cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A critical analysis of surgery for occult tethered cord syndrome.

Tethered cord syndrome (TCS) is an amalgamation of neurological, urological, orthopedic, and dermatologic signs and symptoms with radiographic evidence of a thickened filum and low-lying conus. Surgical sectioning of the filum and disconnection of any tethering entities such as dermal sinus tracts or lipomas has been shown to improve outcomes. The manifestation of TCS symptoms in the absence of a low-lying conus has been referred to as occult tethered cord syndrome (OTCS) and is much less well reviewed in the literature. To date, there has only been one randomized controlled trial examining the effect of intervention in OTCS; therefore, contemporary data is often elicited from limited cohorts. To perform a comprehensive literature review of management in OTCS and evaluate treatment response rates to sectioning of the filum terminale. Seventeen papers met inclusion criteria for our review. Sample sizes ranged from 8 to 60 children, and results were mixed, often dependent on study design, definition of typical OTCS symptoms, and follow-up intervals. Symptomatic improvement was observed in > 50% of patients for all but one study; however, the recurrence rates were highly variable. The data regarding the efficacy of surgical treatment in OTCS is mixed and merits more rigorous scientific examination with strict and clear parameters regarding symptomatic operationalization and follow-up time points to monitor for TCS recurrence.
INERTIA: A pilot study of the impact of progressive resistance training on blood pressure control in older adults with sarcopenia.

Abstract Sarcopenia, and high blood pressure are highly prevalent, preventable conditions that pose significant burden for older adults and on the healthcare system. Current prevention and treatment of high blood pressure in sarcopenia, by non-pharmacological approaches remain limited and are far from optimal. Clinical trials and mechanistic studies provide encouraging evidence of a plausible therapeutic effect of progressive resistance training (PRT) on blood pressure in younger, and pre-hypertensive and hypertensive older adults. The impact of PRT on blood pressure has not been empirically tested in older adults with sarcopenia. This pilot study aims to provide effect size confidence intervals, clinical trial and intervention feasibility data, and procedural materials for a full-scale randomized controlled trial that will determine the efficacy of PRT intervention as a therapeutic strategy for blood pressure control in older adults with sarcopenia. Participants (N = 90) will be randomized to receive exercise educational materials or the PRT intervention consisting of 24 supervised exercise sessions over 12-weeks. Follow-up assessments will occur at 12-weeks and one-year later. The primary outcome is systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure, analyzed separately. Microvascular mechanisms linking muscle (perfusion, strength, function) to changes in blood pressure will be explored at baseline and 12-weeks. This study will provide new evidence for the therapeutic effect of PRT as a non-pharmacological strategy for improving blood pressure. Insights gained may also inform of the potential role of muscle strength as a novel target for blood pressure control, and future exercise prescription guidelines related to muscle strengthening in high-risk older adults.
The Culture of Competence - Political Psychology and Public Office

The paper asks how television has complicated the political process for politicians, despite its positive use as a tool of democracy for voters. In order to best understand how to answer this question, given the visual medium that is television, case studies of notable presidential debates were ideal over data analysis alone. The first Kennedy v. Nixon debate of 1960 and the second Clinton v. Bush debate of 1992 met expectations for that reason. Few other debates in American history have hindered so much on the details of candidate appearance, body language and nonverbal communication as those of Kennedy v. Nixon and Clinton v. Bush. Otherwise, a thirty-two year gap between their respective debates shows how aware viewers became of these politician performance factors in the interim. While the contrast between Nixon and Kennedy was more obvious, with the former looking sweaty and nervous while the latter appeared calm and cool, the difference between Bush and Clinton was more subtle. While both men answered the questions asked of them, Clinton did so in more of a personal way through direct eye contact and a firm stance on the stage, while Bush walked and looked around when he replied to inquiries. The extra attention Clinton provided gave him an edge over Bush and the crowd in that way. So, the introductory thesis of appearance, body language and non-verbal communication are what made the intervention of television in politics more challenging for politicians is concluded as accurate.
Tomographic Image Reconstructing Using Systolic Array Alogrithms

In Computed Tomography (CT), two-dimensional (2-D) slices or three-imensional (3-D) volumes of an object are reconstructed from many projected line-integrals (usually x-ray transmission data) around the object. As the data collection capabilities and reconstruction algorithms for CT have become more sophisticated over the years, the demands on computer systems have become correspondingly greater. For example, cone-beam data acquisition of a single 2-D projection containing 1024 by 1024 resolution is now easily achievable in much less than 1 second. Accepting and processing a volume of data at those rates is impossible for most conventional computers. Also, recent limited-data reconstruction algorithms using iterative schemes between image and projection domains [1] require large amounts of very time-consuming calculations. In this case, repeated use of a constrained projection model (or the Radon transform, named after mathematician Johann Radon [2]) followed by a reconstruction algorithm (or inverse Radon transform) is used to converge on the correct answer.
Drug Discovery and Development: An Insight into Pharmacovigilance

Drug discovery and development is a long-term, competitive, expensive and complicated process. Bringing the drugs from the bench to the market, that is, from screening and identification of the drug to its introduction to the market, takes several years of efforts [1]. The process of discovering and developing a new drug involves an intricate interaction between investors, industry, academia, patent laws, regulatory authorities, marketing and the necessity to balance confidentiality with communication [2]. The complete process of presenting a drug to the patients involves four stagesdrug discovery, drug development, regulatory review and approval, and marketing [3].
Evaluation Of Fertilizers By Biological Methods

Publisher Summary The influx of new fertilizers in recent years has resulted from simultaneous developments in the fertilizer industry, agriculture, and other related fields. Technological advances in fertilizer chemistry and manufacturing have made possible the use of processes resulting in the production of materials, which were not feasible or were unknown in the past. There is a need for continuing research on an evaluation of fertilizers because of the increasing number and complexity of fertilizers being used commercially. Because of the difficulties of measuring differences in crop response among fertilizers in field experiments, increasing use should be made of laboratory and greenhouse pot methods in screening new fertilizers and fertilizer compounds. However, experiments conducted under field conditions are still necessary in some cases. Emphasis should be placed on the best possible techniques for carrying out field experiments and response to applied fertilizers should be related to measured characteristics of the fertilizer, weather, and soil.
Purification and Properties of Lactobacillus plantarum Inducible Malic Enzyme

Inducible malic enzyme (l-malate:NAD oxidoreductase [decarboxylating], EC 1.1.1.39) was isolated from Lactobacillus plantarum and purified about 100-fold with 27% yield of the original activity. Kinetic studies with the purified malic enzyme yielded the following results: pH optimum, 7.6 to 8.0; K m for l-malate, 0.38 mM; K m for NAD, 0.072 mM; and K m for MnCl 2 , 0.048 mM. It was shown that this enzyme was inhibited by high concentrations of substrate and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), indicating it may be regulated by substrate or NAD. Molecular weight of 130,000 ± 10,000 was determined by Sephadex gel filtration and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The isoelectric point, determined by isoelectrofocusing, was 4.3 at 7 C. Isoelectrofocusing also resolved three active peaks which focused at pH 4.19, 4.31, and 4.40.
When to be a Court of Last Resort: The Search for a Standard of Review for the Suspension Clause

Although the war on terror has not resulted in a suspension of habeas corpus, the conflict has presented the courts with increasingly complex issues regarding what level of due process should be granted to detainees. The judicial scrutiny of legislative acts passed in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks, most notably the Military Commissions Act of 2006, creates the potential for Congress to suspend the writ of habeas corpus altogether in the event another terrorist attack occurs. This Note explores what level of scrutiny should be applied to such a suspension, assuming that the courts do not declare the issue a political question. Between a deferential standard focusing on an analogy to the war powers and a more searching form of judicial review focusing on the writ’s importance in individual liberty and due process, the courts would have a complex challenge in applying the correct standard. This Note ultimately concludes that the deciding factor in such a case would be the indefinite nature of the suspension itself, determined primarily by the length of detention a detainee had faced, the availability of judicial process, and the length of time that passed since an attack warranting suspension occurred.
Vehicle networks for gradient descent in a sampled environment

Fish in a school efficiently find the densest source of food by individually responding not only to local environmental stimuli but also to the behavior of nearest neighbors. It is of great interest to enable a network of autonomous vehicles to function similarly as an intelligent sensor array capable of climbing or descending gradients of some spatially distributed signal. We formulate and study a coordinated control strategy for a group of autonomous vehicles to descend or climb an environmental gradient using measurements of the environment together with relative position measurements of nearest neighbors. Each vehicle is driven by an estimate of the local environmental gradient together with control forces, derived from artificial potentials, that maintain uniformity in group geometry.
Proteolytic enzymes from the mouse submaxillary gland. Specificity restricted to arginine residues.

Abstract The mouse submaxillary proteases (A + D), the isolation and properties of which were previously described by us, hydrolyze only arginyl bonds in proteins. Formol titrations and peptide mapping on digests of polyarginine, polylysine, lysozyme, histone, and insulin suggested this specificity. Amino acid compositions of peptides from lysozyme and insulin showed that most but not all arginyl bonds were hydrolyzed but that no lysyl bonds were split. The proteases should be useful in the sequencing of proteins.
The emasculation of frogs

– This article aims to suggest some ways in which the effectiveness of critical scientific communication might be improved. The persistence of anti-vaccine rhetoric, disputes about climate change and other scientific controversies have shone a light on the difficulty of communicating scientific information effectively to the public. , – The article looks at some recent research into neuroscience and human decision-making to suggest some best practices in communicating about science to the public. , – This literature review suggests that if we can embed rational arguments into a rich emotional narrative, we are more likely to overcome public skepticism and suspicion. , – While there has been much focus on human decision-making and cognitive bias, the relevant research has not often been related to the effectiveness of scientific communication.
Physical and Chemical Studies on Ceruloplasmin: V. METABOLIC STUDIES ON SIALIC ACID-FREE CERULOPLASMIN IN VIVO

Injection into rabbits of radioactive ceruloplasmin from which sialic acid had been removed enzymatically resulted in a rapid disappearance of the asialoceruloplasmin from the serum and its appearance in parenchymal cells, but not in Kupffer cells, of the liver. The rapidity of this transfer was dependent upon the presence of intact galactose residues as the terminal, nonreducing sugar of the carbohydrate moiety. Intact asialoceruloplasmin, doubly labeled with tritium and 64Cu, was isolated from the liver in good yield 24 min after intravenous injection.
Abundance Variations of Tracers and their Effects on our Determination of Molecular Cloud Structure

Our understanding of the molecular phase of the interstellar medium is critically dependent on use of various lines from different molecular species to trace this dense material. As our knowledge of molecular clouds becomes more refined, and we pursue in detail issues of molecular cloud structure, stability, and how star formation depends on and affects the molecular gas, it is appropriate to examine the basis by which we determine the morphology of clouds, their density, and other key parameters. This is obviously a major undertaking, well beyond the scope of the short presentation at this conference, so I will concentrate on one very basic, but critical issue, which is that of abundance variations of tracers of density and molecular column density which are widely used to delineate the denser portions of all types of molecular clouds. In this summary, I will first highlight some of the apparent indications of significant variations of abundance within individual clouds, as a way of indicating some potential dangers and the importance of the molecular tracer selected. I will also briefly suggest how such variations may be themselves important diagnostics of cloud structure and evolution
GLP-1 Receptor Agonists: Practical Considerations for Clinical Practice.

PurposeType 2 diabetes (T2D) imparts an increased risk of adverse health outcomes in patients unable to achieve glycemic control. Patient education and individualization of treatment are important for effective management of T2D. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) are a class of injectable glucose-lowering agents that lower A1C with added benefits of weight loss and improved cardiovascular risk markers. This review discusses the role of GLP-1RAs currently approved in the United States (exenatide, liraglutide, albiglutide, dulaglutide) for T2D management and characterizes the efficacy and safety profiles of individual GLP-1RAs.ConclusionsGLP-1RAs are recommended as a preferred add-on agent to existing metformin monotherapy, as first-line therapy if metformin is contraindicated or poorly tolerated, and for use in combination with other oral glucose-lowering agents or basal insulin. Shorter-acting GLP-1RAs (exenatide and liraglutide) offer improved coverage of postprandial hyperglycemia, wh...
Effect of submillimeter size holes on the fatigue limit of a high strength tool steel

The very high cycle fatigue and small fatigue crack growth behaviour of a generic tool steel material for diesel fuel injector application are described. The small crack growth tests for the tool steel material with and without the hardening heat treatment revealed the mechanisms of crack propagation and threshold behaviour. Based on the small fatigue crack propagation threshold value, an elastic plastic fracture mechanics methodology for the prediction of the endurance limit of specimens with submillimeter holes is proposed. The advantages of the new methodology are discussed in relation to existing methodologies for endurance limit prediction of specimens with small holes.
Advanced process monitoring and feedback control to enhance cell culture process production and robustness

It is a common practice in biotherapeutic manufacturing to define a fixed-volume feed strategy for nutrient feeds, based on historical cell demand. However, once the feed volumes are defined, they are inflexible to batch-to-batch variations in cell growth and physiology and can lead to inconsistent productivity and product quality. In an effort to control critical quality attributes and to apply process analytical technology (PAT), a fully automated cell culture feedback control system has been explored in three different applications. The first study illustrates that frequent monitoring and automatically controlling the complex feed based on a surrogate (glutamate) level improved protein production. More importantly, the resulting feed strategy was translated into a manufacturing-friendly manual feed strategy without impact on product quality. The second study demonstrates the improved process robustness of an automated feed strategy based on online bio-capacitance measurements for cell growth. In the third study, glucose and lactate concentrations were measured online and were used to automatically control the glucose feed, which in turn changed lactate metabolism. These studies suggest that the auto-feedback control system has the potential to significantly increase productivity and improve robustness in manufacturing, with the goal of ensuring process performance and product quality consistency.
New strain measurement technology for material damage assessment

A new strain sensing methodology for the measurement of peak strain in engineering materials has been developed. The approach involves the correlation of change in the magnetic susceptibility attendant with the strain-dependent, solid-state phase transformation in a sensing element. The sensing materials are metastable steel alloys that irreversibly transform from nonferromagnetic to ferromagnetic behavior as a function of the peak, applied normal strain. The technology makes available a reliable method for passive, semi-active, or active monitoring of strains or deflections and is applicable as either embedded sensors or attached strain gages, i.e., monitors. Strain assessment devices of various types have been conceptualized to meet a variety of needs. The history, principles, and test data on the development are presented. Discussion and results of a prototype system installed on the I-95 Savannah River bridge are presented. Examples of current projects and future applications of the technology are presented and discussed. A range of applications is discussed that illustrates the versatility of the approach and the value of such systems in materials and structural safety assessment.
Seismic effects in secondary containments: Research needs

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to discuss the status of current and projected research on the behavior of nonprestressed secondary containment structures carrying combined pressurization and seismic shear. Ongoing experimental research at Cornell University on specimens carrying combined biaxial tension and static cyclic shear is described. The remainder of the paper treats research needed to better predict the response of containments to seismic effects and to serve as the basis for improved design methods for reinforced concrete containments.
Device-related infective endocarditis, with special consideration of implanted intravascular and cardiac devices in a predominantly male population.

AbstractBackground: The relationship between invasive medical devices and infective endocarditis (IE) has not been comprehensively assessed. We describe our experience of patients with IE, with particular attention to the role of pre-existing intravascular catheters and implanted cardiac devices in the pathogenesis. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of hospital records over a 10-y period (1997–2007), and included patients with ‘definite’ or ‘possible’ IE as per the modified Duke criteria. The complete electronic medical record was reviewed for the presence of intravascular devices prior to the onset of IE, including intravascular catheters and implanted cardiac devices (defibrillators and pacemakers). Results: We identified 155 patients with IE. Infection involved a native valve in 124 (80%) patients and a prosthetic valve in 15 (9.7%). In the remaining 16 (10.3%) patients, infection was attributed to an implanted cardiac device. The most commonly identified source of infection was a central ve...
Measurement and the study of literature

When literary scholars first began in the nineteen-sixties to explore the possible uses of the computer in furthering their work, they greeted it as historians of science, in retrospect, imagine that astronomers greeted the advent of the telescope; but the cosmology of literary study has not yet been turned inside out, and some critics are beginning to wonder why. Susan Wittig, for example, attributes the failure to a "New-Critical" mental set on the part of computationally oriented scholars.1 But the problem, as I propose to argue, lies deeper within our basic assumptions about our discipline. To explore these assumptions and the resulting problem, let me begin with the matter of terminology. The English language, it has often been said, utterly lacks a general word for the activity of studying literature, in the sense that "chemistry" is a word for the activity of studying the nature and interactions of the elements. Though Northrop Frye defines the former activity as "an examination of literature in terms of a conceptual framework derivable from an inductive survey of the literary field,"2 he is forced to call it criticism, a term both etymologically and connotatively inapproprise.3 The French language offers little help: belles-lettres and edtudes litteraires are awkward constructions at best, and even the German term Literaturwissenschaft is a clumsy compound in comparison with Chemie. The nineteenth century called our discipline "philology," which seems nicely parallel to such disciplinary terms in the natural sciences as "geology"; but whereas the latter's etymological meaning is, with laudable objectivity of denotation, "words about the earth," the former means "the love of words," and objec-
RECENT IMPROVEMENT UPON A TECHNIQUE FOR DETERMINING DYNAMIC-CRACK PROPAGATION RATES

SUMMARY The conducting-line technique for measuring crack speed as detailed in Ref. 1 has been improved. For the most part the improvement has resulted in a simpler, more cost-effective application method for the crack-speed measurement system. More importantly, the technique can be applied in the field, as it is no longer necessary to vapor deposit the conducting lines. Hence, the previously used vacuum coaters are no longer a necessity for this technique.
Novel methyl transfer during chemotaxis in Bacillus subtilis

If Bacillus subtilis is incubated in radioactive methionine in the absence of protein synthesis, the methyl-accepting chemotaxis proteins (MCPs) become radioactively methylated. If the bacteria are further incubated in excess nonradioactive methionine (cold-chased) and then given the attractant aspartate, the MCPs lose about half of their radioactivity due to turnover, in which lower specific activity methyl groups from S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) replace higher specific activity ones. Due to the cold-chase, the specific activity of the AdoMet pool is reduced at least 2-fold. If, later, the attractant is removed, higher specific activity methyl groups return to the MCPs. Thus, there must exist an unidentified methyl carrier than can reversibly receive methyl groups from the MCPs. In a similar experiment, labeled cells were transferred to a flow cell and exposed to addition and removal of attractant and of repellent. All four kinds of stimuli were found to cause methanol production. Bacterial with maximally labeled MCPs were exposed to many cycles of addition and removal of attractant; the maximum amount of radioactive methanol was evolved on the third, not the first, cycle. This result suggests that there is a precursor-product relationship between methyl groups on the MCPs and on the unidentified carrier, which mightmore » be the direct source of methanol. However, since no methanol was produced when a methyltransferase mutant, whose MCPs were unmethylated, was exposed to addition and removal of attractant or repellent, the methanol must ultimately derive from methylated MCPs.« less
Ultimate Strengths of Partially Stabilized Zirconia Ceramics

Previous results for ultimate tensile fracture strengths of partially stabilized zirconia (PSZ) containing preexisting finite cracks are reformulated in terms of a new transformation-strengthening parameter. This allows a simplified method for estimating the strengths of bulk PSZ containing arbitrary-sized, preexisting critical cracks
An object-oriented relational database

A relational DBMS and an object-oriented programming language can be combined to yield a surprisingly effective OO-DBMS for many applications.
Research on Camber Correction Method of Heavy Plate

In the rolling process of heavy plate mill, the longitudinal extension will result in differences at different positions in the lateral direction of rolling pieces. This difference is affected due to some asymmetric rolling conditions, which lead to the camber. Lateral direction of the plate which is based on image processing algorithm is measured by using plate images acquired during rolling process with the help of linear array camera. In combination to camber correction model deducted and camber feedback control system is developed to realize the automatic correction control for camber of plate during production in this paper. Field applications show that this control method is able to reduce human interference and camber curve rate, which is significant in improving the yield of product.
Multidimensional inverse scattering and nonlinear equations

Is it possible to duplicate in higher dimensions the great success of the one-dimensional inverse scattering transform (IST) in the exact solution of integrable nonlinear equations? The question immediately splits into two subquestions: i) is it possible to develop a genuinely multidimensional inverse scattering transform? and ii) are there corresponding nonlinear equations solvable by IST? This lecture presented recent joint work with Mark Ablowitz addressing mostly the a%alytical problem i). We have introduced a general method for solving a wide class of multidimensional inverse scattering problems and treating the overdeterminacy issues involved. In [i], [2] we have applied this method to the Classical inverse scattering problems for: a) the time-dependent Schr~dinger operator in ~ × ~n
Exchange-Rate Variability, Real and Monetary Shocks, and the Degree of Capital Mobility Under Rational Expectations

Much of the recent literature on flexible exchange rates has shared two characteristics: first, it has emphasized the critical role of expectations in exchange-rate determination, and second, it has, either explicitly or implicitly, been concerned with exchange-rate volatility or variability.' In light of these common threads, it is somewhat surprising that, with the exception of Barro [1978], none of these models has explicitly incorporated uncertainty. Without this, the forecasting problem, which is at the heart of expectations formation, cannot be adequately analyzed, and it is impossible to describe rigorously what is meant by exchange-rate variability. Consequently, comparative-statics results relating changes in structural parameters to changes in exchange-rate variability cannot be rigorously derived. This paper develops a model of a small, open economy under flexible exchange rates that explicitly incorporates uncertainty. The forecasting problem at the heart of expectational formation can thus be explicitly modeled by assuming that agents make unbiased forecasts based upon knowledge that includes the structure of the model; that is, agents are assumed to have rational expectations in the sense of Muth [1961]. Also, the explicit discrete random process that describes exchange-rate behavior over time is derived, and comparative-statics results about the characteristics of this process are developed. The most interesting result obtained is that increases in the degree of capital mobility, i.e., increases in the degree of portfolio sensitivity to changes in anticipated relative asset yields, decrease that portion of exchange-rate variability attributable to real shocks, but increase that portion attributable to monetary shocks. Another result is that correlations between the trade balance, relative price changes, and spot and forward rates depend on the relative importance of real and monetary shocks. In a sense, this paper extends the pioneering work of Barro [1978], which also explicitly incorporated uncertainty. Our model, though, focuses on three assumptions not incorporated in Barro's model but
On convection with nearly insulating boundaries in a low Prandtl number fluid

For the Prandtl numberP in the rangeP ≪ β1/3 ≪ 1 (β is the ratio between the thermal conductivities of the boundary and of the fluid) two-dimensional rolls are preferred in contrast to square-pattern convection that represents the preferred stable convection in the rangeP ≫ β1/3.
Repair of palatal bone defects using osteogenically differentiated fat-derived stem cells.

Background:Although autogenous bone grafting remains the standard in the reconstruction of bone defects, disadvantages may include limited amount of bone and donor-site morbidity. Tissue engineering approaches can potentially obviate these problems. Fat contains a population of stem cells that can b
Biofeedback in the Treatment of Phantom Limb Pain: A Time-Series Analysis

Phantom limb pain (PLP) is a noxious, painful sensation that is perceived to occur in an amputated limb. It has been reported to occur in up to 85% of amputees. This pilot study examined the effectiveness of biofeedback in the treatment of nine individuals with PLP who received up to seven thermal/autogenic biofeedback sessions over the course of 4-6 weeks. Pain was assessed daily using the visual analog scale (VAS), the sum of the sensory descriptors, and the sum of the affective descriptors of the McGill short form. Interrupted time-series analytical models were created for each of the participants, allowing biofeedback sessions to be modeled as discrete interventions. Analyses of the VAS revealed that a 20% pain reduction was seen in five of the nine patients in the weeks after session 4, and that at least a 30% pain reduction (range: 25-66%) was seen in six of the seven patients in the weeks following session 6. Sensory descriptors of pain decreased more than the affective pain descriptors. These preliminary results provide some support for the use of biofeedback in the treatment of PLP and indicate the need for further, definitive study.
Search for Photoproduction of Bosons by the Missing-Mass Technique and Measurement of the s and t Distribution of the Photoproduced Hadronic Continuum

The reaction gamma + p yields p + m/sup o/ was studied with a tagged- photon beam of energy range 1.90 to 4.70 GeV. No new resonances were seen in the state m/sup o/ but instead a large nonresonant production was observed. The s and t dependence of this continuum production were measured and found to have interesting properties. The recoil-proton spectra from the photoproduced continuum are found to strongly resemble recoil-proton spectra from hadron- initiated reactions. (auth)
TH‐D‐213A‐02: An Improved Iterative Thresholding Approach for 3D PET Tumor Delineation: Phantom Study

Purpose: To develop an improved iterative thresholding method (IITM) for 3D PET tumor delineation, motivated by the iterative thresholding method (ITM). Method and Materials: The IITM method is an iterative thresholding method that selects the threshold level to segment a tumor based on calibrated source‐to‐background threshold‐volume (SBTV) curves. From an initial tumor volume V 0, the source‐to‐background (S/B) ratio R 0 is calculated as the ratio of the average intensity of V 0 and the average intensity of regions of interest in the background. A calibrated SBTV curve corresponding to R 0 is generated by interpolation using those pre‐defined calibrated SBTV curves. This SBTV curve is used for finding a threshold level T 1. The threshold level T 1 is applied to the image and a new estimation of volume V 1 is obtained. This iterative process of updating the SBTV curve, the threshold level and the volume is repeated until the threshold values T i and T i‐1 are not significantly different. In comparison, the ITM method calculates the source as the average intensity in a small neighborhood of the voxel with the maximum intensity and the S/B ratio is fixed during its iterative process. A phantom study using six spherical tumor phantoms (0.5 – 20 mL) with S/B ratio ranging from 16 to 0.5 is used to test these two methods. Also a 3D Gaussian function was used to generate heterogeneous pattern in the phantoms. Results: The IITM method yielded better or equivalent delineation accuracy than the ITM method on all images, particularly at low S/B ratio of 3 for heterogeneous targets. Conclusion: By measuring the source intensity in the entire tumor region and iteratively updating the SBTV curve in addition to the volume and threshold level, the IITM method shows some advantages over the ITM method, particularly for heterogeneous targets.
The truncated moment problem via homogenization and flat extensions

Abstract This paper studies how to solve the truncated moment problem (TMP) via homogenization and flat extensions of moment matrices. We first transform TMP to a homogeneous TMP (HTMP), and then use semidefinite programming (SDP) techniques to solve HTMP. Our main results are: (1) a truncated moment sequence (tms) is the limit of a sequence of tms admitting measures on R n if and only if its homogenized tms (htms) admits a measure supported on the unit sphere in R n + 1 ; (2) an htms admits a measure if and only if the optimal values of a sequence of SDP problems are nonnegative; (3) under some conditions that are almost necessary and sufficient, by solving these SDP problems, a representing measure for an htms can be explicitly constructed if one exists.
Effect of toroidal field ripple on particle and energy transport in a tokamak

The azimuthal asymmetry introduced in tokamaks by the use of a finite number of toroidal field coils can lead to anomalously large particle and energy losses. The diffusion and ion heat transport coefficients associated with the ripple-induced drift of particles trapped in the usual banana orbits have been calculated and the results compared with the coefficients for neoclassical banana transport in axisymmetric tokamaks, transport governed by the dissipative trapped-ion instability, and the transport associated with particles trapped between the coil planes by the ripple field itself. The calculations were performed for an Experimental Power Reactor design and show that the losses due to the ripple-induced banana drifts can be a major limit on fusion reactor magnet design.
Acquisition and retention of active avoidance in Xenopus laevis

Adult male South African clawed frogs, Xenopus laevis, were trained in an aquatic shuttlebox on one-way active avoidance of electric shock. Acquisition was observed within daily sessions (30 trials) and between days (4 days). Control groups indicated that learning, rather than pseudoconditioning or sensitization to the CS, was responsible for the observed change in behavior. A retraining measure yielded appreciable savings after a 28-day retention period. Some of the advantages of this species for behavioral research are discussed.
Seismic response of flexible cylindrical liquid storage tanks

Abstract Liquid slosh and tank wall flexural vibrations are studied in a flexible model storage tank subject to simulated earthquake environments. Emphasis is placed on determining the influence of wall flexural vibrations on induced stresses. The approach is basically experimental, whereby similitude considerations are first presented. Then, a series of scale model experiments are conducted, and preliminary observations are evaluated. These evaluations allow formulation of an approximate analytical model for prediction of seismically induced stress. Validity range for this model is established by comparison of various predicted responses with observed results.
Content-based retrieval aided registration for texture images and range images

The modelling of complex objects and sites involve the acquisition of a large number of texture maps and range images; each one of them representing a particular viewing angle. These views must be combined and registered in order to create an accurate model of the original. The complexity of the resultant models, and consequently the number of views required, has increased tremendously over the past decade. Furthermore major projects involve multinational and multilingual teams, each with different underlying methodologies. In such conditions, it is difficult to make sense of the annotation and to determine which views should be registered together. We propose a new approach in which similar views are found by content-based indexing and retrieval of textures (2D) and range images (3D). The views are described automatically, according to their appearance and their 3D geometry. A search engine allows retrieving similar and related views for registration.
Graphene-based actuators.

The development of new mechanical actuators that convert external stimuli such as thermal, light, electrical, or chemical energy to mechanical energy depends on the development of new materials. Reversible mechanical actuators based on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and hydrogel polymers have suggested applications in robotics, sensors, mechanical instruments, microscopy tips, switches, and memory chips. Recently, electromechanical resonators composed of singleand multilayer graphene sheets were reported. We present here a novel macroscopic graphene-based actuator that shows actuation that depends on variation of humidity and/or temperature. The actuator is a free standing ‘‘paper-like’’ material made by sequential filtration of CNT, and then graphene oxide, aqueous colloidal suspensions. ‘‘Paper-like’’ materials composed of stacked graphene oxide platelets produced by simple filtration of an aqueous graphene oxide suspension exhibited good mechanical properties, with a modulus of about 40 GPa and a fracture strength of about 130 MPa. Chemical modification of graphene oxide paper with divalent ions can enhance its mechanical properties. Based on these results that show excellent mechanical properties of individual graphene sheets and of paper-like materials composed of them, we have tried to make mechanical actuators by using graphene oxide platelets. Graphite oxide (GO) is generated by oxidation of graphite and contains a wide range of oxygen functional groups, such as hydroxyl and epoxy groups on the basal plane and carboxylic acid groups at the edges, which make the GO hydrophilic. The oxygen functional groups in the GO, which contains a layered structure of graphene oxide platelets, allow dynamic intercalation of water molecules into the gallery between the layers. The interlayer distance between the graphite oxides reversibly varies from 6 to 12 A depending on the relative humidity, with increased interlayer distance as the relative humidity increases. Graphene oxide paper contains a layered structure similar to, but not identical to, GO (the coherence length in the paperlike material is 6–7 platelets,
The kinesin KIF16B mediates apical transcytosis of transferrin receptor in AP‐1B‐deficient epithelia

Polarized epithelial cells take up nutrients from the blood through receptors that are endocytosed and recycle back to the basolateral plasma membrane (PM) utilizing the epithelial-specific clathrin adaptor AP-1B. Some native epithelia lack AP-1B and therefore recycle cognate basolateral receptors to the apical PM, where they carry out important functions for the host organ. Here, we report a novel transcytotic pathway employed by AP-1B-deficient epithelia to relocate AP-1B cargo, such as transferrin receptor (TfR), to the apical PM. Lack of AP-1B inhibited basolateral recycling of TfR from common recycling endosomes (CRE), the site of function of AP-1B, and promoted its transfer to apical recycling endosomes (ARE) mediated by the plus-end kinesin KIF16B and non-centrosomal microtubules, and its delivery to the apical membrane mediated by the small GTPase rab11a. Hence, our experiments suggest that the apical recycling pathway of epithelial cells is functionally equivalent to the rab11a-dependent TfR recycling pathway of non-polarized cells. They define a transcytotic pathway important for the physiology of native AP-1B-deficient epithelia and report the first microtubule motor involved in transcytosis.
The evolution of the North American oenotheras of the “biennis” group

As one proceeds from west to east across North America, he finds that the Oenotheras of the subgenus Euoenothera (the "biennis group") show a progressive change in cytogenetic and reproductive behavior. In northern Mexico and California, they are large flowered and open pollinated, are free of lethals and have paired chromosomes. As one moves eastward, chromosome circles of small or intermediate size begin to appear and become progressively more frequent, but the plants remain for the most part large flowered, open pollinated, and free of lethals. When one reaches Colorado, however, the large flowered alethal forms become rapidly replaced by smaller flowered, self-pollinating plants with 014 and balanced lethals. Northward and eastward from this region, almost all plants possess these characteristics. Only in one small area in southern Alabama, and in a narrow strip of territory in the Appala chian highlands do we find lethal-free, large flowered forms with most or all of the chromosomes paired. Everywhere else, from the Rocky Mountains eastward, balanced lethals, small self-pollinating flowers and 014 are almost universally characteristic. Wherever these characters are present, the population takes on a peculiar structure. It consists of countless lines or races, each of which is true-breeding because of the presence of 014 and balanced lethals, and isolated to a large degree from other lines because of the self-polli nating habit. Within a line, all individuals in every generation are essentially identical genetically; there are, however, many lines, and these may differ more or less strikingly from each other in phenotype. Consequently, the population as a whole shows a wide diversity of types. So numerous are the types, and so varied are the degrees of difference between them, that clear-cut specific boundaries have eluded the taxo nomist, who has found the group exceedingly difficult to classify. The barriers set up by the self-pollinating habit serve, of course, to restrict the flow of genes, which are ordinarily confined to the line in which they find themselves. The rare outcrossing between lines, which becomes
Discrimination of male conspecific from male heterospecific odors by male scincid lizards (Eumeces laticeps)

Male broad-headed skinks, Eumeces laticeps, were tested for the ability to discriminate the odors of conspecific males from those of males of the broadly sympatric and closely related E. fasciatus, which is similar in appearance. Tongue-flicks elicited in 1 min by male cloacal odors of both species presented to 28 males in counterbalanced order. Data were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) for a repeated measures design. Male E. laticeps had significantly higher tongue-flick rates when responding to conspecific male odors than to odors of male E. fasciatus. The adaptive advantage of interspecific discrimination of male odors may be recognition of sexual rivals or avoidance of injury incurred during interspecific fighting.
Use of the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) with persons with traumatic brain injury: analysis of factorial structure.

Primary objective: To determine the factorial structure of the BDI-II in a TBI sample and possible predictor variables of depression following TBI.Research design: Principle components analysis with orthogonal rotation and linear regression analyses.Methods and procedures: Fifty-one individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) participated in this study. The factorial structure of the BDI-II, a 21-item self-report measure of depression, was examined with individuals in the early stages following TBI. Time since injury, severity of injury, location of lesion and previous substance abuse were examined as possible predictors of depression following TBI.Results: A three-factor structure of the BDI-II was found for the TBI sample, which included Negative Self-Evaluation, Symptoms of Depression and Vegetative Symptoms of Depression. Time since injury was the only significant predictor of depression following TBI.Conclusion: Using the BDI-II, symptoms of depression after TBI fall into three key categories. With...
The use of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor therapy in acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: current practice and future trends.

Abstract The goal of therapy in acute myocardial infarction is complete and timely restoration of coronary blood flow. Current strategies for reperfusion fail to achieve ideal results and resolution of ischemia in all patients. The platelet plays a pivotal role in the pathophysiology of an acute myocardial infarction, and antiplatelet therapy has been shown to improve clinical outcomes. The final common pathway for platelet activation and aggregation in acute myocardial infarction is the activation of the glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa receptor. Newer reperfusion strategies target the GP IIb/IIIa receptor, thereby preventing the prothrombotic effects of platelets in an acute myocardial infarction. In the past decade, several strategies targeting the use of GP IIb/IIIa inhibitors have been evaluated. GP IIb/IIIa inhibitors have been shown to improve angiographic Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) 3 flow rates when used as reperfusion therapy given with heparin and aspirin as compared with heparin and aspirin alone. When GP IIb/IIIa inhibitors are used with full-dose fibrinolytics, early studies have suggested a trend toward more rapid and more complete reperfusion in an acute myocardial infarction. Later trials have examined the use of GP IIb/IIIa inhibitors in conjunction with reduced-dose fibrinolytics. Results from TIMI 14 and Global Use of Strategies to Open occluded arteries–IV pilot trials support the use of combination therapy with reduced- dose fibrinolytics and the GP IIb/IIIa inhibitor abciximab. Given the promising role of GP IIb/IIIa inhibitor therapy in acute myocardial infarction, investigators questioned the need for concomitant antithrombin therapy. However, data from several investigations suggest that antithrombin therapy is required when GP IIb/IIIa inhibitors are used with fibrinolytics, although it appears that the dose of heparin may be reduced. Finally, recent investigations have addressed the safety and efficacy of facilitated early percutaneous intervention. In this strategy, patients presenting with an acute myocardial infarction are treated with reduced-dose fibrinolytics and GP IIb/IIIa inhibitors and are taken to the interventional cardiac catheterization laboratory within the first 60 minutes of therapy.
Congressional Preferences, Perceptions of Threat, and Supreme Court Decision Making:

Previous research examining the impact of extra-Court factors on Supreme Court decision making has developed conflicting theoretical perspectives supported with limited empirical evidence. In an at...