralysis of murine hindlimb muscles causes profound degradation of both trabecular and cortical bone in the adjacent skeleton within 3 weeks. Morphologically, the acute loss of bone tissue appeared to arise primarily due to osteoclastic bone resorption. Given that the loss of muscle function in this model is transient, we speculated that the stimulus for osteoclastic activation would be rapid and morphologic evidence of bone resorption would appear before 21 days. We therefore utilized high-resolution in vivo serial micro-CT to assess longitudinal alterations in lower hindlimb muscle volume, proximal tibia trabecular, and tibia mid-diaphysis cortical bone morphology in 16-week-old female C57 mice following transient calf paralysis from a single injection of botulinum toxin A (BtA; 2U/100 g body weight). In an acute study, we evaluated muscle and bone alterations at days 0, 3, 5, and 12 following transient calf paralysis. In a chronic study, following day 0 imaging, we assessed the recovery of these tissues following the maximum observed trabecular degradation (day 12) through day 84 post-paralysis. The time course and degree of recovery of muscle, trabecular, and cortical bone varied substantially. Significant atrophy of lower limb muscle was evident by day 5 of paralysis, maximal at day 28 (-34.1+/-0.9%) and partially recovered by day 84. Trabecular degradation within the proximal tibia metaphysis occurred more rapidly, with significant reduction in BV/TV by day 3, maximal loss at day 12 (-76.8+/-2.9%) with only limited recovery by day 84 (-51.7+/-5.1% vs. day 0). Significant cortical bone volume degradation at the tibia mid-diaphysis was first identified at day 12, was maximal at day 28 (-9.6+/-1.2%), but completely recovered by day 84. The timing, magnitude, and morphology of the observed bone erosion induced by transient muscle paralysis were consistent with a rapid recruitment and prolific activation of osteoclastic resorption. In a broader context, understanding how brief paralysis of a single muscle group can precipitate such rapid and profound bone resorption in an adjacent bone is likely to provide new insight into how normal muscle function modulates bone homeostasis.
A scheme for determining stepsizes for unconstrained optimization methods

We present a new scheme for determining stepsizes for iterative unconstrained minimization methods. This scheme provides a stepsize estimate for the efficient Armijo-type stepsize determination rule and improves its performance. As examples for the new scheme, we also present a new gradient algorithm and a new conjugate gradient algorithm. These two algorithms are readily implementable and eventually demand only one trial stepsize at each iteration. Their global convergence is established without any convexity assumptions. The convergence ratio associated with the gradient algorithm is shown to converge to the canonical convergence ratio (that is, the best possible convergence ratio). The convergence rate of the conjugate gradient algorithm is n-step superlinear and n-step quadratic.
Pancytopenia With Predominant Thrombocytopenia in a 37-Year-Old Female With Li Fraumeni Syndrome

Patient: 37-year-old Hispanic female. History of Present Illness: The patient is a known carrier of the TP53 mutation. Her surgical history includes a total abdominal hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, ovarian cystectomy, tonsillectomy, left upper chest port replacement, and fourth left toe amputation due to an Aspergillus infection. She has been diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease, hypertension, and herpes simplex virus. The patient has frequent episodes of neutropenic fever along with other bacterial and viral infections secondary to stage I triple-positive breast cancer. She is on many medications to treat her numerous conditions. In summer 2011, she underwent a bilateral mastectomy, which presented with 1.3 cm infiltrating ductal carcinoma with high-grade ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and negative sentinel lymph nodes. No malignancy was found in the left breast, only intraductal papilloma. Prior to the initiation of chemotherapy, she presented with new onset thrombocytopenia. Family History: Both the patient’s father and half brother have been diagnosed with brain tumors; her father subsequently expired. Several paternal aunts, first cousins, and a half sister were diagnosed with breast cancer prior to age 50. A paternal half sister has stage IV breast cancer with metastasis to the bone. Social History: Married, no children; denies any use of tobacco, alcohol, or illicit drugs. 1. Which of the patient’s laboratory findings are abnormal? 2. What does the patient’s peripheral smear reveal? Based on these findings, what is the differential diagnosis? Based on the principal laboratory results and peripheral blood smear findings, what additional test(s) is/are required to aid in the diagnosis? 3. What is the patient’s most likely diagnosis and what additional test(s) is/are appropriate to confirm diagnosis? 4. What is the significance of being a carrier for the TP-53 mutation? 5. What is the patient’s …
Impact of Military Physician Rank and Appearance on Patient Perceptions of Clinical Competency in a Primary Care Setting

ABSTRACTThe patient–physician interaction is an important aspect of primary care medicine. Few studies have investigated the military specific factors that influence these interactions. Using a cross-sectional survey, we evaluated the impact of physician rank and attire on a patient's confidence in their physician's medical abilities and willingness to disclose personal information. Patient perception was assessed in the domains of (1) confidence in physician's medical abilities and (2) comfort discussing sexual, psychological, and personal problems with a physician. Our results found physicians of higher rank showing a higher positive impact on patient's confidence compared to lower ranks (p < 0.0001). Patients were less comfortable discussing sexual (p = 0.001), psychological (p < 0.0001), and personal (p = 0.005) problems with an O-3 (Air Force Captain) than higher ranked physicians. Casual business attire negatively affected patient's confidence in their physician's abilities and in their comfort disc...
Responsibility and Self-Deception: A Framework

This paper focuses on the question of whether and, if so, when people can be responsible for their self-deception and its consequences. On Intentionalist accounts, self-deceivers intentionally deceive themselves, and it is easy to see how they can be responsible. On Motivationist accounts, in contrast, self-deception is a motivated, but not intentional, and possibly unconscious process, making it more difficult to see how self-deceivers could be responsible. I argue that a particular Motivationist account, the Desire to Believe account, together with other resources, best explains how there can be culpable self-deception. In the process, I also show how self-deception is a good test case for deciding important questions about the nature of moral responsibility.
Wh-filler-gap dependency formation guides reflexive antecedent search

Prior studies on online sentence processing have shown that the parser can resolve non-local dependencies rapidly and accurately. This study investigates the interaction between the processing of two such non-local dependencies: wh-filler-gap dependencies (WhFGD) and reflexive-antecedent dependencies. We show that reflexive-antecedent dependency resolution is sensitive to the presence of a WhFGD, and argue that the filler-gap dependency established by WhFGD resolution is selected online as the antecedent of a reflexive dependency. We investigate the processing of constructions like (1), where two NPs might be possible antecedents for the reflexive, namely which cowgirl and Mary. Even though Mary is linearly closer to the reflexive, the only grammatically licit antecedent for the reflexive is the more distant wh-NP, which cowgirl. 1. Which cowgirl did Mary expect to have injured herself due to negligence? Four eye-tracking text-reading experiments were conducted on examples like (1), differing in whether the embedded clause was non-finite (1 and 3) or finite (2 and 4), and in whether the tail of the wh-dependency intervened between the reflexive and its closest overt antecedent (1 and 2) or the wh-dependency was associated with a position earlier in the sentence (3 and 4). The results of Experiments 1 and 2 indicate the parser accesses the result of WhFGD formation during reflexive antecedent search. The resolution of a wh-dependency alters the representation that reflexive antecedent search operates over, allowing the grammatical but linearly distant antecedent to be accessed rapidly. In the absence of a long-distance WhFGD (Exp. 3 and 4), wh-NPs were not found to impact reading times of the reflexive, indicating that the parser's ability to select distant wh-NPs as reflexive antecedents crucially involves syntactic structure.
Cardiac function in rats selectively bred for low- and high-capacity running

Rat genetic models of intrinsic (i.e., untrained) low-capacity runners (LCR) and high-capacity runners (HCR) are being developed by artificial selective breeding for treadmill running. At generatio...
Effect of complementary alternative medical (CAM) therapy on pain and fatigue in pancreatic cancer patients

15142 Background: Pain and fatigue are frequent, difficult to manage, and negatively impact quality of life (QOL) in pancreatic adenocarcinoma patients (PCpts) causing some to seek CAM therapy in place of or in conjunction with conventional analgesics. But the efficacy of CAM on pain and fatigue has not been adequately tested in controlled trials. We employed an alternative strategy by abstracting pain and fatigue scores from the EORTC-QLQ-C30 questionnaire administered to PCpts treated at Midwestern Regional Medical Center, an integrative oncology center offering conventional and CAM treatment. Methods: 50 PCpts treated with chemotherapy and/or radiation clinically appropriate for advanced PC + CAM were evaluated. The CAM group (n=36) had 70%, 11%, and 19% and the nonCAM group (n=14) 71%, 14%, and 15% Stage IV, III, and II tumors respectively. PCpts received narcotic and anti-inflammatory agents consistent with ASCO and NCCN guidelines. CAM treatments included Green Tea Extract; Melatonin; and high-poten...
Civil War Without End: The Sociology and Synergy of Law and History [Book Review of Brandwein's 'Reconstructing Reconstruction']

Professor Wildenthal reviews Professor Pamela Brandwein's book, "Reconstructing Reconstruction: The Supreme Court and the Production of Historical Truth" (Duke University Press, 1999).The review praises the perceptive and groundbreaking contribution that Brandwein, a sociologist, has made to the understanding of several crucially important episodes of American constitutional history. Brandwein primarily focuses on the long-running debate over the meaning of the Fourteenth Amendment, including whether it is properly construed to incorporate or apply the Bill of Rights to the states.
Swot Analysis from a Resource-Based View

An approach to SWOT analysis is delineated and illustrated that mitigates shortcomings fostered by prevailing SWOT analysis conventions. SWOT analysis - the identification and assessment of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats - is intended to yield strategic insights. However, typical procedural guidelines consist largely of catchall questions devoid of explicit theoretical underpinnings. Too often, they produce shallow misleading results. As shown in this article, more penetrating strategic insights can be gained by following SWOT analysis guidelines derived from contemporary strategic management theory, especially the resource-based view of the firm.
Differences in self and family role perception among acculturating Cuban—American college students: Implications for the etiology of family disruption among migrant groups

Abstract This article presents data on acculturative differences in self and family role perception among Cuban-American college students. The research utilized a bicultural (Cuban-American/Anglo-American) sample of college students which included a total of 398 subjects. Level of acculturation was assessed using a measure of individual acculturation. The Anglo-American subjects served as both a control group and a cultural reference group. The relationship between level of acculturation and differences in self and family role perception was determined using a multivariate analysis of variance. The results provide strong support of the hypothesis that self and family role perception is related to level of acculturation, and that the direction of acculturative difference is from migrant to host culture. The implications of the findings are discussed, particularly as they relate to the etiology of family disruption among migrant groups.
Effect of intraluminal pressure on enterochromaffin cells in the rat duodenum.

SummaryThe number of recognizable enterochromaffin cells in the mucosa of the rat duodenum is significantly reduced in response to increased intraluminal pressure. It is suggested that these findings offer histochemical corroboration for the concept that pressure is one mechanism mediating release of 5-hydroxytryptamine from intestinal mucosa.
Observation of individual macroscopic quantum tunneling events in superconducting nanowires

In quasi-one-dimensional nanowires, superconductivity is destroyed by phase slip events. Phase slips can be caused by thermal activation over a free energy barrier (TAPS) or quantum tunneling through the barrier (QPS). Quantum phase slip is an example of macroscopic quantum tunneling. Here, we report the observation of QPS experimentally separated from interference of TAPS in aluminum nanowires. This separation between the low-temperature QPS and the high-temperature TAPS regions is made possible by a phase slip free superconducting region stabilized by the dissipative environment viz. the normal electrodes. Individual QPSs are detected by means of a single-shot voltage measurement protocol, in which they appear as stochastic switching events from the superconducting to the normal state.