cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hierarchical stimuli and hemispheric specialization: two case studies.

Local versus global visual processing was examined in two patients with massive unilateral left hemisphere lesions using a directed attention task involving hierarchical stimuli. Previous studies found an impressive global advantage in patients with posterior left hemisphere lesions on similar tasks. In addition, whereas patients with left inferior parietal lobule (IPL) lesions showed the global interference on local processing that is typically observed in normals, patients with lesions centered on the superior temporal gyrus (STG) demonstrated no interference. Paradoxically, our two patients who had complete destruction of both the left IPL and STG regions showed an overall local advantage due to local interference on global processing. We propose that following extensive left hemisphere damage, the isolated right hemisphere may be able to perform efficiently the type of processing usually ascribed to the left hemisphere (i.e., local). However, at least under certain conditions, this apparent functional plasticity seems to occur at the expense of the type of processing normally associated with the right hemisphere (i.e., global).
Anatomical Study of the Feasibility of Contralateral Mental Nerve Coaptation With Magnetoencephalography of Patients With Unilateral Innervation of the Mental Nerve Dermatome

tion between neuropathic pain and secondary endpoints for the 17 patient records reviewed. There was no difference in the average age at time of injury for those with recurrent pain (44.4 years) vs resolved pain (43.3 years). There was no difference in the branch of the trigeminal nerve injured in the recurrent pain (Lingual 33%, Inferior Alveolar 66%) vs resolved pain (Lingual 25%, Inferior Alveolar 75%) groups. There was no difference in the gender ratio (male/female) in recurrent pain (20%) vs resolved pain (33%); the mean duration of injury before repair for recurrent pain (16.1 mos) versus resolved pain (4 mos) was significant. The class of injury distribution for recurrent pain was: 33% for each Class III, IV and V versus resolved pain was Class III – 66%, Class IV 33 %, Class V – 0%; etiology of nerve injury: 3rd molar surgery (56%) was the predominant cause of injury in those with recurrent pain and implants (22%). In those patient with resolved pain the etiology of injury was equally split between implants, 3rd molar surgery, and endodontic injuries. Significant variation exists regarding the type of repair performed: recurrent pain group: neurolysis 12%, direct repair 44%, auto or allografts 44%. Resolved pain group: neurolysis 33%, direct repair 66%. Discussion/Conclusion: The recurrence of neuropathic pain following trigeminal nerve repair for neuropathic pain is likely multifactorial. Our findings suggest that patients who undergo repair immediately after their injury that caused the onset of neuropathic pain are more likely to experience complete resolution of their neuropathic pain after nerve repair surgery. Our preliminary findings also suggest that the type of repair, injury class, and etiology of injury may influence the outcome. It does not appear that age and gender are significant factors affecting the resolution or recurrence of neuropathic pain following repair.
Are You Ready for the Extra Inning? An Exploratory Study of the Evaluation of Professional Sport Teams’ Websites as Marketing Tools to Prospective Meeting/Event Customers

Professional sport organizations and stadium administrators strive to create additional revenue sources beyond sports events to maximize profits due to their limited usage of facilities on game days. This study evaluated professional sport teams’ website contents and features/services offered to prospective non-sporting event customers. The results indicated that a majority of the professional sport teams were not efficiently utilizing their websites to market their stadiums as non-sporting event venues. The findings of this study offer a starting point for both researchers and practitioners in the professional sport stadiums segment of the event/meeting industry to identify specific areas to improve their website marketing efforts
The dynamics of substance use and sex networks in HIV transmission.

This article (1) reviews the research to identify mechanisms that may underlie HIV beterosexual transmission in developed and developing countries, (2) examines linkages between sex and substance use HIV transmission risks, and (3) describes sex network measurement issues relevant to developing HIV preventive interventions. The research contributions of developed countries to understanding sexually transmitted HIV have long recognized the influence of substance use and sex networks. Research in developing countries has contributed significantly to the environmental and biological understanding of HIV sexual transmission dynamics. Although much of the research in developing countries has recruited participants from venues where alcobol or other substance use is pervasive (e.g., truck stops), few studies have explicitly examined the relationship between HIV sex risk and substance use in these contexts. Finally, sex network characteristics and structural features, which have been found to play identifiable roles in the spread of HIV, are measurable at the individual level and can contribute substantively to the development and the evaluation of HIV-preventive interventions implemented at the network or community level.
Properties of Half-Integral Spin Dirac-Fierz-Pauli Particles

A method is developed to eliminate extraneous components from the Dirac-Fierz-Pauli equations for half-integral spin particles. Starting from the Rarita-Schwinger formulation, Hamiltonian forms of the equations for the independent components of the wave functions are obtained. The process is carried out in detail for the field-free spin $\frac{3}{2}$ and spin $\frac{5}{2}$ particles and the reduced equations are quantized. It is shown that the interaction with the electromagnetic field can be introduced in an infinite variety of ways. A one-parameter class of equations containing the interaction is obtained for each spin. By reducing these equations in the nonrelativistic limit it is shown that the gyromagnetic ratio is in each case independent of the parameter and has the unique value of the reciprocal of the spin. For the cases of spin $\frac{3}{2}$ and spin $\frac{5}{2}$, the quadrupole moment is also obtained. It has the unique value $+(\frac{5}{3}){(\frac{\ensuremath{\hbar}}{\mathrm{mc}})}^{2}$ for spin $\frac{3}{2}$. For spin $\frac{5}{2}$, it depends on the parameter but is close to $+(\frac{28}{15}){(\frac{\ensuremath{\hbar}}{\mathrm{mc}})}^{2}$ over most of its range.
Students, client, and teacher: Observations from a practicum in evaluation

I teach a graduate course on evaluation for individuals who teach/train adults in business, education, and non-profit settings. The purpose of this article is two-fold: to show how principles of adult learning were used to make the course practical and suited to adults’ learning needs, and to describe outcomes as impacted by and on the students, the evaluation client, and me, the teacher. Events of the evaluation are explained as they unfolded, class by class.
Delaunay configurations and multivariate splines: A generalization of a result of B. N. Delaunay

In the 1920s, B. N. Delaunay proved that the dual graph of the Voronoi diagram of a discrete set of points in a Euclidean space gives rise to a collection of simplices, whose circumspheres contain no points from this set in their interior. Such Delaunay simplices tessellate the convex hull of these points. An equivalent formulation of this property is that the characteristic functions of the Delaunay simplices form a partition of unity. In the paper this result is generalized to the so-called Delaunay configurations. These are defined by considering all simplices for which the interiors of their circumspheres contain a fixed number of points from the given set, in contrast to the Delaunay simplices, whose circumspheres are empty. It is proved that every family of Delaunay configurations generates a partition of unity, formed by the so-called simplex splines. These are compactly supported piecewise polynomial functions which are multivariate analogs of the well-known univariate B-splines. It is also shown that the linear span of the simplex splines contains all algebraic polynomials of degree not exceeding the degree of the splines
Repair analysis of 4-hydroperoxycyclophosphamide-induced DNA interstrand crosslinking in the c-myc gene in 4-hydroperoxycyclophosphamide-sensitive and -resistant medulloblastoma cell lines.

Cyclophosphamide is one of the most active agents in the treatment of medulloblastoma. However, development of resistance to this alkylator frequently occurs and is the harbinger of tumor progression and death. In order to understand the biochemical basis of this resistance, we generated a panel of medulloblastoma cell lines in our laboratory that were resistant to 4-hydroperoxycyclophosphamide (4-HC). Previously, we have shown that elevated levels of aldehyde dehydrogenase and glutathione mediate cellular resistance to 4-HC. The present study was conducted to identify the third unknown mechanism mediating the resistance of cell line D283 Med (4-HCR) to 4-HC, testing the hypothesis that this resistance is mediated by an increased repair of DNA interstrand crosslinks (ICLs). The doses of 4-HC that produced a one- and two-log cell kill of D283 Med cells were 25 and 50 μM, respectively, compared with values of 125 and 165 μM in D283 Med (4-HCR), the resistant cell line. The formation and disappearance of 4-HC-induced DNA ICLs at the c-myc gene were subsequently studied by DNA denaturing/renaturing gel electrophoresis and Southern blot analysis. 4-HC-induced DNA ICLs in the c-myc gene exhibited a dose-dependent relationship. The percentage of the c-myc gene that was crosslinked was approximately 1–3% at a dose of 100 μM. More than 50% of the DNA crosslinking in D283 Med (4-HCR) cells was removed by 6 h after drug treatment, whereas, in D283 Med cells, more than 90% of the DNA crosslinking was still present at 6 h. These findings suggest that the increased repair of DNA ICLs in D283 Med (4-HCR) may contribute significantly to its resistance to 4-HC.
Rat T-cell lines specific to a nonimmunodominant determinant of a retinal protein (IRBP) produce uveoretinitis and pinealitis

Abstract Rat lymphocyte lines were established, with specificity toward two synthetic peptides derived from the interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein (IRBP), which specifically localizes in the retina and pineal gland. One of the peptides, R4, is immunopathogenic, producing experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU) and pinealitis (EAP) in immunized rats, while the other peptide, R3, exhibits no detectable immunopathogenicity in rats. The cell lines carry surface markers specific for the helper/inducer subset of T-lymphocytes. When tested by the proliferation assay, the line cells demonstrated major histocompatibility-restricted vigorous responses against the immunizing (homologous) peptide, but failed to recognize the intact IRBP molecule. This finding is in line with other data indicating that peptides R3 and R4 are nonimmunodominant determinants of IRBP for the Lewis rat. Yet, the cell lines specific for R4 were highly immunopathogenic, producing EAU and EAP in naive rats at numbers as low as 0.25 × 106, with histopathological changes similar to those induced by active immunization with this peptide. The immunological capacity of the cell lines was further demonstrated by the finding that spleen cells from recipient rats of these lines responded well against the homologous peptides. The uniqueness of this system, in which lymphocytes specific toward a nondominant determinant are immunopathogenic, is underscored and the possible mechanisms of disease induction are discussed.
HEMOCOMPATIBILITY AND BIOCOMPATIBILITY OF ANTIBACTERIAL BIOMIMETIC HYBRID FILMS

In previous work, we developed novel antibacterial hybrid coatings based on dextran containing dispersed Ag NPs (~5 nm, DEX-Ag) aimed to offer dual protection against two of the most common complications associated with implant surgery, infections and rejection of the implant. However, their blood-material interactions are unknown. In this study, we assess the hemocompatibility and biocompatibility of DEX-Ag using fresh blood and two cell lines of the immune system, monocytes (THP-1 cells) and macrophages (PMA-stimulated THP-1 cells). Glass, polyurethane (PU) and bare dextran (DEX) were used as reference surfaces. PU, DEX and DEX-Ag exhibited non-hemolytic properties. Relative to glass (100%), platelet attachment on PU, DEX and DEX-Ag was 15%, 10% and 34%, respectively. Further, we assessed cell morphology and viability, pro-inflammatory cytokines expression (TNF-α and IL-1β), pro-inflammatory eicosanoid expression (Prostaglandin E2, PGE2) and release of reactive oxygen species (ROS, superoxide and H2O2) following incubation of the cells with the surfaces. The morphology and cell viability of THP-1 cells were not affected by DEX-Ag whereas DEX-Ag minimized spreading of PMA-stimulated THP-1 cells and caused a reduction in cell viability (16% relative to other surfaces). Although DEX-Ag slightly enhanced release of ROS, the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines remained minimal with similar levels of PGE2, as compared to the other surfaces studied. These results highlight low toxicity of DEX-Ag and hold promise for future applications in vivo.
Fast Statistical Surrogates for Dynamical 3D Computer Models of Brain Tumors

Understanding how malignant brain tumors are formed and evolve has direct consequences on the development of efficient methods for their early detection and treatment. Adequate mathematical models for brain tumor growth and invasion can be helpful in clarifying some aspects of the mechanism responsible for the tumor. These mathematical models are typically implemented in computer models, which can be used for computer experimentation to study how changes in inputs, such as growth and diffusion parameters, affect the evolution of the virtual brain tumor. The computer model considered in this article is defined on a three-dimensional (3D) anatomically accurate digital representation of the human brain, which includes white and gray matter, and on a time interval of hundreds of days to realistically simulate the tumor development. Consequently, this computer model is very computationally intensive and only small-size computer experiments can be conducted, corresponding to a small sample of inputs. This artic...
Endoscopic endonasal approach for growth hormone secreting pituitary adenomas: outcomes in 53 patients using 2010 consensus criteria for remission.

We report the outcomes of the endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA) for resection of growth hormone secreting pituitary adenomas using 2010 consensus criteria. We also assess outcomes with additional medical therapy and radiosurgery (RS) for patients not achieving remission with EEA alone. A retrospective review of 53 patients who had follow up endocrinologic data at least 3 months post-surgery was performed among patients who were treated by EEA between 1998 and 2012. Data were analyzed for remission using GH and IGF-I levels based on 2010 consensus criteria. We also analyzed the outcomes using 2000 consensus criteria for ease in comparison to prior studies of outcomes of surgery for acromegaly. In this series of mostly large (88.2 % macroadenomas), invasive (46.9 % Hardy–Wilson C, D, E) adenomas, there were 27 patients (50.9 %) who achieved remission after EEA only. For patients who had no remission with EEA alone, RS and/or medical therapy were used and 37 patients (69.8 %) achieved remission overall. Statistical analysis showed larger tumor size, Hardy Stages C, D, E and Knosp Scores 3, 4 to be predictive against remission for EEA only and EEA with other modalities. The volume of residual tumor after EEA was not found to be predictive of remission with additional therapies. We used stringent consensus criteria from 2010 in a series which included a high proportion of invasive GH secreting adenomas to show that EEA alone or combined with other modalities results in comparable remission rates to earlier studies which used less strict criteria, while retaining low complication rates.
Counselor Educators' Gatekeeping Responsibilities and Students' First Amendment Rights.

In 2 recent legal cases, graduate counselor education students challenged the imposition of remediation plans as violating their First Amendment rights of freedom of speech and religion. With special emphasis on this recent litigation, the article examines the legal standards governing the authority of counselor educators at public colleges and universities, including professionalism and ethical rules as a part of curricular requirements to prohibit client discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Judicial intervention as policy: Impacts on population distribution and redistribution in urban areas in the United States

Two interrelated issues have increasingly occupied the attention of the courts, as judges, lawyers and expert witnesses wrestle with the issue of school desegregation and mandatory busing. The first of these issues concerns the extent to which there are causal relationships between schools and housing patterns, while the second issue revolves around the impact of mandatory busing on white flight (either as population relocation or public school abandonment). The courts have chosen to accept the tenuous argument of a causative relationship between schools and housing and to downplay the considerable impacts of their court orders requiring mandatory busing. These court orders have directly influenced population distributions and may affect population redistribution in the future.
Comparing the codes of ethics of the six signatory associations of the Mutual Recognition Agreement

AbstractPurpose: The Agreement for the Mutual Recognition of Professional Association Credentials (MRA) between six national associations provides a mutually negotiated expedited process for applying for certification in speech-language pathology by any of the signatory associations. Although the MRA recognizes common standards in academic and clinical practice and eases the process to have credentials recognized, an interesting concept is that SLPs who have membership in more than one association must adhere to the code of ethics in each association. Thus, as SLPs will need to abide by them the question then becomes, are the codes of ethics in the six national associations comparable?Method: Using a content analysis procedure, the authors sought to identify similarities between the six codes of ethics.Result: The results revealed similarities between the six codes in areas such as responsibility to clients, professional conduct and practitioner competence.Conclusion: The findings should not to be interpr...
Reply to Hines' comments on ``Testing theories of atmospheric gravity wave saturation and dissipation''

Abstract Hines' (1998, henceforth H98) comments on the paper “Testing theories of atmospheric gravity wave saturation and dissipation” (Gardner, 1996, henceforth G96) have certainly sharpened the discussion on this important issue. He has provided additional insights about several mechanisms which are believed by some to dominate wave saturation and dissipation in the middle atmosphere. However, I disagree with several of his assertions which I shall now address in the order in which they appear in H98.
Uniform waveband assignment in optical mesh networks

The cost of an optical network in wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) networks can be reduced using optical reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexers (ROADMs), which allow traffic to pass through without the need for an expensive optical-electro-optical (O-E-O) conversion. Waveband switching (WBS) is another technique to reduce the network cost by grouping consecutive wavelengths and switching them together using a single port per waveband. WBS has attracted the attention of researchers for its efficiency in reducing switching complexity and therefore cost in WDM optical networks. In this paper, we consider the problem of switching wavelengths as non-overlapping uniform wavebands, per link, for mesh networks using the minimum number of wavebands. Given a fixed band size b s , we give integer linear programming formulations and present a heuristic solution to minimize the number of ROADMs (number of wavebands) in mesh networks that support a given traffic pattern. We show that the number of ROADMs (or number of ports in band-switching cross-connects) can be reduced significantly in mesh networks with WBS compared to wavelength switching using either the ILP or the heuristic algorithm. We also examine the performance of our band assignment algorithms under dynamic traffic.
Processing the head direction cell signal: A review and commentary

Animals require information about their location and directional heading in order to navigate. Directional information is provided by a population of cells in the postsubiculum and the anterior thalamic nuclei that encode a very accurate, continual representation of the animal's directional heading in the horizontal plane, which is independent of the animal's location. Recent studies indicate that this signal 1) arises either in the anterior thalamic nuclei or in structures upstream from it; 2) is not dependent on an intact hippocampus; 3) receives sensory inputs from both idiothetic and landmark systems; and 4) correlates well with the animal's behavior in a spatial reference memory task. Furthermore, HD cells in the anterior thalamic nuclei appear to encode what the animal's directional heading will be about 40 ms in the future, while HD cells in the postsubiculum encode the animal's current directional heading. Both the electrophysiological and anatomical data suggest that the anterior thalamic nuclei and/or the lateral mammillary nuclei may be the sites of convergence for spatial information derived from landmarks and internally-generated cues. Current evidence also indicates that the vestibular system plays a crucial role in the generation of the HD cell signal. However, the notion that the vestibular system is the sole contributor to the signal generator is difficult to reconcile with several findings; these latter findings are better accounted for with a motor efference copy signal.
Hepatic nodules in liver transplantation candidates: MR imaging and underlying hepatic disease

Abstract Objective To assess by MR imaging the frequency of hepatic nodules in patients waiting on the liver transplant list and to determine whether certain underlying hepatic diseases were more often associated with the development of such hepatic nodules. Material and Methods We reviewed the MR and clinical records in all patients seen by the liver transplant service at our center since its inception in January 1998 until September 2002. A total of 371 patients (207 men and 164 women, age range 18–68 years, mean 45 years) were included in the study. The presence of hepatic nodules, size, number and underlying hepatic diseases were determined in all patients. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed on a 1.5-T MR imager using T1-weighted, T2-weighted and multi-phase gadolinium-enhanced sequences. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed to evaluate the association between the underlying hepatic disease and the development of hepatic nodule. Results Among 371 liver transplantation candidates, the most common underlying hepatic disease was hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, either alone (n=93; 25%) or associated with other hepatic diseases (n=40; 10.8%). Of all patients, 33 (8.9%) had regenerative nodules (RNs), 40 (10.7%) dysplastic nodules (DNs) and 57 (15.3%) hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs). Hepatocellular carcinoma was observed in 35.3% of patients with HCV infection and alcohol abuse combined, 24.5% with cryptogenic cirrhosis, 25% with hemochromatosis and 19% with alcohol abuse. Patients who had either DNs or HCC were 2.5 times more likely to have either alcohol abuse or HCV, alone or combined, as the substrate of their liver disease (OR 2.54, 95% CI 1.56–4.13). Our data suggest a supra-additive interaction between HCV infection and ethanol in their association with MR imaging detected lesions. Conclusion Patients with cryptogenic cirrhosis, alcohol abuse, HCV infection (alone or combined) and hemochromatosis had the greatest likelihood of having HCC, with the combination of HCV infection and alcohol abuse having the highest of all.
Fiber-optics light guides for thin scintillators

Abstract The use of plastic fiber-optic bundles as flexible light guides for thin scintillators is described. In a test as a transmission counter for surface muons (30 MeV/ c ) an efficiency >99% was obtained. It operated with a positron efficiency
SU‐GG‐I‐105: Ultrafast Deformable Image Registration for Potential Adaptive Total Body Irradiation Therapy Using Helical TomoTherapy

Purpose: An ultrafast deformable image registration model was developed to register planning computed tomography(CT) with the on‐treatment megavoltage CT (MVCT) of the total body irradiation (TBI) patients using Helical TomoTherapy. The proposed technique constitutes a valuable platform for MVCT‐based dose verification and MVCT auto‐contouring for adaptive radiotherapy.Methods and materials: MVCTs acquired prior to each treatment using Helical TomTherapy unit (HT, TomoTherapy Inc, Madison, WI) can not only be used for patient's setup, but it also contains the patient's updated anatomy, forming the basis for adaptive radiotherapy. A free form B‐Spline deformable registration was carried out to derive the patient's interfraction anatomical variations by co‐registering the planning CT with the individual treatment fraction MVCT. A Mattes mutual information function was used as the metric function and the limited memory Broyden‐Fletcher‐Goldfarb‐Shanno algorithm (L‐BFGS) was employed to optimize the multi‐dimensional metric function. Upon successful registration, the resulting deformation field was extracted and utilized to transform the manual contours of regions of interest (ROIs) on planning CT to MVCTs. The registration accuracy was evaluated by comparing the mapped contours and manually segmented contours on MVCT. Four patients with acute myelogenous leukemia treated with TBI using HT were used to test the proposed algorithm. Results: A free form deformable image registration model has been developed. Application of the algorithm to four leukemia patients indicates that clinically satisfactory results are achievable with a spatial accuracy better than 2mm for ROI contours mappings. As compared to the cross correlation metric function, the proposed registration model was found to be two orders of magnitude more efficient whilst a same accuracy level could be achieved. Conclusions: A regional deformable registration model was implemented and it provides a powerful tool for auto‐contouring MVCTs to maximize the potential of the adaptive TBI therapy using HT.
Electrostatic wave variety and the origins of BEN

Abstract Spiky pulses in broadband electrostatic “noise” (BEN) in the plasma sheet boundary layer (PSBL) observed by Geotail led to a model for BEN as Bernstein–Greene–Kruskal (BGK) modes, which has been explored by a number of simulations. A recent modified model proposed by Grabbe (Phys. Rev. Lett. 84 (2000a) 3614; Rec. Res. Dev. Plasma 1 (2000b) 89) for BEN well into the magnetotail, in which these trapped-particle modes only occur in the top of the spectrum, whereas the bulk of the spectrum below that which propagates obliquely to the magnetic field consists of standard modes driven by unstable electron/ion beams, predicts that such solitary waves are only present in the source region, whereas they are not in BEN that has propagated well outside the source region. Motivated by that prediction and other features of the model, observations are examined from POLAR of BEN obtained poleward of and within the near-Earth extension of the PSBL. The wave data examined for BEN poleward of the near-Earth PSBL (in the plasma mantle) exhibit frequent turbulent waveforms, but little evidence of solitary waves. However, the wave data near the PSBL source region shows a persistent level of turbulence, within which solitary-like waves are embedded, several of which saturate the receiver. The non-solitary portion of the observed wave data, which appears throughout these regions, fits well the theory of standard electron/ion beam instabilities. However, the higher-frequency portion above the plasma frequency, which is confined to the PSBL vicinity, appears nonlinear in character, with a stronger magnetic field apparently playing a vital role in that nonlinearity.
Interconnected Musical Networks: Toward a Theoretical Framework

23 This article attempts to define and classify the aesthetic and technical principles of interconnected musical networks. It presents an historical overview of technological innovations that were instrumental for the development of the field and discusses a number of paradigmatic musical networks that are based on these technologies. A classification of online and local-area musical networks then leads to an attempt to define a taxonomical and theoretical framework for musical interconnectivity, addressing goals and motivations, social organizations and perspectives, network architectures and topologies, and musical content and control. The article concludes with a number of design suggestions for the development of effective interconnected musical networks.
Photonic Crystal Chemical Sensors: pH and Ionic Strength

Diffraction from a photonic crystal material composed of a hydrolyzed polymerized crystalline colloidal array (PCCA) can be used to sense pH and ionic strength. The PCCA is a polyacrylamide hydrogel which embeds a polystyrene crystalline colloidal array (CCA). The diffracted wavelength of the PCCA changes as the PCCA volume changes due to the alterations in the CCA lattice constant. We examine the pH and ionic strength dependence of the hydrolyzed PCCA volume by monitoring the Bragg diffracted wavelength. We also develop a zero free parameter quantitative model to describe the pH and ionic strength dependence of the hydrogel volume.
Correlation of B-type natriuretic peptide level to 6-min walk test performance in patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction.

Background: B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a neurohormone that can be measured in blood and is useful in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). We compared whole blood BNP concentrations to distance walked during a 6-min walk test in patients with CHF. Methods: Forty-four patients with CHF underwent a 6-min walk test. The distance walked was compared to the BNP concentration on blood collected prior to the walk test. Patients were followed for 16±2.8 months after testing. Results: A significant correlation was observed between the BNP concentration and the distance walked (r=−0.47, p<0.001). One patient without congestion died suddenly. Two patients died of progressive heart failure, and two other patients underwent cardiac transplantation. Each of the latter four patients had high BNP concentrations (median 1080 ng/l) and walked short distances (median 183 m). This study indicates that the BNP concentration in blood correlates inversely with the degree of physical capability of patients with heart failure. Conclusions: The BNP concentration could be used as an alternative to the 6-min walk test to assess the severity of heart failure. The assay for BNP is non-invasive, inexpensive, and results are available at the bedside or in a heart failure clinic.
Modeling of pulsed laser irradiation of thin silicon layers

Abstract Interactions of pulsed laser irradiation with matter may lead to controlled phase change transformations and material structure modifications. During transient heating at the nanosecond scale, the thermal gradients across the heat affected zone are accompanied by changes in the material complex refractive index. These changes, coupled with wave interference, modify the energy absorption, and thus the temperature field in the target material. This work accounts for these effects in a rigorous manner using thin film optics theory. Results are presented for the induced temperature field in thin silicon films by pulsed ruby and Nd:YAG laser light.
WE-C-ValA-01: Evaluation of Image Quality in 4DCT and Improving Temporal Accuracy

Purpose: To assess the effect of incorrect assignment of respiration phases and irregular breathing on 4DCT image quality. Artifacts are manifested as deformations in the reconstructed images and quantitative effects are measured along with qualitative evaluations. Modifications to the current 4DCT implementation are recommended. Methods and Materials: For the evaluation of image artifacts, we used a motion simulation platform and simulated the respiration patterns of real patients. Artifacts due to inaccurate phase sorting are quantitatively evaluated by comparing differences in the volumes of spherical phantoms with and without the presence of phase assignment problems. Artifacts due to irregular breathing are demonstrated using 4DCT and recommendations are made for modifying the standard acquisition mode to enable gating for motion reproducibility. The advantage of this modified acquisition is proved using an electronic portal imager.Results: Review of clinical 4D scans performed in our clinic showed discrepancies in the phase assignments for about 45% of the cases when compared to our independent check. Significant image artifacts are also observed and measured as a function of the respiration motion amplitude and target size. Volumetric inaccuracies of up to 43% are measured. For the evaluation of irregular breathing, our proposed technique of gated imaging for the reproducibility of the respiration proved to yield superior image integrity when compared to standard acquisition mode. Conclusions: We identified two sources of quality degradation factors associated with 4DCT images and performed quantitative evaluations of associated artifacts. We conclude that for improved image reconstruction, an independent check of the sorting procedure should be performed for each clinical case; also we recommend a modification to the 4DCT acquisition technique to include gating of the x‐rays for the reproducibility of the respiration pattern. Conflict of Interest: Research supported by GE Medical Systems.
Isolation and characterization of small qnrS1-carrying plasmids from imported seafood isolates of Salmonella enterica that are highly similar to plasmids of clinical isolates

Dissemination of plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance among pathogenic bacteria is a concern for public health because of decreased sensitivity to fluoroquinolones and increased potentials to develop high fluoroquinolone resistance. Two qnrS1 -positive isolates of Salmonella enterica Corvallis (468) and Typhimurium (484) from imported seafood (Thailand and Vietnam) were tested for quinolone sensitivity using disk agar diffusion and the Sensititre® system. The presence of qnr genes, qnr carrying plasmids, and mutations in the quinolone resistance determining regions were also determined. Minimal inhibitory concentrations of nalidixic acid for isolates 468 and 484 were 8 and 16 µg mL−1, respectively, and those of ciprofloxacin were 1 and 2 µg mL−1, respectively. Disk agar diffusion indicated that isolate 468 was moderately resistant to moxifloxacin, and isolate 484 was resistant to moxifloxacin and moderately resistant to norfloxacin. Isolates 468 and 484 carried a mutation on parC , but not on gyrA , gyrB , or parE . Sequences of qnrS1 -carrying plasmids from isolates 468 and 484, sized 10 039 and 10 047 bp, were nearly identical (> 99% similarity) to each other and to published sequences of plasmids from clinical isolates of Salmonella Typhimurium isolated in the United Kingdom and Taiwan, indicating a dissemination of qnrS1 -carrying plasmids among different serovars of Salmonella from geographically separated sources. This is the first complete sequence of a qnrS1 -carrying plasmid from imported seafood isolate of S. enterica .
Guiding Visual Attention by Exploiting Crossmodal Spatial Links: An Application in Air Traffic Control:

Recent research on multimodal information processing has provided evidence for the existence of crossmodal links in spatial attention between vision, audition, and touch. The present study examined whether these links can be exploited to support attention allocation in workplaces that involve competing task demands and the potential for visual data overload. In particular, the effectiveness of tactile cues for guiding visual attention to the location of a critical event was tested in the context of an air traffic control simulation. Participants monitored a display depicting the flight paths of 40 aircraft and were presented with tactile cues indicating either just the occurrence, or both the occurrence and display location, of an event requiring a participant response. Tactile cuing, especially when combined with location information, resulted in significantly higher detection rates and faster response times to these events. These findings indicate that tactile cuing is a promising means of directing vis...
Genetic analysis in young-age-of-onset Graves' disease reveals new susceptibility loci.

Context: Genetic and environmental factors play an essential role in the pathogenesis of Graves' Disease (GD). Children with GD have less exposure time to environmental factors and therefore are believed to harbor stronger genetic susceptibility than adults. Objective: The aim of the study was to identify susceptibility loci that predispose to GD in patients with young-age-of-onset (YAO) GD. Setting and Design: One hundred six patients with YAO GD (onset <30 y) and 855 healthy subjects were studied. Cases and controls were genotyped using the Illumina Infinium Immunochip, designed to genotype 196,524 polymorphisms. Case control association analyses were performed using the PLINK computer package. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis program (QIAGEN) was used to carry out pathway analyses. Results: Immunochip genetic association analysis identified 30 single-nucleotide polymorphisms in several genes that were significantly associated with YAO GD, including major histocompatibility complex class I and class II genes,...
Transmission near-infrared technique for evaluation and relative quantitation of surface groups on silica

Abstract A qualitative and quantitative infrared method for surface group determination on silica gel is presented. Carbon tetrachloride is used to reduce scattering so that the sample transmits light throughout the region of interest (near-infrared: 8000-4000 cm−1. The technique is shown to be useful in studying water adsorption, 2H2O exchange and trimethylchlorosilane reaction with silanol groups on the silica surface.
Consensus and dissention: A measure of ordinal dispersion

A new measure of dispersion is introduced as a representation of consensus (agreement) and dissention (disagreement). Building on the generally accepted Shannon entropy, this measure utilizes a probability distribution and the distance between categories to produce a value spanning the unit interval. The measure is applied to the Likert scale (or any ordinal scale) to determine degrees of consensus or agreement. Using this measure, data on ordinal scales can be given a value of dispersion that is both logically and theoretically sound.
mm-wave isochronous FEL and hard X-ray inverse Compton source at the Duke storage ring

Abstract We propose to operate an isochronous mm-wave FEL at the Duke storage ring. Resonant FEL conditions for mm-waves will be provided by the off-axis interaction with an electromagnetic wave. A special optical resonator with holes for the e-beam is proposed for pumping a hard X-ray inverse Compton source with very high brightness. Simulation results for proposed mm-wave FEL operation on the Duke storage ring are discussed in a separate article in these proceedings. The expected performance of the hard X-ray inverse Compton source is presented.
The forces regulating fluid filtration in the lung

Abstract Considerable progress has been made towards measuring the forces governing fluid exchange in the lung, especially in the sheep. Intravascular protein osmotic pressure is measured in samples of large vessel blood with little error. Intravascular hydrostatic pressure can be calculated from the measured pulmonary arterial and left atrial pressures if one accepts reasonable estimates of the vascular resistance distribution. Measuring the extravascular forces is difficult because the interstitial fluid is not readily accessible in normal animals. Fortunately, the lung lymph provides a good approximation of the interstitial fluid protein osmotic pressure. By observing the effects of positive alveolar air pressure on fluid filtration rate in unanesthetized sheep, an indirect assessment of interstitial fluid hydrostatic pressure can be made.
Association between ratings of facial attractivess and patients' motivation for orthognathic surgery.

Structured Abstract Authors – Vargo J, Gladwin M, Ngan P. Objectives – To compare the judgments of facial esthetics, defects and treatment needs between laypersons and professionals (orthodontists and oral surgeons) as predictors of patient's motivation for orthognathic surgery. Design – Two panels of expert and naive raters were asked to evaluate photographs of orthognathic surgery patients for facial esthetics, defects and treatment needs. Results were correlated with patients’ motivation for surgery. Setting and Sample Population – Fifty-seven patients (37 females and 20 males) with a mean age of 26.0 ± 6.7 years were interviewed prior to orthognathic surgery treatment. Three color photographs of each patient were evaluated by a panel of 14 experts and panel of 18 laypersons. Experimental Variables – Each panel of raters were asked to evaluate the facial morphology, facial attractiveness and recommend surgical treatment (independent variables). The dependent variable was the patient's motivation for orthognathic surgery. Outcome measure – Reliability of raters were analyzed using an unweighted Kappa coefficient and a Cronbach alpha coefficient. Correlations and regression analyses were used to quantify the relationship between variables. Results – Expert raters provided reliable ratings of certain morphological features such as excessive gingival display and classification of mandibular facial form and position. Based on the facial photographs both expert and naive raters agreed on facial attractiveness of patients. The best predictors of patients’ motivation for surgery were the naive profile attractiveness rating and the patients’ expected change in self-consciousness. Conclusions – Expert raters provide more reliable ratings on certain morphologic features. However, the layperson's profile attractiveness rating and the patients’ expected change in self-consciousness were the best predictors for patients’ motivation for surgery. These data suggest that patients’ motives for treatment are not necessarily related to objectively determined need. Patients’ decision to seek treatment was more correlated to laypersons’ rating of attractiveness because they see what other laypersons see, and are directly or indirectly affected by others reactions to their appearance. These findings may provide useful information for clinicians in counseling patients who seek orthognathic surgery.
Iterative layer-by-layer assembly of polymer-tethered multi-bilayers using maleimide–thiol coupling chemistry

The current study reports on the layer-by-layer assembly of a polymer-tethered lipid multi-bilayer stack using the iterative addition and roll out of giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) containing constituents with thiol and maleimide functional groups, respectively. Confocal microscopy and photobleaching experiments confirm stack integrity and stability over time, as well as the lateral fluidity of individual bilayers within the stacks. Complementary wide-field single molecule fluorescence microscopy and atomic force microscopy experiments show that increasing bilayer-substrate distances are associated with changes in lipid lateral mobility and bilayer morphology. Importantly, the described iterative approach can be employed to assemble multi-bilayer stacks with more than two bilayers, thus further reducing the influence of the underlying solid substrate on membrane behavior. Furthermore, the presence of lipopolymers within the multi-bilayer stacks results in fascinating membrane dynamics and organization properties, with interesting parallels to those found in plasma membranes. In that sense, the described multi-bilayer architecture represents an attractive model membrane platform for a variety of different biophysical studies.
On Dummy Variable Regression Analysis A Description and Illustration of the Method

This paper is concerned with the description of a specialized form of linear regression analysis commonly known as "dummy variable" regression analysis. Efforts are made to show the relationship be...
Barriers to Employment among TANF Applicants and Their Consequences for Self-Sufficiency:

This article examines the prevalence of potential barriers to employment using data from a longitudinal study of 1,075 Milwaukee County parents who applied for assistance from Wisconsin's TANF program in 1999. It also examines whether those potential barriers were related to their subsequent employment and earnings. We find that many of these TANF applicants faced significant and often multiple barriers to employment. Moreover, these potential barriers were associated with both a reduction in their likelihood of being employed and lower earnings when they worked. The implications of these findings for welfare policy and practice are discussed. CRITICAL ISSUES IN WELFARE REFORM AND WORK READINESS
Fuel Flexible and Reversible Operation of Yttrium-Doped Strontium Titanate Anode Supported SOFC

The performance of novel yttrium-doped SrTiO3 (Sr 0.86Y0.08TiO3, SYT) anode materials for an anode supported SOFC have been evaluated in terms of fuel flexibility and reversible operation at intermediate temperature (800°C). The SYT anode supported PEN structures were fabricated using tape casting, dip coating and screen printing for the anode substrate, electrolyte and cathode, respectively. Overall performance of SYT-YSZ composite anode supported cells indicates that this anode material set is not likely to be an outstanding performer, mainly due to the significant anode polarization losses and relatively high ohmic losses. With careful processing of the anode during cell fabrication, major parts of the ohmic losses introduced by the SYT anode can be reduced. The results also indicate that Ni infiltration of the SYT anode can lead to smaller polarization losses, thus achieving better cell performance. © 2011 by ASME.
Elder-Child Interaction Analysis

Abstract This study reports on the interactions of 60 children and 12 older adults in a school-based mentoring program, as well as four teachers' perceptions of the relationship between such interactions and the children's subsequent classroom behavior. Dyadic interactions were assessed using the Elder-Child Interaction Analysis instrument (Newman & Onawola, 1989). The authors concluded from recorded observations that, overall, the elders and the children had interacted with each other in a positive and constructive manner. The teachers interviewed perceived that the mentoring interactions were followed by an increase in students' self-management skills, interest in school work, and by improved peer relationships.
Developing a Multi-Dimensional Model of Hispano Attachment to and Loss of Land:

One underpinning of ties between family and culture among the Hispanos of Northern New Mexico is land. Among Hispanos land has historically symbolized a protective environment fostering survival, t...